Free Web NovelChapter 378: Before The Altar
In a spacious room with walls painted in soft white, sheer curtains swayed gently with the morning breeze. On the king-sized bed, sunlight filtered through, casting a warm glow upon the crown princess of the land.
Her long brown hair lay spread across the white sheets as she stirred lightly, her thick lashes fluttering before revealing her mesmerising blue eyes to the familiar ceiling she had awakened to for eighteen years of her life.
Yet, waking here once again did not bring the ache she had expected.
Because she felt it.
Strong, warm arms wrapped securely around her, holding her in the embrace she could no longer sleep without.
Turning her head slightly, her blue eyes met molten red ones, the same eyes that greeted her every morning and night, the same ones she loved, now burning brighter than ever.
"Good morning, baby," Ivan’s low, husky voice brushed against her ear like a soft caress, making her heart melt.
She turned fully towards him, slipping her arm around his strong, bare neck as she leaned in and captured his lips in a soft, lingering kiss.
Ivan closed his eyes in quiet bliss as he tightened his arms around her waist, pulling her closer until no space remained between them.
Their hands moved over each other in soft, feather-light touches that drew gentle sighs from both of them, before they slowly pulled back just enough to look into each other’s eyes.
She smiled at him tenderly, her fingers tracing his cheek before slipping into his soft raven hair. "Morning... darling."
"Did you sleep well?" he asked quietly, his gaze searching hers for any sign that said otherwise.
Eve’s eyes softened at the subtle concern in his voice, noticing the faint trace of worry he had tried, and failed, to hide.
Last night, after dinner, she had been sitting alone by the window of her old room, gazing intently at the moon, trying to distract herself from the flood of painful memories that kept returning, no matter how hard she tried to suppress them.
Cece had wanted to stay in her room, worried that something like this might happen, but Eve had insisted she would be fine and had gently pushed her and Edward into another room so that they could get some peaceful rest before the big day.
But now that she was back in the same room, memories of those vile people came rushing back like relentless waves, almost making her knees buckle.
Yet she refused to let herself break.
Hoping to find comfort, she turned to the window and gazed at the moon, telling herself that somewhere, Ivan might be looking at it too. She tried to calm her restless heart, but it did little to ease the storm within her.
Just as she released a deep sigh, wondering if she should try to sleep so she wouldn’t end up looking like a raccoon on her wedding day, she stepped away from the window.
At that exact moment, fire swirled in the centre of the room like a living thing, revealing the person she wanted to see most.
Ivan had come for her.
One look at her was all it took for his eyes to soften.
He wasted no time in closing the distance between them, but Eve moved just as quickly. They vanished into a tight embrace, as if trying to convey exactly how much they had missed one another... even though they had been apart for only a few hours.
"You’re here..." she whispered against his chest.
"Hm... I missed you, baby. Besides... I could feel it. I knew you needed me here."
Eve smiled at his words. They held each other close, just as they did every night, eventually falling asleep to the gentle, rhythmic sound of their heartbeats.
Returning to the present, a soft smile bloomed across Eve’s face. "How can I not... when you are here with me?" she whispered, planting another kiss on his lips.
Her hands began to roam across his bare chest, moving down to the hard muscles of his abdomen, which seemed to tighten as she continued to explore.
Ivan’s eyes darkened instantly as he caught her hand before it could travel any further.
"Careful, my naughty little Princess. I must warn you... you will not be able to walk down the aisle today should you continue down this path."
He spoke so seductively that Eve felt herself catching fire, even before he had truly tried to ignite her.
She raised a playful brow at him. "Oh? Should I assume you are getting cold feet, Your Highness?"
A gorgeous smile spread across Ivan’s lips. "Cold feet? Baby, I have been on fire since the day I met you," he murmured before nuzzling into her, his voice dropping lower. "I only meant... I might have to carry you all the way to the aisle if you decide to give in to me right now."
His hands traced along her back before he gently flipped her onto the bed, pressing her into the mattress beneath him.
"And I must admit... that sounds far more tempting than anything else," he added, his voice smooth and dangerous, as he began peppering slow kisses along her stomach, trailing lower with clear intent.
Eve’s breath hitched, her eyes fluttering shut as she felt the heat of his touch, his hands resting firmly against her thighs as he slowly parted them.
She found herself caught between stopping him and surrendering completely....
Until a knock echoed against the door, making both of them freeze.
She shivered, feeling his hot breath against her nether region, but her heart lurched at the sound of Cece’s voice from the other side. "Eve? Are you awake?"
Eve’s eyes snapped to Ivan, who remained exactly where he was, staring up at her.
’Gods, why is he so gorgeous, even in such a position?’ Her mind raced as she saw a wicked smile beginning to form on his lips.
Instead of pulling away, he leaned in to press a lingering kiss down there.
Her eyes widened, and her hands shot out to grip his hair as she heard another knock. "Eve? I am coming in if you don’t respond in five seconds! We have so much to prepare for today!" Cece called from the hallway.
