2 The Golden Beauty

𝐂𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞

𝙂𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙣 𝘽𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙮, 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙡𝙮 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜

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Dressed in a white retro low-rise suede pleated wide shoulder strap, the hem ended on my thighs and the dress was form-fitting, of course, partnered with white evening gloves, I walked the ballroom with confidence. My blonde hair was styled in peekaboo waves, lips blood red, and light make up.

I love wearing gloves. Something about them was enticing and sophisticated.

Gisèle told me a client requested my presence, knowing how much I was worth, they're probably desperate when they could have just gotten someone else.

She walked beside me and slightly nudged me to follow her gaze to a lovely couple, fae. By the looks of their clothes, they were Seelie and rich. They reeked luxury.

My kind of clients.

"Bonsoir, mademoiselle." The male Fae said I could sense that he was somewhat powerful in their group.

"Monsieur, Madame." I nodded in acknowledgment. I noticed that the female companion may appear calm and stunning with her designer clothes but I can see the struggle in her eyes, the desperation.

"Just Erwan, s'il vous plaît." the male said.

The female Fae was near tears as if she couldn't hold it anymore.

Her mate pulled her close, "If you do not mind I would like to conduct our business in a more private setting."

"Of course, lead the way." I followed the couple as Gisèle started to network amongst the crowd.

They both led me to a library, once the doors closed, the woman cried frantically speaking in French and then fae. Her mate pulled her in an embrace, assuring her that everything will be brought to justice.

I helped myself on a drink while waiting for them to gain composure, I sat on a chaise as I sipped my drink, staring at the window as the City of Lights sparkle in my view.

Once the woman stopped crying and wiped her tears. "Ça va?" I asked.

"Bien, merci." the woman answered as she wiped her tears.

"I have heard about your service, mademoiselle. I trust you to do your best to deal with our situation, discreetly." The male Fae said as he poured himself a drink and swallowed it all once, I didn't miss how he emphasized the word: discreetly. He grimaced and continued, "Our daughter has been kidnapped, I don't trust the Seelie Court to find her before—" he choked.

I hated watching them struggle, I'm awkward at it, I was never good at comforting someone. My friends back home wouldn't care about the couple, seeing as I'm unlike them. I can understand their feelings because I've endured it.

Grandmother would smack me towards heaven for it but my family long accepted it.

They just don't understand how.

I sipped on my drink and said, "Fae jurisdiction is powerful. Why do you doubt your court?"

Out of all the supernatural, Fae are the strongest group alongside Vampires, Werewolves and others. That's why humans had a lot of myths and stories about them. Especially, the trashy romance genre. Which I really don't mind, if there's smut and then it's a must read for me. Smuts are essential in books, if you asked me.

My kind was not favored by humans, they hated my kind. Not only specifically my kind but generally speaking.

"We have been given a deadline to do what they wanted but we're—we're not willing to do it because we can't." He explained.

Are they really that weak with parting with some gold? I thought to myself as I watched the woman play with her hands, avoiding my gaze.

"What do they want?" I cocked my eyebrow in confusion.

"To kill the Alpha Vampire, the King," Erwan said. As if the air in the room got sucked by some unknown force, I froze and felt chills ran down my spine. My arms are basically covered in goosebumps.

I frowned in confusion, why would someone kidnapped a High Fae's daughter for them to kill the Alpha Vampire? Why waste resources to the fae when they could have focused on the vampires? But if that happens it would start a war between clans.

It's bad for my business.

"Vampire politics are far away from Fae politics, why would they include the Fae in their mess?" I asked, putting the glass on the table beside me. Vampires and Fae don't usually mix but they rarely do business. Rarely.

Most of the fae are stuck up bitches who had that Holier Than Thou attitude going on, I guess it comes from their hot mess of a creator downstairs.

Why would I even bother with other supernatural politics when the whole reason I'm here in the human realm was to avoid our politics.

"We don't know why but the kidnappers overestimated our power. We don't have personal ties to the vampires—" Erwan said, I was irked that they thought of doing their demands without a second thought. Haven't thought of the repercussions? The mess they're about to start if they give in in the demands.

I zoned out, my thoughts were a messed right now. Who did the Alpha Vampire piss off? Was this some sort of a rebellion? I rubbed my lips with my forefinger as I thoughts reasons.

