He Strikes at the Hotel

Chapter Thirty Four

As we walked down to the lobby, I felt as if I was in another universe. We walked down the grand staircase arm in arm, with people stopping to look at us. There were whispers going around the room, mainly asking who the Duke was accompanied by, and how familiar she looked. I go up and down this staircase each and every day; running; plodding; skipping; dragging myself. It was part of my home. I never felt uncomfortable or felt so concious in my natural surroundings as I did at this moment. I couldn't even recognise the place.

I hadn't been down here since earlier when we were having drinks in the lounge. In the few hours which had passed, the night sky had sunk its teeth into the hotel, with the candles and lamps keeping a warm glow present. Somehow, the event organisers had made the lobby look even more elaborate, with decorations hanging down from the high ceiling which were golden and blood red. There were people in black trousers and white shirts holding trays of drinks ready for every passer by; they looked like wax statues, ready to melt. The red carpet which usually gripped on to the staircase was covered by a golden sheet which looked like crushed velvet.

The whispers began to hush as we made our way down, closer to where Nerissa and Pierre were standing clutching on to their flutes given to them by the statue waiters. There were hints hidden within the whole hotel as to what the theme for this years event would be, with playing cards set down on each table as coasters, dice with glistening rhinestones embedded scattered around systematically. Casino night? I thought of the possibilities of what the performance would hold, and the ballroom itself.

Zachery broke me out of my thoughts as he passed me a flute of champagne that he had picked up without me noticing, urging me to take it so he could grab himself one without having to break our interlinking arms.

"Shall we head over to the others? Or do you want to nose about a little first?" Zachery asked with a raised brow, a sly smile beginning to creep onto his face.

"There's plenty of time for both, don't you think? We don't have to enter the ballroom for another forty-five minutes. That is adequate time to go speak to Nerissa, then to have a sneak peak about." I replied, trying to be the adult out of the two of us and restrain my curious mind.

"And Pierre, don't forget." Zachery quickly chipped in.

"Ah yes, Pierre, your new best friend, or... New love interest by the sounds of it." I chuckled to him, loving how much of a bond he and Pierre have built. Certainly convenient for Nerissa and I if nothing else. Plus, Pierre was a good influence on anyone, even a spontaneous Duke. Zachery entertained my attempt at a joke, and pretended to laugh along merrily.

"Don't sound too jealous, Kitten. It isn't becoming." He shot back, hoping to stop me dead in my amusement. In any other circumstance, he would of done just that, with me most likely pouting and shooting a sarcastic back at him with venom. However, it may of been the champagne going to my head already, or maybe it was the constant nerves going around in my stomach which was throwing me off. Either way, his comment only fuelled my humour, causing me to cackle out loud, which earned a wide eyed look of astonishment from Zachery.

"I can't help it! My jealously cannot be tamed. He's too much of a threat to me, Zachery." I flamboyantly said, between smaller cackles. He had stopped laughing now, which worried me. Whenever Zachery went very serious very quickly, there was always a reason. I began to open my mouth to say something else, an apology perhaps? I wasn't quite sure. Whatever was about to come out I was hoping it would help the situation.

Zachery stopped me from speaking by putting his finger to my lips and pressing them shut, probably not caring for whatever strange comment I would come out with next, as I had riled his feathers up enough as it was.

But instead of being irritated and looking at me impatiently, he was looking down at me softly, with a deep warmth burning in his eyes. He looked constricted.

Zachery hid these emotions well, and usually seemed to act out of impulse, however, I could tell he thought everything through thoroughly before acting upon something. That is why I was so shocked when he began to dip his head down to reach my height, leaning in closer to me, never breaking eye contact. I could feel his breath on my face, and I couldn't move. I was starstruck in that moment. It was the first time I had seen Zachery as The Duke since we had begun talking.

The Duke was getting very close to me, and I could feel eyes burning into the back of my head, with one of those pairs of eyes being Nerissa's.

That's when Zachery placed his lips softly onto mine, cupping my face in his hand as he did so. It was a delicate but strong kiss, which made me forget about everything around us, as nothing could even compare to this. I closed my eyes and felt his arm wrap tightly around my waist, just as he began to pull away, to my dismay, before I was even able to pull him closer.

"You... Should never feel threatened by anyone." He said in a low, husky voice. My legs turned to jelly, my mind decided that every word I ever knew, would simply vanish. I was lost for words - in a daze. I wanted to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming, because I couldn't begin to believe for one second that something like that would ever happen to me.

I didn't need to pinch myself, as Nerissa being Nerissa, thundered up to us as fast as she could in her ball gown and softly punched my arm as she was demanding to know what she just saw was real. I just gave her a dazed smile in return - unable to stop the cheesy grin from forming, and knowing that Zachery was doing the same in retaliation to Nerissa's quizzical glare.