Chapter 30

Alina

In the golden and red hues of the twilight, the Constantium looked like a magnificent giant with its high towers and angel statues. The mountain now had an opening. Its doors which were in the shape of a cave were open for the ceremony.
Athena, now in a gorgeous ankle length lavender lace dress encrusted with diamonds and paired up with sapphire drop earrings, came to stand on my right while Selene, in an ankle length maroon dress with full sleeves and diamond embroidery, stood on my left. The queen wore a floor-length red dress with golden embroidery along with her crown and gold earrings. Another girl who looked like a female version of Erick, only smaller, stood next to her with a green embroidered dress. That must be Susan, Erick’s second elder sister. In fact, everyone around me was glittering in some of the best designer dresses I had ever laid eyes on. I couldn’t even get started on Miaka. She wore a golden dress which shone over all others. She looked utterly gorgeous, but she didn’t wear any crown. She had a small diamond encrusted hair band but no crown. However, there was a necklace around her neck that stole the show. It looked like an antique necklace with its pearl beads and gold design enclosing a huge sapphire. It held an unusual aura around it.
But most of all, I still couldn’t believe that she was the one who helped me get dressed today. For a girl of about fourteen, she did an outstanding work. I couldn’t recognize the woman I saw in the mirror. She looked like a princess from a fairy tale. Then again, my life wasn’t any different from a fairytale. I’m marrying the Vampire Prince after all, who was about to become the king of this dimension soon.
“Why aren’t there any guards?” I asked Athena.
“Constantium and all shifter palaces are inside Sanctium. It is a safe haven for all shifters and supernatural creatures. There is nothing to fear. Also, Constantium is a sacred temple, so no weapons are allowed,” she explained.
“Ladies! It’s time.” Kenna came to stand in front of us and clapped her hands.
Four vampire maidens came to stand in front of us with huge baskets of white rose petals. They dropped the petals on the grass and created a path which led straight to the Constantium. We all moved forward, walking over the petals, led by Kenna. The closer we got to the Constantium, the larger it got. I could also hear the roar of the waterfall as we passed beside it. But most of all, I could hear the staccato beat of my heart. I was pretty sure everyone else could also hear exactly how nervous I was. Selene, however, seemed way more excited for her own good.
Soon enough, we were standing in front of the doors to the Constantium, the doors that looked more like a cave mouth lit by several torches. Kenna led the women inside.
The cave wasn’t like any other caves I had seen in movies. It was like an ancient cave with several designs carved out of solid stone. An occasional tendril of greenery hung from the ceiling.
As we came to the end of the tunnel, I was shell-shocked. From the outside, I could have never imagined that the inside could be this spectacular and breathtaking. A huge dome towered overhead, and two humongous statues stood on the opposite side of a huge altar, which was more like a podium. They were Hades and Nyx, just like Erick had described. The dome itself looked like it was cut out from the mountain. The walls were filled with designs that had been cut out directly from the stone. The designs were made in tiers, but there was no distinct boundary. The statues carved out of the wall were made at a certain distance which indicated the division. Each tier of design went further into the wall as the height rose until the final tier was carved inside the wall. Each tier told a story of war, peace, love, and hate. It was probably from the genesis story that I was told about, but they were the most lifelike statues I had ever seen. The ceiling that constituted the dome, however, was made of glass. It was painted in red and blues and divided into eleven equal parts forming eleven equal triangles. Each part had a distinct symbol, except for one triangle which was completely blue.
I didn’t have time to speculate about it for we had reached the altar. A humongous crowd stood in front of it, with Erick in the lead.
We came to stand in front of the waiting party, and Kenna took my hand and led me towards Erick. He looked more handsome than I had ever seen him before. He wore a long top of some kind with red and black designs paired with a pair of flowing black pants. On his waist, tied with a golden belt, was a real sword with a scabbard decorated with golden designs and a hilt encrusted with a large ruby. It must’ve been a family sword, considering the fact that he was a prince and his family had been around for a long time. However, I had a feeling that this sword was more than just a style statement.
You are indeed correct, malady. His telepathy made me smile as I came to stand in front of him.
“You look beautiful.” He smiled, turning that face devastatingly handsome.
“Thank you,” I said. Is this a wedding pick up line for you boys or something?
Erick choked on his laughter but coughed to hide it. Wedding pick up line, seriously?
Yeah. I mean, that’s the first thing any groom tells his bride.
Maybe it’s because they really find their brides beautiful. That had me blushing.
All was going well until Selene came to me with a syringe held like a sword filled with some yellowish-green liquid which reminded me of evil experiments in an old fashioned horror movie. My eyes widened.
“What on Earth is that for?” I tried to keep the panic out of my voice, but it just caused everyone to simply burst out laughing.
“This is anaesthesia, Alina. It’ll numb your hand for a little while and prevent blood clotting. It’s so we can tie the sacred branch on your hand,” she explained.
“Oh.” How did I forget the creepiest part of a vampire wedding?
In your defence, telepathed Erick, this is your first time.
