Darke Beginnings

Chapter #17

Val excused herself from Vladimir's company and made her way to the shadows where Seth skulked. He was accustomed to watching everyone from the peripherals and here, though his position was not that of bodyguard, he still stood at attention, each and every muscle tense under the white button-down shirt and tuxedo jacket he wore. He'd refused a tie, arguing that, were he to get in a situation where he'd have to defend someone, he didn't want it to thwart his actions. "Vladimir seems at the top of his game," he commented, not taking his eyes off the enigmatic Russian.

"He is," Val agreed. "Too bad he won't be there for long."

Sebastian shot her a concerned glance, but she didn't notice. Neither he nor Luc had told her about this particular mission. "What makes you say that?" he whispered under his breath.

She hunkered closer to him and wrapped her arm around his shoulders, attempting to give anyone who passed by the impression that they were lovers and were getting cozy. "I've heard rumblings," she answered, the warmth of her breath a wisp past his ear. "Some of the Bratva here say that Martin is looking for Vladimir and intends to usurp him."

"Who?" His question hung in the air like breath on a cold morning and she opened her mouth to answer, but she heard her name from the center of the crowd.

Her attention was snatched away and she scanned the crowd, loosening her grasp around his shoulders. Vladimir was standing next to Luc, his arm around the waist of Juliet with her smug smile. She claimed what was hers with every ounce of her being. "Excuse me, Seth," Val said as she moved away from him.

Seth grasped her forearm and squeezed just enough to cause the flesh around his fingers to redden. "Do not say anything to anyone about what you've heard," he growled. His dark eyes narrowed until she nodded her head. He let go and she immediately touched her arm where his hand had been, rubbing it to soothe the area where she hoped there wouldn't be bruises.

When Valeriya reached the clique in the center of the room, she pasted on a huge smile and made sure she acknowledged Juliet first. "You look lovely tonight," she complimented, hoping to win the other woman's favor. "Vlad couldn't have done better for himself. I've never seen him so happy."

The flattery worked, for the moment. Juliet beamed and snuggled closer into Vladimir's side, enjoying her time as the most envied woman in the room. Her smile was smug, her eyes flickering with satisfaction, daring any other woman to challenge her. 

It was this reaction that Val counted on. She nodded slightly towards Lucien and watched him as he wove back through the crowd from his perch on the staircase landing. Glancing at Seth, she nodded again, indicating that it was time to make his move. Seth snaked his way towards her, intent on his role in the mission, but he stopped halfway through and his expression froze, his eyes fixed on the doorway to the ballroom. Valeriya turned her attention back to Luc and he, too, had stopped and was staring at the doorway. As she followed his gaze, she realized that the entire congregation was stark still and everyone but the chamber orchestra was silent.

Martin Goins stood in the archway, his presence commanding attention, his face a masque of composure as his eyes swept over the audience at large. He had traded the casual khaki pants and polo shirts he'd favored during Lucien's tenure for a smartly-tailored tuxedo with tails, black tie, and top hat and Lucien barely recognized his former benefactor. He did, however, recognize the imposing presence of Andre, a few steps behind and to the left in the shadows. He'd shaved his head completely smooth, an act that made him seem even more menacing than before. 

Korsikov shook his arm free from a frightened Juliet, terrified that Martin would recognize her and act upon the circumstances of their last acquaintance. She shivered as Vladimir left her there in the middle of the crowd, to make his way through the parting aisle of men and women that formed between himself and Martin.