FRANCES

Wearing a hoodie over his nice clothes, somewhere in the world was probably giving Crawley a stroke. All that work and money just to hide it. Frances stopped caring. It was worth it to see Ignacio's smile. Ignacio smiled like a kid, all dimples, teeth and gums without regard for other people's judgement. 

Ignacio grabbed Frances's arm, giving it a squeeze so he'd be sure Frances was paying attention to Blake and Daniel strolling down the blue carpet. It'd be more difficult for Frances to stop watching him. Every expression felt new and different. Every word came as a surprise. Frances was simply fascinated. He wanted to show everything to Ignacio and then gauge his reaction.

"They're not asking the right questions," Ignacio grumbled, scowling at the press. It was all frantic and bright lights on this side while just beyond a rope, people were serenely strolling down a blue carpet while flecks of snow drifted from the clouds. Two different worlds. All their questions related to the wedding. Pretty standard stuff about décor and all the things that gave Frances hives.

"What should they be asking?" Frances asked.

"The RIGHT questions. Something more romantic. Who cares about wedding colors? The real story is them, at least it should be."

An idea popped into Frances's head and he grinned, taking Ignacio's hand off his arm and exchanging it for his hand. "Let's go. I know what we can do."

"Dangerous," Ignacio egged him on and there was bit more pep in Frances's step as he led Ignacio through the throng of reporters towards the very end. A younger woman, the only person wearing a Santa hat was basically hiding in the corner, hyperventilating or doing breathing exercises or something.

"She's the one," Frances decided and let Ignacio go to walk up to the reporter. "Excuse me, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Totally prepared. No worries—" Her voice caught in her throat as she met Frances's eyes. Magic for Frances felt like striking a match, causing his magic to burst and then burn inside his veins as if blood was still fresh on his tongue. His eyes flashing red, his words came out like slow running honey and he watched this girl's eyes go cloudy and her face slacked.

"I have a question you can ask the prince and Blake Winslow... ask Blake first 'What was the moment where you realized you wanted to marry the prince?' Don't let them get away with a vague answer."

"I'll ask them," the reporter echoed his accent at first, until she blinked out of her stupor. "Yes. That's good. I'll ask them that..." she whispered, nodding to herself and facing the guests walking the carpet again.

"How's that question?" Frances turned around, checking for Ignacio's approval. He found Ignacio to already be staring at him, lips parted in half surprise and half awe. It was a look that suggested he'd like to know the answer for himself from Frances to him.

Ignacio eventually choked out, "Um, yes. That will do nicely."

They still waited for Daniel and Blake to come through the line of reporters, wearing plastic smiles that only Frances and Ignacio could recognize. Blake seemed better prepared this time around. Not overwhelmed by every camera flash or question.

Until Frances's star reporter.

The fake princely façade crumbled as the romantic microscope narrowed in on Blake, he was caught off guard enough to talk less like a robot with recorded answers, but with a genuine blush and with Daniel dreamily staring at him. The distance between the fiancés lessened and Frances felt like it was a job well done.

"I..." Ignacio cleared his throat, surprising Frances as he turned. Dazed almost, Ignacio's voice came out as soft as velvet "That really was the perfect question. I didn't realize you were a romantic."

"You haven't realized it already? Well, I'm not doing my job then." He grabbed Ignacio's hand again, getting used to the feel. Just a few more times and Frances might figure out how they fit perfectly together. "And our job's not done, right? We haven't got them throwing themselves at each other yet."

With a nod, Ignacio agreed, letting himself be led as he glanced behind his shoulder to spy on the boys one last time. "The eyes are nice, though. It's all in the eyes."

Frances snorted.

The pot called the kettle black. Ignacio's first language was romance. Frances didn't know how, but he seemed to attract people much gooier on the inside than him.

Working around the reporters and the crowds on the street that hoped to grab a peek of the prince and his shiny new fiancé. Frances searched for the catering vans and followed the staff inside, through the bustling kitchen. "Sorry, sorry, we will be out of the way in two seconds. It's fine. I'm a prince!" Frances announced as he slipped and maneuvered out of everyone's way, making Ignacio laugh, which made Frances laugh.

They stumbled out of the kitchens, dodging more servers with full trays. Before they could escape, Ignacio snatched little goodies for them both. "What's next?" Frances asked and he was sent on a mission to find a way to separate Blake and Daniel once they entered the party. It was easy. A fifty dollar bribe to Josephine to nab Blake. A random detail about some boring piece of news to the stuffiest person in the room and he went searching for Daniel.

