The Queen of Fire

CH. 5

Sienna Bianchi

Remember career day in school? The one where they asked you what you wanted to become when you were older? My answer was always to be a professional dancer. No matter how many times they told me the difficulties tied to making it successfully, my answer never changed. If anything, I was more convinced that I could do it.

From the day I watched the Nutcracker ballet with my family, the dream stuck on my brain. I would spend every waking moment picturing myself on that stage and my upcoming career, utilizing every available moment practicing to my feet bled.

For years I kept up with this routine. All up to age fifteen that is. That birthday is the reigning champion of the worst days in my life. That day, my grandfather decided to take me under his wing, staking out a future for me to embark. No dancing in sight.

The simple act of moving your body to rhythmic music fell second to my education, both on and off school grounds. A new dream took its place and the old one never returned like it used to. Dancing still held a huge part of my heart but I rarely used the skill for fun. Whenever I would dance after that would be for a greater purpose. Information, pleasure, anything that could give me an advantage. Dancing became a resource to something bigger.

Shaking out of my head, I let Lexie help me adjust the bedazzled underwear. Every time I decided to use dancing as a way to achieve or retrieve something, this memory popped up. Like a shadow, I couldn't shake this memory. Tying on my strappy thigh-high heels, Lexie had managed to get me stage ready in record time.

"Blow their socks off, tiger" She encouraged, showing me the way up on the stage.

The music collided with my body before the shouting crowd did. Soft vocals danced over my visible skin, showering both my mind and extremities with flashbacks of buried skills. I was moving before I even entered the stage. Dancing was integrated so deep in my bones, no thinking necessary for the movements my body performed.

Feeling the pure awe of the watchers, my attention reverted back to reality. If there was one thing I had been moulded into thinking, it was business before pleasure. Utilizing the curves my mother gave me and the flexibility I'd worked up, I rolled my body in sensual circles, throwing my wavy curls around whenever it felt natural.

I was one with the music to the point where the music followed me and my movements. On my knees in front of a few dozen men I felt more powerful than ever. With calculated moves, I had them all wrapped around my fingers like a puppeteer, ready to jump whenever I ordered to.

Sliding my healing hands down my frame, the men in front of me moved closer. Glued to my glistening body, I moved to the pole in the middle of the glittery stage. The metal pole sparkled against my tan skin, illuminating the body shimmer Lexie rubbed onto me. I looked like a star and I sure as hell felt like one.

Twirling on the pole like a career professional, I slid down on my knees once again, pole tucked neatly between my boobs. The men who previously sat on the edge of their seats had now risen to watch me. Giovanni standing dazed in the front door with the two loonies behind him barely caught my attention as I was lost in my own little bubble.

Turning my back to the dazzled crowd as the music came to an end, I flung the glimmering bra off my body and turned my head over my shoulder. Jaws fell open at my subtle but mysterious unveil, eyes wide at my exposed back. The Bianchi family insignia branded on my left side ribs grabbed everyone's attention.

If there were any questions about my presence here, I had successfully erased any uncertainty. One of these men had to have kept in touch with Federico and hopefully they would draw him out to grab me. This time I would be more than ready.