The meal, although delicious and well-prepared, was somewhat tense for Twilight. For starters, Sombra made it a habit to constantly leer over her every couple of minutes. True, it was more subtle than the all-out drooling that she'd seen stallions do in Rarity's presence but it make her feel very self-conscious all the same. Due to her excessive studying as a filly, Twilight never got around to dating and was often oblivious to the stares of colts, which she sadly became more aware of as she got older. Apart from the umbrum's unnatural eye color, his gaze was also unnerving in how unflinchingly absorbed it was in taking in all of Twilight. She wasn't sure what was worse: the constant staring or how it put butterflies in her stomach.

"Sombra? Do you think you can stop staring at me like that?"

The stallion's face drooped somewhat. "Am I making you uncomfortable?"

"Very."

Leaning back in his seat, Sombra scooched the chair an inch away from the table and nervously coughed into his hoof. "My apologies; it wasn't my goal. You're just so...beautiful. I just wanted you to know that because you seem to be unaware of it." The gentleness and sincerity of Sombra's words gave Twilight pause. While she never felt ugly-in fact, she often found herself to be plain-and was often told by her parents how pretty she was, she had never received the impression that she was all that attractive. Perhaps it was more than just lust that compelled Sombra to fawn over her.

"So...what is your favorite part? Of my face, I mean?"

Sombra leaned forward and smiled, only showing the very tips of his fangs. He scanned her from top to bottom before replying breathily, "Your eyes. I've never seen such a shade of purple before. It reminds me of the night sky." This held Twilight's attention. "When I was a colt, I used to watch the sun set. Just before the sun lowered, the skies would appear violet, bringing forth the night and with it, the true wonders of the cosmos. Most ponies would tell you that the night sky is just darkness but that isn't true. Dark blues, swirling magentas, light grays. Such beauty."

Twilight realized that she'd been holding her breath when she suddenly had to release it. The passion with which Sombra spoke and the far-off dreamy look on his face was captivating. For a brief moment, she forgot she was dining with her shadow-bending captor. She put a hoof to her chest to feel her heartbeat, which wildly thump-thumped away in her ribcage. "You know, I have a thing for star-gazing. Astronomy is one of my fortes."

"Really? Perhaps we should put your knowledge to the test sometime."

"I'd like that," Twilight said softly, fighting the blush that creeped along her cheeks. Easy girl; keep it together. The logical part of her mind chastised her for letting her emotions get the better of her and warning her not to fall for Sombra's bullshit. He was, after all, still a master manipulator and could be influencing her at this very moment. She returned to gaze to Sombra only to realize that he'd left his seat and was setting a record on an old phonograph.

"Can you believe it? A device of wood and electricity that plays music! What an age of wonders!" The needle slid across the record's surface, producing the sounds of an accordion mixed with a cello and a violin. This was soon followed by the rhythmic taps of Sombra's hooves as he stomped out the melody, swaying gracefully around the room. The violins became more prevalent, screeching along to the building drumbeat as a guitar wove its way in. Is this...tango music?

"Um, Sombra, what...-whoa!" Twilight was magically pulled out of her seat and thrown into the waiting forelegs of Sombra, her annoyance overshadowed by her surprise as one hoof placed itself on her waist and the other on the small of her back. That fluttery feeling in her stomach returned, not helped by the smoldering gaze Sombra cast down at her as he spun her around. Due to their size difference, he was lifting her up to meet her eyes, leaving the mare dangling a foot off of the ground. He walked backwards with a bounce, letting the music dictate his moves as the click-clack of castanets joined in the chorus. He then spun Twilight around so that her back was up against his chest.

"I can't begin to tell you how happy I am that you're here," Sombra sighed, sending a wave of pleasure rolling through Twilight as she felt his voice humming against her back. With another spin, she was once again brought face-to-face with the umbrum, his right leg stuck far out as he crouched down slightly with his left. "When you faced me for the first time, you stirred something within me, something I had thought to have been long dead and buried."

"I did?" Twilight asked, her voice coming out as a squeak. Sombra grinned as he suddenly bounced to his hooves and glided across the room, his movements flowing and precise. She had to admit: he certainly could move on the dancefloor. After a couple of twirls, Sombra dipped Twilight, his hoof snaking around to graze the back of her leg.

"You did. When others fled, you stayed your ground and fought me. Oh, the determination in your eyes, the fire in your soul! In that moment, I knew that you were special. What a mare!" Pulling Twilight back up, he bent slightly so he could wrap his left leg behind her own. The guitar strums picked up while accompanied by the steady bum-da-bum-bum of a drum. Twilight bit her lip, unsure of how much more of this extremely close-quarters and provocative dancing she could take. He's doing this on purpose! There's no way he can be clueless about how he's affecting me!

She was set down on her own hooves as Sombra prowled around her, his arms bent at his sides as one hindhoof was placed in front of the other. He waved a forehoof in front of Twilight's face and placed his arm around her to hug the air. He led her back and forth with a predatory grin, letting her know that yes, he was in control and would exert it whenever he wished. Those scarlet eyes shot Twilight a message, one that she could read all too clearly: "I want you and I want you now." She was then lifted up once more into the air to face her dance partner, who she was contemplating either hitting or kissing. Or perhaps both.

"I'm confused. Why go through all this effort? You could just mind control me like you did with the guards."

A vein momentarily popped on Sombra's furrowed brow and he quickly turned away so that he could face her again with a mask of flirtation. "Now why would I do that? As any hunter will tell you..." He paused to spin her around each arm and ended the dance with a quick dip as the music came to a close, his face dangerously close to hers. "...It's that chase that's really the fun."

Sweet Celestia, is he going to try to kiss me?! Shoving Sombra back, Twilight smoothed out her dress and took several deep, panicky breaths. Once she had regained her composure, she cleared her throat. "Well, sorry to disappoint you, Your Majesty, but looks like you're going to be chasing me for a very long time." She began to hurriedly march out of the room when a smooth and poised voice called out to her:

"Then let the chase begin."

With those five words, Twilight broke into a gallop, rushing past the guards with their stone-like stances and the life-like crystal statues, her head and chest pounding so loud it drowned out the world around her. She didn't stop running until she slammed and locked her bedroom door behind her. Sliding to the floor, Twilight gasped in air as she tried to put logic and reason into how she was feeling. She felt like a golden trophy coveted by a lecherous shadow demon. She felt like her fiancé and captor was deeper and more pony-like than he let on. She felt like some dark inner voice was calling out to out, offering her freedom and pleasure in exchange for her very soul, her core being.

…She felt broken.

Author's Notes:

Muy caliente! Things are really heating up!

I know some of you may see Sombra as some pig-headed, Gaston-type but his line of reasoning will be more apparent as the story goes on.

Can you really blame Twilight for her conflicting emotions?