Page 111 of The Vampire's Bride

Instead, I force myself to remain still. Valaric stands beside me, his hand resting on the small of my back.

“Prince Raine,” Valaric begins. “Allow me to introduce my true wife, Lady Juliet Greyvale.”

Prince Raine studies me like a serpent eyeing a fledgling bird. “A Vampire married to a human,” he muses. “I have never heard of such a thing.”

The prince leans forward, a sinister smile playing on his lips. “Tell me: Have you bewitched our Lord Greyvale, pretty human? Is that why he took you as his true wife instead of as a blood wife?”

Fear coils in my stomach, but I ignore it. Vampires revere strength, and I refuse to appear weak before this man. “Thatwould be quite difficult, your Highness, since I am only human and possess no magic.”

Someone in the crowd gasps, shocked by my somewhat impertinent answer.

“I beg to differ.” Surprised amusement flickers across the prince’s features. “There must be some sort of magic in your blood, to make yourhusbandlose all sense of propriety by taking a human for his mate.”

His words send a chill down my spine as his expression turns contemplative. “Maybe it is something in your blood.” A predatory gleam lights his eyes as his fangs extend. “Perhaps I should take a sample for myself.”

Valaric tenses at Prince Raine’s thinly veiled threat. He positions himself in front of me, his entire body bristling with anger. “No one will—”

“Perhaps it was not clear,” Damar cuts in, his voice ringing with authority. “As the true wife of Lord Valaric, Lady Juliet is a member of House Greyvale and thus afforded the protection of the laws that govern our kind.”

The entire room seems to hold its breath, waiting for the prince’s response. Valaric’s grip on my waist tightens, a silent vow of protection.

Out of the corner of my eye, a purple tail flicks in the shadows along the wall. Thankfully, no one seems to have noticed Aerlyx is here, but if the prince makes a move, the Incubus will teleport me to safety.

He and Valaric devised this plan last night. My husband hoped we wouldn’t need to resort to such measures, but in this court of blood and darkness, my new title may not be enough to keep me safe.

Irritation flickers across Raine’s face, so fast I nearly miss it, before he leans back in his chair as if bored. Instead of responding to Damar’s statement, he holds his hand out to hisbloodsworn, and she takes it without hesitation. He lifts her arm and skims his nose along the jumping pulse of her slender wrist, inhaling deeply.

“There is nothing like the taste of human blood.” His voice is a low and sensual purr. “Don’t you agree, Lord Valaric?”

Before Valaric can answer, the prince pulls the woman into his lap. With one hand solidly on her thigh, he tangles the other in her long brown hair and then dips his head to the column of her throat, pressing a tender kiss over the pulsing artery. “I suppose I understand,” he muses, trailing his lips along her skin until he reaches her shoulder. “I wouldn’t want anyone tasting what is mine either.”

A devious smile curves his mouth. “Tell me: how did you end up wed to a human, Lord Greyvale?” He gestures to the crowd around us. “I’m sure I am not the only one interested in hearing your story.”

CHAPTER 46

VALARIC

Like a snake, coiled and ready to strike, Prince Raine’s penetrating gaze travels over my wife with a look of intense fascination.

Fierce possessiveness surges through me, and I struggle to bite back the growl building in my chest. Knowledge is power and I cannot give him the truth of our initial meeting. To do so would reveal my tie to the blood witch, and subsequently, my curse.

Before I can answer, Juliet replies. “I’m afraid our story is not as exciting as you might have hoped, Prince Raine.”

I’m surprised at her bravery as she steps out from behind me to stand at my side. If not for the scent of her fear flooding my nostrils, I’d think her unafraid as she faces one of the most powerful Vampires in the realm.

“I was injured and Lord Greyvale healed me,” she explains. “He gained my heart and my affections in the process. We were wed in a temple of the old gods.”

She glances around the room at the dozens of red eyes observing us closely before turning her attention back to him. “I understand that ours is a rather unusual pairing, but our story is as old as time.” She takes my hand, squeezing it gently. “We are simply two people who found each other and decided we never wished to be parted.”

Raine’s eyes sparkle as he huffs an incredulous laugh, fascination and delight flashing across his sharp features.

The prince is intrigued.

I admire Juliet’s bravery, but it is dangerous to draw the interest of one of our kind, especially someone as powerful as Prince Raine.

Damar and I move closer to my bride, both of us tense.

In the shadows, Aerlyx’s glowing lavender eyes blink at me before disappearing again—a subtle reminder that we have a quick means of escape if this all goes wrong.

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