When I knock echoed on my door, I woke up with a jolt. I almost gave myself whiplash. I turned to the door. Who was here at this hour?

“Come in.” I groaned.

The door opened and last man I wanted to see right now stepped in. “Hello, sunshine.” Damian said as he strolled into my room.

My breath hitched in my throat as I stared at him. He was in a black undershirt and black trousers. He looked like a demon. A very attractive demon.

“What are you doing in my rooom?” I tried to keep the terror out of my voice, but I was scared that what happened with Dane last night would happen again.

He obviously noticed this. “Relax, sunshine. I’m not going to hurt you or steal your virginity.” He stated. I relaxed a little. “Are you alright?”

Crap. He didn’t need to know what happened last night. “Yes,” I snapped, “now what are you doing here?”

“I was given instructions by your father to assist you.” He leaned against my wall.

I recoiled in disgust. “Why you? What does that even mean? No, wait. Answer the first question.”

“Last night, after you ran away, your father might have found out that I helped you stay alive the other night.”

I blushed thinking about that night. I had lost control of the situation so fast. He had had me pinned so fast. I was under his trapping arms and chest and the look in his eyes…

I pushed those thoughts from my head. “So how are you going to assist me?” I asked.

“I’m going to teach you how to use a knife.”

My breath caught in my throat. No. He was gonna train me. Why? What was his motive? This was going to go horribly.

“Come on, sunshine. Get dressed. We have work to do.” Damian smirked at me as he left my room. “Meet me at my room.”

I wanted to argue, but he was already gone. I sighed. I had no choice. I had to do this.

So I got out of bed and dressed myself in a plain white shirt, a plain black corset, and a short black skirt. I put on some black tights on underneath and some black flats. Black was my color to get dirty. I hated it.

I trudged down to the guest wing. I was passed by a few people who gave me polite looks and nods, but I ignored most of them. I walked over to the door that I knew housed Damian. I hesitated before knocking. If I didn’t, he would come looking for me. It would also be rude to stand him up.

I knocked on the door.

It doesn’t open so I lean my ear against the door. I could hear voices. Damian’s and… my father’s. “I told you to protect her, not train her.” My father said.

“Sir, her training will protect her.” Damian argued.

“Maybe, but it’s not a desirable trait in women.” What?

“I’m sorry?”

“Look, men don’t like a woman who can fight. It makes them feel like the woman doesn’t need them.” This was not happening.

“Sir, how is it bad that a woman can defend herself? Especially since the vampire attack happened only a few days ago.”

“It’s just that…no man will want her.”

My heart stopped. What was my father saying?

“What? Are you marrying Vesper off?” Damian sounded surprised.

My father sighed. “Yes…”

“What about love? How will she ever find that if she is married off?”

My father laughs. “Vesper is not the kind of girl who is looking for love. She’s terrified of it, in fact.”

“Why?”

“It’s my fault really. When she was born, I had the royal seer come in and give us a glimpse of her future. He told us that she would fall in love, but before they get married, he would abandon her and she would be left as prisoner to evil forces. I’m just trying to protect her from that. I would hate to see her heartbroken.”

There was a pause.

“With all due respect, sir, I think it is better to have loved and lost than to not have loved at all.”

There was another beat of silence.

“No. Vesper isn’t like that. I’m her father. I know what is best for her.”

“Very well. Who do you think will marry her then?”

“Well, there is this Dane fellow. I saw him and Vesper having a romantic moment last night. I find it to be a lovely idea. He’s a decent fellow and I believe he might work out well with her.”

My heart really did stop that time. Dane? Dane. _Dane_. My father wanted me to marry him. I could feel his hands on my skin still. I could feel how rough and disgusting they were. The memory made me want to vomit. They made me want to cry. I tried to control myself, but my fears were stirring.

He wanted me to marry Dane. No. No. No. No.

“That’s nice, sir.” Damian said to my father.

“It is.” He agreed. “I’ll let you train my daughter, but please don’t teach her too much. I would hate for her marriage to fail.”

It was already doomed and it hadn’t even begun.

I heard my father’s footsteps approaching the doors, so I ran to the end of the hallway and pretended to walk over to Damian’s room. My father exited and saw me. “Ah, Vesper, how are you?” He asked me.

As if you weren’t just talking all about me. “Lovely. I’m just waiting for Heir Damian to train me.” I said, innocently.

He nodded. “Be careful. I would hate to see you get hurt.” He said. Then he kissed my cheek and walked off.

Damian saw me and waved me over. I took a deep breath and walked over to his room. “Ready, sunshine?” He asked me.

No. I want to cry. My father wants me to marry a monster. He touched me. He touched me.

Instead, I said, “Yeah. Let’s do this.”