Chapter 17

Corsets, Silk and Swords

 

That night Danielle gift-wrapped the finished painting of the ruins for Ethan, planning to give it to him at the ball. The next day was Saturday and Sophia had told her she would need to be there early to get dressed. It would be an all day affair to do her hair and get her into that amazing dress.

Ethan did come to her room after dark, but he left early, saying he didn’t want to make her too tired for tomorrow. He more or less just stopped by to tell her when he would be picking her up.

She and Brianna ate breakfast alone in the kitchen that next morning because Aunt Charlotte had gone shopping, and Uncle Nick had gone shooting with his colleagues. They had cold cereal and tea.

“So, tonight’s the night of the big fancy ball?” Brianna asked sipping carefully at her hot herbal drink.

“Yes, I can hardly wait,” she confessed while stirring honey into hers. Danielle tapped her feet as a smiled pulled the corners of her lips up. Ethan would be there soon, and she was having difficulty with her patience again.

Brianna looked at the wrapped painting Danielle had placed on the table so she wouldn’t forget it. “Is that the one of the ruins?”

“Yes. I hope he likes it.”

“I’m sure he will. I’d still like to see where that is. I can’t believe you’ve been to ruins that I never knew about.”

Danielle noticed her cousin certainly wasn’t her normal bubbly self and appeared to be sulking. “Are you all right? You seem a bit down,” she said, checking the cream to honey ratio in her tea with a sip.

“I’m fine. I just wish Will would take me to things like this ball. Today we’re going to rugby. Again!” Brianna paused to stir her now soggy cold cereal. “Don’t get me wrong, I like rugby, and I love Will, but…”

“Well then tell him, silly, tell him what you want.”

Brianna finished the last of her tea. “I guess you’re right.”

“I am right. He can’t read your mind. I can see that Will is really nice, tell him you want to go dancing tonight.”

Brianna pushed her bowl of inedible sogginess to the side, but then her demeanor brightened to the girl Danielle knew and loved. “I will! Tonight I’m dancing too—it will probably be after rugby, but I guess I can give him that much.”

“Good for you!”

“I still want to know how tonight goes for you. This ball sounds like so much fun.”

“I’ll tell you everything tomorrow, I promise,” she agreed, knowing she would need to edit.

“Lovely!” Brianna then stood and rinsed out her bowl and teacup.

Danielle was still drinking tea when the doorbell rang.

“Ethan, I presume,” Brianna said. “I’ll get it.”

Danielle caught up as Ethan was just stepping into the foyer.

“Hi, ready to go?” he asked.

“Yes.”

Ethan took her hand and stepped toward the door, but then Danielle remembered the painting still sitting on the table. “Wait, no I’m not … hang on a sec.” She tugged her hand back, ran to retrieve the gift and returned.

One eyebrow rose when he saw the wrapped package. “What’s that?”

“It’s a surprise, you can open it later.”

“It looks like a painting.”

“Well, I can’t really hide the shape, you still have to wait.” She stepped out the door and waved to her cousin who waved back and shut the door.

On their way to the car, Ethan reached for the package. “I’ll take that for you,” he offered with a naughty glint in his clear blue eyes.

“No you don’t! I don’t trust you.” She brought the painting closer to her chest.

“You don’t trust me?” he asked, falsely miffed, as if she meant it generally.

“Not with this. What happened to Mr. Always Patient?” she taunted while she waited for him to open the door for her, hugging the gift protectively.

“All right, I’ll wait. But I have a gift for you too,” he told her with a knowing smirk.

Her eyes widened. “Really? What is it?”

“I’m sorry, you’ll just have to wait.”

She exhaled as she seated herself in the Jag because he’d just turned the tables on her, she realized with irritation. He knew she was easily more impatient than him, especially when it came to surprises. Her brows pressed together without her consent.

Ethan chuckled. “You know I love it when your lower lip pouts like that when you’re annoyed with me.”

She said nothing as he kissed her on the cheek and then shut the door.

When they got to the mansion Danielle stashed the package in the drawing room and warned him that he had better not peek.

“Scout’s honor,” he said while he held up the scout hand sign.

“Were you ever a scout?” she asked suspiciously.

“No,” he confessed.

“I didn’t think so ... you can’t say that then.” She folded her arms and then noticed a box on the table. It was a black velvet jewelry box! Could that be her gift? She lifted a hand for it but before she could reach it, Ethan fluently slung her over his broad shoulder and swept her from the room.

