Chapter 54
Chapter 18:
Trisha’s P.O.V
I stared at the mirror across the room, unable to recognize the woman staring back at me.
Damien had kept his promise. He was giving me everything I had always wanted. A grand wedding at the castle with only the staff and close friends in attendance. And a wedding dress that would be the source of envy for many a woman.
The dress was pure white with a boat neck and fit bodice, but the bottom half was a flared skirt with the most gorgeous pearl embroidery I had ever seen. The sleeves were full and it was embroidered the same, with real pearls and even though there was so much decoration, the fabric was soft and breathable. The person who had done my makeup had told me that this was all Damien’s special request and that he had ordered it half a year ago. I had no idea what to feel after knowing that Damien had been planning for this way ahead of time.
My stylist had even changed my hair by removing the black dye and bleaching my hair to a beautiful blonde that reached just to my shoulders. I had loved my black and red hair, especially since it had been a reminder of Damien in my life when we had been apart. But now, I had no use of it since he was with me.
My makeup was light and my lips were a cute blush pink. There was no veil since a vampire wedding was a lot different from a human wedding. Jonathan had given me a diamond necklace that had once belonged to his wife. He told me not too long ago that it was the only thing he had left of her and he wanted to keep it safe so he could give it to me when I married. He had been with me till before I was getting ready, bust as soon as he had seen me after I had gotten ready, he just burst into tears and pulled me into a tight embrace, unable to control his emotions.
Neema had been bouncing with joy all morning and I had never seen him with so much energy. I would like to think that he was happy that I was finally marrying the man I had loves forever, but in reality, this was the first major event that he had ever attended in his life and that too inside the castle. He was just like me when I had first arrived at the castle with Jonathan; exploring and taking in everything he could. He loved every inch of it and the maids and the castle staff seemed to like him too, sneaking him treats when they thought I wasn’t looking. He had probably already had ten pastries since this morning, all different kinds and given by different people, and I think I just saw him running in the hallway with another plate in hand and a gleeful smile on his face. I had no idea where it was all going.
Now, I was sitting inside the Bride’s room, just next to the Grand Hall where all the parties were usually held, as I waited for my friends to arrive and the ceremony to begin. And just as I thought about it, I saw my closest friends enter the room.
“Lucas! Rose!” I hugged my friends in turn as they came to congratulate me.
“Happy wedding, girl!” Rose was grinning from ear to ear. “Congrats! It’s finally happening!”
“Yes! It is!” I welcomed another embrace from her and pulled away to look at her properly. Rose had pulled all her hair over one shoulder and let them down in gorgeous loose curl. She was wearing a gold chiffon evening gown that reached the floor but had an off-shoulder cut. With bright red lips and big gold hoops, she was set to seduce the pants off of all eligible bachelors in the room tonight.
“Trisha,” Rose made way so Lucas could greet me next. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you,” I smiled as he took my hand and placed a small kiss at the back of my hand. “You don’t look too shabby yourself.”
Honestly, he looked far from shabby. A black jacket and a pair of black pants with a red bottle green colored shirt underneath; it was all paired to enhance his natural features. I was sure he would have his fair share of suitors.
“Can I have a minute?” He asked Rose, who looked over at me with raised eyebrows and only left once I gave her a nod.
“So?” I pointed at the sofa across mine. “Come to tell me that you plan of stealing me from Damien?”
“That was a year ago.” He smirked after he took a seat. “Don’t tell me you aren’t over me yet? I would totally understand, I mean…I am irresistible!”
A moment of silence later, both Lucas and I burst out laughing and I felt a weight being lifted off my shoulders. I was glad we could now joke about the past and that there weren’t any hard feeling between us.
“Thank you, Lucas.” I told him finally. “I know I said it before but honestly, I don’t think I can say it enough times. Thank you.”
“Nah! Don’t thank me for everything.” He shook his head, a smile still on his lips. “I was smitten by you from the beginning. But even when we had been together, your priority had always been two other men. Damien and Neema.”
It made me feel bad that Lucas and I had slipped away and never been sincere about each other’s feelings. He had and always will remain special to me, but as a friend. I don’t think I can ever go back to the time when I hadn't loved Damien.
