I nodded, and he turned to lead me out the bedroom. We headed back down the stairs and he led me in front of a door. But, as his hand reached for the handle, he stopped and turned to face me.

“Also, this just occurred to me… I never actually asked how you are with crowds?”

“Crowds? As long as I don’t need to make a lengthy speech, then I’m fine.”

“Ah, you’ll be fine then.” He turned back to the door and opened it but, before he pushed it more, he turned back to me and held out his elbow. “Wanna put your arm through?”

“Oh. Yes.” I put my arm through his arm and, as I did so, I could feel that part of the muscle. BOY! Was this man toned, which I somewhat knew from earlier today but, after feeling it? Damn. It’s a mystery how he hides it so well under his clothes. To be honest, I would say it’s a criminal act that he hides it.

“Ready?” I heard his voice nearby.

“Wait, for what?” He brought me back to reality.

“Entering?”

“Wait… Entering what now?”

“The room?” He gestured, with his head, to the slightly open door.

“Oh!” 

Man! What the hell is up with my mind suddenly. Please, focus!

“Nervous?” 

“Maybe….” I lied. It was easier to say that than the real reason.

With a light chuckle, he led me into the next room. As we walked into the room, I noticed that the room was huge. The first thing I noticed was the giant crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and the way that the crystals glistened in the artificial light was quite nice, I had to be honest. Tearing my eyes away from the chandelier, I also noticed that there were large windows on either side of the room and, right at the end of the room, was a large door, with an overhanging balcony just above it. Most of the colour theme for this room was black and gold. In fact, the room was filled with people with similar black lavish attire and also wearing masks.

“Ohhhh….” I exclaimed beside Nocte.

“Something the matter?”

“I did not expect it to be so huge….”

“It is a bit of a surprise to others as well, like they don’t actually expect it to be this huge either.”

I had to legit blink at him then, was he still talking about the room? Oh my god, Lexi? Of course he was. Geez, why am I suddenly such a horn dog. I really need to calm my loins.

“Yeah…” I tried to make sure that my voice didn’t match the horn dog of a mind voice. “I’m from the countryside, so this isn’t really a common sight for me. But when’s the auction?”

“In a few hours…. But come.”

Nocte pulled me along, we basically greeted several people, he was familiar with everyone I met, but I knew no one, so I just smiled. My role for tonight was, of course, arm candy, and I was surprisingly good at it. I witnessed a few women look his way, and when I looked directly at them, they quickly looked away. Oh good, I knew how to act like the alpha female. Or at least what I was doing was actually working. But eventually, after greeting more people, he led me to a little table.

“I’m going to go and make sure everything with the auction is going as planned. Will you be ok here?”

“Oh, yes.” I informed him, as I took a seat. “I mean the buffet table was right there.” I pointed to the side, and a short distance away was the buffet. “I didn't really have any dinner, so this is quite convenient.”

“Then eat up. I’ll meet you later.” Nocte gave me another ridiculously handsome smile, and walked off. However, I had to see him go. I didn’t actually want him to go though but, as my eyes wandered downwards, I was kinda glad that he was walking away from me.

When Nocte was out of sight, I got up from the table, and headed over to the buffet table. I pretty much piled up my plate with food, and, on the way back to my table, grabbed one of the drinks that was also there and headed back to my seat. As I ate, I continued to watch people. It was a bit of a surprise that none of the women I ‘scared’ off didn’t come at me wanting revenge. I kinda wanted to have a go at them. As I half day dreamed about beating up those women, a dark skinned man came over and sat with me. When I was more away from my surroundings, I turned my head to look at him. For some stupid reason, he was strangely familar to me, but I couldn’t place him. I must’ve been acting strange, because the man spoke.

“I suppose you don’t recognise me.”

“I will admit….” I answered him, pointing a celery stick at him. “You DO look familiar, but I just can’t place you.”

“This might remind you….” The man leaned forward, and reached for my hair. “This was ‘my’ doing.”

“My hair? That was done by Ruby…. Wait, you’re Ruby?”

The man gave me a really gentle smile. “Yep. But please, do call me Rupert.”

“Oh. So Ruby is your persona? Or is Rupert your persona?”

“Ruby is my work persona. I like to keep my private life separate from my work life, and that’s why I created Ruby.” Rupert explained.

“Ohhhh….” I took a bite of the celery stick. “That’s a cool way to go about it.”

“I have to admit that it wasn’t my idea. It was actually Nocte’s.”

“Really?” Now I was curious.

“Yep.”

“Oh, wow…. May I ask how?”

“Of course….” Rupert smiled. “I suppose I should explain how I met the guy too. I met him by chance, maybe like four years ago? Unfortunately, times were really tough for me back then. I sadly became homeless, and I ended up sitting on the streets of London, begging to get by. But, one day, a man came over to me and offered his hand instead of money. All in all, I took the chance and accepted it. The man in question was Nocte, and he pretty much got me back on my feet. Shortly afterwards, I was working for Charlotte, which was just before she became more renowned. I was her assistant for three years and, in those years, she became the famous Lady Charlotte. But, one day, I helped with her hair and make up, and I was surprised when she offered to help me start up my own business, because she saw massive potential in me. So both Charlotte and Nocte helped me with that. Sadly, I’ve always been a shy person naturally, but Nocte once suggested another persona, and I looked into drag. Which eventually gave birth to Ruby.”

