"What is your problem with us?" I snapped, folding my arms. "We've done nothing to hurt you. I've given you my blood and provided you with your cure. We're not the bad guys."

He popped the grape into his mouth. "On the contrary, my love, you are the bad guys. You encourage people to break laws. You spread corruption and violence wherever you go."

"It's called freewill. People are allowed to do whatever they want."

Cesare shook his head. "Not in our world. There are rules that must be followed. It's all about control, Miss Moore. If you let them think they have control, they'll abuse it."

Of course it all boiled down to one control freak of a man.

"It also keeps them safe and ensures the longevity of our species."

I glared at him. "I think, under the right circ.u.mstances, we are powerful enough to take care of ourselves."

"This society was created long before you were born, Ruby. Without the council, there would be no communities. There would be no schools to educate our children. Vampires would be running free." He pointed at me. "You have the council to thank for that."

Maybe I did have the council to thank. They set out to protect us and to keep us safe, but they've succeeded with that, so when does it end? Why are they meddling with relationship laws if their sole purpose is to protect us from vampires? At what point does a movement become pointless? Why don't they back off and be happy when they've achieved their goal? Why is it when they've achieved their goal they find a new way to exploit it and its own followers? I find movements, much like this one, turn to poison over time. They lose sight of what they want and everybody else suffers.

"Lucian created the relationship law out of jealousy, not protection. He didn't care about our species."

Cesare shrugged his narrow shoulders. "Ah, but Lucian had the approval to create that law a very, very, very long time ago and he had a lot of good points, too. The base line is, if you change one law, they think the others can be changed, too."

"It's been a long time, maybe they do need to be changed a little."

Cesare strode toward me, his face looking sunken and cold. "Over my dead body."

We stared each other down for a few long seconds before he pushed past me and out the door. I exhaled when he was gone. Strangely, that was probably the longest, most normal conversation Cesare and I have had yet. My consensus? He was a total psycho. No doubt about it.

I barely had five seconds alone with myself before another knock rattled the door. It opened and when Eli's handsome face peered around the frame, my stomach fluttered. It was a cute reaction his presence always provoked in me. His eyes drank me in inch by inch and all of the creases on his usually stern face flattened out, subtracting years from him. In that moment, he seemed so boyish. Like he was six years old and saw something he really liked.

"Wow," was all he managed to say as he stepped in and closed the door behind him.

I felt heat flood my cheeks and I looked away from him. "Did Cesare tell you?" I asked, swallowing hard again.

"Yes."

I turned around, moving my legs minutely. The tight gown didn't give me much room. "You don't have to. I'd never ask that from you, it's not fair."

He smiled slightly. "I want to."

"You want to?"

"Sure. I'm not going to let you walk down the aisle in front of all those strangers alone."

My eyebrows drew together. "So you don't hate me?"

He stepped closer, quickly closing the distance between us. He reached out and grabbed my bare arms before gliding his thumbs back and forth over my skin.

"No, I don't hate you. I could never hate you, not over a kiss."

"But it was wrong."

He shrugged, pulling me in so our bodies touched. "Maybe it was, but you are still mine... right?"

I nodded without pause. "Absolutely."

"Then I forgive you." He kissed my forehead and my eyes briefly fluttered shut. "I don't blame you, h.e.l.l, I don't even blame Hunter. I blame this place. It's changing us and we need to get out of here. Do what you need to do today; get married, kiss and dance, but the second it's over, we're out of here and I'm taking you back."

My lips pulled up at the corners. He still wanted me, which made me the happiest girl in the world. Then I remembered Cesare and my face fell. "I want nothing more than to be finished here... but there's a good chance we aren't getting out of here... ever."

Eli released my arm and tugged at a soft curl of my dark hair. Half of my hair was pinned, the other half curled and draped down my chest. "Either way, in life or in death, we'll be together."

How could I not feel content after that? I wrapped my arms around Eli's neck and drew his face closer to mine. We didn't kiss, instead, we watched each other. Minutes pa.s.sed, but neither of us moved. If things turned sour, this could very well be the last time we were alone together. The time was cut short as a quick, desperate knock on the door forced us apart.

Eli cleared his throat. "Come in."

The door whipped open and startled me. My heart rate increased as a fl.u.s.tered Faith stepped in. I clenched my hands into fists and stepped forward. Eli firmly planted his hand on my stomach and looked over at me, amused.

"You're in a wedding dress."

"So?"

He chuckled. "Relax."

Faith presented her palms to me, panting like she'd run a mile. Strains of her hair stuck to her face and she swiped an arm over her forehead. "I'm not here to start trouble, I swear."

"Then what do you want?" I snapped.

"Everyone is in danger, it's Cesare-he's gone mad!"

Eli dropped his hand from me and stepped toward a shaking Faith. He took her hand and pulled her further into the room. He looked to me to get the door and with a heavy exhale, I stepped over and closed it. I didn't trust Faith and I sure as h.e.l.l wasn't going to let Eli trust her, either. He escorted her over to the couch and retrieved a gla.s.s of water from the bar. She drank it up before crushing the plastic in her hand.