Thank you. I winced as Selene inserted the needle in my hand, sleeves and all, and inserted the slimy liquid into my bloodstream. “How long before it takes effect?”
Selene pinched my arm.
I blinked and stared at my arm. I brought it closer to my eyes to get a better look then raised my other hand to pinch it. I looked at Selene. “That quick?”
“Yes. Now don’t go overboard, or it’s going to hurt as hell when it wears off.” Selene smirked. The woman actually smirked!
Why did I get the feeling she did not go easy with her pinch?
“Erick, Alina,” Kenna called out, “please step up to the altar. Everyone, please make way for the couple.”
We turned towards the altar as the audience parted to make way for us. Erick stepped up and extended his hand for me to take. I picked up the skirt of my dress and stepped up to the altar, making sure I don’t trip and fall because of the veil covering my face. I didn’t want to make a fool of myself on my own wedding.
That reminded me of my papa once again. He should’ve been here to walk me down the altar. He should’ve had the right to hand me over to my husband, but he couldn’t be here. He was confined to his hospital bed because of his illness and also because of this stupid vampire tradition.
“All hail the King!”
A chorus of voices was heard at that instant, followed by the tune of several trumpets blowing right outside the Constantium. Inside, the prodigious amount of people that had gathered parted like a sea wave and a path was formed from the entrance to the altar. At the next wave of trumpets, every single soul in the room dropped down in courtesy, even Kenna. The only exception were a tiny group who stood just before the altar made up of Miaka, two gentlemen, two little boys, and of course, Erick and I.
That was when a man entered through the tunnel and the entire room held its breath. He wore similar clothing to Erick’s, only in gold. A sword similar to Erick’s rested on his hips, only this was larger and much more magnificent. However, it was the vibe of power that came off him that was a clear indication of who he was, even if you overlooked the diamond encrusted crown on top of his head. It was the Vampire King.
It felt out of place to even think of him as my would be father-in-law. However, at the same time, I couldn’t reject the fact that he did indeed look like an older version of Erick, only his hair that reached to his shoulders was of a darker honey than blond.
As he approached the altar, Erick motioned for me to bow as he too dropped down on one knee. I followed suit and managed to make a somewhat modified version of a courtesy bow.
The king came to stand in front of us on the altar, and everyone rose to their feet. I was about to rise too when I saw him extend his hand. Taking it, I stood to my feet. It struck me anew how similar he looked to his son. He hardly looked ten years older than his son
“Alina,” he said with a smile, “we finally meet. I must say, you’re just as lovely as Erick described.”
“T-thank you.” I stammered under the influence of his power.
“Let’s not delay the ceremony any longer, shall we, Miaka, dear?” He held out his hand for her.
A servant came up to Miaka and handed her a silver plate. On top of the plate, was a branch filled with large thorns. It must be the branch from a Tangenina tree Erick talked about. It would prevent our blood from clotting over so it drips onto a bowl or something. She handed the branch over to the king.
He took it and brought the branch over to Erick, who was already rolling up his sleeves. The king wound the branch around his wrist and then came over to me.
Reluctantly, I raised my hand. I knew I wouldn’t be able to feel it, but I had never been a big fan of thorns. I closed my eyes shut as he tied the branch around my wrist. When I opened my eyes, Erick was looking at me, and his hand was entwined with mine. Blood was already pouring out of the cuts that the thorns had made.
My blood will heal the cuts before the anaesthetic wears off. Erick reassured.
I nodded, but my heart was beating out of my chest. This was really happening. I was really getting married to Erick.
The king took our joint hands and positioned us on the corner near the statues. Our blood fell as one to the floor, forming a tiny puddle which rolled through a drain and pooled into a crucible at the feet of the Gods which was placed lower than ground level. As the blood slowly collected, I heard Miaka’s voice from behind me.
“Oh great Lord of the Underworld, protector of the dark, this blood we offer you as a sacrifice for the joining of two souls. May they forever be connected by this bond of blood, by the bond of matrimony. Bless them with your holy powers oh Creator! Be their guide, their protector. This I ask of you as your disciple, as your daughter. May your guidance be with us, forever.”
Suddenly, the branch around our wrists began to glow with a blinding light and several gasps sounded all over the room. I covered my eyes with my free hand until I could feel the redness fade.
When the light was gone, I opened my eyes, and the first thing I noticed was that the blood that gathered in the crucible had vanished. I looked at Erick with a stunned surprise, but he only smiled.
“The Gods have accepted the union!” the king roared, and the entire dome vibrated with the sound of cheer that followed after.
Kenna rose to the altar with a silver cup and held it under our hands to collect the drops of blood that still fell. Then she held the cup to her son. “Finish the ritual, son. Be united by the bonds of blood.”
Erick took the cup from his mother and brought the cup to his lips. He drank one gulp and then held it to my lips. I looked at him nervously. The only other time I had tasted blood, except for that fateful night when Emiel attacked us, was when I fell down the stairs as a child and uprooted a tooth. I wasn’t really a fan of that weird salty taste. But this was ritual, so I took the cup from Erick, threw back my head, and gulped down the remaining blood. Thankfully, there wasn’t much to drink. As I swallowed it down with much difficulty, another round of cheers sounded. This time, it was louder than ever.

