(Eleanor) I could hear my mama's soft singing. I kept my eyes closed, knowing that opening them would make her voice disappear.

If I focused hard enough, I could even smell papa's signature scent. I could hear Aaron's faint pacing.

"She's awake."

That insufferable voice had no place being here.

I snapped my eyes open, prepared to glare at Jaxon for interrupting my dream, only to freeze.

Holy shit.

My family.

"Eleonara, tesoro!" Mama exclaimed. "I've missed you so much.”

She gripped my face in her worn hands and planted a kiss on each of my cheeks.

"Oh, Mama, I've missed you too." I held onto her when she tried to pull back, unwilling to let go of her.

Papa reached over from my other side to stroke my hair. He would do that whenevr I'd have a nightmare as a child.

How fitting that he should do it now, with the cause of my nightmare standing mere feet away.

"What happened to you?" Papa murmured in concern. "His highness says you were feeling faint."

My eyes darted in his highness's direction. He was standing beside my brother, frowning worriedly, his brows furrowed together.

Fucking award-worthy actor, I swear.

"Yeah," I confirmed. "Feeling faint. Must be the weather."

I could've sworn I saw Jaxon's lips quirk up into a smirk, but it was gone so fast that I must've imagined it.

"What's that on your neck?" Aaron demanded from where he stood at the foot of my bed.

His face had been set in a permanent scowl since the moment I opened my eyes.

My hands flew up to the marks on my neck from Jaxon's fingers. I racked my brain for an excuse.

"I--uhm--"

"Flat ironing accident," Jaxon interrupted my stammering.

Mama accepted his explanation immediately, scolding me for my clumsiness and fussing over me, but Papa and Aaron were dubious.

"Your hair doesn't look straightened," Aaron pointed out.

"I didn't get that far," I lied.

Dio mio, this is the kind of girl I am now. The girl that lies to her family's faces.

It's not that I didn't want to tell them the truth.

I just couldn't.

Aaron would do something stupid and get himself executed for treason. Papa would probably drag me out of the mansion faster than I could say cannoli. Mama would try to marry me off to the first distant cousin in our family that she could get her hands on.

And in the end it would all be no use. If the royal family wanted me here, then I would be here, no question about it. Jaxon wanted answers from me that I still wasn't willing fo give him.

Not to mention the fact that I wasn't quite ready to give up on the possibility of power that this marriage would give me. Jaxon hurt me, and he was a dick, but most guys in this kingdom treated their wives or wives to be in a similar manner.

Guys that could offer me a lot less money and power than he could.

Plus, all of my distant cousins have terrible noses. I can't have my kids inheriting that.

So I did what any good daughter would do. I waved off my family's concerned looks and forced my smile to reach my eyes.

I spoke cheerfully and told my mom about the box of priceless jewelry that the royal vampires had given me and all the beautiful dresses in my closet.

Okay, that part wasn't even a lie, though. I had enough shiny diamonds and gold in this room to bring a smile to any sane girl's face.

And I mean, the designer dresses didn't hurt, either.

Jaxon stood in the corner of the room while my family fussed over me. He looked bored as hell with their backs turned, but whenever they looked at him a dazzling smile transformed his face.

Mama fell in love with him the first time he smiled, and she continued to swoon every time she looked over her shoulder in his direction.

Oh Mama. Always been a sucker for a pretty face.

Papa remained slightly wary until Jaxon made a reference to Papa's favorite book. I don't know if the fucker's a mind reader or just really damn lucky, but Papa's face lit up like a hooker in a room full of married men.

Another one bites the dust.

Aaron crossed his arms against his chest all of a sudden. He'd been glaring silently this whole time, obviously thinking about a way to expose the truth, and it appears he found one.

"Why did it take you so long to send for us?" He asked. "Why'd we have to find out you were chosen from the neighbors?"

"Well, you see..."

"That's my fault," Jaxon interrupted me smoothly. "I wanted to wait until everything was confirmed and she was appropriately settled in, so I advised her to hold off on your invite."

"I was talking to my sister," Aaron snapped, and there was no mistaking the hostility in his voice this time.

A tense silence crept up into the room. Jaxon's face was the only one that remained expressionless. Mama, Papa, and I were staring between Aaron and my betrothed with terrified, shocked expressions.

Everybody knew that disrespecting a vampire was a death sentence. And my idiot of a brother just insulted a Royal one.

I expected Jaxon to grab Aaron by the throat--much like he had done to me--or rip his heart out, or whatever other way vampires liked to kill people.

What I did not expect, however, was for Jaxon to lean back against the wall and dip his chin in a nod.

"Apologies," he murmured, his tone perfectly courteous.

I choked on my own spit.

What the fuck?

Papa seemed to recompose himself first.

"Forgive my son, your highness." Papa bowed his head slightly. "He is very protective of his sister."

Seeing Papa with his head bowed had my stomach all sorts of knotted up.

