Emmanuelle’s Choice

The Platinum Ball

I greet you in our traditional Elven way, Emmanuelle. Might I ask your full name?”

Her heart beat wildly in her chest. Never before had she met someone so…lovely. She supposed their whole species must be like that. When he spoke, their appeared to be tiny little chimes that sounded with each word. Subtle, but there, nonetheless. “Of course, my full name is Emmanuelle Aurora Coldbrook.”

“Remarkable… he was right.”

“I’m sorry? Who was right?” She was confused. Who was right? About what?

Those silver eyes penetrated straight into her warm brown ones and Emmanuelle froze. “Why the p-“

“Forgive me, but I see someone else I want to introduce Emmanuelle to before the dancing begins. I know Emmanuelle’s dance card will be full immediately.”

Le’Mer bowed his head in respect. Bowed his head to her. What was that about?

“My apologies, Emmanuelle, but I see three more…guests that I want to introduce you to before the dancing starts. It’s going to be a long night, my dear. Pace yourself.”

“Yes, Lady Marabelle.” Emma took a brief second to take in her hostess. Silvery gray hair, slightly wrinkled skin, but remarkably smooth considering her age was rumored to be in the late seventies. She was rather on the plump side, but she didn’t seem all that obese, unlike her Aunt Donnamesa. Her dress looked like spun silver, and it covered her from neck down, with long flowing sleeves that nearly hit the floor when her arms were at her side. . The neck went all the way up to her hairline in back, but a small slit in front down to the base of her neck. It was the most beautiful gown Emma had ever seen.

Walking up to a young man slightly older than Emmanuelle, and human, Lady Marabelle took her hand and holding it up to the man said, “General Greenstone, this is Emmanuelle. Emmanuelle, meet General Greenstone. The youngest general in a hundred and fifty years, which makes him very wealthy, I might add.”

The very handsome young man, Iif her eyes didn’t deceive her, blushed slightly, but it was barely noticeable in the dim lighting of the ballroom.”

“Thank you, Lady Marabelle. You are quite correct., however. I am fairly wealthy, thanks to making general last year. Emmanuelle, you may call me Timothy.”

“Timothy.” Lady Marabelle’s meaning at the young general’s wealth did not go unnoticed. Her mind had already begun to spin, and she had thought of what she could do for her siblings and her parents if he chose her for his mate tonight. For that’s all these annual balls were but a mate choosing process, for in the Great War, women had been targeted with some type of chemical weapon and over ninety percent of all women, young and old, died, and of the surviving ten percent, fifty percent were sterile, so girls that came from big families were given a ball, and all eligible bachelors were invited, in the hopes they might make a match.

“A pleasure, General, ah, sorry, Timothy.”

“Excuse us, Timothy, but so many more to meet.”

“Might I at least have a dance, Emmanuelle.”

“Of course, Timothy.”

There were other ladies here, but Emmanuelle knew, by design, that she was the only marriage eligible woman here.

“Goodness,” replied Lady Marabelle

. “Two very eligible dance requests on your card in less than ten minutes, and we only have 15 minutes until the dancing begins.” Lady Marabelle stopped suddenly and turned to face Emmanuelle, who stood a few inches higher than the portly Lady of the Manor. “Just so you are aware, every male here is an eligible bachelor in need of a mate, and every female you see here is already mated. So, all male’s eyes are on you today, Emmanuelle.”

“Oh.” In theory, she knew this. Her mother had prepared her for her own ball for months, yet this was not the one she had expected to attend, and these were definitely not the men she had been expecting to see.

“Now, let me introduce you to Lord Havish McHenry.”

“Oh my, your lordship,” she said bowing her head in respect once more. “Baron of all Hilldale.”

Taking Emmanuelle’s hand and departing a kiss onto her knuckles, he said, “so you’ve heard of me?”

“I have, yes. You-you are a study in my current events class at school. I find your, ah, baronship all very fascinating.”

“Indeed. I like this one, LadyMarabelle, very much.”

Lord Havish was a bit older than Emmanuelle, but all she could think of was if she became Lady of the land, she could put all her family up in the great Green Burroughs Manor.

“My word! Who next, who next? Ah! I see the very person. If he chooses you for his mate, you will be a duchess. Higher up then even me.”

Walking up to a very tall very pale man with long dark hair tied neatly back, and a trim fitting suit. Marabelle introduced her to Lord Cragen, Duke of Calinevona.

“It is a pleasure, Miss Coldbrook.”

“The pleasure is mine, my liege.”

A glimmer of something Emmanuelle did not recognize shone in the duke’s eyes when she said it was her pleasure. Did he know something that she should know? No. It was something very feral, very…animalistic by nature. She shivered and hoped the duke didn’t notice.

“Come my dear, I think we have time for one more introduction. Emmanuelle, I’d like you to meet Sinosis, Grand Wizard of America, and third in command next to only the king and the prince.”

Emmanuelle bowed politely in respect to his rank. “Grand Wizard Sinosis. It is an honor and a pleasure to meet you. I must confess to a little bit of an overwhelming sensation, Lady Marabelle.”

“I completely understand. I imagine I would be as well.”

Lady Marabelle opened her mouth as if to say more, when the music began to start. “Ah, well I suppose we will have to wait a bit for more introductions. It’s time to dance.”

Even though she knew she was the center of attention here, she fully expected no one to ask her to dance. And then, someone held his hand out to her…and within five seconds, four hands were reaching for her…oh dear. Now what should she do?

CHAPTER FOUR

“I believe I asked for her first,” said a beautiful elf with silver hair and eyes.

“Like hell you did, I was first,” said a brooding dark haired vampire.

“I think you both were a second after me,” said the most beautiful man she had ever seen. He held a small crystal ball that was attached to a necklace in his hand.

“Yes well, she is going to dance with me,” said a man…no, not a man, a demon.

“You’re a…a…”

“Demon? Yes. Does that frighten you?”

“No, should I be?”

The demon smiled, and she felt that in places she thought only her mate would see and touch.

“I cannot believe you just did that,” she said smiling at his audacity.

He shrugged. Obviously he was not bothered by what he just did.

“Do you have a name? Or shall I just call you demon?”

“I have a name,” he said.

She waited half a beat before answering in case he teased her. “I see. You do not wish to tell me.”

Looking at her out of the corner of his eye, he glanced down in a somewhat regal air. “I’ll tell you, when I’m ready.”

“Oh really. Well there were three other gentlemen that wanted to dance maybe they would understand the importance of telling someone their name.”

Emmanuelle attempted to turn and get out of his grasp. But his next words froze her in her tracks.

“Please don’t. Please continue dancing with me. I’m sorry. I apologize.”

“Very well. I will give you another chance. Mother always says second chances are important.”

The demon’s head went up a bit. His hand was centered on the center of her back. It was just there. He placed no pressure on his touch at all. It was just there. This impressed Emmanuelle. “Your mother seems like a very intelligent woman. You can call me D. All my friends do.”

“You have friends?” The words just popped out of her mouth, unbidden. “Oh goodness. I am sorry. That was so rude. My apologies.”