Author's note: This idea popped into my head one day as I was thinking, "What would happen if Jill and Adrian slept together?" And then I got this image of one of my favorite romance novel plots: a marriage of necessity. There will be plenty of Sydrian and Jeddie in this as well as some crazy Jadrian moments.

Please let me know what you think! I don't yet know how long this is going to be, but I've got a lot of great things planned. So if you like this, stick around for more. And check out my other Sydrian and Jeddie (and some Romitri) works.

The title comes from the Paramore song Hate to See Your Heart Break. That is a very Sydrian song to me. Give it a listen.

Happy reading!

The Dullest Knife

A Bloodlines Fanfiction

By Danielle Cheri

Prologue

1891

Jill stared at her sister in horror. Had she really just said what she thought? "Marry Adrian?" She asked incredulously.

Lissa gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry, Jill. I've already made all the arrangements. The announcement will be made at the Christmas ball."

She stepped forward, her skirts rustling noisily as she moved. She had liked it better when she was dressed in less cumbersome clothing while in hiding. The dresses she now wore were far too noisy. She groaned. "You can't be serious, Lissa. Please, let me find my own husband."

"You cannot. Do you think any man will have you with the connection you and Adrian share? He will accuse you of an affair where there is none, at the very least. At the most, any children you have would be held by him as questionable fathering. At least this way, you will be married to someone you know and trust. And we have negotiated that all your children shall have the Dragomir name so that we can continue the line. That's the most important part. You and I are it."

"You and Christian will be welcoming your first child soon. That has to count for something." Jill pleaded. "I can't marry Adrian."

Her sister rested her hand on her stomach a moment as she examined her sister. She asked gently, "Is there someone else?"

A tear made a traitorous track down her face and she wiped it away angrily. "No one that could help continue the Dragomir line."

Her sister nodded. "So it is decided. Congratulations."

The younger woman sighed. "Does he even get to ask?"

"I'm sure he'll think of something. He's a bit of a romantic."

Jill was suddenly pulled into Adrian's head. He was raging at his father about the marriage to her. So he hadn't known about this either. That made it a little better. Of course, if he had known, she would have. She blinked and came back to herself.

"I'm sorry." Lissa said softly. She sounded sincere.

"May I go now, Your Majesty?" Jill asked coldly.

The queen nodded.

She rushed out of the room, nearly tripping on her skirts. She went straight to her suite, closely followed by her guardians. She snapped at them to go away, even though she knew they couldn't. She slammed the door and locked it. No one would get in if she could help it. She went to her bedroom and threw herself across the bed. She should ring for the maid to help her out of her dress, but she didn't have the energy. And it wasn't that late, anyway.

After a few hours of staring at the ceiling, she heard a soft knock. A guardian called, "You have a visitor, your highness. He's waiting for you in the queen's personal sitting room."

Eddie. She wished she could just pull him in with her and have him tell her it would be all right. She wanted nothing more than those same long talks they shared before everything was considered safe at Court and they had returned.

Jill stood and looked at herself in the mirror. A good thing she hadn't called for her maid. She knew who it was. She'd seen his journey from arguing with his father to pacing his apartment and contemplating getting drunk and then here. She had hoped he would drink a little. It was the only thing that dulled the bond. She could barely stand the thoughts in her own head, let alone someone else's.

She opened the door and smiled at Eddie. He was alone. "Where are the others?"

"I sent them away. Not too far, but far enough. I'll have a word with Rose about the level of security you actually need within Court. I think it's ridiculous to have so many following you."

"It's for my own safety." She said, repeating what they always told her when she demanded fewer guardians.

He followed her closely. "It is. But I'll fight to the death before I let anyone hurt you."

She stopped and turned to him. She looked around to see other guardians at regular intervals down the hall. "Do you know anything about my meeting with Lissa?"

"The one you just had?" He shook his head.

Jill pulled him through a door that led to an unoccupied room. She left the door open, but stepped close to him anyway. She took a deep breath. "She's marrying me off. To Adrian. She and Nathan Ivashkov negotiated it without our consent. Adrian is here to talk about it."