****

After the ceremony, the branch was finally removed from our hands. Erick’s skin healed instantly, but mine took a few minutes before it was flawless again. Then the crowd was led back to the palace where the reception was being held. Erick and I hadn’t had time to have a proper conversation, it’s like it hadn’t even set in yet that he was my husband now. However, I didn’t have time to think about him right now. I was pretty sure there were over five hundred supernatural beings present in this room, and not all of them were vampires. I spotted two of the mystics earlier, both with snow white hair and near translucent skin. The others, I couldn’t recognize, however. Several servants handed out blood and champagne to the guests, but I did spot a couple trays of refreshment and.... wait, was that raw meat? God, I didn’t even want to know who they were for.
In the meantime, I was introduced to almost two hundred people by Kenna and Athena. Erick was MIA, but I did spot him once with Kendrick, Jordan, and his wife, Selene. I was hardly paying attention to the other guests, except for a few whom I had met before, my grandfather for example. The rest I forgot as soon as I had taken a step away. I did pay attention, though, to the group I was being taken to now. It was the small group of five who were the only people who didn’t bow to the king, Miaka and the four men. However, this time, I only spotted one of the two boys. The one with black hair wasn’t with them.
Kenna led me to the group and introduced me to each one of them. “Alina, you’ve already met Miaka, so let me introduce you to Acelin and his younger brother Lancelin. They’re incubi and Lancelin is their prince. This fine young man is the younger Lycan Prince, Kain. His brother is Kiba, their supreme Alpha, but he seems to be missing somewhere.”
“Don’t worry. Jordan just kidnapped him.” Acelin, the handsome blond man reassured Kenna with a smile. God, why was everyone here so gorgeous?
“Mother.” Erick appeared at my side using his vampire speed, again!
“Yes, dear?”
“I think Alina had enough for one day. Can I please take her with me? She needs to rest.” Erick, my saviour!
“Yes, of course! How silly of me. I completely forgot!” Kenna gasped, probably remembering the fact that I was still human. “Take her to your room, Erick. I’ll send dinner shortly.”
“Thank you, Mother.” Erick took my hand and whisked me away from the crowd as several onlookers watched us with knowing smiles, making me blush bright red.
“Thank you,” I told him when we were alone in the hallway.
“No problem. I knew my mother will forget that you’ve had a tiring day. Come on. I’ll let you rest now, but there is one visitor you need to see first,” Erick told me.
I groaned in protest. “Please, no! My feet are killing me! I won’t be able to feel my legs anymore if I don’t sit down,” I whined.
“Trust me, you’ll wanna meet this guest before you rest.” He took me up a flight of stairs at the end of the hallway, past the room where I’d gotten dressed and stopped in front of a set of huge double doors just as ornate as the rest of the castle, if not more. This door had a scene of battle engraved on it. Two armies stood on opposite sides while their leaders engaged in a gruesome duel. Their faces were fierce, and their weapons clashed in a wave of lightning. It was so lifelike, it felt like I was witnessing the battle in front of my eyes.
“And who’s this guest you think I’ll be dying to meet?” I asked as he pushed opened the doors, and the spell was broken.
“Me, of course.”
My eyes widened as I finally saw the person inside the room, sitting in a wheelchair with Kendrick by his side. It was the all too familiar face of the person I loved most in the world.
“Papa!”

Lancelin

“What’s the matter, brother? You look worried.” Ace came to stand in front of me, much to my annoyance, so I decided to express it.
“Why must you loiter around me to notice my every expression, Acelin?” I questioned back.
“Because it was Miaka who put that expression on your face, and she just might be the only person in your life you’ve ever loved,” he stated.
Indeed, he stands corrected. We may not be her brothers by birth, but Erick and I, we both raised her since she was an infant. We taught her to talk, to walk, and to fight. It was impossible not to love her. We would give our lives for her if she but asks. We can never be truly angry at her, but it wasn’t Miaka who put a frown on my face. It was what she had said that did.
“Miaka just told me something… something that’s quite distressing,” I informed Acelin. “It’s about Erick’s competition.”
“Emiel, was it?” Ace continued at my nod, “What’s so disturbing about him?”
“Alina told me something today,” it was Miaka who spoke from behind Ace, “something that indicates towards possession.”
“Impossible!” Acelin looked at her unbelievingly. “Possession? How?”
“We have yet to confirm, but I have a hunch.” She led us to a secluded corner where no one could overhear us. “If what I’m thinking is true, then... this is no longer a battle for the throne.”
“I don’t understand, Miaka,” Acelin pleaded. “What aren’t you telling me? What’s so bad about this?”
“Very bad if what we think is true.” I nodded at Miaka. Acelin might worry, but he wouldn’t whisper. Miaka looked at me for a second and agreed. Then she confirmed what had been in my mind this whole evening.
“An Ancient is waking.”