Solstice LeCroix
+1+
I don’t know why I woke up screaming
“What the fuck, man”, Ravi mumbles turning over and throwing a decorative pillow at me.
I’d seen people die. I was a fucking cop for godsakes. I’d just never seen anyone murdered. Point blank like that. No that wasn’t even it. It was because when I replayed that memory it wasn’t that bitch Anne Lynne I saw at the end of Seraphina Grigori’s gun. It was Bart Giuliani
I shot that bastard six times in the face.
Had he even seen it coming?
Had she killed him the same way? Point blank
Bang
Bang
Bang
Six times
Six times
This had all gone to shit
After Anne promised me Seraphina, Anne had disappeared in a car with her private solider. I’d gone back to my room and immediately got cursed out by a 20 year old boy. I hadn’t had a roommate in years and sharing a hotel room with an arrogant kid like Ravi was not ideal. I mean the kid was smart, I mean really smart when it came to circuits and engineer. The problem was he was obsessive. He had wires, batteries, screws, chemicals, gloves and newspaper spread all over the room. He’d spend hours tinkering away at something, while all I could do was wait. Sometimes I’d ask him about what he was working on and it would lead to a whiny rant against authority.
His explosives were ugly things. He scrapped materials from trashcans, filling up old detergent and water bottles. The Unification Party had supplied him with a bulk supply of TNT and Nitration. He had a stack of used pressure cookers and bunches of wires in random places.
Ravi and I hadn’t left the hotel except for a very short trip to the countryside of Port Chester where he set off a few test explosives. They were beautiful the way the sprung to life and light up the night sky.
Anne had disappeared for a few days and I was getting anxious. It was too easy to catch glimpses of her cozying up to Paris Prince. Weaseling her way in just like she had with the Unification Party. When she finally came back she opened the door unannounced
“Pack something warm”, she said, “You two are coming back into the city with me.”
“No way”, Ravi said, “I’m not getting arrested. I heard they are torturing Unification Party sympathizers.”
“You avoided being caught by Helios for years, I’m sure you’ll be fine—“I said.
“That’s because the people were on my side and helped me hide.”
“You’ll be fine”, Anne said,”and Solstice don’t forget those . . . abominable white gold bullets. You might need them.”
“You got her?” I asked
“I’m baiting her.”
Bait was a strong word. Kidnapping a child was more like a major crime. Kidnapping a child with ties to the man who runs the entire country was just plain stupid. Because it was Anne, her next step was kidnapping a NADF Capitan’s children.
Then it had all gone to shit. It went to shit the minute Anne Lynne ceased to live. When Anne was murdered she took everything with her. Her outsourced soldiers, fake ids and insider knowledge. It all just fell apart. All I knew was that Ravi was an asset to the party and that queen bitch was going to kill us, so I decided to run.
Ravi cheered out the window as I got on the highway, I cut through several lanes of traffic and once we were safely on the other side of the New Aeterna unprotected border I changed the plates on the car.
“What now?” Ravi asked holding up the flashlight, “What do you we do now? My shit is at the hotel”
“We can’t go back there.”
“Then what? How could you let Anne die like that?”
I shook my head.
“She took the gun from me, it was her own fault. We’re going to D.C. We need to talk to the Unification Party board of directors.”
We got back on the road and Ravi had fallen asleep after doing two sitting victory dances. When he wakes up he has his face pressed against the glass and he looks so much younger.
“What’s up with you? I ask
“I’ve just never seen this much of America… it’s so big. It’s so massive”
“Welcome to real America.”
“You know Anne promised me she’d give me a new identity after my contract with the Unification Party was up. You think that’s still up for grabs?”
“No promises.” I said.
When we got to D.C, I pulled up to the million dollar commercial townhouses off New York Avenue that had been the Unification Party’s headquarters. The door is locked but I still have the spare key Giuliani gave me. Anne had redecorated the place in gaudy bright red, white and blue.
There are some plush chairs in the waiting room and Ravi and I crash on them. I don’t sleep. Can’t sleep. I just wake up screaming in the middle of the night and see Anne--Giuliani get shot again. I throw back the pillow Ravi threw at me and decide to get started early
By 5 am I start making phone calls to the board members. When Ravi wakes up a few hours later he finds me setting up the conference room.
“What’s going on”, he asks
“The board of directors is coming over. I should warn you most of them don’t advertise their involvement with the party. It’s not . . . PC. ”
“What are we talking?”
“Senators, investment bankers, expats, titans of industry. People who lost a lot when Manhattan’s infrastructure went away. People who lost faith in the American government during the ten day New Aeterna-US war and when we hand territory over to a stranger.”
Ravi and I cleaned ourselves up in the bathroom sink and by the time the board of directors arrived. Six well-dressed very well connected public officials arrived. They refused the coffee I had made and many of them kept their gloves on when they opened and closed doors.
