“This looks bad.”

“I didn't kill those people,” I state.

D.J nods, “Sir I can testify that Jr left the room not too long before it was reported. I don't think he would have had time to kill them.”

“I'm not saying Jr did it,” JB explains, “I'm just saying what it looks like. This just doesn't look good.”

We are standing in the room. I've gathered the only people I can trust even a little bit. JB and Candy. D.J is just there by default.

“Kill the witnesses,” Candy states.

“We aren't killing the cleaning crew,” I state.

“Then tell me who they are and I'll kill them,” Candy explains, “You aren't the only one who has something to lose if you get buried alive again.”

“Jr is right. I'd never do something so crazy Candy. You've lost your mind,” JB responds, “They are innocents.”

“Still...this is the worst case scenario,” I explain.

“Who could have killed them?” JB asks, “Who would have wanted to kill Ecbert---besides you?”

“Jackson.”

“He's missing,” JB states at that moment.

I'm not surprised. Jackson did what he did and he ran off.

“Listen Jackson is up to something,” I explain, “I believe he wants to help me. He thinks that destroying the Lucky one will do it.”

“What will it do? What will destroying the Lucky One do?” Candy asks me.

I shake my head, “It'll let the darkness in. It'll let Lilith in.”

“Maybe it's about time you do let her in,” Candy explains shaking her head, “Maybe people will get a little scared of you then.”

I look at Candy. She sounds like a ing lunatic when she says things like that. She's pregnant now so I know she has something to lose. It's clear. I had something to lose too clearly but power wasn't everything.

Candy was clueless. She had no idea what allowing my mother into Eden would do. If she knew she wouldn't be making such a stupid comment.

My mother wasn't coming into Eden to talk. She was coming into Eden to kill.

I could feel her intentions.

“What are you saying?” I ask.

“I'm saying that once news gets out that you killed King Ecbert...you're a dead man,” Candy explains, “People won't take the chance. And if King JB tries to stop them this time...”

She pauses.

She pauses because JB is in the room. JB is looking down. He's deep in thought. I wonder what is on her mind. She doesn't want to put the thought in JB’s head but there is no denying that is what's going to happen.

“If JB tries to stop them, they'll turn on him,” I state.

“Everyone will. There won't be any hiding this time Jr. There won't be any propaganda. If news gets out that Ecbert is dead and you were discovered at the scene you're dead. Whether you like it or not. We have to act. We have to do something.”

“Everything you're suggesting is desperate Candy.”

“Desperate times call for desperate measures.”

It's JB who stops Candy's madness by clearing his throat and glaring, “Let's get married tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” I ask.

“They can't come at you. Remember when we were kids...you hit me?” JB asks me.

“Yeah. I got in trouble for it.”

“Exactly it's against the law to hit a royal. So marry me tomorrow. Let's speed up this process. Let's cut out the middle man. Let's make sure that they can't hurt you no matter what. Let's make sure that we have a backup. They won't hurt you. Not if you're my husband. They can't hurt you.”

JB sounds just as desperate as Candy.

Candy is nodding her head, “I like it.”

They both look at me. They are both surveying my face. I don't feel right. Rushing into marriage without a proper engagement because I was scared of the people that I was going to be ruling over didn't seem right.

“They'll still find out maybe even before tomorrow,” I state.

“Then tonight,” JB states.

“That's not enough time.”

“We don't have any choice.”

“JB who’s to say they will obey the laws. If people think I killed Ecbert they are going to come after me. Period.”

“I'll take the risk,” JB tells me, “Will you?”

The question is something that seems to jam into my heart and turn. I'm nervous. I'm more than nervous actually. I'm ing sweating. The idea that by tonight I'd be JB's husband was something that I wasn't expecting.

“Tonight...”

I'm scared. My heart has risen to my mouth. I'm tripping to speak.

That's when I see JB's face. He looks dead at me. Those silver eyes pierce into me. And that's when I realize I don't need any support of the people. I don't need the love of the people. This man looking back at me loved me.

I don't need anything but JB.

He grabs my hand and he's so...soft. He's so loving. It's a real love here.

“Tonight you're mine,” he tells me and adds, “No one's going to stop us.”

***

The day is turning quickly.

“I would have gotten you something custom made,” Bambam tells me, “But no one has ever seen this outfit. It came from the human world.”

“You don't think this is a little too much?”

“No. It's dramatic,” Bambam states.

Too dramatic.

“I don't know.”

“It's symbolic,” Bambam tells me, “JB picked it out himself. He said it reminded him of you.”

“A raven. It's vampiric,” Satyr adds.

“It's perfect,” Candy states.

