by Anna Santos
“To establish an alliance.”
“Maybe. I don’t take this lightly. My wife will have to live with me for eternities. We are immortal. You probably know that.”
I nodded. “Are you very old?”
“Not as much as my parents or my siblings.”
“Why did you say that you won’t take this lightly?”
“Vampires often marry for love. We have no wish to spend an eternity with someone we can’t stand.”
“Not an eternity, just a few years, since humans get old and die,” I reminded him.
“We are almost there,” the prince said, changing the subject.
Puckering my lips, I wondered, “Do all vampires see us as food?”
“I don’t. A lot of vampires don’t, either. We’ve been living peacefully for ages. It’s not a marriage that’ll change that.”
We stopped in front of the stables, and I smiled when I heard Thunder tapping his hoofs and bouncing his head.
“He seems happy to see you.”
“He should, I pamper him too much,” I replied as I rushed to Thunder and patted his head. “Good boy. Were you scared? Are you hungry? I don’t have any carrots for you, but I promise I’ll bring some tomorrow.”
Thunder’s muzzle touched my mask, and I pushed his face away. “Stop it. This isn’t for you to eat.”
“He likes you a lot.”
I stepped back as a realized that I was letting a stranger see my childish relationship with my horse. “I think it’s time I should go back to the party.”
He straightened up in attention. “Do you mind if I accompany you?”
“Didn’t you say you were trying to stay away from the ballroom?”
“Yes, but I wish to ask you to dance with me.”
I moved closer and cheekily asked, “What about the princess?”
“I don’t wish to dance with her. Only you.”
I opened my mouth in awe but quickly said, “She would send me to the dungeons if I stole her suitor’s dance.”
“Would she? Are they that evil in this kingdom? I heard about the cruelty of their queen, but … Is the princess as mean as her mother?”
I stared at his covered face with the dark mask. His eyes were wide with concern.
“Do your people really see the queen as evil?”
He nodded. “Don’t you people find her cruel?”
“I have no idea what’s going on outside the palace,” I mumbled. “But the princess isn’t cruel.”
His eyes roamed up and down my body. “You are dressed like a noble, yet your mask doesn’t fit what a queen or a princess would wear. Not in this kingdom. It strikes me more as a protest than anything else. I have to wonder, what makes you so sad? I think your mask is beautiful. I think you are beautiful, too. Your voice is soft, and your laughter is full of warmth. Your skin is white and pale like ours. And you smell better than anything I’ve ever smelled in my life.” He leaned closer. “Are you a fairy by any chance? A beautiful and enchanting fairy who roams around stealing young men’s hearts?”
I giggled, covering my mouth. “Are all vampires flattering like yourself?”
“I hope not. I don’t usually go around trying to court young ladies.”
“Just me, then?”
He smiled and placed a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “It seems so.”
Butterflies fluttered in my stomach. “I’ll need to get back to the ball before my parents come looking for me.”
“Will you save a dance for me? I’m sure you might have a lot of suitors wanting to dance.”
“Suitors?” I nibbled my lower lip. Did he know who I was, after all?
“Didn’t you escape because you had too many men chasing you?”
Giggling, I shook my head. “I was just tired and bored.”
He stepped closer. “Then…” He seemed to hesitate. “Once I dance with the princess and tell her that I’m not interested, will you save all of your dances for me?”
I edged closer as if a magnet was pulling us together. “What do you mean?”
“I want to talk to you more. Maybe meet with you tomorrow, with your parents’ permission.” He paused and lowered his face. My eyes were glued to his soft lips. “Do you fear my kind?”
“I don’t know, but I don’t fear you. Should I fear you?”
“No.”
“Are you tricking me, so you can drink my blood?”
“No, little fairy.”
“Then why are you so close?”
“Should we leave before I do something foolish?” he questioned with hooded eyes.
I smiled. “Do you really like my mask?”
He nodded.
“What else do you like about me?”
“There’s nothing I don’t like about you.”
“I might be ugly.”
“I find that hard to believe. Even if it’s true, you’ll still have the same eyes, the same warm heart, the same voice, and the same laughter. How do you know if I’m handsome or not?”
“Yes, there’s that. You might be extremely ugly.” I laughed. “Shall we remove our masks?”
Prince Dorian shook his head. “Let’s keep them on. I don’t want you to see how ugly I am.”
“You might also run once you see my face. Maybe we should part ways now and never speak of this again,” I teased.
“Maybe I should meet your parents and ask for your hand in marriage before you disappear forever.”
“What nonsense are you saying?” I covered my cheeks, although the mask made it impossible for him to see my blush.
“Are you engaged to someone?”
I shook my head. “We barely know each other.”
He smiled. “I’m feeling foolish tonight. I don’t know why. Maybe I should just take you inside and dance with you before meeting your parents.”
“Maybe you should dance with the princess.”
“And kindly turn her down?” he questioned.
“Would you do that for me?”
“I will if you promise to dance with me. Only me.”