“So. . . Anne Lynne is dead.” said Congresswoman Hart from Pennsylvania, “I don’t understand. Last we talked to her she said all was going well. She’d even promised she had that king under control.”
“Things changed”, I said, “And Anne Lynne’ death wasn’t an accident. She was murdered by the queen. Ravi and I were both witnesses. She also admitted to murdering Bart Giuliani.”
“So she’s the problem”, Congresswoman Hart said.
“She’s a big problem. But getting rid of her doesn’t dissolve New Aeterna. No one associates her with power. We have to target Paris Prince. He’s letting his wife and former resistance members get away with murdering American officials. In a way monarchy in New Aeterna is more dangerous than Helios Thantos.”
Congresswoman Hart nodded.
“… It certainly fits with the chatter.”
“What do you mean?”
The Congresswoman turned in her chair slightly.
“I heard from a friend that the NSA picked up chatter that New Aeterna might be looking to target the U.S out of retaliation for that spray paint stunt. I didn’t think anything of it, but—“
“But”, I said, “We don’t want to be on the wrong side of history. Look the President and the rest of the world can close their eyes to the threat New Aeterna is, but I won’t. We won’t.”
Loren Thompson, the Secretary of Justice considered this. He was the one who’d helped bring me on. His impassioned speech in New Orleans about sanctioning New Aeterna inspired me to join the Unification Party. I knew I could trust him
“Officially most of us can’t be connected to this effort. Solstice I’m terminating your position with the Department of Justice. You’re a civilian and I see no reason why you can’t take Lynne’s place as chairman. We can finance the effort, get your resources. We just need you to deliver.”
“I don’t. . . I don’t know if I can plan something this big. I want this to be massive. I want them to pay.”
“Don’t worry”, said Loren, “We can get you some help.”
+2+
I Felt like James Bond fighting crime in a 3 piece fucking suit. Even though the damn fancy white shirt was squeezing my neck and I was starting to sweat.
“Now, I saw some AR-999s in TOW and apparently like the graphic design for that was like based on the real ones, have you seen one like for real? I usual do Bravo Company when I’m playing solo but that’s because I like a challenge.”
“Uhh”, I’d been half listening to the snot nosed New Jersey Governor’s teenage son, who looked about as comfortable in his suit as I did at the Princes’ Liberation Day Eve cocktail party as I did. Course he had to be some overstimulated military fanboy.
Out of all of the dozens of well-dressed people that carefully navigating the Royal suite, which had been cleaned up and rearranged to host an intimate and exclusive cocktail party, this kid had to choose me. I kept waiting for an update from Callum about Solstice and Ravi. They’d abandoned the hotel and were in the wind. Since it was the eve before the Liberation Day Ball, if they were going to strike. It had to be soon.
“TOW?” I finally said keeping my small talk with this kid real small.
“Trenches of War? It’s a video game. Hey I heard they molded one character after you… I mean not you you but like after pictures of like …Supernaturals. . .”
I looked around the room for help. Paris was single handedly choreographing a stream of entertaining and politically challenging conversation as he made his way across the room. He never stopped to drink or eat. He was too busy trying to charm his way out his odd little affair with Anne.
Same can never be said for Seraphina. She looked sweet than sugar tonight. She’d worn a plain white dress with long sleeves and a flare skirt that actually showed her calves. Her heels were a modest 3 inches, her skin was all strangely glowy and she only had a sheer layer of pink lip gloss on her face.
Word had gotten around the social circles about Sera’s terrible social graces. It wasn’t her fault per se, she just wasn’t one for small talk. She had a short attention span and lots of vocabulary at one time confused her. As far as politics, middle schoolers probably knew more about the intricacies of New Aeterna than she did. As far as pop culture she mostly read obscure chick lit from the 70s.
Some tech entrepreneur had stepped up the challenge of making her acquaintance , he’d made a good move showing her some of the new apps he was developing for New Aeterna schools, including one that would give oral histories with a touch of a button. Afterward you could take quizzes for points and she was failing miserably
Sera kept looking for Paris or someone to save her. Paris was too busy getting his arm felt up by some college chick. I brushed passed Senator Donovan, the mangy old Senator who’d helped us bribe the congressional committee, he hustled around like he owned the place
“Mr. Prince”, Donovan said, “I haven’t seen Ms. Lynne around. Have I missed her?”
Paris smiled, full teeth all lies.
“I’m afraid Anne’s destiny lead somewhere else. There was a place that she felt needed her more”
Yeah. Hell.
“I will miss her though”, Paris added, “I had such bright hope for our future.”
Out the corner of my eyes I see Seraphina finish another glass of champagne, just as the entrepreneur started using words like “social media” and “cross chain development”. I side stepped the teenager and moved across the room and took Seraphina’s empty glass.
“Let me get you another, Mrs. Prince.” I said, “What did you have?”
“I don’t remember”, she said
“Why don’t you come with me? You might remember what the bottle looked like. There is a good selection tonight.”