“Is that mine?” she asked, suspecting as much, especially with the way he removed her from the room.

“You have to wait if I have to wait,” he informed her sternly.

“That looks expensive; you may be spending too much on me. My gift for you didn’t cost me anything but time.”

“Don’t worry about it. You’re worth every penny and then some. Furthermore, your talent is worth infinitely more than the material it’s painted on.”

She couldn’t fathom how he bestowed such flattery on her talent without even seeing the painting first. “You can decide that after you see it, maybe you won’t like it,” she said straining to keep her head up in this awkward position.

“I’m sure I’ll like it.”

Danielle grunted; this wasn’t the most comfortable way to be carried. “You can put me down now. I promise I won’t try to look.”

He lowered her feet to the floor, she stood upright and then mock turned back like she was going to run for it. Ethan went to grasp her again. “Kidding! I’m kidding,” she said before she wound up on his shoulder again.

“Right.” He studied her, his expression leery.

“You don’t take jokes very well.” She began walking in the direction he’d been taking her. “Where am I going?” she asked.

Ethan decided to follow, but she could tell he didn’t trust her yet. “To Sophia’s room to get your hair done.”

“Okay, what are you going to do while I get beautiful?”

“I’ll be preparing your lunch.”

“Oh, thank you.”

“It’s my pleasure,” he said as he captured her arm and then pushed Sophia’s bedroom door open. She’d nearly passed it.

“What are you making for me?” she asked as Ethan leaned toward her for a kiss.

But before he could answer or kiss her, Nadia appeared and yanked her into the room. “Come this way, Danielle, I think you’ll survive for a little while separated from Ethan.”

Ethan slipped away laughing.

Sophia’s room was spacious and elegant. The carpeting, floral wallpaper and jacquard bedspread were done in rich tones of green and gold. A grouping of overstuffed chairs sat next to the fireplace, and a modesty screen stood across from that with a full-length cheval mirror against the wall.

“We need to get our under-things on first,” Sophia said as she took Danielle’s hand.

Sophia guided her to a king-sized, pillow-smothered bed where three white chemises and three corsets lay on one side, and on the other side lay the three ball gowns. Danielle recognized hers, she hadn’t seen it out of the box yet, and had forgotten what a pretty shade of silvery blue it was.

Nadia pointed to one chemise and said, “That one’s yours, Danielle, you can change behind the screen.”

She slid the chemise out from under the corset and moved to the screen. Danielle folded her clothes and set them on the chair behind the divider. When she emerged, they both had their chemises on and were now lacing up each other’s corsets. The two—already beautiful—vampires looked lovely in just their under-things. Danielle lifted the pretty contraption off the bed and tried to figure out how to get it on. She may have been girly, but she’d never worn anything like this before.

“You’ll need help with that, Danielle,” Sophia said while Nadia tied off her corset for her.

After Nadia’s corset was laced up as well, they helped Danielle into hers and carefully tightened the laces, taking great care to not underestimate their vampire strength for fear of crushing her ribs. Even during daylight, Danielle knew firsthand how secretly powerful they still were.

“Is that too tight?” Nadia asked.

Danielle felt her bruised ribs twinge for a moment, then settle. “No, it’s fine, thank you.” She wondered if she looked as pretty as they did so she moved to the mirror and gasped when she saw herself. She had an hourglass figure before, but the corset exaggerated it to an alarming degree. “Yikes, that’s almost indecent,” she said twisting to see how the back looked.

“No, I don’t think you look naughty, but I know Ethan’s going to love it,” Nadia said.

“We’d better get started on our hair. That’s what takes the longest,” said Sophia.

They moved to Sophia’s spacious bathroom. An ornately framed mirror hung over a vanity with a chintz slip-covered chair in front of it. The table was cluttered with all kinds of hair products, face creams, makeup, a silver comb and brush, hairpins and perfumes. There were also hot rollers and curling irons plugged in and ready.

“Who is going to be first?” Sophia asked.

“You,” Nadia replied as she held out the chair. “Let’s do lots of curls on top.” Nadia then grabbed a gold bottle with French wording on it. It appeared to be a fragranced styling mousse. She held it upside-down over her hand and squirted a beehive-shaped pile of creamy foam into her palm. She then smashed it between her hands and massaged it through Sophia’s hair.

It took at least an hour and a half to do Sophia’s hair with both Danielle and Nadia working a curling iron on each side of her head. Then they did Nadia’s, which took another hour and a half. Just as they set Danielle down into the chair to begin her hair, they heard a knock at the bedroom door—right before it opened.

