Page 47 of Married to the Vampire Prince

“I’m so very sorry,” I repeated. I walked to the flap to the tent and out into the fresh air of the evening.

I had no idea how my relationship with Grace would be able to continue from now on. One fact was certain though – there were no divorces in vampire marriages. Besides, selfish bastard that I was, I didn’t want to let Grace go. I wouldn’t be able to stand knowing another man could possibly have her the way I had once had her.

She was mine.

Except she didn’t want to belong to me. She didn’t want to be in my arms. She didn’t want to receive pleasure from my bite or cock. She had made that much clear.

If only we could go back to how we had been before the war. I wanted to return to that easy, comfortable relationship we had slowly been building.

I was a monster though, like she had said, and monsters didn’t deserve warmth.

Chapter Nineteen

Grace

The more I thought about my relationship with Silas the more grim my thoughts became. A week had already gone by since he had fed on me, and soon another week would pass. I would have to bare my neck to him again. I should be dreading the intimate act, and yet… here I was, finding myself excited at the prospect of being bitten again.

I didn’t know what to think about Silas and my marriage to him anymore. My feelings confused me.

On one hand I couldn’t deny being physically attracted to him; I always had been. From the first moment I had seen him, standing in the entrance of my old, rundown house, I had realized he was a man whose looks I fancied. Then as I eventually learned more about him, my attraction to him deepened even more.

So herein was the problem I now faced – if the kindly Silas I knew was just a façade masking his real brutish self, the dangerous war hero,then the pull I felt towards him should have immediately ceased. After all, I had already decided that I couldn’t live a lie and pretend I didn’t know the truth about his nature.

Yet when Silas’ fangs had pierced my skin last week, I had felt pleasure and come just like always whenever we had sex. I should have been repulsed by his touch, but my experience had been the opposite; I craved my husband just like I had before realizing who he really was.

Silas’ behavior hadn’t changed since I had discovered his violent side, either. I watched him from the sidelines ashe continued commanding the war camp, leading people into battles and returning with a grim expression.

Other than that one instance of showing his brutish side while defending me, he remained the calm and collected Silas he had always been as my husband – outside of the bedroom of course; in there, he had been the most passionate man I had ever known.

My observations made me wonder if I hadn’t made a hasty decision in pushing him away. He had fought to protect me, after all, and I didn’t actually have any confirmation that he felt no remorse for killing our assailants. All I really had were assumptions.

Maybe I should speak to him about my thoughts and worries?

No – what if doing so only confirmed for me that he really was a monster? How could I continue to be his wife if all of my worries and fears were proven right?

I craved the truth, yet at the same time I wanted to run from it.

Today I was sitting outside, reading a book on history with Ruth seated near me. She had come to the frontlines after realizing the war would be prolonged. She wanted to keep me company and continue my studies. Nobody had told her to do so. She just enjoyed our companionship, she had said, and so had made the decision to join me all on her own.

I couldn’t focus on the reading, though. With a sigh I closed the book and looked at Ruth, who’d been immersed in her own reading. “Ruth, can I ask you something?”

The vampire lady put away her book and gave me her full attention. “I’m always here to answer your questions.”

“It’s not about history, though,” I wavered. “Not directly anyway.”

Ruth arched her eyebrows. “What is it, then?”

“I wanted to ask about my husband. We’ve had a… falling out, of sorts, lately. I know the relationship between you and I is technically just teacher and a student, but I really have nobody else to confide in. If you don’t mind…” I trailed off. I felt like I was imposing on Ruth.

She smiled, showing her fangs. “I consider you a friend, Grace. You can talk to me about anything.”

Warmth filled my heart. “Really?”

I felt really blessed that such an impressive, respected vampire noble lady considered me her friend.

“Yes,” Ruth nodded.

“Alright, then… I’m worried that my husband is not who I thought he was,” I started. “I mean, the way the media and society views Silas… They say that he’s a ruthless cold-hearted man, but I… during our few weeks of marriage together, he’s shown me nothing but warmth and kindness. So I can’t help but wonder which image is the real him?”

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