+1+
It had decided to snow today. I'd decided if I was going to die and have my body slumped over Leon's shoulders I would do it dressed like a gentlemen. The lapels of my black wool coat blow in the wind, my shiny black boots scrape against the snow covered roof.
From 800 feet below the city of New York goes on not noticing me.
I kick a bit of snow off the building and think maybe I should leave. Maybe I should have gone back to St. Lilth's and stayed there and wait for the end.I knew If Sera was to kill me nothing would stop her, at least I could die on my own terms.
The Angel’s white coat blends into the snow, the gaudy gold buttons on her coat make it easier to spot her. She’s found me, but honestly she didn’t have to try that hard.
Her light brown hair whips in the wind, her hands are tucked into her pockets, a pair of dangerous stilettos crunch in the snow.
“The weather is a bitch, is she not ?”, I say
“The weather isn’t what chills me.”, She offers.
Her voice is jarring, deep, raspy.
“When this is all over, I don’t know who will be left standing.”
The Angel approaches me.
“The winners”
She removes her blades from her pockets.
“Please give my last words to Helios.”
“Speak.”
“Tell him you are the most beautiful assassin I’ve ever had the pleasure of being killed by.”
I step onto the ledge and fall.
+++
I can’t even feel the cold as it rushes by me. All I see is the foggy sky and gray clouds as I plummet further and further back towards Earth.
I shift hard against gravity, my arms stretch out to the side. I know I'm getting closer to the ground because it is getting colder.
The impact takes the breath out of me as I land on bent knees, there is complete silence as the ground tremors and I fall hard on my back into the snow.
I smile in relief. . . go thing I wasn't as human as I looked.
I look up while brushing off my coat, I don’t see her on the roof anymore. Tripping over my feet I stride out the alley and blend in with the bundled up evening commuters.
The crowd thickens up ahead and I hear a few mumbled curses. I stop short seeing the large white lapels of Sera’s bright white coat. Sera is standing in the middle of the sidewalk, her eyes move then stop spotting me in the crowd.
I take a few steps back among the crowd, I manage to turnaround in the mass of people. Then I run like a bat out of hell.
I’m pushing through the dense crowd knowing it’s useless. What the hell did I think was going to happen ? That she would change her mind ? I laugh realizing she probably wants to kill me more for saying those three words to her.
My only thought is to get someplace isolated to minimize collateral damage. I turn into an empty construction site and bolt toward scaffolding I don’t even look behind me to see if the Angel follows.
This was her moment to prove herself to Helios, she would follow me forever if she had to. She was sent to murder me and so it would be done. She was his. Forever and loyal.
I ducked as a knife swept past the top of my head. A few strands of my hair fall in it’s wake.
Up, up up.
I coach myself.
I take off my gloves and reach the scaffolding and attempt to climb. I quickly realize why the site is empty, the metal is slick and icy. There is a cold burn under my hands and I can’t get a good grip.
“Don’t make me chase you Prince. Running. . . like a child.”
I turn back to see her waiting at the foot of the building.
“I’d rather run like a child then die like a man at your hands.”
She turns and watches the sun slowly begin to set. It's almost dark outside.
“I don’t have time for this.”
I reach for another rung in the scaffolding again, if I can get to the roof maybe I can escape. I doubt she can climb in those heels.
I think Demons have fight or flight like humans, I reach out again and miss the icy perch. I know it’s all over when I fall onto the frozen concrete.
I land on my feet and run blindly. I look behind me to see if she follows. Something smacks me hard and I realize I just ran full speed into a brick wall.
I groan as the brick scrapes my smile and I fall onto the icy sidewalk. When I open my eyes 3 short knives are coming towards my face, I close my eyes and brace myself for impact.
I slowly open my eyes and see the blades have landed deep into my coat sleeves and into the frozen ground. Effectively pinning me to the ground.
“Don’t make me suffer.”, I beg. I actually beg her.
“Times are changing, Prince. The battlefield will clearly never be your forte.”
“Kill me already. I know it. I’m a weak leader, a simple and meek man.”
