Chapter Text
This was what she loved. The dimmed lights caused her to blend in with the crowd. She always dressed this way, in a dark colored dress, and she was wearing her favorite black-gold one tonight. The room was filled with young adults and students who were out to have a good time. Though this was not like any other party out there. No, this was The Masquerade. This party seemed more like a prom only with the same theme every year, better music, no supervision, alcohol, and some very beautifully dressed girls.
She had found a new dress every year she went. And she’d been going there for quite some time. Hey, a vampire from the 17th century had to remember her time as a human somehow, right?
Somehow, she had managed to find her favorite yet. A soft black fabric with a gold touch at the side where her leg was visible as she walked. It had a classy, yet modern look to it. It wasn’t her usual leather, but she loved the powerful feeling she got when she wore it. And the mask, oh the mask fit her so perfectly well. The golden paint faded to black at the sides while beautiful curls in golden glitter ran along the eyes. She herself had added a few black stripes with black paint to make it look even more artistic and modern. But her favorite thing about the mask? It wasn’t the look of it. No, not at all. It was the fact that she could walk around while no one would immediately recognize her. It kept her air of mystery while she swept through the crowd. She wasn’t particularly looking for someone to dance with, in fact, she had declined quite a lot of young men who had offered. She didn’t give them an explanation, she merely looked them straight in the eyes before turning away from them, leaving the poor guy wondering what the hell just happened. They probably weren’t used to being rejected. Not her fault.
As the dark haired girl was just ordering a drink. She wasn’t staring at the girl who just walked in. No, she was just waiting for her drink and scanning the crowd when her eyes came across her. She certainly did *not* let her eyes linger too long on the petite woman who looked around nervously at the edge of the dance floor. She felt like the petite woman would look at the any second now, and she was going to get caught, but she didn’t care. Thankfully, the bartender tapped her shoulder at the right time to hand her the drink she had almost completely forgotten about. She wasn’t sure what she would have done if he hadn’t tapped her shoulder. Normally, she wasn’t the one to shy away from anyone, but this girl left her speechless simply by walking into the big hall where the masquerade was kept.
The woman wore a necklace with an L. Maybe for a boyfriend? Girlfriend perhaps? Anyway, she had to be taken. She couldn’t possibly be here without a date. No one- Well, no one but her did that.
Even now that her drink was emptied and she resumed her dance on the crowded dancefloor, she could still see the petite woman whenever she blinked. The soft sky blue dress that framed the waist of the young woman so perfectly was one of the most beautiful she’d ever seen. It was elegant with the silver decorations alongside the lines and her breasts. Yes, she had made the mistake of thinking of how every single piece of her shoulders was revealed by the strapless dress the nameless girl wore. She really had to find out more about her. She spun around to try and clear her head because no, this was not a good time to be smitten by a complete stranger. At the masquerade no less!
As she was twirling, she saw a flash of blue and silver and abruptly, she came to a stop. Only a few meters away she stood. Beautiful, it was almost an angelic picture of how the girl moved and the soft fabric of the dress flowed. And her shoulders…. They were visible more than ever as her hair was put up in a loose, casual looking pony tail. Yet, it worked. The simplicity of her dress, mask, and hair. It just worked when it came to her.
Her mask was elegant as can be. Silver matching the decorations on her dress, with the blue of her dress framing her eyes. All curly with the droplets and diamonds of blue and silver perfectly in place. She was the contrast of her. Dark and twisty versus light and happy. She figured, opposites attract right? It seemed almost like yin and yang.
As the music changed into a different melody, the pace of the dancers followed. A quite modern song followed but it was perfect for the masquerade. The petite girl seemed to know it as she mouthed along the words.
“Don’t take this the wrong way
you knew who I was with every step that I ran to you…”
Finally, she noticed the friends that the young woman was with. Two red haired young ladies danced together, although they did first offer to dance all together. But the petite girl seemed to understand; this was a song to dance to with a partner, not just a friend.
“Only blue or black eyes
electing strange perfections in any stranger I choose.”