“Seriously?” I blinked several times at Rupert.

“Yeah. I owe a lot to both of them really.”

“So…. Nocte is really a nice guy?”

“Oh yeah, no doubt about that. Same with Charlotte, I mean she let me stay in her spare bedroom until I could get a place of my own. However…..” He leaned on his hand as he looked right at me. “As long as I have known Nocte? He’s never had anyone at his side…. Until now….”

“Now?” I cocked my head.

“Yeah….” He pointed at me with the hand that he wasn’t leaning on. “You.”

“Oh…. Me? I’m no one special….”

“Somehow I don’t believe that.”

“I’m seriously just some unlucky, frumpy country pumpkin in the big city.”

“Nah. Tonight? You are the Belle of the ball.”

I smiled at that. It was the same thing that Charlotte wrote on the dress tag. But I saw his eyes scan my dress.

“From the handy work, I can tell that you are wearing one of Charlotte’s. However, I’ve not actually seen the design before in any of her works.”

“Oh…. I think this is an original….”

“Really?” Rupert raised an eyebrow. “How intriguing…. However, it just reminds me that I should probably custom order a new dress for Ruby.”

“You totally should.” I smiled at him. I knew he didn’t need me to give him the push, he already knew how great Charlotte’s work was. “I mean she has actually given me an entire new wardrobe.”

“Really?” He was somewhat interested in that. “Not too daunting?”

“I mean… Kinda?” I shrugged. “But, for some reason, I just accept it like it's the most natural thing in the world.”

“Charlotte is a blessing.”

“Speaking to my lady, are we Rupe?”

Eh? As I looked up at the sound of the voice, I saw that Nocte was standing there. Somehow, he managed to sneak up on us.

“I’m just catching up with the lovely lass as myself.” Rupert moved to stand up and gave me a little bow. “It’s been a pleasure to meet you again, Miss Lexi. I’ll see you two around.” With a little wave, he walks off into the crowd.

“Rupert is very nice.” I commented, when he was out of ear shot.

“That he is….” Nocte replied as he took a seat, but not before leaning forward slightly, and stealing the last mini cocktail sausage off my plate.

“Hey! I was saving that!” I pouted at him.

“Well, you snooze…..” He plopped it in his mouth. “You lose.”

“Hmmphhhh…” I grumbled to myself. “But anyway, your business that you were checking? Is it finished?”

“Yep. Everything is going as smoothly as I hoped.”

I saw his hand edge towards my plate again, and I slapped it away. “No. Get your own plate.”

“Awww….” He feigned pain as he nursed his hand. “Food always tastes better when it’s off someone else’s plate.”

“Well, steal someone elses then….” I moved my plate further away from him. “This is mine.”

“Hah!”

Since he was trying to become a food thief, I made sure to eat the rest. However, I did notice that he never did get his own place, and that he was just sitting there. As I finished my plate, different types of music started to play and I couldn’t help but notice that the lights started to become dimmer and people disappeared to the edges of the room.

“What’s going on?”

“Hmm?” He turned to look at me, then towards the rest of the room. “Ah, it must be that time.”

“For what?”

Nocte looked back at me, smiled as he stood up and, in a swift motion, took my hand and pulled me to my feet.

“Come. Let’s dance.”

“Excuse me?” I was baffled at that, as he basically dragged me to the middle of the room where other couples had started gathering. “Wait, hang on….” I tried to protest. But all he did was smile at me, and pull me in closer to him. He had one hand still clasped around my hand and another had moved to my waist. I had no idea what to do with my other hand, so it just went limp down my side.

“Place your hand on my shoulder, or near it….”

“What?”

The close proximity was a little too much, and that smell of strong ass strawberries was filling my nose. But I robotically moved my hand to his shoulder. The suddenness of this made me feel oddly giddy but, as he led me around in a dance, I noticed that I was really stiff.

“Not used to dancing, I take it?” He whispered in my ear.

“... No…”

“I can tell…. Maybe this was a bit sudden of me, but it was slightly traditional….”

“To dance?”

“Somewhat.”

I looked down. “You’re a good dancer though….”

“Me? Nah…. We have literally been going round in circles.”

Huh? I really did not notice. I think him being close to me was frazzling my mind. But even though I only knew him for a few days, there really was something about him. As I looked up at him, I noticed that his skin was absolutely flawless, and his vibrant green eyes shone brightly. I can see why people could easily fall in love with him. But, even if I have my thoughts, I wasn’t going to fall in love. Having interesting thoughts of him and actually being with him were two different things, and I was going to keep it like that. This was the best plan, of course it was.

I looked right into his eyes as we danced, and he looked back at me. I decided then and there. In no way was I EVER going to fall in love with him.

Not EVER!