As they approached the mansion, she grew nervous. She hoped that the feathery mask that she was wearing covered up her anxiety as the car drove. She had bought an expensive dress for this event, and she hoped that she had chosen wisely.

The man who invited her said that he would meet her there, which eased her tension. They had been dating for a few weeks, and he thought that this might be a fun idea. However, she didn't expect to have a chauffeur there, nor to meet him there. He had texted her this morning with the details.

She adjusted her peacock mask and her navy gloves timidly, looking out the window. As they drove up to the mansion, her jaw dropped as the night lit up. She could hear the music through the car, and her heart raced. She could start to see the party goers, and she suddenly felt under dressed.

The car stopped and the driver helped her out of the vehicle. She thanked him and started to walk inside, playing with her curled hair awkwardly. Walking into the mansion, she was greeted by masked doormen, who were very welcoming.

As she walked through the doors, she could see nearly three hundred people dancing and chatting. A few men, who also wore masks, came by with champagne. She graciously took one and sipped at it, wondering if she would ever find the man who invited her.

After wandering around the crowd and listening to rather loud classical music, she found a small corner to stand. She was now on her second flute of champagne, and was feeling pretty good. A masked man then came through the crowd and offered her some hors d'oeuvres. 

"What are these?" she asked as the man smiled beneath the mask. 

"They're a traditional appetizer that the host has chosen. I can ask the chef if you would like," he offered, but she shook her head.

"No, no, it's okay," she insisted and took a small plate. The man bowed and left. Just as she was about to taste it, a man ran up to her and grabbed her hand.

"Don't eat that," he whispered.

"What? Who are you?" she asked, surprised that he had showed up out of nowhere. She stared at him, coming to the conclusion that this was definitely not the man she was waiting for.

"That's not important," he informed shortly. She wrestled out of his grip and glared at him. "But don't eat that. Don't eat or drink anything. It's not safe."

"I already drank the champagne."

"We have to get you out of here now," he insisted, grabbing her arm. She yanked it out of his grip again.

"I'm not going anywhere with you."

"If you don't, you'll be condemned. Forever. You have to leave now."

"What are you, drunk? Condemned? It's just a party," she laughed as she ate the food. "See? Not dead. Not poisoned. I'm fine."

"You're going to wish you hadn't done that," he whispered before disappearing into the crowd. 

Shaking her head, finishing the food which the waiter had given her. It was by far the most delicious thing she had ever tasted. It was sweet and savory with a tinge of spice at the end. It was incredible, and she found herself wanting more.

She searched the crowd for the waiters with the trays of food. She could see a few others also searching, so she joined them willingly while the rest danced, laughed, and chatted. The roar dulled considerably as she zeroed in on what she was looking for.

She and the small crowd she had accumulated found the kitchen, and waited for another waiter to come out. She noted that it seemed like it was only women interested in the food, and she thought it was slightly strange. However, as the godly smell emanated from the kitchen, all her thoughts were lost completely.

"Oh, ladies. Looking for more hors d'oeuvres, are we?" the masked man laughed before opening the kitchen. 

As they piled into the kitchen, there were a few chefs and two other men. One man, while wearing a rather complicated raven mask, she recognized as the guy she was dating. She waved and walked toward him as he smiled kindly.

"I thought you got lost," he laughed as she hugged him. He smelled strange to her, but she smiled back.

"Where were you? I've been here for ages," she whispered, the intoxicating smell of the food distracting her. "What is that smell?"

"Oh, the ambrosia? Did you get a taste of it?" he whispered coyly, his smile growing wider. She looked up at him and nodded, noticing that his eyes looked a little more purple than usual. "Do you want some more?"

"More than anything," she groaned, her stomach twisting and turning.

"What are you going to do for it?" he asked quietly, his arm wrapping around her waist. He pulled her close to him.

"I would do anything," she informed hungrily. He laughed as he picked up a piece of ambrosia. She reached for it, but he held it far above her head.

"Anything?"

"Anything," she begged. He smiled inhumanly as he fed her the morsel. She moaned loudly and fell into him, savoring the ambrosia. He supported her weight and led her toward the door. "Come, now, let's get back to the masquerade."