By the Black Sands, Brynleigh was the most beautiful being he’d ever seen in his entire life. Two large, jet-black bat wings extended from her back. They hung on either side of her, a symbol of her power. The shadows pooling at her feet were a direct contrast to the bridal ensemble she wore.
Then her gaze rose and met his.
The breath returned to his lungs in a whoosh. They stared at each other, the rest of the room disappearing into nothingness. Everything that had ever gone wrong in Ryker’s world righted itself at that moment. She was his other half, his partner in all things, the woman he was destined to love forever.
There was a subtle movement as the cameras panned to the doors. He knew the world was staring at his bride. It didn’t matter, though. They could look because Brynleigh wasn’t looking at the cameras, the crowd, or the priestess.
Her eyes were locked on him. The distance didn’t matter. Her searing gaze made him feel like he was the only man in the world.
“Please stand,” Plyana commanded.
The crowd shuffled as they all stood, save for Ryker’s father.
Music crescendoed. Brynleigh glided across the marble floor towards Ryker, holding his gaze.
Following vampiric tradition, Jelisette met her progeny at the end of the aisle. The older vampire wore a black ball gown that seemed better suited for a funeral than a wedding. Long black gloves went to her elbows, and glistening black diamonds sparkled in her ears. Strange.
Brynleigh never moved her eyes from Ryker’s, even as she slipped her hand onto Jelisette’s outstretched arm.
Priestess Plyana began speaking, regaling the crowd and cameras alike with the history of the Choosing like Chancellor Rose had done during the Opening Ceremony. The priestess reiterated the importance of the practice that unified the Republic of Balance, her voice echoing through the large temple.
Ryker barely heard any of her words. To be fair, he wasn’t attempting to pay attention.
Brynleigh smiled at him, and he smiled back.
Hi, he mouthed.
His vampire’s lips twitched. She mouthed back, Hey. Her eyes widened as if saying, Can you believe this?
He knew instantly what she meant. The grandeur, the temple, the crowd, the cameras, everything. They were all here to watch them get married. It was overwhelming, even for someone like him who’d grown up around wealth and the press.
He’d done everything he could to remain out of sight for the past six years, but the reporters didn’t bother him today.
This was not about him—it was about them.
Plyana turned to Jelisette. Her voice boomed across the now-silent temple. “Do you give your progeny over to this fae to be married?”
Brynleigh visibly bristled at the priestess’s words. Ryker could almost hear his vampire’s voice in his head, railing against the injustice of being spoken about as though she was not a person but a belonging to be bought and sold. She didn’t say anything, though, probably because she was as eager as Ryker to get this ceremony over with.
Jelisette’s ancient obsidian gaze swung to Ryker’s. It took everything the water fae had not to shudder. Something about this woman put him on edge.
She didn’t break his stare, even as she said, “I do. After all, this is the moment we’ve been waiting for.”
Had the words come from anyone else, they would’ve sounded kind. Coming from Jelisette, they made Ryker’s skin pebble. No, he did not like Brynleigh’s Maker. Hopefully, they wouldn’t have to deal with her much in the future.
Ryker descended the steps and stood before the vampires, extending his right hand. Brynleigh held his gaze as she lifted her hand from Jelisette’s and took his.
The moment they touched, fiery sparks ran through him. He raised her hand to his lips and held her gaze as he pressed his mouth against her pale flesh.
“You look beautiful,” he murmured.
His vampire blushed, and the crowd made sounds of delight as he led her onto the stage.
Brynleigh retracted her wings into her back as they took their place before Plyana, but she kept her shadows around her feet.
Such a stunning vision of power.
Ryker was utterly enamored by the woman he was marrying. His fingers ran over the back of her hands, rubbing gentle circles, as the ceremony passed in a blur.