Chapter 4: The third day

Astrid got out of the bath and with a towel wrapped around her middle she picked out the clothing bag that she had found the first day in her closet. Opening it she still blushed.

She then went to her suitcase and opened a secret compartment. Looking at what she had stashed there she was certain that she'd strap on most of them. Better to be safe than sorry.

It was nearing midnight when Astrid stepped out of the elevator on the 2nd floor. She was dressed in a mermaid style ballgown which had a slit up to her thigh and a small train. The gown was Devil Red and was for the upper part almost completely lace. The V-neck accentuated the golden locket she chose to wear along with zircon studded earrings. She also wore red lipstick as well as red heels. Her hair was in a braided bun with the Briar rose stuck in it. To say she looked like pure Sin would have been an understatement.

Snotlout who had been standing guard outside of the ballroom gave an appreciative whistle.

"When Hell freezes over Snotlout," Astrid muttered as he opened the double doors for her.

"Hell froze over a long time ago," Snotlout commented. "It's not all fire and brimstone you know." Astrid lifted a brow as the doors closed behind her.

She was a bit early and took in the opulence of the large ballroom. It looked like something out of the Russian Palace before the Revolution. A large chandelier hung in the middle of the room and illuminated the place in a romantic glow.

The double doors on the other side opened at midnight exactly to reveal a man in a black and silver carnival mask and black tuxedo. Astrid couldn't help but check him out. Who wouldn't with that tuxedo hugging all the right curves.

The man approached her with a smile on his lips. They met nearly in the middle of the ballroom. "M'lady" the mysterious owner greeted and held out his hand, though what happened next no one expected.

Instead of Astrid taking the offered greeting she proceeded to knee said owner in the stomach with a precise kick. The man doubled over and within a blink of an eye Astrid had the guy in a chokehold with a knife to his throat.

"You owe me some answers," She stated "Don't think this suave act is going to work on me."

"Can't..... Can't.... Breathe.... I give.... I give...." The man managed to gasp. He proceeded to tap her arm and Astrid let go, satisfied that she would be getting some answers.

"Well then Hiccup, start talking." Astrid said as she looked at the guy trying to catch his breath.

"How did you know it was me?" Hiccup asked as he took off his mask. "You look radiant by the way."

Astrid blushed slightly and then coughed to get back to the point "The interaction with your colleagues was strange." Astrid told him. "I had my suspicions when they looked to you for answers. A simple gardener wouldn't be high on the totem pole. Also you have a distinct mop of auburn hair."

Hiccup subconsciously ran a hand through his hair. "I think we got off on the wrong foot here. I'm willing to answer some questions if you are willing to not turn me into a strainer with your knives."

"How do you know I have more than one?" Astrid raised a brow. She was sure none of the others were visible.

"I know more about you than you think," Hiccup said and then raised a brow.

Astrid thought this over quickly in her head. On one hand she could always put Hiccup back in a chokehold but then she'd get minimal to no information. On the other hand she could play nice and see where this encounter took her. With a sigh Astrid hitched up the slit of her dress causing Hiccup to blush and look away. 'The blush was cute' Astrid thought as she started taking off the knife belts she had fastened to her leg.

Metal clanged to the floor causing Hiccup to turn back around momentarily. He blinked at the amount of knives Astrid had been carrying. Each knife belt held three to four knives and Astrid had taken off three belts along with...... "Are those nunchucks?!" Hiccup questioned aloud and thought 'Just what the hell was she expecting to come out of this meeting'. He then blinked and blushed once more when Astrid reached into the V of her dress and pulled out a needle-like weapon.

"There," Astrid said. "Are you satisfied?"

"Uhm....." Hiccup was at a loss of words for a moment. He snapped out of it a few seconds later and held out his hand. "Shall we dance M'lady?"

Astrid looked at the offered hand and frowned "But there is no music."

"Just go with me on this." Hiccup winked at her. She took his hand then and music started playing out of nowhere causing Astrid's eyes to widen.

"This is...." She mumbled as she fell into familiar steps.

"La Cumparsita," Hiccup said as he swept her into a tango. "I'm sure you are familiar with these steps."

"How did you...." Astrid asked as she was twirled.

"Like I said I know quite a bit about you." Hiccup chuckled. "You were a former dancer who to spite her controlling mother joined the army. Did a tour and then went into the private sector."

"Anyone can figure that out," Astrid said. It wasn't exactly a secret on how her family reacted to her enlisting.

"Then how about this....." Hiccup said as he dipped her. "One night in your High School years on the annual camping trip you were cruelly dumped and shouted to the heavens 'I don't care if I have to go to the deepest parts of Hell. I will bring back a boyfriend!'"

Astrid blinked and gaped. "How did you.... Whuuuu"

"Are you finally speechless?" Hiccup smiled as they continued to dance.

"Just who are you Hiccup?" Astrid frowned.

"Right now...... your dancing partner." Hiccup answered while pulling her close. Astrid's hand went up his leg and she actually pinched him for his sass.

"You know what I mean," She grumbled.

"I am the gardener in my spare time, island owner, interior designer as a hobby and a couple of other things." Hiccup smiled.

"So you designed the hotel interior?" Astrid raised "There are some things that don't make sense."

"Au contraire. The interior makes perfect sense. You just don't see it yet." Hiccup reasoned as he dipped her again.

"What am I not seeing?" Astrid frowned as she gave a push back as the music turned a bit fiercer. "Two murders. I saw that plainly."

"Two?" Hiccup raised a brow. "Only one was a murder." He said.

"I am not so easily fooled Hiccup," Astrid lifted up her leg and Hiccup grabbed it, twirling her on one foot. "The first one wasn't an accident,"

"And you figured that out how?" Hiccup now asked. He wasn't being condescending and it looked like he really did want to know how she figured it out.

"Island hotels have fully tempered hurricane glass just like what was shattered in the nightclub. There is no way a palm tree could shatter enough of the glass to make it pierce a body like that."

"Oh? I'm sensing there is more." Hiccup raised a brow.

"There is," Astrid said as her back was now pressed to Hiccup. "The maid that was supposedly assaulted. She had no glass on her and she was standing next to Grimmel. And where are the missing staff members?"

"Clever girl," Hiccup said as the tango ended and they parted. "But you still do not see,"

"What do you mean by that?" Astrid asked with a frown.

"Alas this is where we should call it a night." Hiccup told her. "I'm sure you'll figure it out at some point,"

"You said you were going to answer my questions!" Astrid gaped.

"I said I would answer some of your questions," Hiccup countered. "And I did."

"Why... you... you....." Astrid gaped because technically Hiccup did as he had promised.

"I promise to give you more answers on our next date," Hiccup smiled and Astrid blushed at the promise of another date. He then leaned in and kissed the top of her hand "And for what it's worth, you didn't have to go all the way to the deepest part of Hell to find a boyfriend. Shall I walk you back to your room?"

"No... I mean, there's no need." Astrid exclaimed as she blinked at Hiccup's sudden confidence. "I'll see you around!" She said and hastily picked up her discarded weapons before hurrying out of the ballroom. When Astrid had left Snotlout appeared from the other door.

"You totally like her," the shorter man smirked.

"What do you want Snot?" Hiccup sighed.

"Was it really alright for you to give her that many clues?" Snotlout asked. "You know the rules. Free will and all that. That is if she survives the night."