Some background information--This takes place after Iris has been found by Jonas. Technically the story has already passed Halloween but for this short story it is Halloween. Also Iris and Jonas are a couple in this. 

Iris~~

I tie the strings of the black mask. The masked figure stares back at me through the mirror.  Out of habit I tug the sleeve of my dress farther down and the figure does the same. The black dress brushes along the floor of my bedroom as I twist, examining it. I'm hiding who I am. Some part of this seems wrong. I touch the sweetheart neckline lightly, tilting my head to the side. The other girl does the same. Jonas will be here soon to escort me to the Phantom Ball. Girls have a mandatory requirement to wear long dresses, but still create a costume with it. I'm a ninja.

    The ball is being held below the Society. My arm will burn. So will Jonas'.

    Someone knocks at my door. That would probably be Jonas. Pushing my hair over my shoulders I open the door. I fight a smile at Jonas' costume. He wears light gray pants and a light blue shirt. A gold sash is draped across his torso, and on his head sits a golden crown. The hallway is dark.

    He sweeps his hand, bowing. "Your prince charming has arrived." Adorable as usual.

    I curtsey. "Your highness."

    He holds out his hand. "Milady, are you ready?"

    "Yes."

    "You sure?"

    "Do I not look like it?"

He shakes his head, blushing. "You look exquisite, love. I mean, about going down there."

"We'll be going through this together. If you can do it, so can I."

    We stroll down the darkened hallway, cobwebs draped along the walls like curtains. Candelabras on shelves cast an eerie glow around us. The entire Society's estate seems to be transformed into an old abandoned mansion. Mythical characters pass us, some good and some bad. Princess, vampires, fairies, villains. I step closer to Jonas.

He smiles at me. "Scared?"

    "Yes."

    He wraps his arm around me. "Don't be. You look very mysterious tonight. I think my brother should be scared."

    I laugh. I could karate chop Colton, though I don't think Jonas would appreciate that. "You look very dashing."

    He holds his head high, grinning. "Thank you, Iris."

     We descend the first set of stairs to the base floor. Society members dressed in their elegant costumes pour down the steps leading underneath the estate. Once I touch the first step leading below, a pain shoots up my left arm. I wrap my right one around Jonas.

    He looks down at me. "Are you okay?

    I bite my lip and nod. I'm fine. I can handle this. "Are you?"

    He inhales. "We'll see."

    Underneath the Society the architecture is gothic, making it easily come across as haunted. Need I mention the mysterious burning and the calling of my name that usually occurs adds to that effect? The stone steps curl around themselves. The candelabras cast crawling, sporadic shadows. A waltz drifts over the stairs like a fog.

    As we descend deeper my arm burns but it's not as bad as usual. Anyone we pass or who passes us doesn't pay us too much attention, except for bowing slightly to their Preeminence. The candelabras placed in stone alcoves in the wall are the only source of light.

    "Are we going all the way down?" I ask.

    He shakes his head. "There's a ballroom two floors below us."

    I sigh in relief. "Why doesn't my arm hurt as much?"

    "They're probably not too focused on you."

    Iris.

    I grip Jonas. "Did you hear that?"

    He stares ahead of us. "It's in your head. Ignore it."

    I try. I really do. But Iris, Iris, Iris, pounding at my head is incredibly distracting. I grip my head.

    The music grows louder and fog seeps around our feet. The Society sure knows how to scare someone. As if mysterious humanoid Amoris living in their basement predicting death dates isn't terrifying enough.

    On the next floor Jonas steers me away from the stairs.

    "Why did we stop?"

    He places his finger to his lips as he pulls me into a hallway. He grips my waist. "They're hurting your head."

    "There's nothing I can do about that. Is there? Is there a secret trick you're not telling me?" If he has one, I'd love to know it.

    He leans closer toward me. "Yes."

"What is it?"

"Shh. . ." His lips touch mine. His hands pull me closer.

    Iris.

    Iris. . .

    Iri. . .

    I close my eyes, placing my hands on his arms. Jonas...always the romantic.

    He pulls back, moving his head toward my ear. "Better?"

    I smile, blushing. "Wipe that self-satisfied smirk off your face."

    With his finger he pokes my nose. "But you love it."

    I shake my head. "What am I going to do with you?"

    "You could kiss me."

    I smile, pushing him back. "Mmmm... no. You, sir, need to see to your Society."

    "They can have fun without me. We could take a turn about the maze. There are people hiding in there waiting to scare us."

    "I didn't come all the way down here for nothing. I want to see all the costumes-see the ball."

    He steps away, holding out his hand. "Okay, then."

    We walk back to the stairs. Below us, fog covers the steps, an eerie blue light glowing throughout it. The fog discloses a fourth of my legs as we sink into it. The floor at the bottom is completely open, the blue mist covering every crevice. Throughout the fog, people are dancing to a slow, haunting waltz.

    It's beautiful in a way.

