Disclaimer: Hey all! Well here is the next installment and well I've been neglecting my other stories for you guys! I need to give me other bambinos some lurvin, so this might be the last chapter for a bit. Now don't spaz out just yet, that just means I may be updating two or three weeks from now instead of one. This story has a way to go so don't worry. Oh and great news earlier this week me and me mate, one Victoria finished writing the entire Pirates Hilariousity, nows all we have to do is to update (which some of us have been meaning to do) coughvickicough. Hope you enjoy. (sorry about all the spacing probs just when the sentence in not indented or tabbed that's the sign that there was a break before it, sorry again, damn new changes to the document manager, if someone can help me please do)

"Cassandra, dear, are you quite alright?" Farrel asked concerned at my side.

My mouth sought to open, to speak but I could not find the strength in me to do it with His eyes holding me still as any hands. I felt pinned by his eyes like a butterfly in its showcase.

"Cassandra?" He repeated a little alarmed this time.

The man's eyes left me for what was only a milosecond, I gasped and was able to pull away. Seeing my fleeing movement the eyes locked like clamps again and I was held to the spot trembling in instinctive fear.

"Cassandra?"

My mouth freed itself, "I.......for.....forgive me, sir. I have not been feeling myself lately."

"Understandable." He murmured, the muscles in my torso tightened at the sound, "In fact I'm surprised you're even here."

"It is now my duty to carry my fathers name." I pulled myself up, "I shall do so without complaint of what is asked of me."

"I commend you then." He bowed a bit.

"Thank you. I appreciate that."

"John!"

Jason Isaacs doppleganger turned as a flustered Olivia Hernandez launched herself into his arms.

Seems like Miss Hernandez was loose with a lot of the guys.

And coming up from behind her was Abberline.

"John, you horrid little devil! I thought you were in America!"

I stared at Abberline trying to gauge by his expression alone what was going on in his head. What he could possibly have been thinking leaving me alone in this place? Was he having as much fun as I was not? You know that saying penny for your thoughts? I would have paid the Harlington inheritance to find out the answers to my questions. For most of his part Abberline continued to ignore my very existence.

"I couldn't bear to be away from London for another moment." Mr. Darque/Jason Isaacs was telling a clearly smitten Olivia, "Especially during the Season when there are always new and interesting prospects to catch my eye."

Mr. Darque's gaze outlined his words with much more meaning than what was said outright.

Abberline's eyes finally betrayed him as they flinched dangerously between the two of us, as if he could practically taste the tension in the air. I knew I could.

The band struck up another dance.

John Darque stepped forward with such an animalistic grace, that I thought him for a second a predatory beast in the woods hunting game instead of at a ball seeking a dancing partner.

He merely held out his hand. I was tired of being stone, and tired of being a wallflower, and damn tired of accommodating myself for an Inspector who obviously wasn't too happy with me at the moment. I took his hand.

Mr. Darque smiled gently, and I was inclined to return it, feeling my fear slowly ebb away at the sight of it. (Sure he had usually played the bad guys in other movies, but that didn't mean he was one now, right?!) Besides Abberline it looked like was going chalk white as he clenched his jaw tightly, a sight which made me feel oddly and maliciously happy.

"I believe Miss Harlington and I had agreed this was to be our dance." He said sharply.

If he was looking for me to back him up on that, he was getting absolutely nada as I turned to view him haughtily, "I'm afraid you are mistaken, Inspector. I never promised you a dance, but if I had I believe you gave it to another woman at the beginning of the evening."

Abberline's mouth dropped a fraction but if it dropped any lower than that I missed it. Mr. Darque had my hand and was leading me to the center of the dance floor.

"Checkmate." He whispered, an arm going about my waist, pulling me tightly to him.

"I beg your pardon?" I asked confused.

"Your army surrounded him, Majesty, and then you knocked him flat."

"I'm afraid I don't understand." I replied not really paying attention as I was trying to remember where my feet were supposed to go.

Mr. Darque laughed pleasantly and I realized I was being extremely rude.

