The Masked Heart Novels & Stories

I take a deep breath and steel myself for the introduction. "Welcome to Dark Claw Pack," one of the men says, offering a polite nod. “The pleasure is mine.” I say and they lead me into the house taking me straight to an almost stark but beautiful room. It's pink and airy, with a massive bed adorned in white sheets which is totally not my style. There is nothing else in the room. I turn back to speak to the masked bodyguard who brought me but to my surprise, he's no longer with us. A shiver runs down my spine, realizing that I'm truly alone in this unfamiliar pack.

No, it was too light and flimsy and besides, who gave a girl money on a date? “Well, are you going to open it?” I ripped the seal open and a lace mask fell onto my lap. I looked at him in shock and he smiled a young boyish grin. “It’s a masquerade party. The mask is mandatory.” I smiled. I had only seen parties like that on TV. “Do you have one?” I teased and he pulled out a black leather one and put it over his face. It left his nose and mouth exposed but his eyes seemed to stare into my soul from behind the mask. He looked like my masked hero.

In the end, the perfect husband and father Stan and I were so proud of was a phony, and the love he showed us was a lie. The only truth was this deceitful plot he maintained for six years, ending with a meticulously staged car accident to take away my son's heart. Nonetheless, my consciousness blurred as the sedative flowed through my veins. I could feel the icy touch of machines digging inside my body, giving me more nightmares. There was only pitch-blackness where my son stood, an emptiness in his chest where his heart should have been. He was reaching toward me, screaming, "Mommy! It hurts so much!"

However, Cassandra claimed she was pregnant and persuaded Gideon to transfer the assets away. Unwilling to accept that, Elizabeth stormed into the company and threw sulfuric acid on Cassandra's face. Cassandra was completely disfigured, and Elizabeth was arrested. After that, Gideon's company collapsed, and he was left miserable and penniless, all of his former glory gone. In the end, Elizabeth was sentenced to five years in prison. Sebastian shed his playboy image and began focusing on his career. In the fourth month after I started preparing to get pregnant, I successfully conceived. Quincy held me and kissed me over and over again. Sebastian, who was eating an apple nearby, got so excited

The grand ballroom of the Plaza was a sea of shimmering silk and fake smiles. I stood beside Julian, dressed in the drab, high-necked lace gown he had chosen to ensure I looked like a mourning widow when compared to Sarah’s vibrant blood-red silk. "Try to look grateful, Elena," Julian hissed, his hand tightening painfully on my arm as we stepped toward the stage. "It is not every day an orphan like you gets to stand in a room filled with dignitaries."

I knew. I walked up to him, tugging my wallet from my coat. “Something wrong, sir?” I retrieved a check. Five digits, clean. I handed it over. “Get this to the masked dancer.” He whistled low at the amount. “Damn. Lux?” His lips curled into a grin. “She’s fire, ain’t she? Man, every guy in that room would sell their soul to get a taste. She’s so fucking unreal.” I didn’t respond.

At this hidden mask party, the rules dissolved with the champagne. Ken swallowed hard and looked away, but the night offered only more. Guests in every corner had their hands full. As Ken wandered through the party, he saw two men and one woman tangled tightly together, masks askew and clothes half-unbuttoned. The woman’s hands moved over one man’s lap as she unbelted his trousers, rolling her hips slowly while the second man kissed her from behind, hands cupping and squeezing her breasts. Soft gasps and wet sounds mingled with the sea breeze. The air itself felt thick with sex, lust, and expensive perfume. Ken had already seen too much. He decided to search for Steve—this was Steve’s world.

Ruby, upon hearing my voice, looked up from the policewoman's arms, her eyes swimming in tears. Her look was a tangled mess of emotions: fear, shame, but above all, a desperate hope, like she was clinging to a lifeline, and a barely perceptible flicker... A silent question, checking if I was sticking to the plan. Choking back sobs, she reached for me. "Honey... honey..." I moved quickly, brushing past Seth's scorching stare, and wrapped Ruby in my arms, shielding her from the prying lenses with my back, a fortress of protection.

Warmth lynched the side of my neck and I pinched my eyes close before turning around. This was a dream. A mirage. Dressed in a slick tailored suit, Greyson Carter wore a silver flamed masquerade mask studded with diamonds. His gaze dropped down as they ravished me, hungrily eating away at the mesh pressed against my skin. A growl edged from his thick lips.

The darkness rose like a living tide. It poured from the broken Heart, twisting around the ancient pillars and spreading across the floor. The air became cold enough to hurt Elyra’s lungs. Zevarion stood before her, one arm extended protectively. But this time, he did not tell her to stay behind him. He reached backward and found her hand. Their fingers locked. Together. The masked woman stepped out of the shattered Heart. Her silver robes moved without wind. Cracks ran across the mask covering her face, and beneath those cracks, pale light glimmered like trapped stars.