    Colton, dressed in a black trench coat, with a white shirt underneath and a black ascot, appears with Vienna. Vienna wears a Persian blue dress with black designs made out of jewels. The dress ruffles out from the bodice. The neckline sweeps into a high v with frilly fabric, and she wears black gloves. Her necklace is made of intricate, sweeping layers of more black jewels.

Colton bows. "Brother." He gestures to Vienna who curtsies. When she rises, Vienna smiles adoringly at him, and he quickly kisses her, leaving her blushing.

This is too cute. "You both look adorable."

Colton grimaces and tugs on her arm. "Let's dance."

    She smiles at us. "See you later."

    Jonas faces me. "Shall we?"

    "Of course."

    He guides me to the center of the dancers, positioning our hands and pulling me close. We melt into the song, sweeping across the floor.

    "How's your arm?" I ask.

    "There's a slight burn. You?"

    "Same."

    This particular waltz sounds as if it's coming from a worn-out phonograph. My eyes slip closer together as we sway and glide across the room. Jonas holds me as close as the dance will allow. I keep my eyes on his, the room around me blurring together. Jonas stands out against it, but slowly even he becomes blurry. This reminds me of a dream. My eyelids hang heavy. Jonas' fingers skim over my arm.

    Iris.

    "Iris?"

    "Hmm?"

    "I have to check on something. Can you wait here?"

    In the middle of the dance? I look around, but I find myself on the outskirts of the room. How long have we not been dancing? "Umm. . . go ahead."

    He nods and walks into the fog.

    Iris.

    Iris.

    Iris.

    I turn around, my dress brushing through the fog. The voice comes from the stairs. It's like I'm suddenly a marionette- there's invisible strings attached to me tugging me toward the steps. The volume of the violins weaves through the air-up and down, up and down. I step forward. I shouldn't. I plant my feet on the ground. But I'm so tired. I stumble forward.

    Just follow it.

    I allow the invisible strings to guide me, the string music lulling me forward. The pain in my arm grows the more I move. The fog spills down the steps, and I follow it to the next floor. The strings tug my body gently to the left. A long hallway runs before me, covered in fog along the ground.

    Iris.

    I seep into the mist. My footsteps slow as my eyes wish to stay closed.

    This isn't right.

    Why isn't it?

    I don't know.

    In front of me a cloaked figure in black appears. The hood hangs over its face. It holds out its hand to me, the fabric hanging from its arms. The cream fingers beckoning to me belong to a man. My fingers inch toward it. No. Wake up. I squeeze my fingers shut trying to regain total control of my right arm, but it still reaches out to the figure.

    Our fingers are separated by the length of a rose. My body is still in the trance. My form wants whatever is underneath the cloak. Even a part of my mind wants it. Cease thinking everything is dangerous. Beauty lurks where it's least expected; think of Jonas. I know whatever this figure is, it has to be an Amoris.

    Our fingers touch and fire shoots through the veins in my arm. My head rolls back. The hand wraps around mine pulling me against its master. I close my eyes, the pain only growing. His hand glides up my left arm, his skin like a torch. My eyes open and roll back in my head. I'm going to die. Get ahold of yourself, Iris.

His fingers slip over my shoulder and up my neck, tilting it to the side, the pain subsiding now that his hand has traveled past my arm. The effect gives me the strength to gain control of my own hands and press them against his chest. I thrust my arms out. He grips onto my head with both of his hands. I push harder, stepping back. His hands brush over my hair as they fall in front of me, taking my mask with them.

I turn, running through the fog. My dress catches underneath my shoe, and I fall forward, the fog swooshing out around me. I land on my hands, cutting them open.

    His hands wrap around my torso, dragging me back up. I tear myself away, grabbing my skirt and running. The string music and marionette strings tug me backward. I strain against them. I stumble forward as the snap, but I quickly right myself. I dash up the stairs. I hear the pounding of the Amoris' feet.

I reach the top of the flight, the blue light causing the dancers to appear to be swaying in a circle through a swamp. The fog churns around me as I run toward the center of the room.

Iris.

Don't run.

Succumb to us.

I shake my head, slipping in between the dancers. I don't stop until I'm at the center. They're a shield against him. The music slows and stops right when I do. I spin around, the music coming back. I don't see him. I turn to my right. I don't see the black cloak. I look at the wall behind me frantically. I spin in a circle, not seeing him. My heart beat is rapid. Capes and skirts billow out as the dancers whirl around me. He wasn't a figment or a phantom. I run my hand over my arm. The pain was too intense to not have been real. I turn my hands over. Lines of blood cover them from where I scrapped them. He could be anywhere.

    A hand is placed on my shoulder. I scream, jumping back as I turn. The Amoris. The hand is placed back on me.

"Let go of me!" I twist the hand off my shoulder trying desperately not to look at the black cloaked figure.

"Iris?" The hands pull the hood away, and there is Erik's face.

My hands fall to my side. It was him all along. No. I shake my head. "Erik, it was you?"

"What are you talking about? I haven't seen you."

Erik. Erik. This is Erik. I press my lips in a firm line, swallowing. "No. No, you haven't seen me."

Thanks for the costume ideas!