Married to the Vampire Prince

Chapter Three

Grace

The kiss with Silas left me breathless. I felt like the whole world had shattered around me, ceasing to exist. There was no crowd watching us – just he and I alone in the chapel. Even the cheers of the guests faded out into the background. All I could feel were his lips on mine, his tongue intertwined with mine, our breaths mingling as one.

I wanted this moment to stretch on for eternity, but… today was just the beginning for us, wasn’t it?

I shuddered, both from lust and some fear as I realized that Silas and I would spend this night together. I felt the hard plains of his chest under my hands – when had I put my hands on him? I wanted to put my hands under his shirt, to run them across his cold but solid body.

This was neither the place nor the time though for giving in to thoughts of burning lust. Get a hold on yourself, Grace. I chastised myself.

I broke the kiss with Silas. Out of breath, I gazed into his stormy gray eyes. Why had I thought them cold before? His gaze scorched me now. I squeezed my legs together. I was so aroused just from a little making out with him.

This man was a dangerous vampire. I had felt his fangs when I had run my tongue over them. His body had been cold under my hands. I didn’t need any further proof that we were of a different species.

Yet, the attraction between us was smoldering, pulling us together as if fate wanted to bind us so strongly that neither of us would ever break free.

“I declare you husband and wife,” the ceremony official announced.

The crowd cheered and clapped, even more loudly than before.

The finality of those words felt heavy, but at the same time a part of me, the part that had enjoyed the kiss with my new husband, was glad. He was mine now. Possessiveness flared in my heart. I wanted Silas to be mine. The thought was so irrational. I had just met the man yesterday, yet here I was, happy to be married to him.

A soft smile graced Silas’ lips, and my heart skipped a beat. He looked happy, in his own way. For a man of such limited emotional expression, the small uptick of his lips I saw now was a great victory to me – I was the reason he was showing his joy.

My heart beat wildly in my chest. I was so confused about my own feelings. I knew I shouldn’t be so attracted to someone I barely knew. Yet, at the same time, wasn’t this magnetic pull a good thing? He had told me that he had picked me because of my looks. I also appreciated his appearance. Wouldn’t our mutual physical attraction make our marriage easier?

Silas extended his arm to me, and I took it. Together we walked out of the chapel. Camera flashes momentarily blinded me upon exiting the building. The paparazzi.

I was a princess now, I couldn’t forget that fact. If Silas ever became the king, I would be the queen of Estone too. I knew nothing about ruling. The burden upon me would be heavy, but even so I smiled for the cameras. I wouldn’t let anybody know how afraid I was of my new position and responsibilities.

There was another reason for me to keep up a brave face. Even though I felt drawn to Silas, I was still scared of him too. I only knew him from the media, and the reporters always painted him as a blood-thirsty, merciless vampire. Would he be cruel to me too?

I stole a glance at Silas. He was looking ahead, leading me into the palace where our wedding dinner would take place. He had a serious, cold expression on his face. The warmth we had shared for a moment was gone.

Which one was the real Silas: the dangerous killer, the war hero, or the passionate lover – the one whom I had glimpsed a moment ago?

Could my husband be both cold and warm at the same time?

The more I thought about him, the more puzzled I became. I wanted to learn as much as I could about my husband, not only because knowing him better would mean I could support him more but because there was genuine curiosity in my heart. I didn’t want to be afraid of Silas. Could I overcome my fears by learning to understand him? Or would I grow to be even more scared of him if I learned more about him?

So many questions made my heart heavy.

The palace’s throne room had been turned into a ballroom for this evening, with a large dining table on one side and a vast area for dancing on the other. A band consisting of many musicians played gentle, classical music.

Silas led me to the head of the table, where we sat down, right next to the king, queen and my parents who had followed us inside. Even though the dinner would mostly consist of blood mixed with wine since most of the guests were vampires, the table was laden with exquisite-looking food as well; only the best for their human wives and husbands.

Caviar, shrimp, steak – whatever their hearts desired had been prepared by the finest cooks the palace employed.

I placed a small portion of a salad on my plate. With the confusing emotions in my heart and the stress from feeling like everyone was watching my every move, I doubted I would manage to eat a lot tonight. I’d also never had any reason to learn proper table manners, so the plethora of cutlery next to my plate made me nervous. What would happen if I used the wrong fork? Would a photo of me making a fool out of myself end up in the tabloids tomorrow?