"I'm sorry." I said embarrassed, "here I am dancing with you and I haven't asked anything about you."

"Nothing to tell, really." He said gliding me about, "My name is John Edmund Darque. I spend most of my time doing nothing..........."

"A very had task to carry out." I said.

"Yes, extremely difficult." He chuckled lightly, "And other than that I go to parties, act like I'm interested and............" He spun me a bit, "seduce beautiful young ladies."

"Sounds awfully tiring." I commented smiling, "Are you interested now or is this you pretending to be interested?"

He pulled me back from the spin, "I happen to be very interested right now."

The spirited song ended and we gave a polite applause. A slower more intimate tune's chords were being played now and I made to leave the floor when I saw Abberline walk out on the floor, Olivia following close behind him as they took their places to dance. Over her tanned shoulder he glared at me. It was war. Lifting my chin and sticking my nose in the air I turned back to Mr. Darque.

"I would be honored by another dance, Mr. Darque."

"My pleasure, Miss Harlington." He looked between Abberline and I amused. "And I insist............it's John."

"John." I murmured as I placed my hand in his again. His hand splayed across my lower back and the butterflies erupted from my stomach as I now placed the tune of the dance. It was the Forbidden Waltz.

There are no proper words to explain what it feels like to dance with a man who knows how. In one extreme it feels like you're walking on water, as if you could place one wrong step and fall into blackness, in the other you're walking on whisps of clouds and blinding light.

And while I had begun this dance simply to retaliate against Abberline, I now found myself putting him our of my mind as every little curl of John's fingers at my waist, made me jerk slightly and lose momentary breathing ability.

Maybe I should explain. The man who he uncannily resembled was the absolute epitome of sensuality. And I know some of you Depp fans will disagree, I mean who can beat the Depp? But every movement, word, and glance is simply dipped in vat of boiling sexuality and then covered with honeyed intonations and baked in a simmering heat of lust. And god forgive me for it but I was drawn to him.

"I think you should admit it." He whispered to me.

"Admit what?" I whispered back.

"That you're taken with him. The man you jilted just now, who happens to be dancing with Miss Hernandez."

"I haven't the slightest idea of what you're talking about."

"I think you do." He said softly, his fingers sinking into my side again causing me to grip his shoulder in a reflex to grab tighter to him. "And while I've used this tactic of revenge myself, I would rather you dance with me because it would please you to do so instead of to prove a point and dole out punishment."

Damn, he was smart too.

I felt a twinge of guilt somewhere close to where my skin was strumming with feeling where his hand was.

"But it does please me." I murmured realizing I truly meant it.

"Well," he smiled, he felt closer than ever now, as if his voice were whispered in my brain instead of just chillingly soft in the hollow of my ear, the sound vibrating in my skull. An odd tingling began to spread on my lips as my skin heated, "that's an entirely different matter then."

The tempo picked up, beginning the reason of it's being called the Forbidden Waltz, a series of sharp spins and position changes that ended in fast embraces.

I don't know how it happened. I honestly don't. I had nothing to do with it but all of a sudden I was dancing with Abberline. Before my brain could properly digest that fact he sent me into a flurry of deliberately violent and harsh complicated moves and I tried to keep pace as the music sped up again. Every spin or fancy position change brought us together harshly with hard hands and hard eyes. It became a challenge for each. Who would not be able to keep up, to meet each push with a pull? Who would be the first to give up and ask for mercy from the relentless music.

Then just when I thought my lungs and veins would burst the music suddenly ceased, leaving behind a dull buzz in my ears, with Abberline and I clasped together, breathing raggedly, he through his nose and me in short shallow breaths. I have killer asthma.

The buzz grew louder as we stood glaring at each other and I recognized the sound...........as applause.

Turning my head, dazed, I saw we had the attention of the entire hall.

Mr. Darque and Olivia stood a few feet away. Mr. Darque was clapping, a wise smirk on his features and Her Highness gave the golf clap and looked as if she had had a mini Jack the Ripper on her, she would have set him on me.

