Author's Note: Stephenie Meyer owns all Twilight Saga related characters. I play with them on occasion.This story is AH (All Human) & is M rated for a reason, so if you are under 18 then please leave and don't read it. You have been warned.

UPDATE: October 2010 – Story originally published in 2009 but has been re-edited. Nothing was removed / altered from original story line. Some grammatical issues fixed.

~oOo~

A Masen Masquerade

You are cordially invited to attend:

'The Edward Masen 5th Annual Masquerade Ball'

Location: Masen Manor, New York

Date: Saturday 30thOctober – Sunday 31st October 2010

Guests are reminded that Fancy Dress & Mask are required to attend the ball.

Grand unveiling of Masks will take place at Midnight.

Guests should arrive any time after 11am on Saturday.

Bedrooms are available for all guests.

R.S.V.P by 28thOctober.

Should you have any special requirements please contact Heidi at the number below.

Bella

"Fuck!" I stared at the invitation. It was addressed to 'Isabella Swan plus Guest'.

He does this on purpose. I bet he left it until the last minute, knowing I would spend the next few days running around trying to find a costume and a date for Saturday. It was already Tuesday, I didn't hold out much hope for a decent version of either.

The costume was going to be especially difficult. Every decent Halloween costume in greater New York had most likely been rented or bought already.

"God damn it, Edward Masen, you will be the death of me." I realised I was talking to myself and abruptly shut up.

Edward Masen was the bane of my existence lately. I had several pet names for him; my favourite one being 'Arrogant Prick'. He also knew that I wouldn't turn down his invitation, even at this late stage. It was almost a competition between us now. Let's see who can wind each other up more than the other, until somebody breaks.

Well, I hadn't broken yet, and I wasn't about to start now.

Edward Masen was an entrepreneur of sorts. He was twenty nine and had more money than sense, thanks to a hefty trust fund left to him when his parents died when he was six. He was the adopted brother of my best friend, Alice Cullen. Alice worshipped the ground he walked on, which annoyed the shit out of me. He was her older brother so I respected her right to love the truly unlovable, obnoxious creature that I found him to be. Especially of late!

I hadn't seen him in a long time. That is until very recently, when he had decided to stay in New York for a bit longer than his usual infrequent visits. He'd decided to spend some more quality time with his family. Alice & Edward's parents, Carlisle & Esme, were two of the most loving people I had ever encountered. I almost wish they had adopted me sometimes, but how Edward had turned out was nothing to do with them. I was sure his innate cocksureness must have stemmed from one of his birth parents. Alice's other brother, Emmett, was also adopted and he seemed to take after her parents thankfully. He was good natured and easy going, with dimples in his cheeks so large you couldn't help smile at him, when he smiled at you.

Alice was the same age as me, 26, and was the baby of the Cullen family and the only natural born child of the clan. She was the miracle child, born long after the Cullen's had given up hope of ever conceiving a child of their own. Her two elder adopted brothers spoiled her rotten, and were so over protective of her it bordered on psychotic. Luckily, her boyfriend Jasper was so perfect for her, in every way and emanated charm and sweetness from every pore of his body, that even Edward and Emmett loved him.

Edward had come into his trust fund at the age of twenty-one, and after three years of careful investments had managed to quadruple it. This had given him something of an air of celebrity in New York, and he was often photographed in the society pages with some tall, leggy blonde on his arm. That was whenever he deigned New York with his presence.

He had been running these ridiculous Halloween Balls ever since he bought 'Masen Manor' five years ago. The idea of him attempting to have a sophisticated soiree this year, made me laugh. The last four had turned into three-day long debauched benders for most involved. Or, so I had heard. I had always been invited, via Alice, to these parties, but not being a social butterfly myself, I had always declined.

However, after recent events, I was determined to go to this one; if only to point and laugh at the lameness of it all and to gain back some lost ground in our competition. Plus, if I was honest with myself, I wanted to see where he lived.

I wanted to visit the lion's den.

~oOo~

Three Weeks Previously

Alice picked me up in her shiny yellow Porsche, for our "girl's day out". Alice was girly enough for both of us, but she insisted on bringing me shopping on a regular basis in order to update my wardrobe. I only allowed this simply because she was too hard to argue with. She always won. This is how I am now the proud owner of several pairs of four inch stilettos I will never wear, for fear of breaking an ankle. Along with numerous clothing items, that left very little to the imagination, and a healthy respect for Alice's ability to manipulate me into buying things I will never use.

The pleasure aids debacle is one such manipulation I will never forgive her for.

We had been shopping for about three hours. Well, Alice had been shopping and I was being dragged along with her. When she walked into Private Pleasures, I hadn't even been paying attention as to where we were going. I had never had the nerve to go in there on my own, no matter how much it intrigued me. The shiny blacked out windows with the elegant and discreet shop front had always daunted me. When I realised where we were, I blushed furiously. Alice just laughed at me, then took my hand and pulled me through the door. I looked around in awe. The place was like a heaven for lovers of sexy lingerie, bondage, sex toys, and adult movies. But it wasn't seedy in any way.

Everything was displayed well. There were no crude posters anywhere, or signs for Anal Ambush DVD's, which is the one thing I remembered from my first horrific trip to an adult store. I think that image was burned into my brain. This place had class. Alice told me she was in the mood for new lingerie, so we perused a few pieces and I balked at the prices but she had several items in her hand already. I eventually relented and picked up some nice pieces too.

We moved onto the 'Toy' department, where we had a giggle at several of the items on display and questioned the various uses of some of the others. Neither of us were prudes, but some of the Toys were a bit shocking and in some ways tempting. Alice persuaded me to buy a new vibrator, claiming my old one must be limp by now, from "old age and overuse". The vibrator discussion happened a lot with Alice, so this didn't embarrass me. I wasn't shy about the fact that I had one. Every woman should have a pleasure drawer; mine was sadly lacking at the moment. So again, I relented to Alice's famous shopping powers and purchased a vibrator called 'Rampant Rabbit', which Alice told me would rock my world.

Little did I know at the time, just how much!

We left Private Pleasures to go to lunch at a nearby hotel; another favourite haunt of Alice's.