“Ladies, are you decent? I have Danielle’s lunch.” It was Ethan.

“Yes, we’re decent. Bring her food into the bathroom,” Nadia called.

Danielle’s eyes dropped to her chest with panic, she felt like she was practically busting out and Nadia thought they were decent? She couldn’t say she agreed, but she knew it was too late as she heard his footsteps drawing closer. Danielle watched with round eyes as Ethan entered and stopped cold. His eyes nearly popped out of his head. “Uh … er … I thought you ladies said you were decent?”

“We are, Ethan. We’re not standing here naked, and these chemise things cover everything,” Nadia replied casually.

Danielle knew Ethan could see more of her than he ever had before. She never wore things this low cut, and the chemise was cut lower than the dress since it wasn’t supposed to show. But to top it all off, the chemise and corset were both white. That may have been what stunned him so completely.

He goggled at her like she was actually nude. Luckily, it seemed to dawn on Sophia and she took the tray of food from him before he dropped it. “Thank you, dear, you may leave now.”

Ethan backed away bashfully and left the room. She then heard the door click closed again.

“We may actually have to supervise you two as your uncle had requested, I’ve never seen Ethan behave like that,” Sophia said with an amused twinkle in her clear blue eyes. A smirk touched the corner of her full lips while she combed mousse through a section of Danielle’s hair before twisting it around a curling iron.

Nadia erupted into fervent giggles. “Danielle, you have him completely wrapped around your little finger.”

She wasn’t sure what to say, she’d never seen him act like that either. Not even when she walked down in a white dress. She looked at herself in the mirror trying to see what it was that he saw. It was true, she supposed, because even in that white dress, she didn’t look anything like this.

Sophia had set the tray down on the vanity in front of her. He’d made a nice lunch for her, with more of those little “tasty tarts” she’d enjoyed at their picnic. Ethan was easily a better cook than Sophia, but she didn’t tell her that. She ate the gourmet lunch as they worked on her hair.

It took them longer to do Danielle’s hair and about two hours after Ethan had brought lunch in, there was another knock at the door. He opened the door and asked hopefully, “Is she ready yet?” Impatience could be heard in his tone.

“Sorry, Ethan, you’ll need to hang in there a little while longer,” Nadia informed him.

He sighed and closed the door again.

Danielle giggled that time. “Is he impatient?”

“Yes, the ever patient Ethan is impatient. What have you done to him, Danielle?” Sophia asked.

“I have no idea.”

They finally got all of her hair pinned beautifully on top of her head, leaving a few tendrils out. “Now we put the dresses on, then makeup. What time is it, Nadia?” Sophia asked.

Nadia checked the clock in the bedroom. “Oh my! No wonder Ethan’s impatient it’s almost five!” she exclaimed with shock. “We need to hurry, Danielle needs to eat dinner before the ball starts, and I know Ethan had other plans of his own.”

“What does he have planned?” Danielle asked curiously.

“I can’t spoil that for you, Ethan would kill me.”

They stepped into their dresses, fastened each other up and then did makeup.

Nadia looked lovely in her dress, which was a pretty shade of sage green. It was breathtaking with her black hair, fair skin, pink lips and emerald green eyes.

Sophia looked like a princess from a fairytale in her deep gold dress.

They both agreed that Danielle needed red lips with the silvery blue dress. They were right. When they stood her in front of the mirror, she almost didn’t recognize herself. Even for prom, she’d never gone to this extent before. She felt beautiful and she absolutely loved the dress. It fit exactly right, and she couldn’t fathom how Ethan had managed to guess her size so flawlessly. The fitted bodice tapered down to just above her hips. The long silky fabric of the skirt draped gracefully over her hips to the floor. The neckline came higher than the chemise, but it was still somewhat revealing without being risqué. She realized as she twisted that the crystals on her hairpins matched the ones adorning her dress. And the color he’d chosen complemented her complexion and hair color perfectly. Ethan had wonderful taste.

She fought the tears that threatened to mess up her face when she realized this vintage fantasy of hers was becoming a dream-like reality....

Ethan suddenly burst into the room without knocking this time. “Please tell me she’s—” He became speechless when he saw her and she nearly fainted when she saw him, because, there stood a perfect replacement for Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. Ethan looked like he belonged in eighteen or nineteen-whatever with his black, early twentieth-century style tux. His hair was immaculate and the smile that spread across his face was enough to make her heart squeeze.

