Prince Darrius

Chapter 33

“Thanks. Can we go now?” I ask quickly.

“Yes, now we can go,” Darrius suddenly grabs my arm and tugs me forward. He wraps an arm around my waist and starts walking with me pulled tight into his side, “I got you, sweetheart, just follow my lead.” Maximus and Isobel have already left as we exit Darrius’ room. 

Darrius walks me down the hall; vampire guards are waiting outside and follow in front and behind us as we make our way towards the throne room where my wedding was finally going to take place.

****

When we enter the room full of 2000 people, both halves of the room packed out and I see the one path leading up to the thrones where the King and a couple of other vampires stand in front of the thrones. I spot Claudia and Johnathan standing together, Claudia in a green dress, Johnathan in a suit. 

Dead silence fills the room as Darrius holds me to him, walking with me slowly. The guards follow our progress from behind and in front. 

I think that at least if I was killed, I would come back to life.

I look around the room, hearing murmurs start traveling around the hall. I can recognise vampires I’ve seen around the palace but most faces I don’t recognise. I try and spot my parents, hoping to hell they haven’t actually decided to try another rescue attempt on my behalf. 

Darrius and I make it to the thrones, both alive, but both tense and ready to spring into action if something strange happened. The King looks amused at our tension and he hardly glances at Darrius or at me. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce to you Prince Darrius and his human, Jennifer,” The King’s voice booms across the hall and everyone in the crowd shuts up to listen to what the King says next. Darrius keeps his arm around my waist, his eyes searching the crowd, threatening anyone who dared to try and kill me. The King continues, “It is my pleasure to announce that this human will become a permanent part of our palace here and she will be ours to protect. And as a warning to all who dare try and penetrate our royal court, Prince Darrius’ blood holds the cure to this girl’s blood. For those who do not oppose us, don’t bother with your fears of this prophetic human, she is harmless to us yet harmful to those who dare rise against us,” The threat is clear and obvious. Anyone that tried to oppose the vampires of this palace would be at risk of my blood. They wouldn’t have the cure fast enough if the King refused them Darrius’ blood. Aka, I was a weapon and so was Darrius, “Vampires and representatives of other supernatural beings, please feel welcome and enjoy our hospitality. It’s time for the wedding to begin,” The King steps back.

An older vampire shuffles forward, wearing a suit, he looked like an elder. He has a microphone with him to project his voice across to everyone in the hall. He motions for Darrius to let me go so the old vampire can stand between us to read out from the paper he held in his hand. 

With a very audible growl, Darrius reluctantly releases me to stand to the side.

Very awkwardly, some of the crowd laughs at our separation and Darrius’ reaction. 

I don’t have it in me to smile. 

Any moment now and this whole wedding could become a blood bath. 

I couldn’t see Maximus… he was probably lurking around, looking for intruding vampire-hunters after dropping off Isobel in his room. Hopefully my parents had the sense to stay home. 

“In honour of our old-world tradition,” The old vampire states with a surprisingly clear and strong voice, “Prince Darrius will be joined formally with the human, so that she may be legally in his care. His own to protect and his own to feed from…” I tune out as the old vampire rants on about tradition and vampire laws and ways of living, because as I look out over the crowd, my eyes continuously search for my parents.