Dark Matter [Completed]

Nine

This has felt like longest month of my life. Or at least the longest month recently. I'm not a nice person; I don't even pretend to be. Stephanie, however, is sweet and patient and kind. Basically everything Natalia isn't. So you can imagine how exhausting it is to put up this act day in and day for weeks on end. I've had mission last a long time, but I've never had to stay in character so long without a break.

And it isn't just mentally taxing; the constant use of my powers is permanent drain on my energy. But, after all, this is what I've been trained for. Still, you can imagine I'm looking forward to my weekend off. I'll probably end up spending most of it sleeping and vegging in front of the tv. Alex even bought a console system. My brother knows me so well.

But, as it turns out, fate, or, more accurately, Lucius Orion, has different ideas. I'm just about to finish clearing the dinner table when he strolls into the room. I just want to go to bed, but I flash a friendly, shy smile and say, "Hello."

"Hi there, Miss Stephanie," he replies, leaning casually against the huge, mahogany dining table. The silence is just beginning to slide towards becoming awkward when Lucius says, "I have a proposition for you, Miss Stephanie."

"Oh?" I say questioningly, looking up.

"How would you like to go somewhere with me?"

My eyebrows shoot up. I don't have to fake my surprise because I am genuinely taken aback. Lucius flirts with me shamelessly, but he does so with the other maids too. I've never known him to ask any of them out, though. I'm immediately suspicious of his motivations, but I have to remind myself that Stephanie is a little more naive. Still, I'm not about to fly blissfully into whatever this boy has planned. The mission be darned.

"Go where?" I ask slowly.

"Robert Lawrence is throwing a birthday party for his son. Sam's a good friend of mine." He pauses. "Well, we used to be good friends in college, but we haven't really talked in years. Honestly, I don't know why I'm invited, but anyway... I don't want to spend the evening with a bunch of practically strangers. You get what I'm sayin'?"

I nod. "Yeah, but we don't exactly know that much about each other. I'm probably more of a stranger than those other people."

Lucius chuckles. "Very true, Miss Stephanie, but there's one thing you're forgetting."

"What is that?"

"I want to get to know you; I don't want to get to know them."

I blush on cue and look away, but I'm thinking, Boy, trust me... you don't want to get to know me. If you knew who I really was, you'd run like the devil was chasing you. I barely bite back a laugh. Because she is.

"So...," Lucius takes a step closer to me, "Will you help a guy out?"

The last thing I want to do is go to a party filled with snobby aristocrats, but Stephanie would've thrilled so I nod. "Sure."

"Hey!" Lucius exclaims. "Sound a little more enthusiastic. I'm starting to feel you're just saying yes because you feel sorry for me."

"No!" I say with a nervous laugh. "No, it's not that. I... You just took me by surprise."

He laughs. "Well, I like to be unpredictable." He then moves towards the door. "I'll pick you up about seven tomorrow?"

"Sounds good," I say, and, with a wink, Lucius disappears. With a heavy sigh, I lean against the table. What have I gotten myself into?