“ You’re not weak Paris, you are just a little too good. If you were weak I wouldn’t do this.”
“Do what--”
She steps forward and begins to pull open the large white gold buttons on her coat. She exposes her broad tan shoulders then slowly slides the rest of the cream colored coat down her arms, revealing a sleeveless slim form fitting dress with a rich brocade pattern. She is wearing a feathered cloak, it blows slightly in the wind.
I stare transfixed at the feathers on her cloak and the color of her dress.
I can hear every footstep she takes as she approaches,, when she is close enough she gets down on one knee and pulls out the short blades unpinning me.
I let out a breath but it comes out more of a stutter.
A feather from her cloak comes loose and floats into my open palm. She removes the last blade and extends an arm to me.
The feathers
The cloak
The dress
Her expression
Are as dark and black as my blood . Black was the color of darkness and Demons. On an Angel it was the color of a traitor. dissenter.betrayer.
“Helios will kill you for betraying him.”
“If Helios kills me. It will not be for taking up against him,.”
I take her hand and pull myself up, I let go of her arm and she pulls me close. . . to close..
“I think, Seraphina”, she brings her hands to my hair tilting my head back., “You look good in black.”
Her eyes are still and focused intently on me. Her fingers weave themselves around the collar of my coat. Her weights shifts and I can feel every curve and contour of her body beneath the rich fabric.
“My sweet prince”, she says. This time no irony, no disdain to the term, "I want you to know how deep my new found loyalty runs."
She was now bound to the cause of The Brotherhood. Forever and loyal.
+2+
The cab ride from Midtown to Riverdale is a blur of cold lips, legs, limbs. When I reach my door I fumble in the dark with the lock. When it’s open she pushes me inside, slamming the door shut with her foot.My back is hard against the wall, my head caged between her arms. Sera leans in to take my lips again. I twist my hands in her hair pressing her closer to me. She pulls off my coat off kicking it aside to join hers on the floor.
“Prince”, her voice vibrates against my cheek, “Paris Prince.”
She shifts her weight, to look into my eyes. I take in her devilishly blue eyes, only hearing n the sound of our labored breaths. There was an unusual eagerness in her voice as she says my name.
“I...I--”, is all I manage as she kisses me again, her legs straddling my knee. She moves back down my neck slowly pulling apart the buttons on my shirt. I’m unable to contain myself from reacting to her every touch.
“Paris”, she moans my name this time.
“Sera. . . I--uh”
At my mindless inability to finish a sentence, she takes a few steps back and just when I think she is slowing down, she pulls down the sleeves of her dress, pushing the thick fabric of the dress past her full hips letting it it falls softly to the floor.
My eyes follow as she one-handedly unhooks the holsters letting them crash to the floor. I think she is reaching for another weapon I can’t see but instead something silky and red falls around her heels.
“I--.. .I-”, I realize I’m still unable to finish a sentence as she steps forward.
She rest her arms on my shoulder, leaning down to kiss me. Slowly, I pick up the pace of her lips and tongue infected by her nature . A chill radiating from her exposed skin makes me tremble.
“Devil take it”, I finally mange and that’s all it takes.
Without hesitation she unfastens my belt removing my pants, I let her finish unbuttoning my shirt but she doesn’t remove it. With a firm grasp on my collar Sera takes a few steps back and pushes me onto my chaise lounge.The chaise gives slightly at the combined weight and I’m crushed beneath her weight. Her long lean legs straddle me where my orange boxers covered my thighs, centimeters away from where I realize I really want her.
I watched the tips of her fingers running up and down my chest. The slight hiss of fire meeting ice sets me on edge.The slick trail of condensation left from her touch nearly stops my breathing, the lingerie did actually stop my breathing for a few seconds.
She leans down her lips and tongue start nipping and pulling at sensitive skin of my throat, she works her way up my cheek and traces my smile.Touch her.
I dare myself.
The tips of my finger ghost along the smooth skin of her ankles, following the thick cords of muscle to her calves and under her knees. I hesitate my fingers shaking from the chill. Once I am passed her thighs I suppress a groan when I hesitantly find where she isn’t cold.