She excuses herself and I take her arm, leading her to the kitchen counter where the catering staff had set up the open bar where 15 sparkling wines were on display.
“Do you know what TOW is?” I asked
“No. God, I hate Champagne. It’s a goddamn fucking waste of money and alcohol.”
The bartender slightly blanched, but Sera didn’t notice. Sera put her hand over the glass when the bartender tried to pour more champagne in it.
Sera turned to watch the college girl with Paris, the girl had reached up to very casually touch a scar on his face and he said something that made her laugh. I turned Sera’s attention back to the free bar.
“Give her a bourbon and soda”, I said to the bartender
“American”, Seraphina clarified, “No soda and fill the glass up.”
The bartender poured the drink, then picked up some empty bottles and went off somewhere to refill or start gossiping. When the bartender left, Sera downed the drink then reached over the bar to refill her glass again to the very top.
“I guess you just look like a damn virgin today.” I said as a joke.
“Virgins drink you know”, she took a sip of her drink and watched Paris get another crowd going, “You think I look pretty?”
“Fucking gorgeous”, I said.
“You want to fuck me”, she asked still watching Paris.
“You ain’t my type, sweetheart” I said.
“We both know that’s not true.”
“Well, sweetheart I’m just not into getting spanked by a chick."
Sera spit her drink back into the glass, she took a step back and put two hands over her mouth. I reached out to catch her when she stumbled a little.
“Are you okay?”
“I…”
She shook her head and I realized she was trying not burst out laughing. I turned her around and lead her through the crowd and to the bedroom. It wasn’t an easy task considering how any people were there.
“Its fine”, I said leading her to the master bedroom, “She’s still not feeling well. Champagne bubbles.”
I shut the door to the bedroom and Seraphina nearly bit through her bottom lip to stop herself from laughing. After a quick second she pulled me into the master bathroom and shut the door so no one could hear us. The second the bathroom door shut she burst out laughing and I was done. It was something about her bright slightly drunk laughter and the fact that she had for a second lost all control that caused me to do the same. We looked like a pair of idiots.
“Stop it”, she said trying to breathe, “Why the hell are you laughing”
“I have no fucking idea—shit. I can’t breathe."
When we got ourselves under control, she sat on the edge of the huge bathtub. She laughs again, so hard that tears were coming from her eyes. She swung her legs over and settled into the shiny marble tub.“What the fuck”, I said.
“I… don’t know”, she said. “Champagne bubbles?” she said remembering my flimsy excuse.
Through the tile wall we could still hear the mechanics of the party. Seraphina presses her ear to the tile wall for a few seconds.
After a moment Sera lets out a breath and smooths her hair back, running her fingers through the extensions.
“Have you heard anything from Callum”, she asks.
I shake my head.
“No. Callum questioned a senator who spent time with LeCroix, says she didn’t know where she was. Hotel room was abandoned”
“Should we cancel the ball?” Seraphina asked.
“Paris was almost assassinated during his first national address and his parade was demolished. I say we let him have this one. I’ll handle security from top down. Metal detectors, I’ll borrow some cameras from the airport. Run background checks on the guest list and staff. Hell, I’ll get a helicopter on standby just in case”
“I don’t want to alert the authorities about the possible danger. Who’s going to pay for that?”
“I can pay it myself”
“Leon, you make what ? 50,000 dollars a year.”
I shrugged
“I still got my money from my SGI days in the Cayman’s. Ares and I always got 10% on contracts. Never really had to spend any money. Just been sitting in an account since Helios lost his fucking mind.”
“Leon, that was like 15 years ago.”
I shrugged it was maybe a couple millionnow.
“Don’t have a use for it. Aria doesn't want any money I’d earned with Helios.”
We listened to the muffled sounds of the party on the other side of the bathroom wall. Sera turned on the faucet and the clearest water I’d ever seen came rushing out. I tried to jump out, but getting out wasn’t as easy as getting in.
“The hell”, I said as the warm water flooded in.
“I can’t listen to that anymore”, she said over the rushing water. Drowning out the noises of the cocktail party.
“This is a 600 dollar suit.”
She shrugged as the tub filled up past my waist, it was almost up to my chest when the water turned itself off. The jets at the bottom sent a stream of essential oils through the water.
“Shit”, I said. Oil was no doubt going to ruin this suit
Sera had closed her eyes and her dress had started to float beneath the water, the white fabric had gone transparent, revealing a beige corset that looked kind of like a lacey padded bathing suit.
“Sorry”, she said, “About your suit.”
“I guess I can’t go back to the party.”
“Cause you were having so much fun.”
“What should we do now?” I ask peeling off my wet jacket.
She pressed a button by faucet and the lights dimmed a little and warm jets turned on.
“Just . . . float with me.”
“Float?” I said
“Float.”, she declares
Fine. I say. And we do.
+3+
If Paris feels any kind of way about Sera and I ditching the cocktail party, he doesn’t bring it up. After the party is finished he doesn’t ask why I emerge from the master bedroom in damp clothes. I change in the third bedroom where the guardsman I kept meaning to fire is sleeping on the job.
