Elena POV
I was invited inside the car as the door swung open. My cheeks were brushed by cool night air, indicating that this would not be like my usual night out.
The driver sat quietly, gloved hands on the wheel, eyes fixed forward, ignoring everything else.
Adrian's voice cut through the tension. "Trust me."
I nodded, trying to steady myself. The city faded behind us, and arrived at an estate that looked like a fortress from an old story.
A fountain glowed in the courtyard, chandeliers gleamed in the windows, and candles lined the terraces. I gaped in wonder.
"This is unreal," I whispered, looking at the statues, the wide staircases, and the crowds at the entrance. Everyone wore masks, some porcelain, some feathered, and their outfits sparkled like something out of a painting.
Adrian's presence beside me kept me steady in the middle of all the luxury.
"It's called the Masked Gala," he said quietly.
I swallowed hard, seeing the crowd. I hope I survive my own mind tonight.
"Be strong and use this as an opportunity to shield your mind," Adrian says while moving closer to me. "I… I'll do my best," I said, feeling my pulse spike at the press of his shoulder near mine.
"Good." His tone was serious. He looked at me for a moment, studying me, and I realized he wanted something from me too.
Inside, the gala was a river of murmured thoughts, glittering fabric, and hidden intentions.
My own mind pulsed with awareness I hadn't experienced before: half marvel, half sensory assault.
The way they think, the way they plot… the envy, the lust, the greed. Every mask hides a mind, but I see through it.
I drifted through the crowd, letting my eyes wander, my mind threading through thought after thought. The grandeur fascinated me, but the undercurrent terrified me.
A man in a silver mask, handsome in a way that should have been comforting, leaned toward his companion, whispering while glancing in our direction.
Not aloud but in his thoughts, I caught the words: The wine. He'll be dead by dessert. No one will suspect me. The guard is with me.
My stomach dropped. Poison. Is it Adrian, or is one of his bodyguards in league with an enemy?
I turned, scanning the room.
Adrian, talking with some persons he previously introduced to me, stood across the room, elegant and composed, the mask hiding nothing of his intensity.
His familiar energy reached out to me like a silent rope, grounding and anchoring me.
My pulse quickened; he must have no idea someone close was planning his demise.
I took a steadying breath, reminding myself: Breathe. Don't let panic betray you.
Yet the tension between us, the proximity, the almost palpable magnetic pull, made me ache in ways I hadn't allowed myself in years.
His dark suit clung to broad shoulders, every movement precise, controlled, yet something in the slight flare of his nostrils, the tilt of his head, spoke of desire restrained.
I moved toward him under the pretense of joining the guests, while scanning the minds of everyone around me. Who is plotting and how?
A woman with a jagged golden mask approached us. Her thoughts hissed like knives: envy sharp, ambition sharper.
She lingered too long near Adrian, and I felt a surge of protective instinct I couldn't suppress. I stepped subtly closer, and in an instant, my awareness caught the subtle collusion between her and one of our bodyguards.
I couldn't read her thoughts, but I sensed a faint pulse of agreement, a shared thrill of an ongoing action.
My heart pounded. I should warn Adrian. To do so openly now risks exposure and panic.
And besides… the danger was intoxicating. I realized then that I was no longer just observing, I was involved. Part of the chaos now.
Adrian's hand brushed mine almost accidentally as he turned to greet another guest.
A spark shot through me, and my breath caught. I wanted to draw back, hide, but I couldn't. Not when he anchored me in ways no one ever had.
His presence was a tide, pulling me closer, demanding attention, and igniting every nerve ending in my body.
I wanted to speak, but his thoughts cut through mine: Stay close. Do not show weakness. Pay close attention.
Yes, I know, projecting my thoughts back. I'm watching all and learning.
Someone is probably planning to hurt you.
His eyes flicked toward mine briefly, a hint of acknowledgment. He did not ask how I knew. He did not question the source. He only held my gaze long enough for me to feel that silent agreement between us, like an unspoken pact, fierce and intimate.
As the orchestra began a low, hypnotic waltz, I realized the gala was more than a party. It was a battlefield hidden behind silk and masks. Most smiles hid a dagger, and their compliments hid ambition.
My fingers tightened slightly around my clutch. I'll not let them touch him.
Not tonight. The intense desire to protect shocked me, but I also welcomed it.
A gasp behind me drew my attention; a guest had tripped on the polished marble floor, sending a ripple of polite concern through the crowd.
But the thought rippling through the hall made me shiver: The wine…
I glanced at Adrian again. His mask gave nothing away, but I could feel his mind straining against the psychic current, sensing what I sensed.
My body coiled with both fear and a dangerous thrill. Protecting him felt like breathing fire into my chest.
And then, as he leaned closer to me under the guise of conversation, brushing a whisper of hair from my face, he murmured in that low, intoxicating voice:
"You'll need to watch carefully tonight, Elena. The Masked Gala isn't kind to the unprepared. But…"
His gaze darkened, eyes locking on mine beneath the mask, "…I want you here. Keep close and don't stay out of my sight."
My pulse raced, and the blood in my ears thundered.
His nearness, the subtle heat between us, and the knowledge of the plot against him make the night intoxicating, terrifying, and irresistible.
I wanted to speak, to ask what to do, but words failed me. I could only nod, letting him see my agreement without a sound.
And in that silent acknowledgment, I knew the night would be crucial for both of us.
The music tempo was higher, the masked crowd twirled around the dance floor, and I realized that danger wasn't just behind these scheming masks.
It was also in the closeness, the tension, that Adrian and I seemed to ignite, and neither of us has full control.