The Rosen Vampire Knight Series

Thread of Thorns: Chapter 16

Emma

Kaito and I stood in the hall together as the nobles and other ranking vampires went ahead of us. The purebloods were always last to walk into the dances. It had to do with wanting all eyes on us when we entered, proving our status. I thought it was dumb.

While I was dressed in the red orange gown that faded to crimsion at the bottom I'd picked out, Kaito was in a black tux. Fixed on his collar was a red rose. Thus, we matched each other.

"Hold on, I have to go get something." Kaito murmured in my ear and walked off. 

I didn't bother to watch him as he walked off. I was too busy trying to keep track of how many couples were entering the ball room before it was our turn. To my left, Yuuki and Kaname stopped. Yuuki was dressed in an icy blue dress that clung to her body. The neckline was v and the straps were speghetti. She wore matching white gloves that went up to her armpits. Yuuki paused to give me a soft smile. On her other side, Kaname merely glanced at me and then looked forward again. 

"I'm back." Kaito announced, waltzing up to my right. In his hands was a corsage.

"Thank you." I replied cheerfully as I held up my right hand.

Kaito wordlessly slipped the yellow rose bracelet upon my wrist. "I'm glad you like it." He answered gladly after he had fixed it.

I looked forward again as the last of the couples walked into the room. The doors closed as us purebloods prepared for our entrance.

"Are you ready?" Kaito asked as he hooked his arm around mine.

"I suppose so." I sighed. If being ready meant ready to fight for my life. Again. 

"Alright, then." He murmured hopefully.

We took a step together towards the doors. Yuuki and Kaname did the same on our left. We'd be entering side-by-side. My dateless brother was going to walk before us, right in the center so we'd all enter in a triangle formation. I felt bad for Jarred, but he had insisted before that it didn't matter to him whether or not he had a date. 

The doors creaked open, giving us our first look of the ball room.

The floor was polished to a shine, reflecting the candle burning chandelier light from above. Fall colors graced the tables that were pushed off to the sides of the room so that the dance floor was clear. Redish orange curtains had replaced the usual deep crimsion that hung in front of the floor-to-cieling windows. Off to the left, the glass doors were propped open to keep the room cool and add to the Fall effect. Everything was beautiful.

All the other couples were squeezed in beside the tables and formed a solid ring around the dance floor. The purebloods would be the first to start the dance. Then, everyone else would follow.

Jarred walked off to the side to stand by the hired orchestra. Instead of angry or sad to be missing out on the dancing, he looked glad. Meanwhile, Yuuki, Kaname, Kaito, and myself walked to the center of the floor. Each couple turned to their partner, so that now Yuuki's and my back were facing the other's. Each person placed a hand on their date's shoulder and waist at the same time.