Just as we were tucking into our starters, I saw him. He is hard to miss. Having grown up around Edward Masen, it felt slightly wrong to think of him as attractive, but that was just a fact that couldn't be denied. I'd had a crush on him for most of my teenage years and for much of my life in fact, much to Alice's delight. She used to dream of Edward and I getting married, so we could be "real sisters",' but we weren't sixteen anymore. Edward had gotten more beautiful over the years, and he knew it. His bronze, perpetually messy hair made me want to run my hands through it. His eyes were a rare green colour that distracted my senses sometimes, whenever I let myself stare at him, discreetly of course.

I realised discreet is not what I was practising now, as he walked towards us, smiling widely at me when he realised I was staring. My cheeks flushed pink.

"My two favourite ladies," he schmoozed. He leaned down to kiss Alice's cheek. I nodded at him, and speared another piece of avocado from my starter.

"What brings you two here today?" he asked. Alice answered him.

"Oh, we're just refuelling for the next leg of our shopping trip. You look like you've been shopping yourself?"

He sighed. "Yes, I detest the habit." He looked at the large collection of bags he'd set down beside our own vast collection. "But, I've been away so long I needed to get a few things, and I have some events to attend soon."

I don't understand what it was that irked me about him specifically, but my caustic reply caught everyone by surprise.

"Don't you have a lackey that does things like that for you, Edward?" I said, scathingly. Alice grimaced at me. Edward didn't flinch.

"Why, are you looking for a new job, Isabella?" he smiled at me.

"It's Bella, and fuck off, Edward," I replied, my voice laced with saccharine.

Alice cleared her throat and we both looked at her. "Play nice you two, for once, please."

We both had the grace to look shamed.

"Well," he said, "I'll leave you to enjoy your lunch; I'm meeting someone for a drink." He looked up towards the door. "Ah, here she is now."

I didn't want to look, but I did. I snorted. Edward looked at me with a raised eyebrow, as his tall, leggy blonde date sashayed her way towards us.

"I hope it's a non-alcoholic drink, Edward. She will be carded by the bartender." Seriously, where did he find these women? This one barely looked twenty.

The object of our conversation had reached the table. On second glance, she could have maybe passed for twenty-two. He introduced Alice as his sister and me as her "little friend" Isabella. Prick!

"Isabella, Alice, this is Lauren. Lauren is on the board of the children's hospital that I'm a patron of, along with her husband Ty." He looked at me pointedly, as he spoke. I felt shame, for the second time that lunch hour.

After a couple of minutes of platitudes they left, and Alice was glaring at me again.

"What?" I asked her, shrugging.

"I don't know why you two don't just fuck, get it over with, and put the rest of us out of our misery." She said, bluntly.

"WHAT? Alice, wha . . . No . . . What?" I was stunned.

"Bella, please! You don't fool me, and neither does Edward. You two have been playing this cat and mouse game for of you try to wind each other up, when really you are both just frustrated fucking idiots, who should be at it like rabbits rather than at each others throats all the time." She sighed.

I was too stunned to respond.

~oOo~

She changed the subject. We finished our lunch and each grabbed a handful of bags as we left. It was later in the day when we realised we were missing a bag, one of my bags; the bag that had contained my new lingerie and "rabbit". We assumed we had lost it somewhere along the way, in one of the many shops we visited that day. I was feeling alright about it, if not somewhat depressed. I didn't even get the chance to test out my new toy.

Later that night I was lazing around my apartment, reading a book and resting my aching feet from the long day, when there was a knock on my door. Alice had left about twenty minutes previously, so I automatically assumed it was her and that she had forgotten something. I ran to open the door. It wasn't Alice.

Edward Masen stepped inside my door slightly as I opened it. He leaned against the doorjamb, looking like he had just stepped off a catwalk, with his jacket slung over one shoulder and his black t-shirt clinging to his chest. I looked like I had just gotten out of bed. My hair was down and messy from running my hands through it, and it fell over the white camisole I had been lazing around in. The small red sleep shorts I wore suddenly felt extra small, and a little damp.

I realised I was gaping at him almost at the same time I realised he was running his eyes over my body. I crossed my arms in front of my chest.

"What the hell do you want, Masen?" I said, aggravated.

"Well, Isabella, that's not very nice, is it? Aren't you going to ask me in?"

"It's Bella," I spat at him. "Fine, come in." I stepped aside to let him in, all the while feeling like I'd just let Jack the Ripper into my home. He had been here before at some parties I had thrown, but that was a long time ago.

His eyes took in everything as they perused the rooms of my open-plan apartment.

I pulled on my robe that had been thrown over the arm of a chair; sorry I hadn't thought to put it on before I answered the door. He looked disappointed as I covered myself up.

"Drink?" he asked, heading to my wine rack.

"Sure, help yourself." I couldn't help the sarcastic tone in my voice.

He opened up a bottle of my favourite Merlot, and poured two glasses. It should have bothered me but it didn't. I was still a bit stunned he was here.

"Eh, why exactly are you here?" I asked as I sat down on the couch. He passed me a glass of wine and sat beside me. Too close to me. Suddenly, I couldn't breathe properly. Fuck Alice for putting images into my head earlier, of Edward and me together.

"What, can't I drop in on an old friend for a drink?" he said innocently. I cocked an eyebrow at him and looked disparagingly at him. He smirked.

"Fine," he said. "I thought you might want your bag back." He pointed at the small black bag he had left beside the chair his jacket was now on.

"My bag? What? Nooooo!" I felt the blood drain out of my face, as I realised what bag he was talking about.

"Yes, I seem to have picked it up by accident when I was leaving the hotel today. So I thought it was only polite to return it." He looked as pure as the driven snow, but there was a knowing look in his eyes.

I wanted to die.

"Did you look in it?" I asked weakly, already knowing the answer.

He didn't bat an eyelid.

"Yes, well I had to see who it belonged to. And, after the initial horror of thinking I had picked up my sister's bag. I found a receipt in it with your name on it. I thanked all my Gods that I didn't have to pass Alice back her, eh, "Rabbit", isn't it?" He was grinning from ear to ear now and I was positively puce.

"You have very nice taste in lingerie too, Isabella," he said, smoothly.

"Bella," I said quietly. I couldn't look at him and I didn't have the strength to argue about his insistence on calling me by my proper name. I wanted him to leave my apartment so I could pretend this wasn't happening.

"Don't be embarrassed, we're both adults." He was fucking loving this. "Everyone has toys, Isabella," he said, seductively. My eyes met his in shock. Big mistake!

The air around us seemed thicker as he stared me down, my chest felt tighter and his lips suddenly looked good enough to suck on. I licked my lips at that thought.