I check the security footage from the parts of the party I missed. Nothing stands out to me. Paris doesn’t even miss a beat when Sera and I disappear. I cut off the live feed before getting into bed. I opened my eyes a few hours later to check the security feed again and I see the bedrooms are all empty. I open the door to take a look and see Sera sitting very quietly in the living room while Paris pours her a glass of red black wine.
Paris is still dressed from the cocktail party, just a few buttons on his black suit are undone. Seraphina had changed into a short pink satin piece of lingerie that look like it had so far been untouched. The wine Paris is pouring is a specialty red black blend of Helios'-- he liked it because it dyed women’s lips red.
Seraphina took a sip, probably impressed with how strong it was. One glass used to be able to knock me out
“May I”, he asked indicating the glass.
“You aren’t supposed to drink”, Seraphina said carefully crossing her legs.
“Red wine has properties that are good for the heart that can prevent clots. If anything this can only help me. “
She gave him the glass. As I expected when it hit him he coughed and spit wine all over Sera’s lingerie and the black expensive looking heels she was wearing for some reason.
“What the hell, Paris”, she said
“Fuck, it taste like burned acid.”
“Drink it”, she says frowning at the stain.
“I’m good. I—“
“I don’t like to see anything go to waste, Paris”, she says.
After a couple minutes of hesitation he gets on his knees
and licks the trace of red wine that was slowly dripping down Seraphina’s calf,
the wine leaves a faint red mark on her skin. She run her hands through his
hair, pushing it back much in the same way Anne did. Paris kisses the point of her shoe and peels off the price tag.
He runs the tip of his tongue up to her knee, licking and kissing away every trace of the wine from her long tan legs. Finally he takes the wine stained section of her nightgown into his mouth, sucking it as she unconsciously uncrosses her legs. He kisses her up to her neck and then her mouth.
“I’m sorry, Sera”, he says into her parted lips, “I’m sorry about Anne. I know everyone thinks you are a monster but I know killing Anne was hard for you. It goes against centuries of our creed. Anne and Hmjeu were our saviors and-“
“Stop”, she whispers running the back of her hand over the scars on his lips, “It’s over. Hmjeu and Anne’s reign over us is over.”
He kisses her bottom lip, then traces her top lip with his tongue. Her mind was somewhere else, maybe on Anne or what Sera might have caused by killing her.
“You know I would never leave you for Anne, right ? You are everything to me, my love. My queen.”
“Paris you—“
“Hold on I missed a spot.”
Paris moves back down her body and pushes up the hem of the lingerie and pays the best lips service he knew how. He presses her thighs apart, but moves his hands to her waist when her skin got to cold. She closes her eyes and her hands tense behind her. I wondered if the torn up sides of his cheek felt strange, or if she ever thought about how odd it was with his botched up lips kissing her there. It was quiet except for the whirr of the warm air blowing through the vents. Sera openes her eyes and stands up, carefully put one leg over his shoulder bringing him closer, she starts moaning but bites down on her thumb She pushes him back just as her knees began to buckle
“Fuck. Sit down”, she said and he did
She kisses his cheek, then quickly and ungracefully pulls his pants down and pushes him back against the couch and straddles his lap. He was unsteady under her weight but not in a position to complain. She laughs and pushes his hair back.
“You need to be harder than that for this to work, baby”
“You’re crushing m—“
“Paris, do you know
what Aristotle says--
“Love is a single soul inhabiting two bodies—“
She slaps him hard across the face.
“There we go”, she whispers into his ear, “And I don’t like being interrupted.”
“Sorry”
“Anyway . . . Aristotle said . . . we cannot learn”, She drags a sharp nails down the back of his neck, drawing out his dark blood, “Without pain.”
She pushed him flat across the couch, this time slowly letting him inside her. She brings her hands down to his neck taking him deeper.Then she begins applying pressure to his neck consonantly changing the depth of their position. He tries to move against her but is pinned down by weight.
Then her hands tightened around his neck, carefully at first . . .then he startes choking. Paris wraps his hand around her wrist and she begins to slowly circle her hips, a thin sheen of sweat forming on her arms and chest. He dig his nails into her hands but doesn't scratch her, his black eyes started rolling back. Sera leans forward and blows air over his lips, teasing him with the breathe he couldn’t take.
“Ser-”, He choked and started gasping. His dark blood kept him from flushing.
She settles herself deeper onto him and slides her hands down to his chest and
instead of breathing he came hard, gripping her hips to keep her in place.
"Fuck", Paris sat up and they started kissing in a tangle of arms and legs. Sera had moved to straddle his thigh, moving against his leg until her body became so tense the veins and muscles of her arms were standing to attention, then she let go and for a few seconds Paris had to helplessly hold her up so she wouldn’t fall back and hit the coffee table.
