All Chapters of Bride of the Century : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

LucienNight was when our realm truly came alive.It always amused me how people celebrated in the darkness. Even though our skies were eternally draped in clouds and sunlight rarely touched our lands, many still preferred the night. We could not survive in complete darkness forever, so long ago our ancestors had bargained for balance.The clouds remained, shielding us from the sun's deadly gaze, yet now and then golden rays slipped through the veil. Just enough to nourish plants, warm the earth, and sustain the creatures that shared our world.Tonight was no different.Music drifted through the palace gardens. Crystal lanterns floated among the trees like captured stars, while laughter and conversation echoed across the courtyards. The guests were celebrating another successful gathering.Normally, I would have ignored such festivities but tonight my thoughts refused to settle.Ever since that strange encounter in the forest, one particular girl had occupied my mind.Elara.Unable to

ElaraAfter that wishful night with Philos in the place they called Healing, here I am with Nina, who seemed far too cheerful about another round of giving my life away.After that masked man disappeared, I couldn't stop thinking about everything that had happened in the span of a single week.I had been fired, almost raped, cheated on, betrayed, and nearly killed more times than I cared to count. Most importantly, I had crossed into another realm where my life constantly flashed before my eyes.And finally—what a grand finale—pretending to be a vampire so I could marry the King of Vampires when I wasn't one at all.Wow.Fucking wow.I had no idea what the next competition would be, but every girl had been summoned to the hall this evening. Meanwhile, Nina was busy arranging my dress, jewellery, and accessories with an excitement I couldn't understand.They had mentioned something about a gala. I didn't even know how to dance, so what exactly was I supposed to do there?One thing was

ElaraAfter that, the grey-eyed man left me standing in the bathroom, my skin burning despite the chill lingering in the air around me.I couldn't stay there any longer. Slipping through the crowd, I made my escape from the ballroom. To hell with the competition and whatever ridiculous dance spectacle they were hosting. My thoughts refused to focus on anything except him.His cold tongue against my neck. The memory haunted me. He was cold. His touch, his presence, even his breath.Everything about him felt like a smooth breeze sweeping across sun-scorched skin after a long summer day. Refreshing. Dangerous. Addictive. I had never felt aroused like that before.Why?Bryan had been the only man to ever kiss me or touch me intimately, and even then, I had merely followed his lead. Every moment with him had felt more like an obligation than a desire.But this...This was different.When Lu leaned closer, my entire body tingled. A spark had ignited beneath my skin the moment his cold touch

LucienI yearned for warmth—a sensation I had never sought before, never needed, never even considered.Why now?It made no sense.We vampires had long ago made peace with our curse. We accepted that we could never truly withstand the sun. We accepted the endless nights and the eternal cold. It was necessary. The cold kept us sane.The older a vampire became, the colder their body turned. Centuries passed, and warmth slowly abandoned us until nothing remained but ice beneath immortal skin.I was ancient.Cold through and through.Yet lately, all I craved was warmth.A warmth that did not belong to me.A warmth I had never known.I frowned to myself as I walked.Usually, daylight hours passed in sleep. While I could remain awake during the day if necessary, I rarely endured an entire day conscious. Yet today, sleep refused to claim me.So I wandered.The guards insisted on accompanying me, but I dismissed them with a wave and continued alone toward my cabin.The forest was unusually pe

ElaraThis wasn't what I had signed up for when that masked bastard told me to win the competition and marry that insufferable jerk of a King.That idiot had also promised to help me through this competition, yet that fuck-face was nowhere to be found. My frustration wasn't helping the situation, but what else could I do?All I could see was endless snow and towering trees stretching toward the grey sky. There wasn't another contestant in sight. The silence of the forest was unnerving, and I was terrified to venture deeper and discover what lurked within this frozen wilderness. But standing still wouldn't change anything so, I forced myself to move forward.This realm had always been cold, but not like this. This cold felt different—deeper, sharper, as though it seeped straight into my bones. I suppose vampires were creatures of chill by nature. I still remembered the icy touch of Lu's fingers against my skin.The massive trees made me feel insignificant, like a tiny ant wandering thr