HEY! Song credits:
I'll Fly With You – I'm not sure. Someone said Dido
DOWNLOAD IT! DOWNLOAD IT RIGHT NOW DAMN YOU! I don't usually listen to techno music but it's so CUTE and it matches them SO WELL! Okay. You caught me! You caught me! I'm taking my song fic needs out on this story but this is the second to last time! I PROMISE! Okay maybe third…
Serena stepped into the gigantic ballroom, a slow and steady love ballad flowing smoothly from the speakers. Her eyes ran nervously over the area. Balloons, disco lights, and various others party favors hung from the ceiling. Guests lined the walls, laughing and chatting away without a care in the world. Most of them looked up from their conversations to give her a quick smile. Some even waved. Her breath caught in her throat as Stanton slipped his arms around her waist. His lips brushed over her ear, sending tingles down her spine.
"You seem tense", he whispered into her ear.
"T- tense?", she muttered, her joints hard as stone. "It's just your imagination".
He gave her a concerned look before turning to his right. "Uh oh. Look who's coming". Serena turned to see a striking woman in a long, flowing crimson dress, the back and shoulders, completely revealed. Her blonde curls bounced off and onto her shoulders as she made her way towards them, a huge, yet somehow phony smile on her full lips. Serena had to gawk at how seemingly perfect her outward appearance was.
"Serena!" The woman gushed, cheerily. "Congratulations! I never thought your firm would make it this far".
"Right". Serena nodded, absentmindedly. "Me neither".
Stanton gave her an odd look.
"You're clothes are so stylish and unique! I wish I could design something like that!"
Serena's eyes widened. She was a clothes designer? That was the last thing she would have expected her future occupation to be…
"So!" the woman bounced. "Have you thought about what we discussed?"
Serena grinned nervously. "Refresh my memory".
"You know", she twirled a tress of blonde about her index finger. "Letting me join your firm".
"Oh, that", Serena gulped. "Er… sure!" She knew she had made a mistake when Stanton gave her a shocked look. "I mean-"
"Really?"
Stanton took the woman by the shoulders and led her away from Serena. "She'll get back to you". He turned back towards his wife, an eyebrow raised. "Have you lost your mind?"
Serena frowned. "She seemed nice…"
Stanton chuckled and shook his head. "Serena, that's Morgan. You've hated Morgan ever since high school".
Serena gasped. How was she going to get out of this one? Apparently, she didn't have the time to think about it, as he led her towards the back of the ballroom, a crazy look in his eyes.
"Hey, Serena", people would occasionally spurt out, inviting smiles upon their faces.
"Hi", she squeaked, but the response in her mind went something like, "Help! This psychos gonna kill me!"
Unfortunately, by the time she got the guts to say it, she was forced onto the balcony area. He cornered her up against an imperial stone ledge and she gawked in terror at what little movement it would take for her to topple over the edge.
"Where's Serena?"
"I am Serena", she begged.
He glowered over her. "This is the last time. I'm going to ask you nicely…"
"Wait!" She shouted, her mind racing for an excuse. "I can prove I'm Serena". She went for the hem of her dress, but he stopped her.
"Not your birthmark. I need to know it's really you". He put both hands to her head. "In here".
"Right", she gulped, leaning back onto the ledge. "Well I- AGH!" She lost her balance and turned a back flip off of the balcony. With unnatural haste, he took her by the arms and started to pull her back to the surface.
"Help!" She shrieked in fear. Then for no apparent reason, a phrase escaped her lips, slow and soothing. "O Mater Luna, Regina nocis, diuvo me nunc". She cocked an eyebrow. Where had that come from? She didn't speak any foreign languages with the exception of some Spanish, but even Spanish didn't sound anything like it. Stanton finally pulled her back over the ledge and stared at her vigilantly. Was that fear in his eyes?
"Are you alright?" He asked, his voice soft and unstressed as if he hadn't just been holding all of her weight.
She nodded. "I think so. Just a little shocked".
"You are Serena", he stated, helping her up. "But what I don't understand is why you're acting so strange". A hurt look suddenly flashed through his eyes. "Or why you keep blocking me".
