I had two things when I woke up on one fine night. Firstly, Vienna presented to me an invitation to a small dinner party at Lady Aurora's home. I wasn't sure what type of dinner party daemons would have, but I was greatly curious. And while I wasn't one to really trust Lady Aurora, she was known for being the Queen of Society in Seola, so it wouldn't be wise for me to ignore her.

Secondly, I had a body full of marks. And not the same mark as the bite Niko left on my shoulder. These were red and purple marks, like bruises all over my body, from when Niko decided to draw my skin between his teeth regularly while making love to me like a beast. I felt entirely embarrassed from them, but the maids didn't look bothered by it like I thought they would.

"We'll have to get you a proper dress for the event," Vienna said to me from the bath as she seemed to try to scrub the marks off but failed miserably. I blushed deeply, wanting to drown. "Something to cover your arms and a bit of your neck..." The marks went up to just under my jaw and one even made it over my earlobe.

Despite my embarrassment, my mind wandered to my time with Niko; to how I'd tensed around him every time his fangs brushed against my skin and the sweet yet overwhelming words he'd whisper in my ears. I was becoming convinced I'd never grow used to him and this pleased me.

Receiving an invitation was one thing. I wouldn't be able to go without permission from the Prince, being that I was certain I was being held within the castlesque Estate of the Royals as either a detained guest or a prisoner... at best, a concerned intended being held by a protective man. Either way, Lady Aurora's estate was not on the palace grounds and so after I got dressed, I moved to find my intended. I liked calling him that; my intended.

I stepped out to see Gio. I immediately lifted my hand to pull my hair forward to cover my ear, though I wasn't sure why. Maybe it was his comment about how easily I forgave the Prince. Regardless, my relationship with Gio was less fear and more wariness. Though, I couldn't identify what it was about him that made me more aware of him, if that was the case. I stepped forward until I was standing before him, looking up to look into his face.

"Hello, Gio," I greeted him softly.

"Greetings, Lady Rin," Gio said much more formally than me. I tilted my head, trying to decipher his hello as though there was some great code in it. After all, he'd asked to mark me not long ago which was something far friendlier than the formalities he gave me. Perhaps he felt jilted by my rejection? "Is there something you need, my Lady?"

I'd been staring for too long.

"N-nothing," I stuttered in surprised, taking a step back. Leave your musings in private, I scolded myself. "I've received an invite from Lady Aurora. If he's not in his office, can you take me to possible places where Prince Nikolas may be? I must ask for permission to go."

"Must you," Gio responded in a strange tone. He spoke without the lilt of a question, so I wasn't sure if I should confirm that yes, I must get permission. Or perhaps just pretend he didn't say anything at all. I opted for the second option.

"I'm going to his office first," I said simply before turning behind me, "Prince, let's go." Prince appeared, small like a fox in size beside me. It took me awhile to get used to his ability to change his size at will, but I could still remember how he towered over the guards when protecting my siblings. I made sure to keep him close whenever possible, more so than before now.

Luckily for me, Niko was in his office. After knocking on the door, Mr. Virgil appeared looking worse for wear, which meant there was a lot of work for Niko to do. From what I'd learned, Kol was a bit of dead weight when it came to paperwork, so when Niko took over he had a lot of work to make up for.

"What is it?" Mr. Virgil asked me, eyeing Prince warily. Even his small size didn't trick the daemon.

"I wish to speak to the Prince for a moment," I said to Mr. Virgil.

"The Prince is extremely busy right now," He replied sternly and aimed to shut the door on me.

"Virgil. Are you disrespecting my intended?" Niko's voice rang out in warning.

Mr. Virgil sighed before opening the door again. "Please, come in, Lady Corrine."

When I entered, Mr. Virgil bowed before leaving us alone in the office. Niko certainly looked extremely busy. The pile of paperwork in his office looked much more than usual. But in my presence, Niko didn't look exhausted or unhappy to see me. In fact, he looked more relieved. It made me feel courageous.

"Niko," I called to him and then I rushed to him, walking around the desk before sitting on his lap. He caught me in his embrace easily and then looked me over as though inspecting me. "I have something to ask you."

