The Vampyre Venture

Chapter I.VI

“This is f*****g great. We’re inside of a f*****g prayer house,” Niklaus was whispering to his best man, Ian, as the marquis was chuckling at the duke. Niklaus glared at his friend before Ian was arching his eyebrows.

“I thought you wanted to keep the secret until the end?” He taunted Niklaus before he was gritting his teeth.

“It would be nice if it was not a f*****g church. Why do you have to do such a stupid thing, Ian?” He hissed before the young queen of Niapachad Island was coming up to Niklaus.

Queen Arabella Dragomir was the 10th monarch that ruled Niapachad Island. Her husband, Aiden, was the Prince's Consort as she was greeting Niklaus. He smiled at his cousin before Queen Arabella was hugging him.

“Ara, I thought you would not come here. How surprising!” Niklaus said as the young queen was giggling as she was holding her husband’s arm. Aiden was nodding at Niklaus and Ian. Being the lords that were working in the Higher Court, they would have a close relationship with the young Queen and Prince Consort.

And, of course, the fact that Niklaus was related to the young queen as her cousin from her paternal line.

“Of course, I will be coming here, cousin. Your parents would roll in their graves if I did not come and be a part of this celebration,” Ara said as she was smiling at him. Niklaus smiled weakly.

“Your parents would be rolling inside the graves as well,” Niklaus stated before Arabella was rolling her eyes. The late King and Queen of Niapachad Island died from a sudden attack.

Their deaths were still under investigation, led by the Baron of Fell.

“Whatever. I could care less but I was too curious to see your future bride,” the young queen said before Ian chuckled. Niklaus glared at his best bud.

“Well, that is a very interesting question. Niklaus here has snatched—“

“Lords and Ladies, please take your seats. The wedding will be starting now,” the archbishop stated before the young queen and the prince consort were saying their goodbyes before they took their seats. Ian was standing next to Niklaus before he was looking at the oak doors.

“I hope you’re ready,” Ian whispered to him as Niklaus was smirking.

“I was born ready for this,” he whispered before the door opened and the Wedding March was playing. Niklaus was greeted with the sight of an emerald green wedding gown that was outside of society’s norm. He could hear the mumbles and chatter of polite society when his bride was standing tall in her shoes as her father, Lord Matthew, was walking her down the altar. Niklaus forgot to breathe when Lady Rebecca Davis was walking toward him. She was gliding like a swan before Ian was whispering to him.

“Breathe, Nick. You’re pale,” he stated before Niklaus was blinking his eyes and took a deep breath. He was smiling at the approaching bride with the bold spirit of defying society’s norm as she was standing in front of him, in an emerald wedding gown, with a black veil covering her face.

Looks like someone was trying to defy this wedding and create scandal as much as she can, Niklaus mused to himself before the archbishop was clearing his throat.

“Dearly beloved Lords and Ladies, we gathered here today—“

*****

Becca was breathing hard through the black veil that she instructed Lady Ivashkov to match as she was trying to put as much rebellion into this wedding as she could. Her mother couldn't complain when she was requesting that this bizarre veil, as well as the wedding gown, should be in emerald green, not the white that most brides would take.

Not Becca, not this wedding.

She was breathing hard when she was looking at the duke who was in the full glory of his status. A red sash was slung over his shoulder to show his status, as well as his blonde hair that was reflected by the sunlight in the prayer house, which made him look more handsome than usual. I think I need to get my eyes checked, Becca mused when she was blinking as the archbishop was clearing his throat.

“Milady?” He asked Becca as she turned to look at him. The archbishop was eyeing the ring before Becca was taking the wedding band into her shaking hand.

“Do you, Lady Rebecca Davis, take this man as your lawfully wedded husband, through thick and thin, rich and poor, health and sickness, and cherish this holy matrimony until you both live?” Archbishop Becca was taking a deep breath.

“I do,” she replied before she was slipping the ring onto Niklaus’ left finger. It fitted perfectly as Becca was looking at the wedding band. Then, it was Niklaus’ turn.

“Do you, Lord Niklaus Dragomir, Duke of Belikov, take this woman as your lawfully wedded wife, through thick and thin, rich and poor, health and sickness, and will cherish this holy matrimony until you both live?” The archbishop asked Niklaus before he was smirking at Becca.

“I do,” he said before he was slipping the wedding band next to her engagement ring. It fitted perfectly and Becca knew it would be stuck on her fingers, like an engagement ring. Only Niklaus was allowed to remove it.

What sorcery was that?! She fumed as she was looking at the rings on her finger.

“With the power that has been vested in me by Queen Arabella Dragomir of Niapachad Island, I pronounce you Duke and Duchess of Belikov. You may kiss your bride, Your Grace,” the archbishop stated before Niklaus was removing Becca’s veil as the blue orbs were smirking at her.

