The Vampire King's Wife

Loving Her

Marco, the future king of the supernatural domain of Italy, and thought of playboy changed his clothes four times. And re did his hair. And asked his mom a thousand ten times if the flowers in Alianna’s room the right ones. He knew it was ridiculous, and maybe he was fretting too much about everything. 

But he couldn’t help it. 

He’d wanted this for a while, and now that life had finally presented him with the golden egg of opportunity, he had to reach. 

Standing beside his father and mother, Marco fiddled with his cuff links for a moment making his dad fight smile, “Don’t be nervous son. She’ll warm up with time if you let her.” Marco nodded quickly and then his father Vincent Ricci of Italy shot him a wink, looking so much like Marco when he was his age, the cheeky Italian man teased, “I’m sure you can charm up your future wife.” 

Marco wasn’t so sure. 

Walking forward to the entrance, Marco stood beside his parents with two younger brothers and a sister. There was Javier that followed after him at nineteen and his twin thirteen-year-old fraternal siblings, Christina and Frankie. 

Guards stood idle for a moment before it was said, “She’s on her way to the door sire.” And then doors were open and Marco saw her again. 

 Ethereal almost, long black hair falling in wild spiral curls, the blue-eyed, pale-skinned young woman looked amazing in the Italy evening sun. Wearing a burgundy cloak, the black lace corset with a ruffled skirt of red, white, and black, Alianna looked like the perfect vampire princess as she came in and bowed to her hosting family. 

Stepping forward King Vincent looked at her kindly, “Princess Alianna welcome to Island Carina.” Alianna bowed to him kindly, “King Vincent, thank you for having me. You have a beautiful home.” Introductions were made and Alianna smiled as she got to meet her future mother in law. 

Queen Elena stood tall and beautiful, her long brown hair pulled back in a braid. With her sweet pink bow lips turned up in a smile, the green-eyed woman chirped, “Alianna, so good to see you again dear. How was your journey?” Alianna blushed, “Just fine, thank you, your grace.” 

The elegant woman in a very beautiful blue dress beamed at her and then Marco finally got a chance to speak. “Alianna...” and it obviously wasn’t his best work. But he got choked up, the moment he said her name, she’d looked at him. And those blue eyes expected so much of him, and he felt like he’d already disappointed. 

When Marco couldn’t unglue his tongue from the roof of his mouth, his mom saved him by pulling Alianna along. 

Javier snorted under his breath, smacking his older brother’s shoulder, he taunted, “Way to go big bro.” As the women left, Marco threw his head back groaning in agony making his father and little brother laugh at him. Alianna turned for a moment and looked over her shoulder at him. 

And the small smile that she sent him, reminded him of the first time he saw her. And how easily she’d snared his heart then.  

Nine years ago… 

He was only 12, on the beach scowling at the water, his “handler” or glorified babysitter, Jim stood beside him smiling. “Don’t frown like that gamberetto (*shrimp). You look like your old man even more.” Annoyed at the Italian nic-name the twenty one year old man had dubbed him, Marco sneered, “Could kick your ass any day.” 

Jim laughed at the palle (*balls) on this kid. Shaking his head, Jim asked, “You got anything to give other than attitude?” Marco frowned even more as he dead panned, “I could be helping my dad negotiate with King Erome but instead I’m here on a beach, in a different country from my family with you.” 

He understood why the kid was pissed about it. The son of just lowly general, Jim didn’t have the same weight of a nation on his shoulder like Marco did. But he knew the pressures of it. 

And he could see it already pushing down on the kid. But there was nothing Jim could but as ordered. Looking at Marco looking at the evening sun on the black sand beach in the private little nook he’d secured. 

Trying to engage the kid in conversation, find out where his head was out. Jim got nowhere with his usual tactics and began to worry even more at the stony look he received. There had already been a silent and brooding twelve-hour flight to Moscow. And he’d rather not spend the remaining week there dealing with a homicidal vampire prince. 

Looking over at the kid, Jim breathed, “Look I know you want to be at home helping your dad, but he wants to keep you safe. I know it sucks, but if anything happens to you, then your families claim to the throne would be in jeopardy.” 

Marco rolled his eyes, “This is such bs.” And then he was storming away kicking up sand. Jim watched him go and then followed. But he kept a distance and let the kid be alone. 

For a while they sat ten feet apart watching the water. Marco was still angry in thought while Jim for a moment meditated with no thought, until a giggle brought them both out. Marco turned and looked over to find a cute girl about his age or maybe a little younger running with a puppy. 

She had an older woman with her, and as the woman set up a picnic for them, the little girl was training her puppy. 

“Cotton, sit!” She ordered the white dog. And the puppy did so without protest. Smiling despite himself, Marco watched her squeal before feeding the animal a treat. He kept watching her, all day he watched her enjoy her lunch and then go for a swim. 

He admittedly wanted to talk to her. 

But Marco, at 12, didn’t know a damn thing about talking to girls. As future king of Italy, a lot of girls tried to talk to him. His father said it came with the title, and that many girls would try to get close to him. Which made the preteen awkward as hell. 

Sitting in the sand feeling annoyed he was here, and not helping his dad still, Marco lost sight of the pretty young girl for a second. But then someone was sitting beside him and pushed a bottle of something cold in his hand. Looking at the blood surprised, Marco thought it was Jim. 

But it turned out to be the pretty young girl. And when she didn’t say anything about what she gave him, Marco didn’t either. 

“Hi.” She chirped sweetly making him smile shyly, “H-hi,” The puppy, a white little pitbull, smiled at him and licked his face, “This is Cotton.” Marco could see her watching him as he picked the puppy up. “Hi Cotton.” The puppy barked and the cute little girl giggled as Marco accepted more kisses from the furball. 

Turning to see Jim talking to the woman the young girl had come with, he was surprised to see Jim laughing and completely relaxed. 

Seeing Marco observing them, Jim waved and gave him the signal all was good. Turning to see the young girl still observing him, Marco realized she was like him. Which explained the blood, so she must be a part of a family. “I’m Genesis.” He muttered using his middle name like his family did. 

The girl grinned at him widely, her sweet dimples making his young heart race as she greeted, “Hi Genesis, welcome to Russia.” Holding up her own bottle of blood, she knocked it softly against his, “I’m Alianna.”