At Long Last…Seto's Gala:
The day, my friends, had come. Seto's soiree. June 15th.
I showered, put my make-up on myself this time, and did my own hair. I did not want my Magician Girls to help, they had more important things to do in their world, but they insisted they serve me. I told them no. When they finally gave in, I pulled Mana aside and told her that I had exciting news for her. She had recovered from her injuries from the duel on the beach and was as bubbly as ever.
"What is it?" She asked, her green eyes shining.
"I think I found your old Master." I smiled and we jumped up and down.
"You did!? Oh Mistress this is fantastic! Did you speak with him? Does he know I'm still here? Where is he?"
"Woah. Slow down. He is safe. He is the main Duel Spirit of a friend of mine. I met him a while back but you were still recovering. I have not had the chance to talk to him about you yet, he's…he stays very separate from the other Spellcasters." I answered.
"He does? I hope he is well. How did he seem?"
Did Mana not know that Mahad was sequestered from the others because of his fall from grace so to speak?
"He seemed…honorable." I tried the best word.
At that Mana smiled a nostalgic smile. "Yes. He is. I can't wait to see him again."
"I can't wait for you too either."
June 15th:
I remember taking the Oscar de la Renta dress from its box and carefully putting it on. The peachy fabric looked nice against my tanned skin and I loved how it flowed. The dress made me look ethereal and magical, Seto had great taste. My hair was in a curled and twisted up-do. My feet slipped into the Jimmy Choo's and what a surprise they fit.
I descended my stairs taking great care to not step on the hem. I reached the bottom and passed through my living room where I was greeted by Neo's traditional long, appreciative whistle. I smiled and laughed.
"Just when I thought you could not surprise me any more Mistress, you go and do it again."
He had come back to my house for this reason. He wanted to see my outfit and I was glad that he did. If Neo thought I looked pretty, then I must be.
"That never gets old Neo." I said.
On time, Roland arrived to take me to the Kaiba mansion. Razel stayed with me by turning into his card form and hiding in my clutch purse. I got into the back seat and was on my way.
We pulled up to the gates of the Kaiba estate where security checked out my ID. Roland vouched for me, telling the guy that I was a special guest of Mr. Kaiba's. That satisfied the guard, though I wondered why my being escorted by Roland into Seto's estate wasn't enough proof that I was someone sort of important. The large iron gates opened and Roland drove me up the long, winding drive. Trees and immaculate landscaping surrounded me. We breached a clearing and I saw ahead the sprawling home of Seto Kaiba. It was easily 15,000 sq ft with a fully detached garage that could hold six cars. It was four stories tall, with windows all throughout.
Columns welcomed guests as they held up a portico under which hung large lantern fixtures. The house was amazing. Roses and other flowers filled the air with their sweetness, Gardens and fountains abounded. Butlers came down the front steps as Roland and I pulled up to the front entrance. They opened my door and took my hand as I got out.
"This way Miss. Mr. Kaiba is waiting for you in the study." He said. He was an elderly gentleman who obviously held his position in high regard.
I followed him, thanked Roland and entered Seto's mansion for the first time.
My breath was taken away. Chandeliers of crystal, high ceilings, spacious rooms, a formal sitting room, living room, and a large den as big as my whole house were inside. The floors were Brazilian cherry, extremely rare and expensive. I followed the butler down the main hall, my eyes wide. I had to look in every room. Powder rooms and bathrooms were thrown here and there. Music rooms and a few guest bedrooms were there as well. We went through the formal dining room and its floor to ceiling windows, into the professional kitchen with its Subzero and Wolf appliances, marble countertops, and a hoard of chefs and waiters and waitresses preparing the evening's fare. We came to the study, the butler rapped on the doors.
"Yes?"
"Mr. Kaiba, your guest of honor is here." The butler said.
"Thank you James. She may come in."
I too thanked James and went inside. Like all of the other rooms in the house, the study was big. There were books, a grand desk with three computers, and sitting behind them was Seto. My heart sped up. He was wearing a striking Armani tux and his scent of Gucci cologne filled my throat.
He glanced up from the glowing screens and I saw a glitter in his cerulean eyes.
"The dress is nice on you. Sometimes I manage to surprise myself." He gave himself credit for picking out my dress, the ass.
I put my hands on my hips. "Yup. I normally hate dresses but you did an ok job. Nice to see that you're good at other things besides technology and gaming. Makes you seem almost normal," I raised my brows.
Seto grunted. "The shoes fit I take it?"
"Yeah, they're painful but that's the price of beauty right?"
I could tell that by ten I'd be limping. I wasn't used to wearing heels so I packed Advil just in case. I went over to his desk.
"What are you doing? Shouldn't you be directing the chefs?"
"They have their orders." He sat back in his desk chair and reached to open a drawer to his side.
"Come here. I have a gift for you."
I blushed. "Why?"
