Ahsan snorted, a comically shocked expression crossing his face. “I've never chased any woman.”
“You will now, believe me. I'll take over tonight. You and Leander can pick up in the morning.” Mattias didn't appreciate the sudden wariness he experienced at the thought of Ahsan working his particular brand of magic on Alannah.
“If you get an update from Leander, tell him to find me and update me as well.” Ahsan clapped Mattias on the shoulder. “I'll do some preliminary scouting around, see what I find.”
Mattias clasped Ahsan's other hand at the wrist and forearm, an informal shake, before releasing. “Let me know.”
Ahsan cut away after a glance along the corridor, disappearing through a separate archway than the women had taken.
Mattias went the opposite direction, emerging into the throng from an entirely different angle. Immediately he sought Alannah, relieved to know that Chayton was out there somewhere, keeping watch in the interim. A pair of eyes and ears to cover for Ahsan and Leander when they couldn't be present.
He spotted Alannah in the same place as before, next to the wine fountain. Some man a foot shorter than her but probably worth a few billion stood at her side, gesturing and talking. Trying to break the ice.
“Good luck,” Mattias muttered under his breath as he started through the room.
Relieved to see Katrina busy on the dance floor with someone else, Mattias arrived at the fountain. He selected a crystal glass and filled it half full. Confident no one had drugged wine meant for the public at large, he lifted the glass for a long swallow.
“Or, we could simply go back to my room and order up dinner there. I hear Morano has impeccable chefs--”
“Mister Ahtissari, there you are,” Alannah said, cutting the short man off as if he hadn't been speaking. “I'm ready to view the gardens now.”
Mattias schooled his surprise and turned a smile on Alannah. He offered the stunned potential billionaire a what can you do look while presenting Alannah his elbow for escort. “As you wish.”
Alannah ditched her wine, snatched onto his arm, and all but dragged him from the fountain. Chin tucked, eyes down, she glanced up every few steps as if to assure that she wouldn't bump into other guests. There were no lingering pauses near other notable couples to discuss the gala, their attire or the current state of political affairs.
Mattias hid his amusement behind a stoic facade, taking the lead when it became clear that she wasn't sure where to go. As he guided her skillfully through the masses, thunder boomed through the sky. Beyond the window panes, lightning flashed, illuminating sheets of rain that obliterated the landscape.
Of course. Just in time to ruin his chance to spend considerable time in the heiresses company. Fearing the woman might ditch him next, thanks to the bad timing of the weather, he halted their progress at a juncture of hallways and said, “I hear Morano has his extensive artifact collection on display as well. We might view that first until the rain ends.”
Alannah gasped and glanced up to his face. “What kind of artifacts? Prehistoric? Jurassic? What's your definition of 'extensive'?”
Surprised at the way the topic of artifacts changed Alannah's whole demeanor, he subtly switched direction. Once again, he was struck by the lucidity of her gray eyes and the faint rosy stain on her cheeks. The interest she displayed seemed genuine and heartfelt.
“To be honest, I'm not sure. Why don't we discover together? I only overheard a few others exclaiming that the pieces were exquisite yesterday. Once the storm passes, we can examine the gardens.” Mattias continued to guide her in the direction of Morano's extensive library which housed the collection.
Alannah smiled into his eyes, fingers fluttering nervously on his arm. “Excellent. Maybe we can just see the artifacts tonight and do the gardens tomorrow.”
Mattias was of the impression that Alannah merely wanted to spend more time with the collectibles, and that come tomorrow, she would provide some excuse or another to forego the gardens. Blow him off like she'd tried to blow him off earlier on the terrace. Glimpsing the bodyguard following at a discreet distance in periphery, he said, “Whatever you wish, Miss Astbury. I'm at your disposal.”
Arriving at the library, Mattias paused with Alannah in the doorway. Two guards stood at either side of the entrance, features schooled, eyes straight ahead.
