Chapter 2: Death Walks The Aisle

••{RHIANNON’S POV}••

The flowers fall from my trembling hands, scattering across the floor at my feet.

Cyrus turns to me and cradles my face between his hands, making sure I’m only looking at him instead of the red-haired vampire closing the distance between us.

"Rhia, look at me," he says calmly, but the fear in his voice is impossible to miss. "Nothing’s going to happen to you. I swear it."

I manage a shaky nod, but I can’t stop the violent trembling that racks my body or the frantic pounding of my heart.

"Princess," a familiar voice calls.

I turn to find Garrick making his way toward me. The moment he reaches me, he gently takes my hand in his.

"I swore an oath to protect you since the day you were born, Rhiannon," he says firmly. "And today..." He turns to face the red-haired vampire making his way down the aisle. "...I’ll honor that oath with my life if I must."

"Garrick..." I whisper, fighting back the tears gathering in my eyes.

He presses a lingering kiss to the back of my hand before resting a hand on Cyrus’s shoulder. A small smile curves Garrick’s lips, and the sadness in his expression carries the weight of a final farewell.

"Your Highness," Garrick says quietly, "If I die today... promise me you will keep her safe."

Cyrus gives him a firm nod. "You have my word," he says without hesitation.

Garrick gives me one final glance that lasts for several heartbeats, then he lets go of my hand and turns to face the vampire. With every step he takes, I feel as if I’m watching him walk toward his own grave.

For the first time, the vampire’s golden eyes leave mine and settle on Garrick as he draws his sword. An amused smirk curves his lips as Garrick lets out a shout and charges at him.

Garrick swings his blade for the vampire’s head, but he moves faster than my eyes can follow, dodging the attack. He strikes again and again, but the vampire keeps sidestepping his attacks effortlessly, all with his hands folded behind his back.

Garrick growls like an animal, swinging his sword wildly until the blade finally nicks the vampire’s neck, drawing a thin line of blood.

The smirk vanishes from the vampire’s face and his golden eyes turn cold.

"I’ve had enough of this," he says.

He rams his fist into Garrick’s shoulder, and a sickening crack echoes as Garrick cries out in agony.

The vampire flicks two fingers and Garrick’s sword is suddenly ripped from his grasp by an invisible force, clattering several feet away from him. Then he slowly raises his hands.

A few uneasy gasps ripple through the cathedral.

I don’t understand why... until I notice several guests staring in horror with their eyes wide and their mouths hanging open as if they’re screaming, yet not a single sound escapes them. Then suddenly, blood starts pouring from them, rising into the air from their eyes, ears, noses, and mouths.

They choke and convulse, collapsing to their knees as they claw desperately at their faces, trying to stop the blood from leaving their bodies.

But it doesn’t stop.

It keeps flowing... and flowing... until their skin withers before my eyes, turning dry and grey. Then one by one, they fall to the floor, their bodies twitching violently before going completely still.

I clap both my hands over my mouth but it does nothing to muffle the piercing scream that leaves my lips.

My knees give out, but Cyrus catches me before I hit the floor, wrapping both his arms around me. I clutch at his clothes as sobs rack my body.

"Don’t look, Rhia," he whispers, his voice trembling with each word. "Please... don’t look."

But I can’t bring myself to look away.

The blood surges through the air, twisting together into one massive stream before hurtling straight toward Garrick.

"Garrick!" I scream.

It slams into him with terrifying force, hurling him against one of the cathedral’s pillars. The blood coils around his arms, his legs, and his chest, freezing around him until he’s pinned helplessly against the stone.

He strains against it with everything he has, but it doesn’t budge.

His eyes find mine.

"Your Highness!" he shouts, his voice ragged and desperate. "Run!"

But I can’t.

My body refuses to move.

The vampire’s golden eyes lock with mine once again, and he begins walking toward me like he has all the time in the world.

My father steps in front of Cyrus and me with his hand on his sword. His green eyes burn with rage as he faces the vampire.

"Go back to the darkness you crawled out of, dæmon!" he roars. "My daughter belongs to no one!"

Father draws his sword and points it at the invaders.

"Guards!" his voice booms throughout the cathedral. "Kill them all!"

The guards immediately charge at the intruders.

The red-haired vampire only smirks.

He lifts his hand almost lazily, and the moment he flicks two of his fingers forward, all hell breaks loose.