He pulled out a jewelry box; a necklace box. My heart raced now and my arms tingled. What the hell was this about?
Seto rose, holding the box before him. It was black tied with a black and silver ribbon. I could hear my blood in my ears. The name of the company was stamped inside a sheared edged rectangle. The initials HW were inside; Harry Winston.
"Oh my God," I said before I could stop myself.
Seto removed the ribbon and gave me the black box. "Think of it as a token of appreciation for your hard work. Tonight would not be happening if it were not for you."
My fingers shook on the lid. Harry Winston was a purveyor of fine jewelry, many celebrities and royalty bought his pieces. My mind flip-flopped as I tried to picture what was inside. The lid was off. I took out the velvet necklace case. I opened it. My breath hitched and I gasped aloud.
"Holy shit," I said.
Laying on its velvet cushion, secured by two fasteners, was a diamond necklace so resplendent that it nearly made me tear up. They glittered like stars and there were so many! All were flawless stones. It looked like a ring of ice set in white gold, the design resembling florets and leaves.
"A Harry Winston Wreath?" I stared at him. "You got me a Harry Winston Wreath?" I was in disbelief. "Seto this must have cost you a fortune!"
It did. A small one to him thought. A mere $280,000 to be close. (True, they are very expensive.)
"Money is nothing to me." He reached out and took the necklace from me, removed it from its case, and came up behind me. When I felt the heavy necklace being placed around my neck, I held my breath. He latched it on and stepped aside.
"Not bad if I say so myself."
I wanted to see it. I ignored him and went to one of the windows behind his desk. I saw it in my reflection. It was dazzling.
"Seto, this…is amazing." I said touching it. "I can wear this for the party?"
"You can keep it. It is for you." He stood next to me, staring into my reflection's eyes.
We stood together for a while, observing the gift. I wanted to hug him, tell him that I loved it. But I did not. I had to keep my cool.
"Thank you for this." I finally said. "I've never had anything like this."
"It is lovely on you."
I faced him. We were close. We shared each other's warmth. The was like one of those movie moments, when you rooted for the couple to kiss. Of course that doesn't happen in real life. Seto moved away from me and towards the study doors.
"Come on. It's almost time for the rest of the guests to arrive."
"Ok." I followed after him.
Seto's Gala:
Seto greeted the throngs of guests as they arrived. Business colleagues, socialites, millionaires, real estate moguls, investors. I stood a little away from him, awkwardly holding my glass of club soda with lime. I pretended I held a vodka club, no one would know. Around me were tables laden with food: savory appetizers were carried on trays by the wait staff. There was a cheese table with international samplings, with the rare and shamefully expensive pule cheese at the center. It was supposedly made from donkey milk and sold for $500 an ounce! (True). A fruit table with jewels of perfect fruits, a bread table, a carving station, and my favorite, a dessert table. On that were cakes, petite fors, and entremets of varying flavors. All were picturesque.
A private orchestra played smooth jazz, traditional pop (think 1930's-50's), and some modern songs. Men and women were dressed to the nines and they all had airs of haughtiness. I was in the yuppy den. I caught women staring at my necklace, envy in their eyes. Some introduced themselves, asking whose wife I was. I replied that I was here stag and they blinked like I spoke to them in Greek.
"I'm not here with anyone." I explained.
"Oh. How nice for you," They would say and excuse themselves. I had no husband to bitch about or brag about what they gave me, try to one up the other wives, so I was useless.
I was fine with that. I was the guest of honor, the fuck did I care? Once the guests all showed and were happy with drinks in their hands, the party was actually fun. I did dance a little, some people dared to have fun with me and joined me on the dance floor. I spoke at length with a woman named April who was here with her husband. She was nice. Pretty, blond. Typical yuppy. Her husband, John, was chatting with a friend of his named Eric by the bar. Eric's wife was by the carving station, ordering short ribs.
"That necklace is gorgeous," April told me.
"Thank you. It was a gift." I said proudly.
"No! From who? Anyone here? I might know them?" She whispered, ready for a secret.
"Meh, I guess you might. He does float in your circles." I said.
John called for April to come over to him and I danced away, grateful for the break.
As the night went on, it came time for the revealing. Seto stood by the orchestra's microphone and taped his champagne glass into the speaker. The guests stopped and turned with rapt attention to their host.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming tonight. Taking time out of your busy schedules is difficult I know."
"Not for one of your parties Seto!" Shouted one enthusiastic guest.
"Thank you. But as you well know, I have important news. You all may have heard that I have been developing a secret new system with which to play the game Duel Monsters. Well, I have made a brake through. I have found a way to bring the game to life. A way to forever change the way Duel Monsters is played. I give you, Kaiba. Corps. New and improved Duel Disk!"
