43. Hayden

43

HAYDEN

She looks as beautiful as the day I met her. But in a white dress that she wears for me?

Perfection. Flawless. A goddess.

It's really happening. Millie is happy. Millie Flores will be Millie Drago, and we get to start the life I never thought I could have. My first and only love is looking at me like no one ever has before in my three hundred years of life.

She wants me .

She looks like an angel who found peace after fighting the battles in her mind. She looks like she's finally taken a solace breath after drowning in the depths of the darkness she's endured. She looks like she's learning how to love herself after being taught to hate herself.

But most of all, she looks like mine.

"Put Your Head On My Shoulders" by Paul Anka starts to play. It's the same song that played in the car the first night we met as I drove her home.

She walks down the aisle like the most precious, delicate, rare jewel I've ever seen. She's nervous. She tries to bite away her smile with her front teeth like she's ashamed to be so happy. I think it's cute when she does that. She deserves all the happiness in the world, and if I can't give it to her with my blackened dead heart, I'll spend all the money in the world to give it to her.

She stops in front of me. Kallum presents her hand, and I give him a farewell nod. Cooper sits beside me like my best man, with a wagging tail.

No one showed up for her but her brother, Nash. There's no doubt her father would be here. I have nothing against the men in her life, but I need to be the only one she can count on because it's true. I will never fail. I failed my parents and the people of this kingdom by being known as The Depraved Prince, but that will change, now that I have her .

Her black hair is curled, framing her cute heart-shaped face and full cheeks. Her blood rushes to her cheeks whenever I'm near. The way her heart thunders like a song, it will always be the anthem of my eternal condemnation to hell. Her eyes sparkle joyfully, looking at me like I'm her haven.

The white dress flows down her elegant curves, and she holds a bouquet of white peonies in her soft, glowing hand. Her skin is so smooth, velvet, and perfect.

"You are and will always be the most beautiful bride. Your beauty is out of this world, Millie. I'm just the lucky bastard to live in it."

She smiles, and I kiss her.

"I haven't even started yet, King Drago," Our officiant complains, clearing his throat.

I keep kissing her, and she kisses me back. Everything, absolutely everything, gets tuned out as we get lost in each other's lips like we always do. The only thing that plays is our song in the orchestral version.

We were fucking made for each other. And if we weren't, I would do anything to mold myself to meet her pieces like a puzzle.

"Are you okay, my Bambi?" I ask her while taking her hands in mine. She looks ill, and my heart races at the thought of her Valkyrie destiny coming true earlier, even though the book says not until she turns twenty-three. We still have two more years before I turn her.

"Yes, I think." She forces a laugh.

"Not getting cold feet on me, right?"

"No, it's not that at all. I have a headache…not feeling too well, but I must marry you. Nothing is stopping me from becoming your wife today." She forces a weak smile, and I brush my finger against her cheek worriedly.

"After this, I'll have the medical staff come look at you. We'll postpone our honeymoon plans to Alaska if that's alright with you?"

She nods. "As long as I'm with you, I don't care where we go. I just need you, Hayden." Her cheeks flush a hot pink, and I'm tempted to bite them.

The grumpy officiant clears his throat, and everyone who was standing sits down, taking their seats. Nash sits at the far left corner, wearing garlic underneath his clothing as a protective chest plate and neck armor. I smelt it when he came in. I couldn't help but laugh at the cliche rumor that garlic keeps vampires away from biting him. He'll be disappointed to find out it doesn't.

The officiant continues, placing a crown full of ruby red diamonds on Millie's head. I've all about tuned everyone and him out, staring at Millie like I'm the luckiest damned man in this world. Fuck .

I love her. I love her so fucking much. It hurts, burns, and breaks me, but I will always gladly succumb to those feelings… for her .

"King Drago?" The officiant clears my headspace and interrupts my longing gaze at my wife.

Right .

I grab her, pull Millie in by the waist, and push her against me until her dress rubs me. I know it's not the part of ‘you may kiss the bride' yet, but I don't care. I press my lips against her hard, and she returns the kiss as we dive into our secluded bubble. I let go, and she flushes while grabbing my arm. She looks into my eyes, and all I can hear is Paul Anka playing in the background as her eyes sparkle and her heart skip beats.