He leaned in closer to me and whispered. "I hope you don't forget what the real thing feels like though, Isabella. That would be an awful waste. Those beautiful legs should be wrapped around somebody . . . and soon."

I gulped.

He stood up quickly; I still couldn't move. He knocked back the remainder of his wine, and threw his jacket on as he walked away from my suddenly over heated body.

"Goodnight Isabella, see you . . . soon," he said. He closed the door behind him, leaving me gaping after him, confused, shaking and fucking horny. The Prick!

~oOo~

Present Day

And here I am three weeks later, still thinking about him. He had become part of my dreams at night-time too, which only served to irritate me even more. Well, irritate is probably not right . . . frustrate, maybe.

My rabbit had gotten a lot of use in the last few weeks, because of Edward fucking Masen and his ability to invade my mind even when he wasn't anywhere near me. I had woken up several times from the most erotic dreams of my life, panting and sweating and utterly mortified about what I had just been doing to Edward Masen in my head. This is wrong. I will go to this party on Saturday and remind myself just how much of a bastard he really is. That will stop these ridiculous fantasies once and for all.

The date was easier to find than my costume. I decided to play it safe and called my friend Rosalie to come with me. She was thrilled. She had fancied Alice's brother, Emmett, from afar for a long time and this was her chance to snag him. Plus, she had the perfect outfit, she said. When I asked her where she got it I almost choked at her reply.

"Oh, I got it in Private Pleasures; they have some fabulous outfits in this time of year."

This is how I ended up with a rather more erotic costume than I normally would have dared to wear. But, I was desperate and in some part of my brain I wouldn't out-rightly acknowledge, I wanted to see Edward Masen's reaction to it.

However, the closer Saturday got the more nervous I got. I wasn't sure I could pull it off. Would I be able to be stand-offish Bella all weekend, or would I give over to my baser instincts when I saw those damned green eyes again? No, I would be strong. Edward Masen will not affect me that way, any more. I repeated this mantra over and over in my head. I had almost convinced myself until I woke up Friday night from the most erotic dream yet.

Fuck!

~oOo~

Edward

She kissed me! She was still kissing me! God, she tasted good, better than I'd ever imagined. Her hands were in my hair and my hands were in hers. I dragged her down to the bed, pulling her on top of me. Her skin was so soft. I moved my hands from her hair down her back and under her shirt. I thought I was going to explode if I didn't take her soon. I'd waited so long for this moment and I didn't want to ruin it.

She sat back and her eyes were blazing with desire, as she took her top off and then her bra. God, she is fucking beautiful. My shirt had long been discarded, and as I pulled her back on top of me the feel of her breasts pressed against my bare chest was amazing. I rolled her over onto her back and sat up to look at her. My fingers moved to the waist of the shorts she was wearing, and her breath hitched in her chest. I stared into her eyes as I moved the shorts slowly down her legs. When they were gone, I removed the rest of my clothes rapidly. Then, I lowered my head and kissed my way up her legs, over her tummy, skimming her breasts and back to that delicious mouth.

I parted her legs with my knee. This was it! This was the moment she would finally be mine. I stopped kissing her. I wanted to look into her eyes as this happened; wanted to see her reaction to being taken, by me and giving herself completely, to me. I moved my cock to her entrance . . . and . . .

Then the alarm went off, waking me.

"FUCK!" I roared, as I rolled over and smashed the alarm clock with my fist. I fell back to the pillows, still panting and sweating from my dream. I was rock fucking hard, again. God damned alarm clock. Isabella Swan was invading my dreams, like the vixen I knew her to be. Every night for three weeks I'd had the same dream. Every time, just as I got to where I desperately wanted to be, something woke me up. I've never been so frustrated in my entire life.

I jumped out of bed and went to the shower, and as I stood under the freezing cold spray trying to get her out of my head, I thought about the upcoming weekend. This party would be different to the last ones, if it fucking killed me. The last four years had gotten out of control and ended in debauchery which I knew had made it to her ears. No wonder she thought of me as she did.

I thought back to our last encounter in her apartment three weeks ago, and even the cold water couldn't stop me getting hard again at that image. That day when I had found her bag of sexy lingerie among my purchases, and the God damned infernal vibrator, my legs had almost buckled. The images of Isabella in that lingerie wouldn't leave me. The images of her using a battery operated machine, instead of me, spurred me on with my ideas for this weekend.

When I had recklessly taunted her with my words, about her beautiful legs being wrapped around someone, I had noticed her reactions. Her lips had parted, her breath had caught, her eyes dilated. When she had licked her lips I had almost pounced on her then. I had to get out, and fast. The thought of her legs being wrapped around anyone else but me, made me feel ill. Damn it all to hell!

The usual arguments I had with myself over my attraction to her kept popping into my head, but I beat them all down. Yes, she was Alice's best friend, but even Alice had indicated that I should be with her. Yes, my family all loved her and I did consider her a friend, even if we rubbed each other up the wrong way. And the thoughts of losing that connection if things went wrong between us, gave me more chills than the cold water of the shower.

What if she didn't come this weekend? What then? No, she had already accepted and was bringing a girlfriend too. Thank God. I had nearly lost my shit at my P.A. Heidi, when I noticed she had put a 'Plus One' on Isabella's invite. The thoughts of her coming here, to my home, and sleeping under the same roof as me, but not with me, with another man, almost cost Heidi her job.

As I towelled myself dry, I thought that this was it; my big chance. This party will be different; this is the weekend I will finally tell her how I feel. I just hope she wants me too. That thought was quickly pushed aside.

God damn it, I'd been in love with her for ten years. Enough was enough!

This weekend, Bella Swan will be mine!

~oOo~

Bella

The closer Rosalie's car got to Masen Manor, the more butterflies appeared in my stomach.

Why the hell am I so nervous? Okay, I knew why. I really didn't think I could pull off my outfit for tonight's ball. I'd had visions of me falling down a flight of stairs in the stilettos I'd relented on, and finally decided to wear. I'd been practising walking in them since Wednesday, and had almost gotten it down, with only the occasional wobble now.

So the outfit wasn't the only reason for my nerves. The dream I'd had of Edward last night was still replaying in my mind. Fuck, it had been hot. I had woken frustrated again and had refused to give myself the pleasure I needed; swearing off more use of the rabbit which had seemed to be permanently connected to me, in the last few weeks. I regret that decision now. Now, I was just even more frustrated than I had been when I woke up, and I wondered if I could somehow relieve that pressure before I had to see him.