She laid back down on the couch and placed her her feet, still encased in those sharp black stilettos, in his lap. He took the moment to zip his pants back up. He pulls the hem of her lingerie down, tracing the swollen muscles in her legs
“Did you say you wanted to talk about something?” she asked reaching for the glass of wine which he handed to her.
“Yes. But you said you need a drink first and then I said I think there is some wine in the kitchen, so I poured you a glass and --.”
“I remember”, she said kicking off the heels, and “What did you want to talk about.”
Paris looked to the wide open 30 story window that had a breathtaking view of New Aeterna. Anne had looked out the same view so many times just a few days ago. What was it about that view?
“We let them down”, Paris says, “I wanted to tell you that we let them down.”
“Who?” she asked, “I let a lot of people down.”
Paris began counting off.
“Leon, Isobel, Damien, Paul, Lucien, Callum. . . even Ares. Plus all the others in the resistance. They literally patched me up and made the resistance my namesake. I mean they didn’t need me, yet they saw something in me. They expected so much from me. And why ? Because I let Hmjeu make me believe I had some great destiny. I’m not the man Hmjeu wanted to believe I could be.
The point is they deserve better.
For everything everyone has done, for everything our people have sacrificed. . . don’t I owe to them more than a nation built on lies, greed, corruption and a broken marriage. Don’t you think we all deserve something great after all the sacrifices? Purely wonderful.”
“What do you want me to say Paris?”
“Not to give up. Not to stop fighting for an age when New Aeterna truly is a paradise.”
“I don’t need to tell you that. You know what I’ve done for this country. It will take time to set things right.”
“What about us?” He asked
“What about us?”
“Tell me not to give up on us, Sera. We’ve been so distant”, he said, “Tomorrow is the day we will celebrate for the rest of our very long lives at the day we liberated the greatest nation in the world. I couldn’t have done it without you. The only way I will dance with my queen in front of all of those people is if she as hopelessly in love with me as I am with her. I love you so much it hurts. I genuinely feel like you were made for me to love.“
“You can be so pathetic, Paris.”
“Kings have to be prophetic”
“That’s not what I –“, she let it go realizing he had heard her the first time. “Paris, before we met all I wanted to do was get out of Anne’s grasp. Leave the gilded cage she had us in. I still haven’t done that Paris. I want to see what’s out there, I want to make my own choices. I thought I had, but just before … before Anne died she made me realize I hadn’t done a damn thing. As long as I’m your queen I’ll never be completely free. I can live with that because I love you, but I’ve never going be happy about it.”
“Sera”, that wasn’t what he wanted to hear.
“I’m sorry Paris. It’s the truth. I know you’re. . fragile right now but it’s the truth.”
“I’m not fragile Sera, I’m depressed.”
“I—okay, whatever.”
“It’s so lonely at the top, Cupcake. I know this sounds crazy but it was kind of nice having Anne to talk so openly around. I’m just. . . I’m so alone. I’m still hiding and it’s suffocating. It feels like I’m in Helios’ prison all over again…”
“Paris?” she asks picking up the crack in his voice, “I can't make you any promises.”
“I know. . . I’m just tired of being alone.”
His last words are muted out by his crying, she lets him cry on her until he falls asleep. She strokes his hair and turns her eyes to that same view of New Aeterna that Anne and Paris so loved. She pulls off his jacket, putting the dark red pocket square in her mouth. Then she pulls off the blanket from the back of the couch and places it over them. She takes the pocket square out of her mouth, slowly unfolds it and wipes the corner of her eyes.
+4+
I did a quick run through of the first floor of the New Aeterna Capitol building. I watch as people enter the Liberation Day Ball; lines of women in long flowing dresses next to men in . . . well not so traditional tuxedos. Some of them clearly trying to capture Paris’ off putting style. The metal detectors beeped every minute because of a buckle or snap. Baskets were filled with nail files, Swiss army knives, watches and safety pins. People grumbled through TSA approved scanners I’d got on loan from the airport. The event company’s security guards had been replaced with NADF Special Forces trainees. I needed people who would do their best to impress me for free.
“No weapons”, I’d told my crew, “No guns, and no pocket knives . . . hell if you see a sharp pen take it. Anyone gives you a hard time throw them out on their ass. No Invitation. No luck. Also no phones. No exceptions. There are complimentary land lines in the mezzanine. Check every room with high heat signatures. Watch. Observe. Report.”
At the scanners two visitors from Texas are being thrown out for refusing to hand over their holstered weapons. I cut through the crowd of dressed up families and walked up the main staircase to the mezzanine. On the mezzanine guest were being lead to a backdrop to have their photos taken. It was supposed to be a commemorative souvenir but I’d secretly hired Green23 to run a facial recognition program using the photos.
Waiters (ones I’d thoroughly checked) were passing out apple champagne and snow apple sparkling cider. I caught snatches of conversations. Visitors trading stories of how they’d enjoyed their stay in New Aeterna. Some Helion-era survivors holding back tears, sharing stories and holding pictures of loved ones that hadn’t made it through the regime, but wanted them to see this great evening.