If this couple did proceed to the demands of the kidnappers and then the King's loyalists would demand blood and find out that the assassination came from the fae. A war would ensue, altering my business between the two groups. Not good for my business.

"—we have heard about you and your people. How you could rectify the problem without a trace of your existence. My daughter may be the seventh heir for the Seelie throne but the Queen adores all her children. We would pay you handsomely and have the Queen's favor as payment."

The mention of the Queen was enough to tell me that this was a problem they don't want to get worse.

Besides, having the Seelie Court's favor was great for business.

"Why not my girls? Why specifically ask for me."

"We wanted the best," Erwan said without any hesitation.

I can't lie and say it did nothing on my ego but it really did great wonders on my mind about how I handle my work. I stopped myself from smirking. I love my girls but sometimes, I do want that daily dose of praise, and knowing I do well in my job was that.

"When's the deadline?" I asked as I stood from the chaise and checked the book spines.

"Friday. 5 pm. If we fail to do it, they'll deliver my girl's head to the court."

Four days. Shit.

A challenge.

Nevertheless, I snapped my fingers and with a burst of flames, a contract floated in the air in front of them. The woman flinched, she didn't expect the contract to appear out of mid-air.

"Sign the contract and we have a deal."

The Fae folk were quick readers so reading the contract was like scanning for humans. Erwan nodded and took a fountain pen from the desk. "This felt like I'm selling my soul to the devil," he muttered.

I only smiled in response.

Signed and sealed.

The contract burned and smoke floated in the air where the contract used to be.

"I know you have questions," I said as I faced them.

"What are you?" Erwan asked as he watched me in a more observant way. I saw the usual glint in his eyes where he's curious about me and that's not good but I know he won't do anything since he won't find anything about me.

"Your independent contractor, dear." I winked as I left the library.

The deal was signed and now, it's time to deliver.

———

Gisèle stood amongst the group of socialites, chuckling as a woman told something funny which I didn't bother to listen to. Gisèle saw me arrived from the hallway and excused herself from the group.

"So, what's the contract?" She asked, placing the flute on the passing waiter's tray as she grabbed two flutes on another waiter's tray.

She handed me one and we clinked our glasses. "We need Wynona and Bellona for this, I'll handle the extraction. Have Rhianne locate the asset, I need the location before Friday.."

"Of course, I'll call them back and exchanged them for Aminah and Kirsi." She nodded as she pulled out her phone and began typing.

"Any potential clients?" I scanned the whole room, seeing that the males were watching us--more specifically me, even without my Lure. They felt the need to stare.

"No, but they were interested in what the hell is your skincare."

I chuckled.

"Tell them it's called Essence."

Gisèle snorted in an un-ladylike. "Yeah, right."

"Well, I'm not lying, we both know that."

None of my girls knew what I was, I let them think whatever I was. I've learned from my past mistakes and I'm not repeating it, I've already paid for it. They already think I'm a mutated Siren or something. A siren who lures people and feast upon them, they think I'm a Soul Eater-Siren hybrid, since I leave my prey alive unlike the Sirens.

"Are you hungry?" Gisèle asked as she watched me eyed the people around us.

"Not yet. I'm craving for a particular taste." I know what taste I was looking for but I was not going to indulging myself for it because of how dangerous it was.

Gisèle looked confused at my words, well no one in my girls knows I have been eying someone for years, it was a miracle I didn't throw myself at him. I licked my lips at the thought of him.

This man tested my restraint and I was amazed at myself that I could stay away from him after all those years but now, the fates must be crazy because this threat was something I could ignore.

I couldn't afford to entangle myself with the likes of him. Grandmother would have a fit.

Probably going to drag my ass back to the family estate.

"I know that you could hold yourself for days but don't forget that starving yourself is not good for you," Gisèle said as she sipped her champagne. "We all know how that ended up the last time." She shot me a sideways glance.

"Yes, mother," I said sarcastically while rolling my eyes.

I stared at the windows and saw the lights of the Eiffel Tower in the distance. Paris, one of my favorite cities in the world. I would love to stay and eat bread but I'm needed somewhere right now.

The culture, architecture, and food was everything. If it weren't the fact my business conducts around the world, I would have settled in France or Italy.

Gisèle's phone beeped and her whole demeanor changed stiffly, the smile on her lips faded as she frowned at the text.

"What is it?" I asked without looking away from the view.

"They found him."