Page 118 of Hunt Me

“If I had known that locking you away for two hours would cause you to lose your mind, I would’ve made wiser choices.”

He removed his hand and instantly regretted it when she said, “I would be a top.”

“We wed tonight,” he said suddenly, smiling softly when her mouth gaped, reminding him of an aspirating fish on the riverbank.

“We wed tonight?”

“Aye.”

“How is that possible? We—”

“For a royal wedding to be deemed official, at least three nobles must be present to certify the marriage.”

“And those three nobles would be Duke Gustafson, Duke Brennan, and Duke Mirren,” she muttered.

“Precisely,” he answered, grabbing her hand. “I know it is not the wedding you desire, but—”

“I never fathomed getting married, and those who sparked interest were warned off with the threat of torture and bloodshed. I certainly never desired to marry the ruthless Vampire King of Night Falls. Nothing is ever as we desire.”

“You have had marriage offers? I am aware that Belzar often propositioned you, but it seems far-fetched that you’d have many suitors.”

It was Matilda’s turn to sigh.

“You forgot Beta David.” He sucked his fangs and waved her off, dismissing the thought. “I have had multiple suitors, but none who could offer me anything of substance. Some claimed they could protect me, which was laughable. The others did not have enough coins to entice me.”

“And I had enough coins to entice you?”

Matilda shrugged with a smirk, “Just barely.”

“Amazing,” he chuckled. “Do you require assistance with your wedding dress?”

“I do. But I do not want you to see me in my dress yet.”

He nodded. “I am unable to have a servant assist you due to the secrecy of our marriage.”

“We are not announcing our union?”

“Under advisement, it was suggested we wait to announce our marriage until you’re turned.”

“To keep the peace?”

“Yes.”

“I guess some things can’t be helped,” she commented, scooting off the bed. She approached her armoire and unlocked the latch, allowing the door to swing open.

“I can close my eyes,” he offered, not wanting to disappoint her. She glanced over her shoulder and nodded.

“That should suffice, my King.”

She waited until his eyes were closed and retrieved her wedding dress, bringing it to her chest. The fabric swished around her feet as she shuffled toward the bed. She stripped out of her nightgown, stepped into the royal dress, and shimmied it into place. She pressed her hands against her chest to hold up the bodice until her beloved could tie the back.

“Are your eyes still closed?”

“They are,” he confirmed, vibrating with nerves.

Matilda turned her back towards him and led him through the intricate process of fastening her dress. She often stumbled over her words when his fingers brushed against her bare skin. They were the same electrical currents she felt whenever he touched her, but she was finding that every stroke felt brand new, as if it were happening for the first time.

“My task is complete, my beloved,” he whispered in her ear, sending a jolt of lust through her when his warm breath caressed her cheek.