"You make it look easy," Ignacio complimented him as they retreated to the emptiest corner, behind a Christmas tree. They sat snug on the floor like little kids getting ready to spy on Santa Claus. The strings of light set their skin aglow and Ignacio looked more like precious gemstones than ever.

"I guess I'm inspired..." Frances whispered, keeping his voice low so Ignacio would have to lean close to hear him. His eyes traveled the lines of Ignacio's face to the curves of his lips. If it was all about the eyes, Frances wanted Ignacio to see it all. Ignacio was caught and leaning and hot and Frances wanted to remove the space between them.

No.

What he wanted most was to drag Ignacio to the closest empty room and explore every inch of the witch's strange assistant. But it was more than that. Frances burned with questions about Ignacio's family, his likes, his dislikes, and everything else. He wanted to know Ignacio better than anyone. A childish want. But Frances's heart had never matured.

He has been so used to being the friend, a sex friend, or the best friend, he was never able to explore more relationships with less innocent intentions. But sitting here, alone with Ignacio, Frances wanted to be anything but friends and do the things more than just friends do.

Ignacio's tongue flicked out between his lips, wetting the top and bottom, igniting something feral inside of Frances. The same scent of wanting rolling off Ignacio was pulsing inside of him too. These desires collided like explosions in the air. Frances's hands reached out on their own, sliding across Ignacio's jaw.

"Frances, you son of a bitch!" Someone shouted and the vampire's bones hit the ceiling. His hand retracted as he twisted to find an old friend, Gino Borghese. He was just as tall, rumbled, and annoying as Frances remembered the vampire. He was the romance cover version of what a vampire should look like, dripping with sex appeal and smelling of fresh blood.

"I saw a leg poking out from behind the tree and I assumed I'd be scaring some kids. Turns out I wasn't totally wrong." His accent was low and growling, directed at Frances, but his eyes flicked at Ignacio immediately.

Frances jumped up, rekindling Gino's full attention. When Ignacio tried to stand up, Frances pushed him back down. If Gino was still the same. He was still a single man with a double king sized bed that always came with an open invitation.

"How are you? It's been so long?" Gino shook Frances's hand, pulling in closer to pat his shoulder.

"I'm good, how about you?" Frances returned.

"I'm well, thank you. Why on earth are you in Sagewick?"

An idea popped into Frances's head that was so brilliant he hoped the light bulb over his head blinded Gino just a little. "I'm here for the wedding, of course. I'm part of Prince Daniel's wedding party. Not best man material, but I would never insinuate I am. Can you believe they're getting married? Have you seen Blake?"

"I haven't..." Gino admitted, giving the crowd a once over. "Is he well?"

"If by well you mean hot? Hell yeah. What did Emma and Clay Winslow do to make a bunch of a sexy guys like that? I wanna a bucket of that potion. I'll bathe in it."

"Hmm..." Gino hummed, still searching the crowd. To help the guy, Frances used his hand to rest on the vampire's shoulder, steering him into the right position to finding Blake all alone and vulnerable to strange men's flirtations. Despite being Daniel's fiancé, people around the ballroom were making glances at him like he was going to be the prize at the end of a foot race. Not that Blake ever notices that kind of thing.

Like the little demon on his shoulder, Frances whispered into his ear, "I'm thinking it's a fake engagement to make Daniel look more likeable. Bet the wedding gets cancelled last minute."

Below, Ignacio smacked Frances's leg, which he ignored, but he could feel the annoyance pour out of Ignacio like steam spurting out a boiling tea pot. Frances bit his cheek to keep from snickering.

Gino brandished his warmest smile. "I think I'll just go say hello."

"Have fun." Frances gave him a gentle push. "But not too much."

The second Gino left, aimed right at Blake, Ignacio jumped up and gave Frances' arm a smack. "What was that? It's not a fake engagement—"

"I know that. We know that. Gino just needed an excuse to flirt and the moment Daniel sees Gino chatting Blake up, it'll put the Prince of Social Anxiety into action. Enough dancing around. Time to get the kids back together."

"Something is definitely happening," Ignacio said and pointed to Gino charming a laugh out of Blake.

Frances nudged Ignacio a little, hoping to knock a little of his worries away. "Blake isn't going to run off with Gino Borghese. The only thing running off with Gino is the first incurable vampire STD."