She arches slightly, either impressed by my boldness or bothered by it. I curse quietly when I feel her move against my hand.
“Paris”, she breathes my name and I realize this is the first time I've heard her use my first name.
She suddenly takes her hands off my chest, resting them on my shirt. The pads of Her fingers are slightly red from touching my skin
“Careful””, I say.
I say this even though I want to all of her, even if it does give me freezer burn. I want to feel her bare skin, full chest and solid abs against me.She ignores my warning slipping one of my fingers into her mouth. Her lips are cold, but her mouth is tight , warm and wet around my finger. I miss the sensation instantly when she stops.
Sera sits back a little and lowers my waistband, her reaction is very controlled. Her softly curled hair spills across my thighs as she leans in slightly shifting as her tongue works its way up and down where I’m hard and on edge.
“Mmmm, fuck”, I manage to curse quietly under my breath as she takes me with her mouth, I feel her tongue slipping around, slowly up and down. Fuck. I'm resisting the urge to grab her hair. I’m so close when I feel her mouth leave me.
"Damn", I'm breathless, "I want you.. . please.. . I mean if you want . . ."
She looks down on me with half-lidded eyes and pushes her hair back. I hear her stilettos click on the floor and she presses her hands on my bare chest slightly raising herself up and then slowly lowers herself onto me.
Fuck
She makes a started sound taking her hands from my bare chest, resting them on my shirt.
“Careful”, I warn her again.
She nods resting her hands above my head, grasping the top of the chaise and slowly rolling her hips. Her curls tease my face I cry out a little to loudly, then force my lips together. She feels warm, sweet and perfect. I can’t stop watching the tension flow through her body. The peaks of her very small breast push through the lace, she carefully takes my hand and places it over the lace there.
My heart pounds at knowing that a woman who I had watched, envied and perhaps wanted long before I could admit it was mine. Her hands move from the chaise to her own hair, My other hand is tight on her waist, through the lace I can feel the muscles in her abdomen tightening with the effort to keep balance and rhythm. Her body is strong and controlled
“Perfect”, I whisper, “You are so fucking perfect.”
I grit my teeth not expecting the combined sensations of watching, wanting and feeling to overwhelm me so quickly, Sera puts a small pillow over my mouth muffling my cry and involuntary convulsions against her. I try to slow my breathing down and toss the pillow aside. Sera relaxes against my shirt covered chest, she make a sound that sounds like a small very sexy laugh.
Oh, no
no no no
Was this a game ?
A trick
Was this Helios, game ?
Oh, God what if this was all a settup and Helios pops out up with a video camera.
The whole exchange had barley been 30 seconds.
I shiver involuntarily from a chill
I look down and realize that she isn’t laughing, she sighing or maybe moaning. Her teeth and lips skim my throat, I feel a slight pinch. This woman bites.
“My sweet prince”, she says again without the usual air of disdain, she parts my lips with her thumb and her tongue .
“Sera ?”, I say realizing what she wants.
She doesn’t respond, her hand trailing down my stomache reaching for me again.
She finally looks into my eyes.
Oh, she wasn’t done with me yet.
+3+
The night seemed to move slowly one minute and quick the next. I don’t remember how we ended up in my bed, but I didn’t care either.
I look down to where she is resting underneath me, having let me work out all my repressed curiosities. Her hair is spread over the black pillows like a halo, her bare cold skin tangled in my black sheets as she suddenly draws me closer to her.
I wrapped a finger around a strand of her hair, as her legs settle around my waist, she'd guided my hand and hips right where she wants. Her expression was very controlled, but her bottom lips was pulled taught between her teeth.
I pulled up to my knees, and we both sigh at the new depth and closenes.. My arms are strained on either side of her, silently daring her to break our connected gaze. I feel her cold hand ghost over my lower back pressing and coercing me, each movement bringing her just a little closer. I dropped my mouth back to her chest kissing the cold skin there, her arms bent over her head grasping at the pillows.
