+1+

"I don't think Mr. Thantos should be a problem. . . but just in case"

I drop the silver SGI pin into Lysander's hand and he closes his fingers around it. The silver pin is the only way any of us can safely enter Helios territory. . . with an invitation of course.  I give it to Lysander in case Helios calls with another round of punishment and/or humiliation.

Since he lost his guns in the explosion Sera set, Helios was a little less dangerousbut we still needed to get rid of some of his muscle and security. That was still being worked out

"Helios has been oddly quiet lately", I tell Lysander, "You should be good for a day."

"I know. . . that makes me nervous", Lysander says,"Have you heard anything from her ?"

I shake my head. Except for the one vague message via bike messenger, I hadn't heard shit from Seraphina since Long Island. This was the problem with mixing diplomacy with personal feelings.

After a lengthy debate and discussion with my circle of Brothers, no one could come up with why Helios would be in Long Island or who would be working with him. It was too risky to follow Helios again, so now all we could so was watch and wait.

Lysander shifts his weight on his new cane and slides my work phone into his pocket. I turn the keys in my hand, I was leaving for Boston to see Father's lawyers  and this day was going off much differently than I had planned.

In a way this was like a coronation for me. Everything that had belonged to Father would now legally belong to me. In my dreamy hazed past, I imagined it would also be the day I made another big commitment in my life. This was supposed to be day I was going to ask Isobel to marry me and change the course of my future.

I was an idiot.

or maybe I am an idiot, because I still expected Isobel to call me back. I could have had the papers sent to New York, but a part of me wanted to get away from all this for just a moment.

"I can't believe you are leaving Lysander in charge", Jona finally says what he has wanted to say all morning. He's leaning against the door frame with his arms folded.

Jona had been sulking all morning, waiting for me to be away from Ashe before talking to me. It was so odd for the three of us not to be in sync. With me keeping secrets from them, maybe it was for the best.

"Lysander is older."

"Yes, but I'm next in line. I'm your blood brother. You're just doing this because I'm working with Callum"

"No. I'm not"

Yes. I was.

I couldn't risk coming back and finding Jona and Callum had gone rogue and done something stupid involving Helios. Lysander was level headed and respected.  His injury constantly reminding the others of what happens when you get on Helio's bad side. I had half a mind to have Damien put Callum and Jona in medically induced comas until I got back.

"I'm your Brother. I'm second in line--"

"Line for what Jona ? Do we really want this responsibility ? This damn uphill battle?"

"It's only uphill because of how you are handling it. We are sons of a great warrior King. Is this how you want to play out your existence ?"

"That life was a long time ago, in another age. That's Callum talking not you."

"You shouldn't go alone", Lysander says, "Maybe you should take some protection."

"No. Besides if Helios was planning something, Sera-- Seraphina would tell me. I need to do this alone. I'll be back tomorrow evening"

I give Jona a warning glance and head to the car. Jona always gave me that knowing look when I said Sera's name. The fact that he wasn't blackmailing me with our. . . whatever it was. . . showed me he still respected me. I'd have to hold on to that.

It felt damn good driving away from New York. It was like leaving one world and entering into another. A normal one. No SGI, No Brotherhood, Angels or Demons.

The playlist I made for the trip--- I’d made for Isobel-- starts playing the second I turn my phone on. Once it got started I kept in on if only to beat myself up.The songs were upbeat and romantic. I'd thought I'd be clever and use the playlist for foreshadowing for the proposal. Damn was I an overly romantic idiot. At one point I made a divisive move and turn it off, finishing the rest of the trip in blissful silence.

It's early in the afternoon when I pull into the valet parking circle at the New Metronome Boston Hotel.  A sleek and contemporary version of its futuristic New York City counterpart. The inside was dark and neutral . . .everything from the leather couches to the swirling light fixtures looked expensive but simple.

I get my speech ready to explain to the clerk why I needed my very expensive non-refundable room changed. I hoped they would take pity on me. Instead the clerk smiles at me when I give her my name.

"I really need to change my room. I know it's non-refundable but you see my girlfriend-"

"She's already here", the clerk says

"What--who ?"

"Your girlfriend.", The woman smiles wider and gestures to the lobby.

I turn and scan the lobby, pausing when I spot her in the lounge. I smile when our eyes meet and there is a tinge of anxiety as she gets closer.

