Chapter Twelve
Its horror and its beauty are divine.
-Percy Bysshe Shelley
The evening of December 31st promised to be a night to remember.
Jenny stepped out of the limousine, carefully holding her skirt. Her eyes widened at the beauty she saw before her. Under the faraway light of the stars, the Gordon mansion looked like a castle out of a fairytale. Max had spared no expense to create his personal winter wonderland. The black gates surrounding his property were decorated with holly leaves and red ribbons. Ice sculptures lined the walkway to the mansion. Jenny saw elves and swans and smiling princesses, all lit by colored lights behind each sculpture. Strings of white Christmas lights hung from the trees and bushes. The warmer nights in the last week had resulted in the melting of the mid-December snow, but Max was not one to be bested by Mother Nature. He had brought in his own snow from the mountains so that his grounds were covered in a soft blanket of white.
Seeing it all, it was impossible for Jenny to believe that such a man as Max, a sorcerer who used his wealth to create a fairytale land, could be as sinister as Nick believed him to be.
"You weren't kidding about his extravagance," said Kelly. She was standing beside Jenny, her arms folded tightly across her chest. She sounded grudgingly impressed. All around them, as the rest of their friends emerged from the limos, mouths were hanging open and eyes were shining with anticipation.
"It's like a real ball," Minako said dreamily, clinging to her boyfriend Alexei's arm. Even Haruka's usually hardened expression was soft as she watched the parade of guests through Max's gates with an arm around Michiru's shoulders. The path from the street to the mansion could have served as the red carpet for the Academy Awards. People were drifting past them in beautiful designer gowns and tuxedos, in all colors and fabrics. Jenny saw more glittering jewels in one minute than she had seen in her entire life.
She had been somewhat amused to find that her own group had gravitated in their gown choices towards colors that reflected their senshi powers. Usagi was looking softly beautiful in a pink dress with red roses as trim. The color in her cheeks as she held Mamoru's hand matched the dress. Rei and Ami were in red and blue respectively, both wearing floor-length gowns with thin straps that laced up the back. Brenna's dress was strapless, a shiny, vivid orange that barely covered her upper thighs. Adiel was looking nervous and chewing on her fingernails in a simple knee-length brown velvet dress with long sleeves and a scoop neck. Only Kelly and Jenny had avoided the pattern by wearing black. Jenny was surprised Kelly had agreed to wear a dress at all. Her dress was long with thin straps and a silver chain that hung loosely around her waist. Her skirt was slitted on one side most of the way up her leg, revealing a metal chain tattoo that circled her thigh like a garter. Jenny's dress was looser and fell to just below her knees, with a shimmering, translucent black layer covering a solid black layer underneath. Her hair was loose against her bare shoulders, and her ankh necklace was around her neck. She felt the magic of the night in a burning excitement that filled her chest.
Jenny had suspected Nick was behind it when Usagi and Mamoru asked her if it was possible for all of them to be invited to Max's New Year's Eve party. His suspicions of Max raged on. Although he knew better than to speak his fears in front of Jenny, he still whispered them to the others. At first Jenny had been against the idea of putting Max on exhibition like that, but the more she thought about it the more she realized how smart it would be. Not only was it an opportunity for the senshi to be together to bring in the New Year, it was also her chance, once and for all, to settle the matter of Max's nature with them.
Jenny had expected Max to find her request strange, but he had been surprisingly gracious when she asked if she could invite twenty of her friends to his party. He had even sent his personal limousine and hired two others to pick them up. Jenny was literally burning with anticipation to see him. Since their fight two weeks earlier, Jenny had refused to be anywhere near Nick. Unsurprisingly, the senshi had refused to allow Jenny to continue to see Max without someone watching over her. Jenny had claimed increased work at school as the reason for staying away when she spoke to Max on the phone. It took all of her control not to confide in him and blurt out the whole crazy story. She didn't know how much longer she could handle staying away from him.
Nick and Dalila were among the last to leave the limos. Jenny tried not to stare, but once they came into her vision she couldn't look away. They looked perfect and beautiful, like an A-list Hollywood couple. Dalila was stunning in a dress of dark blue with layers of fabric that flowed down at different lengths from the top of her strapless dress like the waves of the sea. Her dark hair was pulled into a twist, but tendrils of curly hair escaped and framed her face in a preconceived way that looked accidental. Nick wore a black tuxedo similar to Mamoru, Kai, and Alexei, but his had more power to draw Jenny's eyes than any of the others. She had never seen him look better.
Before his eyes could find her own in the crowd, Jenny turned and took a determined step forward. "Let's go," she said with false cheerfulness. She could feel her cheeks burning with something she was afraid to identify. She was determined to enjoy the evening and avoid Nick as much as possible. She had no doubt that, after their last conversation, he would do his best to stay away from her.
The night air was freezing, resembling other December evenings, but Jenny felt a special warmth inside that glowed as she walked up the path to the mansion. Soon, she would see Max. The outside lights twinkled in her vision. Her friends were whispering excitedly to one another, caught up in the magic that surrounded them. On the front of the porch above the doors was a gigantic wreath stretching at least six feet in diameter. Jenny automatically lifted her hand for the knocker, but before she could touch it Sera opened the door.
"Welcome," she said, smiling at Jenny. Her eyes travelled over the large group, but if she was surprised she did not show it. She stepped aside and ushered them in. Her eyes landed on Lyyli with slightly more interest than usual as they all filed inside, but Jenny supposed it was because Lyyli was the only girl who wore a powder blue tuxedo instead of a dress.
