The Five Unnecessaries

Chapter 23- Part 1

"We're going to have to dance," he breathed in my ear as the next song started. He shifted his other hand to my hip and spun me around. He was as tall as I remembered, just as striking in his presence and appearance, but his eyes seemed lighter. They were dark, but with a hint of green around the edges, like pine trees. His face was flawless, and he still looked muscular, especially compared the Elites and Citizens around him. "I hope you know how to do this."

"I wouldn't have stepped in this room if I didn't," I said. "I'm not suicidal."

"Could've fooled me."

He held out his hand to lead me. If I relaxed, I could pretend to be the girl the prince had picked out of a crowd. Only in this version, I wasn't sure if I should trust the prince.

Curiosity pushed out any fear I had left, and I took his hand.

He led me to the dance floor, ignoring the sweat making my hand clammy. His hand was rough like a soldier's, and it held mine with a strong determination as he walked with me. He moved with ease, graceful in a way that almost made him appear like an Elite, but without the arrogance.

I faked confidence, recognizing the tenth dance in the first movement. I would have to get close to him. Very close. He spun me out. It gave me just a bit of assurance as I pulled it off and turned a few heads, enough to put a smirk on my face as he pulled me in, almost right on top of him. As he led me through the next steps, he pressed hard on the small of my back until I was moving in perfect time with the music. With each step I pulled off, I breathed easier.

"Okay, so you obviously know what you are doing. In case you forgot—from wherever you learned to dance—this song lasts about seven minutes. Are your palms going to keep sweating for that long, or are you going to trust me just a little?"

"I don't know, should I?" I said, willing myself to sound more confrontational than I felt.

"Well, you aren't dead." He tilted his head to the side as he skewed his smile, then his voice changed to a heavier, more anxious tone. "But maybe you're right. Maybe I'm as evil as you've imagined."

I didn't want to aggravate someone who had already saved my life—and was currently saving my life again. I wasn't sure why he had saved it, but I didn't want to ask him yet. There was something else I wanted to know more.

"I don't even know your name."

"Alex. Well, my full name is Alexander André Sanderson. Citizen. Pre-Elite. Sentry. All reasons that you should be dead by sheer proximity to me." He spoke with an authority that frightened yet reassured me. "And you are? Don't you all have a number? Or do you get to keep your name?"

I could tell he was testing my stress limit. He said it all while pulling me in closer, though I didn't budge my expression.

"I'm a Protector of the 188th Generation." My voice softened a bit as I added, "And Aislyn. My name is Aislyn."

"That's a beautiful name. Aislyn." He repeated it as if it were sacred. He looked down for a second to regain the composure. "Well, I'm not calling any backup, and my gun doesn't go with this suit. So, you're not going to die tonight. After this dance, I'll lead you out the back. Everyone will assume what they do about two people like us leaving together, but that's your cover story, so don't get squeamish and flirt a lot. Who's your target?"

I was still getting over "what everyone else would assume," which I understood and tried not to blush. His eyes shone green whenever they caught the light. He looked calm and playful, but his shoulder tensed below my hand.

"You have a plan, right? You know what you're doing? And you... I'm going to spin you, hang on." He spun me out, along with a few others I observed doing the same thing, and pulled me back in, to which I had only the truth as he grasped my hand.