I bowed. “I promise, even if you might change your mind once you go inside. I’ll save my dances only for you.”
“Why would I change my mind?”
“They say the queen’s beauty pales anyone else’s beauty. Maybe you’ll fall under her spell and forget all about me.”
His hand cupped my chin. “Little fairy, I’ve been among elven women, and none of them made me feel the way I do when I look at you. Even with your mask on. Unless my being a vampire frightens you, I’ll keep my word and only dance with you.”
“And ask my parents’ permission to court me?”
His lips stretched into a smile. “That too.”
My heart overflowed with joy. “I’m not afraid of you. I believe all people and creatures have a unique beauty that we should respect. I’m not comfortable watching your kind feed but, other than that, I have no issue. All races have something special to offer.”
“It’s good to know that.”
“I have to be going,” I whispered. “Meet me inside.” Smiling, I bowed and took my leave.
“Wait, what’s your name? Which kingdom do you hail from? Are you real or are you going to disappear as soon as you leave my sight?” Prince Dorian rained questions as he followed behind me.
“You promised to dance with me. I’m going inside, and we can talk there.”
His hand grabbed mine. “I don’t want you walking this path alone. You might fall with the heavy dress you are wearing.”
I looked down at my attire. “I look like a snowflake, don’t I?”
“I’ve seen plenty of snowflakes in my life and neither looked as good as you.”
“You’re extremely flattering with words, Your Highness.”
He scratched the back of his head. “That’s the first time someone said something like that to me. My siblings always complain that I’m too cold around women.”
“Are you often around them?”
He shrugged.
I pouted. “Maybe when you need to feed.”
“I drink from a cup, not from humans. There is also a lot about our diet that humans know nothing about.”
I stopped, feeling guilty for being judgmental. “Will you tell me about your culture and race if I ask you?”
“Of course.” He smiled. “We might need more than one night for that, though.”
I averted my eyes and looked at the glorious sky covered with the most precious diamonds. “I have to confess that I’m curious about you. Right now, I have no wish to marry a perfect stranger who couldn’t care less about my hopes and dreams. Why do people even marry? Is making babies that important? Or are beautiful women just a trophy for them to show around?”
“Humans are complicated creatures.”
“Not just humans. The elf prince kept saying how human females were ugly compared to his own kind and that he wanted a beautiful wife who could make heads turn upon entering a room.”
“Elves can be superficial creatures.”
“What about vampires?”
“Selfish, ruthless, but also protective of the one they love. Even if they are ugly.”
His last sentence threw me off and made me laugh. “You keep surprising me, my lord.”
He leaned down with a smile, and his arms crossed behind his back. “And you intrigue me, milady.”
Putting on a straight face, I hitched my skirt. “We need to part ways now. Meet me inside, and I’ll dance only with you.”
“Promise?”
“You have my word.”
With that said, I ran down the path to enter the door that led to the ballroom before my parents sent the guards to look for me.
Chapter FIVE
Snow’s POV
Seated beside my father, I waited anxiously for Prince Dorian to arrive. A few suitors tried to start up conversations, but I outright ignored them, no longer caring how it looked. I didn’t choose to have this ball. I also didn’t want Prince Dorian to walk in and find me with another man. All could be lost.
“Prince Dorian, the final suitor for Princess Snow Amelia Wildfire, has arrived,” an announcer stated.
My heart stopped momentarily as I looked at the entryway and saw him walking forward.
He stopped in the middle and tilted his head as his eyes focused on me. I rose up and fixed my dress, unsure if his hesitation was because he recognized my dress and mask. No one else was dressed like I was. Maybe I should have told him.
I nibbled my lower lip and waited for him to come to me. My body was shaking, and heat coiled in my chest.
“He’s so dashing and looks so elegant all dressed in black and gold,” the queen noted. “I wonder if he’s as handsome as they say.”
The prince paced forward and bowed in front of us.
“Snow, dear, sit down. The prince hasn’t asked you to dance yet,” the queen admonished.
I gritted my teeth and ignored her.
“King Quinton, Queen Marlena, it’s a pleasure to be here,” Prince Dorian spoke. “I’m sorry for being late. I hope I still have time to dance with the princess.”
I nodded when it was my father who should reply.
Dad waved his hand in dismissal. “I’m happy that you’ve graced us with your presence, Prince Dorian. How is your father?”
“Great,” he replied as his eyes never left mine. “He’s also pleased that you invited me here.”
The king got up and placed a hand on my shoulder. “This is my only daughter, Snow.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, princess,” Dorian said with a husky voice that sent shivers up my spine. Looking at my father, he added, “I had no idea you had fathered such a beautiful creature.”
Someone huffed behind my back. I looked and saw the queen fisting her hands. It seemed that Prince Dorian’s words had rattled her. I forced myself not to smile. No point in poking the beast. If there was something that Queen Marlena was proud of was her incontestable beauty.
“It’s all her mother’s doing,” my father replied with a grin. Then he waved. “Go on, go dance and talk. Maybe you can do something no one else did tonight.”
