Keira nodded and smiled at her coworkers as she made her way to her cabin. Everyone surely must have known about her and Adrian's sudden break up, but no one said anything to her and she was thankful for it. As soon as she set bag on her desk Matt knocked on the glass above her desk.
She looked up thinking it was Adrian, decided to follow her after all. But to see her boss there instead of Adrian made her smile "Matt, good morning."
"Good morning Keira. Looks like you are feeling better." he replied
She tensed, is he talking about her break up with Adrian? Then she remembered her dad called in to inform her boss that she had flu and won't be able to come in for a week.
"Yeah, yeah I am feeling better. Much better actually." she babbled.
If Matt found it suspicious he didn't say anything, instead he asked "Better enough to take another assignment?"
"Yes. Of course."
"Great. Boardroom in ten minutes." Matt said and walked away.
A new assignment. That's what she really needs. More work to keep her mind busy so she won't have time to think about Mr. Ass**ol and Miss. Big boobs.
Thirty minutes later she walked out of the boardroom with a new assignment and a terrible headache.
Adrian argued with Matt the whole time, saying if he is not going to get the assignment then at least he should be able collaborate as she was new and would need as much help as she could get. Thankfully Matt decided it's time for Keira to head her own assignment.
Finally Adrian gave up but that didn't stop him from following her to her cabin. She had ignored him, not wanting to make a scene.
She flipped through the files Matt had given her and found the number of the collector, punched the number in her mobile waited for other party to reply while praying Adrian just get message and go away. No such luck.
However the collector answered at the fourth ring.
She fixed the appointment for the evening. When she ended the call Adrian spoke "Are you not talking to me?"
Finally! She thought but didn't reply. Instead she pulled up the private collection's information she was going work on.
"So this is how you going to act? God. You're such child Keira."
"I am a child? Was it me who invited a bimbo home while my girlfriend was away?" she couldn't keep quiet any longer. If he wants to have it out then that's what he is going to get.
"Keep your voice down and Rach is not a bimbo." he gritted out
"Rach? Of cause not. Bimbo is too nice for her, she is a boyfriend stealing bitch."
He hissed "You do not insult her. She is a respectable woman."
"A respectable woman doesn't fuck another woman's boyfriend behind their back, in their home, on their couch." she spat back.
Adrian glared at her, when she didn't back down he spoke just three words "Wasn't your home."
A low blow. Now she closed her eyes, took a deep breath then looked up at him and said "Get out."
Adrian blinked as if he couldn't believe what he heard, then he looked around them then said "I just wanted to help you with the new assignment." as if anyone would think it was that simple. Some people are just too dens to be ashamed.
Keira just closed her laptop, slipped it into her bag along with her files, locked her drawer and left.
"I am going for lunch then I have an appointment with a collector. Tell Matt I'll see him tomorrow." she told Matt's assistant on her way out.
**************************
He caught her scent even before he heard her footsteps. Jasmine and morning dew. It tickled more then his nose. He couldn't help the pull he felt which had him standing in front of the glass separating them.
She was not much tall, clad in black knee length skirt and white top. Her back was to him while she admired the 17th century potry.
She flicked her dark hair and he inhaled sharply. Her scent assaulted his senses. Her hair fell lower then her shoulders. He flexed his long fingers as if he could feel their silkiness.
He couldn't understand what was happening to him. He never found a woman so attractive in all his existence and he hasn't even seen how she looked from front.
Once again his eyes slowly raked over her body from her silky hair to her dainty shoulders, her tiny waist, her round bottom, to her black heels. Then suddenly she turned toward him and he couldn't even blink let alone moving away from the glass.
********************
Kiera walked around looking at mixture of objects on display. Few pieces of jewelry, a small ivory box, a sword and few daggers.
Next display held few pieces of very old pottery right opposite that, there was a life size painting of a very tall man in his early or mid thirties. A very handsome tall man that is.
His hair was darkest black and longer then modern fashion. Although his clothes looked modern but could easily be of old standard. White shirt flowing with frilled at cuffs and caller. Black trousers but his feet were bare.
His skin looked very pale. Although the painting has started to turn dark at the edges with age. The frame looked great, not showing any sign of aging. The knot work design was really amazing.
She looked back at the painting in it. Sad that it was slowly getting destroyed with time. God knows how long it would be before no one would be able see such a handsome man.
He looked so alive. His jet black slightly slanted straight eyebrows, green eyes with such long black lashes, straight long nose, high cheekbones, his lips a beautiful shade of dull pink, lower one fuller then the upper. Soft and masculine at same time. Just begging to be touched. God. What did the painter used to make it look so lifelike?
She smiled, thinking now she is fawning over a dead man's painting. Who must be long dead even before her grandparents were born if it is as old as the collector said it was. After all it was one of the antiques salvaged from a ship that went down in early 17th century.
Well who could blame her after Adrian, even a dead man seems better. At least he won't betray her.
She laughed at her own little joke before turning away as she heard the footsteps approaching.
"Ms. Wolfrost?" a hulking bald man in steel gray suit stopped in front of her.
"Mr. Winston I presume?" at his slight nod she smiled and extended her arm "Call me Keira and Thank you for agreeing to see me earlier then our meeting time."
"That's alright." he said shaking her hand. "Come, let's talk in my office."
**********************
Cinyras lay on the floor, single strand of brown hair between his fingers. It was dark brown not black like he first thought, but it's colour became lighter towards the end, the last inch of it like shiny copper coin.
It was her hair. He plucked it when she turned away from him. Her hair flicked through the glass almost touching his chest. He just reached out and took one hair. That's all he needed.
He has been prisoner in this glass hell. At the bottom of the sea. Drowning over and over again unable to die, unable to live for more than thirty years.
Such was the power of the spell Golgos used. It kept Cinyras in and everything out unless he was right in front of it. Then everything can come and go through it except Cinyras himself.
Any part of him couldn't pass through the glass. Not his body, not his voice not even his powers. He tried everything.
When Golgos tricked and trapped him into the glass, he didn't have anything except the clothes he still wore. Now that has changed, he has Keira's hair. If only his power would work now. The only one he has not tried in thirty years.
He brought her hair close to his nose, it smelled like Jasmine. He could hear her saying goodbye to someone then the noise of her heels slowly disappearing.
"See you soon little dark one." he whispered, closing his eyes with a smile for the first time in thirty years.
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