Sway with Me

Chapter Sixteen: Psycho Killer

Cristiano licked his lips nervously as the make-up artist finished the final touches to his vampire make-up; tonight was terror night on Más que baile, the Portuguese and Isabelle were doing a tango to Psycho Killer by Talking Heads.

However this wasn’t what had made Cristiano nervous, Irina was sat in the corner of his dressing room watching him closely; the footballer didn't know what had happened but when he had returned from Isabelle’s apartment, his cousin and Irina seemed to have managed to make things unbearable for him.

“You’ll do amazing nena,” Irina purred once the make-up artist was finished, Cristiano frowned as he looked at her; she hadn’t left him alone at all since he’d spent the night with Isabelle, something that only further strained what he had with the red head.

The two hadn’t really talked about what had happened that night, Irina's constant presence at their rehearsals put a stop to anything of that sort; Cristiano wanted to prove himself to Isabelle but it was hard with Irina in the way.

The Russian wrapped her arms around him and tried to kiss his lips, Cristiano his head away causing her to kiss his cheek; she frowned when she realised what he had done.

“I can’t mess up my make-up,” the Portuguese said making Irina purse her lips as she spotted Isabelle stepping out of her dressing room talking to another of the professional dancers.

The Russian watched her for a moment before she smirked and turned her attention back to Cristiano, wrapping her arms tighter around his neck; she rubbed herself up his body making sure that the red head could see.

“Then maybe later...” Irina purred as Cristiano realised what she was doing, he glanced at Isabelle who was pretending she hadn’t noticed; he wasn’t going to let the Russian ruin this for him.

***

Stepping out onto the dance floor for their tango, Cristiano licked his lips as he looked at Isabelle wearing her red embellished dress; she looked amazing and her make-up held this stunning quality about her.

The two moved into their first position in the pretend car, where they were sat in two thrones at the start of the song; Isabelle glanced at him through her mask as she took her seat, in the five weeks since the show had started, she was pleased to see how well he was doing.

The first part of the routine on the chairs went quickly and soon Isabelle and Cristiano had switched sides, and where doing the first steps of their tango with one hand while holding their masks up with the other.

Isabelle was glad that Cristiano was channelling his inner vampire and bad boy, it worked perfectly for their routine and it made him attractive; she cleared her head quickly of the thoughts that awoke within her.

Throwing their masks to the side, the two of them fell easily into the pattern of their foot work; Isabelle held back the urge to smile as Cristiano’s hands travelled up her body before he dipped her.

She had promised herself that no matter what had happened between them that night that she wasn’t going to let it ruin her career; it was easy to get caught up in the moment in shows like this.

Moving into the tango hold, the two of them easily moved about the dance floor, their footwork moving fluidly as they danced together; Cristiano remaining in character as he felt Isabelle pressed up against him.

Standing so close to her, the Portuguese had to remember at times that they were in front of a crowd so that he didn't kiss her, her face so close to him; it brought back memories of their night together as they danced.

Sliding Isabelle along the floor, Cristiano was relieved that the routine was coming to an end before he tilted her head to the side and pretended to bit her lick a vampire would.

Isabelle swallowed hard as she felt Cristiano’s lips brush against her neck before he pretend to snap her neck and allowed her to fall to the floor, before he moved back to his seat and sat down.

With the last few steps of the routine complete, the crowd went crazy as they cheered for them; Cristiano moved to help Isabelle from the floor, he ignored the look of fury that he could see in Irina’s eyes as the red head pecked his cheek and hugged him.

Pilar smiled as she stepped down onto the dance floor to join them, she flashed the couple a smile before turning to the judges.

“Intense, erotic, hypnotic… I can feel your power getting stronger, and stronger… you can bite as much as you like as long as you keep dancing like this, it was great,” Santi said making Cristiano grin as he wrapped an arm around Isabelle’s waist as she rested a hand on his chest.

“Full of intent, full of purpose, full of aggression… I love the story telling, I thought that was fantastic, I would have like to have seen more of the tango holds but the tango that you did do, I thought you did very, very well,” Boris said making Isabelle smile and look at Cristiano who seemed to be grinning at the news.

“I agree with Boris, when I see a tango, I want to see more than eight bars in hold. I thought it was a terrific number, it was sharp, it was crisp and enjoyable but I want to see more than eight bars,” Víctor said making a couple of the audience boo; Isabelle swallowed as she glanced at Cristiano, who had slipped behind his defensive mask again.

“I do agree with Víctor a little bit… but it’s not a criticism, you played it so cool, art is subjective and for me you created a beautiful piece of dance, you are the King and Queen of tango tonight,” Aída said making Isabelle smile before Pilar dismissed them to head to the lounge to get there results.

Isabelle hugged Cristiano as they stepped into the lounge; they couldn't have expected the judges to be so positive about their routine. Pilar called their attention to the judges who had their results for the tango.

“Eight,”

“Seven,”

“Ten,”

“Nine,”

were announced making the audience clap while Isabelle and Cristiano took a seat in the lounge were they would be until the voting had finished.

Irina looked at her boyfriend getting a little too comfortable with the ballroom dancer; she knew that she’d have to put an end to this now before she lost her grip on the footballer completely.

The Russian watched as he got comfortable with Isabelle, her worst fears starting to take hold; Nuno was right, she was losing the footballer to the red head.

Watching them dance the tango, anyone could see the chemistry that they had together; it wasn’t like when she was with him, this was something more, something that he’d not had since he had lost Penny.

Tatiana looked at her sister, she didn't like the look that seemed to grow across her face as she continued to watch Isabelle with Cristiano; something had to be done to stop the red head from winning.

“I want to speak with Uncle Demetri,” Irina said making her sister stare at her, for a moment Tatiana wasn’t sure if she had heard her right but from the look on Irina’s face she had.

“This has to end… it’s time Isabelle learnt her lesson,” Irina spat furious as she spotted the loving look Cristiano held for the other woman.

###

Author's Note:

Check out the video to see the dance.