Descent-- Sequel to Masquerade

13. Ascendio

Night_Sky_333

Third Person's POV
*****

   All around, guests in cream and colors were dancing-- women baring their arms for men to kiss their hands and twirling gaily around the ballroom. The Lestrange Household was yet another opportunity-- he would be damned if he didn't recruit them by this night. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Adeline Robins walking in; throwing off her muffler and coat carelessly onto the couch. Many other women wore jet black to impress at this masquerade, but they were once again, too obvious-- too easily shown. Many gave him languishing glances, but his eyes were trained forwards-- he appreciated the sentiment and the sight, but they were too desperate-- wearing their foolish hearts on their sleeves. 

. He continued to watch Adeline a bit longer-- admiring the simplicity of her black gown; her shawl flowing behind her like a sheer cape. She stood out from the crowd clearly; her lips blood red and contrasting with her fiery green eyes. Her legs were lush and tall; as his eyes trailed down her alabaster arms and neck-- bare and vulnerable except for a single string of pearls.

   Their eyes met, but she slid away her gaze quickly; snapping on the black mask and resting her fan against her bosom. She seemed to glide with her French grace, as he sidled near a pillar to watch what unfolded. Lestrange was chatting with a group of females; all of them batting their eyelashes and flaunting their legs through their short dresses. He was handsome; with the rugged look that women loved, and he could clearly see that he used this to his advantage. Another possible recruit, Mulciber, was flinging his arm around a giggling girl. Tom narrowed his eyes. Something glittered in Adeline's hair-- a familiar hairpin. She had not used any other decoration, but he could feel himself stiffen despite himself. But he was stronger, and he masked the look with ease,

  He saw her sway her hips only slightly, attracting Lestrange's attention. He did not seem to see anyone else as his eyes followed her around the ballroom. The girl beside him threw Adeline a dirty look, but she ignored them-- concentrating only on her prey. He rolled his wand between his fingers, glancing at her as she dropped her eyes to the floor, only to have her reflection staring back at her. Something flashed across her face. Shock? Disgust? It was as if she saw someone else reflection from within. He watched her swallow, then regain her composure as Lestrange sidled up to her, his firewhisky glittering gold on her hair.

   She flicked out her fan, resting it below her collarbone and smiling at his slightly; her lips curving attractively. "Looking for something, monsieur?" she asked in a low voice, her fingers trailing up Lestrange's arm. He seemed to fidget, slightly uncomfortable, but smiled his easy smile.

"That depends, Miss—" he trailed off seductively.

   "Delacour," she lied easily, "Alponine Delacour."

  "French?" he whispered huskily, as his hand intwined around the pearls around her neck; twisting them around his fingers. Tom smiled thinly. Lestrange was proving himself weaker to ploys than he had assumed. But then, Adeline surprisingly smiled indulgently; so masterful that even he, himself, could not distinguish whether it was truthful or not.

  "I am whatever you want me to be, Monsieur," she echoed, and smiling that same frustrating smile, she then thumbed her hand across his face, all the while, smirking seductively. Just when the tension got to the point of breaking, she collided her lips with his-- kissing passionately and in every dramatic way that she knew. "Name your price for the night," Lestrange murmured, loosening his tie as he kissed back; fervently and succumbing to her wishes.

  "You want me to name it?" she asked, pulling away teasingly, her eyes glittering, "are you prepared to pay any price that I name?"

  "What do you want? Treasure? Adoration? You are unlike any woman I have met, Mademoiselle Delacour," he complimented her charmingly, twisting a strand of her red hair.