A covered wheeled cart appeared to his right and James the butler lifted the cloth away from the blade-like Duel Disk. It was official. Seto patent it and it was ready for circulation. It earned ohs and awes and massive applause.
"Fantastic!" They shouted.
"Superb!"
"Revolutionary!"
Seto held up his hand for silence. "In addition, I'd like to share with you the person without whom this project would not have taken off. She was essential in bringing this dream to the forefront. And she deserves her rightful credit."
All eyes were on me as Seto called me over to stand with him. I held my head high despite my anxiety. I pretended they were Duel Spirits and I walked past them easily. Taking my place of honor next to Seto I smiled.
"Thank you for your kind words Seto. It is true I did lend a little help to his project, an experience I will never forget. Working with Kaiba. Corps. Staff and Mr. Kaiba I learned a lot about gaming technology. Together, under his model, we came up with this design. I may have lent my two cents, but it was Seto who made it possible." I clapped for him and the crowd seemed to like my improved speech.
"No. It was us." Seto now clapped for me and the crowd joined us. I blushed.
"Also, you may have heard of a tournament I have been orchestrating in order to try out these new Duel Disks, for that date, you will have to wait."
The crowd laughed and gave another round of applause.
After the revealing, Seto was surrounded by investors and businessmen all clamoring to speak finances. I could not get close. I too was surrounded by women and their husbands, congratulating me, asking how I knew Seto, where I got my degree, whose father was mine. The wives asked if Seto gave me the necklace, a nice rumor April spread to her friends.
"It is a congratulatory gift." I said.
"You lucky bitch," they joked though I was not sure it totally was. "I'd kill for Seto to give me a Harry Winston. He has the best taste.
"Money, brains, power, and he's good with jewelry. What a package."
"I bet he's amazing in bed."
I laughed. They were hysterical. I saw April wander off on her own towards the staircase. Probably looking for the bathroom. I decided to follow her lead, I had to pee. Four club sodas will do that to you. I excused myself and went up Seto's stairs. I was greeted by a second floor lounge area with halls extending off of that. I chose the second hall and that's when I got lost.
Seto's Library:
I'm not sure how I ended up in his library but there I was. I had taken a wrong turn in the maze of his halls and figured that I might as well pick a door and see what was behind it. Hoping that it was the first hall I came too at that point, I could ask a butler where a bathroom was, I frowned when I discovered the opposite. It was not the main hall but an impressive private library complete with a mezzanine and spiral staircases to the upper level of bookshelves. Rows and rows of books lined the walls and I assumed they were mostly first editions. The library is so large that it seems the house itself was constructed around it. There is even a fireplace. Suddenly my urge to pee vanished.
Pale rugs added a more contemporary feel to the otherwise traditional design of polished wood and black iron. The recessed lights were motion censored so as I walked further in, they grew brighter. The library was bathed in a lovely glow and I gasped at the copious amount of texts. I was downright envious of Seto's collection for I loved books and to read and I wanted nothing more than to scour through each one, burying my nose deep into pages and inhaling deeply the soothing scent of dry ink. Those beloved smells welcomed me like an old friend. Temptation was besting me that night because I wanted to touch the copies on the shelves, disrupting their neatly organized arrangement. Reading a few titles, I made out books in Greek, Latin, and Old English.
I wonder if Seto can read these or if he has them for posterity's sake. I thought. Mokuba is a bright kid and I'm sure Seto's goal is to provide his little brother with the best education money could buy. A sumptuous library is no exception. Then again, he could just have them for aesthetics. Yet given how ingenious Seto is with technology, I would not be too surprised if he could read in several languages.
Each section of the library was sectioned off by either, genre, or age. I did go over to a shelf that had books on the ancient world, particularly Egypt.
Hey, I wonder if there might be any clues to help me figure out what happened to Yami back then. He's the spirit in Yugi's puzzle right? And that Item is Egyptian so I'm curious to see if he's mentioned. Maybe I can help him find out about himself. I thought.
A few hours ago, while I was trying to slip away from a lecherous guest, Yami reached out to me via Mind Link. I admit I was taken aback at first but I offered any help I could. He told me that he had just visited the Domino Museum and came upon the large steles in the exhibit near the basement. He had gone with Tea. Just as I saw a carving resembling Seto with his dragon, they too noticed a striking similarity between Yami and the figure on the stone. He told me also that Ishizu/Isis introduced herself and claimed that he was not just an ordinary spirit, but the spirit of a long dead pharaoh who helped to rid the world of an ancient evil. She even addressed him as "my King" and "my Pharaoh/ Bak Her, Per-Aah," ancient signs of respect.
Yami asked me if I would not mind researching Egyptian royalty and if they had ties to prophetic scriptures or mythology dealing with the end of the world. I told him I would help. So you're Egyptian, I had asked. And a king at that.
