Beautiful Days

Chapter 49 -Unsuspected Turn-

Esme finally noticed the man as well as he held out his hand. "Can I have this dance?" he asked politely with a small smile. Esme looked at the man surprised and didn't recognize him at first in an all black tux, his long pitch black hair in a ponytail. She was paralyzed in shock as she then noticed the familiar features of his face and matched it all together. Flashbacks of a white snowy field, black cloaks, cruel smiles, crimson red tortured her mind... Esme shivered and trembled as she nearly fell against the wall in fear. "Marcus?" she whispered in shock...

Esme's heart raced as she fell against the wall in sheer fear of the person facing her. She desperately looked around the room for someone of her family to come and help, but she couldn't see one...

Breathe, try to breathe... She told herself and inhaled deeply as Marcus didn't attempt to step any closer. He just stood there and offered his hand to her with that same small smile. He surely wouldn't attempt to kill me with that many people present, right? She asked herself and tried the pep talk to keep herself from losing consciousness.

No one seemed to notice the small tragedy unfolding, only a few people looked in Esme's direction, but were too engaged to go and ask her whether she did need help. Her heart still beat so fast that Esme already felt woozy and she tried to steady herself by holding onto the marble column on her right.

That exact column kept Esme out of Carlisle's sight and he let go of the wine glass in his hand as he recognized the man only a foot away from his wife. He needed a moment to process it all, to get a clear mind before he charged forward at once, the mass of people though weren't a huge help and kept him at a painfully slow pace as he pushed past them.

A jumble of pink, blue, green and black charged forward at the same time, but they too had problems finding their way... The red of Esme's dress matched exactly Marcus' eyes, she realized with horror as she finally had the courage to look into them. But her instincts told her that she didn't need to fear him now that she finally looked into his face. He seemed to plead with her...

Esme debated internally to accept his hand, after all he didn't step forward instead he waited for her. On the other hand he was the evil himself, one little wrong move and she could be dead...

All Cullens gasped in shock as they saw Esme laying her hand into his. Surely she was forced to in some way, she would never bring herself into such danger, they tried to tell themselves. The men had to suppress their urge to push the couples away with all their strength to finally get to Esme, but as it was they were still very determined to finally reach her. Carlisle and Edward were nearly there as the orchestra commenced a new song and the couples vividly danced the Viennese waltz. Just for that second Esme and Marcus were out of their sight and as they had finally fought through the mass of people, they faced a lone marble column...

Carlisle nearly broke down. He had been so close to her... He steadied himself like Esme had had, but instead of helplessness, a deep anger that he had never before experienced pulsed through him and the marble under his hand started to break... Dust and small parts fell to the ground and all eyes were trained on him and the broken marble as he took his hand away. Carlisle noticed it with shock just as the rest of the Cullens did, but they didn't have any time to lose, they had to find Esme...

Try to breathe, breathe... Esme told herself as Marcus led her out of the ballroom. It felt so wrong, so totally and utterly wrong as they left the open room to only walk into the lone and dark hall...

She didn't know why her hand still rested in his, why she was following him obediently in the first place... She could attempt to run, to scream, to push him away, but she was paralyzed in her nightmare. Esme didn't look at the man next to her, her eyes were solely trained on the room facing them. Every step brought them further away from the light, the voices, the mass of people, the promised safety...