Chosen Bride of the Seven Dark Princes

The brothers gave pained expressions and looked away. They completely understood his reasoning.

There was nothing physically wrong with Lucas. He just had very high standards. He was not the type of man who went around screwing every hole in the ground no matter how willing that hole was.

"Okay, then tell her you're saving each other for marriage. That way she can pretend to be chaste and you don't have to pretend to be aroused by her."

Lucas shivered with disgust.

"I can't even think about that woman without feeling all yucky, but if Candace is in trouble…"

"Yes. Focus on Candace. She needs your help right now." Byron plied on.

"And while you're hanging out with that fake avgo female, if you can throw a monkey wrench in Earth's plans to establish and insert themselves into Erenveil's power structure, not only will our world owe you a great debt, you will also be saving Candace from arrest and imprisonment."

"I don't get it." Lucas scratched his perfectly styled head, wincing as white diamonds fell from their glued positions in his blondish pink hair. "How will seducing Dahlia help Candace?"

Byron rubbed his jaw and gazed thoughtfully at Lucas.

His idea was half-formulated and didn't quite extend to that part. Thankfully, Slate's brilliant military mind, came through with the next part of the plan.

"If she insists that she is in love with you and does not want to take Candace's place, Earth power forces will be thrown into chaos."

He threw out his hands.

"I can then take advantage of that discord and strike with Ereveil's military force, effectively silencing their dissent once and for all."

Lucas's face contorted like a mewling kitten.

"I hope this works."

=====

The gentle strains of Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik was wafting through the large dance floor of the ball room.

Within the dimly lit chamber was a single ballet dancer, twisting and turning her body to the music. Her strong legs kicked and twirled as she threw her hands out to embrace the music.

Above the dance floor on the viewing balcony was a man who was riveted on her dancing form. He watched with breathless adoration as she moved through the music with expressive fingers and toes, throwing her body into the air and landing with grace.

As the strains of the music died away, he stepped from his balcony and moved towards her with slow easy strides. In his arms was a bouquet of light pink roses.

"Good morning, Princess."

She turned to face him with a smile. It was a familiar smile that he had seen so many times on the visuals as she faced the challenges of the Avgo event.

"Dante!" She called out with cheer, her eyes brightening as she saw the flowers in his hands.

The Second Prince with the spiky blue hair and a tall commanding figure moved closer, holding the pink roses between himself and the ballet dancer.

Peering over the top of the roses at her were sparkling green eyes that narrowed with smoky passion.

Slowly, he leaned down and touched his shapely lips to one of the rose buds. Then he handed the bouquet to her.

Candi reached out to receive the bouquet, not sure what to say.

"Thank you. These are beautiful."

"They're trying to imitate you, and failing rather miserably, I'm afraid." He breathed as his intense gaze swept over her.

Candi blushed, looking away. She felt as if he had just delivered the entire universe into her hands.

He reached out and caressed a rose petal from the bouquet she was holding.

"It's still early. I wasn't expecting you to already be up and dancing on your brand new ballroom floor."

Candi laughed.

"I needed the practice. I hadn't had a chance to do any since I left Earth."

Dante smiled.

"You dance so beautifully that I had this room created just for you when I found out that you would be staying here for a week. Please use this room to your heart's content."

"It's beautiful." Candi breathed, looking around.

While she was dancing, she noticed that the floor had been especially prepared for ballet. It had a slip resistant surface and a floating subfloor to cushion her jumps.

She figured it was not a happy accident that Dante would just happen to have a ballet-friendly ballroom. It had been purposely set up.

"What was this room before it was turned into a ballroom?"

"It wasn't. It never existed before you came into my life." He leaned in closer to her, inhaling the sweet scent of the roses.

"I cleared out an unused section of solid rock and created a brand new space where you could dance and move around to your heart's content."

"But we've only just met a week ago. How could this place be created within a week?"

Dante shook his head.

"No Candace. Two days." He held out two fingers.

Candi's jaw dropped. There was no way this place could have been created within two days. It was just too large of a space, and far too well-designed and decorated.

"Slate told me you were coming to stay with me two days ago, so I had this ballroom created just in time for your arrival."

"How?"

Dante's green eyes crinkled with amusement.

"Magic."

Candi rolled her eyes. It was always the same word that these Princes used every time she asked how something amazing was done.

"Where is Slate?" She bent down to inhale the fresh sweet scent of the roses.

"He had to leave last night, saying that the sooner he left, the sooner he could return."

"He didn't say goodbye." Candi looked away, a bit crestfallen. She had woken up early hoping to catch a sight of him before he left.

"You were sleeping and he did not want to disturb you, but we could do a visual call after we have breakfast, if you would like."

"Yes, please."

Dante smiled.

"Let's go have breakfast then, shall we?"

Candace nodded. Dancing all morning had made her super hungry.

Outside the ballroom doors, there was a hovering platform which took them clear across the palace halls to the dining area.

It was a tropical garden filled with hibiscus and azaleas and palms of all sorts surrounding a trickling stream coming down from a natural rock enclave. Song birds chirped high above, on the willows by the pond while tiny white butterflies fluttered about.

Beside the small pond, there was an ornate gazebo which encircled a circular dining table covered with crisp white linens, there was a feast that was already being brought out by the suited servers that hovered everywhere around Dante.

He sat her down and began feeding her from his own plate.

"Try this." He picked up a tiny tart pastry. "It's the best jam in the universe. It's made from special boysenberries that were obtained from the Moons of Coraline."

His eyes softened.

"Open your mouth." He brought the pastry to her lips.

"Hmmm. It's delicious!" She ate the pastry and licked her lips with the tip of her pink tongue. "Isn't that where Bethany Dresden comes from?"

Dante stared at her red mouth, mesmerized. He dropped his lashes to hide the hunger that sprang up suddenly.

"Yes. I import much of the tropical exotic fruits from there."

He picked up another item from his dish.

"Try this beautiful flower petal dipped in pink sugar."

He brought the pale pink petal to her lips. As she opened her mouth, the petal touched her lips and disintegrated.

"Hmmm. It's like cotton candy!" She exclaimed.

He laughed gently.

"It's better. The petal actually contains an ingredient that boosts your energy level so you can stave off exhaustion, at least for awhile."

Candi smiled. Caffeinated candied flowers! It was better than a cup of coffee!

Dante continued to ply her with all sorts of foods from his plate, feeding her until she could not swallow another bite. Once he was satisfied that she was full, he clapped his hands. As the servers began clearing the table, he stood up.

"Let me see if I can call up Slate so you can say good morning, at least."

He waved a hand into the air.

Candi looked up expectantly. She had seen Slate do this before and knew that it was a way to activate some sort of communication device.

Nothing happened other than a ladybug zigzagging as it flew by.

Dante tilted his head with a curious air. He waved his hand again.

Again, Candi waited. A couple of song birds warbled high above them, but there was no sign of Slate, visual or voice.

This time, Dante snapped a finger. Two attendants came rushing to his side.

"Find out what's going on with the Seventh Prince."

"Yes, Your Royal Highness."

The attendants began to group together, touching their ears and making contact with various other groups. A few minutes later they returned to the gazebo, eyes downcast, head bowed.

"Your Royal Highness, it seems as if the Seventh Prince has moved out of the range of our communication devices."

Dante glared at the attendant.

"That's impossible!"

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