Ceremony

Two hours later, Joel had changed his mind.

He really didn't want to do this.

As he walked down the huge corridor in the mansion that will soon become his new home, his hand intertwined with his mother's, he could feel golden buttons buckled on the front of his chest preventing him from breathing properly, his throat squeezed tight making him unable to even gulp. He could feel a light layer of sweat covering his forehead and his whole body was trembling.

He didn't want this…

- Joel Bellerose, straighten your posture. – his mother scolded. As the vampire briefly looked down at her, a short vampiress gave him a reassuring glance as her peachy pink hair was tied up neatly on top of her head, a few wrinkles around her eyes and mouth showing her real age.

- Yes, m-mother… - vampire nodded as he straightened his back.

- Do not worry, my son. You will be in good hands…

Despite his talk with Katarin earlier and despite him trying to convince himself to believe his mother's choice, Joel wanted to run away and hide in the hole. As his mother continued to lead him towards the main hall, all decorations and flowers making Coral sick to his stomach, he couldn't stop two tears rolling down his cheeks.

That was it.

His old life was finishing right before his eyes.

Beyond that door lied the unknown future with the stranger.

-Joelle, look at me. – vampire suddenly became aware of his mother calling him gently.

As he turned around towards her, she rose her small hand and tapped his cheeks with her white as snow handkerchief.

- The groom should not cry at his own wedding. You look too beautiful to show your tears now, my dear.

Joel smiled down at her as she looked at him with adoration and pride. He did hope at one point in his life that he will get married and wear a wedding suit but he never expected to wear the white one, one that symbolizes lower class than one's future spouse. And even though he wasn't a female, his mother insisted on putting discrete crown and a beautiful white veil on his head, making him look surreal, like a real angel.

- Ready? – she asked after putting a small piece of fabric into one of his pockets.

No.

- Yes.

The door of the main hall opened to reveal a huge room filled with guests of all classes of Corals, from royalty to lower nobility. Joel knew all of them from different gatherings, but he was glad to see three particular vampires: Samuele Lamberti, a part of lower nobility and very notable for his striking orange hair and deep blue eyes, also notorious for his trades with nearby human kingdoms, was seated at the very back of the venue, away from all other vampires. Beside him was seated to Joel unknown and petite black-haired vampire, his eyes reminding him of emeralds while his pale skin became even more noticeable because of the dark shade of his hair.

Horea Ardelean, a young male vampire who was a part of a higher nobility and notorious for his shameful behavior and bloodthirst which didn't accompany his ethereal beauty showcased in stinking short blonde hair curled up on the edges and dashing golden eyes, was accompanied by his two older sisters, Valeria and Minodora who acted as actual heads for their family and they sat in the first row, just a few feet away from the place where Joel will be standing in seconds' time.

Katarin was seated on the other side from the trio with her parents, her ordinary black dress replaced with a lavish dark green gown that complimented her unusual hair color.

That's when Joel spotted his future husband.

He was looking right at him, his amber eyes piercing through his head like the two daggers. He was really tall, his face not being the type to be considered beautiful among Corals but his strong jaw and full lips gave him a certain dose of attractiveness. His posture was perfect, his palms were big yet elegant while his slender body looked nice coated in a crimson red wedding suit, white cloak falling behind him on the floor. His hair was light brown and stylized perfectly, exposing his sharp facial features. Joel was informed that his husband was younger than him for about 200 years but from that distance, the pink-haired vampire couldn't really tell if it was true.

But despite noticing how handsome Nikolas Keighley was, Joel had to gulp.

He looked so scary, his eyes widened slightly as he observed older getting closer.

Why is he looking at me like that?! Is he already planning something?!

But all of his insecurities had to disappear once he was right in front of him. Jin tightened the grip around his mother's arm to which she only patted his hand and said:

- From this day forward, I am expecting you to take care of my child, Nikolas Keighley. Do you promise that you will cherish my son, Joel Bellerose?