He was humbled by his origins and quickly stated that his royal lineage was not the reason for his interest in his past. He wanted to remember who he was as a person, his family, his life. I jumped at the chance and I told him that I wanted to meet him again. Hey he was living history! Of course I'd be all over it.
A set of three steps separated me from the books of antiquity and as I went down them, I thought I heard voices. I paused, mildly stricken by underlying trepidation. I was, as far as I knew, alone in a private library in a huge old mansion…anything was possible. My reaction to a potential ghost in Seto's home tickled me and I laughed quietly to myself.
"Oh geeze. After everything I've seen ghosts are the least of my problems," I said and brushed it off.
I got up to the books, which were first editions all in prime condition, and I found a book that could have held some answers. It was a collection of essays written by scholars at a conference held at Brown University and revolved around the mysteries of lost pharaohs. The premise of the essays was to confirm the existence of pharaohs otherwise lost in history from eradication of evidence, or misplaced mummies. Their arguments pretty much were consistent; that there were more pharaohs in Egypt then modern recordings listed. I flipped through the pages, my previous occupation as a diligent student rearing its head again, and I gave my full attention to any hint of Yami in Egypt. I scanned my eyes over the text in robotic speed.
"Mmmm, nothing here." I put the book away and went for another.
"Still nothing. How can that be?" I put that one back and so the cycle went.
I got so engrossed in my search that I forgot about the party. By the time I took down the twentieth book I was far away from the center foyer steps and blocked by other shelves. As I read, I had an idea. What if the reason I had no luck finding any information about Yami in Ancient Egypt was because Yami might not be his real name. It was not Egyptian by any stretch but Japanese, which I found odd. That would be a huge stumbling block, nearly impossible to go beyond.
That's when my luck came through. I was reading an article written by a Doctor Hawkins on hieroglyphs he uncovered depicting the tale of a young pharaoh who held the seat of Egypt for only a few days before dying mysteriously and passing the throne to his cousin. There was an old black and white photo of the temple wall and if I squinted my eyes I barely made out familiar looking hair and features. According to Dr. Hawkins, this pharaoh was unnamed as his cartouche had been chiseled out. Like Queen Hatshepsut, someone wanted this pharaoh to be banned in the next life. Before I could read further I heard the voices again. I froze.
I halted my breathing and listened. They were human, thank God for that. The voices were muffled and hushed. I heard a woman's sigh and giggle, then a man's groan. Her rustling dress and the sounds of books vibrating caused me to throw my hands to the ceiling in alarm and mouth, Oh my God! This couple is having sex!
I had to get out of there. I turned to leave but failed to hold the book in my pinky and ring fingers as I lifted my skirt to pick up the pace. The book tumbled out of my hand and landed with a thump and fluttering pages that might as well have been an air-horn.
"Who's there?" The man said in a startled voice.
I heard his lady friend gasp and immediately become worried. "Oh my God, Eric, who is it?"
Ah fuck me. I thought of transporting myself out of there but what if they saw me? I could not levitate so I stayed quiet until he found me tip-toing away.
"Who the hell are you?" He asked stuffing his dress shirt back into his trousers.
I cringed. "Ah…damn. Hey," I straightened and turned my torso. "Look, sorry about that. Just enjoying the books." I winked and went to leave.
"Hey, I know you. You're Seto Kaiba's guest of honor. The one who helped get this charade off of the ground." Eric said smoothing his hair. He was a stout man in his early forties with a square build, graying hair and beady brown eyes.
"You got me," I joked.
"Yeah, that was some unveiling. My company will benefit from Kaiba's products. You know what you're doing in there. Most cower in front of the man. But not you it seems. The son of a bitch had you standing right next to him by God!"
"He is pretty tough. Expects the best," I said going to leave again.
"Where are you going? Don't leave yet. Why not stay here where we might talk about the advancements in gaming technology. Or," his tone dropped into that slimy tenor all creepy men get when trying to seduce younger women. "You could join us."
At that I spun around. "What?"
"April here won't mind. She's been wanting to add in another to our affair. You would be a most welcome member." Eric gave me the once over, lingering on my breasts.
My irritation was triggered and was busy tunneling itself out of the dirt of my emotions. I glanced coldly behind him, the light in my eyes shifting into that flat sociopathic stare that puts people immediately on edge. I hated when guys spoke that way to me. It was so presumptuous and misogynistic. April hunkered against the bookshelves, holding her dress up. She knew I was insulted by her tryst's suggestion. They disgusted me, these people. I read their Energy, peaked into their minds. They were married and their respected spouses were mingling downstairs unaware of anything untoward going on thanks to the ruse of the oh so innocent bathroom visit. Apparently this affair had been ongoing for a while. Eric was the president of a game parts company that supplied Kaiba Corp with the materials needed to mass produce the Duel Disks. April's husband was the CEO of that same company. Talk about shitting where you eat.
"I'm not interested." I said flatly.
