Page 90 of Hunters and Hydrangeas

“For the greater part of our history, it wasn’t necessary.”

“Why?”

“We’ve only been pretending to be civilized since Nicolau introduced the nominations at the end of his reign. We’re still working out the bugs.”

“What did you do before all the vampire princes got to vote?”

“The heads of the houses would meet, and anyone who wanted the spot would compete for it. To the death, most often.”

“A physical competition? Medieval style?”

“It expedited the process,” he points out. “I wasn’t a fan, but we didn’t have this lawless period.”

“This is the first time an archduke has died since Nicolau changed the system?”

“It is.”

No wonder everyone is freaking out. For the first time in who knows how long, the vampires are without a ruler. There is no balance. The princes suddenly have complete power over their lines, able to pardon every crime imaginable, and there’s no one in charge to stop them.

“So now what?” I ask. “Do I need to disappear?”

“No, you’re safer by my side.”

“But what happens when Gerald decides to use me to manipulate you?”

“We need to change your house before he can get ahold of you.”

“Noah and I talked about that. Don’t you need to be the archduke?”

“That’s the simplest solution, yes, but we’ve run out of time for that.”

“So…how?”

“The easy way? You marry me.”

I narrow my eyes. “What’s the hard way?”

Cassian gestures to Noah, who’s taken a seat at the table and is unusually quiet. “You marry him.”

My heart stutters. One minute, it’s working just fine, and the next, it forgets how to beat. “What?”

“It’s complicated since Sophia is the second eldest vampire in my line. But she’s agreed to renounce her right as my successor. I submitted the paperwork this morning, naming Noah as the heir to my line.”

“What does that mean?”

“When vampires get married, their lines remain the same. However, when a vampire marries a prince or an heir, legally, they join that house. It’s an involved process, since the blood doesn’t change. But once you have it on paper, it’s official. And a prince has no jurisdiction over a vampire who legally enters a different house.”

“Oh…” I say, understanding now. “You couldn’t make Noah your heir until you found Sophia, because you needed her signature.”

“That’s right.”

“But now you’ve found her…”

“All the pieces are finally in place.”

“But what if Noah doesn’t want to marry me?”

“I’ll leave you two to discuss it.” The vampire glances at Noah, suppressing a smile. “Try not to take too long. The county clerk’s office opens at nine, and I’d like to perform the ceremony before Gerald arrives.”

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