Chapter 12
Leona was practically on cloud nine.
She had spoken to Sebastian constantly since their night on the river and she felt like she was really getting somewhere with him. They were always asking each other questions, and the conversation flowed so naturally. He was the first person in a long time that genuinely made her laugh and smile. He saw her. She could still sense some apprehension from him when they were around each other, or when they video-called, but that was to be expected. She was just glad he wasn’t running for the hills or reporting her to the authorities for murder or witchcraft.
They had been taking things somewhat slow, but that was more on Sebastian’s end than hers. She had reassured him that just because she was born in another time, didn’t mean he had to treat her that way. She was more than caught up to modern dating and how fast things tended to move these days. If he had wanted to ravish her right there on the riverbank, she wouldn’t have had any protests. But he had insisted on ‘doing things right’ and Leona had been touched by that. Who was she to deny him of being a gentleman? Isn’t that what she wanted all along?
Perhaps he was the one she’d been looking for.
She hoped so.
Leona looked up from the book she was poring over as a knock sounded from the front door. She closed the book and practically floated to the door, pulling it open. On the other side stood Sebastian, looking just as bewildered as he always did. Speak of the devil. A smile broke out across her lips and she tilted her head thoughtfully. “What a pleasant surprise, Beliveau.”
Sebastian offered her a sloppy smile and a light blush. “I’m full of surprises, Abrin. But you can’t tell anyone I’m here. I’m on strict confidential business,” he said, his voice lowered.
“Oh?” Leona said, her eyebrows creeping up. She leaned forward just a bit and her voice dropped to a hushed tone. “What sort of confidential business?”
Sebastian reached into his inner coat pocket and pulled out an ornate piece of cardstock. He glanced down at it, before handing it to her.
Leona took it and looked down at it, her lips parting as she silently read the front.
Lover’s Ball
The Company of Ms. Leona Abrin is Requested at Labasque Manor, on Chartres Street, in the French Quarter, New Orleans, on Saturday Evening, October 25th, 2014, at 7 o’clock
Victor Labasque
Charlotte Labasque
She looked up at Sebastian, her eyes misty. “This is a real invitation?”
“Yes,” he said. “Piper and Whitney have theirs coming in the mail soon, but I wanted to hand-deliver yours. Charlotte made it very clear I was not to see you until the night of the ball, but I wanted to see your reaction. Is this too much?”
“Too much? Are you joking?” Leona said, her smile widening by the second. “This is just… lovely, Sebastian.”
“Charlotte has been doing research to make it like the balls you were used to in your time as a human. I wanted to give you a sense of normality. And a memorable first date, considering I have hundreds — maybe thousands — of past first dates to compete with.”
“Thousands is a bit insulting,” Leona asked. She suddenly threw her arms around his neck, causing Sebastian to tense up. It was such a stark reaction that she pulled back a little. “Sorry. Did I hurt you?”
“No,” he said, his face unreadable. “It’s fine,” he murmured. Slowly, he snaked his arms around her waist to squeeze her back.
“Thank you,” she whispered into his hair, staying in his arms. “You have no competition. I promise.”
His smile was hidden in their embrace. A blanket of warmth washed over him, despite her frigid body temperature. He couldn’t remember the last time somebody had hugged him. It had probably been Victor or Charlotte at some point. The touch wasn’t unwelcome, just unexpected.
But he could get used to it.
Slowly, she retreated from him and took a step back, her hands trailing down his arms. She smiled bashfully and clutched her invitation to her chest. An expectant look crossed her features as she watched him.
His daze from the hug faded and he cleared his throat. “I’d like to formally ask for your hand in this ball, Madame Abrin,” he said, bowing his head.
Leona giggled and nudged his shoulder. “You are so cute. Nice try.”
“I Googled it!” he laughed, lifting his head. “Is that not what they used to say?”
“More or less,” she teased, before beaming at him. “I humbly offer my hand to you, Monsieur Beliveau. Happily.”
Sebastian released a small breath and he gently took her hand. “See you Saturday evening, my lady,” he purred, lowering his lips to the soft, pale skin of her knuckles.
She felt butterflies for the first time in three hundred years. Leona watched him walk down the pathway toward their front gate, then he disappeared down the street. She stood in the doorway for a while after that, her thoughts swimming in her head as a gentle breeze blew the leaves scattering the ground around her. She had been so apprehensive about returning to this place, about revisiting trauma that wasn’t even Gideon-related by coming back. She had never been more grateful for something in all of her existence. Her eyes roamed around the trees looming over the middle of the street, bent by centuries of growth and history. The other houses lined the road, each looking different than the next. She always loved the personality New Orleans held, that every inch of it had its own story to tell. It reminded her so much of her childhood, of the life she missed so dearly; the life that was stolen from her.
