People started to leave just before midnight, slowly making their way through the rock face and into mid jump. Jonah had quietly slipped away from his father's sight, knowing that he would expect him to be there to say goodbye to the hundreds of vampires that had attended the night. Instead we had found our way into the upper section of a terraced garden. They had created a serene area to lay and look at the stars on a massive day bed. At first we were laying side by side, still very uneasy about each other. There was no breeze at the moment, just the warmth of the night that wrapped around us as we watched the sky twinkle. Our shoes had been cast off long ago, walking through the dewy grass had been fun. The hem of my dress was damp even though I had lifted it from the ground but I didn't care, this was amazing. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Jonah, his hands on his stomach, one set of fingers tapping on the other hand. It was almost like a nervous twitch. Then out of nowhere, he rolled onto his side, leaning up on one arm and looked down at me.

"I guess you've figured I like you, right?"

I bit my lip with a grin, nodding at him.

"I like you too."

"I uh..." he sighed, his free hand rubbing the back of his neck.

"Jonah, just relax." I grinned, toying with the edge of his jacket "Spit it out, it's ok."

"I want things to be permanent you know, you and me."

"Like boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"Yeah, I know I should probably go and talk to your father first."

"Ok." I said very drawn out "Firstly, you don't have to go and see my father, my life, my choice. Secondly, he would approve regardless. You and your family have been a part of our life for longer than I've been around so there is no issue about getting approval. My parents differ greatly from the likes of your father or worse yet, my grandfather."

Jonah grinned, clearly his mother had told him the tale of the beginning of my parent's relationship. My father didn't know he was the son of a king, my grandfather had tried to ban my mother from seeing him because he was bottom level of vampire society. That was until it was revealed that he was in fact second in line to our countries throne. Suddenly my father was instantly approved to date my mother, wedding date had been set and the fact that they were pregnant with me was all the more better.

"So what does miss independent want?"

"Her boyfriend to kiss her."

Jonah leaned in a little with a cheeky grin.

"You brought your boyfriend to the liberty ball and didn't tell me?"

"He was already here."

I pulled his jacket to me, dragging him in. His soft lips scraped over mine, slowly enjoying the sweet moment. My hand found its way over his jaw to the back of his neck urging him closer. I could see he wanted to take things slowly but there was a limit. They pressed against mine, moulding into a perfect and passionate kiss. His fang tugged on my bottom lip, his eyes were like liquid bronze. My body shivered as his hand ran down my arm to my shoulder, pulling my body closer to his. He gripped the base of my head as he trailed kisses down my neck, sinking his fangs into the soft skin. I gasped as he drank the smallest amount, licking the wound as he continued to kiss my neck.

"You are so sweet." he murmured against my collar bone.

Jonah rolled onto his back, taking me with him. Now I sat on him, the dress was puffed out all over the place. He sat up, continuing to kiss me. His hands were on my shoulders at the base of my neck, mine slipped in under his jacket, feeling the firm body beneath the cotton shirt. Slowly one hand trailed down my spine to the zip at the back of my dress. I could hear the zip slowly pulling apart.

"Out here?" I whispered in the kiss.

"It's private but if you don't want to its ok."

"I do but the dress doesn't really accommodate an entanglement of that sort in this environment." I grinned at him. "Maybe somewhere a little warmer?"

I got off the day bed and picked up my shoes, holding my hand out to him.

"Sure." he returned the grin.

We slipped in through the back doors, trying to reach his bedroom without detection. I knew that our relationship would be approved by all, but there were some that were still very adamant about the order of how things happened. My parents had barely married in time before I was born, thus keeping my grandfather happy. He wasn't impressed that my mother was pregnant at the time of getting married but accepted it only because it was the king's son who got her knocked up. Anyone else would have had their head on the chopping block. And that was why we had to sneak in. Jonah and I being together would be approved, but us having sex would not be. We slipped along the back wall and through the kitchen garden. Most of the staff were in the scullery, the sounds of glasses clinking as they were being washed echoed through the room amid the sounds of the maids chatting. There were more staff in the main kitchen cleaning the frightful mess. Everyone was cleaning something, only stopping to bow or curtsy to us as we hurried through. Jonah slowly pushed the swing door open, watching through the crack to see what was happening in the main corridor. I knew we would have to pass the front door in order to reach the bedroom wing. Slowly we tip toed past the back of the staircase along the corridor. Terrance and Miranda were outside the large double front doors that were wide open. They were still saying goodbye to the last of the guests, it sounded like it had turned into a full on conversation about the future of our planet. At least these people held their attention as we quietly moved to the stairs. Jonah gripped my hand tight, both of us trying not to give ourselves away by our thoughts or erratic breathing.

"Jonah, Ivy.... off to bed are we?"

Dread crawled through me as I recognised the voice from behind. It was his grandfather, Edmund. If there was anyone on this planet that was stricter about behaviour before marriage, it was him. In his opinion, those that were dating could only be allowed to hold hands, mostly because they would need to dance at functions. If the couple had approval of their relationship by their parents and were officially courting, he believed that they could be allowed to kiss, but in private only. And as for sex before marriage, no, that was not allowed. He wouldn't even allow us to swim in the pool together if it were up to him. Too scantily clad these days, too easy to be led astray. Yes, the king of Arque was very much bound by his own morals and ensured all of his family followed the rules. The fact that Miranda and Terrance had been intimate together before marriage was a source of much contention between the two men. Edmund's only consolation was that his second born son was involved with the highest ranking dark being on the planet. She was more powerful than Alina, our queen. Miranda had a direct line to our maker and that was what saved Terrance from an almighty fight with his father.

Jonah turned and faced his grandfather, standing tall and strong. Edmund was like the rest of the Waeston men, tall with sandy blonde hair, athletic builds that looked incredible in a finely fitted suit. The only difference was Jonah had his mother's eyes. I wondered if he would stand up to him, was a night with me worth the fight when he could have it once his grandfather went home?

"Yes grandfather." he said simply.

"I see." Edmund watched him with shrewd eyes. "I was on my way to bed as well."

He gestured to the stairs with a slight smile. I knew what this meant, I was being personally escorted to my room by Edmund. I'd be lucky if he didn't make the maids put me in a chastity belt. Jonah glanced sideways at me as we walked up the stairs, his grandfather behind us. This would be where things got interesting, we were at the top of the stairs, to the left was the family side of the bed room wing, to the right was the guest quarters.

"Goodnight Ivy, I am sure that Jonah and I will see you at breakfast in the morning."

I looked at Jonah who wasn't impressed. His lips were pursed a long thin line as he stared at his grandfather. Not once did Edmund look to his grandson, his eyes firmly fixed on my reaction.

"Of course your highness." I curtsied playing it cool "Rest well."

I turned down to the guest quarters, seeing my father lingering by the door to our quarters.

"And you Ivy." Edmund's deep voice echoed down the corridor.

My father opened the door with a wicked grin, a devious glint in his eye.

"Shut down darling?"

I snorted with serious derision waiting for him to close the door.

"Pretentious, arrogant, archaic old coot."

"Who is going home tomorrow." he held the edge of my shoulders looking down to me "Stay if you want."

"You don't care?"

"Uh, your mother was pregnant with you when we were married, remember?"

I grinned as he hugged me, wrapping his arms around me.

"And besides, you are more than old enough to decide what you do with your life."