Max's hired staff came forward to take their coats. Once her friends had shed their winter garments, Jenny led them to the ballroom where they were confronted with a sparkling cascade of silver and diamonds. The ballroom looked frosted as if it had been touched by the Snow Queen. Normally covered by shining, handsome dark wood, the walls were hung with gleaming white fabric that was hand-stitched with silver winter scenes. Tables were set up on one side of the ballroom, each with a small ice sculpture and shining silverware. The band was on a platform on the other side of the ballroom, all dressed in white. They were playing an instrumental version of "L.O.V.E."
"Jenny, Nick. I'm so pleased you could make it," a voice called out warmly. Jenny turned to see Max's smiling, handsome face. A rose color filled her cheeks that was not a result of the blush Brenna had so lightly applied. Max looked positively stunning in a well-cut Armani suit with his long hair neatly pulled back at the base of his neck. He was smiling as if he was genuinely delighted to see her. Jenny's blush deepened as he took her hand and bent to kiss it.
"Who are your friends?" Max asked, his voice low and amused. He released her hand and gave a polite nod to Nick. Introductions were quickly made. Jenny noticed that whatever suspicions her friends may have had were dissolved after a few moments with him. Kai and Alexei's eyes were especially intent as they each shook Max's hand, but he must have passed the test because they were both smiling when they pulled away. Only Nick still looked skeptical. He watched Max through narrowed eyes as if he thought the man was about to pull a bazooka out of his pocket.
Max turned back to Jenny with an arched eyebrow. "Quite a large group, but I'm pleased that you brought along so many beautiful young ladies."
Minako and Makoto giggled and blushed, much to the chagrin of Alexei and Kai.
"I hope you don't mind," Jenny said uneasily, not sure how he'd take the fact that she'd brought twenty strange teenagers to his party.
"Not at all," he said, waving a hand dismissively. "The more the merrier, right? You kids enjoy yourselves. If you need anything, I'll be around. By the way, Jenny, I love your dress. Save me a dance?"
Jenny smiled and nodded. Max gave a slight bow to her friends before leaving to attend to another group that had just entered the ballroom. Christine was the first to speak as she placed a hand on Jenny's arm.
"I think he's very nice," she said, smiling prettily. Jenny felt herself glowing with happiness as she looked down at the younger girl.
"Isn't he? He's wonderful." Chatting happily, the group moved further into the ballroom and separated. Jenny soon found herself standing alone, but she did not mind. She enjoyed watching the elegantly dressed people dance. She thought she recognized several popular Japanese actresses and a handful of politicians. Judging from the awed and excited reactions of Usagi, Minako, and Rei, there were even more celebrities in the room that she did not recognize.
Casually, Jenny's eyes drifted around the room until they landed on two people standing near the liquor bar. Immediately, she felt cold as if all the blood had drained from her body. The woman turned and met her stare with golden eyes. Her lips curved into a catlike smile. She nudged the man beside her, and he also turned to look. Jenny fought waves of nausea, and her heart thrummed with a rush of fear. She forced herself to tear her gaze from their cruel eyes and looked around wildly until she located Minako and Alexei standing together not far from her. Without a thought, Jenny hurried over to them. She stumbled into several of Max's guests on the way, but she didn't have enough composure to apologize.
"What's wrong? What's the matter?" Minako asked when Jenny came stumbling over. She touched Jenny's trembling shoulder, clearly alarmed.
Unable to speak, Jenny gestured wildly towards the bar. Minako sharply inhaled when she turned to look.
"Alex, it's…"
"Calcite and Azurite," Alexei filled in for her, his gray eyes giving off a coolness so unlike his new self. "Son of a bitch. I should have guessed we'd run into them sooner or later."
"It's the cat woman and the man who attacked Nick. Why are they here?" Jenny whispered desperately. Her mind was a whirl of confusion. She didn't understand why they would be at Max's party, flaunting it so openly. They didn't look the least concerned at having been found out. Azurite bent to whisper something in Calcite's ear, and she smirked. Together, they lifted their glasses of champagne as a salute and drank.
"I don't know," Minako said, patting Jenny's shoulder comfortingly. She looked at her boyfriend with a worried expression. "Are you sure you didn't pick anything up from Gordon-san?"
Jenny turned to him in alarm, but he smiled reassuringly. "Nothing. Whatever they are doing here, I don't think your friend is involved."
"Then what do we do?"
Alexei laughed bitterly. "Talk to them, of course. Isn't it polite to greet old friends?"
Holding hands tightly, Alexei and Minako started across the ballroom. Curious and not wanting to be left alone, Jenny followed close behind. As she walked, she scanned the room for Nick. He was off in a corner talking with Dalila and Lyyli. Should he be warned? For the moment he looked happy, laughing at some story Lyyli was telling. Jenny didn't want to disturb that easy smile. Biting her lip, she continued after Minako and Alexei.
Calcite and Azurite were lounging casually against the bar as they neared. They didn't speak, only waited. Alexei approached them confidently. His easy manner made it appear as if there was no reason in the world why he should be wary.
"Azriel, Cayla…how good to see you," he said pleasantly.
"Alexei," Cayla acknowledged, her voice just as cordial. Her golden eyes traveled over Minako and Jenny, but she gave no sign of recognition.
"It's been too long, I must say," Azriel said. He placed his empty glass of champagne on the bar and picked up a fresh one with his long, slim fingers.