I speak first.

"We need to talk"

---

“It’s not what you think”, I tell her once I get the key and check in. I'd attempted to carry her luggage but she kept her overnight bag swung over her shoulder by one hand, " I swear. . . it's just. .."

She slips past me and pushes the door open. It’s a tiny room. Accented with dark wood  and chrome with a  beautiful view. There is also an ice bucket with champagne. A box of chocolates and a huge bouquet of roses. . . and rose petals on the circular bed. Very suggestive. Or it would have been with Isobel. With Sera it was unnecessary pretense.

“Non-refundable”, I remind her, “It’s the Sweetheart package. . . and I was such a romantic ....it's stupid. . . I was going to propose. . . to Isobel--not you-obviously. . .and. . ."

Seraphina picks up the card attached to the roses.

“To Isobel. . . I love you. Thank you for standing by me, thank you for loving me. For making my days feel blessed and truly special. Paris.”

A slightly raised eyebrow and non-plussed expression crosses her face. I take the card from her and stick it in my suitcase.

"Non-refundable", I repeat again,  "I wrote it when I booked the room. Anyway. . . how did you get here ?"

"Bus."

"And you told Helios what ?"

"The truth."

"The truth ? Are you mad ? I mean--"

"I told him I wanted to spy on you in case you were up to something nefarious. I'll be reporting back tomorrow that you hardly left your room and it was a complete waste of time. He's been preoccupied, so he won't think much of it."

"Yeah, with spending the money he's skimming from us."

I sat down on the bed taking a breath, I bring the heels of my hands to my eyes. When did my excuse to be alone turn into more of this.

"Were you expecting Isobel ?", she asks examining the bouquet of roses.

"I--honestly ? Yes, I was", I sit further up on the bed, "Shouldn't I ? You said Isobel and I are fated to be together . . . wait. . .Sera, what are you doing here. You've been silent for a week. We didn't exalty leave on good terms"

She lifts her shoulders.

" I was unjustly angry with you. I let myself forget where we stand. You're a lost Prince, I'm a whore's daughter. You want true love and a princess.I just want to survive and leave this all behind. I shouldn't expect you to respect someone like me."

"Sera believe me, I do respect you. I just hate it when you walk all over me."

"You didn't think much of me when I asked about Helio's assets, or how you constantly make jokes about me as an ornamental sex object for Helios-."

"I'm sorry. I know you very smart and capable. I'm under a lot of pressure and sometimes my jealousy comes out as. . . tasteless"

"Jealousy ?", she raises an eyebrow and takes one of the roses out of the vase.

"Yes. I don't like to think of you sleeping with anyone but me.", I feel the heat in my cheeks when I say this, making my statement less commanding. What the hell was I even saying ?

Her lips relax and she places the rose back. She walks over to me pressing her body into mine. I can feel the chill of her skin through the thin t-shirt.

"You want me all to yourself ?", she finds this amusing.

"I. . um. . .Yes ?"

"Paris", she pushes back a few long strands of my hair with her fingertips, "I have given my trust, body and survival and loyalty to you until this is all over. You're my Prince just as it was always . . ."

"Always what ?"

Her eyes widen a little as if she is reading my face, almost like she is at a loss for words.

"Sera ?", I call her.

"I just. . . You can't use this", she kisses me and I realize how much I miss that, "Against me. Helios would hang me for this."

"I'm sorry", I apologize, "I should have never threatened to turn you in to Helioa. I'd never do that Sera. I love--"

Shit. I catch myself and she steps back.

"Paris, you meant so much to Hmjeu. I won't abandon your cause simply because of an argument."

"Our cause", I corrected her, "This is our cause . As soon as Helios is gone and Anne's power is restored you can leave. . .that's what you want isn't it ?"

"I try not to want anything. But if there were a preferable out come it would be that. In the meantime I'll do my best to be amiable."

I fight to keep my expression neutral. I hadn't considered winning would mean losing her. I push that all down and put on my best mischievous smile.

". . . Well if we have reached an accord", I looked at my watch, "I have five hours to kill before I see the lawyers, so why don't we makeup properly . . ."

I pull Seraphina towards the bed and start kissing her behind her ear and down her strong jaw. My other hand reaching under her shirt. She's not responding which is very very disappointing. Maybe I was doing something wrong. Maybe I'd misread something ?

