Danse Macabre 3: Deadly Deception

Dancing in the Dark

"If you ever need any help, I'm in apartment thirty-two."

Aleksi won't be happy if you accept help from a total stranger. "Thank you, but I'll be fine. I know it might look like I'm somewhat frazzled but I'm fine, really." I straightened the lapel of Margot's coat and stood.

"Still, if you need someone to hide or if a mob attacks the building and your friend isn't nearby." He touched my shoulder and everything about him demanded my attention, commanding me to meet those vibrant green eyes. "I hope you will remember my offer." His words made my head swim, and I could feel some phantom sensation crawl up my spine like it was trying to break into the furthest reaches of my memories. I yanked back from him and furrowed my brows. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that he was trying to use magic to force me to come to him if I needed help.

"I'll be fine." I spoke, poking the button for the elevator again. The doors opened and I stepped in but Margot remained standing in the hall, staring up at the blonde man curiously.

As I looked between them I couldn't help but to realize that their eyes were the same exact shade of green, which made me remember someone saying once that Margot looked a lot like Aleksi's mother Vivienne—who was also a blonde green eyed beauty. Could this man be related to Aleksi somehow? With all the intermingling of blood that vampires did and how they liked to keep a firm grasp on their mortal kin I wasn't certain I wanted to know. He wasn't merely human, that much was clear but neither was I.

"It was nice meeting you... I'm sorry, I don't believe I caught your name." Carefully watching the blonde man, I picked up Margot who continued to stare at him like she could see right through him. The look on her face made her eyes seem centuries old as opposed to an innocent two years. I turned her to break her line of sight to him.

"Ian." That short syllable slipped from his lips like the sweetest, thickest honey and despite myself I slipped into my old nervous habits, smoothing my coat and fussing with my cuffs.

"Nice to meet you, Ian." I pressed the button for the fourth floor, balancing Margot on my hip.

"And yours?" Every single last phoneme practically begged me to look at him, but I resisted.

"Autumn."

"Lovely name."

"Thank you." I didn't look at him, not only because I was worried about what might happen if I met his gaze, but because I still hadn't gotten to that point yet. Being more or less on my own had brought out a certain degree of assertiveness I lacked before. However, it was only to a point.

Ian pressed the button for the third floor and flashed me that eerily infectious smile again. This time I resisted but as the doors to elevator opened on his floor we stared at each other. There was a moment where time felt like it stood still, and I felt like the moment we shared looking at each other stretched back infinitely in time. The surroundings were different every time but some part of us stood staring at each other separated in someway while I held a child. The déjà vu was so bad it hurt my very soul as he turned and walked away. Miss Manners, usually vocal when I have half a shade of a connection with any man besides Aleksi fell into a disturbing silence as the doors closed and the elevator resumed its climb.

#

Evan and I danced alone. The only sounds beyond the music in the entirety of the Harker Theater came from the street outside which was muted and hauntingly dull, and the noises of our feet on the floor. Without Garrett there he didn't hesitate when it came to the lifts and holds, his fingers lingered ever so slightly when we touched and whenever I glanced in the mirror I found myself mesmerized by how well we danced together—worlds better than anything I'd ever accomplished with my human partner.