The Art Of Seduction

Chapter Three - Poem to Myself

Overbearing panic attack entrenching my veins
In an hour I'll be okay
I pray this pain will go away permanently someday
I've seen more than
I should have to
I've seen this on my own

This song is a poem to myself
It helps me to live
In case of fire, break the glass
And move on into your own, your own

Reoccurring drowning effect entrenching my brain
I hope you'll be okay someday
So I can say that you moved on in the right way
We've seen this and
We've breathed this and
We've lived this on our own

This song is a poem to myself
It helps me to live
In case of fire, break the glass
And move on into your own

This song is a poem to myself
It helps me to live
In case of fire, break the glass
And move on into your own, your own

'Poem to Myself' - Taproot

The insistent buzzing noise had started up a few minutes ago and was steadily getting louder and increasingly more annoying as Delphine rolled over and wrapped a pillow over her head to block it out. Burrowing down into the covers she whimpered when the buzzing got even louder before finally throwing back the covers and climbing out of bed, somewhat unsteadily.

Instantly the noise stopped and she cursed the wizard alarm sitting innocently on her bedside table. Staggering over to her bathroom she waved her wand at the light which lit up the room and rebounded harshly off the marble surfaces. Wincing she reached up to open the large medicine cabinet above the sink, freezing when she caught sight of her battered reflection in the mirror.

She slowly moved her hand back to touch her face, her fingers running over the stitches and the small yellow bruises patterning her face and she bit her bottom lip and lowered her eyes.

"Are you alright?"

Delphine nodded, not really caring who it was that was standing in her bathroom doorway although she instantly knew it was Kai from the French. She quickly opened the cabinet without looking in the mirror and took out her toothbrush and toothpaste. She winced as she opened her mouth wide to reach her back teeth and glanced at Kai who was wandering into the room.

"Stop it."

Delphine looked at him strangely as he watched her before turning her back on him again and finishing off her task. After rinsing her mouth out and washing her hands she glanced at the face-cloth on the side next to her before making to turn around, once again refusing to meet her own eyes in the mirror.

"Stop it Delphine."

Delphine felt Kai's hands, gentle yet firm, lifting her face until she could see her reflection in the mirror, her eyes refused to look at her face and she felt angry tears well up in her eyes at Kai for trying to make her look.

"You're still beautiful to me Delphine; you always will be."

While one hand had held her chin up before the mirror his other hand had been soaking a face-towel under the hot water tap until it was soaked and just the right temperature. Turning Delphine around, he sat her down on the lid of the toilet and knelt down before her, his skilled gentle hands carefully rubbing the corner of the towel over her face. He edged around the scars and softly pressed over the bruises until her face was clean again.

He tossed the towel into the sink and gently touched her face, cradling it in his hands until her eyes met his. She flinched, expecting him to look repulsed by her face but she only saw love and affection in his dark eyes as he rubbed his thumbs over her cheeks. He saw the passionate gratitude that surfaced in his sister's eyes as he gently touched each of her scars and bruises with a feather-light touch, proving to her she was still the same to him no matter how she looked.

"Come on, go get dressed we have somewhere to go."

Delphine nodded and scrubbed at her tearful eyes and running nose with the sleeve of her dressing-gown, looking like a small twelve year old girl that had just been scolded by her parents.

Kai was having a rather heated conversation with someone's head that was bobbing in the fire when Delphine entered the front Drawing Room. He gave her a fleeting smile before turning irritably back to the fireplace.

"It's not my fault if the business isn't what it used to be."

The head in the fire looked half anxious half contemptuous as he surveyed Kai, his large brown eyes narrowed slightly as he looked up at him.

"Your father always did a good job."

Delphine bit down on her bottom lip and tightened her grip on the back of the chair in front of her at the man's words.

"Well it may have escaped your attention, Green, but I am not my father." Delphine flinched at the pure poison layering her brother's words as he spoke. "Also, if it escaped your attention too, I pay you to keep the business running smoothly."

Green opened his mouth to retaliate but Kai was on his feet in seconds and staring down his nose at the man before he could speak.

"Arrange a meeting with the other partner's for lunch today."

His tone was final and Green merely nodded before disappearing from the fire with a loud pop and leaving the two siblings alone once more.

"Are you ready?" Delphine nodded. "I have somewhere I have to visit today so why don't you come and afterwards we'll go for something to eat, maybe catch a show or something?"

Delphine visibly brightened at the prospect and nodded immediately, almost giddy with excitement as she watched Kai tug on his boots. The pair of them managed to spend at least one day a week alone together, shopping in the morning eating at a restaurant and going to see a movie or a play or sometimes even a guided tour around Muggle London depending on what they felt like doing.

Their parents had always told them that they were lucky to have their best friend as their sibling and until their parents had died neither of them had believed how lucky they actually were. Delphine shook the memories away and reached for her denim jacket, slipping it on over her rust coloured long-sleeved sweater that fell away at the shoulders to reveal the straps of a black vest-top and her smooth golden shoulders.

