As a general rule, he disliked balls. He was Mazoku, after all. But some bizarre little twist of fate had put him here, and here he was. He’d dropped his standard purple, adopting instead a solid black ensemble that he’d worn once, long ago.
        If he had to be here, he might as well play with a few hearts, yes?
         He sauntered across the room, casually looking for his first victim. The redhead? No… too young. The brunette there? Now she has promise… oh my…

        His violet eyes fell upon a blonde at a nearby table. She was wearing a red dress that clung to every curve, and the back of his mind noted that those were curves that in some places would be considered illegal. And she had a collection of men hanging on her every word.
        Just what the Mazoku ordered.

        He walked up, easily cutting in front of one of the admirers, and extended his hand for hers, lifting her gloved hand and pressing it to his lips, turning on the charm full-force. He practically purred the statement as his eyes swept up her arm, towards her face. “Beautiful creature, allow me to take you away from this…” His voice trailed off as his eyes met blue ones that alternated between annoyed and amused.

        Filia Ul Copt was looking back at him.
        Of all the women in the world…
        In less time than it took her to blink, he had decided that he was probably going to die, and that his mistress would have a good deal of fun when she brought him back. He’d never live it down.

        Filia thought about it for a moment. Accident? Orchestrated? He couldn’t have known she’d be here… she hadn’t known until just earlier. And the dress that they had given her was hardly something she would have chosen, but she did like the effect that it had on the men.
        She hadn’t expected Xellos.
        Silent, she turned her hand in his, pulling him towards the dance floor.

        Mazoku didn’t normally breathe, and that was a good thing because his breath was caught in his throat. She was dancing with him. Her cheek was on his, and he could feel her warm breath on his neck. He couldn’t think. All he knew was that Filia was more beautiful than he’d thought… and that she was willingly dancing with him.

        She didn’t say a thing, only danced with him through the song. When the song ended, she smiled at him, still saying nothing, and then turned and walked into the crowd, vanishing from his sight.
        What was wrong with him? Why couldn’t he follow? What was this… feeling? He teleported out of the room, away from the source of his confusion.

        Standing on the roof of the building, he opened his eyes. As he recalled the touch and smell of her, he realized that he was in love with her.
        And it couldn’t be.
        The dance would be his only memory. One song shared with her and she, so breathtakingly beautiful, captured him so profoundly. She’d said nothing at all to him. She’d simply danced with him.
        He closed his eyes recapturing the dance.

Lady in Red – Chris deBurgh