Propositions and Admissions

Ariel didn't like how close Alectro held her to him. She tried to keep a bit of space but he didn't seem to want to.

"Doesn't it bother you that your sister has everything, plus what she will gain with her marriage to Vento?"

"No it doesn't." She said seriously.

"I think that you are a liar." He said. "Your family didn't even acknowledge that they had another daughter to the rest of society."

"I didn't know that families were required to present all of their members to the world." She retorted and wanted him to go away. She was only dancing because she saw how dark Malachi had gotten. Seeing that this man had tried to kill him and his father a few times she would too. So she figured to make him go away she should dance.

"I wanted to talk to you, give you an opportunity." He supplied looking at her, and she didn't think that she liked what was in his eyes.

"What would that be?" She asked.

"I'd like you to work for me. You must be very talented that Vento would say so to others. Yet you aren't even labeled on the holdings as your sister said the day we met. I can give you twice what they pay you, and more."

"You mean you'd like me to switch the side that I work for and tell you the secrets that you believe that I know." She wasn't stupid. He was hoping that she felt jadded. That she would have reason to turn on them. Well he was wrong.

"I'm willing to bet my life on the fact that you have helped the Ventos with their workings. However I respect you keeping it to yourself. After all how could you trust one that is so easily manipulated and swayed?" He said leaning a bit closer to her.

"I won't be swayed."

"Even for more than what you have? One such as you can't be so easily satisfied. Look at you, a beautiful woman that knows what she has. So easy to manipulate others when all they can do is stare at you. I promise to give you whatever you want in exchange for permanent service. Whatever I may require with my holdings."

"And of myself no doubt." Ariel inferred just knowing the underlying tone that was there. He owned everything, be it person or non.

"You might enjoy yourself more than you think. Don't tell me you enjoy being overlooked. I wouldn't overlook you." She wanted to smack him with the way his gaze moved down her body.

"I'm sorry but my answer is still no."

"Hoping for something then?" He asked glancing around the room. "You're intrigued by what I have said I know it. Power and money are very desirable things. I offer them in great amounts to you." He inhaled near her ear and she felt almost ill.

"You smell good."

"Excuse me, but Miss Standish's presence has been requested." Ariel looked up at Cameron who looked nearly as dark as Malachi had. He held out a hand to Ariel who took it and moved away.

"I see they have sent their younger lap dog over to collect." He commented and looked Ariel over. "Just think about what I've said." With that he turned and left her and Cameron. Cameron ushered her over to the side lines.

"Thanks, I wasn't sure how to get away from him." Sally and Malachi moved over to them with Lee there as well.

"What did he want?" Malachi asked, straight to the point. His eyes finding Alectro who was now talking with Bernard Gilhime. There was no expression on the man's face as Alectro spoke to him.

"For me to work with them. Because I'm clearly over looked and don't own any of the Standish holdings as Natasha so nicely pointed out when we met." Malachi looked unhappy. Very much so.

"Nice." Sally said disgustedly.

"I told him no. Like I want to work for one like him." She said crossing her arms and the others just agreed with her. Ariel gave an inward exasperated sigh when she was asked to dance again and left Malachi and Cameron. Sally was dancing with someone else at the moment. She'd only seen Deirdre a couple of times. Ariel danced with the man that asked her too and then she excused herself to move from the room for the moment. She needed a bit of fresh air.

__Malachi__

"You okay?" Cameron asked Malachi who was sitting down on a chair. He was getting really tired of talking bullshit with people. He'd talked to who he needed to and got the favor of those that were needed.

"Just fine." He said, because he wasn't going to voice complaints about others just in case. Not that he thought anyone was really listening. He was sitting in a rather secluded spot and watching those that were dancing. His gaze really following Ariel. It was glued to her half the time. Especially after Alectro danced with her. After that, he felt on edge every time someone else asked her to dance.

"You don't seem fine. I can tell that you are on edge all of a sudden." Malachi gave a sigh and leaned back. He made a motion. Cameron sat down next to him leaning forward on his thighs. He was looking at those around. When Malachi spoke it was in a rather quiet tone. It wouldn't have been picked up by anyone but Cameron because of his sensitive ears.

"I want her." He said suddenly. Malachi just finally threw it out there. He just needed to freaking say it. Cameron glanced back at him a confused look, then moved his gaze back out onto the dance floor. Wasn't exactly the first thing that he thought that his friend would say. Not really where he figured asking if he was okay was going to go.

"That… would be complicated." He warned with a smile and a very quiet tone as well. Malachi shrugged. Yeah he was aware.

"It's been growing inside of me for a while. I don't know why, but over the evening it has been getting worse. I keep watching her when she leaves my side. At home I notice her scent all the time, and listen for her voice. Something's wrong with me, it's not so easy to ignore anymore." While he was done talking to people this was where is mind was mostly at. Ariel.

"You know what I think about this." Cameron stated. He hadn't realized that Malachi was struggling at all. He never showed it. Cameron had said he thought Ariel a far better choice.

"Ariel is far different from Natasha." That one sentence said a lot of things. Cameron just gave a shrug.

"I don't know what to tell you, old friend. Because the shit that would hit the fan if Natasha even suspected Ariel had stolen your attention…" Malachi also got that. It just didn't change what he felt.

"Exactly, and I just wonder if it's because Natasha just doesn't appeal to me. Less so than normal as of late. I don't like the person she is, and Ariel is always around and the opposite."

"I doubt it. I think you were just stubborning ignoring it. Now it's boiled over." Cameron commented, as he watched Malachi's gaze track Ariel. She walked across the dance floor to go out onto the veranda area. That wasn't a normal lustful gaze he had on him. It was far more intense and almost possessive in nature. Kind of like how he looked at Sally sometimes. Cameron decided not to comment yet about it. Malachi was clearly not completely sure how to handle himself with this.

"But time will tell. I think that if we give it perhaps another half an hour we could leave." Cameron said with a smile. "We can relax and drink and no worries." Malachi smiled at him. "Numb the pain of forced choices."

"Sounds like a plan." They both stood back up to move about.