Vampire King's Hidden Bride

+CHAPTER 4+ An Uninvited Guest

Vladimir sat on the throne as he gazed at the females that had gathered in the ballroom for a chance to dance with the King.

The white walls of the Royal ballroom with green and golden detailing were decorated with black roses, resembling the darkness that resided within Vladimir's soul.

Enormous crystal chandeliers were hanging from the ceiling that illuminated the remarkable yet vague piece of architecture.

Only selective Vampires were invited to the Royal Ball and among them were the deadliest Vampire warriors, a bunch of political p*****s, and a large number of females who thought that they had a shot at being the Vampire Queen.

Closing his eyes for a moment Vladimir sighed deeply. . .

Vladimir's instinct was awfully quiet today. It wasn't nagging him like it used to do. Even the air wasn't awfully depressing today. Which made Vladimir worry. Vladimir was the first person who was scared because he felt at ease.

He felt as if the air was whispering a secret that he couldn't catch. . .

Instead of the customary loneliness, Vladimir was feeling underlying anticipation.

Something was about to happen but what. . .?

“I guess it is time, my King.” Mercy pulled him out of his thoughts. He gazed at her and she gave him a tight smile.

"Tell me who started this stupid custom?" Vladimir mumbled in a bored tone as he looked at the females dressed in different shades of red at which he barely managed not to scowl at them.

Red was known to be the most desired color for a Vampire. Exotic yet enchanting. But seeing all the women dressed in red probably in trying to appear somehow appealing to Vladimir, the color lost its charm.

It took every ounce of self-control that Vladimir possessed not to bluntly laugh at the females that were throwing shy glances his way. They were trying to act coy and failing miserably at it.

"The Vampire council, my King. They are positive that you will choose a Queen after falling for someone from the countless nameless faces in the crowd." Even in Mercy's shush whisper Vladimir could detect an underlying loathe for the Vampire Council.

"Why did you arrange this without my permit?" Vladimir asked half-heartedly. The council had arranged a little game for him. A spotlight was going to stop randomly at any female from the crowd and Vladimir will have to dance with the fortunate female. That will be the first dance of the Royal Ball.

'What a disgustingly boring game.' Vladimir thought to himself.

"You have given more power to the council than you think." Mercy warned silently leaving the part that if Vladimir didn't get his s**t under control then it won't be long that the council's decisions will challenge the words of the King.

Reading Mercy's mind Vladimir traced his tongue over his fangs to stop them from elongating. It was funny how everyone thought that he was clueless about the tiny political games the Vampir Council thought they were playing with their King.

They were completely oblivious of the fact that they were alive because Vladimir had allowed them to live.

He gazed at the private balcony of the royal ballroom where the members of the Vampire Council were arrogantly standing with their false illusions of power.

Vladimir was a predator who was toying with his prey. The counsel was stupid enough to think that they can make him do something he didn't want to.

Vladimir was the one who had given them power and he will be the one to take that power from them.

He was letting them enjoy the illusion of having an advantage over him. When the right time will come, Vladimir will quench his thirst by drinking from the throats of the so-called elders of the Vampire council. Until then he will let them relish the limited time they had with their illusions of power.

The Vampire Counsel was nothing but puppets in the hands of Vladmir~

"Then I better get ready for the dance. Now we won't want the mightly Vampire council to get angry." Standing from the throne Vladimir smoothed a hand over his ballet tunic black shirt whose sleeves were cuffed at his wrists. His long legs were covered with black pants. His hair was tousled as if he had just woken up from a long nap. He hadn't bothered to wear his crown.

It had been more than seventeen years since the last time he wore his crown. . .

How could Vladimir wear his crown when he didn't even felt worthy enough to sit on his throne? He had lost his desire to rule the day he lost his bride and that was the reason why the Vampire Council came into being in the first place.

Vladimir was a man who wasn't able to protect his bride. Every day he spent hiding behind his castle's walls he was mocked by his conscience. His conscience mocked him for his fear.