At that, Eric blinked and chuckled. "Wow! Harsh. Solid No. Not even going to think about it huh?"
Oh, God here we go. A guy who's so embarrassed by his question and my refusal to its absurdity that he is going to get insulting and obnoxious to hide his chagrin.
"Already forgotten," I waved my hand.
That's when he changed exactly as I suspected he might. "I got ya. Only interested in what Seto Kaiba says right?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" I answered.
"I saw you, standing there smiling that smile you women get."
"What smile is that?" I asked.
"Smug, the way you get when you have a powerful man by the balls." He made an obscene hand gesture.
"Really? Is that what it is? I thought it was a smile of satisfaction from my hard work paying off." I shrugged.
"You feminists and your self-righteous talk!" Eric was plastered, making nonsensical remarks.
"I'm not a feminist." I said. I liked it when men treated me like a woman, opened doors, held out chairs, made dinner, gave me flowers, bought me gifts for no reason, defended my honor. It wasn't because they saw you as weak, they were treating you as a precious being. Something all women deserve.
"Ha! Then what are you? A prude?" He barked.
"Ha! I wish. But no, I'm just someone who has class." I smirked.
Eric's red face darkened. The drink was muddying his thoughts. "You saying I have no class?"
"You have as much class as she does," I pointed to April behind him who looked like she wanted to die. "Nice of you guys to lie to your spouses by the way."
Eric was flabbergasted. "What!?"
"Oh yeah, your wife. You know, the poor unfortunate married to you downstairs. Waiting for her slob of a husband to come back from the bathroom. Nice way to repay her after that wonderful birthday trip to Fiji last month." I let the info I leaked from his memory out.
"How the fuck!? Who are you? A private eye? Did she put you up to this?" He growled at me.
"And you April, your husband got you that Rolce Royce for your anniversary last week and this is your thank you? God, you people are repugnant," I spat at her.
"What are you going to do?" She asked in a shaky voice. "What do you want?"
"I don't want anything except for peace and quiet." I replied.
Eric did not believe me and his fears of my potential revelation to his wife got the better of him. He stomped over to me and got in my face, the stench of whisky dry on his breath. "How the fuck do you know about our lives?"
Each gust of his breath strangled my nostrils and I recoiled. "Dude you need to back the fuck up."
"Or what? How do I know you won't blab to my wife or to my boss?"
"You don't. I guess you'll have to wait and see." I said staring right into his glassy eyes. "If you don't step away, I'll make you regret it."
"Are you threatening me? Gonna tell my wife about me? Huh? You fucking bitch!" Eric snatched out and seized my left arm in his meaty hand.
His grip was tight and I felt the bruises forming under his fingers. "Let go!" I yelled angrily at him.
April let out a shriek and raced over to pry his hand off of me. "Eric! Stop! She won't tell!"
"Shut the fuck up April! This little slut is going to tell Jim everything! I'll lose my job! My wife!" Eric snarled and shoved April off of him.
"Getting a tad worried huh Eric? I don't blame you. I would be too." I said calmly.
I got a nice hefty backhand across the mouth for that. I think I saw stars for a second actually. April screamed. Eric was hitting me in a drunken frenzy, deathly afraid of his livelihood being ripped asunder and his future as a plebian flashing before him. The consequences of his host's guest of honor being black and blue of little concern at the moment.
I heard her yelling at him to stop. It did not matter, I was healing as he hit me. He was calling me names, threatening to ruin me if I said anything to anyone. I took it in stride until I was kind of done playing the punching bag. I glared at him and his right arm stopped in mid strike. Eric's eyes bulged. Try as he might his arm would not move. It was frozen.
"What's wrong Eric?" My tone was low, thoughtful. My eyes grew dark. "Can't move?"
He panted, the vessels in his eyes bursting from strain. "What did you do?"
"You shouldn't hit women Eric." I grinned. I focused my Energy into his arm, constricting around the bone. I felt the splinters chipping as I steadily broke his arm.
Eric hollered in pain and fear. I was about to finished but Eric was suddenly knocked to the ground. The release of his grip made me stumble back.
"What?" I saw Seto in front of me, his body crouched over Eric.
Seto had the man by the shirt collar, grumbling threats into Eric's anguished face. His arm was crippled beside him.
"You mother fucker! I invite you into my house and this is how you thank me? You're nothing more than a disgusting excuse for a creature that is just a waste of space. Any man who hits a woman or another they think is weaker deserves to be punished."
Seto's voice was cold and sharp. I saw how white his knuckles were as he gripped the fabric of Eric's shirt. Their faces were close. Eric was shaken and at a loss for words. How humiliating! I half expected him to piss himself. Now his job was truly on the line. Seto could destroy this man thrice over and Eric knew it.
"I chose to ignore your little affair with your boss's wife because I quite frankly don't give a shit about what you do with your personal life. But I will not condone this. You're lucky she did not finish what she started, she is well within her rights to do much worse. Stop sniveling like a child. It's disgraceful." Seto hissed.
