The plan culminated on their wedding night.
She had thought she succeeded in putting her father off, making him see that they could play the longest con of all. Vesperin could marry Rhyden and be with him forever, meeting with her father in secret to give him swindled jewels every few months. It was the best she could think of.
Happiness was so close she could taste it on her tongue, nothing like the bitter bite of briux.
Bitterness was all she knew, as her father had orchestratedthis.
She wanted to kill herself. Maybe if she had died before she ever met her Soulbond, she could have saved him from herself.
Her father’s hand tightened on her shoulder as Rhyden stared at them together.
Betrayal colored Rhyden’s voice. "What? Vesperin? What is this?"
Her father spoke before she could. She didn’t know what she’d say anyway, if she could find her voice. "She apprehended a criminal, of course. Who knew the acclaimed Rhyden Valkar was dealing in illegal blood trades?"
It felt like cold water had been tipped over her head. She glanced down at her wedding dress, swearing she’d find it coated with ice, but it was untouched. Beautiful.
"No, you never said—" Her voice shook.
"Shut up," her father warned.
One of the masked vampires stepped forward, a silver sword dangling at his hip. "We’ll take him to the jails for the night, but the illegal sale of blood is a criminal offense. He won’t be coming back to hurt you."
"I’m so thankful that my daughter found out this monster’s plans," her father replied. "I can’t imagine someone wanting to trick a human into marriage just to sell their blood to the highest bidder."
Her stomach twisted. She was going to be sick. The sound of her heaving sobs filled the room. She didn’t feel like she was in her body.
Rhyden—her husband, her Soulbond, the male she loved—looked at her like she was a stranger, as he was led away. His eyes were clouded with shock.
"Forgive me," she said brokenly, but the door closed behind him.
Rhyden was… gone.
Vesperin wanted to sink to her knees in her wedding dress, rip it off, and burn it to ash. Her father kept her upright, spinning her around to face him as her tears streamed down her cheeks.
"How could you?" she sobbed.
"How could I?" her father echoed. "How could I not? You gave us the perfect opportunity. This"—he waved a hand to the whole room, glittering jewels, paintings done with gold-flecked oils; things that Vesperin never wanted—"is now yours by law. Your Soulbond will rot for centuries becauseweset the stage for it all."
Her uncle, a large, mean man, grinned. "It was fucking easy to forge the documents. Sangreal rules are harsh. Funny, considering it’s a vampire planet. Think they’d believe their own kind more." He ran his finger over the dresser, making a glass cup of crystals wobble.
Vesperin’s tears were replaced by anger. She shoved at her father’s chest. "So that was your plan? Let me fall in love and marry Rhyden, just to get him sent away?" Reality was setting in. Oh god. Her Rhyden. He was?—
She stepped away from her father, and he let her. Her fingers tangled in her hair, messing the styled waves; she didn’t care.
"There has to be a way to undo this. Isn’t there?" she asked her father. "I’ll go to the authorities. I will tell them it was all a setup. I’m Rhyden’s wife." She raised her chin. "If I, ahuman, advocate for him, they will believe me. They’ll have to," she whispered almost to herself.
Her uncle stepped toward her. "Know we can’t let you do that."
Her father pinched the bridge of his nose. "I thought you would see reason, Vesperin. Are you going to keep being difficult?"
She tightened her jaw. "I will fight you every step of the way if it means setting Rhyden free. You are the one who should take his place in prison." Her voice was strong, yet thick and wavering with emotion.
Her father and uncle shared a dark look.
Then, she realized, maybe she should have gone along.
Her uncle stormed toward her, and she couldn’t get away in time. She tripped over the long hem of her wedding dress. She was caught with a hand around her nape, then thrown against the wall.
