Chapter 14 Vivian #2
As the door shut with a soft thud, I turned to her. “Where are we going?”
She clasped her hands neatly in her lap, her gaze steady. “The ceremony is on the estate.”
I frowned, my fingers curling against the hem of my dress. “Then why the SUV? The estate isn’t that big, is it?”
Eldora’s lips curved into a knowing smile. “The Shadow’s territory spans several hundred acres. The ceremony is to be held on a cliff. He insisted on that location.”
A cliff. The words barely registered as I turned toward the window, staring out at the landscape that stretched before me. For the first time, I saw the real version of the estate, not the illusion that had obscured it from my sight.
And gods, it was breathtaking.
Vibrant green rolling hills undulated in the distance, meeting dense patches of forest where ancient trees stood tall.
Wildflowers dotted the meadows, their colors vivid against the deep emerald of the grass.
Sunlight spilled through the canopy, creating dappled patterns on the ground, and I couldn’t help but marvel at how serene it all looked.
This was what had enchanted Celeste and the guys. I’d dismissed their awe as exaggerated, convinced nothing in this territory could be beautiful when it was ruled by someone like The Shadow. But seeing it now, I felt the edges of my resolve soften. The beauty was almost disarming.
The guards opened my window slightly, and cool, salty air rushed in. The scent hit me like a memory, sharp and bittersweet. The sea. I hadn’t smelled it in years, not since I was a child. I leaned closer to the open window, inhaling deeply as fragments of the past rushed back.
When I was six, my mom took me to the coast. It was the only vacation we’d ever taken, an indulgence we could barely afford.
I still remembered the waves lapping at my toes, the sand warm and squishy under my feet.
I could hear my mother’s laughter as she waded into the water, carefree in a way I rarely saw.
Those were good days, precious memories, just a year before she left me forever.
I swallowed hard, forcing the lump in my throat back down. “Are we close to the sea?” I asked.
Eldora’s gaze flicked toward me, her expression softening just enough to catch my attention. “Yes. That’s where we’re heading. The cliff overlooks the sea.”
The knot in my chest loosened slightly, replaced with something unfamiliar.
Excitement? Anticipation? It was the first spark of anything other than despair since I’d stepped foot on this cursed estate.
The idea of being near the sea again, even with what was to come, felt like a tiny gift in the middle of my nightmare.
The SUV continued its steady trek, the gravel path crunching beneath the tires.
I lost track of time, too focused on the landscape blurring past the window.
The hills became steeper, the forests denser, until the horizon opened up to reveal a shimmer of blue that took my breath away.
The sea. Vast and endless, its waves glinting like molten silver under the sun.
Even from here, I could hear the roar of water crashing against the cliffs.
The car slowed and came to a stop near a secluded path. One of the guards opened my door, and I stepped out carefully, the hem of my dress brushing against the uneven ground. Eldora followed, her presence as steady as ever.
The guards stood at a respectful distance, their faces unreadable. I turned to Eldora, searching for guidance, assurance, escape. Anything.
“What now?” I asked, my voice brittle.
She gestured toward the path winding ahead. “You’ll take this route to the cliff. It’s not far.”
I stared at the trail, the sound of the waves growing louder with each step it promised. My feet felt rooted to the ground. “And you?”
Eldora squeezed my shoulder. “This part, you do alone.”
Alone. The word echoed in my mind, and my grip tightened on the bouquet. I glanced back at the guards, then at Eldora, who nodded. There would be no reprieve, no turning back. I took a deep breath, the scent of the sea mingling with the roses, and steeled myself.
This was it. There was no fucking turning back now.
The path felt endless, every step weighed down with the knowledge of what waited for me at its end. My legs trembled from the sheer force of my nerves, but I forced myself forward.
As I approached the cliff, the figures ahead came into view.
The first thing I noticed was him. The Shadow.
He stood tall, a commanding presence even in this idyllic setting, wearing a tailored black tuxedo that hugged his frame.
My traitorous eyes lingered on the way the fabric clung to his broad shoulders and the defined curve of his arms. His muscles flexed faintly, a subtle movement I hated myself for noticing.
Damn him. He looked devastatingly handsome, which only made my loathing run deeper. Of course, he would look like this today of all days. How infuriating that the man who had orchestrated my nightmare could also embody the kind of dark beauty designed to ensnare.
But then I saw his hands. They were shaking.
The sight stopped me short. What the fuck?
My first thought was that he was disgusted, that he was so repulsed by me he could hardly contain it.
A small, cruel voice in the back of my mind whispered, Good.
Let him feel even a fraction of what you feel.
But what if it wasn’t disgust? What if this whole thing unsettled him as much as it did me?
To his right stood a man I didn’t recognize.
He was tall and lean with sharp features that gave him a predatory elegance, yet he seemed frail.