Luckily nobody made a snide comment on my choice of a fork or took a photo of me eating the salad, so I was able to dine in peace. The queen asked me questions about my life prior to marrying her son. I gave short but not impolite answers. She had a gentle aura to her, but with how stressful everything was to me, I couldn’t relax enough to enjoy the conversation.

“We don’t have to dance tonight if you don’t feel like it,” Silas whispered to me.

Startled, I dropped the fork onto my plate. Luckily it didn’t make a loud sound, only landing softly in the salad.

“W-We don’t?” I stuttered quietly.

My husband must have heard me because he nodded with a serious expression. “I know you’re not familiar with our dances. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable.”

I bit my lip and gave his suggestion a moment of thought. It would really be best if I didn’t dance. Even though my name was Grace, I wasn’t very graceful. I could see that observation appearing as a headline in a newspaper tomorrow. Reporters liked that kind of humor.

“I can make an excuse for us to get away,” Silas continued when I didn’t reply.

I gave him a small smile, but with how stiff my face was from nervousness it must have come as more of a grimace. “Y-Yes.” I hated how stilted my voice was. “I’m not ready to dance tonight, and… I’m very nervous.”

“I can see that,” Silas took my hand underneath the table and squeezed.

A wave of reassurance washed over me. He had noticed my discomfort and wanted me to feel better.

I breathed a sigh of relief, closing my eyes. When I opened them again, my eyes widened and my jaw fell in surprise. Silas’ face was right in front of mine.

He kissed my lips, more gently this time than during the passionate kiss at the chapel. I felt myself melting into the kiss, my worries washing away. When he broke it – too soon for my liking – he leaned back with a much wider smile.

“I think my wife and I would like to escape to the comfort of our rooms,” Silas chuckled – a playful sound.

I gaped at him, stunned. So he could display more playful emotions too?

I shook off the feeling. The laugh was only for show, I realized, to pretend that we were normal newlyweds who wanted to… run away to consummate our marriage. The idea being that we couldn’t keep our hands and lips off each other.

I blushed, feeling my cheeks burn like wildfire. I wasn’t sure what was flustering me more – the idea of remaining at this table, too nervous to enjoy my own wedding dinner, or the idea of rushing away for our wedding night and finally sleeping with Silas.

Wait, why was I looking forward to having sex with him? He was a scary vampire, after all. Yet… so far he had never treated me with anything but the utmost care.

Silas’ parents laughed out loud, and my parents smiled as well.

“Go ahead, you can leave.” The king clapped his hands. “I’m so glad you two are attracted to each other. It bodes well for a good marriage.”

If I could have blushed even more, I would have. I wanted the earth to swallow me.

Silas got up and, before I could protest, picked me up from my chair. That action got the attention of everyone at the table.

“Excuse us,” he said in a cold tone as he started walking the length of the room, passing everyone by.

I saw smiles on everyone’s faces. I heard some encouraging hoots as well.

Everyone was so happy with the union that would soon happen between Silas and I. I knew vampires were more open about sex, given that the act of drinking blood was often connected with intercourse. However, it was one thing to be familiar with their customs and quite another to witness how encouraging everyone was.

This moment was so embarrassing.

I hid my face in Silas’ chest. He smelled like the forest after rain; a fresh, invigorating scent. The scent of a man. It was comforting and exciting at the same time.

My husband carried me up the large staircase without a word. Only when we arrived in front of the room that was assigned to me did he put me on my feet. He leaned over me to open the door. I was very aware of his closeness and felt myself brace for his touch.

All he did was open the door and usher me inside though. He then took the bell that stood next to the door and rang it once.

A moment later a maid appeared in the entryway.

“You can prepare her,” Silas said in his emotionless tone.

The maid nodded, curtsied and ran off.

“The maids will get you ready,” Silas turned to me. “I will come by in an hour.”

I could do nothing else but nod.

Silas studied my expression for a moment but showed none of what he was feeling right now. Without any further comment, he turned around and left. I heard his footsteps as he walked down the corridor toward his room.

Would we really be alright?

Silas was a puzzle to me – hot one moment, cold the next. Yet he was a puzzle I wanted to solve. No, he was a puzzle I needed to solve because the success of our marriage depended on it.