And then it hit me, what we had just done in front of half a million people. We had basically just had wild jive sex in front of the toast of society. My asthma worsened and I knew I was about to have an attack. Pushing angrily away from Abberline, I stalked off the floor.

As soon as I was out of the room I was wheezing, a hand to my chest, bent at the waist. Someone grabbed my arm, tugging me around. My breath hitched dangerously and the cramp in my side cried out in pain.

It was Abberline.

"We're goin'...........now." Still holding on to my arm tightly he began to drag me down the hall.

I yanked my arm back. I was tired of being dragged around. I had been dragged into conversations with people I couldn't stand. I had been dragged out of the library way from Julianne. I had been dragged into a dance which my lungs were now paying for. I was done.

"You.........listen...........and you............listen good........you," I fought to get my voice back. "I am THROUGH with people telling............me what to.........do. If you want to go, you go...........by yourself, got that? Cause I'm staying."

"No, yer not. Yer coming with me. Now come." He had my arm again.

Like a was a damn dog or something. That did it. It was the final straw. I had made a promise to the both of us what would happen if he tried this again. Pulling my arm back I socked him one, hard in the stomach.

The wind knocked out of him he immediately let me go, stumbling back, clutching his abdomen.

"I'm not your bitch Abberline. I don't come when I'm called, and I said no." I repeated firmly, "You broke your promise."

"Yeh make it seem as if you didn't." He replied angrily, "Not more than two HOURS with those bastards and you act like yer one o' them! Smilin' with them, laughin', cozyin' up ta the nobility..........it's disgusting just ta watch yeh."

I narrowed my eyes, "Well I'm not the one taking it up with Miss Hernandez." I said icily.

"No, just with tha' Darque character." He retorted just as coldly.

"Don't change the subject! Besides, I'm not the one with red haired lover waiting for me in Ireland here! What's with that anyway?! You say you love the woman and then you're shacking up with the next chick with a full bust you meet?! That's twisted and sick." I sneered.

Abberline had the decency to look outraged at this, "Quiet." He ordered his voice threateningly soft.

"No, because I honestly want to know! Have you changed your mind about this whole thing?! Because if you have I think I deserve to know before this goes any farther. Do you still love Mary Kelly? Perhaps you only thought you did. Isn't that what they call it? Infatuation.............puppy love..........physical lust.........?"

Abberline pushed me into a wall, making me jam my shoulder, "Shut yer mouth, woman!"

"Look at you! Ordering me around again! What makes you think you can treat me like this?! #1 You are not my brother, #2 you are not my father, and #3 you are NOT my lover! And even if you WERE I wouldn't take that kind of crap from you. What gives you the fucking right to be like this?! Huh?! Answer me!"

Abberline looked like he was about to throttle me or slam me up against another wall, but he controlled his rage long enough to say, "We're leavin' an' I don't wanta 'ear another fuckin' word out of yer mouth until we're home and maybe not even afta tha'."

I sighed fed up, "You go on and go. I'm not really in the mood to share an hour long carriage ride with you. But bottom line Abs babe, I'm really pissed at you and if you have anything else you wanna say to me, here's my answer, 'Fuck you and the busted ass horse you rode in on.' I'm outie." And saying this I tossed my head and turned to walk away. Turning the corner I found Mr. Darque standing, elegant as ever, before me.

"I came to congratulate you. Brava! I don't think I've ever seen such a exciting ending to that waltz and I should know."

The flush of my cheeks must have betrayed evidence of our fight. One look at me and his brow furrowed darkly, "Are you alright? What is wrong?" He looked over my shoulder.

I heard Abberline step up behind me. I hardly moved my head to acknowledge him.

"Why nothing is wrong, John." I said perfectly cheerful in a perfectly false way, "Nothing of any importance."

"Well then," he said glancing doubtfully back at Abberline, "allow me to show you around?" He asked.

The first time someone that night had asked for my acceptance.

Now turning back I said clearly, "I would LOVE to." And taking Mr. Darque's arm, we proceeded down the hallway.

