Waerham Castle (3)

“Don’t be crazy!” Sasha said. “You haven’t eaten much after you have come back from your shift.” She walked ahead of them to a long table that filled most of the corner. It was laden with rich food consisting of wines and delectable dishes that made her mouth water as the tendrils of steam wafted through her nose. Chicken, lamb, steaks, various breads, fish, carrots, peas… it was a lavish feast. 

Sasha picked a plate and loaded it. Xavier picked a glass of wine. 

“You should eat something Amelia,” she said, when she found that she was hesitant. 

Amelia walked to the counter and picked up a few steamed asparagus with dip and started to eat. Her eyes flitted to the people in front of her. Why were they all so heavily dressed? And what was it with those feathers, which kept ruffling and fluttering every now and then. She noticed that some of them were already dancing on the dance floor. The music had picked up. 

“How many do you know out here, Xavier?” she asked because she hardly recognized anyone there. 

“Seven. Only the ones who worked for restoring this castle.” He sipped his wine and then saw how Amelia was staring at the dancing couples. “Don’t stare at them Amelia. You will get shocked and they might get offended.”

“Why will I get shocked? It is a simple dance that I am loving to watch,” she replied flatly. 

Xavier sighed. 

The rhythm was such that Amelia felt like dancing. It was so enticing, like it was calling her. She took a step forward. 

“Don’t even think of going there, Amelia. We are going to leave this place,” Xavier warned. 

Sasha watched her. She whispered to him, “Let her go. She needs to unwind after Daniel. I’ve heard that he cheated on her but she is hoping that it is a rumor and I know that she wants to go back.”

“That’s horrible!” Xavier was stunned. 

“He is such an ass. Amelia is a prize-catch. Not only he loves to drown himself in alcohol, he is even a cheater. Amelia should move on!” he sympathized with her. 

“She should. And if she won’t I will just show her the evidence that he cheated on her with none other but her cousin sister, Julia.” 

“Shit!” Xavier almost spilled his wine on his shirt. “This is so disgusting! Don’t tell her.” 

Sasha sighed. She wanted to drill sense into Amelia. She really longed for Daniel. Did she even realize how low he used to make her feel? 

“Whatever. She shouldn’t go there. She won’t be able to see what is going on. These people are wilder than wild and I don’t want you girls to face any of this further. So let’s just finish our food and go.” Xavier looked towards Amelia but she had stepped further towards the dance floor. He called her. She didn’t listen. He tried to move, but to his horror, he found that his legs had frozen. He couldn’t move a step. He stood rooted to the ground.

Amelia walked a little further. The music was drawing her soul. She could still feel him boring a hole in her body. Suddenly the dance floor became brighter and what she saw shocked her beyond words. She stopped in her tracks. A man had slid his hands under the dress of a girl and was holding her crotch. There were two girls hanging on the arms of another man, wrapped around him like ivy from head to toe. She gasped. The music was playing in her mind—cajoling her, seducing her like a siren to come and be its slave. She walked a little more and then stopped again. Her hand went to her neck. She had to go back. This wasn’t for her. She back-walked two steps when suddenly someone held her from behind. 

“Can I have the pleasure of a dance with you, Amelia?” a tantalizing voice, almost to the point of seduction whispered in her ear. The electricity that pulsates in her body was like magic. It was so strange that it was stupid. Perhaps she was imagining things. 

She clutched her black bodycon on the side. It was him. Every muscle in her body clenched and her facial muscles tightened. She looked at the dance floor again and saw that more people had joined. Xavier was right. The party was about to become wilder. Almost all of them were doing something wild.

“Maybe, next time,” she resisted his invite. “I am sorry but I don’t do all that,” she pointed at the people. 

“You think highly of yourself, Dr. Amelia,” he replied and she could feel him smiling on her neck. 

She bit her lip. What a fool she was? Her face reddened. 

He was still standing behind her. Holding the small of her back, he nudged her lightly. “Let’s dance.” Saying that he walked up with her to the dance floor and she walked in tandem with him, entranced, entrapped. 

Nerves took over her body. The music pumped in her veins and she found herself lost in its beats. It flowed through her soul. 

He held her back from behind with his left hand and brought his right hand forward to hold her hand. He picked it up, gripped it and held it close to her belly. She started to sway slowly, feeling like his music as he struck her chord. The beats ascended and she closed her eyes inhaling his fresh sea sir scent and resisting herself on the inside to not get her brain hijacked by this. The heady fragrance, the heavy music and all those strange people – they moved like water, in powerful, graceful movements of seduction. 

Vargauz swayed softly with her. “Do you like it?” he murmured.

“The music is nice…” her voice trailed off. She wanted to give into him. 

“Can I come to see you tomorrow?” he asked. 

“No.” 

“I would like to say thank you to you for attending to me.” 

“Not necessary,” she replied, resisting every warm breath that fell on her neck. “I do that everyday.” 

Suddenly he pushed her at an arm’s length while holding her right hand and then pulled her back. She was now facing him.