CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

“ W here the hell have you been?” Brayden demanded. He then stared at his commander, who had entered the room with Brianna at his side. The female had already left to attend his soon-to-be princess.

“We got caught up. Wardrobe disaster thing,” Craig muttered.

He kept staring.

“What?”

Brayden shook his head. It was neither the time nor place for this discussion, but he was seriously concerned. Craig was sparkling, something Brayden had never, ever seen the guy do.

It wasn’t like with fictional vampires; this was a chemical reaction triggered when a male vampire was in a highly protective state. The hormone released from their systems reacted with the oxygen in the air and created an electrical charge only visible to their race.

Of course, no one but he was concerned about his commander looking like a damn Christmas decoration because they all believed Brianna was his mate. And they all knew Craig was a highly protective male, not unlike himself.

But the thing was, it didn’t happen exclusively with one’s mate. Just most of the time. Some males sparkled when feeling protective of their mama or sister if the situation was serious enough. But 99 percent of the time, it was a strong indication a male was about to bond with a female or male mate. So, in the absence of a mother or sister, that left Brianna. But Craig had mated Marie de’ Medici hundreds of years earlier, so this shouldn’t be possible.

Right?

He stared at Craig’s eyes, looking for the telltale black ring around the iris. Nothing.

Thank fuck.

Not that his own had appeared immediately.

Brayden rubbed the back of his neck. This could all go south pretty fast if the two of them had bonded. Willow would be pissed as hell, that was for sure. She’d already shared with him her concern that Brianna was going to leave with a broken heart. They all could tell the guy was fucking her to within an inch of her life most days—the human was glowing like a damn supernova.

On one part, it had gotten Kate off his back. She’d begun to get suspicious when the new faux mates hadn’t been seen together for a few days.

Fuck, could they actually be mates?

Brayden had always wondered about that day hundreds of years ago. The guy had been a mess, but now that he’d been through the experience with Willow, he was beginning to wonder if males like him and Craig could survive the loss of a mate.

Truth was, he knew he wouldn’t have.

Willow would be devasted. She had only recently gone through the pain and struggle of choosing immortality. She wouldn’t want to see her closest friend go through it. Hell, Craig might not give Brianna a choice. Most vampires didn’t.

Christ.

If he did and she left him, then they would have a problem.

Fuck.

He’d saved the male once before. This time, he would lose him.

Double fuck.

He absolutely couldn’t lose him. He relied on Craig more than on any of his males, a million times over. Plus, he was his best friend.

“You got something you want to say?” Craig snapped.

Sparkling and snappy. Damn, this wasn’t looking good. He ignored the attitude, knowing if the guy was bonding, he was in a state of complete fuckedupidness.

“Just making sure you know what you have to do.”

“All set. Let’s get this show on the road.”

Brayden slapped Craig on his back and grinned. “It’s not a luncheon, my friend. My female will arrive when she’s ready.”

He hoped it was soon, because right now, over ten million vampires were getting settled in front of their screens to watch the ceremony. She had seven minutes until they went live.

“Well, get your game face on. Those cameras are pointing at you,” Craig said.

“And you, asshole.”

A vampire with a pair of headphones on approached them.

“Sire, we are live in two minutes,” he said after a cough.

Right. So park the cursing. Gotcha.

Vampires, like humans, loved seeing royal pairings. Throw in the crowning of a princess, and you had the makings of a top rating show.

Three steps led them up to the marble dais, adorned with a silver M . The backdrop was made of thick velvet curtains in their purple and black Moretti colors. On top of a lectern was the Moretti leather book, looking dusty as fuck. It rarely came out of the vault, to be fair.

Beside him, Craig twisted and turned.

“She’s gone out back to Willow. Relax.”

“I’m relaxed. Fuck.”

Brayden rolled his eyes, catching the producer waving his arms. They were live.

We’re live, douchebag. No more cursing.

He received a sideways glare for his troubles. God, had he been as big of a dick when he had met Willow?

