"Your Highness," the knight offered the knife to the vampire prince with a slight bow. He was however hesitant before he took it by the handle, admiring and worshiping its sharp edges with his fingers.
Elena had lost track of her own heartbeat. She had read it in books once and had been briefed the night before. Vampires would cut the palm of their brides and taste their blood! The very thought of it made her knees turn weak but she was quick to regain her composure before she ruined her wedding day.
"I admire the choice of the gift," the vampire prince said, a smirk now playing on his face.
Gift!? Everyone was speechless, especially Elena. Could it be... No, he was doing this on purpose! She was about to let out a sigh but what he said next made her turn stiff in fear.
"As much as I want to keep it, I'm afraid it's no match to fangs and claws." His eyes settled on hers, the same smirk playing on his face. And for the briefest of seconds she stared at him, spotting a pair of slightly long canines.
"Get this over with," he told the frozen priest, jolting him back to his senses. Everything else happened so fast but Elena was glad there was no palm cutting or blood sucking. She had dreaded the very thought of it. She smiled grateful but he just stared back at her, unblinking!
The wedding commenced with little to no vampire rituals and for that Elena was glad. He even gave her a moment with her brother before she could leave for her new home. Maybe he was different after all!
"Don't forget what I taught you," Andrian reminded her before drowning in her embrace. "I'll miss you El."
His voice was drawn to a whisper laced with emotions. "I'll miss you too Rian," she said, trying hard to fight the tears. Never in her wildest dreams had she ever imagined being separated from her brother! He was her only family.
After what felt like eternity, they finally broke from the hug, each battling with their own emotions.
"I'll visit sometimes, now that the treaty is enacted," Rian said, cupping her cheeks. He wiped a tear with his thumb. "Go to your new home El. Your husband is waiting in the carriage."
Elena whipped her head to that side and saw the coachman patiently waiting for her with her husband. The word sounded strange in her mind. Maybe this was her fate after all.
She looked at her brother one last time before releasing her hand from his grasp. No looking back, she said. Her eyes rested on him now. His name was Gabriel Sinclair, the bastard vampire prince of Eldoria.
Gabriel took her hand in his and helped her into the carriage before he followed her in. She chose to sit on the other end, away from the palace's view.
The carriage moved, and with it, Elena's thought of ever returning to her home. She chose to look at the wastelands rather than the palace. The pain would be too much to bear.
They rode in silence for about an hour and she noticed the change of scenery. The green lush fields of Mysthaven were now replaced by burnt villages and rough roads that nearly threw her off balance. All this time, Gabriel had not uttered a word!
She peeked at him from the corner of her eyes and found him with his eyes closed. His hands resting on his chin. The wind blew his hair away giving her a chance to have a better look.
If perfection was a person, Elena had to admit Gabriel Sinclair would win the title. He had sharp features and rather pink lips for a man. His eyelashes were bushy, almost feminine. And there was this dangerous aura emanating from him...
"Most people who stare at me that long end up in my bedroom," he said without opening his eyes, and when he did, he looked in her direction. "But for you, it's a privilege."
Elena swallowed the lump in her throat. She had been caught unaware, but his statement did nothing to lessen her worry. And now he was looking at her again with those eyes that turned her into a living statue.
He broke his gaze from her and she unknowingly released a silent sigh of relief. But what he did at the wedding was still bothering her.
"Why didn't you do it?" She asked, peeking at his side profile.
"Do what?" His voice sounded bored, as if listening to a bird's chatter.
"Cut my palm and drink my blood."
His golden eyes shifted to hers momentarily, and for those fleeting seconds, she felt as if he was ripping her soul out, undressing her with his very gaze.
He turned to look outside the carriage. "Why should I when I have the whole eternity to suck you dry?" His voice was laced with sarcasm but the threat was raw. Elena couldn't help but swallow her tongue.
"You should try to relax," he added. "Your heart has been racing from the moment you walked into that hall."
Wait! He could hear her heartbeat? What else was he capable of? This man was surprisingly strange. She had noticed he didn't have any companions yet he was a prince. Not even another vampire dared to attend the wedding.
And now she was being taken to her new home with only a coachman and a carriage to his name! Maybe that was how vampires worked. She wanted to ask more but the thought of being sucked dry made her turn silent.
The road turned from rough to smooth and before she knew it, she had succumbed to sleep. The few days she had been waiting for the wedding had turned to sleepless nights.
Gabriel watched Elena leaning on the side of the carriage before she shifted to his side, nearly falling hard. He was quick to catch her and she leaned on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, running his fingers on her silky hair. She didn't know what she had just gotten herself into!