"Oh." He said simply.

"Yeah." She shook her head, angry when another tear fell down her cheek. "Eddie, I don't know what any of this means."

"Let's not talk about it now. Go get engaged." He sounded down-trodden and headed toward the hall.

"Don't be angry." She begged as she followed.

"It's not your fault." His easy-going manner was over.

Jill pushed into the room, not waiting to be announced. The conversation between the queen and her new fiancé halted. "I want a word alone with him." She demanded of her sister.

Lissa stood gracefully, even with her obscenely large stomach. "I hope you both know that this is all for the best. I agreed to it because I care about you, no matter what you think of me." She left.

As soon as she was out of the room, Adrian produced a silver cigarette case from his coat pocket. He put one in his mouth and leaned over a candle to light it.

"You want me to get down on one knee?" He asked.

She clenched her jaw and shook her head.

"I don't want to marry right away. You're only fifteen, after all. We should wait at least a couple years." He took a long drag from the cigarette. He blew out the smoke slowly as he watched her.

"Where will we live?"

"Where would you like to live? We could go anywhere."

"That depends." She stepped closer. "Where is Sydney right now?"

His face softened. "Missouri. But she could be sent anywhere, so that's not an option."

She nodded. "Are you in contact with her?"

"I visit her when she sleeps." He took another pull from the cigarette.

Jill sat down on the sofa. "I don't want this."

"I don't either." Adrian admitted as he put out his cigarette. He joined her on the sofa. "But we can't get out of it. And I can't deny that it's a good idea." He lifted up a hand and ran the tips of his fingers down her cheek. "We'll make some pretty babies."

She nodded.

"We'll not talk about that yet." He dropped his hand. "I could use a drink."

"I wouldn't mind it if you had a few. I'd like to be in my own head for a while."

"I'll try not to get drunk." He promised.

"Thank you." She stood. "I need to go."

"What about Eddie?" He asked before she could move away.

She sighed. "I don't know."

"I'll make you a deal."

"What deal?"

"As long as we're smart about it, we can have our affairs."

She watched him a moment. "I wouldn't expect you to be faithful to me, Adrian. Men of your station rarely are true to their wives."

"Yes. But the wives are expected to be faithful regardless. What I'm saying to you is that you and I both know we cannot have a dhampir child. I don't mind whatever happens with him. But if you do have an affair with him, be smart about it. Take every precaution."

"The same to you and Sydney."

Adrian smirked and pulled out another cigarette. "I don't even know if she'd agree to an affair. She's so straight-laced." He blew out a plume of smoke. "But what I wouldn't give to see what's under all those layers."

Jill gave him a no-nonsense look. "Yeah, I know."

He grew compassionate. "Look, kid, I'm sorry about all that. We'll just have to both keep working on blocking each other."

She stepped up to him again. "Can you feel me in there?" She put a finger up to his temple.

"Sometimes I feel a tickling at the edges. I guess that's you. Is it still pretty bad for you?"

She shrugged. "I'm used to it by now. But I saw your argument with your father."

He nodded. "I'll work on keeping calm."

"No, don't change everything for me. I know you're already abstaining after that first time."

"Well, you were so horrified." He touched her arm. "I'm sorry."

"We're fine." She assured him. She looked up at the clock. "It's late. And I have an appointment with my pillow."

He smirked again. "I, too, have an appointment."

"I hope she's not upset by this."

"I think she'll understand. And we'll work it out." He took her hand and kissed it. "I'll get you a ring and ask you properly."

"You don't have to."

"It's the least I could do." He kissed her hand again. "Goodnight, my future wife."

"I still don't know how I feel about that." She admitted.

"We have at least two years to figure it out. Sleep well, Princess Jillian." He smirked and walked away.

Once settled into his bed for the day, he closed his eyes and called up his magic. He created a quiet café, something one would find in France or Italy. Sydney sat in a corner table and smiled at the steaming cup in front of her.

