Dark Sun Ch. 01

Note to readers: okie dokie this chapter took a while to edit. I admit not knowing much about the USA so any references i make to places or life in america is fuelled by tv, google and wikipedia. Anywho onto with the chapter....

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Chapter One

Catherine looked in the mirror for the fifth time inspecting her straightened hair. It was darker than the carrot orange of her youth and monthly hair jobs were the only thing keeping it that way. Her session in the tanning booth saw to her freckles being disguised by a faint tinge.

Backing away from the dressing table, Catherine inspected herself in the full length mirror, running her hands over the sapphire dress, flattening out the creases. Glancing at the clock, she realised that Sean would be knocking on her door at any minute, forcing her to scurry around for her stilettos.

The rouge shoes matched her painted nails and lipstick. With one last spritz of her perfume, Catherine grabbed her clutch bag and opened the hotel door.

Sean was standing with his back to her, his wrist raised as he looked at his watch. He was always prompt, one of the quirks she liked about him. Too many people had been unreliable in her life, that she found his punctuality refreshing. If Sean said he was going to be there at nine o'clock, then you'd see him arrive one minute early.

"Sean." She said softly returning his smile as he turned.

His eyes roved over her body stopping at the flair of her waist and modest cleavage. Catherine blushed slightly over his appraisal, as there was no doubting the thoughts running through his mind.

Coughing she drew his attention to her face. Sean gave an apologetic shrug before offering her his arm. Another quirk that Catherine found attractive. He was an attentive and old fashioned gentleman, traits rarely found in the modern world.

"The limo is waiting outside." Sean informed her as they walked out of the elevator.

The marble floor shone beneath the crystal chandeliers, glancing of the fine diamonds around her throat and wrist. Though Catherine had been hesitant over wearing such expensive jewellery, Sean had been adamant that she wear them. Since they had been a gift who was she to refuse?

As he had stated there was indeed a black stretch limo waiting for them. A tall butch man exited the vehicle and opened the doors for them. Catherine gave a small nod of acknowledgement before gracefully entering the car. Inside was plush velvet and glowing blue lights shone over a small bar.

Beside it was a metal champagne bucket filled with ice and a vintage wine. Such frivolous things were foreign to Catherine's modest lifestyle, though that was soon to change. The diamond ring on her finger was a constant reminder of the world she was soon to be a part of.

The solitaire cut was the only simple thing about it. A large diamond was set in gold with smaller diamonds embedded in the band. Ostentatious and extravagant to the extreme, Catherine rarely wore it but tonight Sean had insisted.

"What will people think, knowing I am engaged to my boss?" Catherine had asked earlier. Sean had simply laughed and given her chaste kiss on her cheek.

"They can think what they will, where is the harm in marrying your PR?" He had replied.

Catherine played with it nervously as the car wove through the skyscrapers of New York City, the blazing lights of the buildings still managing to make her feel slightly uncomfortable. She had grown up in the Idaho wilderness, close to the mountains.

Only the five years working with Dawson and Son's had seen her make a move to the city. Her father had begged her not to leave but he was far from old and was a capable man. He didn't need her and she hated home.

The boarded house next to hers was a constant reminder of the pain caused by one man in her past and she didn't need that. Now she was an established business woman with contacts all over the world. The company she worked for was pushing all sorts of boundaries.

Catherine felt Sean's hand upon hers breaking her away from past hurts and reminding her of the here and now. Tonight she would give all her attention and energy to the man beside her, he who had earned her trust and affection.

Soft music could be heard as they walked into the hall. Gold banners hung from the marble pillars and small lights were wrapped around their thick bodies. A waiter showed them to their table which was currently unoccupied as they had arrived early. Catherine placed her bag on her lap and tapped her foot to the soft jazz from the live band.

"Let's mingle." Sean suggested offering her his hand.

Catherine plastered a fake smile on her lips hating the thought of having to force an interest in what the other high and mighty folk had to say. She was anything but an introvert but her trip down memory lane had left her mood sour.

