Chapter 2

The next morning, the bedroom door was shoved open.

"Still lying there playing dead?"

Mother's shrill voice stabbed through my aching head.

"Get up. The prince sent a carriage to take you both for your dress fittings."

I forced myself upright through the dizziness, bracing against the wall to stay on my feet.

In the mirror, my face was bloodless. I looked half-dead.

Mother saw it and didn't care. She curled her lip in disgust.

"What a miserable little ghoul. Your wedding is tomorrow, and you insist on looking like a corpse?"

I ignored her taunts and changed into a high-collared dress to hide the bruises Lucian had left on my throat.

When I came downstairs, Lucian and Rosalie were already seated in the living room.

Rosalie wore an expensive dress, and my Heartstone glowed warm and red at her throat.

The Heartstone's magic had put color in her cheeks and a radiant glow in her skin.

Lucian walked over to me with a show of concern.

"Iris, you look awful."

"Didn't you sleep last night?"

He reached out to steady me.

I sidestepped his touch and answered flatly.

"I'll live."

Lucian's hand froze in midair, and his face darkened.

"Iris, are you still throwing a tantrum?"

"I took your Heartstone to save Rosalie's life. Why can't you understand that?"

"Besides, tomorrow you'll be a princess of the Vampire Court. What more could you possibly want?"

His nauseating speech made my stomach churn.

"I said I'll live."

Rosalie piped up from behind, her voice dripping with delicate sweetness.

"Lucian, don't blame my sister. She's just upset I took something of hers."

Lucian let out a cold snort.

"If only she had half your grace."

We arrived at the most exclusive bridal salon in the city.

Since both weddings were being held simultaneously the next day, Rosalie and I were both there to select our gowns.

Two wedding dresses stood displayed in the center of the hall.

One was a midnight-black bridal gown for a Vampire Court wedding, studded with dark crimson gems.

The other was the Hunters' Order's ceremonial gown, pristine white and severe in its beauty.

When the attendant moved to bring me the black gown, Rosalie suddenly rushed forward and seized it.

"Wait!"

She clutched the black dress to her chest, her eyes instantly welling with tears as she turned her pitiful gaze on Lucian.

"Lucian... tomorrow I'll be sent to that violent, dangerous place. I might never get to wear a black wedding gown in my life."

"I know the black dress is meant for my sister, but could I... could I please beg her to let me try it on? Just once?"

"Just this once. Let me pretend I'm the one marrying you. Please?"

Lucian's heart melted on the spot, his eyes filling with anguish.

He strode over and pulled Rosalie into his arms.

"Rosalie, you're too good for this world."

He turned to me, his tone that of someone issuing a command they considered perfectly reasonable.

"Iris, did you hear that?"

"Rosalie is going to die for you tomorrow. She just wants to try on the black gown once. You wouldn't refuse her that, would you?"

I stared at the two of them and their little performance, my heart brimming with scorn.

Rosalie didn't want to just try it on. She was planning to wear that very gown to marry Lucian tomorrow.

And I was the one who needed the white dress.

"Sure." I walked calmly to the white gown.

"Since my sister wants the black dress so badly, I'll take this white one."

Lucian saw me reach for the white ceremonial gown of the Hunters' Order, and fury twisted his face.

"Iris, what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"You're marrying me tomorrow, and you dare try on the Order's white gown in front of me? Are you trying to curse our wedding?"

He snatched the white gown from my hands and flung it to the ground.

"Even if you're angry, this is no way to take it out on me!"

Rosalie pounced, grabbing Lucian's arm.

"Lucian, don't be mad. I'm sure she didn't mean anything by it."

"How about this? There's an old white dress someone returned. If she insists on wearing white, she can wear that one. It's just for show anyway."

The trembling attendant brought out a cheap, indecently cut white dress smothered in plastic rhinestones.

It barely qualified as a dress, let alone a wedding gown. It had been chosen to humiliate me.

Lucian glanced at the hideous thing and sneered.

"If you're so desperate to parade around in the Order's colors, wear this!"

"Let's see you stand beside me at the altar in that piece of trash."

"Go on. Put it on. Let's see just how low you're willing to sink!"