Snapping out of the haze her wicked devil had been drowning her in, Eve swiftly sat up. She forced Ivan to look at her, her voice a frantic whisper. "Ivan, you need to leave now! You cannot be seen here!"
"Why?" he asked, his brow furrowing. He clearly disliked the idea of returning to his men, who would already be awake to continue their journey to Luminear for the wedding.
"Why?" she repeated in disbelief. "Because of tradition, remember? My people will not welcome the procession from your kingdom if the Vampire Prince is missing! They will think you have abandoned me!"
"Oh..." He contemplated this for a moment before lazily resting his head back on her lap. "I will just join them halfway there. No one will ever know."
Eve rolled her eyes, though a soft, helpless smile tugged at her lips. She leaned down, her hair veiling them both as she cupped his face in her hands, forcing his molten red gaze to meet hers.
"My darling, as much as I would love to keep you here as my captive, think of the scandal," she whispered, her voice dropping into a conspiratorial silkiness.
"If you are not at the head of that procession, you will worry your father and waste precious time as they search for their Prince. I need you to ride into this city and make them all the ladies breathlessly jealous of my choice."
She traced the line of his jaw with a lingering thumb, her touch light yet sparking with the same fire he had just ignited.
"Besides," she added, her eyes dancing with a wicked glint, "the sooner you leave to play the part of the dutiful groom, the sooner this ceremony is over. And the sooner it is over... the sooner I am officially, legally, and entirely yours. Without any knocks at the door to interrupt us."
She leaned in, pressing a final, searing kiss to the corner of his mouth before pulling back, just out of his reach.
"Now, are you going to be my handsome Prince and lead your army here? Or do I have to tell Cece that a very large, very grumpy dragon is hiding under my covers?"
Ivan’s lips twitched at her attempt to make him leave, but he understood how important this was to her, and he would always honour her wishes. With a soft sigh, he relented.
"Fine," he said, getting off the bed to grab his shirt lying on the couch. As he slipped it on, he looked at her with a burning gaze. "Keep an eye out of your window later, and you’ll see exactly what spectacle this husband of yours has planned... just for you."
Dressed in his white shirt, he walked back towards her. Bending down, he placed one last kiss on her lips before whispering, "You’ll find me at the altar," and then parted with a playful wink.
Right when Eve felt the urge to pull him back to her, flames swirled around him, and he vanished into thin air, leaving her hands awkwardly suspended in the air.
Just then, Cece pushed the door open and marched in. "Oh, great, so you are awake and-" she paused, narrowing her eyes at Eve’s outstretched hands, "...what exactly are you doing?"
Eve cleared her throat. "I-I was stretching!" Her voice came out far more squeaky than intended, making Cece press her lips together to suppress a smile. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
Glancing around the room, Cece added casually, "I hope a certain big, bad dragon was not responsible for your... stretching session?" she asked, one brow raised as her eyes sparkled with mischief.
Eve quickly slipped out of bed and shook her head. "Of course not! You know I wanted to follow tradition."
Cece stepped closer, observing her carefully before her expression softened. "Good. At least you look well-rested. I was worried we might have to put in extra effort to hide the exhaustion. But it seems you took... additional measures to ensure that did not happen."
A sly smile curved her lips as she noticed the blush creeping up Eve’s cheeks.
"What kind of measures are those? I would love to know."
Another voice chimed in from the doorway.
Both women turned to find Princess Ruth standing there in an elegant gown, a knowing smile playing on her lips.
"Ruth! You’re here!" Eve exclaimed, moving forward to pull her into a quick, warm hug.
"Of course I am," Ruth replied with a soft chuckle. "After all, your brother has been relentlessly reminding me to take very good care of the bride."
"Damien can be such a worrywart," Cece commented from behind, rolling her eyes.
They all laughed at that, and Ruth added gently, "But I would have been here regardless, even if he had not said a word."
"And I’m really glad you are," Eve replied with a soft smile.
Before they could continue, Cece clapped her hands sharply. "Alright, enough sentimentality. We have a lot to do, and we need to get you ready for your big day, which I am certain a certain dragon is already impatient about."
Laughter filled the room once more before Eve was swiftly swept away to prepare for the most important day of her life.
The Palace of Light had never been as lively as it was that day. Everywhere one looked, it was adorned with beautiful, glowing white roses, the very same kind Ivan had once used to propose to Eve when they were children, in the palace garden.
Servants moved swiftly, ensuring every detail was in place for the final touches, while the guards remained vigilant, making certain there was not the slightest breach in security, something only a fool with a death wish would attempt.
Guests began to arrive in their finest attire, filling the palace with soft chatter and laughter as they sipped their drinks, waiting eagerly for the most anticipated moment.
They gathered along the grand, expansive balconies that overlooked the entire capital city of Caelum in Luminear.
And they did not have to wait long.
"They’re here!"
At the announcement, every gaze turned towards the broad road leading up to the palace.
And then they saw them.