I curse under my breath, trying to prolong the next few seconds. Her eyelashes flutter uncontrollably, I feel the release of tension and a sound threatens to pass her lips. Without thinking I stick three fingers in her mouth and she bites down. Hard. I'm a little envious of her tact and few seconds later I need her kiss to keep quiet.
I shift my weight and take a study in how her lips are still slightly parted, her eyes are closed and for a long few minutes neither of us move.
" You are so fucking beautiful", I whisper and give her a chaste kiss. She opens her eyes and responds with a lingering hand on my cheek until my hot skin becomes to much for her.
I fall back to the other side of the bed where the covers are undisturbed, rolling up my boxers and switching my sweat drenched dress shirt for a black t-shirt on the floor.
“Sera”, I whispered, “I know you think I'm crazy but. . . I think I’m in love with you and not just because. . .”
She closes her eyes.
“I know”, she says but there was something behind it, “However, we have more important issues to discuss”
I clear my throat, not expecting her to be distance herself so quickly from what we'd shared. Her tone was all business.
“Right . . .What are you going to tell Helios ? When I’m still alive.”, I pretend the change in the evening is expected.
She turns to me propping her head up on one arm, causing the sheets to fall to her waist.
“That you begged for mercy at the sight of death and surrendered. That will please him.”, she decides, "It will buy time for me to procure insider information."
“Hmm, although. . . at this rate if you told me to kill myself I might just do it.”
“Would you ?”, she asks as a challenge
“At the moment”, I said, “I am abosluty smitten. . . with . . . you”
By the time I reach the last word my hand has already found its way to her hair and my lips to hers. I feel like the night is getting back in track. Her arms wrap around my neck and all I can think is I want to be closer. Just one more time. We can talk business later.
She pulls herself and a mess of sheets into my sheets into my lap. My legs buckle at the weight, but I soon lose sight of that.
"Again ?", I say my teeth pulling slightly on her lip I 'm already hard from where she is shifting on my lap.
She puts both hands at my temples and looks me dead in the eye.
"Please", she says as more of an order, then pulls me back down.
"I do love you", I say, " I can't explain it but I-"
No.
That wasn’t
Yes
We both turn at the same time, there is a heavy knock at my bedroom door. It sounds again, the old door jumps on its hinges. It's coming from the inside door.
“Shit”, I say turning on the light
It’s nearly 3 am who would be up at this hour ? My first thought is to hide in closet or the backdoor. I’m barely out of bed when the door burst open on its old hinges.
“Paris why is the door lock--- . . . What the hell.”
Why couldn't it have been Ashe ?
"I can explain, Jona"
Jona looked nothing like my wide eyed little brother as he slammed the door behind him. He paused narrowing his eyes at me and then at the Sera. He doesn’t hesitate to pull a gun on her and I don’t hesitate to shield her, even though she seems non-plussed.
“Brother, I can explain--”, I start
“Paris you aren’t this stupid. Tell me you aren’t this stupid”
He motions with the gun for me to move out the way.
“It’s not what you think put that gu--.”
“An Angel ? This Angel ? Honestly how sick are you. What about your principles, Paris.”
“Jona--”
“I think I could look past you having our birth father’s fetish for Angels but her. Helio’s whore ? Dear God brother.”
“Shut up and listen for once”, I snapped back at him, “Seraphina is on our side. . . she is going to help us from the inside. She has turned against Helios.”
“Is this true Angel ?”, he snaps at her as she pulls on her dress, leaving anything else she had been wearing on my floor. Except for the knives.
“It is. Helios took someone from me and he looked me in the eye and tried to convince me his crimes were not his own. He treated me like I was some dumb woman to buy his twisted tales”, she says slipping on her shoes as if Jona’s gun isn’t following her every move, " I just can't take that side of him anymore. I'm out for more than his blood. I want his legacy and his pride."
Hippolyta. Was this all about Hippolyta ?
“I don’t trust her”, Jona says, “She’s also SGI. Just because she fucks you doesn’t mean--”
“I trust her because I love her”, I said, “. I know it’s wrong and unnatural but something is changing.”
“You love her ?”, Jona asks me. I pick up a mocking tone.