"What happened?" he asked and I stepped closer to the couch.

"My brother, Tate, he told me..." She shuddered. "He told me what Cesare plans to do." Her face scrunched and her bottom lip quivered.

"What does he plan to do, Faith?" Eli asked calmly, trying to soothe her into explaining. "We can't do anything until you tell us."

"He... He..." She inhaled deeply and let it out at the same speed. "He's going to have the charm dropped, we're going to be exposed to the vampires."

I scoffed. "That doesn't guarantee a vampire attack. There probably aren't any vampires around here."

She shook her head. "He's made contact with them-invited them here-and he's going to let them loose in the city."

"He wouldn't," Eli said. "He wouldn't kill his own people. He's obsessed with sustaining his species."

She shook her head again. "Cesare told Tate everything. Tate is the one who's meant to open the gates at seven p.m."

I glanced at the clock. It was six. My body was a mixture of both tense and relaxed-if that made any sense-and I didn't know whether I believed her or not. She was pretty shaken up...

"Easy, tell Tate not to open the gates."

"I can't, he has to do it or Cesare is going to kill me. He's gone crazy." She sobbed, tears spilling over the rims of her eyes. "He's going to kill everybody to maintain control-not even the other council members know. They're going to die, too."

Eli stood up and began to pace. "We have an hour to alert people."

"You can't alert people," Faith told Eli, panicked. "Cesare will know Tate told me. He'll kill my brother-please, please."

"All right." He paced the room for a few more minutes and the sudden fear of it being true began to seep into me. "I have to tell Mr. Aleksandrov and the rest of them, at least. They can keep Mila safe."

I nodded. They were definitely a priority.

"Keep Faith here with you. I'll meet you at the altar."

I opened my mouth to protest, but he left before I could utter a single word. On the couch, Faith covered her face and began to cry.

"Why are you so scared?" I asked, walking closer. "Fighting vampires is what you do."

"If you haven't noticed, most of the time they keep us locked up in here. Only a handful of us have fought vampires."

I sighed, lowering myself into the seat next to here. "I'm a.s.suming you've never fought a vampire?"

"When I was eleven, my parents were killed. They were set on living a normal life, just like your mother was... it backfired on them, just like it did your mother." She sniffled. "My brother was already an elite guard then and begged the council to take me in. I had n.o.body to look after me and I had no communities or schools close enough for me to attend. The council let him bring me here... they looked after me, became my family-Cesare especially. I don't know what happened... over time he became more closed off, more paranoid. I tried to tell him it was because he locked himself away in the city, but he didn't agree." Faith shook her head and began to cry harder. "He was family... and now he wants to kill us all."

I watched her shoulders shake as she sobbed. I had no idea what to do. Comforting her seemed so strange... Put your ego aside, you a.s.s, I chastised myself. This is bigger than your pride. I breathed in deeply through my nose and expelled it slowly before placing my hand on her shoulder. She flinched and peered through her fingers at me. She seemed confused.

"Why aren't you scared?"

I shrugged. "I've been through a lot, so not a lot can scare me anymore."

"And you'll fight?"

I nodded. "Yes. It's never been in my nature to run or back down."

There was a knock on the door the second I finished my sentence and I twisted in my seat as the door opened. An unknown woman stuck her head in. "Time to go." She smiled, excitement dancing in her eyes.

I stood up and straightened my dress before turning to Faith. "You stay here. Lock the door and keep quiet. If all goes well, I'll come back and get you."

"Good luck," she called, her voice shaking as I exited the room and the door was closed behind me.

Eli's arm slipped around mine just as the music started. I glanced up at him and he smiled down at me like he had no care in the world. I was almost certain he wasn't going to make it.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. "I'm so glad you're here. I thought you were going to miss it."

"As much as I don't want to be here," he muttered. "I wouldn't make you go through it alone."

I looked forward and two large, wooden doors pulled open. "Cesare wants you to freak out and ruin this," I whispered so pa.s.sersby didn't hear me.

"No matter what I do tonight, something is going to go wrong. If I stop this, G.o.d knows what will happen to Mila. If I don't stop this... G.o.d knows what will happen to any of us, but we've fought before... we'll do it again."

A pointy finger stabbed into my back and I started forward. The room was filled with people that gasped at me. They smiled like they knew who I was and cared if I lived or died. I fought the urge to glare at them. They didn't know me and they didn't deserve to share this day with me. Where was my Aunt Jen? Where was Camilla or Sera and Aaron-where was anyone that I knew? There weren't here. This wasn't my day. This was Cesare's. I looked down the aisle and at the very end stood Hunter. He was looking a lot less bruised today, barely noticeable. Makeup, I a.s.sumed. He stood smiling at me and I smiled back. I looked to his hands that twitched and clenched every now and again.

