Chapter 18: After the Ball

More guests in noble attire flooded into Rosaline’s castle and happily settled into the ballroom. Rosaline, her parents, Diana, and Juliet shared a table.

“Father, Diana, and Juliet recovered those documents and artifacts at great risk. I fear their positions and freedom with the Newcastle Clan are forfeit. I would like to take them as my assistants within the Shadow Inquisition. Would you approve my proposal?”

“Of course, darling. They have potential,” Bastienne agreed. “Given this Elijah’s overall schemes, I would like to take those materials back with me to the Inquisition’s headquarters. Intentionally destabilizing mana cores is true madness.”

“It will be nice to see those who called you naive and foolish squirm for ever doubting you,” Jeanne commented.

Diana and Juliet were surprised to see her change in demeanor. Rosaline smirked and explained. “My mother can be quite unforgiving.”

“Rosaline~!” A woman called out to her.

Rosaline stood up and approached her. “Nezera. I hope you received my letter.”

The princess giggled. “A blood ritual meant to absorb life force from an entire village? I would never conceive of such a sloppy spell.”

“Have you let your hair grow out again? You’ll be sweeping my floors before long.” Rosaline walked around her and lifted her long, silky black hair.

“I thought you liked long hair?” Nezera teased.

Juliet spoke up before Diana could stop her. “Tastes change. Her new lover has short hair, you know.”

“Oh my, is that so?” Nezera approached the table and greeted Diana. “I wish you two plenty of love and happiness.”

“Thank you.” Diana expected a different reaction from the woman.

Rosaline sat beside Diana and waved as Nezera left to mingle with other friends. “Nezera and I are close friends, nothing more. We’re about as close as you and Juliet.”

“Hmm. Poor comparison.” Juliet grinned.

“Well, shall we dance? I promised that much.” Rosaline stood up and offered her hand to her precious hunter.

Diana accepted her hand and followed her to the dance floor. “You really did take everything I said on the carriage literally, didn’t you?”

“Naturally. It’s why I kept my hands to myself last night. The temptation to tear your clothes off and leave bite marks was unbearable.”

Diana blushed as she began dancing with Rosaline. “Must you say such things in public…?” she muttered.

“Your cute reactions are just as unbearable~.” Rosaline teased her. She quickly moved her foot out of the way, avoiding Diana’s misstep. “I take it you never learned how to dance.”

“Not much call for it on hunts,” Diana admitted.

“Well, just follow my lead. You’ll be as graceful as an angel on the dance floor by the time I’m finished with you.” Rosaline took the lead as they danced among the nobles.

“Fine, but what did your father say earlier. It was about me, wasn’t it?”

“Yes… My father is concerned that my dating a human would just cause me pain.”

“He thinks I’ll hurt you? That madness.”

“It’s complicated. Vampires do form relationships with humans, but most often, they turn their lovers into vampires,” she began. “It’s not out of prejudice, but out of necessity. Humans have far shorter lifespans, and vampires can carry the pain of burying a lover for centuries, or millennia.”

Diana looked away. “He said ‘Catarina.’ He thinks I’ll die and leave you alone.” Rosaline’s silence was her answer. “So, what now?”

“Well, I don’t intend to turn you for my own selfish desires. I believe it's best to simply enjoy the moment and worry about the future when it arrives,” she suggested. “The night is young, and so are we.”

Diana smirked. “You’re two-thousand years old.”

“Yes, which is still young by the nobility’s standards.” She smiled and dipped her partner for a moment. “Don’t worry, my parents love you, and my father will approve of you and Juliet joining me in the Inquisition.”

“It seems that’s the only way we’ll continue our duties as hunters.”

“The Newcastle Clan’s moves have disappointed me, so perhaps it’s for the best. I’ll welcome your families here if you so wish,” Rosaline offered. “As I said, please think of this as your home as well. We have plenty of space here, or in Colchester if they would prefer to live in more humble settings.”

Diana gave her a coy look. “And if I want to live in more humble settings?”

“Out of the question. You have yet to wear the maid outfit I prepared for you.”

“I’m never going to wear that!” Diana quietly hissed.

“Then it looks like you’re never going to leave.”

Diana blushed and looked away. “It better fit properly.”

Rosaline lightly giggled and led her away from the dance floor once the song finished. She introduced Diana to some of her friends and relatives. As she expected, they were all friendly and kind to the nervous hunter. She wasn’t used to interacting with nobles or inhuman beings.

They ended the night on the balcony outside Rosaline’s room with only the moon above to light their way.

“That was tiring. How do you do it?” Diana complained. She kicked her shoes off and leaned against the stone railing.

“You get used to it. It’s easier to launch a full-scale inquisition than navigate relationships with nobles.” She sat on the railing and smiled. “You were as lovely as ever, Diana.”

Diana shrugged and turned around to lean back against the railing. “It was a battlefield.” She stood up and smiled. “Your family was different from what I imagined. When you said your father was the king’s right hand, I expected someone strict and scary. He just seemed like a regular father.”

Rosaline laughed. “He can be that way. His fury is only rivaled by the king’s. Still, I’m pleased that he and the rest of my visiting family liked you. I would have hated to carry on a relationship without their blessing.”

“Oh? You would have ignored their warnings and continued to be with me?”

Rosaline stood up and pinned Diana against the railing. “Of course.” She pulled at Diana’s dress strap. “I’m trying to decide if I should tear this off of you, or if I should be nice and take it off gently.”

Diana blushed. “Wh-what?”

“I’ll tear your clothes off another time. I will most certainly leave those bite marks I promised~.”

“I’ll bite you first!” Diana challenged. She tilted Rosalina’s head and bit down on her neck.

“Cute. You’ll pay for this, but I praise the effort.”

Rosaline awoke with the sun shining through her curtains. Diana still slept in her arms, making her warm, both body and soul. Humans inspire such fear and adoration in me. She gently grazed Diana’s arm and counted the bite marks she left on her lover. She never bit hard enough to cause pain, much less draw blood.

Diana slowly woke up and rolled over to face Rosaline. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, someone knocked at their door.

“Lady Rosaline, we’ve prepared breakfast,” Clair announced.

“Come in,” Rosaline invited her. Diana quickly hid beneath the blanket to preserve her modesty.

Rosaline watched in shock as Clair and Juliet pushed two carts into the room, dressed in the revealing maid outfits with shortened skirts and shirts that revealed their cleavage. “Well…”

Diana peeked from beneath the blanket. “Juliet?!”

“We have two more~.” Juliet playfully offered.

“Well, if you insist. It’s only fair,” Rosaline agreed.

“No! We’re hunters, not shameless maids!”