"I was in the middle of a good dream." She said as she took a sip.

"Oh, yeah? A sexy one? Was I in it?" Adrian sat in the seat across from her, his own drink appearing.

"No, you weren't. My father was actually paying attention to me. And I was respected as an Alchemist."

He reached across the table and brushed his fingers over the golden lily glittering on her cheek. "You deserve better respect, Sage."

She smiled. "Nice to know someone believes it. My mother does, too." She took his hand off her cheek and rested it on the table between them. "Something's bothering you."

He took a deep breath. "I have to marry Jill."

She stared at him a long time in silence. "When?"

"We're having a long engagement. Two years. Maybe more."

"Are you going to live at Court?"

"It's probably safer. But we both hate it. I want to get away, get her away. It's going to be hard enough to be married to someone I don't want to marry." He sighed. "That's not right. I don't mind marrying her. I can't marry you is all." He squeezed her hand.

"Maybe we can figure something out. Maybe I'm not meant to be an Alchemist. Maybe I'm meant to be a servant in a Moroi household."

Adrian shook his head. "You're better than a servant."

"Not according to my father." She took another sip of her coffee. "The best thing about this is that you can keep my coffee hot."

He chuckled. "Glad I could be of service, Sage."

"I want to make something of myself, Adrian."

"I know."

"But I'm connected to you. When we're apart…It just feels wrong. And I don't know how we can make it better."

"We'll follow you." He said suddenly.

"Follow me?"

"Wherever you're assigned, we'll take a holiday there."
"Even if you have small children in tow?"

"Yes." He smiled and watched her a moment. Then he stood and walked around the table. He picked Sydney up and sat her on a barstool nearby. "I could set you up somewhere."

"Like being your mistress?" She asked, a challenge in her eyes.
"And why not? It would be better than just seeing you in your dreams." He found her bare ankle under all her skirts and slid his hand up behind her knee. "And when I touch you, it will be more real." He brushed a kiss across her lips.

Sydney placed her hands on his cheeks. "I don't want to be a kept woman. I'd much rather see you sporadically or in my dreams than in a house you pay for, sitting around doing nothing but wait for when you come make love to me."

"It would be more than that." Adrian pressed himself closer to her, his hand slid a little further up her thigh.

She reached down and stopped. "Not any higher."

He agreed, but covered her mouth with his again. He slipped his tongue out and licked the seam of her lips. She opened her mouth to him and let him explore it, massaging his tongue with her own. Her hand slipped into his hair and held him closer.

He broke the kiss and rested his head against hers. "I wish I could be with you."

"Soon. I'm hoping for a permanent assignment any day. I heard rumors about being sent north, but I could be wrong."

"I'll wait patiently to find out more." He brushed one more kiss across her lips and then stepped back. He pulled her dress back down. "I need to get some sleep and prepare to be an engaged man."

"Do you have a ring and everything?"

"Not yet. I was thinking of looking through Aunt Tatiana's things and finding a ring that works. I should just let her pick it. It's not like we're getting to choose much in this."

"After you're married, you will be." She hopped off the stool and smoothed down her dress. "I'll let you know more when I do."

"Same time next week?"

She smiled. "Yes."

He kissed her once again and then watched her as he let the dream dissolve. He lay on his bed, staring at the dark ceiling for a long time. He finally got out of the bed and opened a bottle of wine. He considered getting a glass, but decided that since he planned on drinking the entire bottle, there was no point.

He looked in the mirror and lifted the bottle. "To you and me, Jill. God help us."

Chapter One

Two Years Later

"Wake up, sunshine." Sydney whispered. "You have to leave."

Adrian squinted his eyes opened. "What time is it?"

"Time for you to go." She said with a smile. "You're getting married in a few hours."

He grabbed her hand. "You're really not upset about this?"

She kissed his knuckles. "Of course not. We've been over this a million times. You could never marry me."

"I could. We could run away to the Keepers. No one would ever know."