Inside the grand room, bookshelves lined every wall but one. That space was reserved for a floor to ceiling stone fireplace with a mantel as long as a car. Dispersed in the middle of the room were waist high glass cases, the subtle lighting shining through the compartments to highlight the piece within. There were hundreds of items on display, and the sight of them—more than the thousands of books on the shelves—sent Alannah into a tailspin. She gasped, then tugged on Mattias's elbow to bring him abreast of the first case.
Rather than eyeball the ancient bowl or whatever she was ogling, Mattias slanted a look down at Alannah's face. She was more animated than he'd seen her yet. Even the shyness and socially awkward tendencies slipped away under her enthusiasm and knowledge. For the next forty minutes she lectured him on this piece and that piece, correctly identifying nearly every one. Mattias wouldn't have known except for placards on the front of the case that explained each item in detail. He was more aware of her fingers clutching his arm and the scent of her hair, which reminded him of peaches and vanilla and something cleaner, reminiscent of an expensive salon.
Either way it allowed him to remain in her company, keep an eye on her while Ahsan and Leander checked with their contacts. Her bodyguard lurked just inside the doorway, ever present.
Just as Mattias was about to suggest another round of wine, the lights in the manor went out.
Chapter Three
Alannah froze in her tracks, darting a glance up from the dark case to the Prince's face. A face she could barely see in the gloom. The only available light spilled in through two tall windows, and as her eyes slowly adjusted to the change, she became aware of the tension in the muscles under her fingers and the way Mattias clenched his jaw.
Thunder cracked through the sky, as if declaring victory over the power grid.
“What should we do?” Alannah asked, keeping her voice low. She didn't want to alert the bodyguard and lure him over unintentionally. He annoyed her on every level—but then so did being here at the manor, with all the fluff and testosterone crammed between the four walls. She loathed social gatherings and loathed trying to mingle with women who preferred to size her (and her wallet) up and either discard her or figure out how to use her. The sham everyone here engaged in, this gathering of the elite, was laughable at best. Alannah could think of a hundred things she'd rather be doing. The saving grace were the artifacts that had been doused into darkness along with everything else.
“Give it a second,” Mattias said with his distinct accent, “and see if the power comes back on. Usually it's only a few minutes.”
“All right. Tell me, what did you think of the collection?” Alannah asked, getting back to business. There was always the hope that Prince Mattias, despite his social standing and position, had a little more knowledge and pluck than the others.
“I thought it was...extensive,” Mattias replied.
Alannah breathed a disappointed sigh. That wasn't the answer she hoped for. After all the information she'd shared with him, too.
“Yes, it's very extensive all right.” She could have elaborated on so many other aspects, but she didn't. Why waste her time when Mattias was clearly one of those men, here for the skirts, the drinks and those secretive shows behind closed doors.
When he moved to her other side, the slide of his hand low along her back guided her to remain in place. Mattias repositioned himself between her and the door, tucking the fingers of her other hand under his elbow again.
Alannah wondered at the strange change of places and decided not to ask. Maybe he liked the view down her shirt from that angle better than the other. She tugged at the top, though nothi
ng indecent was showing.
“Was I supposed to memorize every object?” Mattias asked, as if he could read her mind.
Alannah twitched in surprise. “What? Of course not.”
“Then why do you seem disappointed in my answer?”
“I'm not disa—disappointed. Not at all. I merely wondered what you thought.” Caught off guard by his astuteness, Alannah reconsidered her initial opinion of the Prince as a man wholly distracted by the desire to bed as many women as he could. Feeling his stare, she glanced up again. There was just enough light to make out the knowing gleam in his dark eyes, the disbelieving curve of a smile at the corners of his handsome mouth. Sure enough, the Prince thought she was lying.
In the ballroom, some distance away, Alannah heard an employee raising his voice to announce that they were working feverishly to resume power. At the same time, thunder shook the walls of the manor, as if the home were a great, chuckling beast.