“Now, you’re mine, Rebecca Davis,” he whispered to her lips before he was capturing it into a kiss. Becca was trying to resist but it was hard when Niklaus Dragomir, Duke of Belikov, now her lawfully wedded husband, was kissing her. Niklaus was putting his hand on her cheek as he was caressing it with his thumb before the clapping of the crowd made Niklaus break the kiss.

“More to come tonight, my dear,” he stated as Becca was glaring at him. He chuckled before they were turning to the crowd and smiled.

Not on my watch, Belikov, Becca mused as she was coming up with a plan to avoid their wedding night from happening tonight.

At any cost necessary.

*****

Becca was sighing as she felt the heaviness of the engagement ring and the wedding band on her left finger. She was twirling them around with her thumb as she was sipping on the wine. Niklaus’ hand was on her lower back as he was introducing her to his circle of friends.

From the Higher Court, nonetheless.

“Gentle people, I would like you to meet my wife, Lady Rebecca Davis, the 8th Duchess of Belikov,” Niklaus stated as he was looking at Becca. Becca felt her face hot before her friends were talking with her.

“Nice to meet you, duchess,”

“How do you do, milady?”

“You are most wonderful, milady, to trap Niklaus in a marriage,” the last comment made. Becca snapped her head at the lord who was speaking. He has black hair but his eyes were rare. It was shining violet under the gaslights.

“I’m sorry, you thought I was the one that trapped him in a marriage?” Becca stated as she was trying to control her anger. One thing was to show manners in front of these egoistical lords and one thing was to be accused of something that she did not do. The lord in question was smiling at her as he was sipping on the champagne.

“Was I wrong then?”

“If you must know, my lord, I did not, under any circumstances, trap my husband in this marriage. He came to court me at the house with the blessings of my parents and if you think you can judge me before getting to know me, then you’re wrong,” Becca stated as she was glaring at Niklaus, her husband was silent the whole time. “Now, if you excuse me, I would rather spend some time with my family than be with your overwhelming crowd, husband,” Becca stated before she was moving out of her husband’s hand before her skirts swooshed when she was making her way to her parents.

They think they can be superior. Hah! I showed them, Becca mused before she was smiling, as Emily was smiling at her and met her halfway.

“Can you believe it? My husband’s friends were making fun of me,” Becca whispered to her best friend before Emily was arching her eyebrows at her.

“They must think they’re better than everyone else. Come, we have got something to get your mind off that thought, my dear,” Emily said as she was guiding Becca to the banquet before they settled at the table.

They are better than us. They were in the f*****g Higher Court, Becca mused before she and Emily were talking about anything but the gentry of Niapachad Island.

*****

“You did again, Tom,” Daniel Cutler, the Viscount of Vyckos, was smirking at his friend. Niklaus was smirking as well before Tom scowled.

“It was not my fault,” Thomas Rambova, Earl of Raine, was sipping his blood-laced wine before Ian was chuckling at his statement.

“Why is Marsh not here tonight? I thought he would be with us for our reunion. It’s not every day that we can get together in a public space,” Niklaus said as Ian shrugged.

“Beat us but man, your wedding reception has to be this grand, eh, Belikov?” Ian started as the others were snickering at Niklaus. Niklaus just rolled his eyes at his best mates.

“Whatever, it’s not me who was paying—“

“Cousin, it’s time for your first dance with your wife,” Queen Arabella greeted Niklaus and his mates before the others were bowing to the young queen.

Well, except for Niklaus.

“Your Majesty,” they all spoke simultaneously before Arabella was looking at her best mate.

“Oh, Marquis of Kain, Viscount of Vyckos, Earl of Raine. I thought you would not come. Where’s the Baron of Fell?” Arabella asked before Niklaus was looking at the queen.

“Something came up in his job. He has to go and make sure that everything is fine,” Niklaus stated before the young queen was nodding at him.

“Well, where’s your duchess? The ton was waiting for your first dance together,” the queen asked Niklaus as he was glaring at Tom. He thought that he would have a chat with the Earl later.

“Ah, there she is! I think I might say something before I have to go back to the Royal Castle now,” Arabella stated before Niklaus was arching his eyebrows.

“You’re leaving now?”

“Yes, I have work to be done and Aiden doesn’t like the crowd that much. He gets…agitated around them,” Arabella whispered to him as he nodded.

“Shall we?” He said as he was helping his cousin to meet his duchess. Niklaus hoped that Becca was in her right mind when the young queen met her. But, of course, that was only a dream when they were at the table where Becca, his wife, and another woman were sitting.

This night could get any worse.