With an air of reverence he took her hand, slipped it formally around his arm and led her from the room.

“Ethan! Don’t you dare mess her up!” threatened Nadia.

“Thank you, ladies,” he said as he left without glancing back.

“Thank you,” Danielle said, gliding a hand over the embroidered silk, feeling like she imagined Lizzy Bennet must have felt. “For the gown. For everything.”

“You’re welcome, love. You look absolutely ethereal.”

“This is nice too,” she said, touching his vintage-looking tie, or the correct word would probably be cravat.

He guided her to the sofa in the drawing room. Danielle soon realized the corset forced her to sit up tall and straight. She never knew how likely she was to slouch until then.

“We need pictures,” Ethan announced. He lifted a digital camera from the bookshelf and began snapping pictures of her from different angles.

Danielle giggled. “Now that’s enough of me, I want some of you too and some of us together, please.” She scooted over, making room for him to sit next to her.

“Of course.” Ethan sat down, snaked an arm around her waist and took a few of them together with his hand held out as far as he could stretch it. He took some with his cheek pressed next to hers, some while he placed soft kisses on her cheek, and some while he playfully nuzzled her neck. Giggles pealed out of her then, but she managed to sober when he handed the camera to her and then posed for her. After they’d taken several shots, Ethan set the camera back on the bookshelf.

She then noticed the jewelry box still sitting where it had been, which reminded her of the painting and she began looking around for it, it had been on the sofa where she was now sitting.

“Looking for this?” Ethan held up the still wrapped package.

“Yes, you didn’t peek did you?”

“Of course not!”

“Well, I’d like you to see it now, so please open it,” she urged as she tried to lean back into the couch with a stiff torso.

Ethan accepted the invitation and tore into the paper eagerly. He froze while he studied the painting of his childhood home that was now ruins. His brows pinched together and he looked distraught. Thinking it might bother him to see the ruins as a painting, her heart sank to her knees. “I’m sorry…. Did I do a bad thing? You don’t like it, do you?” She looked away as she wrestled with the tears tormenting her emotions again.

“No, Danielle!” He seated himself next to her again, and took her hand into his. “No, I mean yes, I love it! No, you didn’t do a bad thing. I had no idea you did this. It’s wonderful! I know exactly where I want to hang it.” He lifted her hand to his lips and brushed a kiss across her fingers.

She gasped when a tear dripped from the corner of his eye. “Oh! So you like it?”

“No, I love it! That was incredibly thoughtful of you, Danielle. Thank you.” He stroked her cheek gently with the back of his fingers.

She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply at his touch. “Really? You really love it?”

“Yes.” He leaned forward to kiss her, but halted at the red lips. He went for her cheek instead.

“Now for your gift.” He lifted the velvet box from the table. It was long, most likely a necklace or a bracelet. Danielle sat up readily.

“Remember how I said you were a rarity in this world, and that I cherished rare things?”

“Yes.” Oh no, this is expensive.

“I decided this belongs around your neck.” He opened the box revealing a pearl “Y” necklace with a large white pearl hanging from the center drop. “This is a White South Sea natural pearl, it’s the largest and the rarest pearl in the world. These pearls do come in different colors, but yours had to be white.” He removed the necklace from the box then fastened it around her neck. “And, you need matching earrings.” He pulled another velvet box from his pocket, and pulled out a pair of earrings with pearl dangles. “These aren’t South Sea Pearls because those would be far too big hanging from your lovely lobes.”

Her brows twisted up. She had no idea how much this all cost, but she was quite certain the necklace was the most expensive thing ever placed around her neck, and she was convinced the earrings had to be close behind. Not to mention the fact that she was probably wearing the most expensive piece of clothing she’d ever worn in her life.

Danielle was deeply moved, and couldn’t stop the tears this time. He had given her so much more than she’d given him. “But, this cost too much, I’m sure of it … Ethan I–”

She cut herself off because she didn’t know what to say anyway. He placed his hands on either side of her face and leaned in for another kiss but paused again, looking tortured. She knew he wanted to kiss her on the mouth, but couldn’t because of that darn red lipstick. She sympathized with his pain; she wanted the ambrosial kiss as much as he desired to give it. Ethan groaned in complaint and went for her neck this time. Danielle lifted her chin to give him more room. He kissed her tenderly on the hollow at the base of her throat, and she tried not to giggle.

