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The women start yelling, things getting heated, and I jump off my perch, landing right in the middle of them.
“Ladies, ladies! Why ruin the night with all of this negativity? Let’s be drunk and in love instead.” I throw an arm around Hioki because it looks like she’s going to murder someone. There’s general grumbling around the group, but it seems to be the consensus to drop the issue. Hioki leans into me, and I kiss the top of her head.
“That’s right,” I say. “Make love, not war.”
The women laugh, they always laugh. Their shoulders relax and their thoughts redirect to a worthy topic: me. I scan my audience and that’s when I notice her: a fringe girl. She stands on the outside of the circle, wearing a leather doe mask that covers her nose and most of her lips. It’s simple—inconspicuous—and bears none of the jewels that the others are decorated with. I catch her mid-eye roll. Startling eyes, aquamarine. If she’s trying not to draw attention to herself, she shouldn’t wear eyes like that. I strain my neck to get a better look at her, but she’s hard to keep track of, moving fluidly through the group of women, pausing for a moment next to each one. I want to see what she’s doing and ask why no one else has noticed her. As if she can sense me staring, she looks up. Her gaze is offsetting. We blink at each other—caught—and then out of the corner of my eye, I see a flash of metal, something shiny. My eyes leave hers just in time to see her slip a heavy bracelet from a woman’s arm. It disappears into the folds of her dress and I choke back my surprise.A thief!How charming. Someone says my name, Selfish has found me. I frown at Selfish’s hand on my arm, and when I look up, the little doe is gone.
“Excuse me, ladies…”
I shrug Selfish off and break through the middle of the circle. The women part like the Red Sea. My name is being called; goddamn, if I don’t get sick of hearing my own name. I come out on the other end, scanning the crowd for the deer mask. Being the tallest person in the room has its perks. I see her heading for the main entrance, almost floating through the crowd like there are wheels under her feet. No one stops her, no one wants to talk. She came here alone. I move through the room, less agile, much less unnoticed. Hands grab for me; I’m a fun toy.
“Sorry, ladies, have to pee,” I say when they try to stop me to chat.
“But the bathroom’s that way,” an older woman points out.
“I prefer to water the flowers,” I call over my shoulder.
They laugh, of course they laugh. Once I’m outside, my head swivels around looking for her. Her dress was dark. I catch sight of her skirting between the cars out front, the drivers in the kitchen probably drinking and watching the game.
Will she steal a car too? I definitely want to find out. I’m quiet as I trail her to the edge of the treeline. I see her stop once she’s a few feet into the woods, her back to me.
“What do you want?” she asks. Her voice is surprisingly husky. She won’t turn around; she doesn’t want me to see her face.
“That’s a loaded question.” I stop a few feet away, watching her curiously. She’s tiny, narrow in her shoulders and waist. Five foot six, to my six foot four.
“What do you want frommethen?” she asks.
“I wanted to meet a thief!” I say. “I’ve met every sort of woman but never a thief.”
She spins around, the bottom of her dress whipping at my ankles.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she says. “I’m going for a walk.”
“A walk in the woods at night?”
“Yes, I love it. Do it all the time.”
“Well, let’s go then,” I say. “Show me the route.” I walk forward, passing her by a few feet and stop. When I turn around, she’s glaring at me.
“What is this? You have a ballroom of women fawning all over you like you’re one of the last twelve men on earth. Why are you out here harassing me?”
“Because you’re the only one who doesn’t want to sleep with me. It’s refreshing!”
“I’m not here to be your refreshment,” she says. “Go grab another bottle of champagne.”
She stalks past me, slashing a tree branch out of her way, and stomping into the darkness in front of her like a general marching to war. A tiny, tiny general. I’m afraid of her. I like the feeling.
“Good night, little thief,” I call after her. “Till we meet again.”
I’m still smiling when I walk back into the ball. Too bad I couldn’t get her to take off the mask. I wanted to see what she looked like underneath.
Selfish is waiting for me by the doors.
“Lottery, Jackal,” she says. She taps an imaginary watch on her wrist. People don’t even wear watches anymore.
“Yeah. Let’s go.”
She looks surprised when I’m agreeable, trailing on my heels like a puppy. I turn around and give her a dirty look when the toe of her shoe clips my heel.