With that resolve in my heart, I let the maids bathe me in the large bathroom in my apartment. The water was perfumed, so the smell of roses would linger on my skin. My hair was washed and styled until it fell down my back in the shiniest, gentle waves I had ever seen. I made myself relax even though being naked in front of three strangers tending to me was embarrassing. I reminded myself that they were women too, and they were just doing their job.

The hour passed by quickly, and when my hair was dry and I was dressed in a simple red robe, the maids curtsied and excused themselves.

My heart beat quickly. Silas would be there soon.

I sat down on the bed. I squeezed the fabric of my robe in my hands. It was soft to the touch, pure silk. I’d never had a garment of such quality. How much could this outfit have cost?

The price of my wardrobe wouldn’t matter anymore after today though, would it? I was the princess of Estone now. The country was rich, and the royals were billionaires. I would have everything I desired.

If only I knew what I wanted. I had never been much of a materialist. Sure, nice clothes were good to have, but I had never dreamed I would get a chance to own any. As such, I had resigned myself to not needing expensive things in my life.

Now, however, I would be expected to dress and behave like a rich person. Once my marriage with Silas was consummated, I would, one hundred percent, become part of the Hoyt family as his wife and blood donor.

My entire future had changed because, by some twist of fate, I had ruby blood.

I put a hand against my neck. Silas would bite me here, right?

My body felt warm at the thought. I had heard stories that a vampire’s bite was pleasurable. I’d had sex before with my previous boyfriend, but I hadn’t enjoyed the act very much. Yet, when Silas had kissed me, my whole body had burned up. Would intimacy with him be different from anything I had ever known before?

“Your blood is shimmering,” I heard a low, growly voice next to me. “What are you thinking about?”

I yelped and jumped up in surprise. With wide eyes I looked for the source of the voice. To my right stood Silas with that small smile on his lips.

“When did you enter my room?” I squeaked out.

“Just a moment ago,” he said.

Right – my husband was a vampire, and one of the supernaturals’ qualities was moving quickly and without a sound.

I noted that Silas didn’t apologize for the intrusion – understandable, I supposed. The palace, and thus my room, belonged to him after all.

I gave him a sheepish look from underneath my lashes.

Silas’ gaze dropped to the robe that hugged my small curves. The warmth returned to his eyes. He walked until he stopped in front of me and leaned down.

“Wait–” I gasped, extending my hand out in front of me.

He didn’t wait though. As he leaned down further, my hand landed on his chest, and he sealed my lips with his. He kissed me slowly and gently, but my body heated up quickly regardless. When he licked my lower lip, I opened my mouth, and our tongues touched.

Just like that, I lowered all of my defenses. I placed my hands on his neck, trying to pull him closer. My tongue danced with his. He was much more skilled at kissing than I was, so he guided me through the kiss. He didn’t seem to mind my inexperience.

With a hand on my arm he pushed me down gently until I was lying on the bed. When he broke the kiss and we stared into each other’s eyes, I saw a twinkle of mischief in his gaze.

There was mischief in this ruthless vampire's gaze.

My confusion from earlier returned. Who was Silas? I had never thought he would turn out to be anything like the person I was seeing now. I’d always imagined him as a cold man – never as such a hot, passionate lover.

“You’re thinking too much,” my husband laughed. “I need to fix that.”

Before I could reply, he pulled at the ribbon that tied my robe together. I yelped when I found myself as good as naked under his looming form.

Silas’ gaze landed on my breasts, and he leaned down and took one nipple into his mouth. He sucked at it, making me squirm and moan out loud.

“What a nice sound,” he praised me. “Moan more for me.”

His hand wandered up my thigh. He gave me no time to stop him before he touched my pussy. He put one finger inside me.

“Silas,” I moaned his name.

“Just like that,” he said. “Call my name.”

His voice was just as hot as the rest of the man – low and brimming with lust.

He trailed kisses down my stomach. I watched his actions with curiosity. I got the answer to my unspoken question about his intention when he placed a kiss on my pussy lips.

“N-No,” I protested. My hand wandered to his head, trying to push him away. “Don’t do that. That’s…”

Dirty. Not right. I didn’t even know what to call the act.

Silas looked up to me with his hooded gaze. “Don’t tell me nobody has ever gone down on you?”

“No,” I shook my head. “And I…”

“You will enjoy it. I promise you.” With that assurance, he dove in.

Silas sucked and licked me while he pumped a finger and then two in and out of me.

I did enjoy it, just like he had promised. My hips moved of their own accord. I rode his face, as embarrassing as the act was.