But that kiss didn’t satisfy her, she wanted more, perhaps something more ... potent. Like— “Breathe on me.” she said.

He blinked at that. “What?”

If she couldn’t taste, then she wanted.... She grasped his shoulders and leaned closer. “Your breath, Ethan, if I can’t have a kiss then I want your breath.”

Understanding rounded his eyes, but it seemed he liked the idea because with his gaze fixed on her parted painted lips, he drew close enough to almost touch her, and then he blew. Closing her eyes, she inhaled as his breath filled her lungs with his heady magic.

He could draw her into his essence so easily she’d actually forgotten about the necklace for a moment. Her eyes dropped to it as she fingered the pearl. “Ethan, this is worth much more than my silly painting,” she said shamefully. She’d been outdone.

“Absolutely not!” Danielle jumped and leaned back reflexively at his volume, even though she knew he wasn’t angry with her. “That painting is priceless! The necklace had a price on it, and it was minimal compared to how I value you or the painting. To me you are the rarest pearl in the world. Danielle, you cannot be replaced for any price.”

She still had a hard time seeing her own worth for what he seemed to think it was, and the tears returned. Her makeup would need to be redone. She dabbed at the moisture almost desperately, fighting to keep the droplets from falling onto the silk fabric.

“Oh forget it,” Ethan said, exasperated. He yanked a handkerchief from his pocket, blotted her tears away and then wiped the lipstick off. He pulled Danielle to his chest, almost roughly and brought his lips down onto hers. Between his hypnotizing eyes and his surrendering breath she was completely lost.

When he released her mouth he turned the power of his smoldering blue eyes onto hers. That familiarity never weakened or wavered—that’s why he feels this way—they knew each other before, before everything. Why was she having so much trouble remembering this?

“Thank you, you just lavish me with so much. I’m not used to being so spoiled.”

“Well, you’d better get used to it.”

She sighed. “Should I go fix my face now?”

“No, I wanted to practice dancing with you, and you need dinner. We’ll worry about your makeup right before the ball begins ... and I would like to be able to kiss you before the sun sets. I can’t do that with the red lipstick. It looked amazing on you, but I won’t be restrained like that again until it’s absolutely necessary.”

“I liked the breath thing though,” she confessed coyly.

“We’d better be careful with that one.”

She understood what he meant. It was on the edge of crossing a line she’d been reluctant to set. Somehow, taking his breath seemed almost more intimate than even kissing.

Ethan stood then, took her hand and urged her to standing as well. “Come to the dining room. I have dinner for you.”

“I-I’m not really hungry, and I don’t want to slime this dress.”

“Nonsense, you must eat. How will you last till midnight?”

“All right, but don’t feed me anything messy.”

“Well then, I should tell you. I did make pasta.”

She stopped walking. “I can’t eat marinara in silk!” She changed directions, heading for Sophia’s room.

Ethan snagged her arm. “Where are you going now?”

“I’m going to change. I can put the dress back on after I eat.”

“No, you’ll be fine.”

She sighed again. “If it’s messy, I’m eating in the chemise.”

“Well.” He gulped. “You can’t do that either.”

“Why not?” But she knew the answer as soon as she asked the question. His face told it all.

“Danielle, are you trying to tempt me to ‘update my principles’?” Ethan asked, looking pained.

“I tempt you like that, dressed like this?” Another stupid question, she already knew the answer to that too.

He groaned and ran his long fingers through his hair. “The–the sight of you in Sophia’s bathroom … all in white … so … I can’t get that out of my head, and I don’t want to. You make me want to throw my old-fashioned values out the window!” A frustrated hungry gaze landed on hers. “Draw a line. Please.”

He was bringing up their conversation in the garden. A smile fought to control her lips, and she let it. Deciding to let him off the hook, she said, “Just keep the same line of conduct you did before. I trust you.” Changing the subject she said, “Show me what’s for dinner, please.”

Replaced with amusement, the frustration fell away from his expression. He laughed softly, tucked her arm into the crook of his and continued on to the dining room. Once there, he seated her in the same chair as before, and she noticed that he’d gone to extra effort to make the room more romantic for her. In the center of the lace-covered table stood an ornate candelabra. All of the candles were lit, and next to that was a vase full of pink peonies from Beon’s garden. It was beautiful.

Ethan went to the kitchen and returned wearing an apron. It was like one you might see a male waiter wearing and it was perfectly clean, unlike Sophia’s.

