Drop Dead Single (Monstrana Paranormal Romance 1)

“I feel the same,” she whispered.

A shudder went through him, like an instant release of tension. He pulled her in tight and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned against his chest, realizing that the heart she was listening for wasn’t beating. Of course it wasn’t. He was undead. But that didn’t make him heartless. In fact, he was the most gentle man she’d ever met. A man with soul and purpose, who looked at her like she was the most beautiful creature in the world.

“Gather round, gather round,” a gruff voice called over the crowd.

Viktor and Cate pulled apart and watched King Borwin enter the far side of the ballroom on a raised platform. A beaming Queen Anna stood beside him, her arm looped through his.

“Where is my eldest grandson?” King Borwin continued, his dark eyes scanning the crowd. “Someone send him up here, along with the lovely young ladies. It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for.”

Viktor looked down at her, his eyes shining. She had no doubt what that look meant. He was going to pick her, in front of all these people. Declare his love. The idea made her giddy and faint all at the same time.

“I’ll see you up there,” he said, pressing a kiss to the top of her hand.

And just like that, he disappeared into the crowd with inhuman speed. Cate was once again astonished at the fact that she had fallen for a vampire. It seemed so silly — like a teenaged romance novel. But he was hers. Well, he would be, in a few minutes. And then, she’d have to make the hardest decision of her life. Stay with Viktor and become a vampire or return to an empty and lifeless home. In her heart, she knew the decision was already made. It’d been decided as soon as their eyes had met across the ballroom tonight. She was head over heels and nothing would stop her from being with him.

She hiked up her long dress and rounded the crowd to make her way up to the platform. The cameras found her almost instantly, zooming in on her weaving through the countless creatures gathered to see the ending ceremony. It wasn’t until she felt a shiver go down her spine and the hair on the back of her neck stand up did she realize Jezebel was beside her, walking awfully close.

“You’ve just made a huge mistake,” she hissed through a fake smile for the cameras. She wore a gorgeous gown of deep navy that was so tight it must’ve been sewn on. “You’re going to regret this.”

“I’ll never regret following my heart,” Cate whispered back.

They could both see the front now. All eyes had turned toward them, along with Prince Viktor’s. A soft smile played on his lips as their eyes met.

“Don’t you get it yet?” Jezebel asked as they stopped in front of the platform. Her eyes were glued to the front, but she had no problem stepping on Cate’s toes with her nude pumps. “Vampires like Viktor and me aren’t allowed to follow our hearts — even if they were still beating. You’re nothing. A blip on his timeline. He’ll forget about you soon enough, once he comes to his senses.”

Stasia hopped up on the stage and began addressing the crowd. The cameras turned to focus in on her, as the rest of the crowd followed suit. Cate thought about Jezebel’s

warning and bristled at her words. No one was allowed to make her feel small and insignificant. Not even a super powered monster like her. Surely, she had some feeling left in her. Some speck of humanity.

“And why can’t you follow your heart?” Cate turned to look at Jezebel’s perfectly coiffed hair with its ruby encrusted bobby pins. A thick golden necklace with matching rubies hung from her neck — her pick from the palace vault. “You have everything. You’re beautiful, intelligent, and immortal. What could possibly stop you?”

For a moment, Jezebel’s mouth hung open in silence. Regret washed over her face, followed by something hard and unforgiving. She clamped her lips shut and then lifted her chin. “What do you think’s going to happen? That he’ll change you into a vampire? That it’ll be that easy? You have no idea what it’s like having someone else’s soul living inside you. Constantly reminding you that you are nothing without them. This isn’t some fairy tale. There’s no prince charming at the end of this story.”

Cate swallowed hard and felt a shiver of fear go through her body.

“Besides, nothing can stop me,” Jezebel continued. “Including a pathetic mortal like you. No one will stand in my way. And those who try, will pay in blood.”

Cate didn’t have a chance to absorb what Jezebel said. Prince Viktor had just stepped forward and begun to speak to the crowd. He turned toward the ladies, all eyes and cameras following his gaze. The weight of two hundred people watching and a nation of viewers fell heavy upon her shoulders.

“I’ve made my decision,” he said, beaming down at them. “I know whom I wish to choose.”

A thrill went through her as she looked at him. He was so handsome, standing up there on the platform, his dark hair slicked back and his chin clean-shaven. She liked him polished and she liked him scruffy. She’d take him any way. That was her vampire. Her man. And he was about to claim her as his. Nothing could spoil the moment. Not even a wacko vampire with a serious case of jealousy.

The cameras pressed in for their shots. Cate didn’t care. She couldn’t take her eyes off of Viktor. Stasia handed him a single white lily with a white ribbon tied around the stem. He twirled it in his fingers.

“The final lily goes to Cate,” he said, a soft smile growing on his lips.

Despite the fact that she’d been expecting it, her heart did a little dance at the sound of her name being called. She beamed from ear to ear. This must’ve been what it felt like to claim the multi-million dollar lottery jackpot. She’d always wondered how those people stayed on their feet. Somehow, she remained steady and the rest of the room seemed to fade away.

Viktor held out his hand to her and she moved to take it, but something held her back. Confused, it wasn’t until she felt the sharp pain in her neck did she realize Jezebel had latched onto her dress and sunk her fangs into her skin. Alarm went through the crowd, along with a few screams.

The sensation of the bite felt strange to Cate. Not as painful as she’d suspected. Almost like a flu shot. Quick and sharp. She pushed back against the vampiress, but couldn’t match the strength of a rabid beauty queen. Still, she didn’t have to fight long. In less than a second, something blurred across her vision and tore the vampire off her neck.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Viktor screamed at Jezebel. He’d dived off the platform to save her and was now standing motionless at her side, his body tightly coiled for another attack. Red anger clouded his eyes and a predatory snarl curled his lips.

“She’s human!” Jezebel shouted.

Blood lined her lips and dribbled down her chin. Cate touched the spot on her neck where she’d been bitten and felt hot liquid beneath her fingers.