Vladimir was hiding skeletons in his closets and the day those skeletons started coming out of his closet. . .

Loyalties will be challenged. . .

Kingdoms will fall apart. . .

Alliances will be broken. . .

And the lives of the Royals of the six Empires of the Supernatural World will be royally f****d.

Shaking his dark thoughts, despite wanting to leave this f*****g clown show Vladimir squared his shoulders as he headed towards the dance floor.

The lights of the Royal hall dimmed as the spotlight rolled over countless females holding their breaths praying that the spotlight will stop over them. Even the orchestra had stopped putting a little bit of dramatic effect to their little game.

Vladimir resisted the urge to yawn. While this little game thrilled the council and the females around him it was extremely tedious for him.

He couldn't wait for this night to end. . .

Suddenly the doors of the royal hall opened as someone entered the hall. 'Who had dared to come late to the King's ball?' Vladimir thought to himself with a frown.

Vladimir tried to steal a glance at the individual but the females flocking around him made it impossible for him to even get a glimpse of the newcomer.

Vladimir resisted the urge to snarl at them. His annoyance was multiplying with each passing second.

Dear Moon! What was this strange restlessness?

Sweat dotted on his brows as he inhaled but didn't detect any new scent. Who the hell had come through those doors?

Suddenly the spotlight stopped on someone standing at the entrance.

Murmurs broke all around him.

The females who had been swooning over him moments ago were now focused on the female under the spotlight.

Vladimir wiped the sweat from his brows with trembling fingers. His uneven breaths echoed in his ears as he became aware of his speeded heartbeat.

Something was happening and his body

recognized it but Vladimir's conscience didn't.

The crowd parted, making way for him to approach the lucky female.

That was when he saw her standing there like a deer caught in the headlights, dressed as a woman who had stepped out of every man's wet dream.

She was a sight to behold~

Unconsciously Vladimir rubbed a hand over his chest as his heart constricted painfully in his chest at the sole sight of her.

When Vladimir's breaths shallowed and his eyes misted he touched the corner of his eyes with his fingers and frowned at the tears that glistened on his fingers under the dim light of the ballroom.

Why was he crying?

What was this pain?

What was happening?

Vladimir gazed back at the unknown woman. It wasn't as if Vladimir hadn't seen a female more gorgeous than her but it was just that none of them had been able to rile the animal living within his soul to this point.

None of them had been able to drag such strong emotions from him. . .

She was wearing a floor-length full-sleeved blood-red silk gown with a slit up to her mid-thigh that exposed her pale toned leg. Her gown was the simplest one Vladimir had seen tonight yet it outshined all the superfluously exposing gowns all the women wore around him.

Her shoulder-length raven hair looked as if she had just stepped out of the water. Her eyes were cast down as she seemed to be murmuring something under her breath that sounded like 'So much for staying out of the radar and blending with the crowd.'

Her nose and lips were covered by a veil made of thin golden chains. Walking with an arrogant smirk Vladimir approached her. To his surprise, she didn't even spare him a look as she walked past him making gasps echoing in the hall which made her stop in her tracks.

Vladimir bitted his lower lip to keep in the laugh that was threatening to bubble out of his lips.

She was the first female who had dared to ignore the King in his own Royal Ball.

It seemed like this mysterious scentless woman had come to the wrong party. It was clear that she didn't even have the slightest idea of what was going on.

Walking towards her Vladimir leaned down as he rasped in her ear. "Maybe you should have worn something else if you had wanted to blend in the crowd." At his words, her shoulder stiffened as she turned around to face him.

Her startled hazel eyes collided with his green ones.

"f**k!" The woman swore and that was the moment Vladimir knew who he was going take to his bed tonight. Maybe for one night, he could forget his guilt and sorrows.

Maybe for one night, he could pretend that his life wasn't a mess.

Vladimir was eager to find where this night arranged by the Vampire Council was going to take him.