Immortal Whispers
folder
G through L › League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
7
Views:
4,889
Reviews:
2
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
G through L › League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
7
Views:
4,889
Reviews:
2
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
PART 1
London, England – Late One Afternoon . . .The air was cool and crisp. The crowd of on-lookers huddled together, undaunted by the cold. They were determined to see the show through to the end. Vaudeville had always been more of an American pastime, but this was something that none of them had ever thought they would see.
A young man, who looked to be no more than a score and five years, had put on a scuba diving suit and jumped into the River Thames. That was over four hours before. He had been submerged for a time that was longer than the air allowance of any of the modern diving suits. The on-lookers fully expected the barker to pull up a corpse, and yet his co-workers made no attempts to raise the poor, doomed soul. And so, it was with morbid curiosity that the masses continued to wait and watch.
Wilhelmina Murray-Harker, Mina to those closest to her, was on her way home from the library when she came upon the dazed crowd. She had seen some very peculiar things in her short life, but none more so than the sight of hundreds of Londoners staring blankly at the smooth surface of the Thames. She walked over to an elderly couple and inquired about the event.
“My word, Lovey. ‘Aven’t you ‘eard?” the old woman told Mina. “Mr. Gray ‘as been under the water for nigh onto four hours now! ‘E surely met ‘is maker ages ago.”
“Mr. Gray?” Mina asked in puzzlement.
“Aye, Lass,” the old man replied. “Mr. Dorian Gray.”
Mina smiled and thanked the couple. She tended to agree with them that the scuba diver must surely be dead by then, and she had no interest in seeing a bloated carcass being dragged from the river.
She’d seen enough death in her life already.
She made her way through the throng and headed towards her home when a great commotion drew her attention back to the Thames.
“He lives! Dorian Gray lives!”
Mina frowned. ‘Impossible,’ she thought. Still, she was now quite curious herself, so she returned to the riverside. Sure enough, the man in the scuba suit was very much alive. He was being assisted out of his diving gear by the other Vaudeville performers.
She made her way through the crowd to get closer to the diver. Once she was very near to him, she stopped and watched as he was freed of his breathing apparatus. When his face was finally revealed, the crowd erupted in cheers and shrieks of amazement. He was panting slightly, but otherwise unharmed.
He scanned the crowd, apparently reveling in the adulation of the masses. He seemed especially pleased with the blushing young ladies. Mina smirked and shook her head. Typical self-centered male. His arrogance was so blatant she almost expected him to begin kissing himself. It was a wonder that any woman could find such narcissism attractive.
And then, Dorian’s eyes fell upon her.
Mina’s heart skipped a beat as she gazed into those dark smoldering eyes. He smiled ever so slightly when he looked at her. She took a shaky breath and tried to keep her composure. This was not an easy task however; as Dorian Gray was simply the most breathtakingly handsome man she had ever seen. Her ex-husband Jonathan had been handsome, but his looks paled in comparison to this Adonis who was now smiling so seductively into her eyes.
His gaze traveled no further. He was clearly as taken with her as she was with him. They continued to stare appraisingly at one another for what felt like an eternity. And then, just as suddenly as it had been cast, the spell was broken. The diver’s employer harshly poked him in the ribs to regain his attention. Dorian Gray turned again to bow to his audience.
Mina shook her head to clear it, and walked quickly away from the riverfront. She was in a hurry to get home as it was, and she was more than a little unsettled by how greatly this man had affected her sensibilities.
When Dorian turned back to search the crowd for the beauty in the red hat and scarf who had so bewitched him, she was gone. He frowned darkly. That was disappointing. She was stunning, and he had wanted to bed her that night. He glanced around the crowd. There were numerous young women who looked eager enough, but none of them was likely to satisfy him now that he had seen her.
Perturbed and sullen, he returned to his home with both a heavier purse and a heavier heart than he’d left with that morning.
A young man, who looked to be no more than a score and five years, had put on a scuba diving suit and jumped into the River Thames. That was over four hours before. He had been submerged for a time that was longer than the air allowance of any of the modern diving suits. The on-lookers fully expected the barker to pull up a corpse, and yet his co-workers made no attempts to raise the poor, doomed soul. And so, it was with morbid curiosity that the masses continued to wait and watch.
Wilhelmina Murray-Harker, Mina to those closest to her, was on her way home from the library when she came upon the dazed crowd. She had seen some very peculiar things in her short life, but none more so than the sight of hundreds of Londoners staring blankly at the smooth surface of the Thames. She walked over to an elderly couple and inquired about the event.
“My word, Lovey. ‘Aven’t you ‘eard?” the old woman told Mina. “Mr. Gray ‘as been under the water for nigh onto four hours now! ‘E surely met ‘is maker ages ago.”
“Mr. Gray?” Mina asked in puzzlement.
“Aye, Lass,” the old man replied. “Mr. Dorian Gray.”
Mina smiled and thanked the couple. She tended to agree with them that the scuba diver must surely be dead by then, and she had no interest in seeing a bloated carcass being dragged from the river.
She’d seen enough death in her life already.
She made her way through the throng and headed towards her home when a great commotion drew her attention back to the Thames.
“He lives! Dorian Gray lives!”
Mina frowned. ‘Impossible,’ she thought. Still, she was now quite curious herself, so she returned to the riverside. Sure enough, the man in the scuba suit was very much alive. He was being assisted out of his diving gear by the other Vaudeville performers.
She made her way through the crowd to get closer to the diver. Once she was very near to him, she stopped and watched as he was freed of his breathing apparatus. When his face was finally revealed, the crowd erupted in cheers and shrieks of amazement. He was panting slightly, but otherwise unharmed.
He scanned the crowd, apparently reveling in the adulation of the masses. He seemed especially pleased with the blushing young ladies. Mina smirked and shook her head. Typical self-centered male. His arrogance was so blatant she almost expected him to begin kissing himself. It was a wonder that any woman could find such narcissism attractive.
And then, Dorian’s eyes fell upon her.
Mina’s heart skipped a beat as she gazed into those dark smoldering eyes. He smiled ever so slightly when he looked at her. She took a shaky breath and tried to keep her composure. This was not an easy task however; as Dorian Gray was simply the most breathtakingly handsome man she had ever seen. Her ex-husband Jonathan had been handsome, but his looks paled in comparison to this Adonis who was now smiling so seductively into her eyes.
His gaze traveled no further. He was clearly as taken with her as she was with him. They continued to stare appraisingly at one another for what felt like an eternity. And then, just as suddenly as it had been cast, the spell was broken. The diver’s employer harshly poked him in the ribs to regain his attention. Dorian Gray turned again to bow to his audience.
Mina shook her head to clear it, and walked quickly away from the riverfront. She was in a hurry to get home as it was, and she was more than a little unsettled by how greatly this man had affected her sensibilities.
When Dorian turned back to search the crowd for the beauty in the red hat and scarf who had so bewitched him, she was gone. He frowned darkly. That was disappointing. She was stunning, and he had wanted to bed her that night. He glanced around the crowd. There were numerous young women who looked eager enough, but none of them was likely to satisfy him now that he had seen her.
Perturbed and sullen, he returned to his home with both a heavier purse and a heavier heart than he’d left with that morning.