"Sure honey." She replied sweetly, allowing him to pull her into the throng of people.

The first person they met was an elderly man, who smelled like a mixture of mint and stale urine. Catherine couldn't move away fast enough. From then on she was on her own.

"Ah I have heard many things about you Ms. Finnegan." Said a tall balding man. He was dressed smartly with a young blonde on his arm.

"All good I hope." Catherine laughed.

"Of course. You have done wonders for a failing company, many of us are curious as to who this woman is that is reviving one of our biggest competitors." The man joked.

The woman beside him gave him a bored look. He didn't even bat an eyelid, instead his golden gaze fell upon Catherine's neck.

"I see." Catherine murmured as the atmosphere grew tense.

"Where are my manners, I am Elijah Moore." He said thrusting his hand towards hers.

Catherine had no other option than to shake it, discreetly wiping her palm on her thigh as their hands parted. Elijah Moore was a prominent businessman, one of the main competitors in shipping.

"I see your wife is not with you tonight." Catherine said giving Moore a knowing look.

The man's eyes blazed with something indescribable before he laid his hand on the blonde's shoulder.

"Well Ms. Finnegan," he said, stressing her last name "We all have something to hide. My wife is pregnant with my sixth child so I brought my eldest daughter along. You on the other hand..." Moore trailed off, keeping his last words to himself.

Catherine blushed profusely, her intuition having failed her again. She had assumed the worse and called the man a philanderer. Before she could apologise Moore excused himself taking his daughter with him.

"Well that went well." Catherine smiled as her best friend approached her.

She and Sasha had both interned at Dawson and Son's and had been friends ever since. Sasha worked in marketing and was genius when it came to graphics design. The tall black woman wore smart charcoal trousers and a red blouse that accentuated her large breast. Her hair was cut short with a fringe that covered her right eye. The one eye Catherine could see was soft amber, and Catherine had spent many years envying her friend's eye colour.

Sasha was also stick thin, with a physique Catherine had strived for over the years. Where Sasha could eat as much junk as her stomach could hold, Catherine had to watch every single thing that she put in her mouth lest she gain five hundred stone.

"I am so embarrassed, that was highly unprofessional." Catherine said, leading the way to the bar.

"Ah yes, but this is the cut throat world of corporate business. I think you are the only person I know who has such morals." Sasha joked, ordering a double martini and lemonade.

Catherine ordered a glass of wine, knowing that anything stronger would make her a raving drunk. Another thing to hate Sasha for, the woman could chug down bottles of tequila before showing even an ounce of intoxication.

"Yeah well, my father always told me to fight fire with water." Catherine said using her favourite quote.

She wouldn't allow her soul to be corrupted like the men and women around her, only when the situation called for it would her claws come out.

Sasha was just about to make a comment when the lights of the hall dimmed and a spot light illuminated the stage. Catherine rolled her eyes as the mc took the mic and began making introductions. Playing with the beads of condensation on her glass Catherine took a sip of the sweet drink almost spluttering when she heard the next voice.

"Bonjour mes amis, welcome to the twentieth annual fundraiser for children in need. As you may know there are many children in our fair country who need help and support that cannot be supplied through natural means." A soft murmur of agreement went through the room and Catherine almost choked as she looked at the dais.

A tall man in his early thirties stood in a white suit with a dark shirt, which was open to reveal a flesh of toned flesh. He had dark skin, similar to Sasha's.

Black hair was tied in a long plait that lay over his shoulder and crystalline azure eyes glowed with intelligence. Though his hair was different she would notice those eyes anywhere. Ten years had made him taller, and the aura of immaturity was all but gone.

He was even more handsome than the last time she had seen him and she cursed her traitorous body for reacting to the sight of him. Turning quickly lest he saw her, Catherine cast her eyes to her hands, her brow furrowing as her hands shook.

"León Dubois has to be the finest brother I've ever seen." Sasha sighed fluttering her eyelashes in his direction.

Catherine fought the urge to beat the woman for looking at León, but she had no such claims and as far as she was concerned he didn't even exist. He had taken what he wanted and fled into the night. All his promises had been lies and she hoped he choked each time he thought of her.

