The sound of the door opening turned his attention away from the self-deprecation. Her hair was wet, but she'd braided it to the side with her emerald streaks falling out. She was dressed in women's trousers that made him stare at her arse every time she turned around and a dark cotton long sleeve. Her cheeks were flushed and Sebastian realized with some satisfaction that she was staring at him.
Her eyes trailed from his shoulders down to his thighs. Though it didn't achieve the look he wanted. Her hair stayed its normal color and there wasn't even the flash of lust in her eyes he'd seen before.
Sebastian's eyebrows furrowed together and he sat forward. He knew what needed to be done before he had the right to flirt with her like he used to. "I'm sorry."
Gracie stilled, "Excuse me?"
"I shouldn't have said those things to you." He admitted a bit reluctantly. The last time he apologized was to Ominis. "You're not an empty tin can."
"I know." Gracie lied with a fake smirk that didn't reach her eyes. "I'm fueled by rage and disgust for you constantly. Those are at least two emotions inside me."
Why was she making this difficult?
That's right. She was difficult. It's what made her so interesting.
Sebastian ran a hand through his hair...or at least tried to. His hair had dried a bit from the rain and was now tangled.
"You opened up to me about your mother." He pointed out wryly, "I owe you an explanation about why I lost it back there on the pavilion."
Gracie sat on the bed, glancing at him coolly. "You don't owe me a damn thing."
Breathe, Sebastian. Don't kill her.
"The Fifth year that everyone throws in my face." Sebastian clenched his fists on his lap, "Her name was Charlotte. She didn't just study ancient magic, she had ancient magic. She was able to wield it; it's why she was allowed into Hogwarts despite her age."
Gracie's eyebrow raised, "Your 'little girlfriend' was an ancient magic user?"
"Let's make one thing clear. She wasn't my girlfriend."
Skepticism flashed across her face. "No?"
"No." Sebastian felt the familiar guilt rise up in his chest.
"You know exactly why you weren't there." Hecat said pointedly, tapping her wand against the magical restraints. They disappeared before his eyes, but he still felt the crushing weight of everyone's deaths hitting him at once, "As for Ominis... You know he wouldn't let her go down there alone."
Right. Of course.
Ominis was in love with her.
"Charlotte was Ominis' lover."
Chapter Twenty Seven: The Seducer Strikes a Deal
Ominis?
"But he told me not to bring her up with you. He didn't seem hurt, he talked about her like she was a stranger to him."
Sebastian grimaced, "Ominis wears a mask like no other. He had to learn with parents who forced him to cast Unforgivables on Muggles for sport." He scratched his jaw, looking temporarily uncomfortable, "And the last time someone brought her up to me, I set the highlands on fire."
"What is wrong with you?"
"So much." He said simply, eyes twinkling with mischief. But after a moment they became dull again, "Because of her ability, Ranrock and Rookwood were both after her. Rookwood wanted to use her against the goblins and Ranrock wanted to force her hand to reveal where the final repository was. When she wouldn't help the dark wizards and actively worked against Ranrock... She was murdered."
Gracie sighed quietly, "That's a familiar tale."
"Quite." He conceded, "Which is why I think we should go to Africa next instead of Australia. I don't know if Prewett was able to get word off to Rookwood, but the attacks on the villages will be publicized within the next day or two. They'll figure we'll go to Australia next since its closer."
"We should have gone to Africa first before Asia." Gracie pointed out, biting her lip as her head swam with should haves and would haves. "That may be why only Prewett was here. The main band of morons are probably in Africa as we speak."
Sebastian shrugged before standing up. His briefs were snug against his body and Gracie pointedly looked elsewhere. She could feel the heated glance on her and focused on the outside window. It was dark outside, but she could see the bustle of lights and lanterns. Her stomach rumbled audibly, causing her cheeks to redden.
"I'll be quick." The cocky wizard walked into the bathroom, this time leaving the door cracked open.