She sits up and looks out the window, I step back trying to see what she is looking at. She still has in that clear ear piece, she is still just a button press away from Helios.

Sera catches my glance and unbraids her hair to cover it and.walks to the door grabbing her jacket and smoothing the wrinkles in her shirt.  I'm lying in the rose petals dumbfounded and she looks back at me. . .like I’m supposed to follow her.

“Oh. . . you actually want to leave the hotel room.”, I tease her. A little. Just a  little.

She beckons me with the slight nod of her head and resolved I get up and follow her.

---

After all the time I'd spent with her I still didn't know what to make of Seraphina. Sera had manged to say all of 3 words to me during the outing, but she always seemed interested in what the tour guides said. We hadn’t lived in America until the 1870’s  and I realized that maybe she probably hadn’t seen that much of this country.

She seemed to genuinely want to learn and her interest in the ordinary human families around us was a little child like. I'd shifted uncomfortably when her gaze lingered on a sleeping baby being rocked by her mother.

Late in the afternoon, my mind turned to Isobel  when we stopped at a pretentious coffee shop outside my lawyer's office. I'd spent an hour drinking burnt coffee and watching Seraphina sip iced green tea with a frustrated expression.

I knew if Isobel was there she’d be reading 1776 again and asking me if things really happened the way history said it did. I imagined I’d lean over to her on he leather couch and pretend to read over her shoulder. I could see her smile, her laugh. I was so sure of the daydream it almost seemed real.

"Wait. . . like this", I snapped out of my daydream and looked down at my phone, "just touch it."

Sera rolled her eyes at me and her long nails tapped hard against my cell phone screen. The animated seven of clubs stayed in place. I pressed her fingers flat against the sreen  and helped her drag the the card down to the suite. All of the nails except her middle fingers were long and cut into sharp almond shaped points.

"See", I said as the next card in the deck appeared, "Solitaire with no paper cuts"

"Hmm", she says squinting at my phone that rested on top of her abandoned pocket sized edition of The Bell Jar.

I catch the time on the screen and realize I need to meet with the lawyers in a few minutes. A big part of me wants to cut and run. I want to go back to just being Father's assistant. To be unimportant. The one thing I learned after becoming Father's assistant, was that for all the years he spent leading us. . .  he always spent them alone.

+2+

sweather ewather

That evening Seraphina and I celebrated my inheritance. . . Helios unknowingly footed the bill. I was now legally in charge of Father's assets. I was official whatever that means nowadays.

Despite the fact there was a gorgeous woman in a downright sinful black dress at my side, my mind was somewhere else and Seraphina knew it. There was something I had to do tonight.

When we left the restaurant she tried to distract me. Her arms were always around me, suggestively touching my hair, neck and chest but my focus was elsewhere. In the cab she spoke in a low voice begging me to take her back to the hotel, when I gave the driver a different destination she began whispering dirty things in my ear that made the surly cab driver blush, but I wasn't going to turn around.

It was 11:56 pm  when I jumped out the cab. Seraphina was walking defiantly behind me. She may not have approved of what I was doing, but she also didn’t want to be out in the strange city alone

I sped up, looking down at my watch to keep perfect time. Ahead of me the lights of Quincy Market's Square opened up. The classical building was surrounded by a open courtyard, along the sides were restaurants with lights and patios packed with people enjoying the crisp mid-November air.

In the center of Quincy Square a few people milled around, but it was for the most part empty. I found an empty bench and looked up at the clock tower and scanned the square before me. It was almost midnight.

Seraphina caught up to me, her arms folded.

“There. Look”, I said indicating a pair of people in the center. The man looked nervous. His eyes focused on the clock, “Look. I can’t believe this.”

Searphina sits next to me and we watch as the man taps his girlfriend on the shoulder and get down on one knee. I roll my eyes and slump further down on the bench.

The woman brings her hands to her lips and nods as he puts the ring on her finger. He hesitated . . . he waited to kiss her. Waited until midnight.

Fuck that. Someone else had just stolen what was supposed to be my proposal.

When the clock struck midnight, there were bells. Not just one bell, but a chorus of beautiful rings that emanated all across the square. A few passerbyers had noticed and clapped for them. I clapped begrudgingly. Sera did too, but I think she was a little enamored by the display.

