Kyra's pov
I stood in the middle of the room with the dress on.
It was a Victorian style ball gown.
I could hardly breathe in that stupid corset.
But I kept my fake smile as the lord and the tailor walked around me and made small adjustments.
"Yes, this is perfect. Sarah can do her hair and make-up. She'll look like a little princess."
I rolled my eyes as the lord said that, he wasn't watching me anyway.
Stupid dress, stupid corset and stupid master.
"So what do you think?"
He looked my way.
"It's a beautiful dress, thank you master."
I smiled politely as I lied through my teeth, it wasn't that the dress was ugly or anything.
It was just too old-fashioned for me and I hated the oppressive feeling of that corset.
"Valentine, what do you think?"
Lord Radu asked while sounding real content with himself.
"It looks great on her, but it's just not my style. I liked that blue cocktail dress better, although I can understand that this would go better with that old-fashioned theme you chose for your party."
Valentine looked at me with amusement.
"Can you even breath normally in that?"
Is he reading my mind or something?
Damned intriguer!
I wanted to strangle him, here I was trying so hard to pretend I was happy with everything, and he was poking around to start a fire.
"I'm sure I'll manage when I get used to this."
I kept smiling, but it was hard to keep the frustration out of my voice.
My eyes flashed as I glared at Valentine.
He chuckled as he got the message loud and clear.
"Okay, you can get out of the dress. Mr Morris, about the adjustments, will the dress be ready next week?"
"Yes my lord, I think we need about 4 days for the finishing touches."
Mister Morris was helping me unlace the corset so I could get back in my every day outfit.
When he was done, he continued his conversation with the lord, so I could change on my own.
I was happy he had put a screen up in the room so I had at least some privacy, since neither of the three man seemed like they would leave the room for me to change to my every day outfit.
I'm going to kill Valentine later if this made master suspicious of my behavior.
~~~
Vasile's pov
It had been a few weeks since her out burst, at first she had still been quiet but over time it got better.
I could tell she was still putting up a act at times but she was slowly getting back to her old self.
Mihai and Sarah had assured me that her dancing lessons had been going very well, so she would preform perfectly at my party.
Mister Morris had finished the dress for the ball and he had made a similar cocktail dress to the one I had burned thanks to Lucian.
I remembered her saying she liked that dress, so I figured she deserved a new one because she had been trying so hard to behave.
I wonder what she will think when she sees it.
My birthday had arrived and I was getting ready for breakfast.
Mihai had prepared my outfits for today.
For this morning until lunch I would be wearing a casual business suit.
At the reception and dinner I had a formal black suit and at the masquerade ball tonight it would be my maroon red suit.
I got to the diner room and sat down for breakfast.
Sarah and the other maids in the kitchen had out done themselves, breakfast looked amazing.
If this was a sign for how the day would go, it was perfect.
Sarah brought Kyra in, right behind her came Valentine and a lot of staff members.
"Happy birthday, master."
Kyra said before sitting down at the table. I had wanted to talk to her a bit more, I was happy she spoke first to me for a change. But everyone wanted to congratulate me and before I knew breakfast was over and we were on the way to the throne room for the ambassadors.
~~~
Kyra's pov
It was the morning of the party held for the lord's birthday.
Sarah had warned me to sleep in early last night, because this would be a very long day.
I was sitting in the chair as Sarah was helping me get ready.
Thankfully I wouldn't need the ball gown until later this afternoon.
While she was doing my hair, she told me about today's schedule.
First breakfast with the lord.
Then at 10 o'clock we would be in the throne room, where ambassadors from different countries would congratulate the lord and offer him gifts.
Lunch with those ambassadors around noon.
Followed at 2 pm by the invite-only reception.
Then at 5 pm, dinner with those invited to the reception.
The ball would start at 7 pm but we wouldn't be there until 8 pm to open it.
It was expected to continue until late 2 or 3 in the morning.
To me it sounded like a drag.
My 18th birthday lasted about 45 minutes with only 5 in attendance.
I understood from Sarah that including the masquerade party tonight, there would be somewhere between 700 and 900 people visiting today, maybe even more.
Talk about overkill.
At breakfast I politely congratulated the lord on his birthday.
Thanks to everyone else in attendance, I could just ignore him for the rest of the time and eat in peace.
They were all talking to him, so he didn't have time for me.
At the throne room he made me sit on his lap while the ambassadors of the other territories brought their gifts.
I was appalled to see some gave scarcely clothed human slaves as gifts.
"Not a word."
The lord whispered sternly in my ear.
"Don't cause a scene about this."
"But look at the way they're dressed."
I whispered back in disgust.
"If you can even call that dressed."
"Some creatures have different idea's on how to use humans. Here they just end up in the dungeon for blood collection. I'm not into that kind of crap, besides you're entertaining enough with your clothes on."