This was exactly why I was fighting to stay at the mansion. So that my family and other people like us never had to bow for a supernatural again.

"I understand," Jaxon said. "I have a sister, too."

Oh, right.

Princess Rebekah. The kingdom's favorite little diva.

She lived somewhere abroad with a husband who was twice--or was it three times?--her age.

I snorted under my breath. Protective indeed.

Papa pushed his horn-rimmed glasses back up his nose, and I felt my chest well with affection at the familiar gesture.

“I suppose we best get going then," he said tightly. "We wouldn’t want to intrude any longer, and I should really get back to the store.”

Disappointment washed over me like a bucket of cold water. I gripped onto his arm, sitting up straighter in bed.

“What? You’re leaving already? But, papa, you just got here…”

He shushed me gently and kissed my forehead.

Mama patted my hand on my other side. “Take care of yourself, tesoro."

"Come visit us," Papa reminded me as he got to his feet. "We are happy for you, Eleonara."

Then, lowering his voice, he added, "And we love you whether you decide to go through with this betrothal or not."

I managed to nod at them both.

They went over to say their goodbyes to Jaxon as Aaron approached me.

My brother pulled me against his chest, sighing deeply.

“The house is so empty without you, sorellina," he muttered.

I breathed in his strong cologne and pulled back to gaze at him.

“Are you taking care of everyone?" I asked quietly.

"Not as good as you would," he admitted.

I poked his chest accusingly. "Don't be giving Mama a hard time, you hear me?" Another poke. "And be good to Lina. She's your fiancé and God knows she deserves better than your cheating ass."

His dark eyes grew glassy, and my stomach ached. Aaron and I had always been so close. He was one of my best friends in this world.

“Stop acting like this is the last time we see each other," he grumbled.

He leaned in to kiss me on the cheek and whispered, "He wants to see to you, Nora."

His use of the nickname had my heart rattling against my rib cage.

I knew exactly who he was.

Aaron pulled away and ruffled my hair gently. He eyes my throat once more, concern flashing through his expression, then he backed up towards Mama and Papa.

They were still conversing with Jaxon. I resisted the urge to go over there and check their temperatures. Dad was the one who had raised me to be distrustful of vampires, yet here he was, completely ensnared in Jaxon's web.

I sighed.

After a few moments, they called out their final goodbyes, and Aaron offered me one last wave before they left. The door clicked shut softly behind them.

I glanced over at Jaxon and found him studying me intently. He had a smirk playing at his lips, and his head was tilted to the side like he was was assessing me.

"What?" I snapped, fighting the urge to squirm under his gaze.

I would not squirm. I would not let him see my discomfort. My fear.

"That was quite the convincing act," he murmured.

"Fuck off."

He clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "You should really be more respectful to me."

"You should really try earning my respect," I shot back. "Until then, I repeat, fuck off."

I blinked and he was standing right in front of me.

I scooted away until my head banged against the headboard of the bed.

He leaned in close to me, ignoring my reaction, and he tucked his fingers under my chin.

"Such a beautiful little liar..." His thumb rubbed against my skin lightly, his eyes flickering to my lips.

I wasn't breathing.

Not just out of fear, but because my skin seemed to light up like a live wire under his touch.

Blue clashed with hazel.

"Who was your brother talking about?" He asked softly. "Who wants to see you?"

Fuck.

He was compelling me.

Consuming or wearing the vervain plant was the only way to be immune to a vampire's compulsion, and I had no more of that in my system.

My mouth moved even as I begged it to stop.

"My boyfriend Elliot," I said.

Fuck. Fuck. Dammit.

His features hardened. "You have a boyfriend?"

"Ex-boyfriend," I corrected hastily. "It was a recent breakup, and I forget sometimes."

"Hm."

He kissed one of my cheeks and then the other, whisper soft and slow.

He was so warm.

When he pulled back, I realized I'd closed my eyes. I opened them again to find him looking at the marks on my neck.

"Would you believe me if I said I don't want to hurt you?"

"No, I wouldn't."

He shrugged. "You provoke me on purpose. It's like you want me to get mad."

I pursed my lips.

It wasn't that I wanted him angry per se. I just wanted to illicit a reaction other than that stone cold, un-feeling expression he always wore.

"It doesn't give you the right to do this," I said.

"Actually, under the law, a husband is allowed to correct his wife by any means he sees fit, so long as he doesn't kill or permanently injure her."

My fists tightened. "That's a fucking crock of shit if I've ever heard one."

That law would go bye bye the second I get a crown on my head. Another reason to stay.

Jaxon smirked. "You kiss your mama with that mouth?"

"Yes, often."

"You know, people say a proper lady doesn't curse."

I scoffed. "Well, I'm not a lady, I'm a fucking woman, and I do whatever I want."

His eyes darkened, as dangerous and blue as a shark infested ocean.

"Wrong," he breathed against my lips. "You're mine, for now, and you do whatever the fuck I want."

We'll see about that.