She had taken as much time as she dared to make-up her face but she was still very much aware of it as the two passed through the crowds filling Diagon Alley. She was so used to men staring at her for her beauty that she couldn't help but become paranoid they were staring in repulsion at her scars as she lowered her head until her hair, left loose for this sole purpose, swung forward to hide most of her face.

She gave a sigh of relief when they reached The Leaky Cauldron and immediately ducked into the shadows of a corner near the fire while Kai went over to talk to Tom about using the fireplace to Floo to their visit.

"Come on."

Delphine smiled warily at Kai who took her wrist in his hand and led her to the fireplace where they promptly Flooed to a huge mansion Delphine had seen pictured in Witch Weekly only a week before followed by an article on its owner who also happened to be the number one Bachelor at the Bachelor Ball.

Delphine stared around at the beautiful Drawing Room they had emerged into, the stark white and black of it making it even more eye-catching. The walls were entirely black with an exquisite picture every now and then scattered around them. The furniture was soft black leather with three square white suede cushions balancing perfectly on their corners on each sofa.

Stepping towards the nearest picture Delphine gasped in sheer pleasure as she saw it was an original Raphael, one of her favourite artists of all time, her fingers were inches from touching the glossy canvas when a long elegant pale hand crept along her arm to her wrist, pulling her hand away.

"I wouldn't, it's alarmed."

Delphine turned slightly so her hair fell back in front of her face as she glanced at the figure stood besides her, his eyes fixed the beautiful painting before them and his hand still on hers. Much too late he removed it and took a step back, shaking Kai's hand and crossing the room to the drinks cabinet by the window.

Delphine took the moment his back was turned to compose herself; giving one last longing glance to the Raphael she turned to study the tall blond man pouring drinks with perfectly shaped carefully manicured hands. He was rather taller than the average man, almost exactly the same height as Kai actually, and from the way the light was shining on his black polo-necked back she could see he was well-muscled and toned.

"It's just Perrier I'm not trying to poison you."

Delphine snapped out of her trance to realise the man she had been studying was only a few years older than her and was watching her with cool indifference as she hurriedly accepted the tall glass and took a sip. He watched her for a moment before reaching out and tucking her hair behind her ear until her eyes darted up to catch his gaze.

"You shouldn't be ashamed, even with those tiny scars you're still stunning."

Delphine gaped at him as he turned on his heel without another word and moved to sit down opposite Kai in the centre of the room.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"What do you mean you want to re-open the de Coulet case?"

Jackson froze halfway through putting his jacket on, one arm extended in the air and his words muffled by the croissant hanging out of his mouth.

"I can only think of one thing that could mean."

Jackson gave Ginny a side-long look and returned to pulling on his suit jacket, taking the croissant out of his mouth as soon as he was done and searching around his desk for his keys and the files he needed to take to the meeting he was already late for.

"Why?"

Ginny opened her mouth but didn't say anything, she couldn't explain why she was interested in the case she just was. She jerked back to attention as Jackson gently edged her out of his office and closed the door behind them, shoving the croissant into his pocket and the keys into his mouth.

"Jackson please, just let me investigate this one further, please! It was never proved either way; there wasn't enough evidence for it to go before the Wizengamont. Please?"

Jackson pulled a face and removed the keys from his mouth, sighing as he looked at Ginny's earnest face pleading with him, her eyes huge in her freckled face. He gave up.

"Fine, but if de Coulet starts complaining..."

Ginny beamed at him and went up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek, making him blush and hurriedly fumble the croissant out of his pocket and into the bin.

"I know I know back off and deny all knowledge."

Ginny grinned once more and was gone before Jackson could blink. He stood for a moment watching her retreating back as she darted from her desk to the door before realising he was late for his meeting.

-=-=-

"Monsieur de Coulet..."

Ginny trailed off as Kai let go of the door and leaned against the doorframe casually, one leg crossed in front of the other and his arms folded over his bare chest.

"Well." He moved away from the door. "I think you're pretty enough to be invited in."

Ginny opened her mouth furiously but no words had time to leave it as she found herself being ushered into the house.

"Thank...you..."

Her jacket was taken from her by a tall, rather haggard looking grey man and she was ushered into the front Drawing Room before she had time to work out what was happening.

"Drink?"

Ginny looked up from where she was perched on a huge cream suede armchair edged with deep red patterning.

"Tea?"

Kai sauntered over to where a beaming house-elf had just deposited a tray filled with cups, saucers and a gleaming silver kettle.

"Sugar?"

"Two."

Ginny watched the muscles work in Kai's back as he sorted her drink and crossed the room, his bare feet making no noise on the thick Italian crimson edged with a black rippling effect that matched the furniture, he handed her the drink.

"Thanks."

She took the cup in both hands, leaving the saucer on the table before her as she took a sip of the boiling of the boiling liquid and tried to pull herself together. Watching as he eyed her up none too subtly from the sofa across from her.

"And you, mademoiselle, would be?"