"What are you doing here?" Alexei demanded, dropping all pretense. His eyes narrowed with contempt he could no longer contain. Rather than get upset, Azriel raised his perfectly-shaped dark eyebrows with mock surprise.
"Enjoying a party. Last time I checked that wasn't a crime." He took a long sip of his champagne, eyes fixed amiably on Alexei over the top of the glass.
"What are you trying to get at?" Alexei tried again.
"Get at?" Cayla feigned confusion. "Whatever do you mean, my dear?"
"That is quite a lovely lady with you," Azriel said, smiling at Minako. "I don't suppose you could spare me a dance?"
Alexei scowled, but Minako, after a slight hesitation, extended her hand towards him. She accepted him with a combination of challenge and curiosity rather than affection, but it quite nearly enraged Alexei.
Jenny placed a restraining hand on Alexei's arm when Azriel pulled Minako onto the dance floor. After Cayla wandered off with a smirk, Jenny said, "Leave them alone. He wants you to get upset. Don't give in to him."
Alexei took a deep breath and let it out slowly. His muscles released their tension, but he did not look happy. "I know. It's just not easy to see your dearest love go off with your dearest enemy."
"Then let's do some undercover work and keep an eye on them," Jenny offered, jerking her head towards the dance floor. Alexei took her hand with a smile of thanks. They wound their way through the dancing couples until they were in the middle of the ballroom, about ten feet away from Minako and Azriel. Alexei's eyes immediately fixed on Minako, but Jenny's mind wandered as she leaned against him. What was going on? She didn't believe it was coincidence that Calcite and Azurite had shown up at a party where she and all the senshi were in attendance. Surely they weren't stupid enough to act with so many witnesses around them?
Jenny waved to Usagi, who was dancing nearby with Mamoru. She jerked her head meaningfully towards Azriel and Minako. Usagi's eyes widened and she nodded once before whispering to Mamoru. She and Mamoru then danced over to Makoto and Kai, who were standing nearby and laughing together, and they repeated the message. Within minutes, all of the senshi were aware of the situation. Jenny started to relax. She could do no more.
"You're a wonderful dancer," Jenny said to Alexei as the song ended. He tore his eyes away from Minako long enough to smile at her.
"You're not half bad yourself. Now, let's find that crazy girl of mine and tear her away from that bastard."
But Minako didn't need rescuing. She extracted herself from Azriel easily and came towards them, smiling beautifully.
"How's your new boyfriend?" Alexei asked.
Minako rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. I was trying to get information out of him."
"And where were you planning on getting it? From his pants? You were certainly dancing close enough."
"It's not like I had much of a choice, Alex! I–" Minako started, annoyed. She was cut off when Alexei bent to give her a quick kiss on her lips. He smiled.
"I'm only teasing. I'm just glad you're okay. You had me worried there."
Minako's expression softened into a sly look of happiness. "Well, you know me," she said. Jenny wandered away to give them some privacy. She started to head towards Usagi, but a sudden hand on her shoulder made her jump. She spun around to come face to face with Max.
"Did I scare you?" he asked. "Sorry. I finally got away from some of my more obsequious guests. I need a break from inane conversation. Care to give me that dance you promised?"
Normally, nothing would have made Jenny happier. At that particular moment, she was less inclined. However, she couldn't think of a polite way to refuse him, so she forced a smile and nodded. Max took her hand and gave her a little spin before taking her into his arms. The band was doing a jazzy rendition of "Memory" from Cats, one of the few Andrew Lloyd Webber songs that Jenny could stand. She spent the first few minutes of the dance scanning the room worriedly for Azriel and Cayla. It then occurred to her that it had been a while since she spotted Nick, so she spent the rest of the song unsuccessfully looking for him.
Max may have sensed her distractedness, for when the song ended he pulled her more firmly into his arms for a hug. "I'm so glad you could come," he murmured against her hair. Jenny tried to smile, but her mind was filled with the memory of what had happened the last time Nick and Azriel had come into contact. The conspicuous absence of them both concerned her.
"May I cut in?" a voice asked warily. Jenny lifted her head in amazement to see Nick. Powerful relief flooded into her. She wasn't prepared for how comforted seeing him made her feel, far from the awkward encounter she had dreaded all afternoon. Nick, on the other hand, did not look remotely at ease. He clearly expected her to reject him, but other than that he looked unscathed. Azriel hadn't touched him.
Jenny didn't know why she gave her hand to Nick, but she did, almost as an unconscious reflex. Behind her, Max stepped away, as a silent as a shadow. On the platform, the band started playing Bach's "Air on a G String." Couples swarmed around them, entwined romantically as they danced, but Jenny and Nick didn't move. They just stood, eyes fixed on each other and hands clasped.
"They're here," Jenny said.
"I know." Nick smiled wryly. "I saw them leave about five minutes ago. I tried to follow them, but I lost them in the crowd outside the ballroom."
Jenny let out her breath in an angry huff. "You never learn, do you? That was idiotic."
"Hey, I'm here, aren't I? Clearly it's not me they're after this time." At that, his hand involuntarily squeezed hers. His expression drained completely of any humor.
"Listen, about what I said that morning…"
"Please, let's not," Jenny said, shaking her head. She shut her eyes and then managed a smile before she opened them again. "In the spirit of the New Year, let's just forgive and forget. Did you ask me to dance or not?"