His white hair was swept back neatly, and his deep crimson eyes gleamed with a quiet intelligence almost as unsettling as The Shadow’s silence.
His suit was accented with intricate embroidery in dark red, the patterns resembling veins.
Around his neck hung a large pendant that glinted ominously in the light.
As if sensing my scrutiny, the man turned his head and smiled at me, a gesture so unexpected that I almost stumbled.
The warmth in his expression caught me off guard.
It was the kind of smile a host at an intimate dinner would give, which was not what I’d expected in the middle of my surreal nightmare. I didn’t smile back.
To the left of The Shadow was another figure, draped in a heavy black cloak that obscured their face and body.
I couldn’t tell if they were male or female.
They were more a presence than a person.
The hooded head turned slightly in my direction, and a faint chill ran down my spine.
Freaky family blood rituals, I thought grimly, recalling the book I’d found in The Shadow’s private library.
This must be some grotesque tradition tied to his cursed bloodline.
Fucking wonderful.
As I neared, I heard The Shadow address the man to his right. “Altair.”
Altair inclined his head slightly, his smile softening as his gaze returned to me.
But The Shadow didn’t smile. He didn’t even speak as his eyes locked on mine. His dark gaze pierced through me like I was something to be dissected. The silence between us was unbearable, but I wasn’t going to be the one to break it.
When I reached him, he extended his arm toward me, a gesture so formal it felt almost like mockery. For a brief, insane moment, I considered refusing, but then I caught sight of the cloaked figure from the corner of my eye and thought better of it. Obedience was my only option.
With a shuddering breath, I slid my arm through his.
His grip was firm but not rough, his warmth startling against my clammy skin.
The contrast only worsened my nerves. My thoughts betrayed me as I felt the solid muscle beneath the fabric of his jacket.
Don’t think about it, I snapped at myself.
Focus on the plan. Survive this. Find your escape later.
The crashing of the waves below reached my ears as we stepped closer to the edge of the cliff, and I stared at the sight before me.
The sea stretched endlessly, its choppy waters glinting under the sunlight.
The salty breeze whipped at my hair and dress, and I inhaled deeply, letting the scent calm my racing heart.
For just a moment, the beauty of it eclipsed the terror coursing through me.
Then the officiant spoke in a deep, resonant voice, dragging me back to reality.
“On this day, under the watchful gaze of ancient blood, we gather to witness the binding of two souls. This is no mere union of flesh and bone, but a merging of destinies, sealed and sustained by the magic that flows through the veins of the Gallanti bloodline. We call upon the old ones to bear witness. May the spirits of the ancestors, who walked this path before, bless this union with strength, and may the shadows themselves bind your souls together.”
My stomach churned as the words washed over me.
The officiant turned to me then. “Vivian Solis, you stand before the heir of the Gallanti line, the keeper of shadows and master of illusions. Do you come willing to give yourself, ready to bind yourself to him in darkness and in light, knowing that what you enter into today is a pact as much as a marriage?”
My gaze flicked to The Shadow. His face was unreadable, but his eyes held a warning, a threat, a promise of what he would do if I dared refuse. The crashing waves below suddenly felt far too close.
“I… yes,” I said, my voice barely more than a whisper.
The officiant turned to The Shadow. “Raffaele Gallanti, you stand as the heir of your bloodline, chosen by the shadows themselves to wield the power bestowed upon you. Do you accept this woman as your bride, knowing that her life is now entwined with yours?”
Raffaele. So, The Shadow has a name after all.
“I do,” he said, his voice unflinching.
The officiant held out his hand, a blue flame flickering to life in his palm. “Hold your hands above the flame of darkness,” he intoned. “Let the shadows entwine your fingers. In this moment, your fates are tied, and the blood in your veins shall remember this day for as long as it flows.”
My hands trembled as I reached out. His fingers entwined with mine and guided me far closer to the flame than I liked. The heat licked at my skin, making me wince. Just as I thought it might burn me, he released my hand, his touch lingering for a moment longer than necessary.
“By the will of shadows, by the blood that binds, and by the ancient pacts that govern this house, I declare you married. Raffaele, you may now kiss your bride.”
My heart stopped. Fuck no. I hadn’t accounted for this. But before I could react, his hands were on my face, his touch both possessive and surprisingly gentle. And then his mouth was on mine.
I expected a brief and perfunctory press of his mouth against mine.
Instead, he kissed me like he was claiming me, his tongue sweeping over my lips before forcing its way inside.
The kiss was demanding, consuming, and I hated that my body responded to it.
My knees weakened, and I gripped his jacket to steady myself.
His tongue danced with mine, coaxing a heat I despised but couldn’t ignore.
When he finally pulled back, I was breathless, my heart hammering against my ribs. I stared up at him, my mind reeling. It was the most passionate kiss I’d ever experienced.
And it was with Raffaele Gallanti.
What a damn shame.