I spotted Kelley Vassey in her dress uniform wearing her bronze heart. People kept coming up to her to shake her hand and ask about her newest injury. ‘Bad luck’ during target practice was her story. Her parents were an older couple. They looked . . . tired. I’d seen 6 other women wearing Mrs. Vassey’s dress and Mr. Vassey’s jacket and pants didn’t match. A little girl, Vassey’s niece, maybe eight or nine was proudly standing by her aunt.
Vassey”, I said
“Sir”, she said standing to attention. Her parents look impressed
“Lieutenant Grigori wanted me to thank you for what you did last week. She and her husband would like to invite you and your family to a private salon being hosted in the observatory later this evening. “
I lied about all of it, I mean there was a private after party but Sera hadn’t mentioned Vassey in days. Vassey’s parents suddenly beamed at her.
“We will stop by for a bit, Miranda’s bedtime is at midnight.” She said putting an arm over her niece.
I nodded and peeked into the ballroom. The main event. Guest were milled around the edges talking, looking at the art or some of the digital displays all while intercepting plates of things wrapped in bacon. It looked good. I left the ballroom and went up the third floor
The third floor, was supposed to be restricted. Only for staff and caterers. It looked clear so I leaned over the railing and watched the attendees milling about downstairs. Everyone looked so elegant I never felt more out of place in my damn life. Why was there so much talking at these things?
+5+
I tense when I felt someone fall in next to me. I zeroed in
on the dark curly ponytail first, then the soft rounded cheek bone as Aria
turned to face me. I nearly fell over she looked so damn good.Her skin had that slightly shiny pure look some women had.
She had on like a bright purple-pink lipstick and there was glitter around her
black lined eyes.
She had on a black short sleeved beaded dress that flared out into chiffon once it got passed her waist and stopped at her knees. It was cute. Nothing like the long elegant formal dresses the other women wore. The dress also masked her very slight bump. She smelled good too, like cherries and wine.
“Aria what are you doing here? “
“Working”, she said
“Oh”, I tried to keep my face up.
“It was last minute. I was video chatting with the girls and I got lost.”
“This is a restricted area. How did you get up here?”
“I don’t know. I got turned around.”
Aria and I hadn’t talked much since that night. I couldn’t
face her knowing the people behind our daughters’ kidnapping was still out
there.
“How are the girls?”
“Athena doesn’t really remember, but she has nightmares. She sleeps with me now. How is um. . . Arrow is his name?”
“Back at the school.”
“You mean orphanage.”
“Aria.”
“I’m just . . . saying”, she said, “Will you escort me back downstairs?”
“Yeah”, I said
I put a hand on her back and was met with bare skin, I involuntarily whistled. The dress had a low back and her skin felt smooth and cool under my hand. My hand slid down getting a feel for how low that back was. I swallowed. That should be illegal. She got on her toes to look over the railing and my hand slid to her ass. She didn’t even flinch.
“Aria you got a minute? “
“I think so. Why?”
I checked behind me then took her hand and lead her down an annex hall. I took a sudden right down another annex hallway. The hall was sterile white and filled with a gallery displaying images of New Amsterdam to New Aeterna. I looked around and so did Aria, but I wasn’t here for the art.
I took my jacket off and reached down to kisse her, it felt good and familiar. When I stepped back she moaned a little. I carefully backed her up against the wall and kissed her neck and collarbone all the way down to the top of her trussed up cleavage.
“Leon”, she said, “We can’t.”
“You saying no to me?”
“I’m saying . . . you have to pay for me. I’m not here on personal time.”
“Am I allowed to do that if you’re here with some other guy?”
“Mrs. Charmont always says never say no to money.”
I felt around my uniform for my wallet and pulled out my credit card and handed it to her. I kept kissing her soft cleavage and ran my hands up her legs which were as smooth and silky as the skin on her back, so was her ass and she giggled when I squeezed it. I went back to her breast but somehow her bra was glued on so I went under her skirts.
“Um, can I…” I said slipping a finger in the waist band of her stain maternity panties. She nods and I pull them down, she steps out of them and runs my credit card through her sparkly black phone.
“Is this a public hallway?” she asks while the little machine thinks
“Restricted area.” I said
We kiss for a little bit more and I still wasn’t comfortable poking around down there, so I put my hand on her thigh.
“Uh, tell me what you want." I whispere.
Aria looked into my eyes like she hadn’t understood what I said. Maybe I’d said it weird.
“Money”, she said.
“What ?"
“Your card was declined.”
She showed me where her phone showed my card was rejected. I fumbled around for my NADF credit union card and gave it to her, I lifted one of her legs around my waist and kissed her neck, trying to suck that cherry and wine scent off of her. Maybe it’s the hormones or the danger of getting caught but she’s already soaking wet.
