A cold breeze slammed against my face, brushing through my platinum hair. As I walked, I caught sight of candles in glass holders lining the pathway toward the moon tree. The moon tree was enormous, reaching toward the sky with huge branches and pale leaves.
Whenever a pack was born, the goddess willed a moon tree to rise from the ground; its presence marked her blessing upon the pack. Its sap could heal wounds, and during the full moon, when the branches swayed, the goddess whispered to us through it. Only the priestess could interpret the words of the goddess. When pups were born, their mothers laid them beneath the branches, praying for growth and strength.
If the moon tree in a pack burns or dies, the pack loses its blessing and connection to the goddess.
I came to a halt when we reached the moon tree. The priestess stood beneath it, dressed in a white gown. Her eyes were lined with kohl, and though she was staring at me, her gaze seemed distant, as if she weren't really present.
"Who stands before the moon goddess today?" she asked.
"Seraphina of Crescent Moon Pack," my father answered.
"And?" The priestess tilted her head.
"She appears here to be bonded, claimed, and married," Father said in a loud voice. "She is a woman loved by her pack. She has been treated with kindness and respect."
Loved by her pack? The words sounded foreign to my ears.
"She has come to beg the blessing of the moon goddess, Selene, on whether this marriage shall proceed or not."
The priestess suddenly turned, chanting in the language of the moon. The wind swayed the tree, leaves falling upon my head as the goddess spoke through the moon tree. After some time, she turned to meet my father's gaze.
For a moment, I waited to hear Selene's disapproval.
"This wedding has been approved by the goddess."
My heart sank.
"And who would claim this maiden?" the priestess asked.
I blinked. That was all I did, and a male appeared. He was clad in a dark hooded cloak. I didn't allow myself to think of what Father had told me earlier. I couldn't. Instead, I tried to see through his dark cloak. I couldn't make out a face behind the hood. He was tall. Even from where I stood, he towered over me, my head barely reaching his chest. He was not a man. He was a monster, and the air around him reeked of death. His shoulders were broad, and he had a lean, muscular build.
I couldn't see his face, but I could feel his piercing gaze, as if he could see my soul and wanted it. For a moment, my heart stopped as he moved closer. Looking at the King of Death, I felt terror like nothing I'd felt before. My heart pounded so hard against my ribcage I thought it would explode.
The priestess turned to me. "Will you take him as your husband and lover until death do you part?"
I stepped forward. My lips were pale and frozen from the cold. Slowly glancing over my shoulder, I caught sight of my father's face, clenched tight. Mother slowly nodded, flashing me a smile that served as a warning if I refused. Olivia and Kaden, my two best friends, stood among the crowd with sympathetic looks on their faces.
"Sera," Father scolded.
Slowly turning back to the dark figure, refusal hung on my tongue. I wanted to turn around and disappear. I wished the ground would open up and swallow me. Tears stung my my eyes as I whispered the words.
"I will."
Suddenly he was in front of me, no more than a few inches away. Standing this close to the creature felt cold. He was colder than winter itself.
I held my breath as he leaned closer. I shivered at the icy feeling. When I felt his cold breath against my skin, every muscle in my body seized. Then, without warning, his mouth closed over mine, capturing my lips. I don't know if it was his presence or my instincts warning me not to move in the face of danger, but my eyes grew wide. While his lips on mine were rough, I couldn't bring myself to reject the kiss. His hands slowly slid around my waist, and I felt sharp claws.
I couldn't help but close my eyes as my lips responded to his. I knew I should pull away. I should run. But there was something about him. I couldn't pull away. I found my body pressing against him, wanting to feel every part of him.
But all I felt was coldness. The kiss awakened something inside me—something dark, overwhelming me with desire. A low moan escaped my lips when his claws pierced my skin.
Suddenly, I heard screams, loud screams from the people around me. Instantly, I pulled away and turned around. My eyes widened at the scene before me.
There was blood. Blood everywhere.
I let out a piercing scream. Everyone was dead. My friends, my family, they all lay dead before me.
I screamed, lifting my hand to touch my lips, and felt blood.
Standing before the corpses of my friends and family was an army of the dead. Vampires with pale and dark skin, their eyes crimson red, dressed all in black.
"My bride." The deep voice of the death king drew my attention to him. Heart racing, I staggered backward.
"No... no... no... What have you done?!"
I took another step backward, and without warning, I started to run. Suddenly, he disappeared from my sight. I screamed again, clutching my chest as the army of the dead started closing in. Then I felt a presence behind me. Before I could turn around, rough hands grabbed me, pressing my back against a hard chest. When sharp fangs pierced my skin, I screamed so loudly that everything went dark.