Trouble in Paradise

Roselyn nodded yes, offering a shy smile.

John took a step forward with his left foot to begin the dance, then stepping with his right foot, he smiled once again.

Roselyn stepped back, looking at him straight in the eyes.

He leaned his head close to her to whisper.

"This is the last time I'm going to ask you, so think about it one more time. Are you sure?"

"I am," she said, looking confident.

They took a circular fluid motion to the left to complete the steps. John stepped forward, making her lady do a quarter turn to the left, meeting the gaze of the guests she read in their eyes with all their admiration. He then dropped the hand that allowed her to spin to align parallel to his shoulder.

The music stopped, followed by a breath of relief as Roselyn smiled genuinely. Her petite body sided near to the King's muscular, tall stature was making her seem ever smaller than she was, but from the people in the ballroom she was seen oppositely.

They stepped down to the floor, and the music played again to allow other couples to perform their best dance.

"We have to pretend we're falling in love slowly and passionately before getting married," he said, smiling at the few people who were still looking at them.

"It terribly upsets my family," Rose said, having him frown as her saying let him surprised.

"They shall be happy for you."

"Not if you're living your sister's biggest dream." Roselyn scoffed as her voice sounded sad and resentful.

"I am sure she will understand one day." He said, trying to be supportive.

Roselyn nodded, although she knew her sister very well to know she will never fully forgive her for what she was doing to her.

"May I ask you why you're so contrary to love?" he chuckled. "I would never want you to accidentally fall in love," he said, looking almost selfishly annoying.

Roselyn raised her eyebrow. "We have been attached for few minutes and you already doubt my words. Seems like we're going to have some trouble in Paradise." She gave a chuckle.

He curved the corners of his lips in a middle smirk, "I just recognize that my charming is very irresistible to women."

Roselyn smiled as well in a challenging way, "your highness, is it really your charming, irresistible, or is it your high rank and the throne you proudly sit on?"

He raised an eyebrow, checking her upside down, then took a light laugh.

He bowed down lightly to recognize her response that surprisingly shocked him enough. He was never being told the truth, so unfiltered as she did now to him.

"I will answer your question but then you will answer mine," Roselyn said, he nodded pushing her gently to the side when she saw a lord almost hitting her.

"I admit I didn't have a bit of great luck with Lords, but it's not just that, I feel good the way I am, unbound, some people may consider my point of view too ventured or that I am depriving myself of the real substance of life. I just know that nobody should have the power to change your days, your feelings, your approach towards things neither shall love make you feel unworthy and depend on your significant other." Roselyn gazed at the crowd of people that filled the room: "I don't want to end up like those people." She gave a secure smile. "I think love can be reached in many other ways, less harmful and more beneficial, for instance, the love between friends or relatives. None the less than reading, enjoying time with yourself. High society overestimates couple relationships."

He tilted his head to the side as he agreed with her consideration.

"What's your question?" he asked, raising an eyebrow slightly while he wiped her hair from her face and stroke it behing her ear. Running his fingers into her long brown hair, then returning his gaze on her, "how is it being a vamp... what you are?" She murmured. He scoffed deducing her question. He disliked how humans were so repetitive and always asking the same things.

"I don't remember being a human anymore, but I can't complain. It has its pro and cons, just like being a woman in the high society." He said non-chalantly shrugging.

Roselyn dropped her gaze as if that answer didn't satisfy her enough, noticing how he could answer questions without actually answering. She wondered if that was just a defense mechanism because he didn't trust her, or if he didn't know what to answer.

"Is it... contagious?" she hissed.

"Do you feel any cold sweat, shaky hands?" he asked, having her wide eyes immediately raising her hands to check if they were suffering from any symptom mentioned. John laughed "it's not contagious." He murmured, rolling his eyes.

"I will send a carriage in front of your mansion tomorrow morning." He then said.

"Okay." Roselyn lowered her voice.

He bit his lip lightly, leaning close to her, making her indulge, searching for his gaze, who dropped his gaze to look at her lips. He was so close that she could feel his warm breath brushing against her skin. People around them turned their gaze on them to stare at the scene.

Roselyn, feeling ambushed, became red with shyness. The first time a man leaned that close to her, looked at her in that way, it was for an agreement and it wasn't real. Still, she felt a shiver ran through her spine, gathering all the rationality she had in her body as she leaned closer to him.

When he turned his face to the side and laid gently a kiss on her warm cheek.

She smiled. Her heart raced suddenly when he went to meet her gaze. He then bowed down.

Were her body and her human being in nature failing her best intentions and her rationality? She knew she was stronger than her urges and instincts. She indeed was sure that when she will get used to those gestures, may she will stop her breath to get deeper and her heart to run faster. Why was that happening to her?