Nick blinked at her. Slowly, he smiled. Before Jenny knew was happening, she was in his arms. It wasn't as terrible as she had imagined it to be. Truthfully, it was quite pleasant, even though it cost her way too much to admit that to herself. Jenny leaned directly against Nick's chest as he held her. They were swaying more than dancing, but it was peaceful. The beautiful music made Jenny feel strange. When she had spoken before about forgiveness, it had only been an attempt to avoid a painful memory. As Nick leaned his chin against the top of her head, she realized how much she meant it. She didn't want to fight with him. She needed things to be okay between them. Nothing in her life would be right unless they were on good terms.
Neither of them spoke as they danced. Jenny couldn't help remembering how she and Nick used to dance in his living room so many years ago. He had been a clumsy and impatient boy of nine then, and she a mischievous and wide-eyed six year old, yet when they danced together to Ace of Base and Gloria Estefan, they had been in perfect harmony. They had needed nothing in the world but each other.
But that was before he had rejected her. Jenny bit her lip at the more unpleasant memories that came forth. She felt an urge to pull away from him and run, but the warmth of his body against hers stopped that desire. He wasn't rejecting her now. He was more than ready to atone for what he had done: why couldn't she leave the past in the past?
When she glanced up, she found that Nick was looking down at her, his eyes boyishly wide. "What are you thinking about?" he asked in a hushed voice.
You, Jenny almost said. She resigned herself to a shrug.
"Oh, nothing important." She bit her lip to fight back a grin. Oh, that was true.
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing." Jenny quickly sobered. She looked back at him, intending it to be only a short, joking glance, but something she saw in his eyes captured her attention. She found that she couldn't look away. She didn't want to. Her heart was softening towards him. It was the uncertain way he looked at her, the way his arms wrapped around her protectively. He cared so much about keeping her safe. It didn't seem to matter that he would be useless in a real fight against Lord Ahriman. Jenny knew that she had put him through hell at times, and that he deserved better. He really did care about her. Part of her wished she never had to leave his arms again.
Damn night magic, she thought with a twist of humor. She suddenly knew that it wouldn't matter if she left him now, fearing the possibility of falling in love with him. Deep down, she already was and had been for a long time. No matter what he'd said, no matter how much friction there'd been between them, she had always loved him. She, Jenny, not Bryn. It would kill her if anything happened to him because of her.
"Nick, I…" she started, not quite knowing what she was about to say. She never had the chance to finish, for Max approached and placed a light hand on her arm.
"Come. I want you to meet a few colleagues of mine," he said. Jenny realized with some embarrassment that the music must have stopped some time ago, for the band members had set already down their instruments and were lined up at the refreshment table. She hadn't noticed. All she had focused on was Nick. It was not a good sign.
"Sure," she said and pulled away from Nick. She shivered slightly, torn away from his warmth. Max placed an arm around her shoulders and started to steer her around, but Jenny resisted. Nick was stepping away from her, looking dazed. His eyes met hers, and for a long moment, they just stared. Not speaking, not moving, only looking and feeling. It was very strange.
"Coming?" Max prompted, and Jenny realized that his invitation was directed towards Nick.
"No." Nick shook his head, tearing his gaze from Jenny. "I was about to use the restroom."
An outright lie, Jenny realized. Some of her dislike for Nick returned. She wished he didn't hate Max so much.
Max shrugged indifferently. "Suit yourself," he said in a bored tone and started pulling Jenny away. Without knowing why, Jenny looked back at Nick and found that he was staring after them with a little frown. When he saw her looking, however, he smiled reassuringly. Jenny felt a warmth in response. As he had promised, Nick turned and walked out of the ballroom.
Jenny watched him go in silence before turning back to Max. She felt confused. Mostly she wished she hadn't realized what lay underneath the surface of her feelings for Nick. She wanted nothing more than for life to be simple again. But what was simple anyway? How was this any stranger than anything else going on in her life?
Jenny sighed and followed Max, trying not to think of Nick or his smile.
0 0 0
Nick walked down the dark hallway, the wheels in his head turning at a furious pace. Part of him was coldly focused on the mission before him. The other half felt as if he had just woken from a dream. Jenny had danced with him without the slightest sign of revulsion. He hadn't thought it was possible, had given up on the hope of her ever looking at him again with anything less than loathing. For the five or six minutes they had been together, Nick had glimpsed an alternate future, the way things should have been. It pained him to have that future thrust before him only to have it stolen away so quickly by the man he distrusted above all others.
Nothing and no one could have convinced Nick that Maximilian Gordon's interest in Jenny was normal. Jenny may not have noticed, but Nick knew. He saw the man's eyes follow her as if drawn to the only flickering light in a dark room. The looks were always fleeting and careful, but laced with such desire. Anyone looking on casually would have missed it, but not Nick. He had seen the way Max touched her, kept note of it. It was never more than a light brush on her hand or a casual arm around her waist, but the way he looked when he did it, the way his eyes shone…Nick didn't know quite what to make of it. Whether it was the base sexual interest of a man in a younger girl or something of a more sinister and deadly nature remained to be seen. Either way, Nick was determined to protect her from him.
That's why he was wandering the deserted corridors of Max's mansion when the man himself and all of his guests were in the ballroom getting ready for the countdown to midnight. What he needed was evidence, some hint that there was more to Max than his millions and surface good looks and nature. Nick didn't know precisely what he was looking for or what he would do when he found it. He only knew that he had to try. He had to prove that he wasn't crazy or consumed by jealousy as Mamoru thought.
Footsteps came from around the bend of the hallway. Nick froze in his path and then ducked through the nearest door to a small storage room of cleaning supplies. He started to shut the door, but then left it open a crack as he crouched in the shadows. The heat in the room was oppressive. Nick could feel himself starting to sweat as he waited, both from the temperature and the fear of getting caught.
