chapter two,     tell me a secret

e v e l y n

EVELYN HAWTHRONE - ORLOVA hated doing her father's business for him. The woman craved for fun and England was just... it was bland and she didn't like the weather. However, this time, after meeting the famous Tom Riddle it seemed like her journey will be amusing.

The wizards in Russia were well hidden, the magic ran in the pureblooded families for generations, God forbid for any one of them to have a romantic relationship with a mere human. They did not have schools, they did not have Ministry of Magic because it was simply not necessary.

Of course, some of the families used their magic for devious purposes and the Hawthrone family wasn't an exception. You have to do certain things, make certain decisions that normal humans would forbid by the law. There was no law to the Hawthrone family.

Her father, Orlov, was very much interested to hear about the upcoming reformation in the Ministry of Magic. The whispers from the other families were quite interesting and that man would do anything for a good gossip that involved England.

"Why don't you tell me the real reason why you want to take over," Evelyn suggested, her legs crossed as she was sitting on a comfortable armchair in front of Tom, in the Malfoy mansion just two days after the party.

"Are you seeking to get my darkest secrets out on the first day, Miss Hawthrone?" His voice was raspy and it was like music to her ears.

"If I would want to get your secrets now, I would get them all whenever I want to. I am trying to be nice," Evelyn exclaimed, a sly smile on her face.

"Why don't you tell me what you want from me to make you join me?" Tom implied and she chuckled to herself— he was closed, his mind was closed, she tried to approach it the first time she saw it without making him realize, but his mind was unreachable.

     "Security. I don't want my family's name to go out once everything goes to hell," Evelyn pointed out, moving her feet softly, her black heels shining in the firelight.

     "It pains me to hear that you think everything will go hell," his voice was emotionless and she had to chuckle to herself. That man was unbelievably cold, hiding under his charming masks just to swoon her— he was hiding something and she didn't care if he intended to burn the Ministry of Magic, what interested her was what he was hiding about himself.

     "You are searching for followers. It's obvious you have money, you have some sort of followers I saw lurking in the corners of the mansion. You just don't want everyone to blame yourself when everything goes to hell," Evelyn stated her facts and watched how his eyebrow quirked up and she smiled at him.

     "Very well, Miss Hawthrone, very well," Tom murmured, pushing the glass of alcohol to his lips. There was something wicked in his eyes, his body language craved for something and she knew it was power. He wanted to rule the world, but she has seen many men like him. They all ended up forgotten.

     "Let me give you a friendly piece of advice, Mister Riddle. The only way you will get something is with a little bit of wickedness. Numbers won't let you reach your purpose," she started, "But you have been rejected from the professor title, the wizards know something is up with you... You lack a little bit of empathy, dearest," she exclaimed and watched how he chuckled to himself, his cold eyes gazing at her and for the first time she saw something warm inside of them.

     "You did your research," Tom exclaimed.

     "So why don't you tell me what the deal is with you? I see the charming side of yours, but it's not well-acted," Evelyn exclaimed as she stood up and walked closer to the fireplace, for some warmth. In her hand appeared a knife, out of thin air and she started to twirl it around her fingers— it calmed her down.

     "Are you threatening me?" Tom raised his eyebrows, turning his eyes to the little dagger.

     "Do you want me to? Or did you simply enjoy having a knife pressed against your neck? You know I would gladly do that again," she exclaimed with a soft smile, the dagger running around her knuckles, her skilled fingers barely moving as the knife was moving between them.

     "You still didn't apologize for putting the knife against my neck," Tom pointed out, standing up and walking closer to her.

     "Is that what you want? An apology?"

     "For starters— I believe women like you should be mannered enough to apologize."

      "Women like me?" Evelyn's eyebrows raised, a scoff leaving her painted lips, "You think there are women like me?"

     "I know several. All of them pretend to be powerful, all of them pretend to be fierce, while in fact... They are horribly weak," Tom exclaimed, his face calm.

     "Is that how you make aliases, Mister Riddle? By calling someone weak?"

     "A little truth hurt nobody," he pointed out and for a second she stopped twirling the dagger in between her fingers and she gave him an amused look.

     "Do you want me to change that?" She softly exhaled the words, receiving a half-smile from the man after he obviously eyed her up and down several times. She knew he wanted her— who didn't?

     "I think you just want to press the knife into my skin once again."

     "What can I say— seeing men beg for their lives while you pierce their skin slowly is refreshing," she replied, the knife disappearing into a thin air as he kept on looking at her. The flames of the fire were making his eyes look hungry— hungry for power, for her— she couldn't decipher. "That's how I get all of my secrets."

     "Is that what you really want? To know all of my secrets?" Tom stood up, placing a glass on top of the little table as he leaned his side to the wall, looking at the woman.

"I promise, my secrets will be safe with me," Evelyn quirked her eyebrows up as she crossed her hands over her chest, looking at him.

