Page 61 of Dark Desire
I nodded, smiling as Ilaria entered my bedroom. She was just as striking as Hana but in a completely different way. Her porcelain skin and white hair glowed against her fluorescent pink eyes. Where Hana was soft and bubbly, Ilaria was unapologetically outspoken and confident, which I loved. The three of us were all so different, yet I knew we’d become the best of friends. No…the best of sisters.
“So everyone is outside and Zoran has just arrived, so…” Ilaria stopped talking when I stood up and turned to face her. She lifted her hands to her lips to cover her gasp. “Wow. You look fucking insane. Z is going to lose his mind.”
I giggled, giving them both a quick twirl. Ilaria stepped forward and handed me a glass of what looked like red wine. “Here,” she offered it to me as Hana delicately lifted my veil away from my face so I could drink. “To steady your nerves.”
“Oh, I’m not nervous,” I said, bringing the cup to my lips. I took a large sip and my eyes bulged at the coppery taste of warm blood. “Urgh! Oh my gods, it’s blood!”
They both burst out laughing. “Sorry, I probably should have warned you,” Ilaria chuckled. “I forgot you’re only a few hours old and still getting used to being a vampire.”
“It tastes weird.” I scrunched my nose in disgust.
“Yeah, it’s warmed up in the microwave. It’s from a blood bag. Fresh is always best but we didn’t really have time to hunt down the green list with all the other preparations.” She took the cup from me. “But don’t worry, you won’t have to touch a blood bag again once you give Zoran your soul. Trust me, it’s so worth it just for that reason alone.”
Hana moved away from the window with a smirk. “Zoran is giving me evil eyes from the graveyard. He’s never been patient and he seems to really want to marry you or something?” she said with a shrug and I laughed. “So, you ready?”
“Hell yeah.”
The moment we stepped out onto the church porch, I was taken aback by just how many supernaturals Zoran knew and had come at such short notice. I’d barely met any of them, yet they were all staring at me with warm, loving expressions. My eyes landed on Zoran in the centre, who was wearing a perfectly fitted black tux, half of his long red hair tied back out of his face. He looked delicious. When he took in my dress and traditional Serbian veil, unable to clearly see my face yet from under it, he brought his hand to his jaw, rubbing it as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. I attempted to step towards him but Hana placed her hand on my arm to stop me.
Oh yeah, I’d forgotten about the odd apple shooting thingy.
Apparently, it was custom in Serbia that the groom came to the bride’s house before the wedding to ‘take’ her from her family home. He needed to shoot an apple as his way of convincing the bride’s family that he would be able to provide for and protect her. It was rather comical, seeing as he was one of the most ruthless supernaturals ever to exist.
Zoran’s brother, Luka, handed Zoran a vintage pistol and I smiled as Zoran lifted his arm and pointed to the tallest tree in the graveyard. I noticed a red apple hanging by a rope on the tallest branch. Zoran lifted the pistol, keeping his gaze locked on me and pulled the lever. The sound of a gunshot filled the air and pieces of apple blew apart, falling from the tree. All the people behind him cheered and whooped while my mouth dropped open and thighs clenched together at how hot that was. He didn’t even look!
Luka took the pistol from him and handed him a glass plate. I stayed where I was, allowing Zoran to come to me as Ilaria and Hana stood on either side of me. He stopped before the bottom step of the porch, putting us at the same height. He took my hand, lifted it and kissed the back before peering up at my face from behind the veil.
“My forever. You take my breath away. Will you leave all this behind and start a new beginning with me?” he asked and I nodded my head. He smiled, so sexy and mysterious as he placed the plate in our joined hands.I’d always wanted to do this!We smashed the plate on the ground, closing one chapter and beginning another. He lifted me by the waist, ensuring I didn’t step on any of the glass and we walked towards his family and friends. Leif stepped forward and beamed at us.
“Are we sure that’s D-dog under there? Best know who you’re marrying, bro.” He ducked his head, trying to look under the veil and Zoran shoved him away by his chest. I chuckled and Zoran turned to me, blocking Leif from coming any closer.
“Now Leif is Father of a Coven, he’s ordained, so he suggested he marry us. He’s even spent the last hour reading about Serbian wedding ceremonies but there is a chance I might murder him before the end of it. So we can use Darius, who is a family friend of the Royals,” Zoran whispered, pointing behind him at a stocky man with auburn hair who waved.
“I’d like Leif to do it,” I answered, grinning widely when Zoran closed his eyes and dropped his head while Leif fist pumped the air.
“I was afraid you’d say that,” Zoran grumbled but I could tell from the slight smile on his lips, deep down, it meant something to him too.
“Let’s do this damn thing! You’ll be my first wedding. I’m so fucking excited I might shit myself,” Leif shouted with his arms in the air. Nearly everyone laughed except Zoran, who sent him daggers with his eyes.
“Do NOT shit yourself at my wedding.”
Leif shook his head as he opened a swirling emerald portal. “Can’t promise that, demon.”
“Wait. Where are we going? I thought we were getting married here?” I asked quickly as Leif disappeared through the magical portal first.
“It’s tradition to greet thesvatovi(family and friends) outside the groom’s house and…” He stepped closer to me and took my hands in his. “There is only one place that has ever felt like home to me. It would mean the world to marry you in the place that holds all our history, as well as where my parents were laid to rest. I’d like them to be there.”
“You mean…” I gasped, realising he wanted to marry me in Serbia at his family’s scorched cottage where I saved his life.
“If it makes you uncomfortable, we don’t have to. We can do it here.”
“No,” I said, feeling emotional. It was so perfect. “I want to do it there.”
He smiled, kissed one of my hands again and then we walked through the portal together. I gasped when I saw what they’d all done. Fairy lights and magical glowing jars were hung from the beaten structure of the charred cottage, and the rubble had been cleared. Vases of flowers and a huge flowered arch had been erected in the garden, with chairs on either side of the aisle for the guests. Floating candles magically lit the night’s sky like stars above the ceremony. It was simple, romantic and stunning.
“You did all this?”
“I had a little help,” he answered. As all the twenty or so guests filtered through the portal that Leif was keeping open, I watched with fascination as Hana and Ilaria decorated each guest’s outfit with flowers and rosemary. Zoran took me to the side. Luka, who I had briefly met earlier in the night, joined us. “Darcie, Luka would like to walk you down the aisle, if you’re okay with that?”