He set a salad on the table in front of her while he laid a large cloth napkin across her lap. The action was much like they do in fine restaurants or on cruise ships.

She hesitated, then began eating the salad—carefully. She was still worried about the unprotected top of this dress. Salad dressing would destroy the silk. She secretly wanted another napkin to tuck into her top like a toddler.

Sighing with relief when she managed to make it through the salad without any mishaps, she nearly groaned when Ethan brought soup and bread out. Danielle took one look at that disaster waiting to happen and frowned. “Ethan, I appreciate—but, I mean, I can’t eat that in this dress.”

He nodded and went to remove the soup from the table. Danielle set her hand on his. “Wait, I’m sorry. Just let me go change, and—”

“No, it’s fine, we’ll skip the soup.”

She let him take the bowl this time, then said, “Please tell me you made penne pasta or bow ties.”

He turned to look at her. “I made angel hair.”

Darn it. Why did he have to go and make her favorite? She stood and ran from the room, looking back to see if he would stop her. It seemed he was going to let her go this time.

She made her way back to Sophia’s room, but Sophia wasn’t there. She needed help undoing the back of the dress, then thought of Nadia. She retraced her steps listening for voices in hopes of finding her room instead. About three doors down, she could hear the rumble of voices inside. She knocked, and the door, which hadn’t been shut completely, swung open partway, revealing a group of men she didn’t know, though one of them had come to Ethan’s room with Max after Celeste had attacked her. She smiled, feeling her cheeks heat up. “I’m sorry, I was looking for Nadia,” she managed.

The man who’d accompanied Max stood and came toward her, extending a hand. “I’m Cedric.” Giving her fingers one firm shake, he turned to the others and said, “This is the girl Ethan’s been dating.”

“Are you okay?” One of them asked. He sounded French and his kind expression was twisted with worry.

“Yes, thank you, but—”

“You’re looking for Nadia,” said Cedric, smiling.

“Yeah,” she said.

“Try four doors down that way,” he said pointing.

Rushing in that direction, she tossed a “thanks” over her shoulder. It was like she’d just met a group of frat boys, but knew they were likely just Order members. And she wondered how many other vampires were here.

Four doors down, she knocked again and heard, “Come in,” called back. As she opened the door she saw Nadia and Max sitting on a bed. They both looked at her with confused expressions.

“Sorry.” She grinned. “Nadia, I need to get this dress off.”

“Why?” Nadia asked looking even more bewildered.

“Ethan made angel hair, but I can’t eat that dressed in silk.”

“What’s angel hair?”

“It’s just a type of pasta, but it’s kind of messy to eat.”

“Is it yummy?” Her green eyes rounded with curious eagerness.

“I like it.”

“Hm. All right then.” Nadia scooted from the bed. Her flowing green dress swished with her movement as she strode to Danielle, and began unfastening the many hooks on the back of the dress. “Cover your eyes, Max,” she said, glancing at him briefly.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, his deep voice muffled beneath his huge hands.

“And I need a shirt to put over the chemise,” Danielle added bashfully.

“Why?” she asked again, her sable brows pulling together with more confusion.

“Well…” She motioned to the area of indecency.

Nadia broke out into laughter. “Oh, I get it.” She went to one of her drawers and pulled out what looked like an expensive white blouse.

“Do you want me eating pasta in that?” she asked, not wanting to mess up her nice top.

“It’s washable, don’t worry.”

“May I look now?” Max requested.

Danielle pulled the top on and tied it at the waist. “Yes, you can look.”

He dropped his hands and grinned as Nadia laid the dress on a chair and returned to his side.

“Thank you.” She turned to return to the dining room.

“Any time,” Nadia called after her.

Certainly Ethan heard her return, because he promptly strode from the kitchen with the main course in hand.

“’Kay. I’m ready to eat messy food now,” she said returning to her seat.

“What took so long?”

“I kind of got a little lost.”

He shrugged his shoulders, but she noticed how his gaze took in the fact that she wore a blouse over the revealing chemise as he replaced the napkin and set the dish in front of her. “Angel hair pasta and grilled chicken in a lemon cream sauce, madam,” he said it like he was some eloquent British waiter.

“Thank you,” she said lifting her fork and spoon to begin eating. “It smells delicious.” She twirled her fork into the bowl of her spoon, wrapping the noodles around the tines and then slid the bite into her mouth. It tasted as good at it smelled, and she noticed that he didn’t overdo it with the portion sizes, for once.

