Chapter 1309 - Here Comes Marija (the Third Time) (1)

Michael and Oni are sitting at the smaller table for four on the outside terrace and watching people dance. 

Oni wanted to watch Sarah and Aiden doing their blazing dance which has the power to electrify the spectators, and Michael insisted that she sits and rests her feet, so here she is in a compromise: sitting close to the dancefloor.

She got to enjoy more than half an hour of a great show before the music switched to slower beat. 

Currently, many couples are swaying while holding each other. It's not really-really slow dancing, but it's at a moderate pace. 

Nala and Haru are on the dancefloor. They smoothened their small disagreement from earlier. The two of them often have small bickering sessions for various reasons, but very quickly they make up. Based on how they are looking at each other, it seems that they are enjoying this post-fight atmosphere when both of them are trying to indulge the other. Ah, love… no two are the same.

Oni almost jumped out of her skin when Michael's hand landed on top of hers.

She wondered why is she so tense? Michael is sitting next to her, and unless he has something important to do related to the security or setup, he is sticking close to her. Actually, ever since that night in Frankfurt when he slept on the side of her bed, he is sticking to her. Shouldn't she be happy about that? She should, but there is a knot in her chest, and she is not happy.

"Will you do me an honor of dancing with me?", Michael asked.

Oni frowned slightly. "Why are you so formal?"

Michael sighed. "I was expecting a 'yes'…"

Oni told herself to shake it off. Why is she borderline hostile? Why can't she be nice to him? What is stopping her? Is it still that damned Marija? How long will that image haunt her? 

She chanted internally that during that time, Michael and she were nothing more than friends and she has no right to be upset because he went to have some fun with Marija. She likes him and he is treating her well and wants to dance with her… Isn't this what she wants? 

Oni cleared her throat briefly. "Sorry. Yes, I would like to dance."

Michael smiled while standing up and offering her his hand.

They were two steps from the dancefloor when Michael touched his earpiece. 

He frowned for a second before explaining: "I am sorry, Oni. They need me at the bonfire. I will be back in a minute."

"OK. I will be here."

"Don't change your mind.", Michael reminded her that he will dance with her when he returns and walked toward the back garden in hurried steps.

As soon as he was out of the crowd in the area of the dancefloor, Michael dashed through the garden toward the beach where the setup for the bonfire is. 

He found there Dezy and Wally in the middle of discussing with two staff members about the ways to start the fire, but the staff members don't speak English and Dezy and Wally don't speak German. It is a mess where four of them ended up yelling at each other, without knowing who is saying what. That is why they called Michael.

Few minutes later…

With Michael as a translator, they agreed on who is doing what. Fire starter was in place and they lit it up… 

They had some audience nearby, observing the process and eagerly waiting to enjoy the sight of a tall fire dancing on the beach. Few guests brought towels to sit on.

As soon as the fire caught on the flammable material, orange flames started licking the large logs piled up high against each other. The fire rose up in waves, each higher than the previous one. 

Michael, Dezy, Wally and two staff members took a step back from the fire on every few seconds.

It all happened in a flash: there was an unexpected gust of wind and it directed the smoke and flying embers toward Michael. 

Michael closed his eyes and protected his face with arms, but it was too late and some of it ended up in his eyes.

"Let me take you to the restroom to rinse your eyes with water…", Dezy said while holding Michael by his elbow when he saw that Michael pressed his palms against his eyes.

Michael's eyes were stinging like crazy, and he would rub them, but he has Eve-lenses on, and he is concerned that he might damage them. 

The lenses protected his irises and pupils, but that does not mean that the sclera is not hurting furiously.

"Is anything aching?", Wally asked in panic while running after them.

"Should we call Anna to check?", Dezy offered.

"No… I think just some of it got into my eyes… a rinse should fix it.", Michael responded. 

"Are you sure?", Wally was not convinced. He can see tears streaming down Michael's cheeks like crazy. 

"Yeah…", Michael responded. "If rinse does not help, then you can call Anna. OK? Not before. Let's not disturb her for no reason…" 

Meanwhile, close to the dancefloor…

"Oni, can I talk to you?"

Oni turned toward the voice with a strong Eastern-European accent and faced Marija.

In an instant, memories of Marija and Michael flirting in the kitchen flooded Oni's mind… and then image of the two of them holding each other and walking down the hallway… 

Oni felt nauseated. Her insides churned. Why would this woman want to talk to her? It can't be anything good, right? Other than few words while at the Chateau, they didn't interact and the only intersection between their lives is... Michael. 

"Sure.", Oni responded while doing her best not to show her displeasure with current situation.

"Can we go somewhere private?", Marija gestured toward the smaller terrace.

Oni glanced that way and agreed. She is curious what Marija wants to talk to her about. By now she narrowed the possibilities to only one: Michael. 

When they reached the small terrace, Oni observed that only few people are sitting on it. Most of the guests are on the other terrace where music and the dancefloor are, enjoying themselves.

Oni was surprised to see that Marija continued walking and that she is leading the way toward the dock.

Other than the powerboats, Oni and Marija, the dock is deserted. No one is going boating on the lake at night.

The dock is not very long, it has five powerboats moored on each side, and it's at full capacity. The dock is not lit up, and the only source of the light is from the lampposts which are on the terrace, so if anyone looks from the direction of the hotel toward the dock, he can see at most two shadows (aka Marija and Oni) at the far end of the dock, who are facing each other. 

Of course, Oni has Eve-lens and with night vision she has no problems seeing the smallest changes in Marija's expression.

Oni was nervous at first, but she told herself that she is the general of the army of Chaos. She should not fear anyone. Especially not one woman who is not armed. Oni used Eve-vision and scanned Marija to confirm that she has no hidden weapons. You can never be too careful. 

Even if it escalates into a fist fight, Oni is confident that she can take Marija down. And here in the dark, just the two of them... it is more than easy. But Oni is not the one to start a fight, no matter how much she despises Marija because this is Sarah's and Aiden's wedding and causing a commotion will only spoil their big day.

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