CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER ONE
Prince Adonis Andreadis had always known that his wedding would be a magnificent spectacle. A man of his wealth and stature could have nothing other than a glorious and singular occasion to mark his nuptials. Even if those nuptials existed only to secure the bloodline, and therefore access to the throne of his country.
It was just he hadn’t expected to feel anything about it.
His father was dying. There was no denying the reality.
His father had told him that he had done enough damage to the crown and the family reputation that he owed him a marriage minted in perfection.
Adonis couldn’t disagree.
What Adonis knew was that he had done a fair job of exercising his demons in the form of debauchery, all around the globe.
And while he had not intended to besmirch the crown, it was likely he had.
Well. Besmirched in the eyes of citizens his father’s age. The younger generation was…decidedly fond of his exploits. He was a meme.
Knowing his time as king was on the horizon, he’d agreed to his father’s demand. That he marry a suitable woman. His father had provided him with a folio of acceptable women.
He had spent years being a terrible playboy but even he had never chosen women off of a menu.
He couldn’t say he felt like he owed his father, so much as he owed his country. His years of debauchery had never been intended to cause strife for the citizens of Olympus. No, his target had been much more personal.
The end result, however, was his infamy.
Adored by the youths, decried by the elder generation.
He had to find a way to unite the two schools of thought, however. And marrying seemed the way to do that.
He’d chosen Drusilla Stalworth not because of any blinding attraction to her, or her profile in the folio provided by his father, but because she was American royalty. The granddaughter of a former president, the daughter of a billionaire business mogul.
He had decided to reform, to forge an appropriate alliance and to marry as quickly as possible. His decisions had been clear, concise and quick.
He couldn’t recall deciding to get married in a cathedral by the sea, however. But it seemed as if that’s what he was doing.
The building was glass; glorious light shone through the windows.
It was warm. Odd. He’d expected it to be cold.
He looked out into the pews of the church. There was no audience. And for a moment he felt outside of himself. But he continued walking up to the front. And there he stood, waiting for his bride. The doors opened, and there she was. A halo of glorious gold. White.
Her hair was piled on top of her head, and a veil concealed her face.
She was like a floating confection. An angel.
Spun sugar and sweetness. So strange that he should have a visceral reaction to her, because he could not recall ever having a reaction like this to Drusilla in the past.
No. He had always been decidedly neutral on his intended, which had been fine with him.
She was beneficial. She didn’t need to be anything else.
But now, the sight of her held him suspended.
It was like being reborn.
And then, he was certain he felt something bite his leg. He looked around the room, and was struck yet again by the fact that it was empty, except for himself and Drusilla.
He reached down and gripped his thigh. And there was warmth there.
He was confused.
Groggy.
Why?
Suddenly, the doors to the church blew open, and the wind was as an icy blast. All the warmth from before faded away. And Drusilla kept on walking toward him. But then her veil blew off. And he looked into the eyes of a stranger.
As snow began to fall inside the chapel.
The chapel?
No. There was no chapel.
He wasn’t in Cape Cod having a wedding. He wasn’t…
Suddenly, everything around him fell away. And the wedding dress transformed itself to a parka. While the chapel became a vast wilderness.
And then, his vision went black.
And he tried to cast his mind back, to figure out exactly how he had gotten here…