Everyone had warned her about León, her friends had told her to stay away from him and even her father who had known the Dubois for years had protested against their relationship. León had been known as a promiscuous Lothario but she had thought she knew him better. She had been wrong.

"...So please delve into your wallets and purses, and find it in your heart to give as much as possible to the innocent." The rowdy round of applause erupted shocking Catherine back into the present.

The mc took over the mic once again urging the patrons to make donations. Soon the band began to play and a small group of people began to congregate around León.

"I thought he wasn't coming." Catherine hissed. Sasha gave a small laugh eagerly watching León.

"My sources said he wasn't, but then he is the chairman for the charity so he must have pulled out of whatever he was doing and flew down. I really don't understand why you hate him so much." Sasha said, looking at Catherine as though she were deranged.

Catherine frowned but said no more. Very few people knew of her relationship with León and she planned to keep it that way.

"Oh my god he's walking towards us." Sasha squealed quickly smoothing down her hair.

Catherine barely got the chance to leave her stool before he was upon them. Refusing to turn from the bar Catherine continued to play with her glass praying that he was as self-absorbed as she knew him to be and ignore her.

"Mr. Dubois, it's so great to meet you." Sasha gushed practically falling from her perch. León's deep chuckle sent shivers of desire up Catherine's spine but still she refused to look at him.

"Ah admired by a beautiful woman like you, god must be smiling on me today." Catherine gritted her teeth over his slimy flirting.

Once upon a time Catherine would have fallen for the same lines, but not anymore, not when she knew the pain that came with being with him.

"Oh Mr. Dubois, you flatterer you. My name is Sasha Douglas and this is my friend Catherine Finnegan." Sasha said.

Catherine cursed at Sasha's introduction. If León even remembered her then things were about to get awkward. Though she couldn't care less about what Leon thought of her, that did not mean that no one else was watching their exchange. Turning slowly Catherine looked up at him briefly.

It was enough to assess his appearance all over again and if he was handsome from a far, then he was downright irresistible up close. His skin was flawless, and his hair was longer than she remembered. His brows were a dark shade of blonde and arched over his oval eyes. Cat-eyes she used to call them. Not wanting him to see just how much his presence unnerved her, Catherine stared him straight in the face urging him to say something.

The only indication of surprise was the soft rise of his brow, and the falter in his smile. Rage battled behind Catherine's cool facade and Sasha must have realised the tension as she quickly left proclaiming she heard her name being called.

"It has been a long time Kitten." He said.

The familiar afro-french accent and use of the pet name he had given her, struck a raw nerve. Without thought she lifted her glass and threw it over his face before dashing through the mob of people. She could feel her chest bursting as she ran but she didn't dare slow down in case he caught her. Only when the cool breeze hit her did she stop, leaning against the cast iron balcony for support.

Her actions had been brash and so unlike her usual behaviour. Yet she couldn't quell the satisfaction of embarrassing León in front of all his peers, now he would know a fraction of the shame he inflicted upon her. After regaining her breath Catherine tilted her face toward the breeze, enjoying the soft caress against her cheek.

"Still as impulsive as ever, non?" Catherine's eyes narrowed at the recognizable baritone and she clenched the railing tighter hoping that her silence would deter him from talking to her any further.

Instead the distinct sound of a door locking greeted her ears and she was forced to turn. The large glass doors had been closed, and thick drapes blocking them from the view of the people in the hall.

Catherine gave a low growl as León approached her but she resisted the urge to run. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing just how much he unnerved her. The rosé left a pink tint on his lapels, from the tag she could tell it was Gucci and she almost felt guilty for ruining it, almost.

"Impulsiveness has always been my downfall, I fell for you didn't I?" She said.

León continued to approach her and she was forced to lean back as he grew in height. She was not overly short but León stood at an impressive six foot five, a one foot difference in her height. Finally León stopped and tucked his hands in his jeans, the action surprised Catherine. León only did that when he was nervous but then what reason did he had to be nervous, when he had so callously tossed her aside.

