Danse Macabre (A Sekh Vampire Short Story) Urban FXF

"Refreshments"

She whipped her head up in surprise to see an albino woman dressed in an impeccable white Italian suit with gold accents, looking down at her with furrowed brows. Her baby pink lips were half curled into a congenial smile.  A few of the woman's platinum blonde box braids slid down her face, the golden filigree cuffs that adorned every other braid twinkling under the chandelier lights. Oni resisted the urge to tuck them back. "Oh-oh god I'm so sorry, I—"

"Your name, my dear. What is it?" the elegant woman waved away her meager attempts at an apology like it was a fly.

"Oni. Oni Stevens," she barely managed to get her own name out. The woman had the most stunning hazel blue eyes. There were gold flecks that floated within their depths as well, shimmering almost violently.

"Miss Stevens," the woman said as she took Oni's hand like the gentlemen of old and kissed not the back, but the inside of her palm. Oni's heart began to march triple time in her chest. "All is forgiven. My name is Amadi Moreau. Welcome to Hazelwood Manor." Amadi then released her hand. Oni shyly put her newly blessed hand against her chest. She took a calming breath and gathered herself. Have I been single so long that I'm swept off my feet by the smallest gestures? 

She put on a polite smile. "Thank you for the warm welcome and forgiveness. I would love to chat but I—"

"Would like a refreshment, yes?" Amadi finished for her. 
Can the woman read my thoughts?  Oni flashed a look of annoyance and moved to step past her. Amadi was as pretty as the paintings on the wall, but that didn't excuse rudeness. "Yes, I would, so if you will excuse me," Oni put up her hand. She saw that Amadi was starting to speak and she wasn't having it. This time she would cut the attractive woman off. Oni then tried to push past Amadi with her arm and shoulder, but it was like pushing against a brick wall. She sidestepped her and continued walking instead. 

The refreshments were at the halfway point of the room against a wall. Oni beelined for them, rapidly losing interest in the hungry gazes other guests gave her way. Amadi may have soured some of her enthusiasm, but she wouldn't let one conversation ruin her entire night! She had driven all the way here. She had dressed her best and dammit she was going to flirt and be seen by someone tonight. So why did she find herself subconsciously tracking Amadi as she worked her way around the room? The woman was greeting a different person between one blink and the next, talking to guests and staff alike, until she appeared to vanish. Oni's brows knit together as she scanned the room again. That ivory suit and the sparkling gold hair cuffs were unmistakable.

"I'm sorry for upsetting you earlier," Amadi apologized, appearing out of thin air beside her. Oni would have jumped and spilled her water all over herself like an imbecile, but Amadi had already put an arm on her wrist to keep both her and the glass steady. That was what was starting to irritate her about this gorgeous woman. How proactive she was. It makes me feel like a kid. "Miss Stevens?" Amadi leaned down and around to make eye contact. That was another thing! Who asked this hunk of a woman to be so freaking tall on top of everything...?  She saved those bewitched jewels Amadi called eyes for last this time, looking from the bottom up. If she stopped at Amadi's Nubian nose and stayed there, she could speak normally and admire Amadi's eyes from her peripherals. 

"Yes?" she replied, a little smugness showing in her tone despite herself. She could work with this. Her first outing had turned into a larger hurdle than anticipated, but maybe Amadi was interested.

"Do you accept my humble apology?" Amadi repeated while subtly taking Oni's glass to place on the table behind them. The definition of grace, this one. Those cornflower eyes pinned her in place. Oni blushed. 

Her eyelashes fluttered as she nervously looked away. "I suppose we're even now," she assented, but it barely rose above a whisper. Oni couldn't even be sure Amadi had heard her over the din of the music and people. She risked a quick glance back at Amadi. The woman was smiling, and her teeth shined so bright it made Oni's eyes hurt. Clearly, she had heard every word.

"That's wonderful," Amadi beamed. One of her snowy hands came up to take Oni's sun-loved one. Together, they were a study in dark and light. Amadi laced her fingers through Oni's, and Oni didn't resist. She was supposed to be flirting, she remembered, so she leaned into it. The distance between the two shrunk until everything fell away except for them. The music that her brain had forgotten was now cresting in her ears. Oni had to tilt her neck to look up into the dark pupils that appeared slightly more dilated than before. Their eyes seemed to communicate silent promises to each other for what felt like eternity, before she broke the silence. 

"What makes my forgiveness so wonderful?" She lightly squeezed their joined hands and Amadi squeezed back.

"Because, now I may ask you to dance," Amadi answered.