Page 3 of Married to the Vampire Prince

“You just… proposed… to me…” I mumbled, trying to process this turn of events.

Silas – the most important person in the country after the king, a vampire much older than me – wanted me for his wife.

People with ruby blood weren’t that rare. Every month at least one new person was identified as having the special quality. The prince could have chosen a bride from one of the elite Families instead of coming here to wed me – plain, simple Grace.

What the hell was going on?

“Why me?” The words were barely a whisper, though they still carried the weight of the storm in my heart.

“I saw your photo in the report I got from the Testing Facility. I took a liking to you,” Silas shrugged, like his explanation was the most obvious thing in the world. “And I have to marry someone with ruby blood to ward off insanity.”

Might as well be you – he didn’t say those words, but he might as well have.

He hadn’t put much thought into this decision, had he? He had merely seen a photo of me and liked me… and that little incentive was apparently enough for him to propose?

I was of medium height and had a slim build, my body not very curvy. I had long, straight black hair that fell down my back, and a petite face with large, light blue eyes. I had never considered myself much of a beauty, though I knew I wasn’t ugly either.

I was just myself, yet for some reason I had attracted the attention of this rich and hot royal vampire.

Since he was one of the most important men in the country, I couldn’t refuse his proposal. I couldn’t risk the wrath of the royal family falling upon my parents and myself.

As I had told Mom before, if a vampire lord wanted to marry me, all I could do was accept his proposal and make the best of my arranged marriage.

When Silas had chosen me as his wife, my fate had already been sealed. Now all I had to do was follow him to the altar blindly and live the rest of my life serving him as his partner.

I held back a grim chuckle. Mom had said I could fall in love with my vampire husband, but I couldn’t see myself falling in love with Silas Hoyt. Sure, I was attracted to him, and that fact would make… serving him in bed easier. The thought didn’t appall me as much as it would have if someone who I found disgusting had chosen to marry me. Silas was at least easy on the eyes.

I would become his wife. This fate was my reality now. I couldn’t do anything else but say yes.

I took a deep breath and nodded. “I accept your proposal.”

Gasps came from behind my back, and I turned around to see my mom crying and my dad holding her in his arms, whispering that everything would turn out alright. They must have come to see who was at the door after waiting for me to return to them

“Pack your things. The wedding will be tomorrow. The limousine will take us to the royal palace.” When I turned back around to face Silas, he gestured to the car behind him.

One corner of his lip was slightly raised. Silas smiling, even so subtly, was a sight I had never seen before – neither on TV nor on the covers of magazines. He was always pictured with a grim expression, a dark and brooding aura around him.

He was actually pleased that I had agreed to marry him. Well, why did that fact surprise me so much? He had chosen me after all, and I had given him no resistance to accepting his proposal.

Why did my heart feel so warm at the sight of him smiling?

I shook my head, pushing away the strange feeling. I walked into the house and up the stairs to my room, hearing my parents inviting Silas to the living room behind me. I tried not to think, not to panic, as I packed the few possessions I had and wanted to take with me to the royal palace – the place which I would soon call my new home.

Chapter Two

Silas

Silence laid heavy between Grace, her parents and myself as we drove to the palace in my limousine.

I usually enjoyed the quiet and being alone with my thoughts. Yet I couldn’t help but notice how uncomfortable my future bride appeared to be. She fidgeted with her fingers and squirmed in her seat. Her eyes darted around the inside of the car, not landing on any object for longer than a heartbeat.

I felt bothered that she couldn’t relax around me. I tried to keep in mind that I had introduced a great change into her life, and she would probably just need time to process her new circumstances.

I decided not to fill the air with small talk. Worthless words wouldn’t be helpful.

My eyes couldn’t leave Grace though. I looked at her beautiful black hair that fell down her back like a gentle waterfall. She had a cute face with large, blue eyes. Her figure was to my liking too – slim but with enough curves to be attractive.

I felt an indescribable pull towards her. It had begun the first time I had seen her photo. Just one glance had confirmed for me that she was the woman I wanted. Where this sudden, strong conviction had come from, I didn’t know. However, during my years in the army I had learned instinct was my best friend, so I decided to rely on my gut feeling about choosing my wife.

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