"And how can I trust you? How do I know you are not an intruder who will turn everything I say against me?" Tom walked closer and Evelyn slightly squinted her eyes. His concern was fair as it was not hard to fake someone's identity with a little bit of knowledge in Potions. However, he was smart, he knew it was here as he wouldn't be fooled with a simple potion. Tom Riddle simply wanted to get into her mind.

     "You want to intrude my mind, is that so?" Evelyn asked and now he let out a chuckle, stepping closer at her.

     "I just have to make sure," he innocently replied.

     "That you have all my secrets," she softly finished the sentence of his and stood there for a few seconds before she slightly nodded and he stepped closer to her, she could see the satisfaction in his eyes that he was about to do this.

     Did he really think she will let him see all of her darkest secrets? The thing British wizards didn't know was that Russian wizards focus on keeping their minds protected all the time. They have the power to give others visions, to make them believe they are gonna read their mind.

     Riddle stood close to her, placing his hand on her jaw, touching her soft skin and Evelyn knew that touching for this wasn't necessary. Did he want to touch her so badly?

     Evelyn closed her eyes, opening a little barrier to her mind, flashing a vision into his head, a smirk forming on her face.

     His hand trailed down her waist as their eyes met, ice against fire, their bodies craving for pleasure, not just any pleasure— the temptation only they could provide. He was tempting, with that look of his, with the charming smirk that meant nothing.

His hand softly ended up on the back of her neck, pushing it up to her hair, keeping the gaze on her. The fire lightened her eyes in different colours and within that look, he leaned to her, brushing his lip against her jaw, feeling how her body melted into his.

Their eyes met just a brief moment before their lips crashed together, his hands on her jaw, her hands in his hair, tugging on his perfectly combed curls. His lips were soft, yet he was kissing her rough as he has been waiting for her his whole life.

     Tom quickly pulled away, retrieving his hand away from her jaw, Evelyn wearing a cheeky smile— he clearly looked annoyed. "Quite the vision you have," she exclaimed as the vision that she placed in his head was not hers.

     When Tom entered her mind, his whole mind barrier fell down and Evelyn found this vision right on top and she made him see it as if he was reading her mind. "Did you have trouble sleeping if I am in your mind?" Evelyn softly asked. Tom stood close to her, his face unreadable as he just faced defeat. Already twice.

"Where did you learn how to do that? To make me think that the vision was yours?" He asked, his voice low and silent.

"Do you believe now that I am not an intruder?" Evelyn asked instead.

"Not until you will let me read you," he implied, stuffing his hands into his pants pockets, looking down at her, even with heels she was smaller than him by the whole head, but she didn't feel weak. She knew she had the upper hand at this.

"Ask me to dinner first, I do not let anyone read me. In fact, no one has ever entered my mind without my permission," she replied and she turned around, facing the fireplace, her hands slightly crossed as she found this whole situation amusing.

She felt how he stood behind her, his breath on her shoulder, making her develop shivers. "I can promise your family protection, but for that, you will teach me your spells," he exclaimed.

Evelyn chuckled to herself and she turned around to face him, looking if he was serious. "You know that I can easily back away from this no strings attached."

"But you do want to see where this is going, don't you?" Tom asked. "And the pictures from the previous evening of us can easily end up on the minister's table. If he will know you are getting involved with me, he will push your father further."

Evelyn's eyebrows slightly raised as she slightly nodded— so he was more prepared for this than she expected. "Well done, Mister Riddle, I have underestimated you," she softly smiled, white teeth contrasting with her red lipstick.

"So we have a deal then?" He extended his hand and Evelyn slightly bit her inner cheek as she looked at him. He was blackmailing her with the photos, but not as if she cared. She wanted to avoid a war between the minister and if this man actually succeeds, then it will be just better for her family.

"We do," she placed her hand in his and they shook it once before letting their hands go away.

Suddenly the door opened, a man she has seen before entered, a little panic dropping on his face as he saw them both and he cleared his throat before he spoke up: "Lord Voldemort, the Roe family is waiting for you."

Tom simply sent a glare to the guy who look like his age and the man hurried away, closing the door and Evelyn stood there blank for a little bit, her mind repeating two words. Lord Voldemort.

Evelyn let out a snicker as she shook her head, catching his attention and she had to contain herself from not starting to hysterically to laugh. "Lord Voldemort? Your followers call you that?"

"Yes," he blankly replied.

"Ah," her face lit up, "Tom Marvolo Riddle— you just changed up the order," she exclaimed, her whole mood just became delighted. Lord Voldemort sounded silly. "Tom suits you better, it suits better for the little reformation you seek."

"And Lord Voldemort?"

"That's a name for a dramatic world-conquering. But don't you think Tom sounds better for that?"

"It's a muggle name."

"That doesn't mean it makes you one," Evelyn replied, placing her hand on his cheek, feeling his cold skin against her warm— he was unusually cold. "Now who was that adorable guy?"

Evelyn noticed how something flashed in his eyes— was it perhaps anger that she just made fun of his pseudonym? Was it just mere irritation?

What Evelyn didn't know was that he was angry for the reason that he didn't want her to leave the room and for sure he didn't want to hear her say another man's name.