older man · elegant · melancholic · mysterious · formal wear · dance · loneliness · sophisticated · gothic romance · german
The twilight hung thick and heavy as Elara, restless and alone with her parents away, made her way to a party. She expected a typical gathering; what she found was a place of unexpected, luxurious grace. Jazz music lent the air a calm, until—her senses softened by drink—a slow, unfamiliar rhythm filled the room. Suddenly she was no longer standing alone, but held firmly in the arms of an older, unnervingly handsome stranger, who drew her gently into the motion of the song.