Ethan hadn’t stayed to watch her eat, and she wondered about how he ran things in the kitchen compared to how Sophia did. When she’d finished the main dish, she snuck in to see.

He was in the process of cutting a slice of layered chocolate cake for her.

The kitchen was spotless. There were very few signs that he’d just prepared a four course meal. Ethan was a very tidy chef.

“Employees only, madam,” he said as he drizzled chocolate sauce—chef style—onto the slice of moist-looking cake.

“I just had to see you in action. You’re very neat.”

“Ready for afters … or rather dessert?” he translated. He really didn’t give her a choice in the matter as he pressed on the small of her back, guiding her to the table.

Ethan sat down next to her this time.

She took her time savoring every single bite of the luscious cake. She had originally feared that it may be too rich, but it wasn’t. “That is the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had,” she said after finishing the last bite.

“Would you like seconds?”

“Thank you, but no, I shouldn’t over do it.”

“If you’re satisfied, then let’s continue with our practice.” He took her hand.

She looked at him curiously when he led her toward the bedrooms rather than the ballroom. “Where are we going?”

“You do need to go put that dress back on. Quite frankly, I can’t dance with you dressed in your undergarments.”

“What?”

“You’re just really making it difficult for me to live up to my sorely outdated standards.”

“But you’ll be okay if I’m in the dress?” she asked hopefully.

A secret smile overtook his mouth and she suspected he thought the dress was just as tempting, but instead he said, “I remember when women wore this under their gowns, so for me, it’s like having you walk around in your knickers. You may be corrupting me, Danielle, just by your very presence.”

“Well then what do you want me to do?” She didn’t want him to feel “corrupted” by her.

“Nothing, don’t change a thing, except get dressed.”

“But—”

“Go get dressed, love. I’ll be waiting in the ballroom.”

“Um, all right. Thanks for dinner. Everything was perfect.”

“You’re welcome,” he said when she hugged him, then ran back to Nadia’s room and knocked. Nadia called out for her to enter again. As she opened the door, she wondered what she would find. Danielle had a suspicion that Nadia and Max were more than just “friends.”

Max was still there, but they were only lounging casually and talking it seemed.

Nadia helped Danielle back into the dress. She checked her face in the mirror, touched up with some powder at Nadia’s vanity, but didn’t bother with lipstick yet, she then went looking for Ethan. She found him in the ballroom with music already playing. The song was very romantic, she noticed as a male singer crooned out a string of loving words.

“Do I look acceptable now?”

“Yes, you look lovely.” He took her hand and led her to the center of the dance floor.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes, I’m sorry for earlier.”

“Is this really going to be okay tonight? Are you sure you’re okay with my being here?”

“Beon feels it could be risky to have you at this ball. He says I’ve grown arrogant in my old age.” He laughed. “He may be right, but I really believe we’ll be okay. I’ve already proven that I can spend large amounts of time in your presence and resist harming you, and the others know not to make eye contact with you. They can be trusted, I trust them. Besides, I feel we’ll be too busy dancing to get into any trouble,” he said, as he took her into his arms and began dancing to the touching melody.

She closed her eyes and pressed her cheek to his. It was wonderful to dance with him alone, and she could have skipped the ball altogether. Almost. However, it seemed his intention was not to practice the figure dances because they were dancing too close for that.

“I thought we were going to practice.”

“We’ve practiced enough,” he said dropping his mouth near the shell of her ear. He continued dancing with her like that until the next ballad began with a quicker tempo. And that’s when he spun her out twirling her away from him, and then pulled, twirling her back in. He finished by sweeping her into a low dip.

“Oh!” She hadn’t expected that move.

He lifted her upright with a low chuckle reverberating through his chest, and touched his nose to hers. She wanted to kiss him, but held back. “That was fun.”

He smiled as his lips made their way to the ticklish space just below her ear. As usual, she giggled and struggled. He then worked his way up to her lips, taking them captive for several moments. And she was a willing prisoner.

Danielle was so happily imprisoned that she didn’t notice Max enter the room until he started the music up again. She tried to look, but Ethan wouldn’t permit it. He’d trapped her face with his hands and began relentlessly planting kisses over her entire face until Max’s booming voice rudely interrupted.

“May I cut in?” he requested boldly.

The last thing Danielle expected was for Ethan to say yes, but he did as he dropped his hold on her and stormed angrily from the room. She tried to follow, but was quickly pulled into Max’s custody.

