My Vampire Mate

Chapter 1

Opening Song:

Castle by Halsey

***

Today was the day my life would change forever. It was the day that my whole world would turn upside down.

It should be the day that I find myself a husband. But unlike every other princess and young woman in all existence, I was not looking forward to it.

Not one bit.

"Be sure that you smile, Amber," my mother said with a hint of formality in her tone, something I knew would have emerged on such a day like this. "A princess must always look pleasant."

Yes, indeed, one of the many 'must do's' of being a princess.

I had been mouthing mockingly the words she spoke, having heard them so many times for the past five years. I mean, although I respected my title and lived up to it as best as possible, there were times—times like this— that I simply couldn't stand it.

Nonetheless, I sucked it up like I always did, smiled at my reflection in the mirror, and anticipated the wretched hold of the corset that would bound my waist all night.

"And remember to trod lightly. Your steps are far too heavy for a princess." She chuckled, though there was no humour behind it. "Heavens, imagine an eligible prince dancing with you and having you step on his feet! That would be disastrous. You attend your dance lessons, don't you, Amber?"

"I do, Mother," I simply replied, not caring for minor insults disguised as small talk.

I chose the wrong moment to put an edge in my tone because just in that minute, she yanked on the corset strings around my waist as I took a sharp intake of breath, which positioned my bosom perfectly upright where my mother wanted it to be.

Great.

"Good." She looked pleased as she adjusted a curl around my shoulder. "Finding yourself a husband is quite important tonight. You are of age now, Amber, and your father grows more ill by the day."

"Of course." I gulped as I put my wants and desires aside and considered what I had known for quite some time now.

My father, King Sebastian of Consok, hasn't been himself for years. The servants here might've thought his illness grew with age, but I knew it was grief that caused it.

It hurt me daily to see him like that, and all I could do was remember once upon a time when life was perfect, and I was the perfect princess with the perfect family, living the ideal life. My mom had been a mom back then, not the authoritative queen she is today. Yet, I respected her. When my dad grew ill, she took control of everything and has been doing that for five years.

She remained strong. Even though her role eventually ate away at any motherly instinct she may have had, she was sure as hell a great queen.

And great queens held great balls. Just like the one she arranged downstairs, held for the sole purpose of finding me a husband.

Unlike most kingdoms, my parents didn't promise me to a prince at birth. I had no husband 'to be' in waiting. Instead, they thought it would be better to choose an eligible groom of my own when I came of age.