"Now, you do not want to ruin the fun. Do you?" he said with his eyes narrowing through the silver slits.
Cladria paled, and something flickered in her eyes. It was her party and no one had ever questioned her in her party, much less stopping her or holding her by her wrist so rudely.
Seraphina stepped forward, fingers gliding over Elias's shoulder like a warning and a claim. Her eyes locked with Cladria's.
"My lord wanted to respect the rules, nothing more, my lady. I hope you could understand that much. And he already had a partner with him." she smirked sweetly but her warning was clear. Cladria took her hands back and laughed softly.
"Of course, I apologize for overstepping." lord Velmore frowned as his daughter was never disgraced before. Everyone was looking at her amused or confused.
"We were just admiring our guests," she said silkily. "It is important to be humble in front of other nobles if you want to make contacts. no?"
Elias looked at Cladria once more, long and slow, letting the moment stretch, letting her squirm in the absence of understanding. Then he smiled but there was no kindness in it.
"Thank you for inviting me once again, now if you please excuse me." his hand splayed on Seraphina's back and he took a step back.
He walked past her without waiting for permission or response. The crowd parted again, stunned into silence by the exchange.
Seraphina walked beside him and sighed. "They all look down on you. How would you change it?"
"I have my ways. But for now, are you sure you could be here with me? Considering that your enemies are here too, I suggest you should leave." His question made her pause in her tracks and she looked at him with a stunned face.
"You noticed it. How?" His boots came to a halt against the polished marble, and his hand, still resting lightly on Seraphina's back, tightened just slightly.
"So…" he said quietly, turning to face her fully, silver eyes gleaming through his mask, "there are people here you should be wary of."
Seraphina froze. Her lashes fluttered for a split second before her eyes narrowed in amused disbelief.
"You tricked me," she whispered, a breathless laugh escaping her lips. "You were testing me earlier. Huh!"
"No it was just a hunch but now you have confirmed it. If you want to leave, you can. I can handle this much alone." he moved his hands away and took a step back as if giving her a chance to leave. But she did not. She stared at him instead.
"I am impressed, Elias." she murmured with a seductive smile on her face. "So tell me, Elias. What else did you observe or felt?"
He didn't look around, but his gaze sharpened as if marking every shadow behind her. "I noticed a few guests watching you since the moment you entered. Their gaze did not look amiable and it did not leave you no matter where you stood in the large hall."
Her lips parted slightly. She had noticed them too. But it was so subtle. She had never believed that they could be caught.
"They might be charmed by my looks." she bluffed, running a hand in her hair looking smug about it. But Elias looked unimpressed by her reply and frowned.
"But they weren't human," he added in a low and deliberate voice "they are like you."
Seraphina blinked and stared at him as if he had spoken an ancient language she could not understand.
"You could tell?" she asked, her tone more curious than alarmed now. "But how? Most of them look no different than your kind until the fangs come out."
Elias tilted his head, a faint smile brushing his lips, but it wasn't warm. "They have the same body structure. yes. But they have a different presence. Their body is more seductive and has a different allure to them. And their smell is different. A strong metallic smell that comes from you and the drinks you sip all day. It's subtle, but it pulls at your instincts. And their eyes had different vibes. One could not help but feel the desire to bow toward them. I can feel it now."
Her brows lifted as her interest piqued beyond the flirtation. "How long have you been able to sense that?"
"Since I have started to live with you.," he admitted. "Isn't it normal to know your traits after living with you for a long time?" That was the point. She had lived with many humans under different disguises. But no one had ever noticed this much before.
She leaned in, brushing her lips near his ear, just close enough to let him feel the chill in her breath.
"Then stay close to me, Elias. Because if I noticed them watching, I am sure they noticed you watching back."
He gave a small nod and offered her his arm again. "I did not look back at them but we could never be sure. But if it is not safe for you, why are you here?" he asked again, concerned about her safety. It made her smile softly.
"They do not know who I am except that I am not human. Do not worry, they could never get to me. Now forget about me, this night is yours. I want to see how you shine. And you know.." she leaned closer again and wrapped her arms around his neck, "Cladria did not stop looking at you since the time you left her alone. I guess she had taken you as a new challenge and she would not stop at any cost." The man did not look surprised with her words.
He only grunted in acknowledgement and found a seat to sit down. He knew the best way to catch her attention was to ignore her. Cladria loves the chase and challenges.
"They do not seem you worthy." she added when she sat beside him.
In the corner, a few nobles were discussing a land deed with lord Velmore. All of the nobles participated in the discussion but no one called Elias.
"The land needed a hefty sum. I want lord Velmore to invest in it. So let them continue." he took a sip of his drink with a smile on his face. "I am only here so that they could ignore me tonight."