Another night. But tonight is different; tonight is special.

She emerges from the fragrant cloud in her bathroom and saunters over to the window to look down over the city - in the middle of the vast grey buildings the lights from the carnival twinkle, inviting her closer. The chill radiating from the glass plays over her warm skin. Carefully she steps into the delicate red lace panties and slip them over her thighs.
She sits in front of her dressing table, and starting at the arches of her feet, she smooths Body Thrills Skin Gloss over her skin, wrapping her in a vanilla and honey aura.

Next she applies her make-up: smokey eyes and ruthless red lips; ties her hair back in a knot, and finally dabs some rose oil in the nape of her neck. Like flower petals she wraps the crimson dress around her curves, and puts on five-inch stiletto’s. Finally she lowers the lace mask over her eyes and pulls the door shut behind her.

The air at the carnival is pulsing. She feels it pushing against her own heartbeat. It's the first time in so long that she has felt this excited. They have been meeting here every evening for the last nine nights, and she thinks it is only fitting that she has decided to reveal herself to him on the same night that the carnival comes to an end. She searches toward the opposite end of the square where they have concluded the previous nights, and find him there.

From across the square their eyes lock and she is pulled toward him; drawn in by his gaze. Without either of them saying a word, he wraps his arm around her waist and steers her toward the dance floor. When the music stops he guides her towards a more private area – the little alcove where he has set her skin on fire with his kisses every night since their first encounter.

She can’t remember his name, or what his voice sounds like. She knows he is a good man, and she can’t help the shiver that runs down her spine when she looks into his eyes.

But tonight is different, she thinks. Tonight he doesn’t push her against the wall, holder her hands above her head, gently caressing her neck with his lips, his tongue, before pressing his warm mouth against hers, his hands over her body. Desire rushes through her; the anticipation leaves her breathless.

He leads her past the alcove towards a white bed and helps her on. Why does this feel so familiar?
And then he speaks.
“We are going to start lowering your morphine dosage. The worst is over now.”
She blinks at him, but her face feels heavy from the mask – the mask she wants him to remove and see her for who she really is; how beautiful she really is.

He smiles at her and reaches toward her face.
“Time to change your bandages. Brace yourself.”
And as he peels away the blood-stained gauze her skin is alight again.