Too flustered to search for an excuse, she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "I lost my powers"
His eyes grew alarmed. "What?"
"My powers", she mumbled. "I lost them". Hey. It was true…
"How?"
"I don't know", she went on, building on her tall tale. "When I woke up, they were gone".
"So you panicked?" He muttered, piecing her lie together for her.
"Yeah", she agreed, a smile forming on her lips. She had no idea that it would work this well… "I guess that's why I've been acting weird lately"
"But that still doesn't explain why I can't read your mind".
She just shrugged, uneasily. "I'm scared…"
He took her in his arms. "Don't be. I'll talk to Jimena about it. I'm sure you'll be fine". He looked down to smile at her, his sapphire eyes gleaming. "Dance with me?"
Her heart beat skipped. Dance? She didn't really know how to dance. She had always been okay at junior high balls and dances, but this was a grown up party. She flinched at how immature she sounded. A grown up party…
I don't know…"
"Please?"
She bit her lip. Damn those mesmerizing eyes. "Sure…"
He led her out onto the dance floor, Latin music pulsing wildly through the speakers. He gently took her in his arms, his hands on her waist. She, unfortunately, didn't know where to put her hands and simply flailed them in the air. Giving her a smirk, he took them and laid them on his shoulders before resting his hands back against her waist. He moved sensuously and in sync with the music. She moved clumsily and violently. Onlookers stared as she bumped into numerous people and then stared after them nervously. He stopped her.
"Serena, relax". He ran his hands gradually from her neck to her waist and she trembled at his touch. "Now follow my lead". They moved together as one for a few minutes and finally, she felt as if she had the hang of it. She sighed as he ran his fingers through her long, dark hair. She didn't want this to end. Her life seemed so … perfect. Alas, the song soon wheeled to an end and they had to stop. Pulling away, she looked up at the stage to see Vanessa walking across, her eyes glowing with excitement. This could only mean one thing…
"I have to get out of here", she muttered to Stanton and before he could respond, she turned to leave.
"Hi everyone!" Vanessa beamed from the stage.
A loud combination of greetings rose from the audience.
"It's karaoke time!"
Serena raced to the front of the room and towards the door. Almost there…
"And what better way to start it off than with the person who made it all happen, Serena and her husband, Stanton".
Serena's eyes widened and she slowly spun around to see the entire ballroom applauding and staring at her expectantly.
"Um". What was meant to be a giggle came out as a moan. "I can't".
Stanton walked towards her and took her by the arm. "Come on, Serena. You're the one who started this, remember?"
"I did?" she squeaked.
He nodded. "So Vanessa could show off?"
She gulped. Well if she wanted to show off, why did they have to go? He dragged her on stage and she reluctantly stumbled along. In a bold act, she took hold of the curtains, but he pulled her loose.
"What are you doing?" He scolded.
She only shrugged and smiled out at their audience.
"Hey Serena"
"Hey Vanessa", she sneered murderously, and Vanessa backed away a bit.
"Pick a song". She pressed a button on a control pad and a huge screen in the back of the room lit up. Whoa. Technology sure had changed since ten years ago… Vanessa showed her an arrow key and an "okay" button to pick a song. A Whole New World. Always. My Boo. I'm Your Angel. My First Love... She knew most of these… except for one.
"Let's do this one". Stanton pointed to the stranger. Serena rolled her eyes. She should have known.
"I don't know that one"
"Serena, you love that song"
Vanessa turned to them, the impatience clear in her expression. "So you're doing that one then?"
"Yes", Stanton told her.
"No!" Serena argued, but it was too late. He had already clicked the okay button. Shoving two microphones into their hands, Vanessa winked at them and walked off stage. Fear clutched Serena's chest as the lights dimmed and techno music flooded the ballroom. The words on the screen suddenly seemed blurry.
"Your cue", Stanton reminded her, swaying slowly back and forth to the beat.
"Right", she agreed. People were beginning to stare at her strangely. Gotta do something. Gotta do something. You have to do something!
I still believe in your eyes
"I still believe in your eyes
Er… I just don't care what you've done in your life
Baby, I'll always be here by your side
Don't leave me waiting too long please come by".