That idea went out the window, as soon as we pulled up outside the doors of Edward's colossal stately home. There he was, standing on the steps, inviting his guests in. Looking for all intents and purposes like the lord of the manor. Which I suppose he is, I thought grudgingly. He had on dark jeans and a tight white t-shirt and my eyes, hidden behind sunglasses, roved over his body. His hair was messy, as usual, and he looked a bit tense as we got out of the car, but he hid it with a big smile.

"Isabella, welcome! And, you must be Rosalie?" he said, as we neared him, putting his hand out to shake Rosalie's extended hand.

Rosalie eyed him up and down, and then spoke in the true Rosalie style I loved her for.

"You must be Edward. I recognise you from the glossies. Nice digs you have here. Where should I park my ass?" She cocked her head at him.

I laughed at the expression on his face. It was a cross between surprise, shock and laughter. The usual effect Rosalie had on people. A voice behind Edward spoke and we all looked, as Emmett made his way down the steps. Rosalie's eyes nearly popped out of her head.

"I can help you with that, if you want." Emmett's voice reached us. "It's such a nice . . . ass." He looked pointedly at the car. Rosalie shrugged.

"Right, cool. Come on then, dimples, let's go."

I watched in amazement, as she flung him the keys and hopped around to the passenger seat. He manoeuvred his huge frame into her suddenly tiny car, and they drove off behind the house.

When I looked back at Edward, my face flushed. Shit! I couldn't think of anything to say. What had he said when I got out of the car? Oh, yeah.

"It's Bella, Edward, as you well know. Now, are you going to show me to my room or is Jeeves around here somewhere to do it?" I noticed his jaw tighten.

"Don't be difficult this weekend, Isabella, please. Let's try to enjoy ourselves, shall we?" His voice was quiet and it almost made me retract the claws. Almost!

"Fine, Edward where am I sleeping?" I needed to get away from him for a few minutes to gather my thoughts. He was already distracting me with those eyes and his velvet voice.

"Who said anything about sleeping?" he laughed. Then he beckoned for me to follow him and I did, briefly allowing myself to be distracted by his ass. God, it looked good in those jeans. Stop it Bella, look away from the ass.

I managed to look away long enough to take in my surroundings.

"Wow," I blurted, as I walked through the door. He just smiled at me. The place was beautiful. I was stunned. I wasn't sure what I had expected, but I hadn't expected for it to feel so home-y. It had little touches of Esme in it I noticed, and Edward seemed pleased when I complimented the décor.

"It's so light, and warm."

"What were you expecting? Coffins, dungeons, motes?" He laughed at me.

"No, not the motes!" I replied, still looking around me, as we made our way up the beautifully curved staircase. He laughed again.

"I may surprise you, Isabella. I'm sure I'm not as much of a monster as you think I am." Again with the soothing voice, he was so disconcerting, I didn't like it. Where was the Edward that antagonised me, wound me up like a spring and set me off on a rant? This wasn't Edward, this was a stranger.

When we got to the second floor, I stopped to look around to see which room would be mine but he kept going up another flight of stairs. I followed.

"Are you putting me in the attic?" I asked jokingly.

"No. My special guests are on the third floor, Isabella. The same floor I sleep on." I almost tripped, but he caught my elbow, stopping me from falling. It was like his hand burned me. I pulled my arm back, mumbling my thanks at him. What the hell was that? A jolt of electricity had shot up my arm when he had touched me and I could still feel it.

Distract yourself. Distract yourself. Distract yourself.

"So, how many people are attending this soiree this weekend then?" Inane conversation had to be the key, I was sure.

"Oh, a lot less than usual. I wanted it to be more intimate this year, less raucous. I'm getting too old for all that business." He smiled down at me. "So, about fifty or so I think, at last count."

"Oh yeah, very intimate number." I scoffed. Then he looked pointedly at me again. "Sorry," I apologised, "force of habit."

"Yes. Well, I'm hoping to break several habits this weekend, Isabella." He had stopped at a large mahogany door and was leaning in, too close to me again. "Maybe you should try that too".

I bristled.

"Well, you can start with getting my name right. It's BELLA!"

"Now, now don't be pedantic. I'll see you for lunch in the main dining hall, in about an hour." He lifted his hand and brushed a strand of my hair behind my ear, causing goose bumps to spread over my skin as I shivered from his light touch.

As he walked away a thought occurred to me. I knew I shouldn't ask, but the inner masochist in me wasn't listening to sense.

"Edward, eh . . . which room is yours?" I stuttered at him. He turned, smiling.

"That one." He pointed. "The one next to yours." I blushed as he spoke. "See you soon…Isabella."

I snarled at him and retreated into my room, slamming the door behind me. I heard him laughing as he went down the stairs. Bastard!

~oOo~

He had gotten caught up with more guests at lunch time, so I managed to avoid him almost completely. I was sticking to Alice and Jasper like glue after Rosalie had accosted Emmett. She had gotten him to give her the grand tour of the house and they had disappeared. I laughed to myself. Throughout lunch, they had barely been able to keep their eyes off each other, or their hands for that matter.

As I began to get ready for the ball, my nerves started again. I was glad this was a masked ball so at least most of my face would be covered, covering my blushes. I looked at the outfit hanging on the back of the door. It seemed shorter than I remembered.

As I put it on, I took more notice of the detail. The bodice of the black and red dress was fish boned which cinched my waist in and pushed my cleavage up. From the waist down the short skirt puffed out slightly, and ended about mid thigh. There was a gold thread through most of the dress that matched the amazing gold mask I had. It was my favourite part of the whole outfit. It had a flowery embossed design covering it, and a large flower on the side. The wig I had gotten to wear was bright red with straight hair, unlike my usual curly brown mess. It had wisps that framed my face.

Then came the black lace topped stockings I was wearing. These I was nervous about. They had darker lines throughout the black mesh that gave my legs the look as if they were longer. When I stepped into the stilettos I took in my whole appearance. I was unrecognisable as plain old clumsy Bella Swan. Perfect! Maybe I could avoid Edward altogether, if he couldn't recognise me.

As I made my way downstairs shortly after 8 pm, I clung to the banister for support.

