Prodigy

Seduction

Throughout the performance and for quite some time after, Zane remained in stunned silence. Outside of training, he didn't care much about classical music, he didn't know much about classical music, but he knew a good performance when he saw one, and he had just seen one.

He suddenly knew why Jessica was so in love with Locke. He suddenly knew why every modern music artist had him preform in at least one track. He suddenly knew why he was one of the most celebrated musicians of the century.

So unbelievably gifted it was like watching magic.

A true prodigy.

Turning simple sound into something that commanded your emotions and attention, no matter the instrument. His presence on stage was like that the greatest athletes.

On command he could silence thousands of people to watch him - with the same ease as Olympic champions.

And he was sexy.

Zane would never tell Locke he thought that - God no, he didn't know how the unpredictable freak would take it - but he couldn't deny it.

Something about Locke on stage, the way he commanded the space, led the music, handled his instruments... the look in his dark, dark eyes.

By just being, he could seduce women and confuse men and that, more then anything, irritated Zane to no end by the end of the show and on into the after party.

Well, alright, no. That wasn't what irritated him to no end at that moment, though it was a close second.

It was these men and women at the after party. Some of these men and women were double, triple, his age and the way they drifted around Locke unnerved him. It was like watching someone being haunted.

He was followed and pawed at, the compliments closer to simpers, the casual touches so un-casual they made Zane's skin crawl with a good ten feet between him and them.

It wasn't... normal.

It was creepy.

He could tell Jess had noticed it as well. The men creeped her out, she stood close to him, her hand around his arm at all times as she looked around. Her defensive measure did the trick.

Men looked at her - how could they not, she was lovely that night - but Zane, though slimmer then plenty of them (even with his broad figure) was taller then most of them. This put them off striking up a conversation.

They were outcasts anyway.

The people here at this after party were the rich and powerful, not just of England but of Europe and America if those accents and languages were anything to go by. The price of the tickets to one of Locke's shows was ridiculous and yet, not only had these people bought tickets, they had been invited to the after party.

This wasn't the place for a couple of London kids who would be lucky to work behind the bar of The Royal Albert Hall, let alone attend such an event.

"Should we go?" Zane asked after a half hour of watching people paw at Locke - he didn't even seem to notice. He could feel Jess pressed tighter against him, like she could hide her small figure behind him even though he was leaning back against a wall. He glanced over to whoever was making her uncomfortable and some white haired businessman turned away.

"I wanted to congratulate Locke," she muttered - while turning her body in towards his.

Zane glanced over to where Locke was being showered with praise by men who might as well of just told him they wanted to sleep with him and leant his head back against the wall, watching as one of the men casually draped a hand on Locke's waist.