The newly engaged pair lingered in the square, blind to everyone else. People in love where inconsiderate like that. Here I was watching another man have the moment that should have been mine.

I slumped further on the bench, resting my head on Sera's lap.

“Should have been me”, I said, “Should have been us--I mean Isobel and I--us.”

“I could… shoot them”, she said. As if she very seriously thought that would help me feel better.

“God, no. Then it would be all tragic and they would build a monument to their ever living love.”

“Hippolyta loved tragic love”, she said gazing out at the couple,

"I'm sorry. . . for what happened to her."

“She was--she--she was the first one to tell me my. . . desires were beautiful not. . .ugly. I'd loved her for so long”

I looked up, her eyes met mine.

“What a sad set we are.”, I mused.

“Indeed”, she said.

“At least you didn’t declare you love to another woman 24 hours after proposing.”, I said

“At least your girl is still out there”, Seraphina reminded me. I felt a pang of guilt. Isobel may have been blocking me, but Hippolyyta was dead.

After a moment she stood and walked away, she had a very slow powerful and utterly seductive tilt to her steps. Only accentuated by the short black dress and 5 inch heels that supported her long legs.

She turned back to where I was still on the bench, beckoning me to follow her. I took one last look at the couple. . . they were still lingering. At least I’d known it was a good idea.

“Yeah”, I smiled to myself  at her as she motioned to me with her finger, “Maybe she is still out there”

+3+

“Okay. . .”

I think on this one as she brings the ice cold mojito to her lips. It so strong I can smell it.  I know it will take a lot more than that to give her a slight buzz, but I give the bartender a warning glance anyway, I didn't want her drunk. Then she might accidentally kill me.

“Ah, yes”, I decide on my question., “Historical figure. Famous historical figure.”

She thinks for a moment then shakes her head.

“I”m afraid Anne never let us out much. I kissed a handsome Czar once a very long time ago. . . and . . .I believe J.P Morgan got lost in Prospect Park near the school once. Who is yours ?”

I lean over in the bar stool as the bartender sets down three more shots. Sera pays for them in cash.

“Machiavelli”, I pronounce the name slowly punctuating each syllable, as if this is really going to impress her.

"The Prince? “

“Ah, well I had the name first. I was a scribe for him a long long long fucking time ago. He liked me. . . Look at this hair and eyes, I'd pass for Italian on any day.”

“Baciami”, she says and presses a finger to her lips me, “Bello.”

I sit back properly in my chair, deciding I was bordering on giddy with drunkenness. The pain of being at Quincy Market where I should have proposed to Isobel was almost gone. . . almost.

“Favorite decade ?”, I ask even though it's her turn to pick the question.

“70’s”

"19 ?”

“17”, she said, “I like Gothic novels”

She takes one of the shot glasses and I take the other. It smells like whiskey and my stomach turns. She places the glass between her full lips and tilts her head back. I decide to pass on mine. She takes my shot and offers me the last one. I decline.

“Thanks”, I said, “Truly. I don’t get to have conversations like this often. When you live with the same people for so long, there tend to be no surprises.”

"Indeed", she says

My boxers get tight when I think about what she whispered to me in the cab. . . yes, I was done drinking for the night.

I stand and move around her chair, I’m a little buzzed and will myself to pick her up, which earns me a tiny half smirk.

"Damn you are a big girl.", she stands to her full height holding on to the chair, ". . .It kind of turns me on. I should have you flex for me later."

We walk back to the hotel, my arm gripped on her waist to keep myself steady. Her cold bare arm nestled around my neck.

“I think”, I said, “ I think Isobel was. . . amazing. So sweet and nice and smart and God so clever. I wanted to love her and I did. But you. . .You I’m fucking crazy about you, love.

But she’s not listening and she’s not walking normally either. There is a low undertone of music coming from a bar and even though I can see the hotel from here, she slows down and prompts me to dance with her. The way the dress covers her hips I can't say no. I turn her and she almost loses her balance. I catch her and hold on tight.

When we finally do make it to the hotel, there is a lot of laughing. I swear to God she laughs. I don't know what about, but I remember apologizing to a lone patron on the elevator who would probably never get the joke, whatever hell it was.