Hearing the shower turn on, she hastily accio-d a book to keep her mind busy. She didn't need to think about Sebastian naked in the shower. She thought she'd be fine from now on since he was an unapologetic arsehole, but then he'd actually gone and apologized to her. She was waiting for kneazles and crups to fall from the sky or see a pig flying. He'd opened up to her too. Though, so did she without really meaning to.
But she didn't do well with arguing and high emotions. Gracie didn't get emotionally invested in arguments, she just left. She never cared to argue either.... But she cared enough to force Sebastian into making a decision; continue the mission and the adventure with her without expecting her to conform to his whims or leave.
Honestly if he'd told her to kick rocks and finish the mission by herself, she would have tried. Likely failed because she wasn't a fighter, but tried nonetheless. She could maybe outwit the creatures, but Sebastian's raw strength and power was very useful.
Steam filtered out of the door in her peripheral and she tried to distract her mind with something else. Charlotte. That was the name of the Fifth year. She was able to wield the same sort of ancient magic that Ranrock was able to, but with the power from the final repository handed to Ranrock; it was exactly the boost he needed to kill her.
Due to the similarities, Sebastian was locked in a silent struggle with his past demons because he didn't want her to die like Charlotte did. He didn't want to lose anyone else. Empathy should have washed over, but Gracie only felt cold.
It was the principle. He didn't want to lose anyone else. It wasn't specific that he didn't want to lose her. But why did that bother her? Did she want at least one person to mourn her death in the event that she died?
Gracie stewed on this for Merlin knows how long. Enough time passed that Sebastian walked out of the bathroom wearing only trousers that slung low on his hips and the towel was resting on his broad shoulders. He glanced over at her, raising an eyebrow.
"Is that a good read?" Amusement flooded his tone.
Her eyes narrowed, "Sure."
"Then why's it upside down?" He chuckled quietly when she looked.
Low and behold... The book on Magical Creatures was upside down. She snapped it shut, discarding it beside her with little interest. Ignoring the rising embarrassment in her chest, she focused on his face and now the drops of water cascading down his tattooed body. Even in her peripheral she could see the deep V indentation from his hipbones that she realized she wanted to trace. With her mouth. Focus Gracie, she chided.
"Do you really think we should go to Africa vice Australia? We'd have to do so much back track." She pointed out wearily, "The train will take more than a few weeks."
"Which is why we're not going to take the train."
"The Muggle bus will take twice as long."
"Not taking the bus."
"Walking will be thrice as long."
"Not fucking walking."
Gracie bit her lip nervously, "Floo-ing will no doubt notify them where they're at."
"That's why we're not using the floo system." Sebastian remarked dryly, placing the towel over the head of the chair, "Any other stupid ideas?"
She had one. "We'll probably get eaten by a shark if you decide to make us swim." Her eyes lit up, "Oh are we taking a boat?"
"That'll take too long... But I'll make a deal with you." Sebastian said coyly, walking over to her.
Gracie started to occlude before her breath could catch. She was still sitting on the bed with her legs under the covers. Sebastian sat on the edge by her waist with his body turned towards her. He leaned in, one hand flat against the mattress on the other side of her waist and the other trapping her. Like this, he was far closer than he needed to be, but his eyes were focused on her lips.
Her heart hammered against her chest because she couldn't even focus on occluding properly. The least she could do was push any... lewd feelings behind a thick door in her mind. That still left nervousness and anticipation out to play.
"What sort of deal?" She questioned him cautiously, searching his eyes for the answer.
Sebastian reached forward, pulling her bottom lip from her teeth with his thumb as he held her chin and her attention. "We fly there. Then we can sail to Australia."
The mood was gone. Her head instantly cleared and she smacked his hand away from her face. "Absolutely not."
A frown marred his features. "It'll take too long to sail there and to Australia. I can make it in one shot if we leave in the morning. It'll take about fifteen hours. Thirteen if you close your eyes and let me go fast."
"Hello? Did you think getting carried away by a dragon today helped?" Gracie snapped, irritated, "I. Don't. Fly."
"I caught you." Sebastian reflected with an easy smirk, "I'll always catch you so there's no need for you to be such a puffskein about it."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
Annoyance flashed in his eyes. "What if I kiss you? Will that convince you?"