His Energy was dominate and imposing, a dragon towering over its quaking victims. Seto reminded me of a dragon then—hard, strong, a figure of pure power and beauty snarling and baring its fangs. Seto was browbeating this man into abject submission. I saw his immense protectiveness blast forth in a white hot eruption and I thought of his brother Mokuba. Seto protected Mokuba from anything, he was sword, shield, father, and brother. A tiny smile formed its way over my mouth…Seto was doing the same for me.
"I'm sorry Seto! Please! My wife, my kids!" Eric begged. He was pathetic in doing so.
"Fuck them. That's what you did Eric. You fucked them and their lives tonight. You could never hold your drink. Always causing trouble. Tonight you've gone too far. Now get the fuck out of my sight." Seto rose to stand like the Colossus of Rhodes over Eric.
The whimpering man huffed and puffed as he stumbled to get up, hindered by his injured arm. Sweat slicked his face and forehead, drenching his dress shirt. His face was beet red and his eyes were wet with worry and dread. Like a whipped dog he scurried out of the library and down to the party below. April too slunk out, praying that Seto would leave her out of it.
"You just watched April?" Seto called after her.
She jolted at the doors. "I…I…Seto, you know my husband. He is a loyal friend to you and your company," she started to bargain with him but Seto would have none of it.
"Just shut up. You let that pig touch her like that. You were fully capable of stopping him but you did nothing. To me you are just as guilty. Get out of my library." Those icy blue eyes crucified her and April hurried out.
With them both gone, I tuned into the party picking up on Eric and April. They feigned illness and quickly made their leave. Eric's wife noticed his arm and pressed for answers to which he soundly told her to be quiet.
"They left," I said to Seto. We were alone now in the library surrounded by books.
"You are not concerned that Eric will mention your little magic trick?" Seto asked still fixed on the doors.
"No. I think Eric will sacrifice virgins to please the gods to keep you away from talking to his boss." I said laughing. I winced when my mouth stretched too far and the bruised skin stung.
"Ah! Damn!" I inhaled and gingerly touched the site.
Seto was on me in an instant. His shoes muffled by the carpet. "Let me see."
Before I could protest, I felt Seto's right thumb and index finger curl under my chin and tilt my head up. His eyes saw my wounds and they reflected back to me the ugly purple, greenish-yellow splotches. I had slight bruising under my right eye from when Eric's knuckles cracked my cheekbone.
"Christ," Seto whispered furiously. His fingers gently rubbed the wounds, the heat of him tingling my skin.
"It's fine. Look its healing already," I pointed over his hand at my face. The purple marks were fading, but I could tell that they left indelible marks on Seto.
His worry, his hurt, it consumed his Energy. Seto is a very protective person. It's engrained into his DNA. From his youth Seto had to protect himself and Mokuba from the world. He reverted back to those dark days at the orphanage, his Energy molding into a barrier intended to keep others outside. It was a subconscious thing, creeping into his adulthood. His fingers still caressed my bruises as if trying to confirm that they were real. Either that or he was trying to make them go away. Whatever the reason it did not keep my skin from turning red, or make my heart slow down. He was so quiet, so intense. That same dragon that roared above his foes now shielded us with its great wings, creating a world unto ourselves.
I remember the warmth of his hand, the closeness of his body. Our eyes locked together in a defiant dance neither of which was going to quit. I stared at him, and he at me. A dragon and a Psychic…
My bruises were almost healed. But Seto never let my chin go. I felt the heat of him near me, the weight of his fabulous gift around my neck. I thought of the Duel Disk he gave me signed by him. I thought of his cellphone number that he gave me. Below us, the part was still going strong. There was only a short time until Seto's fireworks display and I wondered if his guests were wondering where their host was. He stepped closer to me and my thoughts went back to him.
I wanted to speak but I did not for fear of breaking this spell between us. Our Energy mingled and rolled over one another. The sensations from it burned into our souls, tying us together. I suppose that is what it means to have destinies intertwine. I sensed Seto's tremors from the whole thing. He could not believe what was happening any more than I could. I brought my hands up and slid them between us, placing them on his chest. Like adhesive, our Energies connected us and my hands were fixed onto him.
The color in his eyes deepened, their ocean depths darkening to indigo gems. This was the first time Seto gazed at me like that, granted it was likewise I did so to him. His fingers moved from my chin and his palm cupped the side of my face. My breath hitched in my throat. My heart pounded in my ears. His Gucci cologne gripped my lungs.
Shadows darkened my face as he lowered his head towards mine. Like bottles of carbonated water, our Energies bubbled and sizzled, searching for an outlet to release. Mounting emotion tore through us and it nearly brought us to our knees. The strange connection we shared since our first sighting of each other quadrupled as our paths of destiny finally merged; we had taken our last steps on our own lonely roads and now stood on a highway leading to the future.