Once again I had jumped into an offer just to spite Abberline, ending up completely uncomfortable in Mr. Darque's company.

"Do you know this house well?" I asked in an attempt to strike up conversation nervously.

"Very. It's mine."

I looked up at him, as he loomed a bit taller than me, surprised.

"Is it really?"

"No, I stole it from the Prince of England." He said playfully.

"Don't make fun. I was being serious."

"Forgive me." He smiled, "Yes, it is mine. This is Darque Manor, filled with all the proper necessities for a house of it's size............."

I was bored already, "A wing full of armor I'm sure." I sighed.

"But of course, armor that clanks to life precisely at twelve..........."

Stunned, I realized he was joking. I smirked playing along.

"Skeletons in the closets."

"A dragon in the drawing room."

"A witch in the dungeon."

"And a specter in the attic."

I laughed getting caught up in it, "A piano forte and harp in the blue room........."

"Ah yes..........my music room captured your eye then? Do you play?"

"A little." I admitted quietly.

"Show me?"

"If you wish."

When we reached the room Mr. Darque pulled out the seat to the piano bench and stood behind me as I played a composition from Thomas Newman, following with the vocalizations. Finishing I felt his warm breath on the hollow of my neck.

"You're an astounding woman, Miss Harlington."

I paused unsure of this praise, "How kind of you to think so after so short a time of knowing me."

A waiting silence followed in which my muscles tensed ready to spring. I felt very confused by his presence at my back and I didn't trust him behind me, and yet at the same time there was a horrible thrill and expectation in the air that kept me still, waiting to see what would happen next.

A sharp knock came from behind us, making us spin around like children caught with our hands in a cookie jar.

A well dressed manservant stood in the doorway.

"Sir..........."

"Not now, Meryman........" Mr. Darque sighed.

"I'm sorry sir, but your colleges wish to speak with you about 'business'."

"My god man," John exclaimed annoyed, "who conducts business at parties?"

"Your associates assure me you do, sir."

Mr. Darque sighed again, "Can it not wait?"

"I'm afraid not, sir."

"Well can't you just tell them I've gotten lost and can't be found?" John said in a last half hearted attempt to wiggle out of his affairs.

"I could try sir, but I'm afraid there would be no point as this happens to be your house."

John smiled grudgingly, "Yes, I suppose you're right. Very well, tell them I'm coming." He waved Meryman off then turned to me. Whatever tantalizing moment had been in the room minutes ago, it could not be found anywhere in his countenance now.

"I am terribly sorry about all of this."

I shook my head, "Don't be. You cannot help these things."

"Perhaps I could. I could always lock myself in the library I suppose."

"You'd still be found." I replied expertly, "I've tried."

Mr. Darque laughed. A sound which brightened the room. I realized then he was like a conductor of such a force that he affected everything he came in contact with in one way or another. Hearing his laugh I felt myself release a chuckle with him.

"Perhaps it is just as well. I must be getting home." I said getting to my feet with his aid.

"Leaving so soon? It's rather unheard of for a young woman to leave at such an hour. There's so much fun to be had."

"I'm not so sure there should be. Many seem to have forgotten why I am here to begin with."

"Of course." He replied softly.

He still held my hand gently. A nervous smile quirked on my mouth, "Aren't you supposed to be reuniting yourself with your business associates?"

He smirked answering truthfully, "Yes."

I laughed pulling back feeling the air thicken again, seizing my throat.

"Let me call for your carriage." He insisted.

I stopped then nodded, "Very well, but I must find my friend first."

"And I must suffer myself to my fellow business men."

We left cordially together, separating in the hall.

I looked for Abberline but could not find him.

True to his word after speaking with his colleges, Mr. Darque was at my side.

"Shall I call milady a carriage?"

"If milady can find her escort." I said scanning the crowd.

"Oh? I wasn't aware you came with escort."

"Don't most women come with one?" I countered.

He smiled that small wise smile again, "One could hardly call you most women, Cassandra."

