Camilla's POV

All the Bloodborn vampire maidens turned their necks to look at me.

I saw it all in their eyes: the disbelief that Carlos would ever pick a Bloodturned vampire like me, their doubled hate for me, their anger. I felt everything.

The matron's sharp objection pierced through the spell of silence that had fallen upon every one of us.

“Your Majesty! I'm sorry, but that is a bad idea." She looked around to confirm that she had the support of everyone watching the spectacle unfold.

Carlos merely ignored her and began descending the dais. My heart was galloping like a racehorse, and I looked around for the nearest exit. But I found none.

Carlos was heading my way, and when I tried to press myself to the side of the Bloodborn maiden in front of me, she pushed me so hard that I staggered.

I held my breath as Carlos stopped right beside me. I quickly turned my face away.

Murmurs and whispers rose in the Crystal Glass Court and for a second, I prayed to the heavens that the glass tiles underneath our feet would crack open and swallow us all.

Anything at all to stop whatever madness had come over Carlos.

“You can't hide from me, Camilla. Look. At. Me." His voice felt like silk and velvet, and I felt very tempted to turn and look him in the eye, to let the darkness in his gaze meet and embrace mine.

“Look. At. Me." He commanded again.

This time, I obeyed, and I nearly melted into a puddle from the intensity of his hot gaze.

He deepened his voice as he declared in a very stern and loud voice. “She is my mate, and has already been marked by me."

"Do you hear that? He marked her!”

“But Bloodborns do not mix with the Bloodturned! We can't let a Bloodturned become our Queen!”

"I've seen prettier Bloodturned. That one looks like the runt of the litter!”

Their words floated in the air, they stung like alcohol on an open wound. I didn't even want to be any moon-damned Queen.

“Your Majesty, perhaps, I should remind you of our customs and traditions. We do not -"

Carlos' eyes turned blazing hot, and when he spoke, his breath was hot on my face. He cut the Matron short.

"I will not hesitate to make a scapegoat of anyone who will try to fight our union. She will be my bride, my mate. And that is final.” The words were meant for the matron, but they felt like he was telling me that there was nothing I could do about his selection tonight.

“And what if I refuse to be your bride?” I asked in a defiant tone, even though I felt very intimidated and scared out of my wits.

"There is no room for refusal.” He leaned in to whisper into my ear.

The pull between us tightened at once and there was the strong urge to touch him, to feel him.

“Don't get ideas into your head, Camilla. I detest your kind, but fate has decided you will bear me the heir to the Crystal Glass throne.” Wait, after sucking me dry as if I was some foreign flavor of milkshake, he still despised my kind? It was ridiculous!

"I will never open my legs for you." I said through clenched teeth, restraining the urge to hurl a string of obscenities at His Royal Impetuous-ness.

“We’ll see about that.” He said, his mouth curving into a smirk to form a dangerous smile.

I watched him leave, fury and something close to hate boiling inside me.

The matron immediately appeared by my side. “I warned you to keep your seductive skills in your pocket. You will regret ruining my game." She snarled at me, showing me her wicked white fangs before sauntering off.

As soon as Carlos was out of sight, the BloodBorn maidens whirled around and began to tongue-lash me.

“You're trash, and though you may think that you've made it into his bed, you're very wrong. We'll fight you until you wish you never got in to start with." One with very high eyebrows and full red lips said.

They formed a circle around me and their hateful words stabbed me from different angles. Even those who had come to watch the Maiden Selection joined them.

I forced myself to keep my tongue in check as I squeezed myself out of the circle, only to bump into a sour faced vampire Bloodborn with high cheekbones and an unnaturally smooth face.

Was it Botox or just the usual vampire paleness? I didn't know.

“My brother's taste in women seems to have soured over time. You're a misfit here, and I will do everything in my power to prove to him that you're not healthy for him.” She sniffed the air and frowned.

Well, not only was Carlos downright arrogant and full of himself, his sister was even worse, with those sharp cheekbones that looked like it would slice through flesh.

"You reek of poverty, by the way. What would my brother, a billionaire CEO and Lord of the Crystal Glass Court possibly want with you?” She asked dramatically, pinching the bridge of her pointed nose.

I tried to step out of her way but she pushed me back. The heels I wore nearly threw me off balance, but months of dancing steadied me.

“You think you can just walk out on me? A Bloodturned overweight, low budget drag queen like you?” She lifted her arm so the bangles on her wrists clinked together.

I tried not to roll my eyes at the excessive pompous-princess behavior.

With a calm expression, I spoke as softly as I could.

“I understand that nobody wants me here, but I don't even want myself here either.” And then I turned my back on her instead of trying to get past her.

I found the stairs quickly and began to climb.

As soon as I placed one foot on the top of the stairs, I saw a brief flash of movement by the pillar supporting the banister and a hand pushed me down the stairs.

I rolled and banged my face as I fell, and I couldn't see anything but glass as I landed in a broken heap at the foot of the stairs.

A figure loomed over me, and I lacked the strength to turn and look at my attacker, to capture the face.

“I warned you, didn't I?" I didn't even have to turn. I already knew it was the court's matron. But why had she pushed me down the stairs?

My upper and lower lips were both bleeding, and my head felt like someone had taken a sledgehammer and bashed it several times.

"You're lucky I was kind enough to push you down the stairs and not over the banister. You would have made a beautiful sight, bleeding on the floor. If you don't stay out of his way, I promise to break you.” She stepped on two of my fingers.

I closed my eyes and swallowed the scream that threatened to tear free from my throat.

“And I don't mean it literally, you Bloodturned piece of trash." She took her foot off my fingers and spat on my hair.

I waited until her footsteps had faded before attempting to rise to my feet. It was a painful exercise.

Every intake of breath I took sounded like a whistle, and it hurt to blink. I touched the side of my face and my fingers came back red. I suppressed the urge to cry.

First, I had been forced to dance for the man who destroyed my life. Then I was branded a thief, almost sent to jail, and coerced into making a deal with the same man who broke me.

And now, I was to be his bride. An unwilling bride. And even though I hated the idea of it, the Crystal Glass Court was hell bent on breaking me before I even got the chance to escape Carlos.

His sister and the matron had already made themselves my archenemies. I didn't need any more signs.

I hobbled slowly up the stairs like an old woman, and when I finally got to the room, I nearly collapsed from the pain.

It took me all my strength to shut the door, and I leaned on it to catch my breath.

Movement from the window caught my eye, and survival instincts pushed me up back to my feet. The windows were open, and I could see the silhouette of a man moving behind the pale rouge curtains.

The shape suddenly turned, and panic rose in my chest. Was this going to be another attack? Would I die tonight? Maybe then I wouldn't have to live to face the wicked Crystal Glass Court.

Just as the shape prepared to lunge at the thick floor to ceiling glass windows, a knock on the door broke the moment.