He wrapped his arms around me and rested his head on my shoulder while he politely nodded at stream of people before him.
I was getting curious about something as I watched what was going on.
"Master?"
"Mmh?"
"How is it possible that no one knows that this world exists? I mean, there are so many ambassadors of countries I have never heard of at school and they seem to co-exist right beside how humans view the country borders."
Master sat up straight and leaned back in his throne while pulling me back with him.
He started to play with my hair.
"Some people suspect, believe or even know that we exist. There are people who know about us and even try to wipe us out. But most of the people who know are bribed to shut up and keep the rest of the world ignorant to our existence. Humans are naturally greedy."
A low annoyed growl was in his voice as he whispered his explanation.
"Well vampires are possessive by nature."
I whispered my remark a bit insulted.
"You say that like it's a bad thing. Know that because of that possessiveness you are still alive and untainted. You have no idea how appetizing you are to all those 'monsters' walking around here today. Half of them want to eat you, the other half wants to do unspeakable things to you before that. Did you think Lucian was the only one?"
I watched the people in the throne room and realized by the looks on their faces the lord might be right.
"Better stay close today, my little spring chicken."
At lunch the lord kept me close as well, he made me sit right beside him.
I listened to the conversations at the table, non of them seemed to realize I could understand every word.
The way they talked about the humans that lived on their lands or the comments they made to the lord about me just made me sick.
It took me everything not to choke in my drink when one of them even asked the lord if I was available for breeding.
Thankfully the lord replied that that was never going to happen.
After lunch Sarah picked me up to get ready for the reception. Apparently, I needed different clothes for that.
The reason was beyond me as I thought the clothes I had on now were already very decent compared to the everyday lazy outfits I usually wore.
"I'll pick you up again when dinner is over to help you change for the ball."
She said while she was putting my hair up.
"I'm starting to see why this took so much planning. What I can't figure out is why anyone would enjoy doing this. It all feels so forced."
I took the bracelets Sarah gave me and put them on.
"It's not something the lord normally enjoys, but today he seems content.
Must be because you are behaving so well."
She laughed at my rolling eyes.
Sarah connected a new leash that matched the cocktail dress I was wearing.
Urg... again... a leash?
I hate this...
Well... there is no point in arguing about it.
I had noticed the dress looked similar to the one the lord had burned, only this one was aqua blue instead of baby blue.
I wasn't going to say anything to him but I liked this color better.
At the reception, the lord didn't seem to pay much attention to me as he was in constant conversation with his guests.
But he nevertheless kept me close, the leash constantly in his hand and pulling me along as he mingled with the guests.
I did my best to stay away from everyone, as some seemed a little too eager to touch me when I was a step too far from the lord.
By dinnertime I was already tired from standing, smiling and being on guard all day.
I wasn't sure how I was going to last till the end of the party.
"Why don't you eat diner in your room, so you can rest a bit before the ball."
The lord signaled Mihai to take me away.
Thank god for that.
I let myself fall unto my bed as I enjoyed the surrounding quiet.
The constant zooming of people talking all at once was exhausting.
The door to my room opened and Mihai came in with a big tray full of all kinds of food I liked.
"Sarah will come at seven to help you get ready for the ball. Remember to do as the lord tells you, not everyone at the party is a friend. Don't let anyone escort you out of the ballroom without the lord telling you himself."
Mihai seemed a bit concerned.
I rose a brow, unsure how to respond to that.
"What do you expect me to do? I'm no match for any of you. I couldn't fight you off when you kidnapped me and Lucian may have had a knife, but even without that I doubt I could have done something."
"Just scream and cause a scene."
He winked.
"I know you can do that very well, little kitten."
~~~
Vasile's pov
"You seem happy my lord. Are you pleased with your party so far?"
Mihai asked while he was helping me in my outfit for the masquerade ball.
"She's finally acting like herself again. Not that I had that much time for her today but at least she talking again."
"Did she ever stop then? I didn't notice."
Mihai smirked at me while fixing my tie.
"Shut up. You'd be heartbroken if she didn't speak to you anymore. Don't think I haven't noticed the way you treat her."
I glared at Mihai, he's being soft on her too.
If any of my previous pet's had acted the way she did they would have been dead long ago.
For some reason I'm more forgiving towards her.
"Our little kitten can't ignore me. I would pester her to no end until she gives up."
"Uhu... something else. How's security? She is the only human walking around hundreds of vampires, witches and not."
"Every staff member has been instructed to make sure Kyra stays safe. So not only the guards will keep an eye on her. And of course I will watch her as well."
I nodded, I was still a bit uneasy about it because she was stolen at the last party we went to. But this was my house, so it should be okay.