Chapter 51: 51__A Geminor ball party

The driver fussed around the carriage, polishing and dusting until he saw his grinning reflection in the gold.

Rogan stopped brushing the shoulder of his black coat and lowered the garment, looking at the man over the top of his glasses. “No need to polish the gold off, Clyde.”

Startled, the driver looked at Rogan and bowed. “Forgive me, Master Rogan. It’s just that, I’ve n-never driven such a beauty! She’s huge! And has g-gold in her! She’s really one of yours, Sir?”

Rogan nodded, glancing inside the large carriage and ensuring that it was perfectly in order.

“If I must be born again,” said the driver solemnly, his eyes tearing as he stared at the carriage he’d fallen in love with. “I must be born as you, Master Rogan, Sir!”

Rogan blinked at him. What a bizarre wish. Sighing, he pointed at a seat in the corner. “That one. Add filling to the seat cushion.”

“Immediately, Sir!” said Clyde, huffing away to do Rogan’s bidding.

“Good evening, Master *Rogan*,” someone purred.

Rogan looked at the street and the two women strolling by, their eyes blatantly staring hungrily at him. He nodded in response to their greeting.

“Gosh, you look so handsome, Sir!” the other one said breathily. “H-have fun at the royal ball!”

Rogan waved them away with a sigh.

He looked at the carriage seat again and bit his lip. Would just making the cushion thicker be safe enough for the now human forest rabbit? What if the ride was bumpy and she dislocated a weak limb or something?

Rogan shook his head. This was just great. He would stress about her safety a hundred times more, now that he knew she was bred from a weaker species. Damn, just thinking of all the times he’d had her marching for miles around the forest without a drop of water made him wonder how she still lived. Any other human surely would have dropped dead.

“Ahem!” Someone cleared their throat.

Rogan looked at the Hostel doors and the woman who stood there.

Clover beamed, twirling around in her ball gown, the skirt of which looked like it had been stitched by fairies using material made from spring and summer. The flowery detail was so abominably pretty, Rogan wanted to barf.

“Gosh, why didn’t you just wear the damn rainbow?” he asked.

Clover giggled and skipped over to him. “That means I look pretty! Thank you, Rogan!”

“Get in the carriage,” he mumbled.

Cecile and Cassie came out next, Cleo following behind like she was bored.

The neck of Cecile’s wine purple dress reached her jaw and covered all skin, but was skin-moulding enough to be deadly sexy. She flipped her silver blonde hair as she modelled her way to the carriage.

“Bravo,” Rogan said flatly.

“Why do we even have to go?!” Cassie muttered, her hands shoved deep in the trouser pockets of her sexy, white, tailor-made suit, under which she wore a cropped lace camisole.

“That’s what the hell I said,” he told her.

Cleo wore a short, wide-skirted maroon dress, the lace arms of which became gloves, covering her fingers to the tips. She nodded curtly at Rogan and he nodded back.

He turned back to the Hostel doors and sighed. “Claudia!”

The lady in red, leaned sexily against the doors, her mouth painted in a dark scarlet and her eyes heavy-lidded as she looked at Rogan.

“We don’t have time for that shit,” he told her.

“Claudia, get your ass in here,” Cassie said tiredly from inside the carriage.

Despite the lack of encouragement, Claudia still took her time, carefully holding the tiny bag in her hand as she walked, her leg boldly sweeping out of the daring slit in her gown with each step she took.

The top of her dress sat off her shoulders, showing a good deal of cleavage and the all the creamy skin of her shoulders.

Rogan shook his head. “Nobody said we’re going to seduce the fucking King of Geminor.”

“Must look good enough for the occasion, darling,” Claudia drawled in response, still sashaying her way to the carriage.

Rogan sighed. “Where the hell is Mai—”

The Hostel door was pushed open wider. Laurel appeared. From her outfit of shorts and a punk-rock t-shirt, as well as the matchstick she had in her mouth, Rogan understood that she wasn’t going anywhere. She held her hand out and Rogan saw a hand take it.

Stepping out, Laurel helped Maia make it out of the doorway, her skirt being large and full of multiple layers beneath the top material.

The women all leaned forward in the carriage, looking at Maia and then, like they were being controlled, they looked at Rogan.

He had no time to notice them. His eyes were far too busy, his entire mind was far too occupied processing the sight before him.

She hadn’t worn a dress like the others. She wore a top, which was little more than a wrapping around her chest, zipped at the back, a sweetheart neckline forming over her bosom and leaving her arms bare. Rogan looked at her skirt. God, her *skirt*!

His lip got caught between his teeth.

Claudia had had a slit. Maia had two full slits. They ran down in front of both her legs, the mass of material underneath her skirt looking amazing behind her exposed legs with each step she took, but holy hell, the black ensemble looked *too* sinfully good.

“Do not drool, Master Rogan,” Cecile called, making Clover giggle.

Rogan hadn’t even heard them. Maia was walking towards him, like a goddamn fantasy.

When she reached him, she raised her brows. “Laurel made my hair kind of straighter. And she put these.” She pointed at the emerald jewels in her styled hair with a rosy-cheeked smile.