But, for the first time in her immortal life, she was thankful she’d lived this long. She was hopeful for her future. Sebastian didn’t treat her like she was damaged goods. He looked at her like he would any other normal woman. She was glad he didn’t seem petrified with fear anymore. Just… mildly paralyzed in certain instances.
Her eyes cut down to the invitation in her hands. It was ornately designed with small imprints and lace around the sides. She could tell a calligrapher had decorated it by hand. It was truly one of a kind, and she was floored by how thoughtful Sebastian had been. He didn’t have to go to so much effort, but he had. She had offered herself to him, no questions asked, and he’d refused under the guise of wanting to make an impression. She had never met a man as patient and kind as that, mortal or otherwise.
She knew that the moment she’d laid eyes on him, the reason she’d been so drawn to him at first sight, was because she fell in love.
Desperately, she wanted to believe he felt the same.
Somewhere deep down.
“Tighter.”
Leona gripped the poster on her bed, gritting her teeth as Piper pulled the strings of the corset vicing her body more taut. “It’s not as if I have to breathe, is it? Tighter.”
“If I pull it any tighter, you’re going to implode,” the blonde laughed. She tied up the back and pulled her to face her. She looked at her makeup and smiled happily. Her throat tightened with emotion and she gently pressed her hand to her cheek. “You look like yourself again. How I remember you when we first met.”
“When we first met?” Leona said with an impish smirk.
Piper rolled her eyes. “Well… around that time. I suppose you were rather a bitch when we first met. And not at all in your skirts and bloomers and corsets.”
“That man was mine and you know it.”
“We have been over this. I saw him first. You just tried to swoop in and take my dinner.”
“He was big enough for both of us.”
“I still felt peckish afterward,” she shrugged. “But of all the beggars who have tried to steal my food, you’ve been my favorite.”
“Who’s the bitch now?” Leona laughed. “But thank you for the compliment. I feel like myself again. I feel like the girl I used to be. Before the monster,” she said, staring at herself in the mirror. “Do you think he’ll like it?”
“Who, Sebastian? Please,” Piper scoffed, standing behind her in the mirror. She squeezed the tops of her arms and rested her chin on her shoulder. “You might put him into cardiac arrest.”
“Stop,” she giggled. “Okay, let’s get the dress on.”
Piper opened up the wardrobe where the dress was hiding. It was a long-sleeved, black garment made entirely of silk and lace. It was cut off the shoulder with a low décolletage and a floor-length, bouffant skirt. The lace overlay was a deep emerald green, highlighting every asset of the dress. She had gotten it made special, and though it had cost a small fortune, it was worth it. If he had put in so much effort, she was going to return the favor. She was just glad she’d been able to get it done in time. As excited as she was about the date, half a week was not a lot of time to get a dress made in this style. Or any style, really.
“I’m so excited,” Piper said with a grin, taking it out of the closet. “You look so authentic. Though those are quite modern,” she said as she pointed to the black lingerie hanging on her hips. “Feeling hopeful?”
“Hush,” Leona admonished. “They’re nice. Aren’t they nice?”
“Yes. I’m sure Sebastian will think so too.”
“I doubt he’ll see them,” she said, carefully stepping into the dress as Piper helped hoist it up her body.
“Why?” she asked, fastening all the ties on the back.
“He just doesn’t seem interested. I mean, he does, and I love that he’s being so polite, but… I would expect a delay like this from someone from our time, but his? We’ve been talking nonstop for weeks now. The most we’ve done is hold hands. I have half-wondered if he’s gay.”
Piper burst out laughing, even when Leona swore at her to be respectful. “Sweetheart, he threw an entire ball in your honor. If that’s not a horny man, I don’t know what is. Do you really think he’d go through all this trouble just to be your friend?”
“He has told me he doesn’t want to pursue anything romantic. He said he wants to woo me, but… I don’t know,” she sighed. “Maybe I’m just being silly about all this. What would he want with me? And everything that comes with me?”
“Pfft,” Piper scoffed. “Please. You don’t give yourself enough credit. Sebastian knows what he signed up for, and he’s still bending over backward for you. You’re always going on about how you want a man who’s both soft but bold enough to protect you. If you want him that bad, why don’t you just glamour him a little?”
“Piper!”
