Lucius hated airplanes. No matter how much statistics suggested it was the safest way of traveling, he just couldn’t help but imagine the worst scenario, how scared the passengers must be when they knew it was going down and they would die in a few minutes, no time to process and to make peace. Before they boarded it, they were probably planning what to do during their vacation or what to eat as supper, having no inkling that they would never make the destination.

However, he was much calmer than usual this time. Probably because what was awaiting him on the other side of the journey was worse than his worst fear about planes.

After two martinis, the head bodyguard escorting Lucius to Eternia forbade the stewardess to bring him more, so he had to suffer the whole trip and the following ordeals sober. Plus, the rigid Crimson Robe, a typical formal attire High Priests wear, was extremely cumbersome and uncomfortable. He wondered how Julian could wear such complicated and restricting clothing every day.

He tried to watch some movie or listen to music, but the chaotic thoughts roaring in his head prevented him from enjoying any of it.

He wondered if there was any morsel of remorse in his parents’ hearts. Would Amelda regret that she tried to trick him into compliance? Would the people of Anthor know that he was the oblation of the so-called peace?

And most of all, would Julian miss him? Would he weep for him? And why didn’t he try to contact or talk to him since the farce commenced? Why didn’t he come to say goodbye? Was it guilt or fear?

Did he know about the premise of the treaty at all, or did they keep him in the dark? And if he knew, did he agree to this?

Lucius thought he knew the answer, but he was no longer sure after being sold by his parents and his country.

In three hours, they landed in Emberton. As the plane glided to a stop, Lucius looked outside the window and saw figures in black suits waiting next to a long, black limousine. They looked just like regular humans from afar.

Lucius felt nauseated.

The stewardess was practically shaking as she opened the cabin door. Lucius could smell the fear and uneasiness from underneath all his bodyguards’ collected demeanor. Even the head bodyguard Dan, who allegedly killed three apostle vampires during his serving time, appeared unsettled.

“Are you ready?“Asked Dan.

Lucius combed his shoulder-length hair a few times with his sweaty fingers and straightened his robe and sash as he stood up, trying to look as presentable as possible.

From now on, he had to stop being Lucius and become Julian. But how long could he last? Was it possible to pretend someone he was not for the rest of his life?

“I wish you’d let me have that one more drink,” he mumbled before standing up and walking toward the exit.

Six vampire guards stood straight and silent on either side of the airstair, three men and three women. Probably all neophytes or above since they were not afraid of the sunlight. They were youthful, slim and elegant, with cooler-toned, immaculate skin and rich, lustrous hair. The only thing that gave away their predatory nature was when their piercing gaze locked on you. The covetous lust for killing, blood, and cruelty slithered out from the eerie glistens of their unblinking eyes, making the ones under their gaze shudder instinctively.

It was the first time Lucius came so close to vampires, and every hair plus the goosebumps on his body stood erect. His steps slowed down haltingly as the urge to run became harder to suppress. But Dan put a hand on his back, and the forceful pressure pushed him forward.

A tall, black-haired vampire woman walked up to them with a glamorous smile, revealing two long, sharp fangs, “welcome to Eternia, your holiness. I hope the flight was pleasant.”

Everyone could hear the sarcasm as she spoke the term “your holiness,” as in their mind, the famous “the angel of God” would soon become their Crown Prince’s whore, and it must feel satisfying to defile the whole country’s belief.

Little did they know all they were getting was a downgraded copy of the authentic one. Thought Lucius with dark, self-deprecating humor.

She opened the limousine door for Lucius, but as Dan tried to follow, two vampire guards stopped him.

“The reception is finished. We will take his holiness to Vermilion Citadel from here.” The woman curtly said, gesturing to the plane, apparently did not plan to provide any unnecessary hospitality to a man known for killing three of their precious apostle vampires.

Dan looked at Lucius with concern because if they left now, Lucius would have to face whatever came next alone. It would come sooner or later, but Lucius still felt panic rise once more to his throat. He managed to nod to Dan, permitting him to leave him here, as he knew there was nothing else they could do.

As the car drove away, Lucius looked back and saw the guards were still standing there. They were likely the last person from Anthor he would see for a long, long time, making his eyes swell and painful as he tried to press down the wetness.

The limousine soon dove into the heart of Eternia. It was the hour of sunset, the vampires’ early morning. The intricate, archaic streets appeared quiet and forlorn, sealed into the resin of roseate twilight, beautiful and almost peaceful.

The ancient capital was a concoction of antiquities and vanguards, a jarring between two extremes yet fitted perfectly. Heavy, stately columns and heavenly arches adorned each stunning building, yet colorful augmentative projecting ads, sleak automated cars, and cleaning bots were easily spotted everywhere. There was no sight of homeless people or even a piece of garbage. Everything was clean and fresh and flaunting luxury.

And Vermilion Citadel was the heart of the everlasting capital, a magnificent and ancient edifice erected at the center of Emberton and could be seen half city away. It was a gothic castle built with a kind of volcanic stone with a florid ruby hue, symbolizing the color of blood. As the limousine approached the gate, the last ray of twilight shone on the giant rose window, which glistened alluringly. content rights.

