Before they were able to delve into a conversation Christian was called
away. "Chris your sister wishes to speak to you. She is in your father's
study." He made his apologizes and headed off towards the study. Elizabeth
watched as he disappeared inside. All the while oblivious that Irons was
watching her. He had seen the blade glow under her sleeve. Questions began
to rise and Irons was determined to find the answers. He had also seen the
look on Elizabeth's face as Christian greeted her. Kenneth was furious. It
was obvious she was taken by him.
Elizabeth turned to Kenneth and he quickly hid the annoyance from his face. "Would you like something to drink my dear?" Elizabeth smiled and nodded her head. "That would be wonderful. Thank you." Kenneth took her right hand and kissed the back of it. Elizabeth watched as he lightly pressed his lips against her hand, his eyes darting between hers and the red eye of the blade. Nothing. No jolt of electricity running up her arm or the soft glow of the blade.
Kenneth noticed too and a flash of irritation ran through his blue eyes. He smiled at her and released her hand. "I shall return with your drink my dear." Kenneth disappeared into the crowd. Welcoming the small respite, Elizabeth exhaled and stared down at the quiet bracelet. Why had it reacted to Christian? Is he connected with the Witchblade somehow? So many questions and not enough answers. She wasn't surprised though she had learned early on that the blade does things on its own with out the wielder's consent.
Perhaps she should ask Kenneth since he had a vast amount of knowledge pertaining to the Witchblade. But quickly erased that thought from her mind remembering the tension between him and Christian. There was something going on between those two but she was unsure what. Now that she had the time, she was going to find out and uncover the truth.
She rubbed the stone of the bracelet and images of Christian both the teenager she remembered and the man she was confronted by. Her eyes still could not believe the changes he had gone through. The squeak of his voice now replaced with a smooth, silky voice. The hard lines of his face told of a man who had gained much experience over time. Remembering how rough and callous his palms felt as he engulfed her petite hand into his, showing that he had worked hard through out those years.
Then there were those caramel eyes of his. Eyes that never seem to change. Even the light in his eyes had not dulled all these years. They were still filled with life and laughter. Yet, as he held her gaze earlier she could not help but feel there was more hidden deep within. It had not been the first time he looked at her with such adoration. She's always known he had a crush on her. However, there was spark that went beyond that. She just could not quite put her finger on it. Elizabeth was so deep in thought that she didn't hear someone sneak up behind her.
"Now why is such a beautiful woman standing in the corner all alone?"
Elizabeth jumped slightly at the smooth silky voice, her heart pounding against her chest. She twirled around and stared at Christian, "Oh you startled me."
Christian placed a hand over his heart and slightly bowed, "My humblest apologizes my lady for I did not mean to frighten you. I was sure you heard me coming but I was mistaken. I apologize again, Lizzy." Elizabeth shook her head, "No, no," she waved her hand, "No apologizes are necessary. You simply caught me off guard." 'That was twice in one night' she thought. He smiled and Elizabeth's heartbeat started to race even faster. The man has an amazing smile. The blade must have thought so as well because it warmed up on her wrist, again. Elizabeth hid her hands behind her back.
Christian noticed but he didn't say anything to her. It wasn't the right time or place to confront her about the Witchblade. No, they needed to discuss such matters privately and as far away from Kenneth Irons as possible. Which reminded Christian, "So where did Mr. Irons run off to?"
"He had gone off to fetch me something to drink." She informed him.
"Like a good little dog." Christian muttered under his breath.
"What was that, Christian?"
He innocently looked up Elizabeth and said, "Oh nothing."
Elizabeth raised her eyebrow but Christian continued to play the innocent angel. She grinned and shook her head. "Do not give me that, Christian. That angelic look does not work with me. I know there is a rogue hidden in there somewhere."
Christian beamed, "Why my Lady Elizabeth," he moved closer to her, "You have been noticing." He grinned and a mischievous glint ran through his eyes. "And here I thought all my hard work has been in vain." He was so close that Elizabeth was able to smell his cologne. It wasn't cologne it was him. A combination of soap, musk, and his scent that was uniquely Christian. She did everything but roll her eyes shut as she inhaled deeply of the masculine scent.
In the distance, Elizabeth heard someone clearing his throat. To her surprise, it was Kenneth. He had returned with her drink. "Here you are my dear." He handed her the glass of wine. Elizabeth pushed against Christian's chest, moving away and towards Kenneth.
"Thank you Kenneth." Elizabeth could tell from the look in his eyes he was unhappy with what he saw. She took the glass of wine and instead of gulping it down like she wanted to, she took a leisurely sip
"You are more the welcome my dear." Kenneth wrapped an arm around Elizabeth's waist all the while watching for the other man's reaction. Christian knew what Irons was doing; it was a clear sign telling him that Elizabeth was his. 'We shall see' Christian thought. The mischievous glint was still there in his eyes as he returned the smile.
"Are you behaving yourself my dear brother?" Celeste had return to join them. She smiled up at her older brother, seeing how much happier he was now that Elizabeth was here. She had been watching them from a distance. Smiling at the way he flirted with her. Celeste was quite surprised that unlike before Elizabeth seemed to welcome his engaging behavior. It was a shame that Irons had to hamper their playfulness. The two men stared at each other. Seeing this Celeste quickly stepped in before testosterones began to flare.
"But of course. I always do sweet Celeste." Christian wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her forehead. Celeste knew better but she didn't say anything. She was just happy that she had her brother and now Elizabeth together in a time of need.