"I have questions for you, too," Niko said before his tone lowered teasingly, "Isn't it a bit too warm to wear such a dress. What are you hiding, my Lady?" He tugged at the fabric over my neck, baring the marks he himself had made, and I squeaked in surprised.

"You've made me look like a leper, my Lord," I responded in a scolding tone. Niko only reached forward to plant his kisses on the skin of my neck sweetly, making me laugh in response. When he sat back, I was left staring into his face, looking into his crimson eyes as though hypnotized. Then I leaned forward to clasp my lips over his softly, sighing contently when he responded in kind.

"Come to my office more often," Niko said against my lips determinedly.

"I shouldn't interrupt," I laughed lightly.

"Please interrupt and often."

"Mr. Virgil would like me even less than he does now," I pouted with widened eyes.

"I'll fire him," Niko stated with such determination that I couldn't help but laugh.

"Please, don't," I gasped around my laughter. Then I recalled my reason for coming to see him in the first place. I frowned accidentally.

"What is it?" Niko asked me, running his thumb over my lip slowly.

"I came to ask for permission to leave the castle. Lady Aurora invited me to a small dinner party and I thought it might benefit me to attend; to learn," I requested hesitantly. If it were Kol, he would refuse immediately and probably consider killing Lady Aurora to avoid any future invites. Luckily, I was dealing with the more rational mind of Nikolas.

"You'll take Giovanni with you," Niko decided firmly before hesitating, "And the beast will go with you, too." I nodded quickly and in surprise. Normally, everyone was against Prince being with me no matter where I was. Was Niko learning to trust him beside me?

"Then I'll leave you to-" I began, but Niko suddenly wrapped his arms around me.

"No," He said with a pout much unlike himself. I reached to touch his face, running my fingers over his skin curiously. Every touch felt like sweet pleasure along my fingertips so that I couldn't find it in myself to stop caressing him. Niko closed his eyes as I essentially pet him, and I had an urge to laugh as I realized he looked quite similar to Prince in the moment.

After some time, Niko allowed me to leave his presence, mostly thanks to Mr. Virgil begging for mercy outside the door. I still had a few hours before the dinner party, but I wanted to make sure I looked my best for the event. After all, Lady Aurora had been the one who wanted to be Prince Nikolas' intended in the first place and she was the Queen of society... I had to look as close to worthy of the position I'd taken from her, even unwillingly.

Once I finished taking a bath, dressing up, adorning my body with makeup and jewelry, I was finally as ready as I could be. I stepped outside the room and greeted Gio once again, glad that he would be coming with me along with Prince.

I followed Gio towards the exit, feeling strange. But before we could make it to the door, I paused.

"Gio," I called him uncertainly. He paused and turned to look at me patiently. "Lady Aurora... her estate is outside the palace walls, isn't it?" I asked carefully.

"Not very far, but yes," Gio confirmed.

"The walls... they are...," I didn't know how to say to him about my weakness without making it known to anyone who might be listening nearby. I lifted my chin, "It'll just be us in the vehicle, won't it?" Gio watched me for a moment, trying to decipher the meaning in my words.

"It'll be just us. The Prince asked that specifically." Gio informed me and I realized that once again I had nothing to be concerned about because Niko or Kol would be protecting me whenever they could.

I continued with Gio until we were outside the castle and entering a vehicle. In my excitement, I was glued to the window, lifting my eyes around the dark land of Seola for the first time since I'd been taken here. But as we approached the gate to leave the palace, I squirmed away from the window and closer to Gio fearfully.

When I grasped at Gio's arm the closer we got to the gate, his attention was on me.

"What is it?" He asked, looking outside as though I might've noticed something before he did. I shook my head, afraid to say what it was out loud where someone would hear. But before I could think of something, a ringing was in my ears and I began to feel lightheaded. I clung tighter to Gio for fear of falling down, gasping for air.

Gio looked up and out the window to see the gate and made a noise of realization.