I break away and stand up straight, trying hard not to fucking tear up. But I will always fall apart and unveil my emotions like a man desperate and violently in love.

"My entire existence, I've earned a justified reputation for never showing up and always being selfish. While the self-serving aspect of my life is still true, I'll never give you up, Millie, and if that makes me a bad guy, then I will wear that title with honor. Because I have you and our future family, a heavenly vessel of pure innocence and true love that I vow to protect for the rest of your lives. The day we met was the day I was reborn into my new forever."

We're minutes away from the reception ending. We stand outside by the waterfall, watching the fireworks erupt for by the mountains. Our nearby town of Bozeman does this every year.

Millie rests the back of her head on my chest as I hold her waist from behind. She turns around, with my jacket on her shoulders to keep her warm from the unforgiving winter on her human body. She tilts her head, and meets my gaze with simplicity and peace shimmering in her brown iris'. Her breathing has changed, and her heart starts to slow, but I'm too distracted by the tears in her eyes to think about it more.

Pop. Pop. Pop.

Another firework screeches above us, diving into the stars and thunders like lightning when it pops. Red sparkles litter the clouds, and I sway with my wife by her hips as music continues to play softly in the background.

"You know, I always thought…that my mother and father didn't want me. I blamed them for the way I can't trust people and the way I can't believe it when someone tells me they love me. And then I realized that we all suffer from shattered scars and pieces . We're all just trying to survive in a world of unavoidable mistakes and demons that infiltrate our boundaries. They're just hurt people who hurt people. I don't resent them anymore. I understand now. I get it." She shivers against me, and I don't like to see her like this.

Pop.

Screech.

Pop .

"Baby…" I brush my knuckles on her face, trying to take her pain away by wiping the tears off. "You're still so young. It took me centuries to come to terms with who I am and the shit I've gone through. It's okay and normal to break down. Just never stay there in the darkness. And if you feel stuck, and can't be strong for yourself, I'll be your voice, I'll be your shield and I will love you enough to help you heal. We fight our demons, together, okay my Bambi girl?" I tilt her chin up with my ring finger and place a kiss on those perfect lips of hers.

She kisses me back for a few seconds. She pulls away and arches a brow. Her face is pale, and she gives me a tortured smile.

"My dad wasn't here to walk me down the aisle. And she isn't either, and that fucking sucks." She scoffs out a laugh as she sniffles. "My mother...she's—" she swallows nervously, clearing her throat. "She's a broken soul. She's a victim. And I forgive her. I forgive my dad. Forgiveness is something hard to give and receive. But I'm able to do it because of you. You've taught me this, Hayden. Love can be a million different things in the eye of the beholder. To me, loving you has been the easiest thing I've been able to accept and trust. No matter how you see yourself as a monster, my love. You're not." She lifts her hand to my face, and her flesh is cold. "You've sacrificed everything for me. You breathe for me even though your body can't. You've given me your naked soul, even though you think it's damned to hell. You're like breathing in an ocean. I never thought it was possible, but you make drowning in the darkness beautiful ."

I reach down and cup her face, kissing her like I always do. She presses her lips back against me harder, and we move perfectly together like we always do, but then she stops.

"Hayden? I don't feel so good." She freezes, and my eyes pop open worriedly when she goes lifeless in my hands. She drops her bouquet of peonies that she helped my mother grow, and then I see my worst fears come to life. She's bleeding from everywhere. Red drops from her mouth, nose, eyes, and ears. Red is everywhere on her dress and the flowers.

What the hell is happening?!

"Millie! Talk to me. Tell me what's going on!" I hold her and lay her down gently just as the fireworks come to an end, and every single northern vampire cheers happily. They're happy, and I'm fucking dying.

"Millie! Oh my God! Millie! Wake up, baby. Wake up!" I hold her shoulders tight, and I feel her heart come to a stop forever. It's stopped beating. Her rhythm, which I've come to know as my national anthem, has stopped. The music of her breathing has come to an end.

Everyone from the wedding surrounds me. My friends, guards, parents, and Nash are just as confused and petrified. My mother falls to her knees and tries to help.

"What happened to her? Isn't she twenty? It's not her time yet!" My mother frantically shouts as she brushes Millie's hair out of her face. She's assessing her wounds, as am I. We're both erratic and helpless as she tears off pieces of her black dress and cardigan to plug her bleeding ears.