Ginny calmly placed the cup on the saucer and turned to face him, her knees tucked against the chair and the tight faded dark blue jeans she was wearing contrasting starkly against the white of the chair.

"Detective Inspector Weasley."

Kai's face visibly dropped and he pulled himself smoothly to his feet, grabbed a loose white t-shirt with a headless stick figure on it and 'Man Needs Head' emblazoned across the front, he pulled it on and turned back to her.

"I see."

Ginny felt an uncomfortable trickle of guilt seep through her which was totally unnecessary since she hadn't tricked him in any way; he hadn't given her a chance to show him her I.D badge.

She got slowly to her feet almost overbalancing as her scuffed brown high-heeled boots sank into the plush carpet. Digging around in the inside pocket of her fitted black blazer she pulled out her I.D and allowed him to scan it before shoving it back in her pocket and staring directly into Kai's eyes until he sighed defeat and gestured for her to sit back down.

"Monsieur de Coulet I apologise if you feel I have deceived you in some way but you really didn't give me time to introduce myself fully."

Kai listened to the official tone of her voice with slight amusement sparking across his face at the seriousness on hers.

"I guess I'm too trusting of a pretty face."

Ginny narrowed her eyes at him but kept a tight check on her emotions as she took several calming breaths and fought madly against the blush threatening to creep up her neck.

"Flattery gets you no where, monsieur."

Kai lifted an eyebrow at her and leaned back against the cushions of the sofa, his legs were rather widely spread apart in their tight black jeans and Ginny had to keep her mind forcibly focused on looking at his face not downwards.

"Au contraire mademoiselle, I've found myself in the most interesting places through flattery."

Ginny pursed her lips at him and forcibly resisted herself from slapping him as she was so tempted to do and it seemed as though he knew it, the look on his face was of curious amusement.

"I'm sure."

Kai grinned at her, knowing she knew full well what he was hinting at he decided to give her a break and he leaned over to take a sip of his water.

"Now, monsieur de Coulet; where exactly were you on the night of your parent's deaths?"

Kai heaved a deep sigh and climbed to his feet, crossing the room past Ginny to stand before the window he dropped his hands onto the windowsill and stared out over his and Delphine's land. He could feel the past pulling at him and he tried to resist it but it was too late, pressing his suddenly feverishly hot forehead against the cool glass his eyes slowly flickered closed. When he opened them the view before him was clouded by the silky black of night and a fire roared behind him.

((FLASHBACK))

Turning slowly he could no longer see Ginny in the chair by the fire, in fact the room was no longer black crimson and cream it was dark navy blue and gold and the figures by the fire were achingly familiar. Trailing a hand lovingly along the edges of furniture as he passed he approached the pair who were fighting.

Veering off slightly to the left of them he purposefully headed for the heavy velvet curtains drawn shut against the night, glancing in the slightly open crack he saw a 16-year-old boy huddled back against the glass; his hands over his ears, his mop of unruly black curls tipping over his perfectly straight nose and his entrancing blue eyes brimming over with unshed tears.

Kai felt a harsh prick of remembrance before he turned his back firmly on the boy and watched the arguing couple freeze suddenly. The hairs along the back of his neck slowly jumped to life and raised themselves up as goosebumps spread over his skin as he watched, with a totally blank face, the flames beginning to lick at the doorframe.

((END FLASHBACK))

"Monsieur de Coulet? Monsieur de Coulet? Kai?!"

Slowly his vision cleared and he looked down to see his knuckles were white from his fingernails digging deep into the dark wood of the windowsill. Taking several deep breaths he carefully wiped his face of all emotion before turning to face Ginny who had risen to her feet and was halfway between himself and the chair she had just vacated.

"Monsieur?"

Kai pushed a not-quite-steady hand back through his hair and took a step away from the window, oddly touched by the concern on her face.

"I'm sorry Detective; I'm not feeling very well. Maybe you can return some other time?"

Ginny looked him over suspiciously before nodding and tucking her quill and parchment into her bag, swinging it over her shoulder and heading for the door. Hesitating on the doorstep she turned and handed him a small white card with ivy-green shimmering writing across it;

"My number, for when you're feeling better."

For a moment Kai was his normal self again as his eyes flashed and a wicked smirk crossed his face as he accepted the card.

"I'll be sure to ring you; maybe we can make our next meeting more intimate? Maybe a candlelit dinner in an expensive restaurant with you definitely in considerably less clothes; a black dress perhaps?"

Ginny raised an eyebrow at him and shrugged, smiling as he kissed her hand goodbye before turning to leave the premises and Apparate back to the office. Ginerva Octavia Weasley don't you dare start flirting with a suspect! You're on thin ice with your boss as it is without being even more unprofessional!

Shaking her head to herself irritably as she broke through the wards surrounding the estate and prepared to Apparate Ginny took a last glance at the house and grinned to herself. In her own defence flirting seemed to be the only way to get through to Kai de Coulet, and after all a little flirting wouldn't hurt anyone... would it?