“Hold on”, I say
I brace myself and put her other leg around my waist and, so
both her feet are off the ground. She crosses her ankles behind my back to
support herself but she doesn’t need to do that. I got her.
“Declined”, she said fastening her arms around my neck like I’m going to drop her.
“What?”
“Your card was declined “
I use one hand to support Aria and use my other hand to take all the cash out of my wallet which is 200 dollars and slip it into her cleavage, then I one handedly unzip my pants. I was rock fucking hard and she can feel it.
“That’s all I got on me” I said getting a grip underneath both her full thighs and moving away from the wall so she could see the only thing holding her up was me.
“Leon, careful”, she tightened her ankles around my back.
“You know I got money, sweetheart. I can put you down or fuck you. You want me to put you down?”
“No”
She dropped that damn phone and I lifted her up a little more and she yelped a little. I got a good grip on her and it was a team effort to get a good angle. Her breast bounce a little when I lift her up and down , but are firmly spandexed into her dress. At first I thought Aria might be too afraid of me dropping her to enjoy it. I used muscles I didn’t know I had to hold her up and get an even rhythm, sometimes going slower to tease her, she couldn’t keep quiet toward the end and the trick was not dropping her when I finished.
I made a concerted effort to keep holding her until we were both breathing normally. Adrenaline surged through my body from the workout I didn’t realized I needed and the one I wanted to do every damn day. I lifted her up and threw her over my shoulder, with one arm slung over her ass, so I could fix my pants with the other hand. T
“Are you ever going to put me down ?”, she asks kicking up her legs in a way that's kind of cute.
She yelped when I bought her back down to a carrying position.
“I like carrying you”, I said and realized that was a dumb fucking thing to say.
"Oh."
When I finally set her down I have to shake out the sweet burn in biceps. She cleaned up with some wipes from her purse and put her panties back on while I picked up her phone and the cash.
“Did I just steal?”
“I think we should call that shoplifting.” Aria suggested.
“More like heavy lifting”
“Leon”, she swatted my shoulder.
“. . . Shit, I didn’t mean it like that. Babydoll. Look, I don’t want to get you into trouble I have money.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m still new to all this. I just know what we just did could get me fired”
“I’ll get the rest of the money. How much”
“1300$”, she said
“Damn, girl”, I said
“It’s a formal event, I’m an Angel. Angels get twice as much. Which means I can start school twice as fast. ”
Aria helped me fix up my tuxedo and except for a few pieces of hair sticking to her face, she looked pretty good. Better even.
“I’ll send you the money… it was kind of weird not paying for it anyway”
“Leon”, she said, “Stop saying that.”
“Sorry, it’s just women don’t… I mean when you got a guy like Helios around—I mean I don’t”
“It’s fine, you’re a sweetheart”, she said and she didn’t say it in that patronizing way most women did .. Hell, or the way I said it.
“Aria—“
“I should go find my client anyway”, she said
“Who the fuck is your client anyway.”
“Me”
I should have heard her coming.
Seraphina as always cut an impressive figure in a gold beaded ball gown. She looked like sunlight draped in layers of gold beaded chiffon that clung to her tall figure, a short train flowing behind her. She was nearly seven feet tall in what had to be 6 inch heels Her hair was in a very complicated up do and she had on a gold fucking tiara covered in diamonds that was probably a fuck you to Anne Lynne’s ghost.
“Sera, you bought your own sister?” I said.
“I might want to have some fun later… see what the big deal is.”
“. . . Or”, Aria cut in looping her arm around Sera’s , “She wanted her Sister to get all dressed up and come the ball to have a nice time, but knew she couldn’t afford it or find daycare unless it was for work.”
“. . . or that”, Sera said with very little interest
“You look ethereal, Seraphina”, Aria said walking in a circle around her.
“You look”, I eye Sera and dare her to say something inappropriate “Well, you’re glowing.”
“Everything is so beautiful now. I haven’t been so excited for the future in such a long time.” Aria said and I think she was looking at me.
“I wish this could all be yours, Aria. You sacrificed so much as Helios’ wife.” Sera said.
Aria smiled and took Seraphina’s hand.
“We’ve all suffered, but that’s not the kind of conversation fit for Liberation day. Tonight we celebrate being free.”
“Sir”, I turned to see a cadet and I’m on red alert “Capitan Argos. You’re needed”
“Fuck. Sera stay close to Aria”
“Yes, sir”, she gives me a not completely but partially serious salute. Sera puts her arm around Aria’s, ”Let’s make an entrance together.”
“Sera. . . I can’t. I’m me. I’m Helios’ wife it would be—“
“Fuck Helios. “
Sera pulls Aria down the steps and towards the flashing bulbs coming from the mezzanine.
I followed the cadet to one of the meeting rooms. I’m expecting to see the worse but all I see is Paris Prince sitting on a conference table. Alone as usual.
He had a glass of Helios’ red black wine set up infront of him. He was in an all black brocade tuxedo, the jacket is a bit longer than current fashion and he has a shiny New Aeterna pin on and gold sash. A dark red cravat instead of tie. He took a generous sip of the wine and then another before pouring another glass.
