Original Publish Date: 8/31/2009

The entire car ride to the ball was tense. Lucian sat in the very back, while I sat in the middle row and I could feel the need to jump my bones positively radiating off of him. This whole time I’d lived with the vamps seemed like a bunch of car rides and moving.

I looked to the side of me, and the male vampire I was sitting next to had fallen asleep listening to music. I knew he was asleep because he was snoring softly. I smiled to myself and turned to look back out the window as the scenery passed us by. Suddenly I felt a finger brush the hair away from my neck and instantly I knew it was Lucian; I recognized his touch.

Lucian’s lips skimmed feather light over the nape of my neck, my collar bone, and eventually my pulse. My heart skipped a beat and a smile spread across my face. He knew exactly how to set me aflame. “You are supposed to wait.” I whispered to him, my voice set with desire.

“I know, but it’s very hard to when you look the way you do right now.” Lucian whispered back in his dangerous tone and I closed my eyes to savor his touch. It was going to be a long night.

Lucian kissed my pulse one last time and sat back in his seat. I glanced up at Jeffrey, who was driving yet again, and he smirked at me in the rearview mirror. I blushed the most violent shade of red because I realized he had seen what Lucian did to me. Without another safe place to look, I turned my gaze out the window again. My heart started fluttering in excitement when I saw a mansion concealed fairly well by the thick, overgrown forest. This must be our destination.

Within a minute Jeffrey was pulling into the circular drive over-stuffed with fancy cars and elegant vampires walking to the entrance. I got so excited when he parked that I just about shot out of the car like a bullet and through the front doors in a matter of seconds. Lucian, being a vampire, quickly caught up with me and when he caught me he was laughing.

“Slow down bulls-eye.” He smirked at me and I grinned.

“I didn’t think I could be this excited about a ball, but amazingly I am.” I confessed and looked around the gigantic ballroom. Everything was dressed in black and white, a very formal decor with lace accents. It looked absolutely stunning, and the female vampire’s various dresses added splashes of color here and there. Very aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

“Shall we dance?” Lucian quirked an eyebrow at me and I smiled up at him.

“We shall.” I replied and he instantly swept me into the crowd to dance. Vampires, sticking to their traditions, had a group of violinists and other instruments playing classical music. As little as I listened to classical, I found it very easy to dance to in this situation. I felt so right in Lucian’s arms, it was almost as if I was floating. I slowly looked up at him and he smiled at me, one full of fangs but it was still beautiful. “I may be a witch, but I’m under your spell Lucian. I couldn’t think of a more perfect time, even though a ball isn’t my idea of entertainment.”

“You talk too much.” He shook his head at me and I beamed at him. Suddenly there was a hand on Lucian’s shoulder and he turned slowly to reveal the Prince standing behind him.

“Two more mates found, it is such a relief. At least I do not have to worry about you anymore Lucian, I think this one has got you under control. How is your brother by the way?” He inquired. Everything about the prince seemed elegant; he wore a perfectly tailored suit, stood with perfect posture, spoke with a beautiful voice, and kept his long blonde hair tied neatly behind him in a long, loose ponytail. He also wore a top hat, which I thought kind of odd somehow.

Lucian visibly tensed and I reached out to him in comfort. As soon as our hands connected I saw a sort of relief in his eyes and I also relaxed a little. “He is as good as he will get until we find a cure. Seilauna is quite the fighter.” The Prince nodded at this thoughtfully for a minute, then smiled at my vampire.

“Well, that is good news I suppose. Would you mind if I stole her away from you for a few moments?” Lucian’s hand squeezed mine and I knew that he didn’t want to let go, but he stepped aside and before I had a chance to look up at him I was swept away by the Prince. “My name is Alaric, though since you are not royal you may call me Prince Alaric.” He smiled at me. I did my best to smile back at him and nod.

“Noelle is my name, though you already know.” For the first time I realized how hot and stuffy it was getting in the room and I almost felt as if I was going to suffocate. “I’m very sorry, I know you would like to chat and I appreciate the dance, but I need to get some air.” I said politely.

“Of course my dear.” He twirled me toward the door and let me go, bowing slightly in goodbye. At least he wasn’t a creep.

I reached the slightly open doors and burst through them to the cool night beyond. I took a deep breath and felt instant relief, even though a strange feeling was still looming like a rain cloud.

“Are you ok?” Lucian’s voice came from behind me and a small smile crept onto my lips. He put his arms around me and kissed my neck, looking out into the trees.