"If I knew you were going to be here, I would not have come." He said quietly.

Catherine's jaw dropped over his words hating him even more. Was she that repulsive that he would avoid her at every turn. Artashir Industries did not deal with the same business as Sean so she had had the fortune of never having to see him. That did not mean she didn't know where he was or what he did.

Recently León had moved his headquarters from England to Seattle. Yet he had not even bothered to call her. If he had done, she would have been able to slam the phone down with a triumphant yell. Now with his stupid words he had made her feel as though she needed to be avoided.

"Well nothing is stopping you from leaving." Catherine said motioning to the door.

León took his hands from his pocket displaying them as an act of surrender. Catherine would have laughed at the forlorn look on his face if this had been any other situation. Perhaps if he hadn't broken her heart then she could find joy in his easy behaviour.

"That is true, very true but this moment may not appear again. You must tread carefully Catherine, the man you are with is not all he appears to be." León said. Catherine clenched her jaw at his ominous warning, as if he had the right to care about her safety.

"And I should listen to you why?" She asked settling against the balcony.

Catherine could tell her flippant questions irked León but that only caused her to feel smug, let him get angry, there was nothing he could say that Catherine would ever listen to.

"Because no matter what you choose to believe, I love you." León said softly.

Catherine burst into a flurry of rage pummelling his chest with her fists. They were hard like rock but that didnt stop her from her attack.

"Don't ever throw those words in my face, you don't know what love means. You left me!" She screamed, not caring who heard.

León continued to stand there and take her beating as if she were a troublesome toddler which on made her fury rise.

"I hate you, you bastard!" she screeched, clawing her nails against his cheek. She punctured flesh, leaving four distinct scars on his face.

León moved swiftly, his hands clenching her arms. Catherine cried out as he bruised her flesh. A low pop rented the air and León staggered against her before righting himself. Catherine fought her way out of his hold no longer caring about the man before her.

"Trust me on this, ma Cherie." Catherine halted for a second, hating the way her body responded to the soft endearment. Then she wrenched open the doors and continued into the ball room.

...

León took a deep breath wavering on his feet slightly as his heart pumped blood through his wound but he did not fall. Movement now could be the difference between life and death.

The bullet was close to his heart but the pain was worth it if it meant that Catherine was okay. He settled on the floor of the balcony, hoping that one of his men would soon search for him.

It had been foolish of him to be in New York when he knew Catherine would be here, but it had not occurred to him that they would be so persistent in hurting him. León gave a contemptuous snort, they would never stop the pursuing him and his kind.

His enemies had known Catherine's position in his life and ten years had not lessened it. There had to be a leak within his pride, that was the only explanation. He had been adamantly informed that Catherine would not be attending tonight's fundraiser yet when he had spotted a redhead at the bar he had instantly known who it was.

Though he hadn't changed much during their years apart she had. She was no longer a curvaceous size sixteen, and he hated that she had changed so much. Her wild curls had been tamed with a hot iron, and her skin no longer resembled the pale aura of a full moon but was like warmed honey.

"My heart breaks little one." He muttered, searching his pocket for his pack of cigarettes and lighter.

León groaned as he muscles contracted with pain, as his shoulder knocked against the iron bars. He was the cause of Catherine's hatred towards him, he was aware of that. The call that night had changed everything and he could no longer think about his own personal needs.

Taking a drag from the cigarette León looked through the bars, smirking as he caught no sign of his assailant. Though to human eyes the bushes below would yield nothing, as a lion shifter he had enhanced eyesight, making the ground below appear as if it were broad daylight.

The masked man had been cocky, thinking that he could kill his wife and assume that he, Artashir of all lion prides would allow it to happen.

Throwing the butt of his cigarette to the ground below León gave a tired sigh, not wanting to die out here, alone and in the cold. Getting up was harder than sitting down and his whole body screamed with agony as he pulled himself up. His movements caused more blood to drench his blazer.

"What is a few thousand dollars." León hissed through his teeth, finally getting to his feet.