The footsteps came closer. A figure passed by the doorway: Sera, with a large basket balanced on her hip. The sound of her high heels against the wooden floor continued for a few more seconds and then stopped abruptly. Nick held his breath, feeling the pressure of his blood throb in his temples. He expected to hear her turning back, but instead there was a kind of click and the grinding sound of sliding wood against wood. Sera's footsteps continued but in a different direction, perpendicular to the hallway.
Nick pressed a hand against his chest, feeling how much his heartbeat shook his ribcage. He listened for Sera's footsteps to die away before he cautiously rose and pushed the door open. He took a few careful steps out into the hallway and looked to the right. What once had been a bare expanse of hallway between the storage room and Max's office was now a gaping hole – a doorway. Flickering light leaked out from inside. Silently, Nick crept back into the storage room and stepped as far back into the shadows as he could. He waited.
A good five minutes passed before he could hear the sound of Sera's footsteps coming back out of the passage. She paused in the hallway and did something to the door to make it close and latch. When she passed in front of the storage room doorway again, her hands were empty.
Nick waited another couple minutes before cautiously heading towards the hallway. He listened at the doorway for anything other than silence. Satisfied that he was alone, he left the room and went to stand where the entrance to the hidden passage had been. On the surface, there were no signs that anything lay behind the bare wall. Nick lightly ran his hands over it. He could find no irregularities in the cream-colored paint or the handsome dark wood paneling that covered the lower half of the wall. As a last resort, Nick started pulling on the top of each wooden panel. The third he touched came cleanly away from the wall. There was a familiar click as part of the wall slid forward. He let out his breath with relief. Victory.
Nick cast a nervous look down the hallway where Sera had gone. He had to work fast. He slipped through the crack in the wall, and darkness closed around him. With a sudden panic, he imagined Sera coming back and, thinking she had forgotten to shut the door, closing it after him, trapping him forever in the secret room like in a dark, forgotten tomb. Cold sweat dripped down his neck. Not many people knew that Nick did not like dark, enclosed places. Jenny was one of the few who did. When they had played soccer as kids and Nick accidentally kicked the ball into Mrs. Greensbury's open cellar, he had sat down in the grass and started crying, thoughts of ghosts and skeletons reaching for him with their bony hands. Jenny had gone in after it without hesitation. Better yet, she had never mentioned it again. She knew him and loved him too well to make fun of his fears.
Nick reminded himself that he was doing it for Jenny now. The only way to get the answers he wanted was to push his apprehensions aside and go on. His mind flashed images of a documentary he had seen on the Roman catacombs, but he swallowed heavily and forced himself to keep walking. He had no reason to believe the passage led to anything but a regular room. A hidden, secret room, but still a room. Probably every eccentric millionaire had one.
A faint sliver of light shone from ahead. As Nick came closer, he realized that the bluish light, resembling the glow of a computer monitor in the dark, was low and coming out from beneath a door. He groped in the darkness for a doorknob. When his fingers closed over it, he turned, and the door swung open.
The first thing he noticed was a line of flickering candles placed around the contour of the room. On the shelves and in every corner were jars of colorful powders and dried herbs. In the center of the room standing on a tripod was a large copper pot with a blue flame burning in the center. The basket Sera had been carrying was lying on the ground next to the flame. It was filled with a kind of plant that looked like long grass. A combination of the grass and other herbs was being burned by the blue flame. The resulting scent was sweet and spicy. It made Nick sleepy. He reached out to steady himself against the nearby desk and shook his head vigorously to clear it.
Nick turned his attention to the desk. The surface of the desk was empty, but when he opened the top drawer he found several photo albums on top of a series of framed photographs. The first album he opened made him feel cold and sick. It was devoted to pictures of Jenny. There was Jenny sitting down and looking thoughtful, Jenny with a slight frown as she painted, Jenny with a playful arm around her employer. There was even one with Jenny and Nick standing together near the fireplace, except that whoever had taken the photo had done his best to cut Nick from the frame.
Nick could tell that the pictures were taken over a long period of time, for there were some photos of Jenny as a red-head as well as a silvery blonde. The worst part was that most of the photographs were unposed and natural, as if Jenny hadn't been aware that they were being taken. If nothing else, it at least proved that Mr. Gordon had been obsessed with her from the start.
Nick paused at a photo of Jenny and Usagi presumably walking home from school together. Jenny's mouth was open mid-laugh. She looked so happy. He reached out and touched the image lightly. He couldn't let anything happen to her.
Not wanting to see more, Nick placed the album aside and picked up the next one. The second album was different, a family photo album. It started out with the smiling faces of a young couple holding a baby. Formal photographs were mixed in with informal, but all of the images gave off the impression of wealth and class. Max's family, he assumed. Nick looked at a photograph of a dark-haired toddler playing on the beach with a shovel and a pail. He tried to imagine the little boy growing up to become his dark employer. He couldn't picture it.
As Nick continued to idly flip through the photo album, he began to realize that something was wrong. He noticed it around the time the mother abruptly disappeared from the photographs, when the boy was around ten years old. It continued as the boy began to age and became an average-looking teenager. The boy in the photographs had been slightly overweight with glasses and a surly expression that expensive clothes and fine scenery could not mask. He was not handsome, and as he continued to age into adulthood it became even more obvious. Heart pounding, Nick flipped to the back of the album. On the last page was a large photograph of the now man and his father standing on a yacht. Both men were balding but had cheerful smiles on their faces. Each had an arm around the other's shoulder as they lifted champagne glasses cheerfully to the camera. The man looked around twenty-eight, Max's age. He was not, however, Max Gordon.
