04-12-2025, 05:05 PM
Adrian exchanged small talk with dozens of people over the course of the evening, each interaction a choreography he danced through with ease. People were more willing to let him into the conversational fold after his chat with the Ascendancy—as if proximity to Brandon gave him a golden glow. If only the bastards knew. Every handshake, every compliment, more souls for his nighttime buffet of mind-fuckery. In time, he would find them all. A silent army just waiting to be assembled.
He tried circling Scion’s orbit more than once, but the old whale kept pivoting away. Probably unintentional—Scion didn’t seem smart enough to be strategic—but it was starting to piss Adrian off. Every step forward turned into a slow shuffle sideways.
Instead, he caught Jessika Thrice’s gaze.
She looked at him curiously, that kind of smile women used when they weren’t sure if you were interesting or in the way. For a moment, he thought she might cross the room. He wouldn’t have kicked her in the ankle, but he had no desire to breathe the same air. Yasmine had warned him: delusional beauty queen, only now she had a title and a spotlight. Dangerous in the same way a knife made of glass is: flashy, brittle, liable to break and still leave a wound.
Adrian turned away before she could act on whatever idea had flitted through her vacant head. Feigning a need for the men’s lounge, he excused himself from polite conversation. Still, he could feel her watching him. Burning holes in his back like a cheap laser pointer.
When he stepped back out, she was there. Like she’d been waiting. She intercepted him as he stepped back into the flow of the party.
“My people tell me you’re Adrian Kane,” she said. She was all teeth and lipstick. A scent that was ninety percent ambition, ten percent florals.
He blinked slowly, let the silence stretch. Letting his presence seep into overwhelming her. “You have people now? Look at how important you are.”
Her smile wavered. Not much. But enough.
“It’s a great party,” she offered, a little reset of tone. “Are you close with the Vasilevs?”
“I love a party,” Adrian said, all confidence and no joy. “But no, I don’t know them at all.”
“I’d be happy to introduce you.”
“I’m good, thanks. Though clearly your people are decently connected if you’re already so close to the family after only being introduced this evening. It’s impressive for as new as they and you are to the city.”
“This is a city like any other,” she said with a shrug.
He gave her a slow, sideways glance. “Not quite. Look who’s in the room.”
“I’m aware,” she said. “When you’re Privileged by the Ascendancy, you tend to know people. And I am the room now.”
Adrian cocked his head, amused. “You’re the room? Sure. Beautiful room. Full of beautiful people, including yourself, but you have people telling you who is in the room. Of course that’s understandable and you’ll need time to learn the people. Maybe I can help you out there.”
She gave him a look like she’d found gum under her shoe. “Oh, I doubt that. You don’t even know the Vasilevs, and it seems I’m the only one who has actually seen you. Maybe I’m the only one who can. Are you even here? It’s like you’re a ghost wandering around yearning to be part of the living.”
He laughed. Genuinely, this time. “Here’s the thing about ghosts. They tend to give people nightmares. But surely you don’t scare easy. Not with your privileged status.”
They both smiled. Sharp. Empty.
“Nothing scares me,” she said, sipping her drink. “Nothing at all.”
Adrian almost took that as a personal challenge. “Do you sleep well, then?”
“Like a baby.”
“Already itching for your next leap? The ceiling gets real close, real fast. Not much above the Sphere unless you’re planning to float.”
She didn’t answer, but her glance drifted, just a flick of the eyes—toward the figure at the top of the power pile. The kind of glance that told him everything.
“Ah,” Adrian murmured, more to himself than to her. “I see. Beautiful room, beautiful people, and you fit right in. I’m sure plenty of people have noticed. But has the only one who matters?”
She swayed slightly, let the silence settle, then took a long sip from her glass. The look she gave him wasn’t an answer—it was confirmation. “He will.”
Interesting he mused.
((Jessika written by me))
He tried circling Scion’s orbit more than once, but the old whale kept pivoting away. Probably unintentional—Scion didn’t seem smart enough to be strategic—but it was starting to piss Adrian off. Every step forward turned into a slow shuffle sideways.
Instead, he caught Jessika Thrice’s gaze.
She looked at him curiously, that kind of smile women used when they weren’t sure if you were interesting or in the way. For a moment, he thought she might cross the room. He wouldn’t have kicked her in the ankle, but he had no desire to breathe the same air. Yasmine had warned him: delusional beauty queen, only now she had a title and a spotlight. Dangerous in the same way a knife made of glass is: flashy, brittle, liable to break and still leave a wound.
Adrian turned away before she could act on whatever idea had flitted through her vacant head. Feigning a need for the men’s lounge, he excused himself from polite conversation. Still, he could feel her watching him. Burning holes in his back like a cheap laser pointer.
When he stepped back out, she was there. Like she’d been waiting. She intercepted him as he stepped back into the flow of the party.
“My people tell me you’re Adrian Kane,” she said. She was all teeth and lipstick. A scent that was ninety percent ambition, ten percent florals.
He blinked slowly, let the silence stretch. Letting his presence seep into overwhelming her. “You have people now? Look at how important you are.”
Her smile wavered. Not much. But enough.
“It’s a great party,” she offered, a little reset of tone. “Are you close with the Vasilevs?”
“I love a party,” Adrian said, all confidence and no joy. “But no, I don’t know them at all.”
“I’d be happy to introduce you.”
“I’m good, thanks. Though clearly your people are decently connected if you’re already so close to the family after only being introduced this evening. It’s impressive for as new as they and you are to the city.”
“This is a city like any other,” she said with a shrug.
He gave her a slow, sideways glance. “Not quite. Look who’s in the room.”
“I’m aware,” she said. “When you’re Privileged by the Ascendancy, you tend to know people. And I am the room now.”
Adrian cocked his head, amused. “You’re the room? Sure. Beautiful room. Full of beautiful people, including yourself, but you have people telling you who is in the room. Of course that’s understandable and you’ll need time to learn the people. Maybe I can help you out there.”
She gave him a look like she’d found gum under her shoe. “Oh, I doubt that. You don’t even know the Vasilevs, and it seems I’m the only one who has actually seen you. Maybe I’m the only one who can. Are you even here? It’s like you’re a ghost wandering around yearning to be part of the living.”
He laughed. Genuinely, this time. “Here’s the thing about ghosts. They tend to give people nightmares. But surely you don’t scare easy. Not with your privileged status.”
They both smiled. Sharp. Empty.
“Nothing scares me,” she said, sipping her drink. “Nothing at all.”
Adrian almost took that as a personal challenge. “Do you sleep well, then?”
“Like a baby.”
“Already itching for your next leap? The ceiling gets real close, real fast. Not much above the Sphere unless you’re planning to float.”
She didn’t answer, but her glance drifted, just a flick of the eyes—toward the figure at the top of the power pile. The kind of glance that told him everything.
“Ah,” Adrian murmured, more to himself than to her. “I see. Beautiful room, beautiful people, and you fit right in. I’m sure plenty of people have noticed. But has the only one who matters?”
She swayed slightly, let the silence settle, then took a long sip from her glass. The look she gave him wasn’t an answer—it was confirmation. “He will.”
Interesting he mused.
((Jessika written by me))