Ignacio's eyes narrowed either because he didn't believe Frances or he didn't understand what he was talking about, but he didn't argue anymore. From behind the Christmas tree, they watched Gino and Blake interact and on schedule, Daniel noticed and approached... but stopped. Frances straightened, wishing he knew what Blake could say to stop Daniel in his tracks.

Unlike Frances once in a pub in Ireland, Blake managed to give Gino the brush off. Daniel took his rightful place and while continuing to be confused, Frances and Ignacio ended up following the boys to another ballroom. Daniel managed to find the lights, but it was eerily quiet and still.

"This won't do..." Ignacio whispered, grabbing Frances's arm. He liked the way the man clung to him when he needed someone to lean on. "Whatever I do. Just go with it."

"Always," Frances said and held his hand up in promise.

With a nod, Ignacio closed his eyes and as his white hair raised like the air electrified suddenly, music trickled in. Nothing Frances recognized. Something older than time. He soaked in the sound and rested his cheek onto his hand, watching Blake and Daniel dance in-between staring at each other. Without catching Ignacio on, Frances could feel the man sneaking glances at him.

"What's the big deal with dancing? They're just holding hands and spinning around."

"Holding hands can mean a lot for some people...." Ignacio reached over, nudging Frances's finger, making it turn and lift as Ignacio aligned all their fingers together until their palms rested against each other. Their hands were almost the same size. "Human contact. Skin touching skin. If you don't have it for a while, you begin to crave it like any... human need. Just as dire as hunger and thirst."

"You sound pretty fucking lonely."

"I am..." Ignacio smiled despite the sadness dripping from his words. "Well, less now, but for a very long time I was..."

They held hands and Iggy smiled. When he couldn't contain his smile anymore, Frances asked, "Do you know how to dance, Iggy?"

"Are you asking me out of curiosity or are you asking me to dance with you?"

"Maybe I am."

"Hmm..." Ignacio peered at Frances with his molten brown eyes, seeing right through the vampire like cellophane. "Why don't you just ask then instead of avoiding the question? Are you afraid of rejection?"

"Not afraid. That's not the right word. It's more like I'm... preparing for it."

"Ask me properly."

"Iggy, would you like to dance with me?"

"Yes, Frances. I would like to dance with you..." Ignacio's hand slipped into Frances's and it was so warm, the cool layer across Frances's skin melted and for the first time in his undead existence, he had an idea of what pure sunshine might feel like without the barrier of a spell. Pure sunny warmth.

Frances led Ignacio out into the long hallway. They were backed by floor length windows with a golden Christmas tree perched in front of every single one as snow fluttered from the night sky behind it. On the other side were more paintings, more creations that tried to rival Ignacio, but failing spectacularly.

"I'll lead—" Ignacio offered, but Frances shook his head.

"No, I'll lead." Francis rolled back his shoulders. "I'm a prince."

Ignacio melted inside Frances's hands, letting himself be swayed in this dance. No one ever smiled at Frances the way Ignacio did. Frances could get lost in it. They could just hear the music from the grand hall, enough to tell Frances the way. He turned round and round as slow as creamer cutting through coffee's dark abyss and they passed the windows, basking into their light.

"What are the moves to this dance?" Ignacio asked, scowling at their feet. "What is the footwork?"

Frances laughed. "There's only one rule. Make sure to look at your partner and not their feet." Ignacio flicked his eyes up and his chosen attention was first Frances's eyes, but interest waned down closer to his lips. Frances whispered now that they were so close and the air prickled with intimacy. "Just move how you feel."

"How I feel?" Ignacio echoed his eyes as big as ever.

Frances tilted his head, confused by Ignacio's confusion. Concern lined Frances's stomach. He leaned in closer, keeping his voice soft and low. "Don't tell me no one's ever asked you how you feel?" 

Ignacio searched for that answer in Frances's eyes. He whispered, words that he had to dig from deep down. "How do I feel?"

"I wanna know." Frances shrugged a little.

"I... I've lived for quite some time and I have kissed plenty of creatures, but I've never met someone that I wanted to kiss so badly until I met you."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Frances, taking his words to heart and grabbing Ignacio's face and pulling him into a kiss. There was no resistance, but a desire to be pulled even closer. Like Ignacio, Frances has kissed plenty of men and women, but kissing has never quite been like this. Kissing has never made Frances feel this particular way either.

