10.
Every girl wants to be Cinderella. At least for one night. To fell the eyes of everybody on you, watching your every move, men rushing to claim you for the next dance and women becoming greener and greened by the second with envy. And it's ok, I guess. For an average girl, who goes to such gatherings for the fun. In my line of work, too much attention was, how shall we phrase it? Unwanted at the very least, disastrous at the most. And that was exactly what happened to me.
The very moment I set foot in that ballroom, I was subject to constant harassment from all Sebastian's friends, and not only. None of them has met me when Sebastian and I were dating, and apparently, I was not the type with which Sebastian usually showed up at a party. I guess I should have been flattered. And I was, really, but it kind of distracted me from what I really came, which was looking for the count. I am pretty good at multitasking, but it's kind of hard to juggle clandestine jobs with discussions about diamonds. Or cars. Or estates. And my personal favorite: the starving children of Africa. Because I don't know why, that was all those guys would talk to me about. It was actually kind of insulting. And sexist. Not to mention distracting. In a rare moment when no one was asking me what I thought about emeralds or sapphires, I turned to the window to check with my crew.
"Lina, please tell you got something for me. Those guys are like freaking hawks, once they get you, there's no escape."
"Well, you got to admit, you are quite a catch." her mocking voice said in my ear.
"Sure, but am I the only one?"
And believe me; that wasn't some sort of fishing for a compliment. I mean, I knew I looked good. But there were at least a dozen girls who looked better and about twenty who looked about the same. Bu were they constantly dragged by people they didn't know? Of course not!
"Well, I've got something that will make you happy. We've got a lead."
Finally! No more starving children!
"Look straight ahead of you. Right next to the statue of that flying chick there's a guy. He's wearing a Sons of Hermes pin."
I scanned the crowd. I saw the guy who she was pointing to, but I couldn't make out the pin at such distance.
"Did you check him?"
She snorted.
"Obviously. His name is Count Hailsham the Tenth, age nineteen, plays polo and swims, voted the most eligible bachelor of this year according to People and currently unattached."
"Lina, did you check him for criminal records or for social gossip? Is he in the system? Is he into anything weird, like, I don't know, collecting shark skeletons or something of that variety?"
"Shark skeletons?"
I shrugged, knowing that she could see me.
"Whatever. That's weird and you know it."
"No, he's perfectly clean. But his father, not so much. Apparently he was accused of fraud, forgery, eh… the list is quite long. And…"
"Let me guess. He came out as clean as new." Stupid system.
"Yep. Shinny like a quarter. Do you need anything else on him?"
"Um, a name would be nice?"
"Oops, sorry. It's William."
Ah, my favorite name. Talk about irony.
"Ok, I'm going in. wish me luck."
"Honey, the way you look tonight, you certainly don't need it." She laughed in the com.
Little did she know… Sexy is not solely about looks. I mean a good body helps, no arguing on that, but the way you carry that body is far more important than a perfectly shaped butt.
I took a flute of champagne from one of the passing waiters and took a sip contemplating whom shall I be today. The innocent girl always was a good choice, but it required more…fluffiness to it, and I certainly didn't have the right look for that. The lady-vamp look? Certainly not one of my favorites, and most likely to annoy Sebastian. Remembering his outburst at Adam's suggestion of me seducing a bishop, I decided that it was a pass. So I settled for something that I knew was a sure eye-catcher: myself.
I tried to locate Sebastian, to tell him that we had a lead, but apparently he decided to do some mingling of his own, and was now engaged into a conversation with a tall blonde, with boobs that defied gravity. And that coming from me, with my own C cup, and a large one to that, was something. Ah, whatever. Not like I cared. Plus I had a count to seduce err…question. And judging by the flock of girls surrounding him, that wasn't going to be easy.
He saw me when I was about ten feet away, as I was approaching him in my best imitation of Naomi's catwalk. Apparently I was doing a good job, because he was watching me intently, paying no attention to whatever the perky blond in pink dress at his side was saying. I could literally feel his gaze appreciating me, looking me up and down, and finally settling for my face. So our guy wasn't completely shallow. Points for him.
