Shadows of Alarun

Chapter 5: The Invitation

Dayan leaped over the bloody knife, shoved the door open, and ran from the old chemistry building. She didn't stop until she reached the crowded cafeteria. She collapsed into a booth, trembling.

Her mind was completely fractured. Rupert had a torn shirt and warned her not to trust the police, yet his fierce gaze offered the only true safety she felt. Thinking of his intense eyes made her heart race with a confusing mix of terror and attraction. Erol panicked over a text and knew she was heading to the abandoned building, but his warm smile made her want to trust him completely. Wayne had a raised scar, knew the murder details, and just tossed the bloody weapon at her feet.

One of them was the killer. The other two were hiding dark secrets.

She needed help. She couldn't go to Detective Senclare, not when Erol had access to everything his father knew. She couldn't go to campus security either because Rupert’s wealthy family owned the school board. She was on her own. As a scholarship student, her life was supposed to be about passing chemistry. But she was done cowering in fear. She would fight back.

Dayan gathered strength to walk back to her dormitory. When she reached her room, her roommate, Lily Orwell, was painting her nails. Lily was a cheerful theater major who lived in her own bubbly world, oblivious to the terror.

"Hey," Lily chirped, not looking up from her bright pink nails. "You got a fancy letter today."

Dayan locked the door and walked to her desk. A black envelope rested on her notebook. Her name was written in elegant silver ink. She picked it up. She broke the wax seal and pulled out a card.

You are cordially invited to the Student Council Masquerade Ball. Tonight at eight o'clock. The Council Manor. Do not be late, little mouse. We have so much to discuss.

Dayan dropped the card as if it had burned her fingers. Little mouse. That was exactly what the killer had called her while hunting her in the gardens.

"Who is it from?" Lily asked. "A secret admirer?"

"Something like that," Dayan muttered, staring at the card.

The killer was demanding she come to the party. If she went to the police, she had no proof of who wrote the card. If she ignored it, the killer would know she was terrified and hunt her down on his own terms. But if she attended, she might figure out who was hiding behind the mask. She had to go. It was her only chance to turn the tables.

By seven thirty, Dayan was dressed in a simple black silk gown she borrowed from Lily. She tied a delicate black lace mask over her eyes. It hid her identity, but it did nothing to hide the dread twisting her stomach.

The Council Manor was a massive gothic mansion on the wealthy north side of campus. When Dayan arrived, the opulent party was in full swing. Classical music drifted through the grand ballroom. Crystal chandeliers cast a warm glow over hundreds of elite students dancing in elaborate costumes and masks.

Dayan walked through the swirling crowd. She kept her eyes locked on the men, desperately searching for broad shoulders, dark hair, and intimidating heights. She felt out of place, a poor scholarship student swimming in a sea of deadly wealth.

"You look terrified," a deep, smooth voice murmured behind her.

Dayan spun around, her heart leaping. A tall man in a sharply tailored black suit and a silver wolf mask stood inches away. He held out two glasses of champagne. The intoxicating scent of cedarwood, combined with that cold, magnetic posture, was unmistakable.

"Rupert," Dayan said stiffly, her pulse fluttering as she refused the drink.

"Good guess," Rupert replied smoothly, taking a slow sip. His eyes locked fiercely onto hers through the thin slits of his mask, burning with an intense heat that made her breath catch. "I didn't expect to see you here tonight. I thought you would be hiding under your bed after yesterday."

"I'm tired of hiding," Dayan said, stepping daringly close to his solid chest. "Did you invite me here tonight, Rupert?"

"I'm the president of the student council," Rupert said softly, his intense gaze dropping momentarily to her lips. "I invite everyone. But you should be careful tonight, Dayan. Masks make people very brave. They do things they would normally be too cowardly to do." He stepped closer, erasing the physical distance between them. His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "Keep your enemies close. But figure out exactly who they are first."

Rupert turned and disappeared into the crowd before she could ask what he meant, leaving her skin tingling.

Dayan moved purposefully toward the massive banquet tables. As she reached for a napkin, someone bumped her shoulder playfully.

"Fancy seeing you here," a bright voice laughed.

It was a man wearing a bright gold masquerade mask and a relaxed velvet jacket. His messy brown hair poked out from the edges of the mask. Erol.

"Erol," Dayan snapped. She pulled him forcefully away from the food table. "You left me. You told me not to go to the chemistry building, but you clearly knew something horrible was hidden there. What's going on?"

Erol suddenly looked nervous. He glanced around the room, making sure no one was watching them. "I tried to warn you. My dad's files mentioned that the killer uses the old chemistry basement to store trophies. When I got that text, it was an anonymous number telling me you should go there. I panicked."

"Why didn't you come with me?" Dayan demanded.

"Because I'm afraid," Erol whispered, his cheerful facade completely shattering. He squeezed her hand. "The secret society is real, Dayan. They run this entire school. If I cross them, they will murder my dad. You need to leave this party right now. They are watching you."

Before Dayan could respond, the classical music abruptly stopped. A sudden, terrifying silence fell heavily over the massive ballroom.

Then, a loud crack echoed across the ceiling.

The giant crystal chandelier in the center of the room shattered violently. Thousands of sharp glass shards rained down onto the dance floor. The students screamed in terror as the heavy bronze frame crashed to the ground.

At the exact same moment, every single light in the vast manor went out. Pitch-black darkness swallowed the room completely. Absolute, violent chaos erupted instantly. People were screaming, shoving, and trampling each other to get to the doors.

Dayan was slammed hard against a cold stone pillar. She lost her footing and started to fall.

Suddenly, a large, heavy hand clamped tightly over her mouth, muffling her scream. A hard, muscular chest pressed forcefully against her bare back. The sharp, terrifying smell of industrial bleach and raw copper filled her nose.

"I told you to stop digging," a rough, horribly familiar voice whispered directly into her ear. "Now you belong to me."

The massive, incredibly strong man wrapped his arm tightly around her waist and violently dragged her backward into the endless, consuming darkness.