“Thank you.” I replied shyly before letting him take my hand and lead me off the boat. It was only when we were on the street that he stopped me from going any further.
“It is why I am both thankful and regretful in giving you this.” He said confusing me. He then produced the other box that had been on the table, one that I had forgotten about until now. Before I had time to ask he opened the box and it all started to make sense.
“My mask?” He nodded and lifted the delicate lace from the box. I didn’t see any ribbon so I wondered how he would get it to stay on my face.
“You’ll see.” He said answering my unasked question.
“This will tingle.” And this was my only warning before he lifted it to my face. He gave me a wink before placing it on my nose first and with his thumbs he pressed the lace down on either side first over my cheeks and then over the top of my eyes. He was right, it did tingle but more in the way your body shivers when something emotional captures you and it’s your body’s way of expressing it.
“There and now time for my matching crown.” He said after he finished placing it on my face, making it stay there in a strange way. It was almost as if I couldn’t even feel it. He held out his hand and Sophia who was now also wearing a mask handed Draven his own.
It was matte black and a very masculine shape with two silver filigree embellishments under the side of the eyes. This then matched the silver wings at each side that started the silver crown. It wasn’t big and in anyway ostentatious but looking at both Vincent’s and Sophia’s matching masks you could see Draven’s was slightly bigger, showing who was in charge between the three of them.
It held their family crest at the centre along with that strange symbol I still didn’t know anything about, despite having it on my skin as a birthmark. I was so close to asking but what he did next took my mind from it. He held onto the top of the mask and snapped off the crown part so it was now in his hand in one piece.
“Draven what are you…?”
“I wanted you to have mine.” Was his strange answer and I could see this obviously meant something to him. Then he lifted the crown to the top of my lace mask and held it there, staring at it as if concentrating. I felt something start to move, almost like the lace was growing around it and after a few seconds he nodded.
“Perfect.” He said and placed his own mask on his face, holding it there where his too automatically stayed in place without aid.
“It’s growing?!” I said fascinated as I watched in awe a new crown exactly the same as before start to rise from the top of the mask. He smiled at me and gave my chin a little hold as if he found my excited ways endearing.
“Time to go, Princess.” He said and took my gloved hand in his and I stared up at him as I watched something black darken the skin under the mask like makeup seeping through his pores.
“Your eyes?”
“It adds to the theatrics.” Was his only explanation before leading me along a beautiful arched building.
“Where are all the people?” I asked knowing that St Mark’s Square was the biggest tourist attraction in Venice since my parents had come here for a weekend getaway once. My mum had told me all about it and how romantic everything was and now looking around I had to agree with her.
“Your kind?” I nodded to his question.
“For this night only none of your kind will be interested in seeing the square. The businesses will have closed and for one night it will be like this never happened.”
“Wow, you can do that?!” I said shocked at the level of power needed to control so many people all at once.”
“It’s a combined strength but yes.”
“Dominic.” Vincent called his brother and Draven nodded to his silent question.
“Stay close to me, no matter what…do you understand?”
“Draven?” I didn’t like the sound of this but it was too late as we walked around the corner and I gasped at the sight. The sun had already started to set before we left so now it left the sky an unusual electric night blue colour that made for an effective backdrop for the illuminated buildings of the square. I had seen pictures of the place before as photography was one of my dad’s favourite hobbies, so I knew the place had been transformed for the event. It was as though every single light bulb in every single arched window had been swapped for a red bulb, creating a crimson glow all around us.
But this wasn’t the most startling part or the sight that had my heart pounding.
“Draven I can’t do this!” I hissed in a panic grabbing onto his arm like it would save me.