"Did you tell him?" I whispered.

Eli nodded his head again.

In the front row sat the council... everyone but Cesare. Behind me, I heard the two large doors shut and I was certain a lock snapped in place, too. I looked at Eli, who gave me a small gesture of rea.s.surance with his head. In the front row on the other side sat Mr. Aleksandrov, Lyric, and Xavier. Not seeing Mila was a relief. I just hoped they put her somewhere safe.

As I approached the four small steps, I felt a cooler limb hook around my right arm.

"Well, this is awkward." I snapped my head to the right and jolted backward. Hank. I yanked my arms free from Eli and Hank's and almost stumbled over myself to get away from him.

I couldn't believe it. The music cut off and the room exploded in curious chatter. Couldn't they see the faint blue glow around his body? Why weren't they running? Eli grabbed me, tucking me behind his body.

"Doesn't the father give the daughter away?" He extended his hand to me with a wry smile. He looked the same... the same as he did the night I killed him.

"You're not my father," I growled at him, refusing to step out from behind Eli.

"Don't bother, Hank," another voice called from the stairs where Hunter stood and he stepped away, petrified. "Nothing can peel her away from Eli De Luca."

My insides turned as cold as ice. My mouth was dry and my eyes began to water. Surely this was a dream. This couldn't be happening... not tonight.

Lucian, in his crisp black suit, turned and smiled ruefully at Hunter. "I see you returned the gift I gave you."

"Curse," Hunter replied, taking another step back. "It was a curse."

Lucian grabbed the priest and a sickening crack crepitated through the room as he snapped his neck and he crumpled to the ground. The guests began to scream. I heard the benches scuffle across the ground as everyone panicked. The council launched themselves to their feet in an attempt to calm everyone down but there was too much panic. n.o.body listened. They banged on the door, but it was locked from the outside. I didn't think it was ever going to open, but then I heard metal being sc.r.a.ped against the door and people backed up to make room for the doors to open. When they did, blood curdling screams tore through the room, almost bursting my ear drums. The people turned and rushed toward us, desperate to get out of the door behind the altar. As they rushed by, Eli shoved me into the fray and they carried me off.

"Eli!" I screamed. "No!"

My own screams were drowned out by everyone else's.

I tried to fight against the insanely strong current of panicked people, but I couldn't. I was no match for them. The all squeezed into the next room, filling up the halls and crushing people against walls. I cried out as my hip slammed into a metal desk. I tried to pull myself up onto it, but my dress was caught underneath others' shoes. I reached down to my dress and tugged it. It didn't rip. I pulled until my arms hurt and my lungs burned from holding my breath. Nothing. My chest heaved as I began to cry. I didn't want to be stuck in here with these people. I wanted to be out there, helping the people I loved. I shook my head. Now was not the time to give up. They needed my help. I grabbed my dress and pulled one last time until the fabric tore ever so slightly. I crouched down, squeezing myself between the table and someone else's body. I hooked my fingers in the hole and pulled, tearing a huge hole in the fabric. I kept tearing until my legs were free. Then, in my stupidly high heels, I climbed onto the table.

"Hey!" I shouted over the cries and pleas to G.o.d. No one heard me. "Hey!" Still nothing. "Shut up!" I tried one last time. The room and halls turned quiet. "Jesus Christ! Thank you." I inhaled and exhaled, enjoying the silence for a few seconds. "Look at you, you're all running scared!" I leaned against the window behind me and pulled off one of my heels. "Some of you are angels-the rest G.o.ds and G.o.ddesses." I removed the other shoe and dropped them both onto the table. "Why are you so terrified? You have the ability to beat them. Sure, they're faster, hungrier, and meaner than you, but we have powers. We outnumber them."

"You brought this on us!" someone in the back shouted. An uproar of agreement ensued and quite frankly, it infuriated me.

"How dare you!" I snapped, demanding silence again. "I did not bring this down on you. Your leader did. Cesare is a selfish, power-hungry man. All of this is because of him and his inability to grow with his own society." I paused and took a deep breath. "I love my guardian angel." Everyone gasped and I rolled my eyes. Please, it's not like it wasn't obvious. "We're meant to be together and we will, but first, answer this question; what is more evil, me being in love with a guardian angel or Cesare ma.s.sacring a whole city just to stop it? I love someone and Cesare believes stopping that is worth all of your lives."

"It's the law!"

"But why is it the law? Who does it affect? Being with a guardian angel won't birth new vampires. It won't put anyone else's lives in danger and the world won't end. Give me a reason. If you can give me a good reason that I can't be happy, then I'll take the blame for this whole thing."

No one said a word and I smirked.

"Your own leader is using the one thing they swore to protect you from against you. They don't want us to be happy-think about it. We can use and manipulate the four elements of nature and yet, they don't let us. They want you to be weak and defenseless, then they hire these guardians and keep them under their thumb. Our lives are carefully structured... and, most likely, so are our deaths. We need to go back out there and fight."