Rogan nodded, looking at her exposed neck and feeling his heart pound. “Thank God… this isn’t a Vampire ball,” he murmured tightly.

“Huh?” Maia asked.

Turning away, Rogan rubbed a hand over his eyes, drawing in a deep breath. He had to get his shit together! “Uhm…” He looked back at Maia, stared at her. She didn’t even know, did she? She didn’t realize how good she looked. He shook his head. She was always so fucking clueless. Walking around like the most seductive succubus alive, and having not a damn clue—

Rogan closed his eyes. No, no. She was a human, remember? Of course. He nodded to himself. She was a human, she couldn’t entice him! He was far stronger than her, he was a royal Vampire Sorcerer, for goodness sake. She would *not* seduce him!

Forcing out a confident scoff, he jerked his head at the carriage. “Get in.”

Before Maia could say anything more, he took her hand and helped her into the large carriage.

With a sigh, Rogan got in and shut the door. “Let’s just go to this stupid party.”

*************************

Maia’s insides felt like swallows were flying all around, ducking and diving around her organs, their wings tickling her to insanity. She was nervous to death.

She didn’t know what it was. She’d thought it was the ball, with it being her very first time ever going to a ball, and a royal one for that matter. But, if she thought about it… it wasn’t.

Holding her breath, she carefully looked at Rogan and realized it then.

It was him.

Swallowing, Maia continued to stare.

God, he was beautiful. She looked at the way his light blonde hair was combed back, away from his forehead, leaving his face clear and open for her adoration. And she took advantage of it, studying every beautiful angle of his face.

When she’d stepped out of the Hostel and seen him standing there, his body covered in the black trousers, his black shirt open at the throat and his emerald green suit jacket hugging his muscles. He looked so good! Maia had never felt her heart slam so hard before, she’d thought it had stopped working.

Being here like this, with this beautiful, evil, royal, Vampire Sorcerer of a man. It was making Maia slowly go mad with nerves.

“Let’s go,” Rogan murmured.

Maia blinked out of her thoughts, realizing the vehicle had stopped.

The door was opened and they all got out, gazing up at the glamorous party hall.

“Welcome, Master Rogan,” greeted a neatly dressed servant, bowing before them.

Rogan took Maia’s hand, making her heart thud. “Show us to the ballroom.”

They walked up the stairs, entering the mansion and heading towards the ballroom. They were almost there and could hear the music when another servant appeared and inclined her head in a bow.

“Master Rogan, the King is calling for you. He says, ‘It’s a damn emergency.’.”

Rogan pursed his lips and looked at the girls before glancing at the servant. “Tell him I’ll be there after I’ve seen to my guests.”

He turned to leave.

“I’ll see to your guests, Rogan.”

Rogan stopped and then slowly turned to look at Zainab.

The women all looked at the ice princess, taking in her glistening icy blue gown as it flowed down her body and trailed behind her in a sparkling train. It looked like she was wearing a glacier of diamonds.

“No, thank you,” Rogan told her with a nod.

Zainab sighed, her white hair swaying as she shook her head. “Aiden really needs to see you, Rogan. I’ll take your guests to the ballroom and leave them there, so just go to him.”

Rogan’s eyes narrowed. “You?” He shook his head. “No. How about this girl takes them to the ballroom and you accompany me to see your brother?”

Zainab scoffed, her mouth curving on one side. “Don’t trust me around your little friends, do you?”

Rogan said nothing, both he and the girls just staring flatly at the princess.

She shrugged a shoulder. “Fine.” She inclined her head to the side. “You there.”

“Yes, Princess,” said the servant.

Zainab looked at the girls. “Take them to the ballroom immediately.”

The servant nodded. “Of course, my lady.”

“I’ll be right with you,” Rogan said to the women. He looked at Maia and then at Cassie. “Look after her.” Giving the servant a warning glare, he let go off Maia's hand and walked away, followed by Zainab.

“This way, ladies,” said the servant.

Giddily, Clover hurried after her, the others walking not so excitedly behind her.

Maia pursed her lips, seeing Zainab hold Rogan’s arm as he walked. Annoyed, she turned away and followed the ladies.

The servant finally stopped walking before a pair of fancy double doors and pulled them open.

The ladies blinked at the empty room before them.

Seeing their confusion, the girl pointed at the second pair of doors at the other end of the room. “Those open to the ball room,” she said. “Have a wonderful night.”

With a bow, she left and the women made their way into the room, closing the doors behind them.

They entered the room, heading towards the other double doors with excitement for the grand ball awaiting them.

A clicking sound broke their silence.

Cassie stopped walking and looked back at the doors. “Did they…?” She hurried back to the doors and tried to open them. Her eyes went wide. “They locked us in!”

Maia stared. "W-what?"

Scoffing disbelievingly, Claudia tried the doors supposedly leading to the ball room. She shook her head. “These… aren’t even real doors? What’s going on here?!”

Cecile sighed and took her spectacles off. “Those bastards. They locked us up.”