The Vampire Lord

Chapter 9. The Midwinter Ball

Hope you all enjoy this chapter, voting is always appreciated :)

Olivia walked down the grand staircase, holding onto the front of her long skirt so that she wouldn't accidentally step on it and trip. The ballroom was filled with tons of people, more than when she attended The Masquerade Ball.

Once she reached the bottom of the red-carpeted staircase, she scanned through the crowd trying to find her friend Reuben but there was no sign of him.

She walked forward, passing the many couples that danced and chatted. Violins could be heard from a nearby band, creating a beautiful symphony that echoed throughout the ballroom.

Olivia was relieved she chose a blue dress, she noticed that the overall theme of the ball was blue. Everything from the colour of the flowers that were placed in every table to the cerulean curtains and the women who wore sapphire gowns.

As the girl walked past the crowd she spotted a familiar figure, his muddy-blonde hair standing out like a sore thumb.

"Reuben!" She called his name, catching his attention.

When the boy turned around, he grinned widely upon seeing her. He wore a dark green suit that matched with this eyes, and his dirty blonde hair was combed back neatly.

"Olivia!" He pulled her into a friendly hug. "You look... beautiful."

Her face flushed as she tucked a loose strand behind her ear.

"You don't look too bad yourself." She teased.

"Would you like to dance?" He held out a hand, as his freckled cheeks reddened.

"I'd love to." She spoke as she placed her hand in his.

His hands had a kind of roughness to them, as any stableboy would. The girl missed the softness of another pair of hands, one that belonged to someone who could never be hers.

He lead her to the dance floor where the music was now much louder and lively. Thanks to Lord Nathaniel, the girl could actually dance, and quite well for that matter. Like he once told her, she simply followed Reuben's footsteps making sure they were in sync.

As they danced, Olivia would occasionally peek through his shoulder and scan through the crowd. Her distracted gaze was quite obvious to Reuben.

"Looking for someone?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

"Oh... it's nothing." She dismissed and they continued to sway.

She didn't know what had possibly gotten into her, she enjoyed being here with Reuben. What else could she possibly be looking for?

As the music slowed down, she could feel Reuben pull her in closer. It wasn't until their lips were dangerously close, that she began to feel her heart pound. He placed his hand on her check, their lips now millimetres apart.

The girl had to pull away before he could potentially steal her first kiss, it was something she treasured and she wanted it to be the right person. When she pushed him away, Reuben's face looked hurt.

"W-what are you doing?" She asked with widened eyes.

"I'm sorry I just thought that we...you" He stuttered as he apologized frantically."I'm sorry I thought you liked me too..."

"No Reuben I do like you." She smiled sadly and the boy's face lit up.

She was telling the truth, she liked Reuben a lot and he was a good friend to her. Then she pictured The Lord, his perfect jawline and his dark red eyes. Immediately her heart began to burn with excitement and the corners of her lips curled upwards only so slightly.