Inside the room there is a new bottle of champagne and sign that reads “Congratulations to the future Mr. & Mrs. Paris Prince”.

"I'm so sorry. . . I forgot all about that part. Fucking non-refundable."

I laugh and toss it in the trash, not at all bothered by the champagne bottle shattering. I remember falling onto the bed and saying something about wanting to make love to her. She had responded by taking a handful of the petals on the bed and tossing them in the air.

She laughs again, arching back into the pillows, exposing her sharp as glass jaw and long graceful neck. Her laugh is warm and throaty. It sounds dark and sexy but I expected nothing less.

She slides down so we are eyes level, then lowers to rest her head on my chest, her hands working into my shirt. I reach down to  get my zipper and see her eyes are closed, her breath is slow and steady.  She's asleep, still fully dressed shoes and all.  I remember being slightly relived at that, because I was fucking tired.

I opened myself to the possibility that the reason I couldn’t stop thinking about Isobel

Was because I was finally letting go.

I’m suddenly all in in

I’m all in and falling hard

+4+

When I wake up the next morning I’m alone. There is an empty breakfast tray on the desk and I sit up, alarmed that maybe she is gone. I relax when I see her bag is still in the closet.

As if on cue Seraphina jogs in peeling off a sweat drenched white athletic shirt and gray shorts. I'm to tired to even try averting my eyes.

“Morning.”, I greet her

I breathe out when the shower cuts on. I have a raging headache, I look down to see  my clothes had been changed and I have no idea where my phone is.

When Sera reemerges her hair is dried pin straight and she is just wearing a towel. She sits on bed and starts reading. In this room in this place there is no room to switch from business to pleasure. Now it's this strange middle ground.

I head to the shower and wash off the previous night’s attempt at closure. The walk-in shower is enclosed by glass and shiny grey tiles. I press my head against the tiles, and close my eyes . Did I really go to Quincy Market ? Did I really do that ? I think I danced with her. . . that I certainly want to do again.

I reach up to change the shower to a more relaxing stream then stop, running a hand over the handles..

“Sera”, I call

She comes in still wearing the towel, she is tense, expecting something to be wrong. I open the glass shower door and she watches me turn the water to a colder setting and let is wash over my hot skin.

The water is harsh and cold at first, but the rain shower setting isn’t altogether unpleasant. Sera comes a little closer holding the towel tightly around her.  I'd started to realize she'd always been a bit reserved with her body, only exposing what was necessary. That first night she'd had so much control and hesitated to let me see and touch all of her.

She takes a deep breath and lets the towel fall and steps into the cold stream, I don't know where to look but watch as she touches my arm for much longer than she ever could. I close my eyes at the feeling of her skin pressed against mine. It’s different. very and wholly intimate. My hands follow the lines of her body, there  is something, strong, smooth  and artisticabout it, with the slightest hint of curves, like a Renaissance painting come to life.

Something about the water and holding her feels familiar. I involuntarily shiver and she turns the water warm, switching so she is under the spray of water,

"Paris. . I. . ."

"Yes ?"

"I need to get back to Helios. I'm supposed to report back--"

"No. Not yet"

"I'm sorry.'

"Sera, please don't leave."

She reaches over to kiss me.

"I'm sorry. . . I . .  "

She doesn't finish and steps out wrapping herself back in the her towel.

“Do you love Helios? I mean do you care about him at all. I just want to know."

“Do you know how to fuck ?”, she says with her gaze still out the window.

I choke on my water.

“I--what ?"

“Those were the first words Helios Thantos ever said to me. I  had broken into his room and dismantled his guards. I thought he would be awake but he was asleep. I was going to threaten him into granting me amnesty from Anne's punishment. I thought with Helios in charge things would be better. Anne had been to strict and old fashioned for to long.

Up close he was classical handsome and stealthy, Before I knew it he had taken the knife from me and pinned me down. He was shirtless and sculpted like a god,  behind him was a pair of strong, muscular pure white wings opened. He was so beautiful I almost cried. It was like laying before an image of ecstasy, then he opened his mouth.

'Do you know how to fuck', were his first words to me.

'I’m no young girl' I’d said.

'No' he said, 'I didn't ask if you’d had sex I asked if you knew how to fuck.'

". . . and. . .", I said hoping there was more to the story.

