Page 29 of The Vampire's Bride

“I understand why you ran away,” he murmurs. “You were scared.”

“Yes, I was afraid, but I didn’t run away,” I counter. “I just… I needed to get away to clear my head. To think things through.”

He frowns. “And what did you determine?”

“That you were fighting against your nature and your hunger because you didn’t want to scare me by losing control.” Shamefills me. “And I repaid that consideration with fear and mistrust, simply because of what you are.”

He arches a brow. “Many would consider it foolish to trust a Vampire in the first place.”

“Yes, but you are not just any Vampire.” I touch his face. “You are my husband.”

“You do not care that you are married to a monster?”

“You’re not a monster.”

His gaze drops to my neck, where he bit me. “Yes, I am, Juliet.”

I don’t understand why he seems so intent upon casting himself as a villain. Maybe his previous wife treated him this way. If that is true, then I plan to be different. Yes, he’s a Vampire, but he has been kind and considerate of me thus far. And until he proves himself otherwise, I will do my best to meet him halfway in this marriage.

When I think of Jonathan’s anger whenever I would refuse him anything, I shudder inwardly. I think of my stepfather and how awful he is to my mother. Even human men can be monsters. Valaric is nothing like them. “Perhaps you are, but you are not one to me.” I take his hand in my own, squeezing it gently. “You’ve saved me twice now, Valaric.”

“And now you have saved me.” Valaric glances at our blanket fort, and a smile tugs at his lips. “I would not have thought of this.”

Despite the storm outside, the sunlight glows a bit brighter around the edges of the covered windows. But I’m pleased to note that the blankets over our heads keep us both in the shadows.

“Fortunately for you”—I tip up my chin—“you have a clever wife.”

His expression softens. “I do, indeed.”

My cheeks heat and I force myself to look away. “How long will it take for you to heal now that you’ve had my blood?”

“I should be fully healed before night falls again.”

“Good.”

I’m still wrapped up in Valaric’s arms when I feel him tense. I tilt my head up to look at him. “Is something wrong?” I ask softly.

His eyes flicker to mine, and for a heartbeat, I think he might say nothing. But then he reaches into his pocket, his movements careful, deliberate. He pulls out a small wooden box and holds it out to me.

“I’ve... I’ve been meaning to give this to you,” he says, and there’s something in his voice—something tight, almost hesitant.

I take it from him and carefully open it. Inside is a ring. A simple silver band. It unadorned, with no stone or ornament, but it’s lovely all the same. “It’s beautiful,” I murmur.

“It was my grandmother’s,” he says solemnly. “She gave it to me shortly before her passing. She wanted me to give it to my wife someday.”

As I gaze at my husband, it’s obvious this ring is very precious to him. Just as precious as my pearl necklace is to me.

“I know it’s only a simple band, but we can have a stone added if you’d like.”

The way he suggests this makes me realize why he seemed hesitant when he first handed me the box. He was probably worried that I wouldn’t like it because it is plain. But that could not be further from the truth. I love that he is entrusting me with something that means so much to him.

I shake my head. “It’s perfect.”

His gaze is full of possession as he slips it onto my finger. The fit is perfect. As if it was always meant to be mine. My heart flutters as he takes my hand and presses a tender kiss to the back of my knuckles.

Absently, I bring my hand to my necklace. “I believe it matches this perfectly.” His brow furrows softly in confusion and I realize I should explain. “This ring is special because it came from your grandmother—someone you loved and cared for deeply.”

I clasp the pearl on the end of the delicate silver chain around my neck. “This was the last thing my father gave me before he died.” Emotions lodge in my throat, but I somehow manage to speak around them. “The last trip he made overseas, he brought this back for me.”

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