There had been a lot of people I didn't know at lunch and even more people had arrived since. I couldn't spot anyone familiar as I made my way into the large library that was to become the ball room for tonight. There was a beautiful grand piano in the corner but it had been cordoned off. There was soft music playing and people were already dancing. The food was being served in a different room, and it wasn't a formal sit down affair. There was a smorgasbord of food along one wall in the room but I couldn't eat. I don't think the fish bones in the dress would allow any extra leeway to breathe or the butterflies in my stomach for food.

I spotted Alice as I went back through to the main hall. She was hard to miss, even masked. She had a lilt to her walk that made her look like she skipped everywhere. When I walked up to her, she gasped as she looked in my eyes and recognised me.

"Bella, WOW!" She spluttered.

"Bella?" Jasper choked.

I smiled. Totally unrecognisable! Mission accomplished. I swore them to secrecy and wandered again, to see if I could find Rosalie.

I found her alright. She had Emmett on the dance floor and the pair of them were getting a little hot and heavy. I turned again. I knew who I was really looking for. I also knew the second he walked into the room, I could feel him. Hiding behind a pillar I observed him from a distance.

The hair gave him away. It was so unruly he couldn't do much to hide it, without a hat. He had a black mask on that covered the top part of his face. I'd know those lips anywhere though. He had a white shirt on with the top button open and long sleeves. Over that he had a grey pinstriped waistcoat, with a chain leading to a pocket watch I noticed him look at and return to the pocket on the front. He almost looked like a gangster. When he turned I looked over his ass again, shamelessly. I couldn't help it. The pinstripe in his tight grey trousers made it look even better than normal, and I bit my lip. He seemed to be looking for something as he moved quickly past most of the guests, looking around him.

I wondered if I could try a walk-by to see if he noticed me. Chewing on my bottom lip, I sucked in a breath and moved off. He turned just as I moved, and his eyes narrowed as he looked at me walking past him. He seemed to consider something and then looked away again, although his natural male instincts did allow him to let his eyes wander over me first. I smiled to myself. Success! I could avoid him. The sudden feeling of disappointment I had engulfed me, and I wobbled slightly in the shoes.

"Steady there, don't fall." I whirled, as a hand steadied me and a velvet voice whispered in my ear.

My eyes widened as I took in Edward's eyes behind the black mask.

"So . . . " he drawled, "I don't think we've met. I'm . . ."

I stopped him. I put a finger to his lips and shook my head at him.

Turning, I walked swiftly away from him. I was sure I looked steadier than I felt. My insides were shaking and my fingertip was practically sizzling. As I left the room I looked over my shoulder and he was walking behind me. Shit! I wobbled slightly again as I practically ran out of the library. I looked around me and moved towards a door across the hallway, wrongly assuming it led to the kitchen. It didn't.

It was a large room but beautiful. It had soft furnishings and was softly lit and the shelves in the room were filled with CD's and records. It was obviously a room that was well used, it had a lived in feel. I moved to the shelves behind the door to peruse the closest lot of music. I was interested to see what his tastes were.

The door opened and I moved swiftly into the corner, hoping it wasn't Edward. It was. Damn it. He didn't see me at first as he looked around confused, and I hoped he'd back out of the room without noticing me. Then he turned, almost in slow motion and his eyes caught me as I backed up against the wall.

"There you are. Are you avoiding me for a reason? Are you a gatecrasher or something?" He was laughing as he moved towards me.

My chest was heaving, the closer he got. The air was suddenly electric between us.

I went to move away from him again but he put his arm around my waist. "No you don't. I am not letting the most ravishing creature at this party escape me again."

Ravishing! My insides went to mush. He thinks I am ravishing.

I couldn't speak. As soon as I did he'd know it was me and I wouldn't be a "ravishing creature" anymore. I'd be plain old Bella Swan; the woman who bitched at him, his sister's "little friend". Suddenly I didn't care; his closeness was clouding my brain. I lifted a hand and ran it down his arm, from his shoulder to his wrist, to the hand on my waist. I could have sworn he trembled at my touch.

I removed his hand from my waist, and I walked away from him to the door. Before I turned the handle I looked at him; his eyes were blazing. I lifted a finger and curled it towards me, beckoning him to follow me. Walking out the door, I turned right to go out the front door. I knew he was following me, I could feel him. I had no clue where I was going but I thought the air at least might clear my head a little. What possessed me to get him to follow me, I didn't know.

I looked around and walked towards a gazebo I could see on the lawn. It was lit up with fairy lights and looked beautiful in the darkness. I walked to the middle of the gazebo and when I turned, he was right behind me. The lights behind him made his face seem darker and the mask made him look almost menacing. He seemed unsure of himself for once.

I stopped thinking too much and stepped towards him. He took a step back and leaned against one of the posts of the gazebo. I moved forward and leaned into him. His breath caught. I ran my fingers up his chest. Before I moved my hands into his hair he caught my wrists.

"Tell me your name," he breathed, and his voice shook.

Shaking my head, I put a hand on either side of his face, my thumbs stroking the soft stubble there. I licked my lips in anticipation; I was going to kiss him. I couldn't help myself. His eyes followed the movement of my tongue and his breathing got heavier, matching my own.

He raised a hand to my face and went to move my mask, but I moved my head back, shaking my head again. He grunted at me and moved the hand behind my head instead.

Suddenly, his lips were crushed against mine and my knees went weak. My lips parted and I sighed as he pulled me even closer to him. My hands were in his hair and fuck, it felt as good as it looked. I could feel the satin ribbon that tied his mask on, but was careful to move around it.

His tongue was running slowly along my bottom lip and I darted my own out to touch his. God, he tasted divine. The kiss deepened as he thrust his tongue into my mouth, and we were battling with each other; each of us trying to pull the other closer.

He had a hand on my waist. The hand that was behind my head moved slowly downwards, his fingers lightly tracing down the side of my neck, over my collarbone and down my shoulder. Both of his hands were on my waist now, pulling me tightly against him and I could feel his arousal. He was practically holding me up at this point; my legs were like jelly.

I broke away from the kiss, gasping for 's lips moved along my jaw and down my neck, following the trail his hand had just made.

"Tell me your name, damn it!" He growled against my neck.

I bit my lip. This was a bad idea. What the hell am I doing? I put my hands on his chest and pushed back from him.

I stepped away from him and he pulled me back. "No, stay, please."

I couldn't. Could I? Damn it, I was so confused. I needed to think and I couldn't do that with him staring at me like this. My will was crumbling as I felt myself drawn back to him.