"Would you really do that to Jill?" She asked. "The queen was indulgent giving you the two year engagement, but now you are here. You have to be married and have child or two."

"What if…" He leaned forward. "I know I've offered it several times, but I really would just like to set you up somewhere. Have a few babies with you."

She shook her head. "We can't have our own babies." She stood and gathered her things. "You have to leave now. If you're late, Jill will never forgive me." She started pulling on the rest of her clothes that she could get on her own. "I'll see you at the reception. Thank you for the gracious invitation."

"Thank my wife to be. She's the one who wanted you there." He sat down on the bed to put on his shoes. "But she did it for me."

"Save me a dance, would you."

"Of course."

She kissed him. "Best of luck, my love."

He smiled and nodded. "Be careful out there, dearest." He cupped her cheeks. "We're taking our honeymoon in France. I don't know how long we'll be gone exactly. Several months. But I'll visit your dreams when I can." He kissed her hard. "I love you."

"And I you."

After one last look, then he was gone. Sydney rang for the maid that would help her dress. She had been nervous about staying in a hotel so close to the vampires, but it had helped with Adrian sneaking into her room.

Over the last few months, their affair had become more intense, almost desperate. He was resigned to marrying his friend, but always bemoaned the prospect to his lover. On a few occasions, when they lay in bed after making love and Adrian slept, she watched him and wondered what it would be like to hide away with the Keepers. But she admired Jill enough to want what was best for her.

The dress she chose for the wedding was a little tight. She had to be cinched tighter into her corset for it to fit. As a result, she could barely sit or breathe. She stared in the mirror as her hair was pulled in a tight behind her head.

Tears sprang to her eyes. She told the maid it was just because of her sensitive scalp. But that wasn't it at all. She would miss Adrian while he was away. And he would be too busy enjoying his trip to visit her dreams.

Eddie poked his head into the room. "Are you ready, your highness?"

Jill looked up and nodded. But he could see she really wasn't. He stepped inside and told everyone to go and they all scattered. You didn't argue with a guardian.

"Talk to me." He demanded.

"I'm going to be a horrible wife." She said forlornly.

"You'll be fine."

"He doesn't want me. All he's thinking of right now is Sydney and when he'll be able to see her in her dreams while we're away."

He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Are you expecting more from him than what you're giving him with me? Because that's a horrible double standard, Jill."

"You don't have to live in someone else's head. It would be nice to know he was thinking of me just a little more."

Eddie cupped her cheek. "Would it be too forward to ask for a kiss?"

"I wouldn't mind it at all." She turned her face up.

He covered her mouth with his own. The kiss started out gentle, but it quickly changed to something fiercer. Jill wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. Eddie's arms encased her waist and held her close.

A knock on the door jarred them.

"Yes?" Jill called.

"Are you ready, my lady?" A man called through the door.

"Yes, I'll be right out." She combed back Eddie's hair. "Are you ready?"

He smiled and kissed her softly once more. "Let's get you married."

Eddie escorted Jill to the doors of the sanctuary. He stood back and watched as she made her way up the aisle. He stepped inside and took a seat in the back pew beside Sydney.

"You're beautiful today." He whispered.

"You're distinguished yourself. Not on duty?"

He looked down at himself. He wasn't in the black gear that the guardians stationed around the room wore. Jill had insisted on him looking like a normal guest. "Only for Jill." He watched the ceremony, but still kept his eye on the room as all the others were.

"You're lucky." She said almost so quietly he didn't hear.

"At least you don't have to be around them when they're pretending." He said back.

They were both silent for the rest of the ceremony, listening as their respective lovers pledged their lives to each other. As they walked out the back door, Eddie slipped out ahead of them. Adrian locked eyes with Sydney as he passed.

"Can we be finished with this yet?" Jill asked, playing with a loose string on her skirt.

"I promised Sydney a dance." Adrian explained.

"Are you sure you want to do that?"

"Go dance with Eddie." He stood from the head table and started to step around her.