“Yes. . .I think I have for a very long time.”, I sit up still in bed.
Sera is by the door and she looks over to me as I say this. She pulls on her coat and watches the exchange.
“What about Isobel ?”, Jona asks, "It's been three days, Paris"
Great, the person I didn’t want to think about
“What about Isobel ?”, I say and there is the smallest tinge of heartache.
Jona approaches the Angel who looks him and that gun of his right in the eye “You love him ?”, he asks her.
“What your brother says is true.I pledge my allegiance to you and your Brothers. You have my word and my loyalty.”
“Then take the burn mark.”
She looks at me confused, then Jona turns around to show her the lux aeterna burned on his shoulder blade. Her eyes narrow as she studies the brand.
“ I can't"
“Why ?”
She looks at me, “. . .Helios would notice.”
“Of course”, Jona says smugly, “Tell me do you love Paris? Do you love my brother ?
She looks back to me.
“Sera”, I say, “ It’s okay--”
“Do you love him”, Jona asks her again.
“Brothers Prince”, she regards both of us, “I want you to know you have my word--”
“Sera. Do you love me.”, I interrupt her.
Silence
“Sera, dammit just answer the question”
Silence
“. . .please”, I ask in a whisper.
“Paris I’m sorry”, she says quietly , “I just can’t. . . I’m . . . I am so sorry”
"Seraphina", I beg her for more but doesn't look at me again.
Jona opens the door for her, before she leaves she turns back.
“We all want the same thing”, she says to Jona and departs.
“Jona”, I try to detach myself ,“You can’t tell anyone about what you saw. I don’t want anyone knowing we were. . . involved."
“Oh, so now you want me to lie for you ? What they hell are you thinking anyway ? I thought you had more pride and moral than that.”
“That is none of your business. Will you keep this quiet ?”
“Yes. But get it together , Paris. ”
"We can trust her", I said, "Helios should have thought twice before getting that woman on his bad side."
+4+
The plan goes like this.
I surrender to Helios the very next day
I announce to the Brotherhood the next morning that I am signing the exit agreement and that for the next six months the will of the Brotherhood falls under Helios Thantos. We are now his. I'm met with protest and vacant stares. The anger comes later, the cold stares, curses and outrage.
What they don't know it that it's all a lie.
Jona, Ashe, Damien, Lysander, Callum (plus Dante) are the only ones who know this is a charade and about our new alliance with Seraphina. I tell them them she came to me after Helios' killed Hippolyta, that she tires of Helios as much as we do. Most of that is true. They are tentative and I know it will take some time for them to trust her.
I'm not even sure I trust her yet.
I don't tell them I'm in love with her, because God help me. I am.
Seraphina dutifully reported back to Helios that I had begged for mercy and in a fit of self-preserving panic I had decided to surrender. It took less than a week for Helios to come knocking on St. Lilith's door with the exit agreement in his hand.
Here I was, sitting across from him trying not to look at the full charming smile.
“I”m so glad we could come to this peaceful arrangement”. Helios said, "There should be a white flag somewhere. Appropriate for a peaceful surrender. Don't you think ?"
That's what you think, I say to myself.
“Yes”, I fake agree, " I only do this, Helios, because lets face it I'm not much of a leader. I hope to learn from you."
Under the table Lysander nudges me. I may have been laying it on a little to thick.
Helios surveys what should be a small chapel off the right arms of St. Liliths. Father had instead used the space as meeting room . It seemed an odd place for Angel and Demons to form an alliance.
Helios sits at the far end of the antique Georgian table. Titus, who I've learned is Helios' beta, is next to him. I sit on the other side with only Lysander and Damien. They are the only two willing to follow this farce through and attend the signing. Lysander doesn't take his eyes off Helios.
“I see why you like it here so much. . . perhaps once you are gone I can make this land into something really special.", Helios says.
“We do have a few months, right ? Before we must leave altogether ?”, I ask. I am an awful liar. I hide my hands under the table so he won’t notice them twitching
“Of course.”, Helios responds scratching out his own calligraphic signature, "Until then consider yourselves subjects to me."