Yeah, okay, he had. Probably even worse.

The producer held up his hand and began the countdown with his fingers. Three, two, and one. He began his commentary as the two of them stood waiting for Willow to arrive.

“Hey.” Craig put a hand on his shoulder. Switching to telepathy, he said, Congrats, man. This is huge, you know that, right?

Brayden let out a cough and small laugh. Thanks for the pep talk.

They grinned at each other.

The crowd stirred as the king and queen made their way down the purple and black carpet which lay between hundreds of chairs.

The grand ballroom had been transformed into a magical space designed by his mate. Along with the erection of the dais they now stood on, dozens of pillars with large glass jars were filled with either white roses or thick candles. The walls and ceilings sparkled with thousands of fairy lights. Crystals had been scattered along the carpet, which added to the ethereal feel as candlelight bounced off them.

His mate was a magpie, no doubt about that.

Around them, the royal court officials curtsied and bowed to their king and queen, many of them having traveled across the planet to be here today for the event.

He and Craig bowed to the royal couple as they approached, and then watched them take their seats up on the top level of the dais.

The music suddenly changed. A light orchestral composition, which had him wondering if fairies were about to descend from the ceiling, began playing.

Craig glanced at him, eyebrow raised.

The fuck. She knows she’s not a Disney princess, right? That we’re vampires?

Brayden nearly snorted. Instead, he sent him a smirk.

Every female is a Disney princess on their mating day, my friend.

He nearly added, “ And it looks like you’re about to find out. ”

Then everything and everyone disappeared from existence. The large doors opened, and there stood Willow and Brianna. Like two fucking goddesses.

He heard Craig swallow, then curse.

Or maybe it had been him.

Brianna stepped forward first, her silver gown floating around her as she walked down the carpet. In her hair were now hundreds of little diamonds glittering against the candlelight. She stopped and gave him a brief curtsy along with a brilliant smile before standing to the right of the dais.

Brayden’s eyes returned to his mate.

His love.

His life.

She took a step forward. Layers of white silk flowed as she moved like waves on the ocean. Her shoulders and arms were bare, olive skin glowing against the sparkling light. Big brown curls which had hundreds of diamonds scattered throughout flowed down her back. At her neck was his mother’s Moretti diamond choker.

He smiled. Kate’s doing.

Her breasts swelled against the fabric, which flared out at her hips, billowing like the perfect fucking princess dress. Then he saw her blink. He knew that blink. He could see the moisture.

Brianna might be here with her today, but this was his world, a vampire world, and he knew she was overwhelmed. Tradition be damned.

He stepped forward and took her face in his. Out of his peripheral vision, he saw the cameras swing, not expecting them to break protocol.

“Goddamn, you look beautiful.”

“Bray,” she said breathlessly.

They stood staring into each other’s eyes, and around them, people sighed. Then someone coughed.

He gave her a wink, and led her up the steps.

“Let us begin,” the king indicated.

Vincent spoke the traditional words of the race which joined two mates together. Like humans, not all vampires officiated their union; for him as prince, there was no choice, nor did he want it any other way.

Once their vows were said and the sizeable crowd had cheered, it was time for what was sure to be the star event of the evening. Four vamps lifted the podium away, and two more thrones were carried onto the large dais.

Willow drew in a slow, deep breath. He squeezed her hand, and she smiled up at him. Nervously.

“Brayden, please take your throne.”

He rarely sat on one. It had always felt a bit The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe to him when the entire family was seated, but this was official business, and he wanted to do right by his mate. He kissed Willow’s hand before taking his seat beside the queen. He looked back at his mate and had to force himself to stay put.

She stood alone, head high, and nervous as hell.

He’d been born a prince, but Willow...he’d forced it upon her by way of being her mate. He was so damn proud of her. There was no guidebook for this. How many people became a princess any day of the week?

Or a vampire, for that matter.

God, he loved her.