“I would apologize, but you know it wouldn’t be sincere.” I shrugged. “How about you? Have you found someone capable enough to be your mate?”
Lucas’s eyes drifted out the door for a split second, to where Rose was standing outside and talking to a waiter and I felt my lips twitch. But then Lucas acted like nothing had happened, so I didn’t bring it up…yet.
“I guess,” he fixed the lapels of his jacket as if he was nervous. “But I’m not sure yet.”
“There’s still time.” I told him, just as Jonathan entered the room in his all white suit with golden embroidery. “Father?”
“It’s time,” he gave me a big smile, his eyes still glossed over. “Come, my daughter. Let me fulfill my duties as a father.”
I got up from my seat, as did Lucas and then I placed my hand in my father’s outstretched ones, feeling my nerves acting up.
This was it. It was finally time to marry the love of my life. It was finally time to become the vampire’s bride.
*
Lucas’s P.O.V:
“Hello, ex-lover boy.”
I was startled into looking beside me to find Rosanna taking a seat beside me, a glass of red wine in her hands. Her signature red hair was in loose curls down to her waist and she wore a satin gold gown that made her stand out amongst the crowd.
There hadn't been a single unmated person in this room who hadn't given Rosanna an once-over, deciding if they could approach her or not, but with her attitude and cussing, many possible suitors had already run off to the other side of the room and now looked like they could piss their pants at any moment.
Damn! This woman sure was fiery.
“What’s happened to the line behind you?” I raised my eyebrows at her. “Scare away your little parade?”
“I’d rather swallow an entire dolphin than spend time with any of those pompous losers.” Rosanna swirled her wine in her glass with an uninterested stare while I almost spit out my whisky.
“Thanks,” I told her sourly. “Now I need to get that imagery out of my head.”
“Speaking of,” she placed her glass on the table and turned in her chair so she was facing me properly. “You keep looking at Trisha with these weird eyes. If you’re still not over her, why didn’t you shoot your shot while you still had a chance?”
I tilted my glass back and drank the entire contents in one go. Sighing, I too turned in my chair to face Rosanna properly. “How long have you known Damien?”
“Huh?” Rose blinked, taken aback by my sudden question; but she did answer me. “Not long at all.” She said. “We’ve had a treaty for the past two centuries, after the Wipeout, but we never had any face-to-face meetings until this past week, when he showed up at our deck with you. Why do you ask?”
Not answering her directly, I told her what I knew. “I met Damien a year ago, when Trisha was still fighting for the rights to free Neema from Vandal. Trisha and I gathered all the evidence we could to prove that Vandal was not only responsible for torturing and killing Neema’s entire family, but he was also responsible for King Dominic’s death.”
I saw Neema from the corner of my eyes. He was bouncing with joy all around Trisha and Damien as they spoke to the guests, his golden curls having fallen all over his face. To my surprise, it was Damien who bent down to push back his hair and used his handkerchief to wipe the sweat away from his forehead.
“But Damien already explained the situation to us, Lucas.” Rose’s voice made me turn my head back to her. “Vandal was his biological father and he was trapped. This whole situation that he is in now, with the Elder Council, is all because of Vandal. I get why you’re upset. You got him proof but he pretended not to believe you, but he had good reasons.”
“Exactly.” I gave her a tight smile. “Damien had his reasons. He had his reasons to hide the truth; he had his reasons to push Trisha away when he thought…no, when he knew that the Elder’s would now come after him. And he had his reasons when he hunted me down and dragged me all the way here to get Trisha to fight his case in court, even though he knows very well that no one has ever won a case in the Elder Court.”
Rosanna looked at me with furrowed eyebrows…before realization dawned on her and her eyes widened in shock. Her head snapped in the direction of Trisha as she walked down the aisle to her beloved Damien, the wedding set in motion.
On the outside, it painted a beautiful picture of a happy couple; a beautiful family.
But something wasn’t right. Something didn’t add up.
“So,” Rose swallowed. “What you’re telling me is…”
“Why did he suddenly decide to marry Trisha when he could have done it ages ago…or waited until the court trials were over?”