My hands slid up his chest, over his broad shoulders. My arms wrapped around his neck, his chestnut hair grazing the crooks of my elbows. Our bodies pressed together now, closer than we had ever been. His free hand came around my waist, holding me to him. His nose brushed mine. Our Energy surged now, rising to the top.
I exhaled the breath I had been clinging too like a lifeline. I closed my eyes. A loud crack sounded around us, sending bursts of Energy into the Universe. Tremors rumbled throughout the library, rattling the bookshelves. Seto pressed his mouth onto mine and I relaxed into his arms as I welcomed his kiss. His lips were warm and firm against mine, tasting of sweet aged wine and raspberry chocolate mousse with hints of his skin's natural spice.
I burned inside as Seto's lips gently danced over my own, his mouth easing my lips to part that he may deepen the kiss.
I remember the feelings I experienced! The way I felt as he held me tenderly, carefully, romantically—was euphoric. It was perfect.
I entwined my fingers into his hair. He guided his hot mouth softly to my jaw and neck. Much to my delight Seto displayed impressive skill in knowing exactly when, where, and how to praise a woman's body. He kissed my neck with the care of an artist, a natural instinct that few men have and is very difficult to find. I gave him access to my neck, tilting my head back. The heat from his mouth sent chills through me, the fire pooling in my belly.
Our Energies tattooed themselves together creating a protective cage around us. He kissed over my collar bones, avoiding the Harry Winston that glittered between us. He tugged on the delicate chiffon straps of my gown, letting them drop down my shoulders. I gripped onto his shoulders now, my fingers tightly wrinkling his tux. I sighed as Seto kissed my chest, wandering down to the exposed portions of my breasts.
"Seto, wait." I whispered to the library ceiling.
Upon hearing his name, he stopped his tender ministrations and grazed his lips softly along my shoulders, neck, cheek. Each tiny rush of air Seto left in his wake stirred my flesh. I could smell him on me, smell his cologne, his skin, his scent mingled with my own creating a wondrous perfume.
Our eyes met again but not for long. Our mouths pressed together in a kiss, then another and another. His hands left my waist to take my arms. Reluctantly, Seto separated us and we stood there, dazed and breathless. On que, our Energy also separated from its python constriction.
"What is this?" I asked gathering my wits. My lips still tingled from the heat of him.
Seto remained silent, just holding me.
"Seto?"
"It's…I'm fine." He hesitated. " I…ah…I don't know what came over me. I should not have done that." He let my arms go and he backed away, like a child afraid of being reprimanded.
Not knowing what exactly was going on I tried to ignore the Titanic that had been my feelings which was sinking very rapidly.
"I should not have done that to you." He repeated.
"Oh, yeah. It's no problem. Don't worry about it. Too much booze," I agreed with a carefree wave of my hand.
"I don't know what came over me," Seto said.
I made a face. "Nah. Think nothing of it. Happens all of the time."
Seto glanced over at me. "What?"
"I'm kidding," I grinned hoping my face did not reveal the mild sting of disenchantment. I smoothed over my dress. I was fidgeting, something I never do.
I began to knock my hands together, alternating a fist and open palm. The silence was awkward between us and reminded me of when my dad caught me making out with my first boyfriend.
"So! The fireworks are about to start. We should head on down," I used my thumbs to point towards the library door.
Seto blinked and agreed with me, "Yes. The fireworks. I should see to that."
"And I for one am dying to try those petite fors you ordered. They look amazing. I'm a sugarholic so I'll probably down the whole tray."
I turned on my high-heel and stepped up to the door. Behind me I heard Seto's reserved footsteps and my gut tightened.
The Fireworks:
The night sky was aflame with brilliant colors that tumbled into nothingness, leaving glittering trails behind them. The cracks and bursts garnered sounds of appreciation and wonderment from the audience. I barely paid attention, staring at how the pale dress in front of me magically switched from blue, to green, to red, to orange. Seto was among the crowd of guests but he was far away, standing with other CEO's and cohorts in the corporate world. I listened all around but I was unable to join in on the spectacle. I brought my hand up to touch the necklace I was given, the diamonds now feeling like tawdry stones.
I was finally able to let my expression drop into the disassociated frown I so often adopted when faced with an emotional obstacle. I was in the library, Eric found me, he hit me, Seto came and stopped it, Seto threatened Eric, Seto kissed me. The sequence of events kept rolling on and on in my mind like a movie reel on endless rewind. I did not understand. I felt his Energy! I knew he wanted it as much as I did so why was he acting distant? At least I thought I knew he wanted to kiss me…what if I misread his intentions. What if he merely wanted to kiss me to see if I was any good? Or what if he wanted to see if any power might leak into him through a kiss? What if he was just fucking bored with the party and wanted some excitement.