But hey eyes weren’t blue or black. Her eyes were a beautiful brown that was lighter than her own. But oh she hoped this stranger would choose her. No partner, no date… No, she couldn’t be hoping for this bright girl not to have someone to dance with, but she couldn’t help herself.
“Would things be easier if there was a right way?
Honey, there is no right way.”
She was standing there on the dance floor, turned to the petite woman. And right as the chorus set in, their eyes met and locked.
“And I fall in love just a little, oh a little bit every day with someone new.”
And oh the line that kept repeating couldn’t be more correct as they stood there, neither of them averting their gaze from each other. Darker staring into lighter brown. Black and gold versus light blue and silver.
She didn’t know what came over her when she walked towards the slightly shorter woman, but she did not regret a thing. When she was standing right before her, respecting each other’s personal space, she presented her hand for the light angel to accept. Her hands were warm, unlike her own which were always cold, but this did not seem to trouble the young woman in front of her.
“There’s an art to life’s distractions,”
Well, yeah… She woman she was now dancing with – Holy shhh- she was dancing with her! She, who looked so beautiful, had accepted the invitation and was now actually dancing with her to this modern song as she still sang along.
“To somehow escape the burning weight, the art of scraping through,”
How this song was able to describe her, was beyond understanding.
“Some like to imagine,
the dark caress of someone else, I guess any thrill will do.”
In this case, her hand floating over the light haired girl whose name had yet to be discovered was the dark caress. The song lost its heavy meaning completely as she met the girl’s eyes again. No words were ever needed to lead her in this dance.
“Would things be easier if there was a right way?
Honey, there is no right way.”
And she knew from that moment on as she twirled the girl underneath her arm, that there was no way she was walking out of this hall without knowing a bit more about this beautiful angel that made her view the world in slow motion.
The chorus brought the upbeat melody before the bridge slowed it down enough so that she could pull the girl a bit closer. She was unsure of what she was about to do, but all she knew was that it was now or never. After all, she only had a few seconds before the song would carry them away again.
“I wake at the first cringe of morning
and my heart’s already sinned,”
“What’s your name, creampuff?” Her voice felt unlike her own. She wasn’t nervous, or doubting the fact that she wanted to get to know this young lady. But the words flew out of her mouth like they never had before. Usually, she was so careful about the things she said or wanted to express. But somehow, she couldn’t contain the little nickname she gave her.
“How pure, how sweet a love, Aretha, that you would pray for him.”
Her cheeks flushed visibly against the silver mask before she spoke.
“Laura. My name’s Laura.” She smiled.
She thought she’d never heard such a simple, yet beautiful sound. How a name and a voice could make her head spin was beyond her.
“’Cause God knows I fall in love just a little, oh a little bit every day with someone new.”
“Yours?” the young woman now with a name asked.
She never did this. She never got involved at parties. Especially not at the Masquerade. But she never doubted once that she would deny her the knowledge of her name.
“I’m Carmilla. Carmilla Karnstein.” Her mouth was close to her ear as the song started to gain speed again. She didn’t want the song to end, but she knew it would transition into a new one soon.
“Oh, right. Hollis. Laura Hollis.” Laura’s voice was happy, quirky, and it was clear that the young woman was a bit embarrassed about the fact that she forgot to mention her last name.
This made her smile. Carmilla Karnstein, smiling? Well, this was new to her too. There was little that could actually make her smile this easily, but somehow this young woman had managed it in less than a minute.
“Well Laura Hollis, it was a pleasure to have danced with you.” She didn’t know what made her say it, but she meant every word.
“The pleasure was all mine.” Laura’s smile remained there for quite some time. And as the last line of the song rang through the hall, she made a split second decision.
“I fall in love just a little, oh a little bit every day with someone new.”
She twirled the girl one last time as she released her hand and disappeared into the crowd behind her before the petite woman had time to process what had happened.
This is not what she wants, but she sticks to her rules. But most importantly, she couldn’t let this beautiful happy girl be destroyed by the mess that was her life.
If she had stayed, there would be heartbreak eventually. The only difference was that now, she could be certain it was only her heart, and not the one of the gorgeous angel named Laura. Laura Hollis.