Married To The Mad Vampire Lord

Belle, who had been watching her silent son as she conversed with Evenly, lifted her head at his words. "When I am sent for. I don't know exactly when that will be, but I am thinking it will be soon, perhaps after the first dance is over," she answered softly, sliding her hand into her dress's hidden inner pocket, where she had tucked away a copy of the report Rohan had rewritten for her. It matched exactly with the one her father carried, ensuring that both accounts would align perfectly.

As her gaze drifted across the grand hall, Belle searched for the Baron she was supposed to apologize to, hoping against hope that he had not come tonight so she could avoid the ordeal.

She knew, as clearly as she knew her own heartbeat, that her hatred toward Jamie had not stopped. It was planted deep inside her heart, firm and strong. She also knew that if her eyes fell upon him, it would be a trigger. If possible, she wished to skip the apology altogether, for deep down, she did not even want to offer it.

He had hurt her son. He deserved it.

From the opposite side of the hall, Belle caught sight of her mother's narrowed, disapproving eyes on her and immediately looked away, feigning ignorance. She let her gaze wander instead to the dance floor, where the music had shifted and couples were stepping forward to begin the opening dance.

She turned to her friend, who looked bored as her eyes drifted lazily around the hall. "How about you and Rav dance?" Belle suggested softly. "It's a couple's dance, and to everyone here, you two are one. I can hold Angel until it's over. No one will suspect me holding him while you dance." She began to reach for her son, who was already leaning eagerly toward her arms.

But Rav subconsciously tightened his hold, pulling the boy back against his chest as he blurted out, "I don't know how to dance, my lady. It's fine. I will hold Angel until we leave." He hugged the boy almost like a shield, clearly unwilling to be pressed into dancing with Lady Evenly, for he had truly never set foot on a dance floor before.

Belle gave him a gentle, encouraging smile before turning to Evenly. "You can guide him through the steps. When Rohan and I first danced in Nightbrook, he didn't know how either. I taught him the steps, and he picked them up immediately and even took the lead. You two can try, it's really not that hard."

As she spoke, she reached out once again to take Angel from Rav's arms. This time, Rav released the boy, who went willingly into her arms and sat on her lap before turning back to look at Rav and Evenly.

Belle had noticed in her friend's eyes something close to growing affection toward Rav when they were coming into the hall. It was not impossible for one to love another again, and she thought the two of them would actually make a good pair. Giving a little nudge wouldn't hurt anyone.

"Evenly, go ahead," she encouraged, her voice soft yet persuasive, as her friend looked uncertain at the thought of dancing with the very man who had begun to stir up unwanted feelings inside her. But then, it had been long since she had danced with anyone, and she missed the feeling of swaying to music.

Evenly nodded, her lips curving into a smile as she rose gracefully and held out her gloved palm toward him. "Shall I have this dance?" she asked playfully.

Rav's pale face flushed at her words, and though he looked unsure, he reluctantly placed his hand into Evenly's. He let her close her fingers firmly around his as she pulled him up and toward the dance floor, his heart pounding up into his throat from how nervous he was.

Worst of all, the moment they stepped into the space where everyone was dancing, the other humans cleared away, stopping their own movements to stand aside in order to avoid the night creatures.

Instead of blending into the crowd, Rav found himself in the center, every eye fixed on them, as though the entire hall had conspired to make this his very first, and most humiliating, dance!

"I don't want to dance anymore, my lady. Everyone is watching," Rav whispered under his breath, his gaze drifting nervously around the hall.

Evenly, who had never cared about people's attention and was, in fact, used to it, barely noticed the stares. She smiled reassuringly.

"Don't worry, I won't let you be humiliated. Just trust me and follow my lead," she whispered gently, placing one hand on his shoulder while intertwining the fingers of her other hand with his, lifting them up into position.

"Now… put your hand around my waist," she urged softly, her eyes meeting his as he struggled not to look elsewhere. She could feel the tension in his body. "It's fine, Rav. You can hold me."

Rav wanted to bolt from there, but then she was his wife in everyone's eyes, and a husband never hesitated to hold his wife as he was doing. He shouldn't give the humans a reason to uncover their sham. Hence, he slowly raised his hand and brought it almost carefully to wrap around her narrow waist, letting his fingers clasp the side of her small frame.

Despite the fabric of their clothes, Evenly was not unaware of his hand or the clasp of his fingers, but she tried not to pay attention to it. Instead, she smiled at him and moved closer until their chests collided. Where their bodies touched, she felt a tremble that made her question whether it came from her or from the man, whose face was flushed crimson.

"Move with the music. Listen to it and follow my lead," she whispered, looking up at him.

Rav felt her breath on his neck, felt the graze of her breasts, but he tried not to notice too much and began to follow her lead. Soon, he became barely aware of the crowd, for the woman in his arms became all his senses could focus on, all his mind could think of, all his nose could smell, and all his eyes could see.

He moved almost subconsciously with her, listening to her whispered instructions. She told him to release her and swirl her, and he did just that, letting her spin before pulling her back into his arms.

Evenly felt him catch her, but in order to steady her, his hand didn't rest directly back on her waist but instead slid slightly upward, where she felt his fingers brush the side of her breast before going back down. The accidental touch caused her to burn with heat and become clumsy for a moment, stepping on his foot.

She recovered quickly as she realized she wasn't the only one who had felt his mistaken touch, for his face had turned even redder.

"I'm sorry—"

"Sorry—"

They spoke at the same time, their voices overlapping. Rav apologized for touching where he wasn't supposed to, and Evenly for stepping clumsily on his feet.

Belle watched the couple with a smile as she leaned her chin on Angel's small shoulder, who was also watching the people he knew dance. "Don't they look good together, Angel?" she whispered into his ear, earning a smile from her son. He looked at her with an expression that seemed to say he understood exactly what she meant.

"Unca Wav...Enny," he whispered, grinning broadly, his growing teeth showing adorably, making Belle chuckle at the way he pronounced the names he was only just learning to say.

"Uncle Rav and Evenly. That's right," Belle said, smiling along with him. But then Angel's gaze shifted, catching sight of a blue-eyed, blond-haired man from across the hall. The boy's smile fell away instantly, and he moved back to hug his mother tightly, for he remembered all too well the very man hitting him.