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The Empress Luna

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Luna knew there was no need to be nervous around him, but she needed to clear her head to fulfill her sweet revenge. "Perhaps I would ask our guests to teach me how to dance if you don't want to."

The Vampire King drew a long breath of cool air as he savored the roses' sweet scent and the gardenia blooms carried by the gentle breeze.

"You are really testing my patience even if I know you were joking." He said softly as he turned his attention to the moon, not surprised at his wife's threats. "I don't want your first dance to be with someone other than me." Perhaps, he finally got the idea that it was never her intention to make him jealous. "At least, I know that you aren't afraid of me anymore when you get too comfortable with your jests."

"Calm down, Apollyon." Luna pressed her lips together as she tried to stifle a smile.

Peering at him from beneath her mask, she said, "You can also practice your jests on me."

Delight bubbled through her bloodstream when she placed her palms over his heart, and Apollyon had allowed it.

She stared intensely into his gaze, looked away for a few seconds before she returned with a smirk. "I wouldn't be offended."

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VAMPIRE KING APOLLYON

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Apollyon had wanted to say what was on his mind, even if frightened her.

He didn't care if his wife ran away because of how blunt he was.

The Empress just had to deal with it as his wife. It was now or never. "I want to joke, but it would either be a sexual one, it could either be about you or something that involved other women, and it might offend you."

The Empress took an audible breath, turning to face the gardens once again, staring at her velvet bonnet in regret.

Never in her entire existence had his wife desperately needed to cover her face, and it made him chuckle.

With her eyebrows creasing, Luna eyed him, and her tone was a little sharp when she cut him off, "No jokes involving other women."

"It goes both ways." He repeated. "No jokes involving other men."

She rolled her eyes playfully and accepted. "Alright."

There was a sinister glint in his eyes when he seconded, "Only perverted jokes."

"Yes." She responded. "I guess I can accept perverted jokes coming from my husband."

Swallowing hard, Apollyon 'accidentally' leaned down as he caught the sweet scent of her perfume, and his lustful gaze had fallen upon her cleavage.

He cleared his throat as he fought the desire to take her right then and there.

He held her hand and brought it to his lips as he fixed her an alluring stare, "I'm lusting after you right now."

Luna's voice trembled as she turned, resting her elbows upon the stone balustrade. "Was that a joke?"

"The other Kings would surely ask for your hand." Apollyon also mimicked her posture, bringing his elbows to rest on the balustrade as he stood next to her. "It's a man's excuse to dance with a woman to get to know them more while they could touch her body and feel her up."

With only a few inches separating the two of them, he explained further, "They become more shameless, especially in a Masquerade Ball such as these, and they had a mask to wear. As a good husband who wanted to protect his wife at all costs, I wouldn't allow you in their vicinity."

"Apollyon, are you saying that Midnight Masquerade Ball is a pervert's nirvana?"

He chuckled at his wife's exasperated tone. "It could be, but I'm not speaking from experience."

The scent of flowers from his Empress' skin teased him with each tiny breath of the wind.

Luna glared sideways at him. "You sound defensive, though, but I already know your true nature. Pervert."

Their proximity was so damn convenient that it was easy for him to slide his hand over her and aligned his palm over hers.

Apollyon's large hands dwarfed hers, and Luna, in turn, curled her fingers to entwine with his.

The realization sent a silent thrill through him, practically warming his stone-cold heart. "I will only be a pervert around my Empress if you need some reassurance."

"Hmph. I don't need your reassurance." Luna pouted, sulking, but her hand remained clasped in his, and that was when Apollyon knew she wasn't that serious with her next statements. "You can fuck other women for all I care if you let me fuck other men. It usually goes both ways."

"You will not be fucking other men aside from me." Apollyon pursed his lips in an attempt to hide an evil grin. "I will kill them but not you."

"You must remember, Apollyon, that I haven't come yet." Luna lifted a shoulder and mirrored her husband's smirk, "I wonder who can make me."

The wintry breeze whispered through her messy silver curls, and he fought the urge to comb them again with his fingers.

"Wife." He exhaled as he ran a frustrated hand through his raven hair. "You are really asking for it."

"Husband," The Empress un-looped her fingers from him and turned towards the Ball Room, peering through the attendees. "I think there was an unspoken rule in a Masquerade Ball that couples shouldn't engage in long, private, confidential talk."

Moving swiftly, Apollyon took hold of her wrist, keeping her captive. "We aren't inside the Ball Room."

It wasn't the best time yet.

He must keep her here with him so his other guests would forget about meeting the Empress.

He added, "We are on the Balcony so that it wouldn't count."

Luna looked up at him, and a riot of wholly improper thoughts raced through his mind.

She whispered the next words in the light breeze.

"The first music had started." She gave him a smile that lit up her beautiful golden eyes--no, not hers but Ravin's. "You could at least teach me the basics for our last waltz."

Apollyon sighed as he clasped his large hands around her waists, giving in to his wife's requests, "Alright."