Chapter 29

Erick

“Erick! Brother!”
I turned to face the duo I had least expected to show up at my wedding.
“Lancelin! Acelin! I’m so glad you guys made it.” I gave them both a hug and motioned for a waiter offering champagne flutes.
“No dates?” I asked the brothers. Well, half -brothers actually. Ace and Lance both had the same mother.
“We’ve fed before arriving,” was Lance’s curt answer.
By fed, he didn’t mean blood. It had more to do with the body. Ace and Lance are incubi, sex demons who feed on the life force of the opposite sex. I knew it was their source of nutrition, but Lance could be a bit too blunt sometimes.
“Don’t mind the prince,” Acelin cut in with his usual refined cheerfulness. “He seems to have left his good humour back home.”
“Like I keep saying,” Lancelin retorted, “food is food, whether you eat it or sleep with it.”
I hid my chuckle with a cough while Ace choked on his champagne. A few other guests stopped to look at us, but most of them kept on going around the room with a wineglass in hand.
“Brother Erick!” I felt two little arms wrap around my legs.
“Kiba!” All three of us exclaimed together.
I picked up the little raven-haired, blue-eyed boy in my arms. He had grown taller than the last time I had seen him. He was about six years now, the little Lycan Alpha.
“You alone, kiddo? Where’s your brother?” Lance asked the little one. For some reason, Kiba was the only person Lance liked to be around.
“Right here.”
This time, we all turned to look behind me to see our beloved sister standing in a beautiful golden dress embroidered with gold and silver lace and encrusted with tiny black diamonds. Her hair was tied to one side with diamond pins. She was Miaka, the Demon King. Standing partially behind her, was the golden-haired mirror image of Kiba, his twin brother, Kain.
“Hello, everyone! Wow, three of my brothers together.” Miaka joined our little circle. “This hasn’t happened for a long time!”
“Not that long.” I gave her a bear hug. “You look beautiful.”
“That’s because you haven’t seen your soon-to-be-bride yet,” she said as we pulled apart. “You look pretty dashing yourself.”
“Thanks.” I smiled and kissed her forehead.
“Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen!” Mom clinked her champagne flute with a spoon. “It’s time for the wedding. Everyone escorting the groom, please leave for the Constantium, it’s time! Everyone escorting the bride, please gather around the main hall. Let’s go!”
“It’s time!” Miaka bounced off towards my mother, leaving Kain with us as they disappeared down the corridor and the guests split up into two groups.
“Well.” I put Kiba down on the floor and looked at my friends. “Let’s get going then.”

Unknown

“I’m sorry.”
The next instant, he was up against the wall, blood gushing out of his ears and mouth.
“SORRY? THAT’S ALL YOU HAVE TO OFFER ME, BOY!”
I took a deep breath, correcting my breathing that was straining my lungs.
Damn it! I had wasted too much energy this time, and what has that bloody bastard done so far? Nothing!
He couldn’t compel Erick to kill his bride. He couldn’t compel Nile to kill Erick. He couldn’t even stop the wedding! Damn it! Damn that Emiel.
I took more deep breaths to calm myself down. No, this wasn’t the time to play my ace. It was time to think of a permanent solution. I had waited centuries for the perfect vessel, and I couldn’t let this opportunity go to waste.
I couldn’t attack now for Sanctium’s gates were closed. Moreover, the entire Dark Council would be there. I couldn’t face them all together.
“Get up, Emiel!” I ordered the boy lying on the floor. “We have much to discuss. We have to be prepared for our next opportunity.”
Let that wretched Erick have his fun because when I strike next, no one will survive.

Alina

“Alina!”Miaka burst through the doors, literally bouncing on her feet. “Let’s go! It’s time.”
Suddenly, my heart dropped to the pit of my stomach as my breath turned into pants.
“Alina.”Kenna and Miaka both rushed to my side. “Breath, darling. I know this can be overwhelming, but you’ll be okay. We’re right here.”
Overwhelming didn’t even begin to cover it. I felt like hyperventilating. Then I saw Miaka’s left hand emit a slight glow as it rested on my shoulders, and instantly, I began to calm down.
“W-what?” I stared at her wide-eyed, to which she gave me a reassuring smile.
I nodded and stood up from my chair to be escorted by Kenna and Miaka. In the hallway, right outside the room, I saw several women waiting in a circle. They parted from my way as Kenna escorted me to the centre and put me right in the middle of the circle.
“Everyone!” she called out from beside me as she pulled the veil over my head. “We’re ready to proceed.”
We began to move as a unit but instead of stepping out through the front door, I was led to a back door.
Two heavily muscled vampire guards opened the doors. At first, there was only a blinding light, but when it subsided, I could see a cliff at a distance. It was the cliff with the angels that Erick had brought me to and explained all about vampire weddings. A bit further ahead, was the Constantium.