Today is the beginning of the end of my life, as I know it. Today is the day I become Mrs. Darius Draven. Everything I have and am will all be given to Darius in exchange for a better life for my father…for my family. My life will no longer be my own, it will be his…a night-dweller. It wasn’t too long ago that I thought of night-dweller’s as one of the lowest forms of life ever created. I detested them and everything they stood for. Now I’m pledging my life to one. My how the tides have turned.
According to the consultant Darius hired, this entire day will be one big spectacle. I will be paraded through the streets all the way up to the Capital where we will be married before the entire town. Great. As if this marriage isn’t enough of a spectacle.
“Ms. Mason, did you hear what I said?” Melissa, the consultant asked.
I’d been daydreaming, locked in the horror of what’s about to take place. “No, I’m sorry,” I shook my head, “I don’t want to do this.”
“I can see that, but why? You’re about to marry every girls wet dream Giselle and you pout as if he were just an ordinary man.”
“I’m marrying every girls’ wet dream, including mine…if I’m being honest, but I’m not his wet dream. No…that spot is reserved for Aria Van Holston,” I sulk, “I’m no different than the girls who fantasize about him.”
“You obviously don’t know how things work around here. Once you say I do, you’ll become THEE Mrs. Darius Draven. As in the only one that’ll matter. It won’t matter what he feels for Aria, he won’t be able to act on his feelings as long as he’s married to you. And with time, those feelings will fade,” Melissa explains, “You’ll be all that matters to him and more importantly, our people. Now come on…step into your dress.”
I refuse and fold my arms across my chest. Frustrated, Melissa throws her hands up and leaves the room. For once there is silence. I wonder if my family will be at the ceremony. I wonder what people will think of me, allowing a night-dweller to defile me in the most intimate of ways. Even one as devastatingly handsome as Darius Draven. Will they think of me as a traitor?
The door to my dressing room opened and I started to lash out at whoever had interrupted my peaceful moment when the words died in my throat. I’ve never seen her before but she’s STUNNING. Perhaps she’s one of Darius’ other playthings. He likes to collect beautiful things and women are no exception.
“I assure you I am not one of my son’s play things,” her voice came out like silk. Son…Esme. Esme finally came out of hiding and now she’s standing in my dressing room the picture of perfection. She chuckles and says, “Darius did warn me about how flattering your thoughts are.”
Instantly I flushed red with embarrassment. Now I know where Darius gets his abilities. “Darius isn’t here if that’s who you’re looking for.”
“Actually I came to talk to you. Melissa tells me you’re refusing to get dressed?” Her eyes met mine. “What’s wrong? Is Darius not suitable enough for you?”
“No, it’s not that.”
“Then enlighten me. There’s an entire continent of girls vying for his affections and yet you spurn his advances. Why?”
“He’s in love with Aria Van Holston, not me. This wedding, our marriage…its all a lie.”
“Welcome to an arranged marriage. You know, I didn’t love Darius’ father when we first married and he didn’t love me. Viktor was more concerned with besting Lucien whom everyone knew I was in love with.”
“How did you do it? How could you marry him knowing you loved his brother?”
“I did it because I had no other choice. At first I regretted it, but in time I grew to love Viktor. Now I love him and Lucien both, just like you’ll grow to love Darius.”
“Loving Darius isn’t what gives me pause. It’s loving him knowing he may never feel the same that troubles me.”
“Give him time Giselle. In the meantime, let’s get you dressed.”
I wasn’t completely sold on marrying Darius, but how could I say no to Esme? She comes out of hiding for no one, and yet here she is, tending to me, as I’m sure someone tended to her on her big night.
Sighing, I took off my clothes and stepped into the dress she was holding. It wasn’t until she zipped me up and I looked in the mirror that I realized it wasn’t the dress I bought. It was the dream dress I decided not to get.
“This isn’t my dress.”
“Lord Draven told me to tell you that your old dress was ruined in an accident and the store owner sent this one over to replace it,” Melissa explained from the doorway.
Of course he did…and something tells me Cara has something to do with this. She knew how much I loved this dress.
“Will it hurt?” I ask.
