Sleeping With The Vampire (Immortal Vampire #2)

Epilogue

I felt different and yet not different at all.

It was hard to explain.

On the day of my wedding and crowning I rose late in the day as the light was fading and Elisha brought me the special gown I would be wearing.

“I can’t remember the last time I wore a dress,” I said, pained. “It feels…weird,” I admitted.

“Come on!” she laughed. “This dress is SO you!”

I supposed she was right.

This was not the traditional coronation or wedding gown. It was black leather and lace with a corset pulled tight around my chest.

Still, it was a dress.

“My mother wore dresses,” I said. “She always tried to get me into these cute feminine numbers that I could barely walk in.”

Elisha laughed and I laughed with her.

The wedding was taking place at Castle Grey and all the most prominent people had been invited. Security was tight and Lucca had insisted on keeping numbers down to control the situation.

But a councilor getting married was a big deal and required certain ceremony. The castle had been done up with fairy lights and candles and it looked very romantic. My feelings towards it had changed somewhat over recent weeks. I no longer thought of it as cold and impenetrable, to me, it now seemed like a fortress and a stronghold, a place where I would always be safe.

Lucca had insisted on finding us a house near the Capital, a grand old place with rolling lawns and trees but I found myself enjoying the silence at the castle. Like Lucca, I liked being in the highest rooms, and looking out over the valley, over the rolling green hills that would soon be mine too. I had been given my own rooms at the top, and these also had wide views of the mountains.

I was coming to get to know my new life, to feel my new powers. One of the changes I was aware of, was that I wasn’t as restless as before. I had found a kind of peace that I had never known possible. Perhaps because I had finally found the home I had been looking for ever since my own was destroyed when Chakrat killed my father. Perhaps I accepted my new life in a way that wasn’t even possible with my old one because I had chosen this one.

After I got dressed, Elisha came to do my hair and fix my make-up.

She tried to apply blush and put down her brushes, laughing. “You look beautiful the way you are, I don’t think you need any make-up!”

Lucca arrived in the doorway and Elisha slipped out.

“I couldn’t agree more,” he said, his eyes filled with love. “You look ravishing.”

I scolded him gently, “You aren’t supposed to see me on our wedding day! It is bad luck!”

Lucca smile at me, looking dashing in a beautiful wedding coat and a silk shirt. He came up to me, kissing my cheek.

“I think our streak of bad luck is over, don’t you?”

I clasped his hand tightly and nodded. “Yes, I do.”

We looked out over the courtyard, where cars were gathering as guests arrived for the ceremony. There was a festive atmosphere in the air and Lucca took my arm in his as we walked down the stairs to the garden, where a red carpet had been rolled across the courtyard from the castle to the grounds.

Chairs had been placed around and there was a bower of flowers where we said our vows. Afterwards, Finn arrived with Lucca’s senior counsel and Ragnar, carrying the crown on a velvet cushion.

“Queen Izzy,” he murmured as he reached me. “Doesn’t sound quite right, does it?” I nudged him with my elbow, suppressing a smile. Part of me agreed with him. Then the crown was placed on my head and a few murmured words of ritual meant that what had once belonged to Simonis and Tanata, was now mine.

It didn’t feel strange at all, the crown nestled comfortably into my hair. I barely noticed it.

At the reception afterwards, I saw Dominic and Joe in the crowd and made my way over to them. They congratulated me and Joe winked mischievously at me.

“Didn’t I say I thought there was a new role for you?”

I smiled at him. “Yeah, I recall that you did.”

“I think this will do nicely,” he said and grinned.

“We need you at the Capital,” Dominic started seriously. “There is talk of some of the unhappiness with new regulations and they are strict of course, but necessary…”

Lucca arrived and interrupted, “I hope you are not bothering my new queen with matters of business?”

Dominic laughed and hung his head in mock shame.

“It’s okay,” I said, smiling at Lucca. “There is much to be done. I am happy to help where I can.”

“Yes,” said my new husband and king of my heart. “But first you must help me cut the cake.”

I laughed and felt such happiness when he took my hand and led me to the big wedding cake for the mortals.

Then Lucca raised a glass of champagne and proposed a toast.

“I would like to propose a toast to my new wife and queen, Izzy. Things have changed. Our world has changed, and hopefully for the better. But more importantly, my world has changed. Castle Grey welcomes Queen Izzy and that is definitely for the better!”

There was loud cheering as all of the guests clapped hands and celebrated his words.

My eyes were drawn to the back of the crowd where I made out a group of people. Something about the way they were standing, together and yet apart from the others, drew my attention. The man was tall and broad-shouldered and the woman next to him, her hair reminded me of… Then I realized, it was them, my family. They were here on this happy day. I could feel my eyes fill with tears and blinked them away quickly because their outline was beginning to fade and I wanted to see them for as long as possible. I could feel their goodwill and their good wishes for me, and in a way it was a goodbye too. There could be no going forward without it, that much I knew. I wanted to look ahead and think of the future. The past was over. My younger brother waved and I could make out his sweet smile as his features slowly dissolved in the candlelight. I could let them go now, and be at peace too.

“Everything okay?” Lucca asked me softly, his voice filled with concern.

“I’ve never been better,” I said and kissed him, with all my heart, body and soul.

*****

Enjoy what you read? Then you’ll love Married To The Vampire Prince!