“You're not a very good liar, Miss Astbury,” Mattias said.
“And if I didn't know better, I would say you've taken up a very protective stance between myself and the door,” she said, hoping to distract him. Rewarded with Mattias's gaze seeming to sharpen and narrow, she arched a brow, daring him to refute it.
“One never knows what dangers lurk in the darkness.”
“With all the security here, I wouldn't think we need worry about danger,” she countered. Uneasy about his declaration, Alannah held his gaze.
“You of all people should know better,” he said. His voice carried a chiding tone. “Few places are truly safe for those of our stature.”
“You do realize that I'm now suspicious of you standing so near.”
He smirked, which amused Alannah more than it should have. When he tilted his head close to her ear, she caught the heady scent of his cologne and the even headier scent that was purely Mattias.
“Do you feel I'm a threat to you, Miss Astbury?” he said, voice a crooning whisper.
A spike of lust shot straight from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. It was the silky timbre of his accent, the way he phrased his words. As if the question were far more carnal than what it appeared on the surface. Bewildered by her reaction to him, she tightened her fingers on his elbow and sought to untangle the knot of words on her tongue.
“Not in the slightest. You're clearly as harmless as a kitten.” What a lie. Alannah had the distinct impression that Prince Mattias could hold his own in any situation. Even a deadly one. She slanted a look up his cheek to his eyes. There was just enough residual light to see the amused gleam in his gaze.
“Miss Astbury, allow me to escort you back to your room,” the bodyguard said, interrupting the mesmerizing moment. He closed the distance with quick strides.
Alannah swore she felt Mattias tense beneath her fingertips when he straightened his posture. Curious thing, that. Did he truly trust no one? She vaguely recalled hearing about trouble in his corner of the world, something about an attack from within their own sibling ranks. Alannah paid scant attention to the troubles and tribulations of the upper echelon; she was too busy studying histories and mysteries of the world to bother.
“Actually, his Highness was about to do so,” Alannah said, offering Mattias's services without asking.
“Of course,” Mattias said, going along with the plan.
Alannah wasn't sure what to think of his easy agreement. Was he such a paranoid man, then, that he really thought danger might lurk even here, behind these intensely guarded walls?
Turning with Mattias when he guided her away from the collection, Alannah matched his stride toward the doors. She gave her bodyguard, a man known as Barrett, a side glance when they passed. With that glance, she conveyed her wish for him to trail at a discreet distance, meaning she wanted a modicum of privacy.
Prince Mattias might not be a man obsessed with artifacts and mysteries, but he was proving to be a mild mystery himself. It was enough to warrant deeper exploration, and the only way she could do that was to remain in his presence.
“So. Let us revisit the collection and I'll explain, in detail, what makes each piece so interesting,” she said, deciding to school the Prince on the way to her room.
She heard him exhale, possibly in resignation, and smiled.
As much as it pained him, Mattias took the long way back to Alannah's suite. He endured her prattling about this artifact and that one, about its origins, its myths, and where the piece ranked on her overall list of favorites. Every now and then he found himself charmed by her animated expressions and gestures of a hand. This woman was far removed from the socially awkward one present in the great ballroom earlier in the evening.
Mattias could understand, however, why she was not sought after like some of the women were. Many of the men wanted a paragon of beauty on their arm who reeked confidence and control, rather than a nervous, fluttery gazelle that didn't like to make eye contact until absolutely necessary. Side by side, Katrina and Alannah were worlds apart on almost every level, though they did share one trait: both were achingly beautiful. Katrina wouldn't be caught dead discussing the things Alannah could talk about for days, and Alannah would probably grow bored comparing the latest designs and fashions.
Arriving at Alannah's door, Mattias decided he needed to remain in Alannah's presence a while longer. The lights were still out, a fact that put him on edge. It would be the perfect time for a hit man to strike, using the cover of darkness and confusion to move about the halls all but undetected. That meant he needed to get her to invite him inside.