I felt thirteen again for about the umpteenth time that night. It had been years since I had blushed like that. When I was ten, at the Renaissance Festival, a knight in black armor kissed my hand, a thing that made me beam with secret pride. Mr. Darque seemed to have the same effect on me. I started to wonder how I really felt about Abberline when all my emotions paled in comparison for what feelings Mr. Darque was stirring in me.

"So who is this escort?"

"Well he........uh..........um.........he was the man I jilted, then dance with."

"Ah yes.........that old fellow. I do believe he left hours ago though."

My head shot up, "He did?"

"I believe so."

I couldn't understand. I mean I had told him to go if he wanted but that never works. "He.........he just left?"

"Not without company."

I shot him a glance, "What do you mean by that?"

"Miss Hernandez offered him the comforts of her own carriage."

I hated to think what comforts those were.

"Oh." I whispered hollowly.

John seemed to understand, "I'll go fetch your carriage."

He had already left by the time I managed to say thank you.

Not only did he fetch my carriage but since I had lost my escort he offered himself and his services to me in return.

Fate it seemed had a great sense of irony. What goes around definitely comes around three fold, and I was enjoying my three as Mr. Darque and I spent an hour in a carriage not in silence but in laughter and mutually serious conversations. By the time we had reached the house, the last thing I wanted to do was get out of the friendly atmosphere in that carriage, beneath which lay the silent current of urgency to do something demanding.

Helping me out he walked me to the stairs then stopped suddenly turning to me, "Those stairs look mighty dangerous, perhaps we should just head back to the carriage."

"Mr. Darque," I scolded leniently, "you aren't by any chance, trying to prevent me from entering my house are you?"

"Do you think I am?"

"Yes."

"Damn. I was hoping I wasn't as obvious as all that."

God how I was dreading going back in that house now.

"I suppose now," he continued, "I shall have to hold gala after gala to see you again."

I wrinkled my nose in distaste of that idea. We were now at the door.

"Thank you.........John. You've made this evening more pleasurable than it had any right to be."

Mr. Darque looked oddly uncomfortable with such praise and answered it with a graceful wave of a gloved hand, "Consider it nothing. My payment was to be allowed to drive you home, and seeing now as I know where you live, I'm afraid you'll never be rid of me." And with a bow, he kissed my knuckles again, over the rise of which showed the unearthly light of his mocking eyes.

I watched in a hazy kind of bliss as he ran down the steps, bowed again and drove away in the carriage.

I walked into the house lazily and discarded my cape along the way with the tell tale beginnings of a ridiculous smile on my face. Making my way to my room I passed Abberline's. No light seeped out from beneath the cracks in the door, and I assumed he was asleep. Everything pointed to that conclusion except for the sound of breaking glass.

Taking a step back, I raised a hand and knocked tentatively at his door. Silence was the only sound that followed and instead of filling me with comfort, it made the uneasy twinge in my stomach clench in an iron fist and the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. I turned the knob which yielded under my touch, spilling light into the black of the room, that despite the light, seemed to thicken even more.

"Abberline?" I asked stepping forward.

My foot knocked against a bottle, it's green contents sloshing as it rolled away from me, away from the light.

Making sure the door would not close on me I stepped further into the room, never leaving the patch of light. The bottle had rolled into the darkness and with a trembling hand I reached into it and pulled it out of the sucking void.

The bottle was half empty, it's green liquid matching that of the coy green face of the fairy on it's surface. Spiraling spidery handscript lined all the way around.

Absinthe.

My stomach plummeted.

My heart shuddered to a stop then restarted twice it's previous rate.

I began to shake violently.

I wanted nothing more than to curl myself in a ball and huddle in a corner, instead of calling into that darkness afraid of the answer I would receive. I forced myself to stand.

"Abberline?"

I distinctly remember the sound of air rushing, fast approaching before a glass shattered against the wall, two spots away from where I was standing.

I couldn't even scream before the door slammed shut, and I was lost in the darkness. The Absinthe bottle dropped from my sweaty hands, shattering at my feet, splattering on the hem of my dress. All these things I realized dimly.

Someone had begun to laugh.