- I do. – he said without hesitation. His voice is so deep…

- Then I give his hand to you.

His mother then broke the hold and took Joel's right palm in hers only to plant it on Nikolas's bigger one.

Younger gently held his hand while bowing down to place it on his forehead, as tradition demanded. Joel noticed the warmth of his hand and smoothness of his skin, but those sensations still weren't enough for him to feel safe around Nikolas.

After the first part of the protocol was finished, the two grooms stood in front of the altar, their hands put in the front of their bodies, fingers intertwined.

- We have gathered here today to witness the sacred deed of joining these two vampires in marriage. – the registrar started while reading from a huge book with dark green covers. – Today, you are joining two noble families into one, with hopes of…

Everything the vampire said after that was blurry in Joel's head. All he could hear was sound of his own heart beating in his chest as if it was going to jump out from his ribcage.

Being so close to Nikolas really felt strange, but most of all, Joel felt scared, even more after finally meeting him. He was still confused about the way younger stared at him. That wasn't a look of adoration he would usually receive because of his beauty. He seemed more of… confused like he expected to get married to someone else instead…

Well, sorry to disappoint you, I will not be your little doll…

- It is now time for your vows. – the registrar suddenly said.

Joel panicked, completely forgetting he was supposed to turn towards Nikolas. When he did, he could see the almost amused look in younger's eyes which only made Coral scrunch his nose in slight annoyance.

- Do you, Nikolas Keighley, take here present Joel Bellerose as your spouse? Do you promise to cherish him and love him in sickness and health, in good times and bad, all days of your life?

- I do. – Nikolas spoke with that deep, raspy voice without hesitation.

- Do you, Joel Bellerose, take here present Nikolas Keighley as your spouse? Do you promise to cherish him and love him in sickness and health, in good times and bad, all days of your life?

Joel felt his throat tightening again, words not wanting to leave his mouth. If I say those words, it will really be over…

But then something happened. Something in Nikolas's amber gaze had changed.

After noticing older's hesitation, Coral's eyebrows furrowed a little while in his eyes squinted slightly, a shadow of panic washing over their amber shade.

He reminded Joel of a puppy that was about to be abandoned by his master and something about that look really made older's heart skip a beat.

- I d-do. – pink-haired vampire stuttered, cursing himself mentally.

Nikolas sighed with relief while a small smile danced on his lips. He actually wanted all this?!

- I now pronounce you husband and husband. – the registrar said with a louder tone to signalize everyone in the room to stand up. – You may now exchange your blood.

Joel gulped again, knowing exactly what was about to happen.

He witnessed that same act a few times before while attending different weddings in Coral circles, but he had never thought he will be doing it himself one day, especially with someone he didn't even know.

As he looked back up at Nikolas, he saw younger's fangs prolonging as he bit hard into his lower lip, crimson blood dripping from one corner of his mouth.

The moment the scent of that blood hit Joel's nose, he had to gulp yet again but this time because of how alluring and delicious it smelled.

Pink-haired vampire hurried up and did the same to his own lower lip, his own blood dripping down his chin.

Two vampires then came closer to each other, their lips only inches apart, their breaths mixing together. With one final locking of their eyes, Nikolas planted a soft kiss on Joel's lips, his warm tongue sucking onto older's lower lip and blood that was dripping from it.

When Joel did the same, he almost moaned out loud from the incredible taste of younger's blood, the flavor being so sweet yet so addicting. And his lips… his lips were so soft and full.

After quite a long kiss in which they tasted each other, both lips and blood, they sealed small wounds and licked off the blood that dripped down their chins, Nikolas doing it first and then Joel. Older just couldn't get enough of that delicious blood…

A loud wave of applause cut their special moment short, both grooms looking towards the audience with confusion and then at each other. Joel couldn't fight the feeling that the younger Coral was really satisfied with the whole situation. No, not satisfied, he was just… delighted.

Not sure what to think of it, Joel gave him a small smile, his fear almost completely disappearing, at least for the time being…