Page 1 of Forced Vampire Mate

Chapter 1

White wedding gowns hadn’t been stylish in Taimarah since some celebrity had decided to have an elaborate green dress to get married in. Since then, jewel tones have been the most popular colors for brides to walk down the aisle in.

I’d been given my pick to choose from. Out of protest, I’d picked up the most out-of-fashion dress available. Now, as I stood facing the mirror, dressed to the nines for my wedding, I wondered what my groom would do if I simply refused to say ‘I do.’

My heart hammered against my ribs, my stomach fluttering. The dress was well-made, so white it almost hurt to look at. It washed me out, making my olive-brown tones look sickly rather than have the sun-kissed golden glow I usually had.

Marissa, who styled my hair and makeup for the wedding, had clucked her tongue when she saw it. She’d done her best to make me look better, and her work was terrific. My dark brown eyes stood out as the main feature of my face, which was challenging to do, considering the burn scar covering my lower half.

The dress was high-necked and long-sleeved. The bodice clung to me, and with the corset I wore beneath it, my breasts looked about two sizes bigger. The skirt was a simple flowing chiffon that swept against the floor. It could be detached at a moment’s notice, leaving me in soft silk slack. I wore boots beneath, comfortable and able to run in.

“It’s unlikely that the wedding will be attacked, but you can’t be too careful,” Marissa had told me.

The wedding.

I was getting married today. I’d be escorted to the Elven grove in just a little while. I would marry Luken Holakas, the half-vampire, half-elf king of Taimarah. Four years ago, this would have been a dream come true. It should be a dream now, too. I loved him. He sent my pulse racing, and when I was near him, it was all I could do not to beg him to carry me to bed.

Oh, but this was one of the worst days of my life.

I chose the wedding dress, but that was it. I wasn’t choosing to marry Luken. He’d decided we were getting married, so here I was.

There were only two days that were worse than this one. The day that my family was slaughtered in an attempt to keep me from Luken, to fulfill the prophecy of being his mate. The day when the only other survivor, Darcie, was taken away to be a tribute to the Gods.

My stomach knots tighter as guilt washes through me. I should be out of here by now, tracking down the temples so I could rescue her. She only had a few months left.

I took a deep breath, embracing the dark feelings that swept through me. Luken might be forcing me to marry me, I might love him deeply, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t hate him. He made me think he cared. He made me think that we had something special. Something I thought had been proven correct when we were magically tattooed the first—and only—time we had slept together. We were mates, born to be together.

But it was all a lie. I was only a tool to him, something to make him more powerful so he could take on the gods.

He only wanted power. My blood gave that to him. It increased his magic, made him stronger. It made me stronger, too.

***

“You give me my strength, and I will not let you go. You will stay here, with me, at all times. We will marry and fuck, and I’ll drink your blood, and it will give me what I need to defeat these false gods.” His grip was tight on me.

I closed my eyes. “Very well.”

“You understand?” His breath was sweet on my face.

“Of course,” I answered, no emotion in my voice. “You have a prophecy to fulfill.”

Luken’s arms fell from around me. “Elara, look at me.”

I kept my eyes shut. I was a fool to fall for him. But no more. I wasn’t going to let him confuse me again.

“Elara,” he whispered, his fingers brushing my cheekbone. “The prophecy says that I can only defeat them with my mate. They know about you, and they’re afraid of us. I can’t sacrifice the kingdom for one person. Look at me.”

“Fuck off,” I said calmly.

Luken growled. “Fine. I have you as a mate and I’m already stronger for it. We will be married in two weeks. You have that long to get used to the idea as well as your new body.”

My eyes snapped open. “New body?”

He arched one dark eyebrow, looking so sinfully attractive I nearly forgot I had to hate him now. “You were pierced through the heart. I had to put my venom in you. You drank my blood. If you were even a fraction closer to death, you’d be a vampire right now. As it is, with our mating, you have changed. Can’t you feel it? You’re stronger. You’re faster. Your senses are sharper. And I’m assured that you will no longer age. You’re still vulnerable to injury and illness, but if you continue to drink my blood as I drink yours, eventually you’ll be a vampire, too.”

“I don’t want to be a vampire,” I snapped at him, my head pounding. I looked down at my hands. So much had happened that I hadn’t had time to think about it. But last night, I had been impressed with my own stamina.

My stomach swooped. If it was real, if I was changed, then…

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