Elizabeth smiled at them. How she had missed them, her home. Now that she was back, she was going to make up for all that lost time. Kenneth watched as the bond the three shared were growing stronger and if he wasn't careful, he was going to Elizabeth to them, most importantly to him. His arm absently tightens around her waist and Elizabeth looked curiously up at him. Kenneth simply smiled back and took a sip of his drink. Christian hid his grin behind is hand.
Elizabeth turned to Kenneth and he quickly hid the annoyance from his face. "Would you like something to drink my dear?" Elizabeth smiled and nodded her head. "That would be wonderful. Thank you." Kenneth took her right hand and kissed the back of it. Elizabeth watched as he lightly pressed his lips against her hand, his eyes darting between hers and the red eye of the blade. Nothing. No jolt of electricity running up her arm or the soft glow of the blade.
Kenneth noticed too and a flash of irritation ran through his blue eyes. He smiled at her and released her hand. "I shall return with your drink my dear." Kenneth disappeared into the crowd. Welcoming the small respite, Elizabeth exhaled and stared down at the quiet bracelet. Why had it reacted to Christian? Is he connected with the Witchblade somehow? So many questions and not enough answers. She wasn't surprised though she had learned early on that the blade does things on its own with out the wielder's consent.
Perhaps she should ask Kenneth since he had a vast amount of knowledge pertaining to the Witchblade. But quickly erased that thought from her mind remembering the tension between him and Christian. There was something going on between those two but she was unsure what. Now that she had the time, she was going to find out and uncover the truth.
She rubbed the stone of the bracelet and images of Christian both the teenager she remembered and the man she was confronted by. Her eyes still could not believe the changes he had gone through. The squeak of his voice now replaced with a smooth, silky voice. The hard lines of his face told of a man who had gained much experience over time. Remembering how rough and callous his palms felt as he engulfed her petite hand into his, showing that he had worked hard through out those years.
Then there were those caramel eyes of his. Eyes that never seem to change. Even the light in his eyes had not dulled all these years. They were still filled with life and laughter. Yet, as he held her gaze earlier she could not help but feel there was more hidden deep within. It had not been the first time he looked at her with such adoration. She's always known he had a crush on her. However, there was spark that went beyond that. She just could not quite put her finger on it. Elizabeth was so deep in thought that she didn't hear someone sneak up behind her.
"Now why is such a beautiful woman standing in the corner all alone?"
Elizabeth jumped slightly at the smooth silky voice, her heart pounding against her chest. She twirled around and stared at Christian, "Oh you startled me."
Christian placed a hand over his heart and slightly bowed, "My humblest apologizes my lady for I did not mean to frighten you. I was sure you heard me coming but I was mistaken. I apologize again, Lizzy." Elizabeth shook her head, "No, no," she waved her hand, "No apologizes are necessary. You simply caught me off guard." 'That was twice in one night' she thought. He smiled and Elizabeth's heartbeat started to race even faster. The man has an amazing smile. The blade must have thought so as well because it warmed up on her wrist, again. Elizabeth hid her hands behind her back.
Christian noticed but he didn't say anything to her. It wasn't the right time or place to confront her about the Witchblade. No, they needed to discuss such matters privately and as far away from Kenneth Irons as possible. Which reminded Christian, "So where did Mr. Irons run off to?"
"He had gone off to fetch me something to drink." She informed him.
"Like a good little dog." Christian muttered under his breath.
"What was that, Christian?"
He innocently looked up Elizabeth and said, "Oh nothing."
Elizabeth raised her eyebrow but Christian continued to play the innocent angel. She grinned and shook her head. "Do not give me that, Christian. That angelic look does not work with me. I know there is a rogue hidden in there somewhere."
Christian beamed, "Why my Lady Elizabeth," he moved closer to her, "You have been noticing." He grinned and a mischievous glint ran through his eyes. "And here I thought all my hard work has been in vain." He was so close that Elizabeth was able to smell his cologne. It wasn't cologne it was him. A combination of soap, musk, and his scent that was uniquely Christian. She did everything but roll her eyes shut as she inhaled deeply of the masculine scent.
In the distance, Elizabeth heard someone clearing his throat. To her surprise, it was Kenneth. He had returned with her drink. "Here you are my dear." He handed her the glass of wine. Elizabeth pushed against Christian's chest, moving away and towards Kenneth.
"Thank you Kenneth." Elizabeth could tell from the look in his eyes he was unhappy with what he saw. She took the glass of wine and instead of gulping it down like she wanted to, she took a leisurely sip
"You are more the welcome my dear." Kenneth wrapped an arm around Elizabeth's waist all the while watching for the other man's reaction. Christian knew what Irons was doing; it was a clear sign telling him that Elizabeth was his. 'We shall see' Christian thought. The mischievous glint was still there in his eyes as he returned the smile.
"Are you behaving yourself my dear brother?" Celeste had return to join them. She smiled up at her older brother, seeing how much happier he was now that Elizabeth was here. She had been watching them from a distance. Smiling at the way he flirted with her. Celeste was quite surprised that unlike before Elizabeth seemed to welcome his engaging behavior. It was a shame that Irons had to hamper their playfulness. The two men stared at each other. Seeing this Celeste quickly stepped in before testosterones began to flare.
"But of course. I always do sweet Celeste." Christian wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her forehead. Celeste knew better but she didn't say anything. She was just happy that she had her brother and now Elizabeth together in a time of need.
Elizabeth smiled at them. How she had missed them, her home. Now that she was back, she was going to make up for all that lost time. Kenneth watched as the bond the three shared were growing stronger and if he wasn't careful, he was going to Elizabeth to them, most importantly to him. His arm absently tightens around her waist and Elizabeth looked curiously up at him. Kenneth simply smiled back and took a sip of his drink. Christian hid his grin behind is hand.