Then a voice was calling him, and I pulled away quickly looking around at the house. It was Heidi, his P.A. I knew it was her because I had spoken to her at lunch, and she had told me what she was wearing, plus she was hard to miss. At over six feet tall she stood out among the women at the party. I could see her looking for him from the door. I was hidden behind a post so I knew she wouldn't see me.

Edward still had his hands at my waist, but he was conflicted now.

"Please stay here. I'll be back in five minutes. Please?" He implored me with his eyes and I just nodded dumbly.

But he didn't come back in five minutes, or ten. After twenty minutes sitting on the low bench on the gazebo I gave up. As I made my way back into the party, feeling like a fool, it was in full swing and I saw him being regaled by a group of revellers and he seemed caught up with them. Dejected, I made my way slowly up the stairs to my room.

I sat on the stool at the vanity and took off the stupid mask. I looked in the mirror at the stranger looking back at me, and tears fell as the crashing realisation of what I had just done, hit me.

I'd finally given in to feelings I had been hiding for over ten years; feelings I had denied to the world and to myself . . . especially myself.

I put my face in my hands, no longer able to look at myself, and sobbed.

I was in love with Edward Masen . . . and he had no idea!

~oOo~

Edward

I was coming to the rapid realisation that I hated most of the people at this party. There was only one place I wanted to be right now, and it wasn't surrounded by these idiots. I had tried to escape them but kept being pulled from one group to another. Each time I got close to the door, Heidi had found someone else for me to speak to. Eventually I had snapped at her.

"Heidi, this is not a fucking business related party. Now relax, enjoy yourself and leave me the fuck alone."

I stormed away from her and ignored the shocked eyes, wide behind masked faces, of people within hearing range. I practically ran back out to the gazebo, hoping against hope she was still there. I'd been gone a little over twenty minutes, instead of the five I'd originally said.

I hoped our kiss had had as much of an effect on her as it did to me. The small bench on the gazebo was hidden by a large bush so I couldn't see at first if she was there or not.

I ran up the steps to the gazebo.

"FUCK!"

Where is she? She definitely hadn't returned to the library. I ran back to the house, determined to find her. As I got to the door I heard a car. I turned just in time to see Rosalie's car moving at speed, away from the house. A red wigged person sat in the passenger seat.

I slumped downwards and sat on the top step, just outside the door and watched the tail-lights of the car get further and further away. As Bella sped away from me, my heart felt like it was breaking into a thousand pieces.

~oOo~

The party carried on. It did retain some sense of decorum and didn't descend into the madness of previous years. After I dragged myself off the steps, I went to find Heidi and I apologised to her. She forgave me, she always did. She was used to me.

I told her I was going to disappear for a bit and if anyone was looking for me to tell them I was "around". I went into my music room across the hall and locked the door behind me, not wanting to be disturbed and feeling thoroughly depressed. I hit play on the CD player. The last song I'd listened too streamed into the room, drowning out the chatter I could hear from across the hall.

As I lay back on the couch, listening to Clair De Lune, I discarded my mask and closed my eyes and repeatedly told myself what a colossal fucking moron I was.

Why did I pretend I didn't know her? Who the fuck knew? Maybe I was still playing this stupid game we'd been at for years. I should have told her straight away. I know she knew who I was. I'm not being arrogant, but my mask didn't conceal a whole lot, everyone at the party had known who I was.

I thought back to when I saw her in the library in that outfit.

Holy Shit! I had known who she was straight away. I'd recognise those eyes anywhere. They had featured in countless dreams of mine over the last ten years. She looked amazing. Although I had wanted to rip that stupid red wig off her head and that mask, run my hands through her deep brown hair and stare into the face that haunted my dreams and for years now even my waking moments.

She assumed I hadn't recognised her when she did her little walk by. Fucking hell the image of those legs in those stockings walking towards me, albeit slightly unsteadily, will I'm sure feature prominently in my dreams from now on. When she had wobbled on those ridiculous heels and I had caught her arm, I had felt again the frisson I got every time she was near me. I was like a moth to a flame.

Bella was the reason I wasn't in New York so much anymore. It hurt to be so close to her and have her hate me. Okay, I admit that hate seemed a bit strong, but she had disdain for my lifestyle. Living in the same city as her, seeing her in my parent's home or with Alice all the time, thinking she disliked me, drove me out of the city to find myself distracted elsewhere.

My distractions never lived up to her though. Every woman I'd dated over the years always paled in comparison to her. I had decided recently that enough was enough. I was home to stay and would make my play for Bella, and if she rejected me then I would finally have my answer.

But she hadn't rejected me tonight. Not at first anyway. She seemed to be in control more so than I was, as she had leaned into me. When she wouldn't tell me her name or let me remove her mask, I had just crushed my lips to hers and it was everything I'd imagined it to be over the years. Everything, and then some!

Her hands in my hair had pulled me closer to her, as I pulled her to me. There was nothing else in the world in that moment, but the two of us. When she broke away, gasping, I too was at a loss as to what was going to happen next. I never wanted to let her go.

But I had. I had fucked things up royally. And now she was gone. My mind was in overdrive as I imagined what she must think of me now.

She surely hated me now!

I sat up again, running my hands back through my hair. This couldn't be the end for us. I was sure, especially after that kiss, that Bella was meant to be mine.

I stayed in the music room until a few minutes to midnight, listening to my favourite songs, trying pointlessly to calm my racing thoughts. Then I put my mask back on and went to play host again.

When I returned to the library I felt even more depressed. Everyone around me was enjoying themselves. Most were drunk or dancing wildly. Some had paired off and were indiscreetly hiding in corners, masks askew as they fondled and kissed each other.

I made my way to the makeshift stage to make my speech and to announce the grand unveiling. I hoped those couples fondling in the corners didn't get a nasty surprise.

Actually, the mood I was in now, I hope they fucking did.

~oOo~

Bella

I washed my face and reapplied my make up. Putting my mask back on, I made my way back downstairs. I needed to find Rosalie or Alice and have some sense talked into me.

It was almost midnight. As I came down the stairs slowly, and feeling deflated, I saw Edward leave the music room and cross the hall into the library. He didn't see me though.

I was drawn to him, again, and I felt my legs moving toward him like he was some kind of magnetic force drawing me in. I hung back outside the library for a minute, trying to steady my nerves. If he saw me again I wasn't sure I'd have the strength I'd had earlier in the night.