Now, as I was getting closer I could make out the pin that Lina was telling me about. Yep. That was Sons of Hermes all right. Then I took my sweet time looking him up and down, sending the guy into a slight blush. He was perfectly built, about Sebastian's height, but more on the lean side, whereas Sebastian was slightly bulkier. His eyes were like the sea during a storm and his sandy hair was just the right length, not too short to be too simple, but not too long to give a messy look. Needless to say that his tuxedo was impeccable, with his shirt perfectly starched and the bow tie located exactly in the middle.
Have you ever watched one of those National Geographic shows where they show the behavior of various animals? So you know how the weaker ones kind of disappear when something stronger comes their way? Well, that was the thought that crossed my mind as I closed those couple of feet of distance between William and me, because just as soon as his entourage saw me, they vanished. Just like that. Poof! And they were gone. I finally reached the guys side and crooked a hip. Trust me; always a good thing to do is such situations.
"Sorry to have scared your groupies."
"Who, them?" and he waved around dismissively. "They were certainly pleasant to look at, but unfortunately their talents didn't extend farther than that. So" he said looking me straight in the eyes "don't bother about them even the slightest bit."
Damn, the guy knew a thing or two about eye contact! It was like he tried to hypnotize you with those steely eyes, see the bottom of your soul, it was that powerful. Luckily, I wasn't so shabby in the eye-contact department myself. We stared each other down for a couple of moments, almost as if sizing each other up, and then he was the first one to let go.
"Well, I guess now that we've drilled holes in each other, some introductions are in order? I'm William." He extended a hand.
"Nika" I said as I shook it.
"Solid hand-shake. I like that. But your hands are made for kisses, daughter of light." And he demonstrated it. With a lot of grace, might I add.
"Nice king Solomon impersonation. Though I think he didn't exactly talk a lot about hands. He usually cut straight to the chase."
William, without letting go of my hand, said in a voice that probably was more chocolate-like than Sebastian's:
"And here I thought girls like foreplay."
"Oh please, we all like some variety now and then." I said as I started walking towards a quitter spot. He followed, moving with a dancer's elegance. I wondered if Lina got her facts wrong. A guy who played polo for a sport couldn't walk like that.
"Well then, straight to the chase it is. Are you here alone?"
"What do you think?"
He studied me for a second, and then said in a serious voice.
"I think not. Beauties like you never travel alone."
Geez! Intense much, aren't we?
"Well, if you mean the hearts of my conquests, I always carry them with me. After all, we are in France. It would be a shame not to continue the tradition started by one of your queens."
I actually made that last remark for my own benefit, but to my own surprise, he got the joke.
"Well, I think you'd give Queen Margo a run for her money. After all, she was only playing a Greek goddess. You, on the other hand are named after one."
Cute and literate! A lethal weapon indeed. People might think that it's only with girls where the smart and pretty combination is pretty rare, but believe me; with guys it's even worse.
"I'm impressed. Someone who actually knows Greek mythology. Speaking of it, that's quite an interesting pin you have."
He looked down at it, seemingly caught by surprise. Yet…something felt wrong, like he was expecting me to ask this exact question.
I didn't even notice that we were standing on the balcony overlooking the Gardens, the night surprisingly quiet around us, all the frenzy left behind, in the Gallery of the Mirrors.
"I suppose it is. Only to certain individuals."
Something in his voice worried me. He sounded like a shark circling his prey (what was with me and the shark analogies anyways?), and I didn't like that role.
"My father used to say that the day when I wear this pin; a beautiful woman will come looking for me." He said as he touched the pin with his thumb. "I always laughed at him, saying he was an old romantic fool. But, I guess I shouldn't have dismissed his words that easily."
He brought his face inches away from mine, so close that I could distinguish the little flecks of steel in his eyes.
"So what is it that you find interesting about this pin?" he whispered as he carefully traced the contours of my jaw.
Ok, contrary to common belief, being around hot guys doesn't make you immune to them. Yeah, you learn how to control your facial expressions and give them hell when needed, but it doesn't stop your body from shivering when an exquisite guy does something like this.
"Is it the delicate work? Or maybe the medium in which it's done. Or maybe" he said as he ran a finger over my lips "it's what it stands for? The Sons of Hermes?"
And then he kissed me. Just in time for Sebastian to see it as he was walking out of the ballroom, onto the balcony. Cue the dramatic music, because suddenly, the amount of drama in my life just doubled.