Chapter 107

“I don’t even know why my parents wanted to torture me like this,” Caroline whined when Lexi was pulling her laces on the corset that she was going to wear underneath the gown that her mother got from the Isle of Thethern. They were known for the best dresses and fabrics available there.
“I think she wanted you to look your best tonight, my lady. Besides, I heard that Viscount Vyckos will be attending the ball as well,” Lexi said before Caroline sighed.
“Another reason that I don’t want to go even though I am the guest of honor,” Caroline said before she gasped as Lexi was pulling her lace too tight.
“I am so sorry, my lady. I don’t know that it would suck the breath out of you,” Lexi said before Caroline was asking her to untie a little bit of her corset.
“Much better,” Caroline said before she was looking at her reflection in the mirror right now. She had her chemise underneath the corset that protect them from her sweat on her skin when she will be wearing 5 layers of petticoats and bodice and gown and all that will be having to drag her body down.
“Are you okay, my lady?” Lexi asked her before Caroline smiled at her ladies’ maid. Caroline turned around before she was smiling at her friend.
“Yeah, I never been better,” she replied but Lexi knew better about reading her mood. Damn her for having that kind of talent.
“But you’re not. I can see there was sadness in your eyes. What is wrong, my lady?” Lexi said before Caroline sighed. She went to sit at the chair in front of the vanity before she was taking a deep breath.
“Do you think I would ever be ready to get married?” Caroline asked quietly before Lexi was taking her hands into hers. Caroline looked at her ladies' maid before Lexi was sitting on the floor in front of her.
“I don’t think everyone would be ready. Not for the slightest moment but then there are some who were dating for years but ended up breaking up at the end. If you think that your parents were trying to matchmake you with someone, at least the best choice you can have is that you will make that choice yourself,” Lexi said as Caroline was nodding at her.
“You’re pretty knowledgeable when it comes to this,” she said as Lexi laughed at her statement.
“Well, I am the jack of all trades after all. Now, enough of this. You have 2 hours to get ready and that was not enough. Let show the world what Lady Caroline Hurst can do and she will not bow to a man unless it was her choice,” Lexi said as she was holding the first layer of the petticoats. Caroline sighed.
Here we go, she mused before they get ready for the ball that will change Caroline’s life forever.

“VISCOUNT Vyckos as I live and breathe,” Lord Hurst said as he was coming to greet Dan when he just arrived from his fortress that was known by all in Stonelockteco.
“And you have been well, Lord Hurst,” Dan said as he was smiling at the old man. Then, he went to greet other guests as Dan was taking a flute of champagne that he knows was not blood-laced.
It was not that he cannot drink it but Dan would prefer if there was blood in it. It would keep his demon in check before he went into a frenzied moment. He was wandering around aimlessly as he was waiting for Lady Caroline to be introduced.
And when she does, Dan will seize the moment to be the first man to dance with her.
“I heard that his daughter was a beauty.” Said a young lord as they were talking among themselves. Dan did not concern himself with the youngsters even though he should.
But he was old enough to be their grandfather but no one needs to know that.
Thanks to Porphyria that ran in the Gentry’s bloodline, it kept him youthful and healthy. They have super strength as well as can run fast. Their reflexes were at their top game when they survived at the age of 15 where most gentry would have the rite of passage into that state.
Only a few survived, including Dan.
“I know. And not to mention, she was an heiress. If I could get her money to be mine as she weds me…”
“You can pay the debt that you owe. We all know your next plan, Kennedy. Seriously, your father was a duke, why don’t you ask him for your gambling problem?” the young man said as the duke’s son grunted.
“If I did that, it will be game over. So I will not succumb to my father’s wishes. He has planned for my wedding the second I conceded,” Kennedy said before his friends laughed.
But marrying Caroline would not be the same? Dan mused before he moved to the center of the ballroom as he was taking in his surroundings.
The gas lamps were lighting up space as well as the candle chandelier that was hanging at the center of the ballroom. Dan was looking around before he set his eyes on the lady in red as her blonde mane was done at the top of her head.
There were ringlets to accentuate her soft face before she was smiling charmingly at Lord Hurst. Something squeezed Dan’s chest and something dark inside him was stirring.
‘Mine,’ it said before Dan was clearing his throat as the lady in red was walking hand in hand with Lord Hurst.
Lady Caroline Hurst was everything that they said she was. Beauty and an heiress. Only one thing they forget to add to the list to describe her.
A temptress.
Dan gulped the rest of the champagne before he exchanged it as Lord Hurst was introducing his daughter to the gentry that he invited for her birthday ball.
So, he wanted to marry her off. Not if I can help it, Dan mused before he was smirking as he sipped on the new champagne as the merchant raised to toast for his daughter.

DO not freak out. Do not freak out. Breathe in, breathe out. You will be fine, I know you will be, Caroline.
Caroline thought as she was smiling to the whole world to see. In the sea of people where her father was toasting for her good health and many years to come, she could not help as if someone was watching her.
Someone that was dangerous.
She tried to ignore that feeling in the back of her head but it would not go away. She has to find that predator and maybe confront it.
Not like actually confronting it but it would do her good to tell him to back off.
“A toast to my beautiful daughter, Lady Caroline Hurst. May she be healthy and prosperity upon her, Amen,” Lord Hurst before the crowd was saying the same thing.
“Amen,”
Caroline was smiling at her father before she was sipping on the chill champagne that her father gave to her. She was not used to be the center of attention and she knows that after this, there will be a line for her dance card.
Why do I have to do this tonight? Why can’t I have a normal dinner and afterward just leave me to my own devices? Caroline thought before her father kissed her cheeks and went to the center of the ballroom with her hand tucked in his elbow.
She was being introduced to many young gentlemen that were in the age of marriage. Her father might not be subtle about this as he would chat with the young gentry but not a single one of them was making her heartbeat like that stranger in the marketplace the other day.
Stop thinking about him, Caroline. You might not be able to see him again. Ever, she mused before she sighed as her father was walking toward a man whose back was in their view. Caroline smelled his cologne and it was sandalwood with musk.
Masculine. Dangerous.
Her heart skipped a beat as her father stopped in front of the stranger that wore all black from his head to toe.
Except for his pale complexion and his brunette hair. Brunette? No, it cannot be, Caroline thought before her father, Lord Hurst, was tapping on his shoulder. The stranger glanced over his shoulder as his chiseled jaw was angular and sharp that it can cut apples into two.
Caroline sucked a breath.
“My lord, I want you to meet my daughter, Lady Caroline Hurst,” her father said before the stranger slowly turned around to look at her properly. Caroline was holding her breath as she was taking in the stranger.
Brunette hair.
Chiseled jaws.
Straight nose.
High cheekbones.
Full, kissable lips.
Very vivid green eyes.
Caroline blinked a few times before her father was introducing her to the man. He oozed power from his stance and Caroline knows that he demanded respect.
He was that powerful.
“Caroline, it was nice to finally meet you, at long last,” the familiar voice that made Caroline blinked her eyes at the man. Then, she remembered.
“You!” she said as she was pointing her finger at the man. Her father was horrified before the man was chuckling lowly.
“Caroline, we do not point our finger to Viscount Vyckos. It’s rude, my dear,” her father said as he was trying to apologize for her behavior.
“No worries. After all, we are acquainted, aren’t we, Lady Caroline?” the Viscount said that made Caroline’s face heated.
No, no, this is not happening. Why is it of all people it has to be him? Caroline mused as she was staring into the vivid green eyes that will be her nightmare for life.