She hesitated for a while to catch her breath. Jimena and Vanessa were staring up at her, worriedly and she felt Stanton's hand on her shoulder. Morgan was on the other side of the room. Was she laughing? Serena's eyes grew determined, despite the flush in her cheeks. She had to redeem herself.
"I- I still believe in your eyes
There is no choice I belong to your life
Because I will live to love you someday
You'll be my baby and we'll fly away
And I'll fly with you"
She turned to Stanton, a huge smile on her face. She wasn't certain if it was from relief that her verse was almost over or that she hadn't done as bad on the last part.
"I'll fly with you"
He gave her a reassuring smile and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "You did great". With that, he moved towards the front of the stage and started on his cue. She was surprised at the strength of his voice and apparently so were Jimena and Vanessa. She could feel the adoration of the women and the envious glares of the men in the audience. Turning to them, she spotted two familiar figures. Her eyes widening, she snuck off of the stage, gave her mic to Vanessa and traveled through the crowd. Shaking off the various "Cool!"s and "Good job!"s, she made her way to a corner of the room where the two figures were standing. "Maggie", she breathed breathlessly. "Have you found a way to get me out of here?"
"No", Maggie looked up at her and Serena was surprised at the frosty chill in her eyes. "You seem to be having fun".
Serena cocked an eyebrow. Isn't that what she wanted her to do? "You told me to blend in!"
"But I meant with your own kind". She motioned towards the stage in a brash gesture. "Don't you know what he is?"
Serena shrugged. "Stanton?"
"He's a demon", Maggie warned. "A Prince of the Night".
"Him?" Serena looked shocked, but in her heart she knew it was true. How could anyone be so kind and seductively dangerous at the same time?
"But everyone says he's my husband-"
"He's only trying to seduce you", she creased her eyebrows. "I can't imagine why in this day and time but you have to stay away from him!"
"But I don't under-"
"Maggie!" The younger Jimena called from the back of their crowd and they began to whisper something hurriedly to each other. Serena groaned, dejectedly, and stared up at the stage. Vanessa was finishing up her love ballad with Stanton, her voice soft and sweet; her hair, wild and crazy over her eyes. Serena felt a sharp sting in her chest. Was it jealousy? She stared harder at the two. They moved with each other in character to the song, but all the while she felt as if he was still singing his heart out to Serena and Serena only.
"Serena", Maggie took her shoulder, worry in her tired eyes. "That's what they do. They-" Her eyes darted about suspiciously. "We have to go"
"Maggie, wait!" Serena called. But it was too late. They had disappeared behind the balcony. Running out onto the platform, she groaned. They had vanished…
"Serena!" A hand took her by the shoulder and she spun around.
"Vanessa!" She greeted her, trying her best to mask the jealousy that had consumed her earlier.
"Good job up there" Jimena grinned. Serena could tell from the sarcastic tone in her voice that she was teasing.
Stanton wrapped his arm around her. "You could be the next Christina Aguilera!"
"I especially loved the tremors in your voice", Vanessa taunted. "I'd better be careful or you might just surpass me".
Serena exhaustedly tossed her slight, black jacket upon the sofa before heading up to her room. She couldn't even think straight from all of the dancing and probably the alcohol that she had consumed that night. And having never been drunk before, she was in an extreme state of confusion at the moment. Sighing, she let her hair down and lay back upon the satin sheets, her eyes closed. The warm sensation of sleep dawned over her, as sweet as ever. Then suddenly, sensing someone else in the room, her eyes jolted open. She rose up to a sitting position to see Stanton leaning against the door, his arms crossed, a suggestive smirk forming over his lips. "We're not sleepy yet, are we?"
HOLA PPLZ! SORRY! I can't make it all hot and sweaty because of "technical" difficulties. (cough) Statutory rape (cough). But then again, that's the case anyway, right? I mean Stanton is like HOW many years over eighteen? 500… 501… 502… This could take a while…
REVIEW CORNER:
Mini Sparky – Yeah, I thought making Inocencia interested in him would add…. Something to the story. Thanks for the nice comments!
Demon Dea – Yup. Karaoke!
Depressed- and- bored – Updating now
Nora – Glad you like it