Total pages in book: 140
Estimated words: 127933 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 640(@200wpm)___ 512(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127933 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 640(@200wpm)___ 512(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
But I couldn’t, not as long as there was that part of me that resisted.
I took a deep breath, my hand instinctively brushing over the roses in my hair, grounding myself in the present. Eight minutes. Eight more minutes before everything changed again.
When I finally left the bathroom, I cursed under my breath, testing out the heels Esther had chosen for me. Why did it have to be heels? I never wore them, and now I had to somehow glide through the night without face-planting in front of the entire congregation.
Each step felt precarious, like walking on a tightrope, and I knew I’d need all the grace I could muster to survive this evening without embarrassing myself. My hands lightly brushed the soft fabric of my gown, the weight of everything I had seen in the mirror still lingering in my thoughts. I tried to shake it off, focusing on making it to the foyer without tripping over myself. As I approached the foyer, I slowed down instinctively, my heart skipping a beat as I caught sight of him.
Alexander.
He stood by the entrance, as still and imposing as a statue. His head turned upon hearing me approach and for a moment, neither of us moved. We just… stared at each other. The world around us seemed to blur, and all I could focus on was him—his presence, his aura, the sheer intensity of his gaze.
He was dressed in an all-black suit, perfectly tailored to his body, as if it had been crafted solely for this night.
It clung to his broad shoulders and tapered waist, the darkness of the fabric making him look both regal and dangerous. It wasn’t just the suit that caught my breath—it was his face. Painted just like mine, the same skull pattern etched over his features, but somehow, on him, it felt more sinister and powerful. The contrast between the sharp lines of the design and the smooth planes of his face made him look just as otherworldly, like a demon come to life.
His topaz eyes, bright and fierce, stood out even more against the paint, glowing like embers in the low light. They burned through me, intense and unyielding, and in that moment, I felt completely exposed. It was as though he could see right through the layers of makeup, right through the gown, and into the very core of who I was. And yet, I couldn’t look away.
He was gorgeous.
The word felt too small, too insignificant to describe the way he looked tonight.
There was something magnetic about him, something that drew me in, even when I wanted to run the other way. I swallowed hard as my eyes trailed over his form. There was a quiet authority to the way he stood, exuding confidence and control. He was a man who knew his power, and who knew how to wield it. He took a slow step forward, his gaze never leaving mine, and for a moment, the room felt too confining. The air between us crackled with tension, an unspoken pull that I couldn’t explain but also couldn’t ignore.
“Deliciae,” he murmured, his voice soft.
I could barely breathe. My hands clenched into fists at my sides, my nails digging into the flesh of my palms as I fought to keep my composure. With the way he looked at me, the way his eyes devoured every inch of me—it was overwhelming. He stopped just a few feet away, his eyes slowly roaming over me, taking in the gown, the roses in my hair, the painted mask that matched his.
A slow smile curved his lips, dripping with intent, and my heartbeat thrummed in my ears. “You wear our darkness so well...you’re exquisite.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out. I couldn’t find my voice, not when he looked at me like that, not when every inch of me felt like it was on fire under his gaze. Finally, I managed a shaky breath. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”
He chuckled softly, the sound deep and rich, and it did something to me I didn’t want to admit. He closed the distance between us and leaned in, his lips brushing against mine in the barest of touches before pulling away. “Let’s not keep them waiting.”
With that, he took my hand in his, and together, we turned toward the door. My legs felt like jelly, but somehow, I managed to walk without stumbling, even in the damned heels. His hand remained steady in mine as we made our way out into the night.
There was a flashy sedan waiting for us just outside the door. I didn’t know much about cars, but I could even recognize the unmistakable "R" emblem on the hood.
“That’s a bit extravagant,” I commented, raising an eyebrow as I took in the sleek, polished vehicle.