"It'll... pass...," I said to him with difficulty. As my vision turned, the worse thing happened. The vehicle stopped just within the gate. I couldn't hear what the driver was saying to the man outside. I was only reeling from a spinning world and struggling to catch my breath.

After a moment, I would have collapsed, but Gio caught me and pulled me to him. I clung onto his chest, telling myself to just hold on, but the vehicle still hadn't moved. My vision was fading black on the edges and I felt my limbs weak as Gio had to hold me to him on his own.

"Move the fucking vehicle," Gio abruptly barked at the driver who jumped as well. The threatening tone of his voice seemed to have done the trick because after a few more words, the vehicle was passing through the gate once more.

When we were outside the gate, my world settled back into what I considered normal, and all that remained of the experience was just my shaking limbs and two golden eyes that had emerged when I'd nearly fainted and thought I might die.

"I'll talk to them and make sure we don't stop on the way back," Gio told me firmly as though entirely annoyed by the situation, though not annoyed by me specifically. For me, he seemed concerned as he ran a finger over my cheek and peered into my golden eyes carefully.

"I'll be okay," I said to him to ease his concern. Already, I could feel my concentration coming back and my eyes were fading into a familiar blue. Gio watched it happen with interest, but said nothing further.

It didn't take long to arrive to Lady Aurora's estate once we passed the Gate. While her place wasn't as magnificent as the castle, actually it wasn't even as large as the Adara mansion, it still was something amazing to see. As Gio guided me from the vehicle, I paused to peer at the building curiously. It was shrouded in black and gold. It fit Lady Aurora well.

We were greeted by a butler and a handful of maids who all bowed upon seeing me.

"Hello," I greeted them quickly in order to get them to straighten their backs as fast as possible.

"Greetings, Lady Corrine Ad- Ah!" The Butler immediately panicked when seeing Prince appear from the shadows to sit next to my form firmly. The maids all reacted adversely as well, taking fearful steps away, and only the butler was brave enough to remain where he was. I looked to Gio who merely shrugged unhelpfully.

"My apologies. This is my companion. His name is Prince. He's harmless, really," I said my own truth before remembering Prince's towering form with a daemon in his mouth. I paused. "Well, mostly harmless. Prince Nikolas requested I take him with me."

"Oh," The butler struggled to say before nodding, "If the Prince has ordered this, then we cannot complain. And the daemon behind you, Lady Corrine?"

I turned to look at Gio who was looking around determinedly as though prepared at any point to fight someone or something. He wasn't dressed for a dinner party himself, but then he wasn't invited. He looked entirely like a knight.

"This is my personal guard, Sir Giovanni," I introduced him as well, "Prince Nikolas requested that he accompany me as well. My intended is um... very protective of me. I apologize if there's any inconvenience." The butler looked both bothered by Gio and then taken aback by my own apology.

"There's no inconvenience, my Lady. If you'll just follow me, I'll take you to the gathering. Being that the weather has been so nice, Lady Aurora decided to have the dinner party outside in the garden," The butler informed me as he began to lead me around the estate. It was on this walk that I noticed one of the maids following us having a large belly, much like Sylvia had when she was pregnant with the triplets. My mind wandered for a moment, on curious thoughts of how one becomes pregnant and such, before I brought it back to the event at hand.

I wondered if the weather being nice was the truth, looking up at the cloudy sky, or if she just hadn't wanted anyone in her home... more specifically me.

The invitation hadn't been wrong when it said it would be a small dinner party. There were chairs enough for five people, two of which were Lady Aurora who hadn't arrived yet and I. The other three appeared to be friends with Lady Aurora and immediately began to whisper to each other in the quietest of whispers that only daemons would hear.

I sat down, looking from them in confusion, and absently turning to look at Gio. As though summoned, he took a step forward and lowered his lips over my ear before speaking loudly for even humans a few steps away to hear.

"They're gossiping about the fact you've brought a guard with you to a dinner party, my Lady," Gio declared simply before taking a step back. I felt a blush flame over my skin, though I couldn't be sure which of the multiple embarrassing things could the main cause be.

