Filed to story: Two Vampire Brides (Vera & Lucien) Book PDF Free
“That you’re not just my mate. You’re going to be their Queen. And if they can’t respect that, they can find another coven to call home.”
I nodded slowly, letting that settle in my chest.
“And they agreed?”
“They don’t have a choice,” he said firmly. “I’m done letting them hurt you, Vera. I’m done being weak.”
“You were never weak, Lucien. You were just… misguided.”
“I was a coward,” he corrected. “But I’m not anymore.”
Footsteps pounded behind us.
A guard, out of breath, approached fast.
“Princess-sorry-Your Highness,” he corrected, bowing quickly. “The Council. They’re gathered. Waiting for you in the Court Hall.”
I froze. I knew what it meant. It was time. They wanted to know if I was ready to be bonded. I glanced at Lucien once more, then took his hand again, this time with intent, and turned sharply toward the palace steps.
“Are you ready for this?” I asked as we walked.
“For what?”
“For everyone to know. For it to be official.”
He squeezed my hand. “I’ve been ready for years.”
“Even knowing what it means? The scrutiny, the pressure, the fact that every vampire in the kingdom will be watching our every move?”
“Especially knowing that,” he said. “I want them to see that I choose you. Every day. Every moment. Every breath.”
We strode towards the hall which was already packed when we arrived.
Council members stood scattered in tense silence, robes flaring as they shifted and whispered. Coven Lords lined the walls. Envoys. Heirs. Sentries. Every important figure in the kingdom stood under the domed ceiling of the court, eyes burning into me as I entered with Lucien at my side.
I didn’t flinch as I marched straight to the dais, released Lucien’s hand, and stood at the center of the room.
All eyes fell on me.
My voice rang out clear, steady, and unshaking.
“I, Vera Sanguinara, daughter of the Vampire King, hereby declare my candidacy for the crown.”
A rustle moved through the room like a startled wind.
“I claim the right to succeed the throne of Shadowhold, to become your Queen.”
Gasps filled the air because they didn’t expect this.
“I also announce my candidacy as High Lady of the United Covens, leader of all territories beneath the Vampire Crown.”
The room went still. Not one voice dared interrupt. Then I turned slightly and lifted Lucien’s hand.
“And tomorrow night, I will be bonded to Lucien of Shadowmere.”
There was a collective inhale, sharp and shocked. The room exploded.
“WHAT?!”
Gasps and whispers filled the air as if someone had shattered a crystal goblet, and even Lucien looked stunned.
His head whipped toward me, his hand still clutched in mine. “Wait-what?”
VERA’S POV
I stood in front of the mirror, barely breathing as my maid adjusted the final clasp of the ceremonial robe.
The fabric shimmered in silver and crimson, colors of both House Nightshade and Shadowmere, now joined in unity. A woven belt of leather and embroidered gold lay at my waist, symbolizing both strength and legacy.
Tonight, I wouldn’t just be claiming a mate, I would be claiming a crown.
Without warning, the door creaked open. I turned, expecting my maid. Instead, it was Lucien.
He stepped inside and shut the door behind him without a word. He looked… undone. Not messy, but open. His jacket hung loose around his shoulders, his hair slightly tousled like he’d run a hand through it too many times.
“You’re not supposed to be here,” I said, but my voice lacked conviction.
“I couldn’t stay away,” he replied, crossing the room. “Not tonight.”
We stood there for a long moment.
Just staring, without saying anything. Then he crossed the room and pulled me into him without hesitation.
His mouth met mine, and all the tension, all the doubts, all the pain-melted.
We kissed like the world had stopped spinning. Like the war between us had ended. Like all that remained was fire and breath and this moment.
His hands slid along my waist, finding the ties at the back of my robe. Mine tugged at the collar of his shirt, fingers brushing against skin that felt cooler than I remembered.
We undressed each other slowly, reverently, like we were unwrapping a promise.
My back hit the edge of the vanity, and I gasped as his lips moved from my mouth to the side of my neck. I could feel his heart beating against mine, wild and desperate.
But somewhere between his touch and the heat rising in my chest, my mind wandered.
To Celene. To the temptation that had been placed so carefully in his path, and how he hadn’t given in.
Not once.
He’d chosen me, even in my absence. Even in my silence. That was loyalty. That was love.
For the first time in days, I realized I had forgiven him, not in part, but fully, deep in the marrow of my bones. Because I finally understood what it meant to navigate power and alliances. What it meant to wear a crown and still ache like a woman.
Just as his lips grazed my collarbone, the door creaked open again. We turned sharply, breathless, flushed, clothes half-peeled. Lady Vela stood there, with Neressa beside her. Both frozen in place.
I blinked, scrambling to wrap the robe back around myself, heat rising to my cheeks. “Do you know how to knock?”
Lady Vela stepped inside, clearing her throat with a tight smile. “We… heard you were here.”
“Well, clearly.”
Lucien adjusted his shirt silently, standing behind me now, quiet but alert.
Neressa was the first to speak. Her voice softer than I’d ever heard it. “We came to ask… for forgiveness.”
My heart stuttered. “You what?”
“We were wrong,” Lady Vela said plainly. “About you. About everything. Lucien told us what he should’ve told us years ago. You never deserved what we gave you.”
I searched her face for sarcasm or some hidden sting but there was none. Just plain regret.
“I’m not the girl who left Shadowmere,” I said, my voice measured.
“I know,” Lady Vela replied. “But I still remember her, and I see now she was worth so much more than we gave.”
“Why now?” I asked. “Why are you saying this now?”
“Because we were afraid,” Neressa said quietly. “Afraid of your power, afraid of what you represented. We thought if we could break you down, we could control what threatened us.”
“And now?”
“Now we know,” Lady Vela said, “that you’re going to be our Queen. And we want to serve you properly this time.”
Silence hung between us. Then I nodded. “I forgive you.”
Lady Vela blinked quickly. Neressa looked like she didn’t know how to process the words.
“Thank you,” Lady Vela whispered. “We won’t waste this chance.”
“See that you don’t,” I said, but my voice was gentle.
Before anyone could say more, my maid stepped into the doorway.
“Your Highness,” she said, bowing slightly. “It’s time.”
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