Ecstasy has a cost, I suppose. Helios is so confident and powerful. Handsome, comanding virle and strong. There is such a powerful attraction there. I did everything to undermine him and he would get right back at me. We fueled each other like that, instant attraction I hadn't felt for a men in decades. Maybe I did love him or the idea of him, anyway. I feel no obligation to him that's what is important. "

“Hmm”, I said, “I know you. Those were the first words Isobel said to me. Well, . . you . .uh. . you were there.”

“Romantic” she says, "Is that when you fell in love with her ?"

"No. . That was outside of a museum."

"Tell me."

"Um, we were in waiting in line to see a a new  installation at the Museum of Modern Art.  She was sitting in my lap, and I had taken the moment to let my lips get acquainted her her cheeks, the hollow of her ear, the outside of her cheekbone.

Small chaise kisses since we were in public.

'I’m a bad person', she’d said kissing me again

'No, no you are not', I’d said, 'There isn't any other way I’d want to spend 5 hours than waiting in line with you.'

'I know that', Isobel had said. 'It’s just-uh--it’s so odd sometimes to kiss your scar.'

'Wait--what scar ?', I said feeling the tug of it when smiled.

I ran my hand over the sloping rough and puckered skin that extended from my lips. It had been infected and healed terribly over the years.

'But I like it', she said, 'I’ll get used to it.'

Just like that the niceties where gone. She had found a fault in me, she realized I wasn't perfect the infatuation stage was over. That was when I knew I was in love her her. That I wanted to be everything for her. 

"Romantic", Sera says again.

“What can I say ? I attract romance."

"And danger", she says. She unclasp a large ornate clip in her hair and flips it open to reveal a knife, "Here. you should start protecting yourself."

I take it and place it in my pocket, I don't like the idea but I take it anyway.

She stands and looks out the window and then at her white gold watch.

+++

I sneak back into St. Lilith's that afternoon, not wanting anyone to know I was back just yet. I needed some quite time to myself. I feel around in my pocket for my phone. Not there. I start unpacking my suitcase and find it in the front compartment, but don't remember putting it there.

After a few minutes of charging I hear it chime. I glance over at a missed call, then double take when I see Isobel's name on the screen. She'd called me yesterday, she called me twice. There is no message but I stop when I see when she called me.

"Shit", I scream, "Ever heard of knocking ?"

"We're ready", Callum says.

"Hello to you too.", I sit down, "The trip was great,  it's official please feel free to bow to me now."

"We're ready", Callum repeats, his tone is serious, " I counted we have 150 round of ammunition ready to go. We are raiding Queen Anne's in 36 hours and forcing Helios out once and for all. Anyone who gets in the way. . . dies."

"Callum", I do not want to hear this.

"There are 64 SGI. If they fight back. . . we have a bullet for each of them . .  and then some. It's time."

"Callum"

"Paris you said if peaceful negotiation didn't work I could try it. It's not working. I don't want to have to use a bullet on you."

"Callum", This time it's Jona, "There's no need. Paris knows this is right."

"A week Callum. Give me a week", I needed time, "Please."

"No, Paris. We go out in 36 hours with or without you."

"No. As your leader I am telling you no."

Callum turns back to Jona and Dante. I look at Jona he doesn't meet my gaze. Something passes between them and I don't like it.

"Wait. . .where is Lysander?", I ask.

"Paris", Callum starts, " I hate to do this "

"Do what--"

Callum and Dante lunge toward me and pull my arms back. When Dante's kind had been created they weren't lacking in strength. I'm hauled up and pushed out my room and into the hall.

"Jona", I call, "Are you going to let them do this  ? The Fuck ? You can't do this. You can't. Where are you taking me"

"Hmjeu is gone", Callum says, "We're on our own and we've indulged you long enough."

They drag me to the basement and into the infirmary. Damien stands to the side trying not to look guilty.The storage room door is open and covered by wire fencing. Jona unlocks it and Callum pulls back the fencing, Dante shoves me down and slams the door .The windows have been boarded over I look for a window or a vent but all I see is Lysander on the floor. I slam myself against the wire fence around the close door.

"This is anarchy, you goddamn traitors", I shout to them.

"It's only for 36 hours, we'll let you out after the raid and Helios an his men are dead and gone.", Callum says through the door, "Then we'll vote on our next leader. It will be either you or me."