A raven. My wedding suit was a robe. Black wings dangle from the shoulders. The long feathers are plaid together and truffle out to the ground. There is a glittery sheen on it all. The train is long, dragging out 10 feet away from me. All black. All long. All beautiful. The biggest train I've ever seen in my life. And it's shines. It glitters. I don't know the source of the brightness but I'm glowing. The three of them are staring at me as I stare in the mirror. The reflection in the mirror looks back at me and I don't even recognize this person.

“Mark will eat his heart out,” Satyr replies.

“Is he's going to the wedding.”

“Everyone is going to be there?”

My heart is racing, “Candy. Have you heard about if people know about what happened as of yet?”

Candy nods, “Don't worry about that. Today is your day. Don't worry about anything else. Just look forward. Just smile.”

I'm breathing heavy. As I look in my reflection I see this person that looks so powerful. However I feel so ing weak as I look back at it. I'm scared as .

There is a knock on the door at my door at that moment. I walk over to the door and open it. It's JB that's stranding there. He has on a tuxedo, black tuxedo and a crown made of black feathers that matches my own outfit.

“You look...amazing,” JB states.

He stares at me for a moment. The way he looks at me, it makes me feel like I'm the only person in the world. It's almost as though I'm his oxygen and at this right moment I'm staring at him watching him breathe me in. His lungs exhale me in. I'm giving him his life and I love every moment of him seeing me at that moment.

It's Candy who pulls me away.

“You're not supposed to see each other before the wedding. It’s bad luck,” Candy explains to him.

“I came to warn him,” JB explains.

“About?”

“News just broke about the marriage. Roman leaked it to the media. And right now as we speak the cleaning crew that found Ecbert's body is telling Yeatman live on television what they saw. There's already people gathering out front.”

My heart is racing.

“This is bad,” Candy explains.

It's more than that. This was the worse.

“Should we cancel...postpone?” I ask.

“It's now or never,” JB explains to me, “You need to understand that. Ira will be forced to act unless you are King next to me. She has to file papers in order to press murder charges against you. You have to come with me now.”

“King JB, with all due respect...we need to follow tradition. You need to go to the cathedral and we'll bring Jr there to meet you,” Bambam says.

“It's across town, I'm not leaving him.”

“We'll bring him to you...” Bambam promises.

“And you expect me to trust you?”

“JB. I'm Ok. I'll make it. Go ahead. I'm coming.”

JB shakes his head. He looks nervous. I'm not going to lie and say that I'm not nervous too. Truth is I'm beyond nervous. Truth is I feel like as soon as I leave this building I'm going to be attacked. I think we are all thinking the same thing.

JB looks over me, “Listen. I have guards. All my king's guard will make sure you get to that cathedral. You hear me? Nothing's going to stop us. You hear me?”

He grabs onto my hand.

“Nothing's going to stop us,” I state.

JB takes a deep breath. I wonder if he's trying to convince me of that or if he's trying to convince himself. He's afraid. I can see it. He's more afraid than I actually am. The deep tension of this all is getting to him. We've been here before. We've seen this before and it didn't end well.

That's why when he gives me a slight smile I see right through it, “I love you. I'll be waiting for you on the aisle.”

With that JB turns and leaves.

“Are you ready sir?” D.J asks me.

“JB sent you?”

“He wanted to make sure you got to the cathedral,” D.J states.

JB sent his best man. It seems to make me even more nervous as I walk into the hallway.

“One second D.J,” I state.

I go to my window. The black rose that Justice gave me is sitting there on the still. I grab the rose. I hold it in my hand. After all this time the rose is finally dying.

It's finally dying.

I hold the rose in my hand and follow D.J. When I get into the hallway I see 10 guards on each side of the hallway. They all look at me at that moment. I'm facing the window as the guards each look at me. Their eyes are burning into me. They don't trust me. They must have heard about Ecbert. They must have gone back to suspecting me.

One day I'm loved.

The next day I'm hated.

That's how it was in Eden.

“Let's move quickly, D.J,” Candy explains, “Your future king has a schedule to keep.”

“Right this way sir.”

***

We are walking down the hallway at that moment down towards where the car escorts will lead me over to the cathedral. I can hear something outside. It isn't until I walk past a window that I realize exactly what's going on. Satyr and Bambam follow several feet behind carrying my train and making sure that it doesn't trail the floor too much until we get to the cathedral. Candy is at my side along with D.J. Ahead of me are the guards.

It seems as though all of Eden is outside...protesting me. Protesting this marriage.

D.J walks out first.

The doors open.

Just as I take a step outside I hear a scream, “MURDERER!”

I don't know where the vampire comes from but he glides through the air. He has a stake in his hand! I can barely move out of the way with the heavy garments I'm pulling with me. The guards are struggling to keep other people back.

I catch the man with my hand. I can feel how light he feels in my hands. He raises his stake ready to stab me but I have a hold of his throat!

I push him to the ground as hard as I can.

I hear his back hit the ground.

It's Candy who runs forward with her stake. She drives the stake into the vampire's heart and he di