Wren’s grandmother, had come and even Thomas and Evelyn. There’d been a seat left for Sean, even though he couldn’t be there, and it was still up for debate whether Wren would have wanted him to be. He was currently awaiting trial for the murder of Fox and Franklin after taking the fall. Thomas hadn’t hesitated to get him the best lawyers to work on his defense, but it was too soon to say whether the outcome would be good
And then there were the mysterious vampire twins.
Royal and Scarlett Fox.
I’d only met them briefly before, and my first thought was how eerily similar they reminded me of the undead. Especially Scarlett. I’d never seen anyone so pale or with hair as dark as hers. It was as if someone had taken the night and poured it onto the strands. And her lips had me wondering if it was how she’d gotten her name or if she really did drink blood in her free time Jamie called her Snow White ever since. Scarlett had barely muttered two words or even moved for that matter, so naturally, she hadn’t reacted to the name.
Royal was her twin in every way except he wasn’t as pale, and his lips were more of a dark pink than blood red. Wren and Vaughn had invited them to Blackwood Keep a few days ago, but not just for the wedding Jamie had forced on Wren and Lou but to negotiate a truce between Exiled and Thirteen. Jeremy had been the only wild card, but surprisingly, he’d agreed. Jeremy didn’t seem like the type to lead with the wrong head, but I couldn’t help wondering if the interest he’d shown in Scarlett was the reason why. I only wished I understood what he’d muttered in Russian when I tried to peer into his mind.
“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” I dared to ask as I came to stand beside Jeremy. He’d been watching the twins walk away after they agreed to a “temporary” ceasefire. Vaughn would probably throw a fit if he found me this close to his frenemy, but I was too curious. He had this aura that yes, was dark and dangerous, but magnetic as well.
“YA ne smotryu na neye. YA smotryu na nego.”
With an expert flick of his fingers, Jamie played Lou’s cue to begin moving down the aisle, so I pushed the memory away and focused on the present…and the future. Somehow, my gaze found the will to shift away from the vision Lou created, and I found Vaughn watching me. After a knowing tip of his lips, he winked—a promise that our day would come. I inhaled, feeling the butterflies in my stomach take flight. I couldn’t wait.
Needless to say, I’d quit dancing at the Suite of Dreams. Come the fall, I would be heading back to Harvard to finish my sophomore year. Since I’d taken so many AP courses in high school, I’d been on track to graduate an entire year early, but now it looked like I’d be graduating only one semester but still early.
With Vaughn footing the bill.
He’d been relentless, so I gave in on the condition that he didn’t give up on his dreams, either. USC might have been a colossal bust, but Vaughn was too talented not to have his pick of the litter. After doing my research, I convinced him as ruthlessly as he had done me that if he acted now, he could still complete his college eligibility in time to qualify for the draft. He was adamant, however, about not straying far from River and me. It limited his options for the well-funded and preferable division one teams, but…at least he still had a chance. I still shivered, remembering his promise to me that day.
“But you won’t get as much publicity at a lower division,” I argued.
“Then I’ll make them notice me. I’m not leaving my family.”
Lou reached Wren underneath the arch, and I watched, willing myself not to cry when they faced each other. Lou had refused to wear a veil, so nothing was hindering them from staring into each other’s eyes with all the love and hope they shared.
The officiant began, and I forced myself to listen to him drone. When it was time for the vows, Wren went first, shocking everyone—saying vows required flaying yourself open and allowing nothing to stay hidden. It wasn’t exactly in the top million of the things he considered a good time.
“Fuck, Lou,” he began, despite the officiant standing