"Ah, my name is Lady Corrine Adara," I greeted all the lady's politely. "My fiancé requested that, should I leave the castle, I bring protection with me. Especially considering my intended is the Prince of Seola." I might have been a little sharp in the last comment, but really was it so beyond the social expectation for Royals or future Royals to have at least one guard with them. I was only lucky they hadn't spotted Prince as of yet.

The three ladies consisted of Lady Viola Nyx, a dark haired beauty who was the daughter of a Baron. Lady Leona Blanc was also darker in physical attributes except for her hair, which was a dyed platinum blonde. Lady Leona was a daughter of a lower noble without a title. And the last was Lady Whitley Meera, who was a daughter of a viscount and considered the highest noble next to Lady Aurora; a daughter of a Duke.

Right after introducing ourselves, Lady Aurora arrived. Everyone stood to greet her except me, who was instead peeking under the table to see if I could see Prince anywhere. But he was well shaded at the moment.

"Lady Corrine, I'm glad to see you again," Lady Aurora greeted me with questionable honesty. I smiled and nodded in response, knowing I was incapable of responding kindly. Something about Lady Aurora irked me. She'd tried to get Prince Nikolas to harm me through a gift and then the bold way she spoke of our sleeping habits at the last event we held just didn't speak of friendly.

I had to remind myself I had to begin to get in her good graces for the future of whatever it was Prince Nikolas and I would become if we were to go through with the entire wedding process.

As the ladies began to speak, the servants began to serve each of the lady's drinks, pouring thick liquid into my own cup that I could identify easily as blood. I could feel Lady Aurora watching me as I lifted my hand to look at the contents curiously. To me, blood tasted foul, like darkness rather than anything at all. I'd tasted it on my tongue after biting it accidentally. How did it taste to daemons?

"Sir Gio," I called, turning to him pleasantly, "It seems they made you a glass as well." I lifted my teacup up and handed it to him. Luckily, Gio was always willing to do the most scandalous things. He took the glass easily without hesitation.

"Thank you, Lady Aurora," Gio replied before downing the glass himself, pinky out and all. The other ladies gasped. I wanted to laugh, but held it in with some difficulties.

"My apologies, Lady Corrine. I'll have them bring out tea for you. I brew it myself," Lady Aurora waved for the servants to go get the tea with frustration. Then she turned her eyes on my form again. "I heard there was an attack in the palace and that you were injured, Lady Corrine. Is that true?"

"Oh my, I hope you didn't come all the way here despite injury just for Lady Aurora," Lady Whitley commented with false sympathies.

"We wouldn't want you to injure yourself further, Lady Corrine," Lady Leona added, her words also holding a ring of falsehood. Lady Viola only covered her face with a napkin to hide a nasty smile on her face that I'd already spotted.

I sighed just briefly. I couldn't abide by society if this is what it was like. I'm certain this is what Lady Aurora's message was; no message was ever given directly in words. It had to be read behind false statement, sideways glances, and secret schemes. It was entirely unlike me.

Her other message? Probably something like if I can't abide by society, how can I deign to become Princess and then possibly Queen of Seola?

"For information about attacks or injuries, you'll have to ask the Prince himself. All I can do is assure you that I am healthy and present, Lady Aurora," I ignored the other ladies purposely. There was my message. They were just random ladies barely able to get any invite to Royal balls at all much less have words of opinions to have towards me. After a moment, I decided to address them after all. "As for the rest of you, your words sound false. They sound it. If you wish to move up from where you are, you need to make your choice wisely. Shall you continue to be false, you should work on not sounding so. If you're not good at it, perhaps you should try honesty."

I heard Gio nearly choke in the background, but resisted looking at him to merely look from the stunned ladies to my placement before me which was still missing a new glass.

"I would love some tea or water, but not blood. I am not a daemon," I spoke to the world.

At that point, a servant arrived with a pot of tea and a new glass.

"Hmmm, I understand what you mean, Lady Corrine. I may have misjudged you," Lady Aurora commented, much to everyone's surprise. I looked at her evenly, waiting for her next biting remark, but she seemed finished and only drank from her own glass.