Ancient yesterday, treasure today…gotta love it when the muse speaks.
The Twilight Twenty-Five
thetwilight25 dot com
Prompt: Treasure
Main Character: Bella
Rating: M
Word Count: 642
Soft music flowed through Ballroom A of the Seattle Conservatory of Art as the city's elite hobnobbed and mingled, flaunting their platinum set diamond jewelry and latest designer formal wear. All for a good cause, mind you. This private showing of the treasures of the Masen Collection would easily bring in over two million dollars for the local children's hospital.
"Alpha, are you set up?" squawked Bella's headset.
"Alpha is in position," she quietly responded, smiling as yet another December-May…or was it April romance sashayed by.
"Go ghost in three."
"Roger that."
"Name's Emmett, sweetheart."
Bella smiled and shook her head. Her brother always said the same thing before going to radio silence. It was as comforting as it was annoying but it was a habit and in the security field, one clung to habits. Any change in the normal was suspect and SwanSong Securities was the best at keeping things as normal as possible.
A nearby waiter offered another glass of champagne which she took merely as a prop. There would be no theft of the Masen treasures while she was on assignment and she needed a clear head to ensure that. Priceless paintings hung from the walls, all on loan for a brief time—some that had not been seen since before World War II.
Across the floor, Bella spied the Beta team begin their security sweep. Jasper and Alice looked every bit the part of society's elite with which they consorted.
"There you are, love."
Bella's eyes widened as she felt an arm snake around her waist. She looked over to find James Hunter, art acquirer of a less than legal nature, and took a half-step back out of reflex.
"What are you doing here?" she hissed, all while keeping a smile plastered on her face.
"Just looking at a few treasures. Baubles, really." He leered down her cleavage. "Quite nice, really."
Bella huffed and tried to turn away. She knew James had attempted to take pieces of art from the Seattle Conservatory before but he was crafty enough to never be caught. Emmett and the others needed to know he was here. Immediately, but without letting the other guests know.
James caught her arm and held her in place.
"Now, where is that monkey man?" He scanned the crowd before his eyes met Emmett's. "Ah, yes. There's big brother now. He doesn't seem quite as happy to see me as you are."
"I am not happy to see you, either," she hissed.
"Oh, sugar tits, we both know better than that, don't we?"
James leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. To the casual observer, it looked like nothing more than a friendly greeting but the attention was unwanted and Bella felt her face begin to flush in anger. She looked around for a way to remove them from the crowd and spied a nearby exit to the balcony.
"Oh, now, James," Bella murmured, taking a step toward the exit.
"I do like how my name sounds from your lips, Isabella. Perhaps you could say it again in private with a few less pieces of clothing on."
Bella choked back the bile that rose in her throat, moving closer to the door.
James, predictably, followed, not noticing her reach into her clutch.
"Why don't we talk about the future somewhere a little more private?" she murmured.
With a smug nod, James opened the door and ushered Bella outside, away from prying eyes.
Three minutes later, Bella returned to the ballroom alone. She touched her headset as if fixing her hair.
"Em, get Jacob or Edward to the west balcony. They will find James Hunter waiting for them."
"Alive?"
"He's going to have a hell of a headache tomorrow when he wakes."
"Roger that."
"Name's Bella, Em," she teased before resuming her job securing the area.
Had to pick on James a little. I, personally, would have smacked him for the sugar tits comment, but that's just me…
Thanks for reading!