“What?” Esme’s brows rise.
“Being with a night-dweller?”
“No need to worry about things like that,” Esme assures me, “Darius is as gentle as they come.”
Again I’m not exactly sold on the gentle part, since all he’s done is feed on me since we met, but its either this or bury my father. On autopilot, I stand in front of the mirror as my hair and makeup are done. I’m draped in jewelry that probably cost more than my entire inheritance three times over. My hair is swept up in a bun with curly tendrils falling down here and there. Diamond hairpins are placed in my hair, my nails are painted blood red, and when all of that is finished, I’m helped into some silver and white sparkly heels with the toes out.
My makeup is kept natural with a nude lip. I look beautiful…too beautiful to carry out this lie.
Cara and April walk in wearing their bridesmaid’s dresses. Their mouths drop open when they see me, “Oh my God Giselle, you look stunning!” Cara is the first to compliment me.
“Why the long face?” April asks.
“This wedding is one big lie,” I sulk.
“This wedding is your way of taking care of your family. You shouldn’t be ashamed of that.”
“I’m not ashamed of it, I just wish I didn’t have to throw my life away to pay for my stepmother’s debts and my father’s inability to stand up to her.”
“It could be worse,” Cara points out, “You could be marrying someone, ugly, fat, and broke.”
“Not to cut your meltdown short, but we’re running low on time,” Melissa barks at us, looking at her watch.
After spraying some perfume on me, and pinning the ungodly long veil to my head, the front of the veil is pulled down to cover my face. I’m positioned behind my bridesmaids and can’t help but notice that in addition to Cara and April, I have at least eight other bridesmaids I don’t even know. More lies. All handpicked by the Draven’s. They all greet and smile at me, practically bowing to me as if they know me somehow. Melissa explains that they are showing me respect as the future wife of one of their leaders. Night-dwellers…they’re all night-dwellers. I should have known.
One by one Melissa sends them all out the hand-carved wooden double doors leading outside where the beginning of my walk of shame will start. I want to run, but I’m afraid to. I’ve already come this far and I’m already in so deep that running would only prolong the inevitable. And I’m one thousand percent sure Darius would turn the world upside down to find me if I ran. He’d never allow me to escape his control. He thrives on it…control I mean.
I feel like I’m on display as the doors open and its finally my turn to step out into the sunlight. There are barricades blocking the population from getting to me, and a wall of security guards along each side of the barricade. Everyone can get a glimpse of me, but no one would be allowed within ten feet of me.
Thousands of people line the streets on the other side of the barricade to get a look at me, the human patsy. There are night-dwellers dressed in all white standing next to a white horse and carriage adorned in white roses. To my right, Esme takes her place and the crowd is just as taken aback by her beauty as I am. Her dark hair, blood red lips, pale blue eyes and perfect cheekbones are the envy of every woman watching.
To my left, and to my surprise, my father takes my other arm. I’ve missed him so much I could kiss him. Together, the three of us make our way to the horse drawn carriage and take our seats. Let the charade begin. The carriages before mine start to take off one-by-one carrying my bridesmaids and the groomsmen. The only person I don’t see is Darius. Where is he?
Maybe he got cold feet and bailed? He doesn’t strike me as the type to abandon his duties but I’m not exactly an expert on the inner working of Darius Draven. White rose petals are thrown onto the path before me as my carriage passes through the streets heading for the capital.
“She’s getting cold feet,” Esme tells my father.
“Is everything ok?” He turns to address me.
“I don’t want to do this.”
“Why not?”
“She’s afraid my son’s romantic interests lie elsewhere,” Esme fills him in.
“Do they?”
“Does it matter?” She cut her eyes at him, “Darius will honor his part of this arrangement. He’s an honorable man and Giselle is lucky to be chosen as his bride.”
I zoned out while my father and Esme exchanged witty banter. Somehow a conversation about my reservations became a stage for the two of them to outdo one another. Just a small glimpse into what my life is about to become.
As we near the end of my walk of shame, the carriages before us stop. Their passengers are unloaded, and a rapid-fire of camera flashes ensues. When it’s my turn, I’m not allowed to just walk into the building like the others. No, I have to play my part.