“Yeah, it was just getting a little stuffy in there. I guess I’m not too big on crowds.” I explained. I didn’t tell him about the odd feeling though, because I could hardly trust it myself. Lucian put his hands on my waist and spun me around to face him, a small smirk upon his face. His lips met mine within seconds and I felt myself practically melt into him.

He suddenly pulled away, agonizingly slowly, and looked into my eyes like he could see everything in them. “Can we go now? We’ve made our appearance.” He smirked devilishly and I whacked him on the shoulder.

“You are worse than any man I’ve ever met.” I teased him.

“I’m also better.” He retorted and I quirked an eyebrow at him.

“Don’t be too sure of yourself now, I’ve been with some pretty good people.” I challenged.

“I highly doubt that. I was your first, remember?” He laughed and I sighed defeated. I shook my head slowly at him in wonderment and he smiled down at me. He hugged me close to him and I rested my head on his shoulder, closing my eyes to better absorb the moment. “Noelle?” Lucian whispered.

“Hmm?” I responded, not moving and not opening my eyes.

“I can’t believe I found you.” He said softly and I had to make sure I was still with the same man. His eyes were filled with pride and I had to hold back laughter at the sight of this tender Lucian.

“Well, touche my love.” I winked at him and he took possession of my mouth one more, except this time it was not filled with gentleness, but with a strong and urgent need that would have had me on the ground had it been any stronger. Lucian’s grip tightened on me and his whole body was pressed against mine, not hiding the vicious hunger he held within himself. Just when I thought he would toss me into his car, he pulled away, and I noticed a couple walking past, completely oblivious to me and my vampire. Lucian and I were practically heaving for breath and I smiled up at him in amusement.

“Well, at least I can say this ball wasn’t boring.” I said and Lucian laughed.

“Lucian!” Some guy yelled frominside. My mate turned to see who it was and waved to him. “The Prince has requested your presence, but he also said just you alone.” The guy nodded to Lucian and a puzzled look crossed his face. He looked back to me after the guy left and quirked an eyebrow.

“Well, I guess he doesn’t like you after all.” Lucian smiled.

“I guess not.” I shrugged and laughed.

“I’ll be right back.” He said and gave me a quick kiss, then jogged off to see what his majesty wanted. I sighed and looked up at the star-studded sky, mesmerized by the beauty of it. I had told Lucian once before that I could not live without sunlight, but it was untrue. I’d always liked the night best, and thought it so much more beautiful than day. Perhaps it was my predestined vampire side that gave me the preference, maybe not. Whatever the deciding factor was, I now knew that I couldn’t live without Lucian and that it was inevitable I was to become a vampire.

I peeked inside and saw Lucian was deep in conversation with the prince so I decided to go for a little walk, not too far, but just to the edge of the beautiful forest; besides that I knew that they probably had wolves guarding this place like no other.

I got to wondering about the prince, and why he hadn’t found his mate yet. I suppose I only found it odd because he was unlike any of the other male vampires. He got to meet virtually everyone in maybe a 500 mile proximity, human and vampire alike, so how is it that none of them has been his mate?

I shook my head. Did it really matter? Not really. I saw a wolf pacing beside me, cloaked by the shadows of trees, and I admired it’s beauty. Wolves had always somehow seemed so ethereal. Kind of like vampires, so beautiful yet so dangerous.

Suddenly he stopped pacing though, and he looked like he’d spotted something curious. For some strange reason the hair on the back of my neck stood up, and I froze in place. Something didn’t feel right, and if that looming rain cloud had been real, it would have begun storming like crazy.

A twig snapped somewhere in the distance and the wolf began a low growl, taking defensive stance immediately. Trying not to be stupid, I started walking slowly backwards toward the mansion, not realizing how far I’d gotten until now.

Then I ran into something that definitely, was not a tree. I swallowed hard and slowly began to turn around, but before I could see their face a bag was thrown over my head. I heard the wolf pounce on my attacker, but there was someone else there too and they quickly and quietly took care of the wolf.

Before I could scream I smelled some odd smell and began to get drowsy. My internal alarms were shrieking at me with self preservation mode, but try as I might I was losing all of my motor skills and fast. My heart was racing a million miles per minute and I could hear the wolves howling in the forest, alerting each other there was intruders. It’s too late, was all I could think as I listened to their beautiful howls and was tossed into some sort of vehicle. It started up, drowning out some of the wolves, and just as I started slipping out of consciousness and the vehicle started to move, I swear I could hear Lucian and the rest of the vampires shouting my name.