[𝟷] 𝘾𝙍𝙊𝙒𝙉 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝙊𝙍𝙉𝙎, 𝘕.𝘔. [EDITING]

𝕏𝕀𝕀

12 | masquerade

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀THE POUNDING MUSIC MADE WREN'S HEAD HURT AS SHE WALKED INTO THE PARTY. KLAUS AND REBEKAH HAD GONE IN A WHILE BEFORE, but she had waited for a bit before convincing herself to get out of the car.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Her black heels clicked against the floor, shaking hands pulling at the water-like fabric of her dress to cover her legs more. Her platinum hair was pulled back into a loose braid. Deep red jewels lined the swoops of her hair. A few strands danced around her features, tickling her chest as the wind teased them.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Bright green eyes swept over the party ━ searching for her friends. Dark dresses and pinched faces surrounded her.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Glad you could make it," Marcel spoke as he swept around her. His cold hand rested on her shoulder. "Klaus is here somewhere with Rebekah." He gestured around the room. "Do you want a drink?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Wren didn't want to. "Sure," she smiled falsely. She placed her hand in his outstretched one, allowing him to lead her to the bar. Her eyes scanned the room, looking for someone to save her.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Klaus stood in conversation with some bureaucrat. His hand held a champagne glass tightly between two fingers. His eyes shot daggers at the man, but his smile held a measured amount of malice and friendliness at once.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"So what made you get with a man like Klaus, anyway?" Marcel asked, drawing her attention away from the crowd. "Doesn't seem like your type of guy."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Wren smirked as she sipped a glass of champagne. "And what would you know about my type of guy?" She watched him from underneath her curled eyelashes as he laughed and waved the bartender down.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"I know Klaus, and you seem too innocent for someone like him."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Maybe you don't know anything about me." Wren straightened her back. "Maybe Niklaus can dig a little deeper than you can."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Oh, I don't know about all that."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀A hand slid around Wren's waist, soft lips pressing against the place where her neck and shoulder met. "Talking about me again, I see?" his rough voice said into her ear. His eyes snapped up, meeting Marcel's.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"You shouldn't leave a pretty little thing like that alone," Marcel warned with a smile, "someone might get hungry."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Wren turned to Klaus as she felt his chest vibrate against her back. "Ask me to dance."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Do you want to dance?" he murmured.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Wren set her champagne glass on the counter. "Of course," she answered, grabbing his hand and pulling him along with her as she walked toward the dance floor. "Calm down," she whispered to him as she felt his tense hand squeezing her fingers.