She grabbed his arm. "You know as well as I do that it's not a good idea." She plastered on her smile and pulled him closer. "If you really are going to do this, don't dance on the main floor. Take her out on the terrace or something. I don't want rumors to follow you anymore than they already do."

He nodded. "They already think I'm insane. What's a few minutes dancing with an Alchemist?" He kissed her cheek and then walked away.

He found Sydney hiding away in the corner of the room behind a large potted plant. "May I have the last dance?"

"Isn't that supposed to be with your wife?" She asked, even as she moved closer to him. She felt as though she was being pulled by a rope to him.

"She's tired and ready to leave."

"So you should bring your wife to your hotel room." She smirked. "Consummate your marriage."

"I don't know if that will happen tonight."

"Why not?"

He looked around. "I don't know all the details about her relationship with Eddie."

"You want him to be her first?"

"Yes. But also, I don't know if I can do it. She's still a child. And she's my friend. I know we have to have children, but we can wait a while before we start that."

She touched his hand. "Talk with her about it."

"If I don't with her—"

She shook her head, cutting him off. "You can't come to me this time."

He squeezed her hand. "Take care of yourself."

"I'll do my best." She pressed herself up on her toes and kissed his cheek. "Let's forget about the dance this time."

He nodded and moved away before he pulled her out onto the floor despite her request.

Jill smiled when he sat back down beside her. "Can we leave now?"

"Yes, let's get out of here. I'm tired of all the attention."

That made his new wife laugh. "That's the biggest lie I've ever heard." Her face fell when she got a good look at him and felt the emotions churning through the bond. "Please don't pout. I'm not any happier about this than you are."

A few minutes later, they were able to make their way out of the reception and into a waiting carriage. Jill smiled over her shoulder at Eddie, hot on her heels.

They walked together into a large hotel suite. Eddie did a sweep of all the rooms before he and his partner retreated into the hall.

Jill sat down on the bed. "Can we get this over with, I'm tired."

Adrian sighed and sat down beside her. "I want to talk first."

"That's not usually how you do it." She kicked off her shoes and stood. She stepped toward the night stand and started removing her earrings and the pins from her hair.

He asked gently, "Have you made love with him?"

Jill stopped and turned. "No. He's been a gentleman, much to my frustration."

"Then I'm not making love with you tonight." He stood and started undressing. "I'll sleep in the other room."

"What?"

"I said I'd sleep in the other room."

"Because I'm still a virgin?" She seemed relieved, yet crestfallen.

"It's not my place when you don't love me." He said.

"I do." She argued weakly.

"I know. But not like that."

"We have to have a baby."

"We'll be in France for the better part of a year. We have plenty of time. And I'd rather not travel over water with a baby. What if the ship sinks?"

"Don't be paranoid." She rang the bell for her maid. "We have to start soon. Lissa warned me."

"They have two already. We'll catch up." He said dismissively.

The maid arrived and walked with Jill into the dressing room.

Adrian picked up the bottle of Champagne that was left for them. The maid left and Jill walked out timidly.

"Champagne?" He popped the cork and poured them both a glass.

She took the glass and clinked it with his. "Cheers."

"Bottoms up." He watched her as she moved around the room. "I didn't mean to shut you down earlier. If you want to, we can try it."

She drank the rest of the sparkling wine and sat the flute down. "Why do you think Eddie deserves to be the first to make love to me? You're my husband now."

"But he's the one you're in love with. And I would have thought you already had."

"Well…We've shared a few other things without…" She waved her hand in the air. "We both know the risks and repercussions of a dhampir baby. Especially right now."

"So you know what it's like to have someone you love give you pleasure?"

She nodded, her cheeks turning an adorable shade of pink.

Adrian drained his glass and poured another, finishing that one off quickly as well. "Would you like another?"

Jill shook her head.

He poured himself a third glass and sipped it as he made his way toward her.

"Are you trying to drink so I don't know what's going to happen?" She asked with a nervous smile.