Placed between my father and Esme, I’m told where to turn, whom to pose for, to smile, to lift my head up and be proud.
My feet are killing me and I’d give anything to get out of these God forsaken heels. I keep shifting from leg to leg to steal some sort of comfort. I guess if I were immortal like a night-dweller, I wouldn’t feel a thing. Must be nice.
“I’ve had about enough of this. Can we please go inside?” I whisper to my father.
“Just a few more minutes dear,” Esme replies.
In a few more minutes I’ll be coming out of these shoes. When I can take it no longer, I turn towards the capital, father and Esme in tow or not, and make my way inside. Away from prying eyes, I lean against the wall and take my shoes off.
“What are you doing?” Melissa comes out of nowhere.
“My feet are killing me. I’ll be making the rest of this trip down the aisle barefoot,” I toss the shoes at her feet. Her mouth drops open and she starts to speak when I hold my hand up to stop her. “I’m about to compromise my entire existence for my family. The least you can do is allow me to be comfortable while doing it.”
Melissa closes her mouth and nods. She understands that I’m at the end of my rope and to push me now would only have an adverse affect. We have an unspoken mutual understanding and she decides to choose her battles wisely.
We move into the next room where double doors lead to the end of my freedom. I feel like the walls are closing in on me. Taking slow deep breaths, I try not to faint. There are guards covering each exit, so I can’t run from this.
Melissa reaches for the double doors and I hold my breath. They open to a well-lit room with crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, white pews, and white roses everywhere with an occasional red rose to add a pop of color. The flower girl is unraveling a white carpet for me to walk on and I recognize her right away. For the first time since waking up this morning I smile. Eliza…
Her hair is pulled back away from her face and cascades down her back in golden ringlets. Her dress is an over exaggerated white lace and tulle combination that makes her look like a princess at a ball. She winks at me, and I’m no longer a nervous wreck.
Esme walks in before me, and then my father and I take to the carpet to make my final walk over to Darius. Everyone is now standing and bow as I walk by. My eyes search for him but stop short as I realize that one of the groomsmen is my brother Lucas. His smile brings me further comfort. Darius didn’t have to do this, but he knew how important they were to me. He did this for me.
My eyes meet his at the end of the carpet just as my father hands me over to him. He takes my hand into his and gives it a gentle squeeze. This is it. The time has come for me to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Our guests take their seats and Darius and I turn to one another. Our officiator speaks to the room in a language I’ve never heard before then translates it into English. It’s an oath. Darius accepts the blood oath, holds out his hand and using a silver thumb blade, the officiator makes a small incision. His blood pours out into a crystal glass. Next, his venom is extracted from his fangs with the help of his brothers. I can’t help but wonder what they’re going to do to me. I wouldn’t have to wait long to find out.
The officiator turns to me and unlike Darius’ oath, where he promised to be a great provider, ruler, husband and father…my oath had to do with being obedient to him, carrying his children, and tending to his needs even before my own. What a crapshoot! Still I accept the oath and hold out my hand for the officiator to take. Like Darius, he makes a small incision in my hand and my blood pours into the same crystal glass with Darius’ blood. Vladimir, Viktor, Esme, Lucinda and my father all step forward to add their blood to the oath.
The crystal glass is then held up into the air and everyone began chanting in a language I didn’t understand. I tried my best to mimic the words.
The crystal glass was handed to me to drink and I did so without hesitation. I could taste his venom. My skin heats up, my head is cloudy and my vision is blurred. After a few minutes the side affects go away and it’s Darius’ turn to drink from the glass. Surprisingly, he hesitates. His eyes flicker out into the room full of guests and back. I follow his gaze to a somber Aria. He hesitated because of her.
Vladimir clears his throat and in response, Darius drinks the contents of the crystal glass. The oath is now complete. Darius lifts my veil and gently kisses me on the lips. But it’s the kind of kiss you’d expect a brother to give his sister, except on the lips.
The room erupted in cheers and flower petals were thrown at us. Melissa had security get rid of the guests while the wedding party took pictures and then we were escorted into a banquet hall within the capital.
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