Page 7 of Married to the Vampire Prince

“You may now kiss the bride,” the officiant announced.

I leaned down, cupping one of Grace’s cheeks in my hand. Gently, I placed a chaste kiss on her lips, afraid that she would be disgusted by my touch.

To my surprise, Grace kissed me back.

Relief washed over me. I continued the kiss, licking her lower lip. She opened her mouth, and I put my tongue inside. Our tongues danced with each other, as we continued kissing. My other hand wandered to the small of her back, pulling her closer to me. Grace melted against my body.

The sound of happy cheers brought my attention back to the present moment. Grace broke the kiss, giving me a startled look.

Clearly, I wasn’t the only one shocked by the chemistry between us or by how pleasant our kiss had been. I wanted more – more of her touch, more of Grace.

Soon it would be time to consummate the marriage. Lust flared in my heart. I eagerly awaited the chance to become one with Grace.

Chapter Three

Grace

The kiss with Silas left me breathless. I felt like the whole world had shattered around me, ceasing to exist. There was no crowd watching us – just he and I alone in the chapel. Even the cheers of the guests faded out into the background. All I could feel were his lips on mine, his tongue intertwined with mine, our breaths mingling as one.

I wanted this moment to stretch on for eternity, but… today was just the beginning for us, wasn’t it?

I shuddered, both from lust and some fear as I realized that Silas and I would spend this night together. I felt the hard plains of his chest under my hands – when had I put my hands on him? I wanted to put my hands under his shirt, to run them across his cold but solid body.

This was neither the place nor the time though for giving in to thoughts of burning lust. Get a hold on yourself, Grace. I chastised myself.

I broke the kiss with Silas. Out of breath, I gazed into his stormy gray eyes. Why had I thought them cold before? His gaze scorched me now. I squeezed my legs together. I was so aroused just from a little making out with him.

This man was a dangerous vampire. I had felt his fangs when I had run my tongue over them. His body had been cold under my hands. I didn’t need any further proof that we were of a different species.

Yet, the attraction between us was smoldering, pulling us together as if fate wanted to bind us so strongly that neither of us would ever break free.

“I declare you husband and wife,” the ceremony official announced.

The crowd cheered and clapped, even more loudly than before.

The finality of those words felt heavy, but at the same time a part of me, the part that had enjoyed the kiss with my new husband, was glad. He was mine now. Possessiveness flared in my heart. I wanted Silas to be mine. The thought was so irrational. I had just met the man yesterday, yet here I was, happy to be married to him.

A soft smile graced Silas’ lips, and my heart skipped a beat. He looked happy, in his own way. For a man of such limited emotional expression, the small uptick of his lips I saw now was a great victory to me – I was the reason he was showing his joy.

My heart beat wildly in my chest. I was so confused about my own feelings. I knew I shouldn’t be so attracted to someone I barely knew. Yet, at the same time, wasn’t this magnetic pull a good thing? He had told me that he had picked me because of my looks. I also appreciated his appearance. Wouldn’t our mutual physical attraction make our marriage easier?

Silas extended his arm to me, and I took it. Together we walked out of the chapel. Camera flashes momentarily blinded me upon exiting the building. The paparazzi.

I was a princess now, I couldn’t forget that fact. If Silas ever became the king, I would be the queen of Estone too. I knew nothing about ruling. The burden upon me would be heavy, but even so I smiled for the cameras. I wouldn’t let anybody know how afraid I was of my new position and responsibilities.

There was another reason for me to keep up a brave face. Even though I felt drawn to Silas, I was still scared of him too. I only knew him from the media, and the reporters always painted him as a blood-thirsty, merciless vampire. Would he be cruel to me too?

I stole a glance at Silas. He was looking ahead, leading me into the palace where our wedding dinner would take place. He had a serious, cold expression on his face. The warmth we had shared for a moment was gone.

Which one was the real Silas: the dangerous killer, the war hero, or the passionate lover – the one whom I had glimpsed a moment ago?

Could my husband be both cold and warm at the same time?

The more I thought about him, the more puzzled I became. I wanted to learn as much as I could about my husband, not only because knowing him better would mean I could support him more but because there was genuine curiosity in my heart. I didn’t want to be afraid of Silas. Could I overcome my fears by learning to understand him? Or would I grow to be even more scared of him if I learned more about him?

So many questions made my heart heavy.

The palace’s throne room had been turned into a ballroom for this evening, with a large dining table on one side and a vast area for dancing on the other. A band consisting of many musicians played gentle, classical music.

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