“Not a crazy amount! Just… enough to give him a little nudge. He might need that. You are pretty intimidating.”
“Absolutely not. And don’t you do anything to him either. I want him to come to me of his own accord.”
“Such a hopeless romantic,” the other woman said, shaking her head. “You’re ready to go.”
Leona smoothed her hands over the front of the dress. Her hair was curled and styled up, with beaded jewelry glittering throughout to give her an extra pop. She had an emerald pendant shimmering against her chest, completing the look.
“When is Whitney supposed to be back?” Leona asked, moving to help Piper into her dress. She was wearing a similarly designed dress, but it was white with floral accents. Her blonde hair was curled and down for the occasion.
“She called and said she would be back in time for the ball. She might be bringing Damien. She said they were fighting, but you know how that goes,” Piper said while rolling her eyes.
“Let’s hope she leaves him in whatever hovel he’s undoubtedly staying in at the moment,” Leona muttered.
It put her on edge, the thought of Damien being near her. Though she wasn’t his biggest fan, he wasn’t as bad as Gideon. He meant well — most of the time — and didn’t enjoy pure torture like his best friend did. Her reservations with him came mostly from how badly he treated Whitney and the fact that she couldn’t stay away from him.
The fact that he was a werewolf was beside the point.
“She’s going to reek of dog,” Piper grimaced, shaking her head. “I could never.”
“The heart wants what the heart wants,” Leona shrugged.
“You’d know,” Piper said with a smile. She walked over to the mirror and checked out her reflection. “This thing hides my ass.”
“It hides a lot of things,” Leona said with a light laugh. “I think your face does enough talking for the rest of your body anyway.”
Piper gave her a look and fluffed her hair, before turning to face her. “Ready to?—”
Ding!
Leona glanced toward the window that faced the front porch. “Who’s that? Are you expecting someone?”
“No. Not anyone that would ring the doorbell,” Piper said, picking up her dress so she could walk to the window. She peered down and a small smile spread across her lips. “Oh. It’s for you.”
“For me?” Leona asked, her heart dropping into her stomach.
“Don’t panic,” Piper said, her head whipping to her best friend at the tone of her voice. “Just go down and see. I’d never send you into danger. But it looks like it’s supposed to be a surprise.”
Leona trusted her implicitly. She walked through the bedroom door, carefully maneuvering the stairs in her heels and skirt. She flung the door open and gasped, her eyes wide with delight as she took in the scene before her.
Sebastian was there, dressed in a fine black suit, complete with emerald accents to match her dress. A green cravat tie was fastened around his neck, the stitching on his coat was black, and his dress shoes were dark, but shimmered green just enough when the light hit them right. His hair was curled and styled, sitting just at his shoulders.
Behind him on the street was a horse-drawn carriage and driver awaiting them. Sebastian smiled at her and held out a bouquet of red roses. “Your chariot awaits, my lady.”
“Sebastian!” Leona squealed, rushing down the steps of the porch. She practically jumped into his arms, unable to show her gratitude and excitement in any other way.
The man laughed softly and wrapped his free arm around her waist, trying to be mindful of both the flowers and her outfit. He had nearly lost his footing and assumed she had pulled her strong hug back at the last possible second. It still had been like getting tackled by a linebacker. “I take it you like the surprise?”
“Yes,” she breathed, inhaling the scent of him. She could smell sunlight and life on him. It was mixed with an earthy cologne, one that reminded her of sandalwood and vanilla. She pulled back just a bit, staying in his strong embrace. Peering into those dark brown eyes of his, she, for once, felt like she lost the ability to breathe. To think. Her eyes slowly trailed down his face to his lips, then back up to his eyes. She could count the little hairs speckled around his eyebrows, a few sparsed in the middle. He was clean-shaven, his cheeks peppered with small, dark remnants of facial hair. His hair was styled and she could smell the product spread throughout his black locks.
He was just… radiant.
“Hey! Good job, Sebby!” Piper called from the doorway, before wolf-whistling.
Their spell was broken and Sebastian released Leona. He handed her the flowers and looked behind her toward her blonde partner in crime. “Don’t call me that.”
“Why not?” Piper asked, coming down the steps. “Charlotte calls you that.”
“Exactly. Other people do not.”
“Not even Leona? I call her Le. There’s nothing wrong with it.”
Sebastian shook his head. “No. Leona’s name is so beautiful, every syllable deserves its own spotlight. To shorten it would be a crime,” he said.