"No, you've been wanting to kiss me since I burnt my tongue on Malakoff in Switzerland." Gracie pointed out boldly, "Did you forget the part where I'd rather kiss the back end of a flobberworm."
"Shortcake, I'll conjure one right now and we'll see who you'd rather kiss." Sebastian regarded her coolly, leaning in slightly. "Let's not forget the part where you're attracted to me."
Gracie leaned in, meeting him tit for tat. Amusement gleamed in his eyes met by the pertinacious glint in hers. "Not. Interested."
"So if I did this..." Sebastian slid his hand between the small of her back and the mattress and tugged her down. Her eyes flashed in surprise as her head hit the mattress lightly and now Sebastian was on all fours over her. His hands were on either side of her head and he pressed his hips against hers, "...You wouldn't be interested?"
If her heart pounded any louder, she was going to need to go to St. Mungos for palpitations. Still, she didn't waver in her gaze as she looked up at Sebastian. The enticing scent of Eucalyptus, mint, and a clean soapy smell caressed her nose.
"Not even a little bit, Sallow."
The corner of his lip curved up slowly as if that was what he was hoping she'd say. He dipped his head in between the crook of his neck and she felt his breath fan across her skin; allowing for her body to heat up at the proximity. She shifted her hips, uncomfortable with the desire pooling in her stomach and causing her to clench her thighs. It was a movement that didn't go unnoticed by Sebastian. Of course the lech would be in tune with her body.
"Is that right?" His chest rumbled with silent laughter and she felt a nip at her neck, "Then why haven't you told me to stop, yet?"
Once again.
He was messing with her.
Indignation bubbled inside her and Gracie hitched her leg over his waist, and flipped them over. Not an easy task considering Sebastian was pure muscle, but she ignored the fact that he let her, and settled his hands on her waist as she straddled him.
Her hands were flat against the hard lines of his abdomen. Even if she wasn't a Hyperthymesiac, she was still going to commit the feeling of of his muscles to memory.
"Trying to seduce me isn't going to make me agree with you, Sebastian." She reflected obstinately, "I'm not one of your whores we've found along the way."
His smirk could charm the panties off a troll. His thumbs slid under the hem of her blouse, rubbing slow, tantalizing circles into her hips, "How cute."
Gracie's eyes narrowed at the patronizing tone, but she didn't say anything. This prompted Sebastian to raise up on his forearms and then he sat up. Even straddling his lap, Sebastian towered over her. He looked down at her like the God of the Underworld tempting her to eat pomegranate seeds.
"You think that I've been trying to seduce you?" Sebastian inquired, a light teasing in his deep voice. He leaned in, tilting her chin up. "Gracie, I haven't even begun to ruin you." His left hand slid down to her tailbone and with one push, pressed her against his chest. She bit her lip, a hair's breadth away from his lips, "But I could always start."
She stayed very still. Her voice cold despite the smoldering of his gaze on her pouty lips, "I'd rather fly than kiss you."
He placed his hands underneath her thighs, lifting her up as he stood up off the bed. Gracie grabbed onto his shoulders in surprise, looking up at him with uncertainty. Sebastian turned slowly so that her back was to the bed. His voice a low purr, "You promise?"
The rumble of his chest brought her gaze down to his mouth and her grip loosened on his shoulders, "Yes?" She whispered, blinking slowly.
Without any warning, Sebastian dropped her on the bed; startling her. His grin was victorious and he reached for a shirt in the satchel on the table, "Good girl. I'll take you up on that promise then. I'll go buy a broom and bring back dinner. You keep that tempting body here until I come back. I shan't be gone long."
Sebastian threw his shirt on hastily and grabbed the satchel. With a last wink, he Apparated out of the room to Merlin knows where. Gracie was left, still half-sitting and half-fallen on the bed. Her cheeks were burning with embarrassment.
He hadn't even tricked her. She'd been caught in his gaze like a fly trapped in a web.
And now she had to fucking fly to Africa.
Bollocks.
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(づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ The tension between these two is absolutely ridiculous. Author should make them kiss soon, someone tell her.
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