It did not matter. I could fabricate scenarios to no avail. It was a waste of energy. It was just a kiss, pure and simple. I could stand there pondering the ins and outs of it all, concocting reasons why. But then I remembered that this was not my reason for attending this shindig. My reason was not for the inexplicable feelings going on between us, but to ensure his Dragons sided with the Spellcasters against the Warriors.
Would they? They should by God! I gave Seto the means to summon Obelisk. He should be more than willing to offer their assistance to my cause. I pushed aside my worries of the meaning behind the kiss and corrected myself. Business. We were business partners in this. If Seto wanted business-like interactions after this then business-like he will get. I came to that resounding conclusion as I stood there finally looking up at the light show. The whole time I felt Seto's eyes on my back.
The evening came to a close. The guests stumbled out to their cars brought to them by valet. All in all it was a fun night, the kiss notwithstanding. I receded into the drawing room where I sat down on one of Seto's couches. My feet throbbed, like sledge hammers on my bones. At that point I could not wait to get out of this dress and into pajama shorts and a T-shirt. Sighing heavily I leaned forward to rest my elbows on my knees.
"This fucking night. It's not prudent of me to stay here like this," I said aloud. I needed to act.
Giving my back a nice crack, I stood up again. Seto was in the entranceway. We stared at each other.
"Hey," I said. "Nice party."
"It went well as expected." He said.
"I guess I should get going." I shrugged and went towards him.
"I'm heading out. There is one thing I need to do tonight. Roland will take you home." Seto said.
"Roland is a life saver. He's great."
I got close to him, I passed him. His hand grabbed my forearm causing me to stop.
"What?" I asked.
He tugged me back into the drawing room to stand in front of him. His grip was light but it might as well have been an iron chain.
Seto seemed once again unsure, awkward, timid. I, on the other hand was calm, confident, and regal. This was business nothing more. I had to tell myself that or else I would crumble.
"In the library, what happened—I'm not sure what."
"We kissed…Seto," I clarified for him. "It's no big deal."
"No! That's not!" He raised his voice. He shook his head, his chestnut hair catching the light. "I'm Seto Kaiba. I'm the president of Kaiba Corp.!"
Now he was yelling. Not at me though, rather he was yelling at himself.
"Seto, seriously. What's the big deal? It was a kiss. People do that. It's nothing to get so upset about. I'm sure you've kissed girls before." I said.
He shook his head again. "Yes…no. Not like this."
"What do you mean 'not like this?' A French kiss?" I put my hands on my hips.
"Yea..no. Not like this." He grumbled then looked at me.
"I don't know what you mean. And no offense Seto but I'm too tired to figure it out. I told you it was nothing in the library. We're adults. We have business to do. So let's just leave it at that ok?" I said a touch irritated. What the hell was he doing? First he shows concern for me in the library, then he kisses me out of the blue. Our Energies merged and it was fantastic but he pushed me away afterwards and acted like it was an impulsive mistake. Fine, I can handle that, I've gone through worse with guys. But now he was trying to get across some cryptic thought and I was too beat. My feet hurt, my back hurt, my head was fuzzy. I wanted to go home and try to go back to normal. After my last boyfriend I had no patience for guessing games with emotions. Either you like me or you don't but do not yo-yo me around. Plus I had a war on my hands!
"It was not like this," Seto stated again. His fists were clenched and his blue eyes were fiery.
"Seto, I have to go home. I'll talk to you in the next few days ok?" I put my hand on his shoulder.
When he stopped me yet again, he held my face in his hands. His mouth met mine in a tender, almost novice kiss. There was no open mouth, just a sweet press of lips. My heart swelled to the point of exploding and I took his wrists, rubbing the back of his hands with my thumbs.
He kissed me for several seconds, several heavenly seconds. There was no dancing of Energy, no supernatural connection. It was two people engaged in a clandestine kiss. He pulled away, still cradling my face.
"Not like this."
Later That Night:
I left Seto's estate via Roland. I went inside my house, greeted my few mages who volunteered to stay with me as my guards, undressed and sat down to watch T.V. flipping through the channels, I stopped dead on the local live action news.
"Holy shit," I said hopping off of the couch and kneeling close to the screen.
"Mistress? What is it?" Von asked from my kitchen.
"Shhh!" I swung my arm back behind me to quiet him. My eyes were wide and I felt the wheels of Destiny lurch forward.
Seto was before me, wearing a long white coat lined in red with nail heads decorating a high collar. His black turtle-neck was skin tight on his muscular torso. His pants were black as well with blue buckled straps that tucked into black boots. He was standing on the ledge of his helicopter which hovered over center city Domino, his right arm pointed towards the sky as he boldly proclaimed,
"Don't forget to register and pick up your Duel Disk because exactly one week from today, my Battle City Tournament begins!"