Esme has never been the daughter anyone chose. Illegitimate and expendable, she has spent her life watching her beautiful, favored sister claim everything Esme was denied. So when the vampire court demands a human bride to save their dying prince, it is Esme who is offered without hesitation. Her purpose is simple. Bleed for the prince until he is healed. Marry him if she survives. And if she pleases him enough, the vampire king has promised to consider a greater reward. A crown for the legitimate princess Esme leaves behind. But the vampire court is not as simple as her family believes. The prince is gentle and sickly, bound to her by necessity. The king is cold, powerful, and watching far too closely. Every drop of blood Esme gives draws her deeper into a world where desire is dangerous, loyalty is bought in flesh, and love between the wrong people could start a war. As the prince grows stronger and the wedding draws closer, Esme begins to realize the truth. She was never meant to be the bride who mattered. She was meant to be the temptation no one planned for. And once the vampire king sets his sights on her, no bargain, no sister, and no kingdom may be enough to save her.