From touching Ignacio's skin and soft lips, his warmth washed over him and pooled inside his chest and filled it to the point of almost bursting. Kissing Ignacio was like magic. Frances was too excited, maybe being too forward as he backed Ignacio into the closest window. It was a different kind of humiliating to like someone this much.

If Frances from a few years back saw him, he'd be baffled both by his dress and by how desperate his hands yanked Ignacio closer. Wrapping his arm around Ignacio's back, Frances pressed the man against the window, using his other hand to support himself as his tongue performed a magic all of its own. A moan vibrated from Ignacio's throat as Ignacio ran his hands from Frances's neck, up through his hair. Ignacio's hands never stayed in one place long, leaving a trail of sparks in his wake.

Frances could hear his heart fluttering and that just fueled Frances more. Awakened something terrible in him. He wanted to know everything about Ignacio. Less innocent things. Wanted to know every sound he could make and if he was the type to go weak in the knees or shiver. Frances nipped at Ignacio's lips and it turned out, he was both types. Unable to help himself, like a greedy little vampire, Frances grinned on the way to kiss Ignacio's neck. He sucked on his skin, dragged his teeth, but didn't puncture him. Every close call caused a shiver to pulsate through Ignacio.

Frances was saving that for later fun.

A gasp suddenly ripped out of Ignacio and someone else cleared they're throat. Frances snapped his head up, letting Ignacio go to stand on his own. Whoever approached didn't have any presence that Frances picked up, making his neck hair raise.

"My apologies," Adrian of all people said. He sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "When I came to find Ignacio, I didn't think he'd be so... busy."

"Dude," Frances huffed and wiped the wetness off the corner of his mouth. He snuck a glance at Ignacio, who was trying to put himself back together too. There was still a sticky sweet smell pouring out of him and Frances wanted another taste. That was nothing but a sample to a full meal. Frances growled at Adrian without thinking. "You have to talk about this now?"

"Actually, I do. It's a few important details about the wedding that I need to discuss with Ignacio," he said and only now, Frances noticed Adrian was only looking at Ignacio. He'd been doing it this whole time. Not sparing Frances a glance.

"With me?" Ignacio pointed to himself.

Frances shook his head. "Surely, Michael is the better choice—"

"No." The word plummeted from Adrian's mouth and smacked the floor with a heavy thud. It hit Frances like a shove to the middle of the chest. "It must be Ignacio. Come." Adrian motioned Ignacio as if he were a misbehaving child. "Now."

Just as Frances opened his mouth to argue more, Ignacio took a hard step forward, out of Frances's bubble, and Ignacio jumped like he was surprised by it too. Ignacio snapped his eyes down at his feet, but tilting his head up took ages until he looked at Adrian. His eyes widened and a chill passed through Frances. The sudden rise of tension made it difficult to move as if all the air had been replaced with cement.

"Iggy?" Frances grabbed his date's arm. "Are you okay?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" Ignacio removed Frances's hand and then, pressed his hand to Frances's chest, smoothing down the fabric. "Thank you for taking me here... Tonight was some of the most fun I've ever had and I never get to just have fun, but everything with you is fun so.... Well, I'm so happy to have met you."

"Why does this sound like goodbye?" Frances grabbed the hand on his chest. "You're just going to talk about the wedding, right?"

"Of course. Get home safely." Ignacio slipped out of Frances hold and walked up to Adrian, falling in line right behind him. He seemed so small facing Adrian's back with his head down, encased in his shadow.

Alone, surrounded by darkness and the whispers of a good party in the other room, Frances's stomach turned. He looked at his phone, unsure what else to do. When he looked up, the pair had already disappeared.

Frances cursed.

Without another thought, Frances ran back down the hall and stormed into the smaller ballroom. "Hey, guys! Blake! Danny, I think something is wrong—" Frances stumbled to a stop in the middle of the room just as the music died and the lights went out.

Everyone was gone.

#

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Soooo this chapter was WAY longer than intended. I was just going and going and now we're gone... Extra side note, I have been listening to covers of Somethin Stupid covers and thinking about Frances and Ignacio. Enjoy that image.

And uhhhh what's Adrian doing over here? He wasn't even invited? That's weird. Oh well. They're just gonna talk about the wedding, right? And where did Blake and Daniel go? Poor baby Frances got left at the party alone. Loved to hear your thoughts!