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with a thick Russian accent in charge of

irror as the strings of the corset were diligently pulled

rset traced the sweetheart neckline beautifull

ll prominent and eye-catching for someone like

ly in ruffled layers of great volume with more pea

perfectly chiselled shoulders and collarb

eemed to multiply. Traditionally, brides wore white for the wedding and stood

t gave me nauseating chills and a shudder

growing paler with every passing second a

ally applied lipstick on my lips that wouldn't smudge even a little

uriating, especially the strict requiremen

uched my hair with any sort of chemical. I loved it my hair the way it was and I wasn't going to c

lack hair, flowing down my back and all the

ferred my own, soft and light as it was and I certainly felt more

d never be ready to give myself to a stranger in this manner, but the love swelling in my

an leaving, a smaller group of assistants handling

rd I tried breathing and swallowing, an uncomfortably solid lump was permanently lodg

ts in pursuit of peace, but all I got was nothing but a constant remi

of it closing and footsteps approaching me made my hea

or as he paced towards me, hands in his po

es in my stomach. I sud

n all my life, I'd never seen someone in their twenties look old enou

el his dark aura radiate towards me, freezing my blo

e I felt a constriction in my ch

hands down firmly onto the dresser in an at

sing his body into mine before his cold

and mustering enough strengt

how devious and suggestive his stare grew as his eyes wandere

like him at all. He scared m

ce, trying to cup my cheek, but I dr

too heavy and intimidating to

i. Even his nam

en," he corrected in a raspy tone, his voice making the tiny hairs on my spine stand. "His father,

n him. Part of me felt utterly disgusted at his tone, but part

ruined my confidence and perspective of men in my teenage years

with such distasteful behaviou

hing out to touch my hair. "So innocent and flaw

ooked like he'd instantly break me e

ly sigh in relief as Teodoro turned away from me towards the doo

en minutes," the formally dre

t with a creepy grin. I placed my hand on my flat stomach, taking deep

e? Was he equally monstrous, immoral and intimi

ugh my mind as I tried to calm myself. I only ha

black lacy veil. A bouquet of black roses was placed in my

. The glowing moon and scattered twinkling stars bathed the evening in a ma

ily. They weren't allowed to see me until the wedding w

ed garden doors in time to be on sche

enting myself to him personally and facing a rea

aying an unfamiliar tune. I took a deep breath and swallowed, ta

sides, flying high into the open sky. Weird floating things like

e small squeal I made got swallowed up in t

second. I bit on my quivering bottom lip, my tears blurr

ore I finally made it to the altar. I wasn't even sure where to step because

er in the crowd, killing my conf

k down and give everyone a good reason to openly laugh at me,

warm unfamiliar hands had an electrifying effect on my

ing, I felt myself being guided forward

r picked up on another human. It was an enticing musky manly

but something about it had both a soot

bably facing the groom. The scent didn't completely vanish, its effect still wafting in

was and what was happening around me. It felt like the whole world melted away

nymore, a newly found sense of wonde

to him? I couldn't help but th

I couldn't hear as I sank deep

ression of him to avoid the disappointment that'd

d was his reaction to me. Would he accept me?

ing attention because the next thing I knew, the wed

ain if it was the fear of revealing my face to him for the first time while he

part wouldn't be too shocking, but why had it b

and my heart sank. I

the hem of my veil before slowly, the material was l

my confidence and self-esteem hidin

tle bit tighter, mustering every

tailored black suit he wore suited him like a glove defining every

clinging to his torso, failing to believe how someo

or any man before, the urge to trace every muscle

, paying close attention to every feature from his sharp chiselled jaw, full lip

n, completely taking me out and a

more we held eye contact, the clearer the colour beca

s away from him, a loud scream o

cable way. I didn't understand what I felt, but one thing was for su

r of emotion flashed through his eyes. I could call it shock, but he di

s lightly grazing my cheek and tracing their way

hed like he wa

h

d been kissed or rather nearly kissed had not exactly been

ening the dead intimate feelings in me first and making me desire to be devoured, peeli

a step towards me, closing the gap b

long while or actually never even without eve

breathing through my mouth lightly. Something was happeni

eyes, waiting fo

me to kiss

ly off his tongue had my stomach doing that fuzzy bu

stomach, tiny creatures crawling around w

my permissio

e bare minimum, but for someone like me who was used to having

digest everything, because the next thing I knew,

yet the warm sensation lingered long after he retracted his st

e lively as I slowly turned to face the crow

ld and too o

off already wit