“Max, let go, what are you doing?” she asked as she feebly attempted to gain freedom.

“I’m only dancing with you, sweetheart. Ethan gave his consent, did you not hear it?” He lifted her feet from the floor and began twirling her.

She closed her eyes. “Max, you’re making me sick! Cut it out … please.”

“Not a chance, it’s my turn to torture the mortal,” he announced with a deep guffaw.

After a few moments of reeling torment, Max stopped suddenly. “Uh-oh,” he mumbled and then set her feet on the floor.

Danielle couldn’t let go right away because the room was still lurching. She opened her eyes when she felt steady enough, then saw Ethan carrying a chair and … something else hiding behind it. Was that a sword?

He set the chair down, strode toward them and addressed Max with venom, “That’s it, Max! Now we duel!”

Ethan tossed a sword to Max, which he caught carelessly. She then realized Ethan was wearing the sword he’d worn in the painting. Ethan snatched Danielle about the waist and carried her to the chair. She noticed, with surprise, that he was smiling!

“You should have a wonderful view from here, my lady.” He bowed and stepped away. It dawned on her then—they’d orchestrated this for her—it was all just a ruse to give her what she wanted. To see them duel.

She laughed and clapped her hands.

Max was twisting and slicing his sword through the air. She could hear the whistle of the sharp blade as it cut through it.

Ethan pulled his sword from the sheath and brandished it ostentatiously. Danielle had no doubts that he could easily take on just about any threat. He’d removed his jacket, and his thick muscles could be seen bulging and bunching under the thin cotton. Her breath hitched at the sight.

“What’s the matter, Ethan? You can’t handle some healthy competition?” Max taunted, keeping the act going.

They circled each other trying to intimidate the other while sparring verbally.

“She’s mine, there is no competition, so you’d better keep your oversized paws off her,” Ethan countered. The look on Ethan’s face was very intimidating. If he ever looked at her like that, she was certain she’d have a nervous breakdown.

Max winked at her in his usually flirtatious manner. Ethan lunged at him. Max counter attacked. Their swords crashed together in a loud metallic ping.

They swung their blades at terrifying speeds with alarming force. It was like watching a choreographed fight scene in a movie. They conversed with their blades in an intense fencing bout, and they knew the moves instinctively. It was also apparent they enjoyed it immensely.

They slammed the steel together more aggressively and moved their foot work closer to her. She gasped, wide-eyed as the two knights clashed dangerously close to her proximity. They were only a few feet away. It was so intense and so realistic she was actually getting nervous. Not because she was frightened, but she could feel the currents of air from the blades slicing softly across her face, and couldn’t resist pressing back into the chair.

Ethan glanced her way while he blocked Max blindly. He may have sensed she was getting a little over stimulated. They both lowered their swords and walked over to her. “Why is the ninja getting nervous with the sword fighting?” Ethan asked.

“Um, I fight with my bare hands, remember? I’m not used to swords. And you were kind of too close for comfort, but … I have really enjoyed the show. Bravo!” She clapped her hands again. “Thank you, both of you.”

“A fight with her would be quite an intriguing challenge if she were a vampire,” Max said, measuring her in curiosity. “Beon might be right. She could defend herself against Lucas and Celeste—”

This comment started the muscles in Ethan’s cheek to twitch as a look of anger arose in his normally calm blue eyes. “Don’t go there, Max.”

“How can you ignore—?”

Ethan abruptly swung his sword at Max with violent force. But Max deflected it easily and ignored Ethan’s out lash. “Danielle, I’m curious, are you trained to defend against a sword?”

“Max! Stop while you’re ahead!” Ethan snarled his tone dangerous.

What happened to the teasing playacting from before? she wondered as she stood and went to him. “Ethan, relax...”

“I’ve continued to be criticized by Beon and the others for not turning you. And it needs to cease. I can’t—”

Apparently deciding not to answer that, Max bowed to her and said, “It’s been a pleasure, my lady. Perhaps we’ll dance another time?” Swinging upright he left grumbling something about trying to help a friend and all he gets is snapped at, but when he got to the doorway, he turned back and addressed Ethan. “I’m going hunting, are you coming?”

“Yes. I’ll be there in a few,” Ethan replied and slipped his sword back into its sheath.

“Are you okay?” she asked because he still seemed angry.

“The sun is sinking fast,” he said, without answering her question.

Yeah, she thought, shifting her gaze to the open windows along the front. Only a faint glow of orange from the sunset touched the formal landscaping beyond.