Married to the Prince of Darkness (COMPLETED)

Chapter 28

There were many things about vampire culture that I do not understand. I do not understand vampire royalty or their customs nor their traditions- how does standing under a tree at the wrong time bind me to a man I had never met for eternity. But what I struggle with the most with is the not knowing who I was in this vampire society I had been forced into. I was a Princess, but I was also a vampire who saw ghosts and both these things had different meanings and different outcomes.

Henrietta tried to tell me what she could but Nico had returned sooner than expected and after that we had to talk about other things. Time passed and eventually Henrietta was summoned away by an abrupt phone call out of the blue. Henrietta apologised for having to leave early and left with her entourage.

It seemed for us our lives were no longer our own.

I returned to the bedroom eager to avoid Nico and sat on the edge of the bed waiting for Luc to come back. Nico prowled around the apartment and I listened to his footsteps as he came and went pass my door. Each time he passed and the sound of footsteps clicking against the hard polished floor faded into the distance a small wave of relief overcame me.

As afternoon fell into evening there was a knock on my door. Nico opened the door and stepped in appearing even more distant and tight lipped then when I had last seen him. He looked at me and said, "Throw on an evening dress- Luc wants to take you out to dinner."

"Maybe I don't want to go to dinner." I said feeling a flash of annoyance.

"Don't be fucking childish." Nico chided.

I wanted to answer him back but I knew what would probably happen- and Jacques wasn't here to defend me anymore.

Nico stared at me coldly from across the room for a few uncomfortable moments waiting for my reply. I think he wanted me to bite back because he wanted another opportunity to ask me about what happened last night and this morning. So I swallowed my anger and said calmly, "Are you going to close the door or do you want to watch me get changed?"

A humourless smile stretched across Nico's face as he said with mock politeness, "Thank you for your co-operation your Highness. There are evening dresses on the left side of the walk-in-wardrobe which Luc picked out for you. I will be waiting in the foyer when you are ready."

With that Nico closed the door and I heard his footsteps drifting back up the corridor. I waited for the footsteps to disappear and I muttered under my breath, "Go to Hell."

Pushing myself off the bed I padded across the room to a door I had never been through before. I nervously pushed it opened and fumbled for a light switch. The room was pitch black and just like a child I was worried about the monsters that the darkness hid.

Was there a ghost waiting for me in this room?

I glanced wistfully back at the door, suddenly wishing Nico was here with me. I felt safer when there were other people around- even if that other person was complete tool.

I glided my hand over the wall and found the switch. Turning it on the room was suddenly flooded with bright light revealing a space that nearly matching the size of the adjoining bedroom. This didn't look like a walk in wardrobe- this looked like a whole shop floor. I gingerly stepped into the room and uncomfortably eyed the rail upon rail of designer clothes. There were no high street names in this room, only very expensive foreign fashion designers.

As promised the left side of the wardrobe was filled with women's clothes. I flicked through a couple of items and noticed that they were my sizes exactly- cool in one way, but creepy in another. I passed blouses and skirts to the long rail of dresses varying in cuts, colors and lengths.

I pulled out what I thought was an elegant black evening dress then noticed the gaping hole in the middle where my tummy would be.

"Really?" I muttered to myself, studying the dress and wondering how anyone but a model could pull this off.

Then I remembered there was a reason I liked cheap, comfortable clothes, and it was because they were easy to wear and easy to replace. Me, food and nice clothes was a dangerous combination. I knew putting on a designer dress and going to restaurant would be tempting fate to spill a whole bowl of something down myself.

I palmed through a couple more dresses then decided to stop. This wasn't me. This wasn't my style. I couldn't wear dresses that made me feel uncomfortable or self-conscious or semi-naked.

I walked away from the dresses and realised that I would have to improvise. I found a black skirt which was not too high but not too low either and threw it on. Then after flicking through a number of see through blouses I spotted Luc's clean white shirts hanging neatly across the room. Abandoning the tops I grabbed Luc's white shirt and put it on. The fit was loose so I rolled up the sleeves and tied the bottom shirt tails into a cute knot. After that I threw on a pair of black heels and checked the mirror. Satisfied I looked reasonably smart, I walked to the foyer where Nico was waiting for me.

Nico looked me up and down and said, "Couldn't you find the dresses?"

"I found them just fine." I said.

"And?" Nico asked pressing for an explanation.

"I preferred this outfit." I explained.

"Listen Mia, Luc chose those dresses-"

"If Luc likes those dresses so much, then he can wear them. As so for me I am wearing this." I said.

Nico inhaled deeply contemplating whether it was worth pursuing this argument or not. After a few seconds he conceded the futility of an argument and picked up the car keys to the SUV. He walked toward the front door and I followed behind him. We got to the front door and he suddenly stopped.

"You know," He said swinging towards me, "I know to you this is a power game- the clothes and the shutting Luc out of your head bullshit. I know that you are doing this because you want to feel in control of the situation, but you are not Mia. You are not in control of the situation. This is vampire society and it is nothing like human society- it's brutal. It doesn't care about equality, or your rights, or your feelings. The only thing that matters in this society is power- real power not the type you get from being able to pick your own damn clothes. In our world you are weak and weak people in our world don't thrive too well. The only people who are standing between you and the horrible reality of this world is me and Luc. So next time you think about giving me one of those filthy stares just remember that okay?"

I didn't respond, but he didn't wait for an answer. Nico threw open the door and gestured for me to pass saying, "Ladies first."

Numbly I walked past him. I was mad, I was upset, I was a whole arrange of emotions right there and then in that moment but I also couldn't help feeling that he was right. I was weak and vulnerable in this world without them, and knowing that killed me.