If he saw me when I removed my mask, and he realised just who he had been kissing earlier on the gazebo, and I saw any kind of regret in his face, I wasn't sure my fragile heart could take it.

I heard him start his speech. The sound of his velvet voice thrilled me at the same time as terrifying me, but he didn't sound right. The speech sounded forced as he thanked everyone for coming and hoped they all enjoyed themselves. Then it was time for the countdown to the big reveal.

I cringed as it started. Gathering every last ounce of strength I had in me.

10

I took a deep breath.

9

I moved away from the wall.

8

I smoothed my dress and licked my lips.

7

Another deep breath!

6

I walked into the library and hid behind a tall man in front of me.

5

I peeked around Lurch and saw Edward on the stage. One of his hands was pulling at the tie on his mask. His eyes were downcast.

4

My heart raced, and I thought it was going to break free from my chest.

3

I raised my hands to my mask, and stepped out from behind lurch and walked towards the stage.

2

I watched as Edward raised his head, looking around the room as his mask fell away. He seemed focused on something and I looked in the direction of his confused gaze and saw him frown at Rosalie and Emmett who had just removed their masks.

1

I removed my mask as his face turned and his gaze finally landed on me. I held my breath.

A huge smile broke on his face and his eyes lit up, just as a huge cheer broke out among the raucous group. He jumped from the stage and made his way toward me, but the crowd was too much and someone bumped into me knocking me sideways. I couldn't keep my balance.

Edward caught me before I hit the ground. I felt an arm under my legs as he swept me up in his arms and marched out of the library.

His lips were on mine before I had a chance to catch my breath. I heard a door slam and realised we were in the music room. I kissed him back breathlessly and my arms wrapped around his neck.

He sat down on the settee, not breaking the kiss, and pulled me into his lap more comfortably. Although there was something obvious between us! He shifted slightly to move his erection away from me. I scooted closer to it.

"Bella," he gasped, breaking away from me.

I sucked in a breath and he looked worriedly at me. "What?" He asked, worried.

"You called me Bella," I said quietly, smiling at him.

His hands were roving up and down my back causing tingles all over my body. Edward smiled. He leaned in and nuzzled my neck just below my ear. I pulled his lips to mine again, not able to stay away from them a second longer. After a minute I broke away and stood up. His brow creased with worry again, but I reached down and grabbed his hand pulling him up to stand beside me.

"Edward, I know this is unexpected but I . . ."

He stopped me, putting a finger to my lips just as I had done to him earlier in the night. "Sshhh, come with me."

He pulled me from the room and up the stairs. I stumbled a couple of times in my shoes but I think it had more to do with his effect on my wobbly legs, than the actual shoes. Edward held me tight though, so I didn't fall.

When we got to the third floor, he led me into his room and locked the door behind us, looking me in the eyes the whole time, holding me close. Every nerve I had was tingling.

"Bella." He started speaking and my knees went weak again hearing him say my name like that. "I have wanted you for so long. I can't believe your actually here, that I'm not dreaming. I was sure I saw you leaving with Rosalie earlier and I was crushed." His hands gripped me tightly as he spoke, as if to prove I was real.

"You recognised me earlier?"

"Bella, I would know you anywhere, no matter how you were dressed. I can feel you in a room, before I see you. I don't need to see you, to feel your presence."

"I don't understand, Edward. I didn't know that you ever noticed me. Until three weeks ago, I wasn't sure if you even liked me. But after you came to my apartment I . . . I let myself hope." Finally admitting that fact to him and myself, I smiled up at him and noticed the shock on his face.

"You . . . you thought I didn't like you. Oh my God, Bella." He pulled me into a kiss again, more desperate now to show me how he felt. His hands moved up and pulled my wig off, and then his hands were in my hair and the sensations were too much. I pulled back.

"Edward, stop, we should talk."

"We talk too much, Bella. We only end up winding each other up." He laughed as he placed kisses around my face.

He was right, and I gave in there and then. This felt so right. I was with the man I loved and who cared about talking? I just wanted him so badly right now, be it for one night or whatever, I was going to have him.

"You are my Bella. My beautiful Bella," he whispered, as he kissed my neck. When he looked back at my face there were tears in my eyes.

"Your Bella?"

He took a deep breath.

"If you'll have me! Bella . . . I love you."

"You love me?" I repeated stupidly, dazed.

"Are you going to repeat everything I say, baby? Yes, I love you. I am in love with you and I have been for about ten years. I know you may not feel the same but please, give me the chance to show you I can be someone you could love too, someday, please."

I took his hand again, fearing I might fall over as my legs didn't seem able to hold me up any longer. I sat on the edge of his bed pulling him down to sit beside me. Turning to him I pulled his head around to look at me.

"Edward, I . . . I have struggled with my feelings for you for years. I fought against them and pushed them aside and hid them even from myself. And then, when we were together and drove each other crazy. I never thought anything could come of it, but Edward . . ." His breath caught. "I'm in love with you too; have been for about ten years, maybe more". I smiled as I used his words. "I feel now, like I have loved you forever."

The tears were streaming down my face as I finished, finally voicing the things I'd known most of my life.

"Oh God, Bella. We've been so stupid. We've wasted so much time. What fucking idiots we are." He finished, sadly.

I smiled at him and he looked at me.

"Alice knew all along." I shook my head in disbelief. "She called us fucking idiots three weeks ago, after you left the hotel."

"Why didn't she tell us?" He laughed.

"I guess she figured we'd figure it out eventually," I said.

"And you're sure?" He questioned, still unsure of my feelings.

I stood up and moved in front of him. Standing in between his legs as he sat on the edge of the bed, I put my hands on his shoulders and his hands moved to my waist.

"Edward Anthony Masen, I love you." I leaned down and kissed him swiftly. "Now, I think we've wasted enough time, don't you?" I kissed him again and swept my tongue out under his top lip. His hands tightened at my waist.

"Fuck, yes." He groaned against my lips, pulling me closer.

~oOo~

Edward

She loved me too. Bella loved me too. And she was here, in my bedroom, telling me she loved me. I was afraid I was going to wake up from a dream again. But this felt more real than any dream I'd ever had. She loved me. She is kissing me.

Suddenly, the possibility of those dreams I'd been having about her were becoming a reality. I pulled her close to me. Her hands had moved to unbutton my shirt and her fingers were shaking slightly.