“It doesn’t taste like burned acid?”
“What are you talking about ?”, he says taking another drink.
“You wanted to see me.” I said.
“Leon... I can’t do this tonight.”
“I’ve got this under control, boss. If any threat shows up tonight I’ll eliminate if before you even notice. No one is getting in.”
“. . . Sera is going to leave me”, he said.
“For fucksake, Paris.”
“She’s got this built up frustration from being trapped. She isn’t going to want to stay in any place to long. She joined the military to get away from me and I forced through a commission to make her stay. I can’t keep doing that--”
“Do you think you are going to find another woman to put up with your bullshit for more than a few months? It’s been eight years. What more do you want? “
“Someone who stays literally by my side. Someone who believes in me when I’m nothing. . .”
I grab Paris from his overly starched shirt collar and drag him to his feet.
“This ain’t about you. Ever since Supernaturals came out we’ve been attacked, judged, hated, feared. It’s been a long damn month and you are going to get your skinny ass out there and give people a damn spectacle. Cause two freedom fighters who fell in love against the wishes of the worst dictator the world has ever seen is the love story everybody came to see. A great fucking ending. If you’re not down there in five minutes I’m coming after you.”
I let him go and he nearly fell to the floor.
I slammed the door and headed back downstairs. Aria and Sera were making their way to the ballroom. People’s heads turned when they saw them together so closely entwined. I watched as Sera tried to make her way through some small talk, Aria quickly jumping into help.
I follow behind, eyeing the perimeter Aria throws out compliments to approachable looking women and it doesn’t take much to get her to talk about Athena and Helena. She doesn’t stop smiling even when she hears people whispering about her. I think I overhear her brag about being pregnant.
I thought maybe I should find something non-alcoholic for Aria to drink, but by the time I come back the band had started a new song.
+6+
Sera didn’t even notice when the chords of the songs she’d been preparing to dance to all month begins to play. I nudge her towards the dance floor and she is beyond chagrined but gracefully steps into the center. Everybody is watching her
She turns around slowly looking for her partner. Her eyes searching the crowd for the husband that wasn’t there.
Fuck you Paris Prince
She fought to keep her expression content, to seem not at all like she was going to snap his neck later. The band tries to slow the song down. Aria puts her hand on my back and pushed me forward.
“You can’t leave her out there”, she said, “go.”
“I can’t”
“Yes, you can. Right left. Don’t trip.”
“Aria.”
“Go.”
She shoves me forward.
I took a step forward but Paris Prince steps in front of me. He approaches Seraphina and taps her on the back, she turns and tries not to look pissed at him.
He takes her hand and leads her to the center of the floor. They kind of circle each other first, her dress moves weightlessly around her. Just as the melody replays she places her gold covered arm around his shoulders and he puts a hand around her waist. They start to dance slowly in a close hold. Sera’s face relaxes a little and I can hear the crowd behind me started clapping in time with the music.
Seraphina and Paris looked at each other just as planned, pretending to be infatuated with each other. Or maybe they were. Together they made a picture triumphant enough to make the cover of Time magazine—Love Conquers—or some shit like that. Then Paris breaks from choreography and spins her, I hear the women around me make an audible gasp.
Paris says something, mouthing the words to the song or maybe he’s says something smart mouthed because Seraphina…forgetting where she is and what’s happening -- smiles at him, proving Paris Prince could melt any ice queen, including his own. He takes her hand and they carefully turn around the entire ball room in a smooth unbreakable waltz. Sera trips a little over her dress but doesn’t fall, they fall back into rhythm seamlessly and I think they’ve actually forgotten anyone else is there.
I pull Aria a little closer to me and we kind of swayed next to each other. The part of the song started where others were supposed to join in. After just a few seconds Aria pulls me on to the floor, I haven’t practiced and haven’t danced in decades and step on her foot. She grimaces but that doesn’t stop her. Callum and Isobel also come out together. I accidentally catch the lingering glance between Paris and Isobel as the couples whirl past each other.
That’s how it goes sometimes.
Sometimes the best of moment of your life is interrupted by a look that makes you questions everything and sometimes it’s interrupted by a .33 caliber bullet coming through the glass windows and piercing a waiter through the chest.
+++
- Why yes, SHV there was a cocktail party followed by a formal ball and characters dancing to an Ed Sheeran song. So hmm . . .
- Yes, I know it’s kind of odd that Leon would ‘watch’ Sera and Paris but he also kind of wants to learn . . . that’s probably the closest you are ever going to get to a three way
- Yes, I know the Attorney General
oversees the DOJ.
- Also the reason Callum and Isobel are dancing together is because of this background story line where in New Aeterna, Isobel was engaged to Lysander; who died during a mission and he asked Callum to take care of Isobel in his place.
You: Why are you teasing Paris and Isobel?
Lils: Guys, I have feelings. . .