I fight the urge to pinch myself as I stand in the church foyer between Luz and Marcellus. As his next in command, they have the task of making sure I’m delivered to Cristobal like a blushing bride. The deep purple, off the shoulder, gothic gown shimmers beneath the light. The silk has a boat neck and bellows out into a massive ball gown. A black, Spanish-style veil with scalloped edges frames my face. Black was too vulgar, and red was in poor taste, so purple, the color of royalty, was the best choice for the coronation dress.
We’ve gone over the ceremony so many times I could perform it in my sleep. Still, the thought of doing it here in front of a crowd full of upper-crust vampires has me nervous.
“Relax, you’re stunning, and you know what to do,” Luz says.
I squeeze her hand. “Thank you.”
“Don’t let them smell fear, kiddo,” Marcellus adds.
Straightening my spine, I take a deep breath. I have one coronation under my belt. I can do this. The door swings open and Percival and Gil grin down at me. “We’re ready.”
The two hold the doors open. Here we go. Ruby and Ada lift the back of the train, and we begin to move. I focus on the man waiting at the end of the aisle in a black tuxedo with a gray vest tailored to perfection. I smile politely at the vampires all turned to face us. Every bench in the cathedral is packed. They all want to get a glimpse at the witch binding herself to a lord. I can’t blame them. We’re an oddity.
Keep it pretty, relaxed, and graceful. My steps are sure and small. I ignore the looks of disdain or contempt. I refuse to let anyone ruin this day after I worked so damn hard to pull it off flawlessly. The corner of Cristobal’s lip twitches up. My fake smile melts away and becomes a real one. His eyes twinkle.
“You are magnificent, dove.”
“So are you.”
When we reach the end of the aisle, Cristobal offers his hand and helps me up the final three stairs. Two crushed velvet pillows rest on the floor in front of us. The vampire officiating is dressed impeccably in a black three-piece designer suit. He is short but muscular with long, dark, curly hair, a hooked nose, and dark eyes fringed with long lashes. The translucent blue flames dancing around him mark his age as scarily old. I narrow my gaze in an attempt to bring them into focus.
“What do you see?” His accent throws me for a loop.
“I’m sorry?”
“When you look at me. What do you see?”
I look to Cristobal who nods.
“Your aura. It’s incredibly powerful.”
He gives a dark laugh that shows off his fangs. The cathedral echoes him as the vampires join in on his mirth. The jokes on me right now.
“Wonderful. Perhaps she is as talented as you claimed, Cristobal. I am pleased to be the one to perform this ceremony.” He nods his head. There’s more at work here. I trust Cristobal, but I loathe being in the dark. He brushes my hand with a fingertip.
“Finding your mate is a luxury most of us never know. Do not squander the gift you’ve been given. Protect one another at all costs, or you may live to regret it. Eternity can be a lonely sentence, yes?”
Cristobal nods in understanding. The words go over my head once more. The officiant clears his throat. Who is he?
“We are gathered here today to witness a rare thing, bond mates joining together as lady and lord of a court. Let us begin the ceremony.”
Cristobal helps me kneel, and I arrange my dress prettily before I sit up. He takes my hand and kisses it. Right now, I know they can all hear my heart racing a mile a minute.
“It’s nice to know I can still make your heart skip a beat,” Cristobal says, breaking the tension. I giggle. He’s breaching his own protocol to make me feel better. I slow down my vitals and lift my chin.
“Good girl,” Cristobal praises me.
The officiate opens the weathered leather-bound book in his hands. The man speaks the words in an old language I don’t understand, and then he translates.
“Do you swear by blood to work together for the betterment of your court? To teach, protect, and nurture them?”
“We do.”
“Will you remain loyal to your death to them? Forsaking all others?”
“We do.”
“Hold hands.” I place my hand in Cristobal’s. The officiant looks behind us. “Bring forth the cords prepared with their blood.” Everything is all about the life-giving nectar with them.