How do I wake her? How do I make the blood fucking stop?! Did I misread something in the book? Kallum, indeed, would've told me by now if I missed something!

"I don't know! Help me, mother! Help me save her! Her heart doesn't beat any longer! Help me!" I plead with manic desperation. I punch the grass with my fist. My eyes beam red, and my fangs flash with havoc. Black tears drip onto her peonies.

"Oh, Hayden…she's gone. I—there's nothing we can do. She didn't consent, did she?" my mother trembles.

I shake my head, refusing to believe this is my reality. I hold her tight to my chest, trying to comprehend what could have led her to die like this. I've been careful and gentle with her, worshiping her every need. We had plans . We had fucking plans to start our family. We were already trying… she wanted to go to Alaska . My Bambi girl still wanted to do so much.

"No! I refuse to accept this!" I bite her. I bite her all over, trying to see if my venom will miraculously turn her into a vampire without consenting. Everyone watches me with black, confused tears running down their distraught, pale faces.

After minutes pass by like years, and I perform chest compressions to try to get her heart beating, nothing is working, and I'm forced to live in my worst nightmare.

"No…no… Millie !" I wail with an inhumane roar. The guards start to push everyone away from us as I hold and grieve my person. "Don't go with Death." I cry into her neck.

"I'll find a way to you, baby. I'll see you next moon, right?" I mumble our signature farewell to her. "Say it back. Say it back right now! Please ." The word I fucking hate falls off my lips so effortlessly.

Please .

I keep holding her as her blood makes a puddle. I sit and let my knees drench in it as I kiss her soulless forehead and lips. She's cold. Where's her warmth? Where's her honey-brown eyes that sparkle? Where is she ?

"I'll see you next moon." I groan into her neck, where my mark still lies.

I'll see you next moon .

"She had more time! This doesn't make sense!" I shout into the sky. I hope God can hear me. I hope he can listen to my pleas to give her back to me.

Please give her to me. Give me back my little Bambi .

"What the fuck is happening to my sister?!" Nash's livid shout slices through the thin air. He loses control but my guards restrain him within the crowd, forcing him to watch.

"King Drago!" One of the maidens holds up a cup. She was the one that helped get my Millie dressed in her wedding gown. "She was poisoned!" Everyone gasps in horror while I do everything I can to not destroy and kill every single guest.

Who would poison my girl? Millie shouldn't have any enemies with evil intentions to end her life and if she did, I'd make sure they never got a fucking chance. She's adored by everyone in this Cathedral.

My mother flashes to her, pulls the cup from her hand, and smells it. She's careful not to touch it with her mouth. Not one more second passes before she pushes the bronze cup away from her lips, revolting. Immediately, my mother's eyes bulge, and she goes still.

"Who gave her this drink?" I snarl, but I don't move. I can't leave my wife. I can't let her go…

She points to Holland.

He drops his cane and snickers demonically. He stands there clapping with an evil grin, his eyes beaming red with glee.

"Checkmate," he spits with hatred. I knew he hated me, but I didn't realize his hatred for me cut this deep. He's willing to kill and take the only person I love away.

"You…you?" I'm shaking, aching, breaking. Tragic is an understatement. Has our love blinded me so much that I hadn't been focused? I hadn't seen the chest moves were being moved from inside of my own kingdom? I still don't have it in me to let go of Millie. My blackened eyes dart to Holland and my bloodied bride. My father takes initiative for me when I can't. I'm frozen with a destroyed soul. Even the demons that live inside me are absent, granting me this moment to endure it in silence. I don't have the energy to feed them. I'm drained from the inside out.

Millie…wake up. Baby. Please…

I plead with her through her mind like I used to do but only silence greets me.

My father rushes to him and restrains him. Holland doesn't fight him as thirty more vampire guards help assist my father.

Holland played us all. He's been the true enemy all along. Pulling the strings behind enemy lines.

"You don't deserve anything good in your life. You always get what you want, and I'm sick and tired of it. But guess what? In this cruel world, we don't always get what we want, Hayden, and it brings me joy to see you suffer and learn one of life's hardest lessons. You're a monster trying to change the times for a human? For love?" he scoffs with amusement. "Don't forget who you are…which is The Depraved Prince."