Miss Me?

Chapter 8

Evangeline^^^

Rion POV

We stepped out into what seemed to be infinite natural light. I squinted my eyes at the wide-open windows, the source of the brightness, and began to take in the rest of the ballroom-like space. It was an illuminated area with ornate furniture, tall ceilings, and crystal chandeliers. If I was confused about everything else, I wasn't about this: these people had money. Loads of it.

"Keep up." Echo whispered to me, breaking me from my awe.

I spotted Alex in the group of strangers sitting at the end of the room in golden chairs. He fit right in.

At the center of the group was a young woman that I did not recognize sitting in the biggest golden chair of them all. Her soft dirty blonde hair glistened in the light and her soft face looked almost like an angel's. She was wearing a beautiful maroon flower lace dress that accentuated all of her, ahem, assets, with dark nail polish to match. She was proud, perhaps smug, and if her aura was anything to go by, dangerously powerful.

"That's her." Echo whispered once more. I wrinkled my nose in confusion. Her?

"What do you mean?" I whispered as best I could.

Echo released a weird squirm as she walked faster.

This wasn't good.

"Well, well. The man of the hour. So nice of you to join us." The young woman spoke in a velvety voice laced with a soft mix between American and British accents.

Alex tried to hide his discomfort at the situation, which only I seemed to catch.

Jinx walked over to the group and stood next to "her," a smirk gracing her face. I bit the inside of my cheek.

I hate her.

Echo remained by my side for what seemed too long.

"Echo dear," the young woman began as Echo twitched, "please bring our other guest while we get ourselves acquainted."

Echo only nodded sporadically and sped off to an unseen room.

The woman smiled softly, though I bet good intentions were far from her mind.

"So, you're Rion, is that right?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." I muttered. How the hell did she know me...

"Fascinating." She breathed in as she squinted her eyes, looking me up and down, taking me in.

I didn't like this. I didn't like it at all. It was like she could see through me.

"I must say," she stood, "I expected something a bit different."

I bit my lip as I pushed down an embarrassed blush. Well what did she expect, freaking Hercules?

"How do you know me?" I finally spoke out.

"Oh, who doesn't know the famous Rion?" She chuckled as she walked towards me, heels clicking the hard floor, filling the space with an ominous energy.

"Eva-" Alex began. The girl named Eva snapped her fingers sharply as if silencing him with an angry face that disappeared almost as fast as it appeared. Yeah, she was powerful.

"I like to introduce myself." Her smile returned. She reached out her hand.

"Evangeline." She announced. Her eyes had me in a trance, and somehow, I knew what she wanted. I hesitantly reached out and lifted her hand to my lips, kissing it softly.

She gripped my arm suddenly and moved her lips next to my ear. She smelled like the prettiest garden.

"Or as they like to call me," she whispered hotly, "The Blood Dahlia."