Chapter 90 Audrey

As soon as the stranger's lips met mine, my first instinct was to pish him away. Who did he think he was, kissing me like that in front of everyone!

But as the kiss lingered, something familiar washed over me. The warmth, the pressure, the taste... I knew these lips. My body relaxed involuntarily and my wide eyes fluttered closed, my muscles melting into his embrace as the rest of the world around us faded away into nothingness.

Yes. I knew these lips. Edwin's lips.

The kiss was deep and passionate, the sensation of his tongue gently pushing into my mouth sending the most delightful shiver down my spine. His warm hand came up to cup the back of my neck, his fingers gently tangling in my hair.

For a moment, I forgot where we were, who we were, too lost in the sensation to notice anything else in the entire world. I didn't know left from right, up from down, east from west. I just knew, somehow, that it felt right-like coming home after a long journey or feeling the sun on your face for the first time in far too long.

But then, all too soon, it was over-just like that

The strange man-no, Edwin, I was sure of it now-set me back on my feet, and by the time I opened my eyes, he was gone, disappearing into the sea of masks and glittering gowns like a shadow on the wall. Audrey!" the sound of Tina's voice cut through my daze, "Oh my Goddess, are you okay? Who was that?"

I blinked as I struggled to clear the fog from my head. I hadn't realized it, but the winners' dance was over. My friends had swarmed around me, their faces a dizzying combination of concern, excitement, and confusion. The orchestra was playing an upbeat piece now, but I could feel the eyes of the other partygoers on me, too intrigued by whatever had just happened to pay attention to themselves.

"L.. I'm fine," I managed, still scanning the crowd for any sign of the mysterious man in the blue mask. Edwin. It had to be Edwin. But how! Why was he here?

"That was so romantic!" Betty gushed, grabbing my arm. "Like something out of a movie! Was that tongue? It looked like there was tongue!"

I felt my checks burn at her insinuation. "Betty!" I hissed, my face likely as bright as a ripe tomato.

Gavin stood off to the side with an unreadable expression on his face, although I could sense that seeing me kiss someone else likely stung for him, even if only a little.

"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked, c**g his head. "That seemed pretty... intense."

I nodded, forcing a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Really."

Avis raised an eyebrow. "That was hot. Did you know him?"

shook my head, hating the lie even as it left my lips. "No, I..." I thought quickly, then came to a decision. "It wasn't a real kiss. We were just pretending, you know... For the showmanship of it all." My friends blinked at me, clearly grappling with whether to believe my lie. But if it was Edwin, I didn't exactly want to broadcast what had just happened; so I

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Chapter 90

it worked, Tina finally laughed, fanning herself dramatically. "It looked so

definitely gonna wind up on social media

kissing a stranger at

his number or something. He seemed like a real gentleman, sweeping you off your feet

tom between the desire to chase after Edwin and the knowledge that I shouldn't. If it really was him, why had he run off? And if i wasn't... Well, that was a whole other problem. Because I certainly

don't know." I said, biting

Tina urged, giving me a gentle push. "Go after him." She lowered her voice then: "You could

way out from beneath the weight of peer pressure, I nodded. If anything, I just needed to find a quiet place to get some air. And if it was Edwin, then we needed to talk.

grinned. "Go get

and followed the direction I thought I had seen Edwin disappear. I found a small door toward the back of the

noise of the party instantly became m**d once the door was shut, and I found myself in a hallway that was lit only by a few faux torches on the

my footsteps, and the dim lighting cast eerie shadows on the ornate wallpaper,

for a

softly, not wanting to draw attention from any

of my dress. I was about to turn back when I heard something that made my blood run cold. low,

pounding in my chest. There, at the end of the hallway, stood a small gray wolf. Its fangs were ared,

a costume or a trick of the

in terror. Then, as the wolf took a step forward, its claws clicking against the hardwood floor, nd its hideous face came into view of the light instinct kicked in.

heels clacked against the floor as I raced through the maze-like corridors. I could hear the wolf behind me, its heavy reathing and the scrape of its

П

sounds of the party were far away now, and my cries echoed unanswered through the empty halls. "Somebody, please!" I turned corner after corner in a flurry of green skirts, getting more and more lost with each one. The mansion seemed to go on forever, a

way

burned and my legs ached, but I didn't dare slow down. The growls behind me were getting closer, and every so often, I could practically feel the wolf nipping at my heels before it would case back and give me

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