Many vampires were staring at the limousine as they passed by. Probably all knew well of the key passenger. The car went past the tall black front door of the main building and went all the way to one of the side entrances, and there were several vampires in fine black morning suits lined up on both sides. Each wore a cold and rigid expression. One of the footmen opened the door for Lucius, and another prim man with salt and pepper hair stood in front of him.

“Welcome to Eternia, your holiness. I am the Head Steward, Harold Sherriden.”

Lucius quickly scanned around. All the vampire servants were expressionless, but their nostrils were flaring, and some were gulping as if seeing a delicious dessert, and their glare contemptuous. Lucius knew how perilous his situation was even though he was to be the Crown Prince’s Consort. He was just a bag of blood to them, and any of them could have torn him apart in a blink of an eye.

When one was surrounded by predators, the worst thing one could have done was to show fear. So Lucius mustered up all of his courage, straightened his back, slightly raised his chin, and extended his right hand that wore the High Priest’s ruby ring, which was one of the rings that Julian wore every Tuesday, palm facing down and waited. A gesture was universally commending the other party to kiss his ring and show subordination.

It was a bold move, and the steward paused for a second. But soon, he bowed his head, and bended down to kiss the ring.

“Pleasure to meet you. Mr.Sherriden.” Said Lucius, trying his best to maintain an even, authoritative tone.

“I am responsible for preparing you for the wedding tonight. Please follow me.”

Lucius was guided through the imposing hallways and colonnades with several servants and guards trailing. Every person passing by was staring at him while chittering or laughing without much dissimulation. Each pair of gazes was a pair of needles nipping at Lucius’s back, and anxiety scratched the inside of his skin like thousands of crawling worms.

Occasionally human slaves appeared behind their vampire masters. All of them wore collars with a leash attached to the front. Some of them were completely naked and crawled on the ground like dogs. Many of them were adorned with jewelry, and their body was maintained in great shapes like the models in the magazines, albeit scattered with wounds and bruises. And to Lucius’s surprise, some of them looked at their masters in such an infatuated way as if they were madly in love with their tormenters, and even as their masters punished them, their moans were like pleasure more than pain.

Lucius heard many horror stories about how vampires tortured their human slaves for fun. One time, he visited Julian when the latter was helping in a refugee center for all the human slaves escaped from Eternia, and he saw all those scared, deformed, and scrawny men and women, some of them dead than live. One of the girls barely had any skin left, as if she was eaten by a pack of wolves and left behind a skeleton with a thin layer of muscle and scarred tissue.

Julian told him that some vampires not only liked to drink blood but also bit and tore flesh like ravenous wolves. And if some vampire masters tired of their slaves, they would feed them to the most primal type of vampires, namely beasties, which were more like ferocious animals than a sentient being.

He didn’t know how far was he from being attacked and eaten.

“To ensure your safety, please refrain from walking these hallways alone. ” As if reading his mind, Sherriden said nonchalantly, “I don’t think anyone would dare to lay a hand on you, but just for precaution, please always bring a guard.”

“And what if my guard attacks me?”

“That is impossible. All guards in Vermilion Citadel are selected by Prince Dorian and are well trained, including controlling their urge to feed. They wouldn’t touch you even if they starve, given that it is Prince Dorian’s will that you are not to be harmed.”

Which means if he displeased his future husband and lost his favor, Dorian could easily get rid of him and get one of his loyal guards to take the blame.

The next few hours went by fast. Lucius was brought into a luxurious room and was asked to take off all of his priest attires, as he was no longer the High Priest of Anthor. Lucius complied without much dispuse as it was not his clothing anyway. He wasn’t allowed to bring anything of his own as he was supposed to be Julian.

Then Lucius was guided to a huge bathroom with an ancient roman caldarium pool. The water was heated perfectly, and a human eunuch servant insisted on giving him a scalp massage as he was soaking in the water, and it felt so good that he almost felt relaxed. After the bath, two other human women put rose scent oil on him and then dressed him in an exquisite embroidery dark red velvet tunic, matching dress pants, a ruffled diaphanous white silk shirt and a bow tie with a dainty ruby brooch. Several maids fussed over his hair to make it curled loosely elegant. He felt like he was being packed and adorned like a dessert.

All the while, someone was reading Lucius’ court etiquettes and the wedding procedures, and he had to memorize everything within two hours. By the end, Lucius already began to have a pretty bad migrant, for he hadn’t studied so intensely since uni finals.

“You know, you could have sent these to me like a month earlier, so I have time to prepare!” Lucius was so frustrated and pissed that he forgot about his fear of vampires and bitched loudly at Sherriden. And the latter only smiled and reassured him that even if he forgot about something, someone nearby will remind him.

The hour finally came, and Lucius soon found himself standing outside a heavily ornate door, waiting to enter the grand throne room as the Crown Prince Consort. He was lightheaded, couldn’t grasp the weight of reality, feeling as if he was in a dream. A very bad, very long dream.

And then, the imperial organ music grew louder, and the door slowly opened.