Avast!
Chapter 6
The wardrobe smelled of too many garments lined together, earth and wet grass. And above all that the subtle fragrance of Jasmine.
She was here.
Fate must have picked him tonight, James reasoned darkly. Or just wanted to drive him insane.
Three encounters in one night. He mentally shook his head. What mad coincidence. He almost believed that the woman was enticing him on purpose. Making sure he got a close look, touch, taste and smell of what he can't afford.
Anger settled deep in his gut and mixed with the unexplained attraction.
There was nothing more he despised than being out of control.
Witch, concluded James. Lily Evans was a witch.
Balling his hands into fists to prevent the urge to shake, choke or continue from where they stopped under the balcony, he leaned against the other side of the small space and asked in a low murmur: "what in hell are you doing here?"
"I should ask you the same question." came the reply.
It was amazing that even in a whisper; Ms. Evans managed to transfer haughtiness and scorn in one sentence.
Footsteps came and passed.
Suddenly the chamber's door flung open and something stumbled inside accompanied by drunken laughter and feminine giggles.
"Tuny, Darling! How ravishing you look tonight!" a male voice declared followed by a very loud wet kiss.
"Ooh milord," laughed the woman. "'am afraid I gave you the wrong impression. I'm not that kind of woman."
James heard Lily make a soft whimper sound.
"Never, never...." said the man. James saw through the crack of the double doors a flash of flying clothes.
Oh, no.
"What do you think of me? Tell me the truth." Panted the woman.
"Magnificent, stunning, amazing...." the man ranted on and on.
Lily started to make some gagging sounds.
Impatiently, James shoved aside the hanging garments and somehow slid across the space till he was pressed to her body. "What the hell is wrong with you?" he whispered in her ear, making sure the couple (from the squeaking of hinges, he guessed on the wide bed) wouldn't hear them.
"I think I'm going to be extremely ill any minute now" Lily whispered back.
"Why?"
"Because the man is Lord Madison, I recognize his voice." Lily gulped and added, "And that is my older sister, Petunia."
"Whoa" his eyes widened momentarily before his shoulders started to shake slightly.
"That is not funny at the least!" she hissed. She whimpered again when a loud moan was heard through the wardrobe's door. "I do believe I'm going to be traumatized for life" she mumbled dramatically.
James leaned his forehead above her head and realized he was never in such a ridiculous situation before. Stuck with a taken woman in a closet while her sister and the master of the mansion were having sex in the room.
Another loud moan was heard and he felt Lily's shudder in repulse.
"Take off my dress."
The soft command threw him back and he looked down. He barely could see the expression on her face but he did hear the determination in her voice.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Take off my dress." She repeated in a hushed voice.
"What happened to the rules of the ton you were so passionately defending an hour ago?"
"Rules are meant to be broken." She was working on the buttons of his shirt. "and I'll be damned if I'll stay one more second in a small space and witness the heated cat getting fucked. Now take off my dress."
"At the lady's wish" His fingers were already working on loosening the strings at her back, as if they had a mind of their own. He barely registered when she slammed her elbow hard at the wood surrounding them. He didn't hear the activity on the bed stop. The only thing he felt was Lily's hands running up on his bare stomach and torso, before grabbing his shoulders, jumping and wrapping her long legs around him.
She cupped his face with both hands and opened her mouth against his.
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!"
James pulled back immediately. The double doors were open and light spilled inside. Lord Madison was standing red-faced and without any breeches and shoes. Behind him he caught the sight of a tall and slender blonde woman who was shooting daggers with her eyes at Lily.
"Oh, dear. We've been caught" Lily looked at James. One arm was wrapped around the front of her bodice so the dress won't fall down and expose her completely. Her hairstyle was almost undone. Her lips were swallowed and her cheeks burning red.
She was the image of embarrassment at being caught red handed.
Only her green eyes, shadowed by her long lashes, were gleaming with unholy satisfaction.
He was right. She was a witch.
Avast!
Two hours later, James was sitting in an unknown pub, staring at his third half empty bottle and trying to erase the memory of two white mounds which kept flashing in and out of darkness in a tantalizing way, especially when Lord Madison was looking at them. He knew exactly what Lily was doing the whole time Madison was ogling her against his will. She made sure he was too distracted by her body to make her escape.
Madison acted like a puppet on a string.
Just like she made James feel.
In a surge of anger, James grabbed the bottle's neck and threw it at the opposite wall where it crashed loudly.
"Easy, mate. No need to take it on an innocent and good drink."
James glared at Black and then sunk in his chair with a long sigh. "I feel like the worst idiot on this goddamned earth."
Remus, surprisingly sober for once, smiled sympathetically at him. "Women here are very dangerous."
"She's distracting you from our goal" added Black. "Just take her, bed her and finish this tiring story."
"Can't"
"Don't tell me that just because she belongs to another" snorted Black, "It never stopped you before."
"She's Lord Longbottom's mistress. You realize how high the payment she's getting? And even if I happened to be able to pay her services, you really think there's a slight chance that she'll prefer a sailor over a titled lover?"
"I didn't suggest you marry her." Black shook his head in disgust. "That wench is tying you in knots already after just your second encounter. Who is she?"
"She's a part-time actress in Tranqeen's Theatre." Remus said. He shrugged under their stares. "I did some digging on my spare time. There's a show coming out soon. The Grand Opening in a week and a half. The tickets are hard to come by"
Black grimaced. "Never liked the theatre, but I guess you should go. If the show is that famous all the nobs will be there. I can take some boys with me and have a look in Madison's house."
James stared at the blotched table. "I suppose that will do. And while I'm there, I can watch Madison and Riddle."
And on the way ask Ms. Evans what she was doing in Madison's chamber in the first place, he thought.
Avast!
Black and Remus watched James doze off against the wall.
"I don't like this" Black muttered under his breath. "I never saw James react this way over a wench before"
"There's always a first time for anything" said Remus philosophically.
"That's ridiculous and pointless. Utter madness, it was it is. We should help him at least."
Remus looked doubtful. "You want to push around, don't you? From what James told us so far, I doubt she'll be very cooperative"
"Let's just say I'll help her in the right direction" Black said with small smile twisting his lips.
Remus didn't think he needed to know what Black was planning. Many years of friendship helped him understand how his best friend's line of thought worked. He stared at the sleeping James and said as an afterthought. "The ship could use a wash through. And a temporary cook."
A/N: I know, I know, I haven't updated in a very long time (and I prefer not to look and find out how long :)) and I know it's rather short but that's all I could write cause next chapter is Lily's point of view which is going to be entertaining. At least for me, because I know what's going to happen. And all of you who have a vague idea of what Sirius is planning to do.
So as usual ideas/suggestions/ice-cream blackmails and death threats are welcome (lol).
Hoped you all enjoyed it (REVIEW!)
BuDoTr
(Disclaimer: mine... not mine.... mine..... not mine... not mine? Not fair!)