Disconcerted, Nick took the rest of the albums out of the drawer and set them aside. He pulled out the framed photographs on the bottom of the drawer and examined them. One was the same photograph that had been at the back of the album. Nick immediately flipped it around with shaking fingers and removed the backing so he could take the photograph out from between the pressed glass. He looked once more at the relaxed and happy father and son in the photograph before flipping it around.
Marcus Gordon and Maximilian Gordon, July 4, someone had written on the back in a fancy scrawl. The date was for that year.
For a moment, Nick could hear nothing but the pounding of the blood in his head. His hands shook so violently he was afraid he would rip the picture. He dropped it and it sailed to the ground to land on his shoes. Father and son grinned up at him. The Gordons.
If the man in the picture was Max Gordon, then who the hell had he and Jenny been working for the last four months?
The combination of shock and the sickeningly sweet smell of the burning herbs made Nick dizzy. He took a few stumbling steps backwards until the back of his knees hit against something hard. When Nick swung around, the sight of two people sitting in chairs initially made him feel faint. It wasn't long before he realized that the people were mannequins and that one of them was female. For a horrible moment, he had imagined father and son Gordon were sitting there, death grins painted on their faces.
The truth was almost as bad. Someone had taken care with the mannequins to make them as realistic as possible. The male was wearing an expensive tuxedo, and the female was dressed in a forest green gown, much as Max's guests were wearing in the ballroom. The woman's hair was pinned back into a fashionable twist. Both mannequins were wearing black blindfolds over their eyes. As they sat silently in their chairs, the sweet smell of herbs burning in the blue flame wafted over them.
With a sickening wave of revulsion, Nick understood. The man who was posing as Maximilian Gordon was keeping his guests in the dark about his true identity through Sera's witchcraft. The mannequins representing Max's guests, and probably at different times everyone in his life, were being kept blind to the malevolence surrounding them. Nick knew of only one person who would go through such trouble in order to be close to Jenny. The spell had been good enough to fool even Kelly, who normally saw clearer in her mind than most people did through their eyes, and Kai and Alexei, who used to work for Lord Ahriman.
He had to warn them. Nick returned to the desk and hastily bent to pick up the photograph. He shoved it back in the drawer along with the photo albums. As he was shutting the top drawer, the drawer beneath it came slightly ajar. Nick started to head back into the passage, but then hesitated. He slid the drawer open, and what he saw confirmed his suspicions. Several wallets made of expensive brown leather lay open in the drawer. A quick perusal of the contents, the credit cards and IDs, confirmed to Nick that they had belonged to the real Gordons. The other item in the drawer was a gun.
Nick's hand hovered over the small pistol for several seconds before picking it up. He checked that it was loaded, and turned the safety on. He then slipped it into the pocket in the inside of his jacket. For the first time in his life, he felt grateful to his father for dragging him along to the firing ranges once a month since he had turned twelve. He felt the weight and the coolness of the pistol through his shirt on the inside of his jacket. It felt as inconspicuous as an elephant inside a boa constrictor, but he had the feeling he might need it before the night ended.
Once Nick slid the drawer shut, he bolted – away from the fire and herbs that made him dizzy, away from the Gordon memorabilia, away from the photographic shrine to Jenny. He was trembling when he burst out into the hallway. He could think of nothing but getting back to the ballroom. He hoped he wasn't too late.
0 0 0
The hour was nearing midnight, and Nick was nowhere in sight. Jenny couldn't help thinking that he was taking an awfully long bathroom break.
She walked around the perimeter of the dancing couples, fighting back a yawn. She had finally escaped Max and the fifty-some friends and employees he had introduced her to. Her cheeks hurt from all the smiling. She was ready to go home and crawl into bed, but the party was nowhere near ending. Brenna waved to her as she passed, encircled in the arms of a very handsome and wealthy-looking college student. Jenny smiled and winked at her. Everywhere, her friends were having a blast. Even shy Adiel and Hotaru had found a group of girls, daughters of Max's employees, and were standing near the appetizers giggling together.
Azriel and Cayla had reappeared shortly after Nick left the ballroom. They had kept to themselves mostly, dancing together and drinking in the corner. Since they were paying no attention to her or any of the senshi, Jenny tried to ignore them.
She was headed towards the refreshment table to sample some of the holiday punch when a hand clamped down on her shoulder. Jenny jerked with surprise and spun around. Nick stood behind her. She was about to scold him for giving her near heart failure when she noticed the look on his face. His expression frightened her more than the sudden appearance of his hand had. His face was pallid, like the pale mask of a phantom. His eyes darted nervously past her shoulders, focusing anywhere but on her. When she reached for his hand, she was surprised to discover how cold it was.
"Hey, what's wrong?" she asked softly. "Where have you been?"
"Nowhere. I'm fine," Nick said curtly. Jenny reached out to place a hand on his chest, but he jerked away from her. She pulled her arm back, alarmed and a little hurt. Nick was holding his body angled slightly away from her. His head was turned as he scanned the room. It made no sense for him to stop her only to act so distracted and skittish once he caught her attention.
"You're not fine," she said with tight lips. "What is it? Did you take something?"
"Take something? Are you serious?" Nick's eyes stopped their nervous darting to focus on her incredulously. Jenny shrugged.
"Well, I don't know what else…"
"We should go. We should leave. Now," Nick said suddenly.