Military regime, sounds like fun.
I take a risk while Helios is distracted by his own intricate handwriting and glance at Seraphina. Unlike Titus, she stands behind Helios. She carefully meets my gaze from her place, I hadn't spoken to her since that night. That mostly amazing night.
Communicating with her was difficult since she was always with Helios, she didn't carry a phone and the only land line at Queen Anne's was in his office. With 12 hours a day spent guarding Helios and 8 sleeping, there just wasn't much time.
Looking at her I’m vaguely aware that there is nothing underneath the white button up she is wearing.There are also two seemingly important buttons missing.
Was she trying to distract me ? She must think I’m simple and one track minded. Then there was that damn chiffon skirt that went down to her ankles, but had this very un-conservative split, sometimes she would stand in a way that--
“Are you alright ?”, Helios asks.
I look up at Helios, I hadn’t heard a word he had said. Had he been talking ?
“Of course I’m not alright. My people are losing their land and home. . . again.”
“It’s for the best. . .darkness like yours should never triumph.”
Damien lights up a cigarette behind me and Lysander places a hand on my shoulder. I sign the agreement. Striking a line under my name.
“It’s done”, I said.
I push my chair back and stand, Helios does the same admiring the chapel.
“I think I’ll have a tour .”, he says.
“Enough, Helios. Let’s go.”, Seraphina cuts in
Helios seems surprised by her interjection.
“There is no rush.”, there is an edge to his voice.
“How can you stand to be in their presence. ?”, she says to him, "Such lecherous creatures."
Helios stops short as she continues to talk back. He takes several moments to notice the missing buttons. Okay, so it wasn’t me she was distracting.
“Someone’s awfully chatty today. If you’re so discontent you can wait in the car and send Leon in.”, Helios answeres
“As you wish”, she says sternly
She gives Titus Helios' coat and hat and she walks past Helios and me, the ring on my hand accidentally grazes and catches a a few threads on her skirt.
She has a visceral reaction, pinning me face down against the table. Her long nails digging into my collarbone, her other hand twisting back my arm.
“Don’t touch me you demonic bastard, you should all be killed for your crimes. Let me kill him Helios. Please. For Hippolyta”
Helios nods and Titus grabs her and pulls her off before she can do anything else. I inwardly groan at Lysander and Damien’s who stand (well sit in Lysander's case) unsure what to do.
“I’m sorry”, I say
She spits on me when they her go and she storms out the room. Helios chuckles.
“So. . . the tour ?”, he say.
‘
“Well”, I start, “I’ll leave you to it”
“Don’t you want to be my tour guide”, Helios asks moving his eyebrows, "We'll be seeing a lot more of each other.
“I think I’m going to go to my room, get drunk and regret every decision I’ve ever made. Lysander will find someone to show you around.”
“I can see right through you, Brother”, Damien has a little skip to his step.
“We’ve been over this. This is all just for show to buy time, Remember. We aren't really surrendering.”
“I'm talking about the Angel you were eye-fucking. Was that for show too ?”
“What ? Go to hell Damien. She's our informant. That's all”, I lie almost perfectly
“Been there done that. I'm watching you”, he says in a dramatic voice and veers upstairs.
+5+
I go out a backdoor and watch from the side of St. Lilth's as Sera leans into the window of a white BMW SUV parked on the lawn., Leon gets out and heads inside.
Sera sits in the driver’s seat and puts her shades on. I check to make sure no one is watching and and make my way over to the car. The door is open and her feet are resting on the SUV's lift.
“Tell me”, I start, “Do your really hate me or are you just very good at faking it ?”
“I have had years of legitimate practice."
I let out a sigh of relief. She was good.
“So you don’t hate me. . . but you don’t love me either. Do you even like me ?”
“There are more important things at hand than your love life, Paris Prince.”
“You're right. What happens now ?”, I ask.
“I need time. I can get you information, trade secrets, find Helios’ weakness maybe find out why he wants you to leave in the first place. I know Helios has been working on something. . . without me.”
