Dancing with Monsters

I blushed, remembering that day when my partner dragged me to Knight Securities. I had no idea who or what I was about to meet. And then it happened; I came face to face with the monster that terrified me more than life itself.

And he turned out to be my mate.

"I cringe every time I remember the early meetings," I sighed, closing my eyes. "Is there any way I can erase everything from your memory and pretend that it never happened?"

"Erase the monster who wanted to be human? Not a chance," chuckled Viktor, looking much more relaxed than I had ever seen him before. "But we can reminisce later. Right now, I need to speak to you about something important."

"Well, that's not ominous at all," I sighed, leaning back into my chair. "Alright, my Van Helsing, what do you want to speak to me about?"

"A human wedding," he stated, his eyes burrowing into me. "And soon. I'm thinking about two weeks from now if you are okay with that."

"Excuse me?" I asked, springing forward, my eyes wide. "A human wedding?"

"Yeah, big church, white dress, the whole nine yards," shrugged Viktor as if it wasn't a big deal, but by the look I could see in his eyes, this event was extremely important to him.

"But…" I started, not quite understanding. I mean, I get that human girls have dreamed about their weddings since they were children, but for monsters, it was different. We exchange bites, there is a change in our scents, in who we are, and all monsters around us know that we are taken.

That was why my bite and its location were so important.

Viktor looked at me, his face never changing. "Won't we get smited or something if we get married in a church? And then there is the whole Nicholas thing…."

Seriously, I hadn't stepped foot in a church in my life. I didn't think this was the time to start.

"Viktor Van Helsing is very happily mated," started Viktor, finally willing to put me out of my misery. "However, Viktor Singer needs a proper wedding, with all the bells and whistles for all the media to see and the people to awe over. I want a wedding."

Cocking my head to the side, I shrugged my shoulders. "If you want the wedding, that was all you had to say." He was already my mate for the rest of eternity; the wedding was nothing more than a cherry on top of the sundae. It was nice to have, but it didn't stop you from eating the ice cream if it wasn't there.

"Technically, I don't remember asking your opinion," smirked Viktor as Nicholas walked into my office. "I already have most of the stuff arranged."

"Have you spoken to her yet?" he asked Viktor, taking his seat beside the monster and across the desk from me.

"About the wedding?" I sighed, feeling a bit dazed over the whole thing. "Yup. I assume that you are going to be up at the altar, too. Even if I can't officially marry you?"

"Butterfly, you can't get rid of me. But whose wedding am I going to?" asked Nicholas, a look of confusion passing over his face before he quickly hid it.

"Okay," I muttered, looking between the two men. "If you weren't talking about the wedding, then what was Viktor to talk to me about?"

"I was going to save it for the wedding day, but since Nicholas has ruined it, I guess I can discuss everything with you now," sighed Viktor. Sending out a quick text message, he turned his attention back to me.

"According to human traditions," he started, looking over at Nicholas for reassurance. When the demon nodded his head, the hunter continued. "Everything that I have belongs to you."

"What?" I asked. This was shaping up to be a really long day, and it hadn't even started yet. And why was my most straight forward mate now dancing around a subject?

"What The Van Helsing is trying to say," interjected Nicholas. "Is that when it comes to human marriages, everything is combined after the wedding. Money, assets, houses, that sort of thing."

"Okay?" I repeated myself, feeling incredibly stupid that I was not picking up what they were lying down. If Viktor was worried that I was after his Knight Securities and his money, then why didn't he say that before the mating? Plus, I thought that was what prenups were for. Monsters don't have that bit of paperwork since there was no divorce, but I was pretty sure that prenups were a human thing. "You want me to sign a prenup?"

"No," announced Viktor as Sasha came into the office, a shit-eating grin on his face as he carried in a massive folder. Seriously, it was almost six inches thick. "I am making you the official Head of House Van Helsing. I will be your second in command, but as my Lady and my Queen, you will have full control over my House and everything that entails."

"And just what does that entail?" I sputtered, the very concept of taking on an existing House that wasn't 'mine' blowing my mind.

Sasha dropped the folder with a smirk as he looked at me. "That means, my Queen. That every Knight, every head of Van Helsing in the world, every Van Helsing, by marriage or by birth, every business or organization created, run by, or run for a Van Helsing is now yours to do with as you please."

Ever so slowly, I looked away from the paperwork to the monster sitting in front of me with a smirk on his smug face. "Consider it both my betrothal gift and groom price. After all, I'm marrying into your House, so it only stands to reason that my House falls under the umbrella of House Tesalor."

"Holy Shit."

"Happy Mating, pui mic."