“Well, I've enjoyed seeing the artifacts and hearing about them, Miss Ast--”
“You've been bored off your rocker,” Alannah interrupted. “I mean, I could tell a few things sparked your interest, but overall, on a grand scale, you were pretty distracted.”
If she only knew, Mattias thought. He saw a way to extend his time with her, and gestured toward her door with a hand. “I'll tell you what. Should you win at a game of chess, I'll memorize five artifacts from the collection, right down to the finest detail.”
Alannah arched a sleek brow. “And if you win?”
He should have said that she drink with him, which would make it easier to watch over her when she passed out. Instead, mischief took hold. “Then you accompany me to the private masquerade tomorrow evening.”
“You mean the one where the stage dancers will be half nude?” Alannah looked scandalized.
“I don't think it's as blunt as all that,” Mattias countered. He knew Morano ran a class act. The dancers would likely be very scantily clad, or in something sheer, but not all out nude. Not in the beginning, at least.
“The stories of what goes on behind closed doors are legendary,” Alannah said.
“And I'm sure some of them are true. I think Morano likes to build the suspense more than anything. Those who connect and sneak off for a tryst were likely to do it whether they were attending the masque or sitting at dinner, flirting across the table.” In all truth, Mattias knew scandalous things did go on both at the private parties and afterward. It was a major lure for the wealthy, to attend and perhaps even participate in a show. All he wanted was to commandeer Alannah's attention for the next few days until the men in his group discerned whether the heiress was in serious danger or not. If there was a threat, they would deal with it then.
Alannah eyed him. “I'll tell you what. You're on. If you win, I'll go with you to the masquerade. And if I win, you invest yourself wholly in five artifacts of my choosing. But,” she added with a sly note entering her voice. “We don't play in my room. We use the human sized 'board' near the garden. I've heard all about it. The pieces are as tall as we are.”
“...it's raining.” Mattias knew most debutantes wouldn't dream of standing in the rain, playing a game of oversized chess.
“Will you melt?” Alannah asked with a bird-like tilt of her head.
Mattias barked a low laugh. “Garden chess it is. You're not wearing that, are
you?” he asked of her expensive looking dress.
“It's just material. Yes, I'm wearing it.”
Mattias didn't point out that the white, halter style top would become see through once it was thoroughly drenched. Maybe she knew, too, and just didn't care. A shocking thought considering her apparent shyness. It put them at greater risk to be outdoors in weather like this, a fact he didn't dwell on while he offered his elbow once more.
If she wanted to play outdoors in the rain, then so be it.
Drenched to his skin, Mattias peeled away the outer tuxedo coat and draped it over a nearby bench. Turning back to the enormous 'chess board' made of pale and dark gray slabs of stone, he flipped the sleeves of his white shirt to his elbows and eyed Alannah—or Alannah's shoulder, since that's all he could see—past the carved knights, pawns, rooks, and other pieces that separated them. Almost as tall as he was, the chess pieces were made of a moderately heavy material but were easily pushed from one square to another thanks to hidden wheels in the base. Surrounded by waist high hedges, with benches to the sides of the board, the chess set looked eerie in the gloom. If Mattias hadn't known better, he might have thought at first glance that the pieces were tombstone monuments scattered throughout a square graveyard.
Not far, the dark outline of House Morano rose against the night. Flickering candles had been placed in windows, on the balconies and near the doors, providing Mattias with exit and entrance points he might have otherwise missed. He could only imagine what was going on inside during the blackout. The guests were likely taking advantage of the situation, reveling in the added mystique.
Lightning blitzed the sky, casting a brief flash over the landscape.
Stepping back into the maze on the board, Mattias glided between the pieces, tantalized with the cat and mouse element of the game. He caught glimpses of Alannah's wet hair, the damp material of her white shirt, the angle of her chin. It was harder to see her eyes in the downpour and the darkness.
The Royal Elite: Mattias Page 3
