Wade Poezyn as Gideon Lestrange
***
Gideon Lestrange strutted into Grounded Café like he owned the place. Which, in a way, he does, because his power is Analycticum - Analyst - he can read people, not just their minds, but their very being.
He can look into someone's eyes and know their name, age, life story, and the perfect way to kill them, if need be, among other things, so you can see why I'm shitting it right now. And, if that's not bad enough, he's the Prince's right hand man.
Every member of the royal family gets to choose a 'Personal Guard' when they come of age (16). Some choose based on pure brute strength, for example, General Chancelor, the King's lapdog, and some choose based on skill, like my darling betrothed (note the sarcasm) has done with Gideon here.
Oh yeah, I haven't filled you in on that part, have I? While I was skulking in Fey bars, I gathered that the Dark Prince has chosen that he wants to marry me, have 'extremely powerful offspring' with me, then murder me, since I'm sure to make super-babies that would make excellent rulers. So if Gideon here were to find out that I am well, me, he would stick a bag over my head and cart me off to my wedding and impending doom.
"Delia!" I whisper to my co-worker. "Do you want to man the cash register and serve Mr Superhot over there?"
"Oh, hell yeah!" she replies.
I smile at her and take the rubber gloves off her.
"Hi, how can I help you?" Delia says, looking him up and down.
"I'll take a black coffee and your phone number." He says seductively.
Oh my god. Was he flirting with Delia?!?!? Delia the Dead Pigeon?! Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder I guess. And in my eye, Gideon is freaking gorgeous. Black hair, green eyes, and has muscles that could make you feel faint and in desperate need to touch them forever.
"Right away sweetie" Delia replies, sounding both euphoric and dumbstruck at the same time. Smooth D, smooth.
She whips up his coffee and he takes it from her, then goes to sit down. I hear his pristine ass sit on the squeaky couch in the corner. Great, he's sitting in.
Delia walks over to me and says "OH MY GOD DID YOU SEE THAT?" in a whisper-scream and I nod at her, smiling.
Just then, my boss shows up, also whisper-screaming, "KEDUA, GET YOUR ASS BACK TO THE CASH REGISTER" and I gulp. Shit. Gideon is still here. I feel my eyes flash purple with fear, and close them quickly. I give Delia back her gloves and step out of the kitchen, wiping my sweaty hands on my apron. 'It's okay, he's in the far corner, he can't make eye contact with you, you're fine.' I think to myself. All I have to do is not look him in the eye and I'm home free. I take a deep breath and serve the rest of my costumers, not daring to glance in that goddamn corner.
Three hours later
It's closing time and he's still here. Just sitting there, reading or something. I wouldn't know, I haven't looked at him.
My whole body is tingling right now, from fear I guess, and it's really distracting me from trying to come up with a plan. I feel sort of warm and fuzzy, which doesn't tend happen when I'm scared, but these are special cicumstances.
I've spent the past few hours building up a fake life for myself so that when he reads me, he won't read me, he'll read about Kari Fletcher, 20, who loves dogs and has two living parents. That weren't murdered. I even included the whole fairy part so that I can trick him into thinking he can see through my glamour, so it's a shift-beneath-a-shift. I now look like my human self but with pointy ears and golden brown into white wings, the dark fairy colours that most have.
I'm the last one here since I have lock up duty tonight, so I walk over to him and say "Excuse me sir, we're closing now." picking up his cup and not looking at him.
"Oh right, sorry." he replies getting up to leave. He roles his r's due to his hint of an itallian accent. Even his voice is sexy. Too bad he's trying to kidnap me.
On my way back to the kitchen, he says "Wait a second, you're a fairy?"
My back stiffens and I turn around, scratching the back of my head. "Yes, have you only seen this now? I thought you saw through my glamour earlier."
"No, I'm only having a good look now. I see you're one of my kind. What's you're name?"
"Kari."
"Just Kari?"
"Kari Fletcher." I still haven't made eye contact.
"Well Kari Fletcher, what are you doing in this realm?"
"I could ask you the same thing."
"I'm following a lead into finding a Mid."
"Oh, really? Then what are you doing in a coffee shop?"
"I just stopped by to get a quick pick me up before I start searching around and ended up staying for three hours. How mortal time does fly. " he says, shaking his head, his silky hair falling into his eyes.
"Well then, I best be off. Nice meeting you, Kari."
"You too, sir." I say and head behind the counter into the kitchen to was his cup and saucer. I hear the door chime behind me.
When I'm done, I pull out my keys to this place and lock the back door. I then head out the front, shrugging on my jacket, then locking the front door too.
I start walking home, hoping to find a taxi on my way since it's freezing out here. I hear the snow crunch a few feet behind me. Footsteps. Heavy ones.
I pick up the pace. So do they. I put my hand in my pocket, grabbing my pepper spray.
And then he grabbed me.
