Damned Pure-blood Royals [Book #2 of the Damned Series; Completed]

Beginning of the Gala Everyone's Been Waiting For.

     I walked out, suddenly super self-conscious. The leather of my shoes made no sound on the polished stone of the floor. I forced myself to walk like a normal human because my reflexes demanded me to move with grace and carry myself as my true status asks. I was working on making my words more simple, everything more mundane. It's much harder, watching Ash's heels as his own shoes make that slap-like sound. I listen to the sound bounce off the walls and echo down the empty corridor.

     I internally smiled. My neck still feels bare and I'd forgotten that, to keep up my act, I should wear Ash's family crest, to show I was theirs. For slaves and servants and the like, their pendant differs. It's the same sword, but a crimson vine wraps around it like it's trying to capture the sword in its grasp. I clasped it around my neck, Ash nodding when he saw what I was doing. His face was grim. I grinned, looking up at him. His eye softened and he smiled softly. He's worried and I'm doing a good job of hiding how I'm terrified. We reached a door quickly. He leaned down and we kissed briefly before nodding to each other and pulling up the act.

     "You ready?" He asked. I nodded and he opened the door. Instantly the atmosphere changed, throwing me off.

     It was high-class, a gala where people tried to make positive impressions and business deals and such. It's really boring. Nothing really happens. As a child, I hated these, kinda glad that feeling hasn't faded over all this time. I wasn't smiling, my fear mounting just past my control. Ash's eyes were hard, his face void of emotion. The light chatter ceased as they recognized that the King, Queen, and his son had all entered (King and Queen came from nowhere, vampire speed). I kept my head down, trying to be as invisible as possible. I saw Jordan, Damion, Jason, Krystal, and Josiah stopped their conversation, whatever it was about, to look over here like everyone else.

     I fidgeted, playing with the hem of my dress. I felt super self-conscious. I saw the King and Queen shoot me sharp glances. Their attempts to kill me failed. They'd tried to poison me, tried to send assassins, traps, etc. Simple stuff, easily avoided. It was rare, since all this week I was mostly in Ash's room. It was sooooooooo boring. I mean really. There's only so much you can do. I spent a majority on Netflix and screwing around on the interweb. I made no contact with anyone, not like there was anyone to contact.

     Ash and his parents mingled in the crowd, the crowd itself resuming its low-level chatter. I stayed in the shadows, keeping an eye out for Ash as well as myself. I have no desire to die tonight. Or anytime soon for that matter. There were silent waiters/waitresses walking around with champagne glasses full of blood. There were not that many, but the majority of the attendees had one in their hand. I stayed in the shadows, there were many, the lights low. There was no natural light, the gothic interior and vampire culture really doesn't permit it. I'm super-pale though, so I can only do so much.

     Ash waved me over and I nodded, darting through the crowd. I bumped into someone and felt a prick in my side that quickly faded. Must've hit a nerve or something. It's nothing. I dismissed it, reaching where Ash was standing.

     "Hey, you ok?" He asked, looking blank but his voice was slightly worried, scanning me than the crowd. I nodded. Since I was facing him and the crowd was behind me I smiled. I felt weak, must be nerves. I'm still scared. "You sure, you're looking a bit pale."

     I nodded again, but internally I'm not so sure. What's happening to me? I wasn't really worried. Then my lungs stopped working.