“Hippolyta mentioned something of that nature. Is he suspicious of you. Did you stop--”
“I haven’t done anything different”, she says taking off her shades. Damn those distracting eyes, "He's just playing it close. "
I look around and then kneel down to take the heel of her shoe in my hand twisting it admire the red sole.
I placed her foot over my shoulder, pulling back her long skirt inch by inch, kissing her ankle and the soft skin under her knee. I stop when I come to where her legs are crossed.
She raises her other foot on my chest.
“What are you doing ?”, she finally speaks.
“Nothing”, I lie
“Don’t be wicked, Demon.”, her voice sounds deeper wwhen she says that.
“I’m not”, I say “I hate Helios, he’s pompous, arrogant and thinks he can’t lose. He cuts me off and cuts me down at every turn. So I’m going to do something naughty against his ugly car with his girlfriend while he is just 30 feet away.”
“It’s not going to change what I said--- that is what I did not say. I just can't-”
I stand up and look her in the eyes.
“I don’t care. I don’t know what is going on in that head of yours, but I know you feel something for me. I know it, Seraphina.”
“Arrogance does not suit you. ”
“Right now the only thing I want to suit me is you. I can't stop thinking about you. Don't tell me you don't want to be with me again, that you don't want to feel that good again. At this point if that's all we can be. . . I'll take it."
“This is your future, Paris. You should focus your attention on something more important.”
“I think you're important.”, I say because I do.
“.He's going to be asking a lot now that he has you under his control. You have a lot that he wants.”
“I think it might be easier just to assassinate him”, I offer.
“SGI would destroy you in seconds. You need to appear to be on his side. His arrogance makes it impossible for him to see betrayal.”
“How do I do that.”
“Become his friend. Let him trust you. He is having a birthday, bring a nice present.”
“Befriend Helios, impress him, find a way to permanently get rid of him. Got it.",
I turn to leave.
"Wait", she calls to me.
"Yes", I say turning back to the car.
She sighs and pulls me into the car forcing her tongue into my mouth before I can can even comprehend what's happening Seraphina's eyes are fixed on the rear view mirror watching the front door. Just like that, she goes from business to . . . whatever this was.
I hook an arm around her waist and prompt her to to switch positions with me, her tall figure now up against the roof. I reach to push the seat back when I glance at the mirror and see the front door swing open and Helios emerge.
"Shit."
"Wait.", she holds me still.
She climbs over me and unlocks the SUV's trunk, we slip out the trunk and out of Helio's view. I take her hand and lead her around the corner to the outside entrance to my room. She continues kissing me while I unlock the door and pull her inside, just as Helios comes around the corner.
"Seraphina", I hear Helios call, "Is she really that pissed off."
"Seraphina", Leon calls, "Maybe she went for a run."
"She's wearing six fucking inch shoes, she couldn't have gotten that far."
"You'd be surprised . . .", Leon says
I don't have time to lock the door once we are inside and she has already pulled off my sweater. Outside Helios is still shouting for her. I should let her go, but leaving from my bedroom would look. . . suspicious.
"The other door", I whisper pointing to the door that leads to the inside of St. Lilth's, "Tell him you got lost."
She nods and heads for the door just as a voice comes from behind it.
"Paris", Lysander calls from the hall, "Where are you ? Do you think Helios bought it ? Prince ?
I look back to where Helios is approaching the other door, Searphina shoves me into the closet and follows close behind. I turn on a light. We are pushed together in the tiny space, her height just barley fitting. I hold on to her waist to keep her steady.
"Paris, we can talk it's okay", I hear Lysander now joined by Ashe calling from the inside door, "I think the plan is working. PARIS ? Are you here ?"
"Where the hell is she ?", I can hear Leon through the outside door, "Control. . . how many times do I have to tell her."
"Prince, open up."
"Seraphina"
"Where the--
"Paris"
"Searphina !"
"Where is he ?"
I roll my eyes as the voices continue. Seraphina relaxes with nowhere else to look except at me, which she doesn't seem to entirely hate.
"Well, love", I got comfortable in the closet , wondering who would give up the search first, "I think things are about to get really interesting."