It was Jenny's turn to stare at him with disbelief. "We can't leave. It's almost midnight."
Nick didn't respond. He was staring past her, holding himself very still. Jenny turned and followed his gaze. Cayla and Azriel were lounging against the far wall. They were not talking or even moving. They appeared to be waiting for something. Jenny turned back to Nick, but his gaze had shifted again. This time his eyes were narrowed as he looked across the room at Max, who was smiling politely and speaking with an elderly Japanese couple. Nick had the most curious combination of hound and hare on his face as he looked, both the hunter and the hunted. Cold suspicion leaked from him.
Jenny opened her mouth to question him, but she was cut off by the band leader standing up and announcing that the countdown to the New Year was about to begin. Couples stopped dancing and crowded to the center of the ballroom excitedly. Jenny grinned at Nick and abruptly started forward, ignoring his protests. She darted her way through the maze of people to make her way closer to the center. By the time Nick caught up with her and placed a restraining hand on her arm, the countdown had begun.
Ten... nine... eight... seven...
Nick looked more alert than he had all evening. "Jen, we have to leave," he insisted.
six... five... four..
"We can't leave now!" Jenny yelled over the noise of the crowd. She smiled to let him know how crazy the idea was.
three... two...
"Please, you don't even know. Something is going to happen!" Nick's eyes were wild with concern.
"Something is happening!" Jenny said. "This is a party!"
one... Happy New Year!!
Jenny screamed the words along with everyone else. Nick stood in the middle of the celebration, looking pale as streamers, confetti, and noise makers polluted the air. The band started playing "Auld Lange Syne," and many of the couples in the room started kissing. Alexei bent Minako backwards into a passionate kiss. Makoto and Kai and Usagi and Mamoru followed suit. Brenna and her new college friend were making out...even Christine and the others were laughing and kissing one another on the cheek.
Caught by a sudden inspiration, Jenny turned to Nick. She didn't care if he was the only one near her; she was going to take advantage of the tradition. Something about him looked so pathetic and lost that she felt a tender protectiveness for him that broke down the usual barriers between them. Without giving herself time to reconsider, Jenny threw her arms around Nick's neck and kissed him quickly on the lips. She pulled away immediately, looking up innocently at him. She kept her arms around his neck as he stared down at her in amazement, his eyes starting to focus.
Jenny grinned. "Bet that woke you up."
Nick blinked at her. "We need to leave. Now."
"Oh, shut up," Jenny said disgustedly. She wanted to kick him. What, no "That was nice" or "Thank you"? He must really be in the twilight zone. Wasn't he the one who had claimed to be so in love with her? She was about to shove him away when he lifted a hand and brought it to her left cheek. He tilted her face up carefully.
"I won't let anyone hurt you," he promised.
Jenny frowned at him. "No one is going to hurt me. Nick, what…?"
She was cut off when he gently brought his lips down to meet hers. At first, it was only a soft kiss of comfort, but it quickly grew more intense. Jenny felt dizzy as the stars and the moon spun over her head in a frantic dance. She found herself clinging to him without pretense or shame. Was this it, the love that Usagi so often spoke of? How could something feel so wrong and so familiar at the same moment? She felt as if for the first time in eight years she had returned to her real life. Everything else, being apart from him, had only been a nightmare. Nothing else mattered or ever had. Not when they were together again.
"Come on, lovebirds, step aside. Sharing is a virtue, young man."
Nick broke away from Jenny, and she felt a chill against her lips as he did. Slowly, she opened her eyes. Nick's eyes were hard as he looked over her shoulder. She turned reluctantly to Max.
He winked at her. "Just a little luck for the New Year."
Jenny shrugged and moved towards him, having to shake off Nick's protective grasp as she did. Quickly, she lifted herself onto her tiptoes and lightly kissed Max on the cheek. She noted the lack of warmth and emotion compared with what she had experienced a moment ago.
Max smiled when she pulled away. His golden eyes glowed. "Thank you," he said. "Do you like my party?"
"Very much."
"You?" This time, the question was directed at Nick.
"Yes." Nick's voice was surprisingly cold. Jenny lifted her eyebrows at him impatiently. Couldn't he give it a rest? Maybe it was a jealousy thing he had against Max, but couldn't he see that the man was nothing more to her than her friend?
Max didn't seem to notice Nick's coolness. "Good. It will be over soon, I imagine. These colleagues of mine act and talk tough, but their bedtime was hours ago. I imagine your group will also be heading off soon."
"Actually, I think we'll stick around for a while," Nick said.
Jenny looked at him, surprised. Why, when he was so eager to leave only moments before?
Max's smile looked oddly stiff. "As you please," he said. He walked away.
"I'll see you later," Nick told Jenny. He also left.
Well!
Jenny felt grumpy after having been abandoned by two handsome men at once. She walked over to one of the empty tables, and sank down into a chair. She was still feeling warm and shaken from her encounter with Nick. The world was spinning in a frantic dance. She needed a cold shower, or at least a glass of ice water. Now that she was away from Nick, her head was clearer. She felt a little embarrassed at the intensity of her feelings for him. She had prided herself on having more sense than that. It had happened so quickly; she'd had no time to process what was happening to her. But why should she have to analyze it? After all, as Usagi often liked to remark, why fight fate? Whatever happened next, she couldn't go back to being completely cold to him.
