OK people, another shorty, just to get you guys acquainted with our newest sleezeball! Don't worry, you guys can help Erik punjab him afterwards... Cookies for reviews, as always! -x- Lotte.

Palazzo Persico still lay quiet in the early morning hours as one man silently made his way through the dark corridors. He had been up for a while. Never needing much sleep, he had decided to seek out Céline's room, hoping for a secret rendezvous before having to conform to the restraints of family life once more. At the Opera house things were so much easier. As a soloist Céline had her own room, conveniently far from the remaining ballet rats. That way he could seek her out to woo her, yet continue his brief encounters with little Sophie without her knowing of it. Some ladies were made to marry, some to sleep with. If Sophie could help him cool his desires until Céline was truly his, well then why not enjoy such a convenient compromise.

Here in Italy however, life was not that simple. Servants popping up in all the wrong places and a whole family up and about, heartily welcoming him into their circle... and seriously confining him in his freedom to do as he pleased. He was happy to find Céline so attached to Paris, for he knew an eternity of this would drive him mad. The sooner he would obtain her father's permission, the better. They would leave and, with a little luck, never return again. Céline's family in their turn seemed very reluctant to travel to Paris, and all Céline had managed to tell him about it was that both her parents had quite a few painful memories of their days there.

Roger DuChamps knew all about painful memories, although he preferred calling them skeletons in a closet. And those, he knew, were always convenient to have at hand should anything occur to cross his plan.

Just a few more doors and he would have reached his destination...had not a sudden voice lured him in the opposite direction. A voice singing the sweetest of songs, making his artistic heart weep with longing. He had to follow it to see what angel would produce such sounds, although he could already guess the answer. He made his way to the downstairs parlor which he recognised to be the music room. He had performed there yesterday evening for the family. He now found it empty, save for the one person he would never loathe to see.

"Mademoiselle, I bid you good morning..." Her voice abruptly stopped.

"Monsieur DuChamps, you startled me..." Her round eyes shone up at him, her bosom still heaving from her exertion only moments earlier.

"Oh, I must beg your pardon, I assure you that was the last of my intentions. I simply could not help following the sound of your voice to seek out its owner...you truly have a most magnificent sound, my dear sister..."

Instead of crooning into his compliments, she nervously lifted her brow at him. "You are too kind I'm sure. And I do not believe we are to be brother and sister just yet, would you not agree?"

She knew he could not possibly have spoken to her father just yet, and apparently did not agree to his attempt at familiarity. Yet her distance and reluctance drew him in like a moth to a flame.

"True. I hope you will join me in my wish, for that joyous day to arrive speedily however."

She offered him a cautious smile. "It would give me great joy to see Céline that fortunate indeed..."

He stepped closer, too close for propriety to allow it, and instinctively she backed away from him somewhat. The pianoforte blocked her path however. She stood eying him nervously as he looked her up and down before connecting with her eyes once more. She could feel his breath on her face and it made her feel very uncomfortable.

"Indeed, I would very much like to see more of you, Mademoiselle...I'm looking forward to your debut on stage." he quickly added, so as not to frighten her away into scandalous assumptions.

Yes, he would make sure to see more of her. In fact he could already immagine her beneath him, panting in lust, begging him to take her. But not now. Not yet. He could hear plates being set out in the dining room next door and quickly offered her a radiant smile.

"Shall we go to breakfast then? I'm sure you must be famished after such straining rehearsals..."

After carefully studying his face once more, she drew another smile on her face and politely accepted his hand. Oh yes, this would be a most gratifying hunt indeed...