I’d had oral sex with my previous boyfriend, but it had never felt anything like this experience. He had never brought me to these heights of pleasure, never made me feel so good.

Thinking about someone else while Silas pleasured me was wrong, so I pushed the memory aside, focusing entirely on the haze of lust that filled my whole body. Silas made me feel so good. I…

“Silas!” I screamed his name as I shattered underneath him. The power of the orgasm took me by surprise. I felt so fulfilled, so whole.

As I breathed heavily, trying to collect myself, I heard rustling in front of me. Soon Silas appeared between my legs again, standing this time, and… completely naked. He had taken off his black robe.

My gaze traveled down his athletic body. The man was built like a marble statue. He looked even better than I had imagined from seeing him clothed.

I looked farther down and gasped when I saw his erection. He stood at full attention, ready for me, and he was huge. I’d read about men with large dicks in romance novels before, but I had never imagined I would actually… get to have sex with someone so impressively well hung

Not just someone. This man was my husband now.

A cocky smile appeared on Silas’ lips. He took my legs in both of his hands and spread me farther apart. “Ready?”

I wasn’t ready, and I didn’t think I ever would be. I bit my lip, but the haze of lust in my head wouldn’t let me back down. I didn’t want to back down. I wanted to know how it would feel to be stretched by him, to be filled to the brim by Silas’ cock.

When had I become so bold and wanton?

“Y-Yes,” I moaned, my voice breathless.

Silas looked proud of me for a moment. He placed himself at my entrance.

He pushed into me with a single long thrust.

I screamed his name, shocked by the sudden intrusion. He was huge, and my body had to stretch around him to accommodate his width.

We remained this way for a moment, just looking into each other’s eyes. In Silas’ gaze I saw lust and… adoration for me.

“You can move,” I finally said.

I wanted to feel him more.

I didn’t have to ask Silas twice. He pulled out of me, then sheathed himself inside of me again. Again and again he thrust into me. His movements were powerful.

This experience was what it truly meant to be fucked.

I was enjoying every moment of this roughness. I hadn’t even known before now that I could like things so rough, that I needed to be treated with such dominance, that sex could feel so good.

Silas leaned over me, and I felt his fangs against my neck.

I tensed around him, and he slowed his movements.

“It will sting for a moment, but it won’t hurt. I swear,” Silas whispered.

“Okay…” I gave a soft confirmation.

He gave me one more powerful thrust, then just as he sheathed himself inside my body completely, his fangs pricked the skin of my neck. He bit into me.

A wave of such pure ecstasy washed over me. I could do nothing else but scream Silas’ name and hold on to him for dear life. I let the pleasure pull me under, or perhaps it pulled me higher. I had no idea what was happening anymore.

I felt Silas drinking my blood as his own climax came, him spilling his cum inside me.

When I came down from the orgasm, I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness. I was tired. I needed to rest. A little sleep wouldn’t hurt anybody, right?

The last thing I felt was being lifted up and tucked underneath the covers.

I dreamed of pleasant things, and when I woke up after – what I assumed was – a few good hours of sleep, I found my limbs entangled with… those of my husband. One of Silas’ hands was on my midriff, the other beneath my head.

Had he stayed with me all night? Vampires didn’t sleep, but they did meditate to keep their sanity. A brain needed to rest from time to time, whether it belonged to a human or a vampire. Still, I didn’t know how long I had slept. Vampires needed around four hours of meditation, and it felt like I’d had a full night’s sleep.fThe curtains were pulled shut, so I had no idea what time of the day it was.

When I stirred to take a closer look at the windows, Silas’ eyes opened.

“Morning,” I gave him a soft smile.

He blinked once, then twice, and looked down at his hand around my waist.

Quickly, he pulled his hand away from my body and out from under my head too. He got up and picked up his robe.

I gave him a startled look. Why was he acting so skittish?

“I’ve got work to do. See you later.” His voice sounded strained.

He didn’t wait for my reply. He was out of the room before I could react.

How strange. Was he embarrassed about cuddling with me all night? Or was he really very busy and had just stayed with me for too long? The idea made me feel remorse at sleeping so much. He could have left me anytime after we’d had sex if he’d really needed to go.

Still, a warm feeling bloomed in my heart when I thought of the fact that he had chosen to stay with me until morning.

Silas really was a puzzle. The question was, would I have enough courage to solve his mysteries?