Page 61 of House of Blood and Roses: Vol. 1

"What?"

"I told you not to get your heart involved, but you ignored me," she says, nodding over towards Linc. "I'm guessing that's just your friend."

Heat rushes to my cheeks as I realise she was right about that situation, I did say it a bit too much for Linc to be just a friend, because he's not.

"Nothing is going on," I murmur.

She snorts. "Of course it's not. Maybe if you want people to believe that, you should be better at hiding your emotions on your face."

I do my best to keep my features as neutral as possible.

"You look constipated," she tells me.

I grimace. "That bad?"

"You'll get better."

That almost sounds like encouragement, but I know better than to point it out to her, and I'm saved from any response at all by Lord Fallmartin appearing with Eliza on his arm. She looks radiant in a black and red dress, with a black lace veil over her face. She almost bounces towards her intended, and Lord Fallmartin does nothing to hold her back. I'm guessing it looks good for him to have a willing ward when it comes to this marriage.

He lets go of Eliza's arms and takes his place in front of the couple.

All around me, people fall silent, and I wonder if it's because of something specific, or if they've just seen it happen so many times.

"Welcome," Lord Fallmartin calls.

"Is Lord Fallmartin doing the ceremony?" I whisper to Bella.

She nods. "Anyone can do it, but normally the role goes to the higher-ranking Head of House from the two parties. In this case, House Tyberan is a lower House than ours. Now if you marry the Prince, the King will be the one to perform the ceremony as he outranks Uncle Gerard."

"Right, thank you."

Lord Tyberan lifts Eliza's veil and rests it over the back of her head, a stoic expression on his face. It doesn't quite match the enthusiasm my cousin is showing, but I suppose that could be for a whole slew of reasons.

"Lady Eliza Fallmartin, would you like to begin?" Lord Fallmartin asks.

Eliza lifts her wrist to her lips, and it's only when she pulls it back and I see the spots of blood sitting there that I realise she's bitten herself.

She holds her arm out to Lord Tyberan. "I offer you my blood as a symbol of this union." Her voice is firm and sweet, not holding a hint of hesitation.

"I accept it," he says, taking her wrist and bringing it to his mouth.

My eyes widen. "He's drinking her blood."

"That's how vampire weddings work," Bella whispers.

He lets Eliza's arm drop and bites his own, each movement seeming measured and not at all wasteful in terms of how much energy he's expending for this. "I offer you my blood as a symbol of this union." He holds his arm out for Eliza.

"I accept." She steps forward and presses her lips against the wound, drinking his blood. I watch in abject fascination and a hint of horror. In a few weeks, a couple of months at most, I'm going to be standing in front of the court having to drink the blood of a stranger and ending up bound to him.

I thought a wedding was going to be bad enough, but somehow, this seems so much worse, and I can't even put my finger on why.

I almost expect to be on the receiving end of a snide comment from Bella, until I realise she's not privy to my internal monologue, which saves me from any kind of quip.

Eliza lets go of her new husband's arm and steps back.

Lord Fallmartin nods to each of them in turn. "What the moon has made cannot be undone," he says. "You may go forth from this place, united as one."

A cheer sounds from amongst the assembled vampires.