“What is that?” Prince Dorian questioned.
The king leaned forward. “Put a smile on my daughter’s face.”
Prince Dorian smirked at me and offered me his hand. “I’m sure I can try. After all, I just came here to dance with her.”
I could hear every beat of my heart as I climbed down the throne and reached for the prince’s hand. He guided me to the dance floor as the crowd parted to give us space.
The mask felt heavy and made my breathing harder. Even the dress felt tight around my form. Why was it, suddenly, too hot in the ballroom? Why did I feel that everybody was overly focused on us?
“It was better when we were alone,” I mumbled.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Would it make any difference?”
We stopped and faced each other, holding hands while placing our other hands on each other’s shoulders.
Sucking in a breath, I urged, “Wait.”
“What’s wrong? Don’t you want to dance with me anymore?”
“I promised you all of my dances.”
He smiled. “I’m glad that you weren’t just playing with me.”
I shook my head and moved my hand to lift my mask. “I want you to realize what you are getting yourself into.”
A few gasped mumbles were heard when the mask left my face, but I only had eyes for Dorian. Without the mask, he could see my small nose, my big eyes, my high cheekbones, pink cheeks, and my overly pale skin.
Dorian’s smile widened. “You are truly ugly, little fairy.”
“I know.”
The prince reached for his mask and removed it.
My mouth opened in awe. “You’re truly hideous, my prince.”
Dorian chuckled. “I guess we were made for each other, then.”
“I guess so.”
Since the orchestra wasn’t playing, I was able to hear the conversations around us.
“What are they talking about?”
“Did he glamour her?”
“Vampires are so unreliable.”
“Oh, he’s so handsome. How can she call him hideous?”
“He called her ugly first. Our princess is gorgeous. How dare he?”
“It seems, everybody is staring at us,” I whispered closer to him. “Shall we dance and end the talking?”
He nodded, and I gulped when he smiled.
The orchestra began playing, and we swirled around the dance floor as the other couples resumed dancing.
“Are you sure you aren’t a fairy?”
I shook my head. “Are you disappointed I’m only human?”
“I would have to kidnap you if you were a fairy. You being a human allows me to ask your father to court you.”
I giggled at his reply. Looking into his eyes, I leaned closer. “Daddy was hoping I would choose one of the human princes.”
“What do you want to do?”
“I want to choose you.”
“Good. I want you to choose me, too.”
I averted my eyes to his chest as my cheeks colored pink.
“Did you just blush, my beautiful fairy?”
“I’m not sure we should speak so boldly. What’s the protocol for these things?”
He leaned closer and caressed my ear with his voice. “There’s no protocol for how to act when falling in love. Just keep telling me all you feel, and I’ll do the same.”
“All right.”
Several dances later, and we couldn’t stop talking. Suitors and other guests kept trying to cut in. We rebuffed them without a care. After such a boring time, I wanted to cherish every second with Prince Dorian. I knew he hadn’t enthralled me, but I was deeply enchanted by him. It made no difference if he was a vampire or a human.
“I think I’m stealing all of your time away from your other suitors,” Dorian whis
pered later as I ate a slice of cake.
Father had turned in, and my stepmother seemed to be watching my every move. Though, she had yet to complain about me ignoring the other princes.
“I’ve already spared all the time I could with them. I danced and spoke with every one of them before you got here.” Sighing, I added, “I wish you would have arrived sooner.”
Dorian leaned in. “Would you ignore them all because of me?”
“Probably.”
Grabbing a napkin, he cleaned the corner of my mouth. “You had cake there.”
I smiled and showed him a slice. “Don’t you want even a little bit? Or can’t you have any?”
“We might eat raw meat and drink liquid, but cake doesn’t suit my diet. I’m enjoying watching you eat it. It must be good.”
“Yes. I also didn’t eat anything before now. I was too nervous.”
“Then eat. You must be tired from so much dancing.”
“I barely felt the time pass when we were dancing,” I stated.
“Some guests have left already,” Dorian pointed out.
“Daddy also left before we could talk to him.”
“We’ll have plenty of time to talk tomorrow.” His fingertips brushed my cheek. “I’ll request an audience in the afternoon.”
“Are you sure?”
“About what?”
I pursed my lips and put the plate away. “Us.”
Grabbing my hand, Dorian walked by the guests and led me to an open door that exited into the gardens.
“Why are we here?” I asked, taking a seat and looking at the darkness.
“I didn’t want other people prying on our conversation.”
“Won’t they talk if we are left alone?”
Dorian grabbed my hand and kissed the palm. Shivers ran up my arm, and a warm sensation spread down my chest.
“You like me. I like you,” Dorian stated. “Is it love? I have no idea. Do I want to find out? Yes, I do. That’s why I’m staying to get to know you before we …”
“We?”
“Marry, and I steal you away from here.”
I smiled. “That’s odd.”
He brushed my chin with his thumb. “What is odd?”