One, two, three.

One, two, three.

This, is, stupid.

One, two, three.

One, two, three,

He, smells, weird.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

Sorta, like, cheese.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

I, hate, cheese.

The vampire dance instructor stepped away from me and looked over to Kaden who had been so generous as to take the time to visit me during my third dance lesson, "She has a natural grace Lord Dawson and is learning quite quickly."

Kaden nodded, "very good. Do you enjoy your lessons pet? you seem quite focused."

I gave him my best blank stare, "it is not to difficult for me Lord Dawson."

He looked me over slowly before dismissing the cheesy smelling vampire, I tugged down my mostly sheer dress and he frowned, "perhaps some more covering garments for your lessons?"

I nodded stiffly.

music started playing again and he held his hand out to me, "I would like to see much more personally how you are doing little flower."

I took his hand and began again.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

I, hate, him.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

He, should, die.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

In, a, hole.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

Go, die, Kaden.

Slowly he spun me in a circle as we danced around the room, "very good little flower. have you danced before?"

"not like this. But I have always enjoyed music."

"music and dance go hand and hand."

We fell into silence.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

He's, a, Weirdo.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

A, total, freak.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

With, freaky, eyes.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

And, sexy, hair.

I froze for a moment and nearly stumbled before resuming.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

Stop, it, Calla.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

He's, a, leech.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

A, fucking, leech.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

Kill, him, soon.

The dance ended as a smile made it was onto my face. The room was in complete silence. Kaden took in a breath he didn't even need, "interesting."

My smile dropped and I rose a brow at him, "What?"

"You have such a pretty smile pet."

I pursed my lips, "well you bought be to be pretty Kaden, it only makes sense."

His pause lasted for three beats of my angry heart, "I suppose that is true. Tell me pretty little flower, how are you lessons in manners going?"

Taking a step back from our overly close proximity I offered a stiff shrug, "from what I can tell I'm not doing terrible."

"Good. the ball is next week after all. The dressmaker should be here soon."

I rose a brow at him, "Dressmaker?"

He waved a dismissive hand at me, "some french woman George, the Jeweler, recommended me. Shes apparently good with certain types of dresses. She is coming with various fabrics and sketches, you will need to pick one and spend several hours with her today and for the next few days in order to have it finished on time."

Oh joy. 

Kaden started out of the room, beckoning me to follow him.

I did, reluctantly, Soon finding myself beside him in a grand room, fabrics scatted about and tables full of sketches. A woman was fiddling with some things but smiled when she noticed us, her french accent was heavy even in her English, "good afternoon Lord Dawson."

Kaden nodded toward her, "Good afternoon Abella, how did things go."

Her eyes slid to me and she instantly gushed, "so well I was happy to design for such a beautiful creature, it even leaked into my other designs! she is even prettier than in her photo!" She addressed me now, "please dear look around I have been informed that you will be picking out ones you like for the Lord to choose. Very nice of him that is."

I nodded and scurried deeper into the room as she shooed me off, Slowly I looked at the sketches, growing sad. I thought balls were all elegant gowns and while these could pass for gowns there was no mistaking them for elegant. they were all cut out and sheer I'm sure its what Kaden wanted me to wear as his pet but part of me was hoping that after all that dance and manner lessons I would get to wear something that at least covered my stomach and held little to no risk of...stuff popping out.

I only grew sadder as I shifted through sketches the french woman's chatter and Kadens short answers the only noise besides the slight shuffle of paper. When I was about to give up and just tell him to pick whatever I noticed a sketch slightly under one of the others, I picked it up a slow smile spreading on my face. I was practically grinning by the time I felt the french vampire behind me, "Did you find something you- oh dear. I am terribly sorry dove, that is not supposed to be out here..It is the sketch miss Angelica had chosen. She met with me shortly before I came here it must have gotten mixed in."

My smile instantly fell. Of course this beautiful thing wouldn't have been designed for a pet. It irked me that Angelica of all people was getting it. I thought the dressmaker was staying here, how would Angelica even get the gown?

The dressmaker practically cooed at Kaden, "so nice of you to buy the lady as well Lord Dawson."

Kadens slow rumble had a bit of an annoyed twinge, "ah well she insisted once she heard you were coming."

My shoulders slumped. That meant the harpy woman would be here every day too...her dress would be made in this room, taunting me every time I walked in to get whatever sorry excuse for clothes I had to wear made. I felt like crying as I stared at the sketches on the table, I could just picture it now. that snobby whore commenting and sneering at everything in that dress. that elegant, classy, dress.

I tuned back into the french woman's tittering and looked over at where she was showing Kaden the sketch, "isn't it marvelous? its going to have a silk, nude, panel a tone different than her skin under it making it into a full gown."

Kaden eyed the sketch and then me, "Angelica has never looked good in blue." He ignored the stunned woman, "did you like this dress pet?"

Now I was stunned.

He frowned at me, "you know my rules about questions little flower."

I cleared my throat and looked away, "it is very beautiful Lord Dawson."

He hummed, "and without the nude panel?"

I thought about it for a second, confused, It would still be beautiful maybe even more so, in a sexy dangerous way, "still very beautiful Lord Dawson."

Nodding once he handed the sketch back to Abella, "can it be made without the panel?"

The vampire woman nodded quickly, "easily my lord."

"Very good, do it."

She looked baffled for a moment, "do it?"

His eyes flashed with annoyance, "Calla looks much better in blue. I will inform Angelica that she needs to pick out another gown."

The french woman nodded furiously and began writing little notes on the sketch, slipping the measuring tape from around her neck, "as you wish Lord Dawson." She glanced at me and smiled, "raise you arms dear."

I did as she told me to still in shock. Kaden looked the both of us over, "I trust I am no longer needed? I have work to do."

Abella assured him that she had everything taken care of and he could leave. She looked at me and shook her head as the door shut behind him, "my god chére, you are one lucky girl!"

I frowned at her, "what?"

She either didn't hear me or ignored me, "of course with a face like that and legs like these any man would gladly throw out the every day fish for something more exotic! But this was never expected from Lord Dawson"

This sparked my curiosity, "why not?"

The woman tutted at me, "Ah you don't know. Sorry lovie, not my place to speak, but lets just say quite a few people will be shocked to see you by his side. I could barely believe it myself, even as he told me himself, that man with a pet!"

That only made me more curious. But I wisely dropped the subject, instead doing as she asked as she measured away.

~~~

I chewed slowly on my food, Watching Kaden carefully, trying to figure out what it is that people become so infatuated with him over. 

Sure he was handsome for a blood sucking beast and rich. but it had to be more than that.

His dual shaded eyes clashed with mine, "something wrong pet?"

I shifted slightly, "I was just wondering about something."

He gestured for me to continue.

"I was wondering why people are so fascinated or afraid of you."

Kaden froze, wine glass halfway to his lips, before regaining composure, "Ah that may have to do with my being the illegitimate son of the king."