Diamonds Shatter

Chapter 3

3. The Serpent of the Sun

There was no introduction. Music simply started playing and the dim lights went out completely. There was only darkness for a moment, then candle flames licked up and the entire house was cast in bright spots and dark shadows.

It should have seemed eerie, but it was actually a nice touch, and the candles set off a warm sandalwood and incense scent that was oddly comforting. Then she was there, with her back to the table, a dark silhouette snaking her body up from the floor. When she stood upright, the candle flames burst too bright, and Dimitri saw a small old woman in a corner, manipulating the flames with her fingertips. When the dancer turned around Dimitri understood what all the fuss over her was about.

Being part of the Society meant having access to the best entertainment around; fire breathers, dancers, magicians, and all sorts of crazy acts, preformed by vampires, warlocks, fairies and such. Nevertheless, Dimitri thought this was by far the best dancer he had ever seen. This girl was simply mesmerizing.

"She moves just as gracefully as one of the fey, but she has no wings." Whispered Nick clearly perplexed. Dimitri smiled.

"That’s because she’s not a fairy." He said his tone matter of fact.

"What makes you so sure?" Nick said, defiantly.

"Her eyes. There’s no mischief in them." Dimitri said simply. Speaking of her eyes, he thought they seem so very familiar. But as Dimitri was trying to figure out where he had seen her before the girl turned her face away from his view. Nick made an odd snorting noise in response to Dimitri's tone, causing him to brush off his earlier musings. Must have been at another party, he thought. Then he looked over to Nick with hurt in his midnight eyes.

"What, you don’t think I'm right." He asked innocently. Nick just looked at him shaking his head,

"Forget it. Yeah I believe you, your right." Said Nick and then he turned his attention back to the dancer girl. Dimitri chuckled under his breath; he knew Nick would leave him alone if he pulled the offended card. Then he followed Nick’s example and focused his attention back to the girl.

She moved just like a deadly snake… like a snake that could charm the snake charmer with its beauty alone. Dimitri had never seen any creature, human or supernatural, move like that before. She was in perfect rhythm with the music. No, it was as if her body was the music. Each thrust of her hip was the beat of a drum, every flick of the wrist was a flutter of the flute, and every step her feet took was the strum of a guitar. Dimitri could not help but feel like she was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on.

Tall and willowy, with skin that could have been porcelain ivory; her hair was a long sheet of copper metal, falling in waves like silk. Dark brows contrasted against her light skin and framed her dark green eyes perfectly. Eyes that shone with such a familiarity that Dimitri could have sworn he had known them all his life. The girl flipped her thick hair and turned her back on him again. Her long skirt sat low on her hips, with a split running along her thigh, and the matching turquoise top was mostly crystal encrusted straps over her back, while her bare feet were encircled with jingling bells.

Dimitri found himself floating away in a fantasy, imagining what it would be like to touch her. He wanted to trail his fingers down her back and caress her soft shoulders. He would have whispered sweet things in her ear, things that would have left her breathless. She seemed so fragile and soft to Dimitri, and yet her movements were strong and fierce. He could not really even explain it to himself, but at that moment, he wanted to embrace her, to dance with her, and to be a part of that trance she wove into the air, like shimmering golden rain. Dimitri glanced around, and saw that most of the room was probably thinking the very same thing.