I thrust my tongue into her sweet mouth and tasted again the sweetness of her. God, I knew then, I'd never get tired of kissing this beautiful creature. My right hand moved slowly up her side to the zip of her dress, nestled under her arm. As she worked her way through the buttons on my shirt and waistcoat I lowered the zip inch by inch, slowly.

She moved her lips from mine and exhaled, as the dress slipped from her bust and her cleavage was suddenly free of its encasement. The lacy strapless bra she was wearing concealed very little as I looked at her and took in the sight of her hardened nipples.

Dear god, she is wearing the lingerie she had bought three weeks ago. I wondered if she was wearing the matching panties, I had seen that day. They had been the ones she was always wearing in my most recent fantasies of her. As I moved the dress down slowly over her hips, I noticed that yes, she was indeed wearing them and it was all I could do not to take her fast, right then.

I stood up and she pulled my shirt and waistcoat off together. I pulled her to me, feeling her soft skin against my chest. I kissed her softly, tenderly, parting her lips with my tongue, as I swept it lightly between them. Her hands moved down my chest to my belt buckle, and she undid the belt and top button quickly. Her hands moved then, one of them running over my erection, as the other pulled the zip of my pants down.

"Jesus, Bella. I want you so fucking badly. I've been dreaming about this moment."

"Me too," she replied, simply.

The air was suddenly even more charged and we were grabbing each other in a desperate need to be closer. She pushed my pants down over my hips, as well as my boxers, and I shoved her lacy knickers down and then reached around her to open her bra. When she looked down to see my erection, she licked her lips and smiled.

She fucking licked her lips. I must be dreaming.

I pulled her bra off and took in the site of her standing in front of me, more beautiful than I'd ever imagined.

"Good God, woman, you're driving me wild." I laughed, as I stepped out of my trousers.

She put her hands on my chest again, and pushed lightly and I fell back on the bed.

She didn't say anything, but she started to move up my body slowly. I felt her lips at my thigh, and then my hip, and then she kissed my cock lightly and swept her tongue across the tip of it, causing me to jump slightly. Bella moved her way up slowly, placing soft kisses across my abdomen, over my ribcage. She kissed and licked and nibbled as she went, moving her stocking clad legs to straddle me. She reached my face finally, and I kissed her hard, again and rolled her over onto her back.

"Bella, sweetheart, I've dreamt about this for so long. Let me make love to you baby."

"Yes, please," she breathed.

I kissed her fiercely, before moving my lips down her neck; all the while my hands roamed her body. Her breasts were fantastic; not small, not huge, and just perfect. As I took one of her hard nipples in my mouth she gasped, and when I nibbled on it lightly she groaned, and the sound made my cock leap.

I wasn't sure how long I could wait to be inside her. I was so hard but I wanted to do this right. I wouldn't fuck this up. Part of me was still afraid I was dreaming.

I kissed her breasts, sucking her nipples until she was arching her back with pleasure; her hands were in my hair holding me to her. As I moved lower down her body, her breathing became faster. When I moved between her legs she cried out in anticipation. I kissed the inside of her thigh, before moving my lips to the crease between her leg and her sex, and lightly ran my tongue down it slowly.

Her hips bucked. I moved my lips to the other thigh and repeated the action.

"Edward, please," she begged.

Finally, I moved my lips to where she wanted them. The tiny smattering of hair there was soft, and I darted my tongue out as I moved my mouth against her. Her hips bucked again. I moved my hand and parted the lips of her pussy with my fingers and ran my tongue up and down the slit. She tasted amazing. I licked her clit and she almost vibrated, her whole body shook as she moaned "yes" over and over. I continued licking and nipping at her clit, until I knew she was close to coming.

This was the moment I had dreamt about most, and I wanted to see her face the first time I made her cum. I moved back up the bed swiftly and kissed her mouth again. I parted her legs with my knee and moved my cock to her wet entrance . . .and then I paused.

"Edward, are you okay?" She asked, worriedly.

"This is the moment I always wake up from my dreams, Bella. I'm almost afraid to move." My heart was pounding, my mouth suddenly dry.

She reached a hand up and cupped my cheek, and I stared into her beautiful brown eyes.

"Edward, I am yours. I love you."

"Yes, my beautiful Bella. You are mine. You are mine. You are mine." She shifted her hips then pushing herself against me and I slid inside of her, easily.

Fuck!

Her eyes widened as I moved all the way into her. I swear I stopped breathing. The sensations overtook me, and I almost came, but I held onto it. I wanted her to come first, wanted to see her face as she gave all of herself to me. I moved my hips then, slowly moving in and out of her, slowly building the momentum. When she lifted her legs and wrapped them around my waist, my cock moved deeper into her still.

Bella was moaning loudly now. I moved my head back to hers and kissed her lips again, muffling the sounds we were both making, as I sped up my thrusts into her. I could feel her inner walls tighten around my cock as I went faster and harder into her, still kissing her. Her whole body started to shake and I pulled my head back to look at her face as she came for me. Her eyes widened with pleasure and she called out my name as I pushed her over the edge, and as she came she wrapped those beautiful legs even tighter around my waist.

I gave a few more hard and fast thrusts, and then I exploded inside of her, releasing ten years worth of pent up frustration, in one loud growl from my throat.

I collapsed and lay beside her panting hard, holding her close to me, not willing to let go of her, ever. I stared into those eyes making sure she was okay. I asked her.

"Oh, I'm perfectly okay. Thank you, Edward. My rabbit never made me feel this way." She giggled.

I snorted. "I told you, you should have those legs wrapped around somebody soon, and I meant me, Bella, in case I wasn't clear at the time."

I reached down and pulled the comforter on my bed up over us, in case she got cold.

"This is real right?" Bella asked me, smiling.

"Yes, Bella. This is real. I love you and you love me and we are not going to hide it anymore, from the world or each other. The masks are off now and there is no going back."

"So, I guess we have been living a real masquerade for a long time huh?" She said.

"Mmmm . . . truly an epic Masen Masquerade!" I laughed, pulling her lips to mine once again.

She smiled against my lips and moved herself to lie on top of me.

"Now it's my turn, Masen."

~oOo~

Review please.

Happy Halloween! Hope you enjoyed this little one shot. Wherever you may be for Halloween, have a great night and whatever you are doing in the witching hour, Be Safe!

xo

Bee