I stare at myself in the mirror, barely recognizing the sophisticated woman in the floor-length gown. Lina’s eyes roam over my dress down to my strappy heels.
“I have something this dress needs. You can’t say no.” She rushes out of the room.
I laugh. “Wonder what it is?” I ask Stefania, who is still staring at the door Lina left through.
“It must be something special.” Stefania stands, smoothing down her satin skirt.
“Arthur won’t know what hit him when he takes one look at you,” I say.
Stefania swats away my words with her hand as if they’re a pesky fly bothering her with untruths. “We’ve been together so long he barely notices me.”
I arch a brow at the way the blue dress hugs her soft curves. “He’ll definitely be noticing tonight.”
Lina rushes back into the room. “Here,” she says as she places a gold crown encrusted with teardrop-shaped sapphires on my head.
I touch the crown, adjusting the weight of it so it doesn’t fall off. “I can’t wear this. It’s too beautiful.” It looks authentic, and that thought makes my stomach churn with nerves that I might ruin it in some way.
“Wear it. If I know Draven, he’ll love it.”
I stare at myself in the mirror, unable to believe this isn’t a dream. “I can’t believe this is my real life.”
“It looks perfect on you,” Stefania says. “You’re a queen.”
“Thank you.” I suck in a deep breath, to calm the fluttering in my stomach.
“I’m not sure what the men are planning on doing,” she warns me. “All I know is we need to stay alert. You never know what could happen.”
Wise words. My mind races with all the possibilities of what could go wrong tonight.
Twenty-One
Draven
* * *
In a new Tom Ford tuxedo, with my hair tamed, I almost look like the kind of man who could deserve someone like Allison.
Sadly, I’m not.
I’ll never be that man, and I can’t hold her back. I have to let her live a full mortal life. One where she’s free to go to school, fall in love, and not be tied to a barbarian who dwells in darkness. A man who has no right to someone so pure. So good.
She deserves better.
They all do.
When she mentioned taking me back to Portland with her, I realized Allison isn’t meant for this life. I can’t keep her in a cage. She needs to fly.
I straighten my black bowtie in the mirror, blowing out the breath I’ve been holding since the moment I decided to tell Allison to live a life without me.
In the vampire community, she’ll remain my wife for protection, but I want her to return to Portland. I want her to resume her studies and enjoy life.
“You look like you’re thinking hard,” Viggo says as he steps into the room, wearing a black suit and bow tie that matches mine. “I’ve got your mask.”
I take the velvet mask from his outstretched hand. “Thanks. Any news on who told Bogdan?”
Viggo shakes his head. “I’m hoping Simon will be able to tell me more. He’s been following Bogdan for a while now, so he should have seen something.”
“Good, I want this problem dealt with immediately.”