Leona could have cried. She leaned into him and glanced at Piper. “Listen to what he says, Pipe. Sebastian wants to be called Sebastian.”
“How about ‘asshole?’” Piper muttered. “Alright, let’s get going. We don’t want to be late.”
“This carriage isn’t for you,” Sebastian said gruffly. “You’ll need to find your own ride.”
“Seriously?” Piper said, looking to Leona for help. The redhead merely shot her an apologetic glance, but she agreed with Sebastian. She wanted to share in this moment alone with him. This was their night. Piper would get over it.
“Dickhead might be a better name,” the blonde said, cutting her eyes away from them. “Fine. Enjoy your journey, lovebirds. I’ll see you two at the manor,” she said. In a moment, she was gone. Thankfully, the carriage driver wasn’t paying attention.
“Sorry about her,” Leona sighed, cradling the flowers. “It’s alright. Not the first time I’ve pissed a woman off.”
“Is that so?”
Sebastian’s lips quirked slightly in amusement. “No. I lied,” he said. “Unless you count Charlotte. I live to annoy her.”
“Now that I believe,” she laughed. “Let me put these in a vase and then we can go.”
Sebastian sprung into action and he took her hand, helping her back up the porch steps. If he was going to do this, he was going to go all out. He walked in with her and fetched the vase she directed him to. Filling it with water, he carefully placed the flowers inside. “Perfect,” he said to himself, arranging them in the middle of her dining table. “Is this a good space?”
“Perfect,” she repeated with a smile. She held out her hand to him. “Shall we then, my lord?”
Sebastian flushed. “We shall, my lady,” he said, taking her hand so he could lead her back out to the carriage.
They ventured outside into the crisp, autumn air and he helped her step up into the carriage. He climbed in on the other side and they were off. The clopping of the horses’ hooves echoed around the quiet streets. It was a bit early for the French Quarter to come alive, so things were peaceful. They wouldn’t stay that way, of course, especially on a weekend so close to Halloween, but he relished in the tranquility they were offered in the moment.
“Thank you.”
Sebastian looked over at Leona. He smiled slightly and nodded. “Of course. I want you to be happy. You deserve it.”
“I mean it, Sebastian. Nobody has ever gone to this much effort for me. Not even Gideon, before…”
“I’m not Gideon,” he said, shifting so he could face her a little more. “And I never will be.”
“Thank God for that,” she sighed in relief. Her head turned to look at the passing scenery, the people walking by and gawking at them, the trees, the faint music playing from a mystery corner. “I love this city. It’s the only place that has a soundtrack no matter where you go.”
That amused him. “I never thought about it that way, but you’re right. There’s always some jazz band playing somewhere in earshot.”
She smiled wistfully, a few ringlets swaying in the wind. “I would love nothing more than to just finish my days out here. Not having to look over my shoulder. Just… normal. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
Sebastian watched her closely, his eyes scanning over her features. He didn’t have anything to say in response, so he merely listened. He wished he could see what she had been like in her true youth. Would she have given him a passing glance? He had gathered that vampires were made perfect, and all their human imperfections were washed away with the transformation. He couldn’t imagine any part of her being classed as a blemish. She had a defined jawline, her lips were a perfect, pale pink cupid’s bow, and her eyes were the most beautiful green crystals he’d ever seen. She was completely mesmerizing. He appreciated that her vampiric traits hadn’t destroyed some of the finer parts of her countenance: the freckles dotting her cheeks, her eyelashes long enough to create hurricanes, her dark, auburn eyebrows that arched perfectly, framing her eyes in a way unlike any other.
“We’ve arrived.”
His daydream ended and he focused on their surroundings, seeing the Labasque Manor lit up and decorated for the occasion. He’d never tire of seeing this home. The lanterns adorning the columns in the entryway were alight and flickering. He could hear the dull roar of music from the inside, and there were even people milling around the front yard, sharing in cigarettes, laughter, drinks, or all three.
“Thank you,” he said to the driver, slipping him some cash for a tip. He hopped down from the carriage and hurried to the other side. Gripping her tightly, he helped her down to the ground, making sure she was steady. Their arms looped together and they approached the doorway.
As they entered, they were met with bright lights, servants wandering around carrying trays of drinks and food, and many people donning Victorian-style ballgowns and suits. Everything looked perfect. He hoped she thought so too.
“Oh my goodness,” Leona whispered in awe, her eyes wide with wonder as she looked around.
Sebastian’s chest swelled with pride as he looked at her, and he had never seen something more beautiful.
At that moment, he realized he was falling in love with her.