Jenny sighed and looked up. The guests were indeed starting to filter out. The sparkling night magic was fading as Sleep imposed. Jenny herself was feeling extremely tired. She looked around the room to locate her friends. Brenna was standing off to the side looking disappointed as her college man walked out the door with a pretty girl on his arm. Rei, Haruka, Setsuna and Dalila were in a group laughing together. The others were scattered around the room, showing no signs of getting ready to leave.
Her eyes landed on Nick, Usagi, and Mamoru standing together. The looks on their faces, grim and serious, as they spoke made her frown. She longed to hear what they were saying. She hoped Nick wasn't starting new rumors about Max. Jenny started to rise to join them. She could only forgive him for so long if he was determined to be an ass.
Alyson and Ami were approaching, so Jenny lowered herself back into her chair. She let her troubled thoughts dissipate as she lapsed into amiable conversation with them. The next hour flew by. The ballroom was quickly emptying, and by 1:30 AM, no one was left but Jenny and her friends. Her eyelids felt heavy with sleep, but she was the only one among her friends it seemed to have touched. While Jenny leaned against her table, swaying with tiredness, they were all grouped together in the center of the ballroom, talking in hushed voices. Hoping they would take the hint, Jenny rose and wandered over to Max. He was standing alone and looking at her friends thoughtfully, but as soon as he saw her a smile blossomed across his features.
"Great party, Max," Jenny said.
"I'm glad you think so. I certainly tried. I suppose you're ready to go to bed?"
"About," Jenny said, looking over her shoulder meaningfully at her friends. They had ceased speaking and were now shooting glances at Jenny and Max. Max's eyes were fixed on them as well.
"I'm glad everyone is having such a good time," he said cheerfully, but Jenny thought there was an undertone to his voice. She looked him over more carefully, and noticed how tense he looked. His stance was that of a man ready to spring into action at any moment. What was going on?
"I guess that's my cue to round up the troops," Jenny said, watching him closely. Max didn't respond. He was staring at something behind her. Jenny turned and saw that some of her friends were coming closer. Haruka, Michiru, Setsuna, Dalila, and Lyyli. Their faces were perfectly blank.
"Ready to go?" Jenny asked and stifled a yawn.
She received no answer.
Her other friends also crept forward, their eyes hard and determined.
"What's up? What are you doing?" Jenny asked them in confusion. She looked at Max with an apology ready on her lips, but the expression on his face stopped her. A strange calculating look was in his eyes as he considered the group moving towards him. He took a step towards her, one arm slightly raised as if preparing to grasp her arm at any moment.
"Don't," Nick said loudly. He was pushing through the crowd to come to the front beside Usagi and Mamoru. Usagi and Mamoru both looked grim and cautious. They stopped moving about fifteen feet away from Jenny and Max.
"Nick," Jenny said warningly. She moved closer to Max and put a hand on his arm. She looked challengingly back at Nick, seeing how hard the line of his mouth had become.
"Jenny, come here," he said firmly.
"No," she said, shooting him a what the hell? look.
"Jenny, get away from him," Usagi said quietly. Jenny looked at her with open-mouthed surprise. She had expected this behavior from Nick, but not Usagi.
Kai and Makoto also stepped up to the front of the line, holding hands tightly. "It's over, Lord Ahriman. We know your game," Kai said coldly.
Jenny felt the shock like a cold rush of electricity. She couldn't believe they were doing this. Her hand moved down Max's arm to take his hand. She looked at him, trying her best to smile and make light of it, but her trembling lips refused to comply.
"So sorry," she said quickly. "It's a… a role playing game. They're really into it."
"Jenny, please," Alyson said, her voice shaking slightly.
"No, it's not him!" Jenny cried. With one last plea, she found Kelly in the crowd. She looked at her desperately, willing her support, but Kelly was as sober as the rest of them. She was edging forward, her empty hands raised slightly in front of her as if approaching a dangerous criminal.
"My friends are really tired," Jenny tried again to Max, "They jump to conclusions. Don't worry, we're leaving."
She stressed the last word, but no one seemed to take the hint. Several of them actually crept forward a few steps.
"Get out of the way, Jenny," Nick said, his voice low and commanding.
"No. What are you doing? Why…?" Her last question was cut off with a startled cry, for Nick had pulled a shiny gun out of the inside of his jacket and was pointing it at Max. As a reflex, Jenny thrust herself in front of Max and spread out her arms.
"You are not going to hurt him!" she said desperately, her face bright with embarrassment and fear.
"Jenny, please step aside," a voice insisted, and Jenny saw a golden head pop out of Kelly's handbag.
"Surya," Jenny said in disbelief, her arms falling a bit. "What are you doing here?" A moment later, Luna and Artemis also jumped out of Usagi and Minako's bags.
"Listen to him," Artemis said. "That man is the enemy."
"No. I don't believe you. I won't believe you." Jenny felt close to tears as she turned, meeting each pair of eyes urgently in a search for some sanity.
"Jenny, move," Nick pleaded. His hand holding the gun was shaking slightly. Jenny looked him defiantly in the eyes and took a step backwards closer to Max, spreading her arms even wider.
"Go ahead and shoot if you want," she dared. "I'm not leaving him."
For one long moment, the grand ballroom was filled with stunned silence. The next, Max's arms shot out and encircled Jenny's waist. She jerked with surprise and then gasped as she felt the cool, sharp edge of a knife against her throat. Blood pounded in her temples as she realized: Max was doing this. Max was the enemy. Nick had been right all along!
"Yes, go ahead and shoot," Max said, his voice amused. "But know that before you do, I'll have cut this girl's throat into ribbons. I advise you to drop your gun, young man."