He smirked. "I'm drinking to calm my own nerves." He finished off the glass and sat it down beside hers. He cupped her cheeks. "We don't ever have to. We fulfilled part of the bargain. They can believe we're one of the rare couples who are infertile."

"No, we can't. They'd never believe it." She gathered the front of his shirt in her fist and pulled him down. "Let's just do it and get it over with, like I said before. I'm tired and I'm ready to sleep."

Adrian nodded and leaned down, pressing a soft kiss against her lips. He pushed her dressing gown off her shoulders and she let out a soft gasp. She broke the kiss and rested her forehead in his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her and cradled her to his chest.

"We don't have to."

She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "I'm terrified. I wasn't this scared after I was shot or when we were in hiding."

He combed his fingers through her blonde curls. "Let's just get in the bed."

She nodded and moved away.

"You can turn away if you want." Adrian prompted as he started unfastening his shirt.

She watched him, though. He could tell by her appraisal of him that she was thinking of Eddie. When he went for his trousers, she finally looked away. It reminded him of Sydney and the first time they'd ever done this. She had only glanced away a moment. When her eyes had turned back, she'd taken in every bit of him hungrily.

"Could you try not to think about her?" Jill asked meekly. "It might help a little if I'm not compared to someone else the entire time."

"Try blocking it." He encouraged as he got into the bed beside her.

"Too much going on."

"Look at me." He put a finger on her chin and turned her face to his. "Just breathe. Relax. Feel the bond. Now pull that shield up. Focus."

She closed her eyes and took several slow breaths. "Okay. It's working. I don't know for how long."

He kissed her cheek as he pulled her into his arms. "Do you really want to just get it over with? Or do you want me to work my charms on you?"

She smirked. "I think I know how that all works, Adrian. I've been in your head for a fair number of seductions. We're not about that. This is just about making a baby. I don't care if it feels good for me."

"But you deserve it." He stroked her cheek.

She could see the sympathy in his eyes as he kissed her again. She moved her head away. "No more kisses."

He sighed and moved over her, tugging at the hem of her nightgown. "I don't want to hurt you, Jill."

"I'm already hurting, but it's not your fault." She covered her face with her hands. "Just do it already."

He rolled away. "No. You're not ready. I won't force you." He got out of the bed and pulled his clothes back on.

She noticed he started putting on his shoes. "Where are you going?"

"I need something harder than Champaign." He pulled his waistcoat on. "Sleep. I'll be back soon." He grabbed his coat as he headed out.

The door closed and she let herself go. She pressed her face into the pillow and cried tears both of relief and frustration in great, heaving sobs. She felt a hand on her back and she looked up, expecting to see Adrian.

But it was Eddie. He smoothed her hair away from her face and kissed her. "Adrian left."

"He didn't want to…"

"Are you okay?"

She nodded.

"Do you need anything?"

She watched him and then asked, "Do you think you could stay a few minutes?"

"I don't know how that would look. It was different when we were in the palace."

"Please don't run away from me, too." She sobbed, clutching him.

He melted at those words. He kicked off his shoes and reclined beside her. She rested her head on his shoulder. The tears still fell, but not so painfully.

"I wish I had been born Moroi." Eddie said as he combed his fingers through her hair.

"Me too." She looked up. "Is there anyone outside?"

"Yes. Of course. Adrian wouldn't let either of us follow."

"Is Guardian Shane the kind of woman to talk?" She wiped her eyes.

He pushed her hair away. "No. She knows what's at stake here."

Jill leaned down and pressed her mouth to his, bringing them back to the kiss they had shared before the wedding. "Does she know about us?" She asked as she came up for air.

"Yes." He flipped her onto her back. "She used to take over for me when I spent those nights in your room."

"And no one else knows?" She relieved him of his shirt.

"If they do, they don't care. I think as long as you don't have a dhampir baby, you can do whatever the hell you want." He leaned down and kissed her. "Are you better?"

"I'm getting there." She pulled him down on top of her, wrapping a leg around his.

There was a knock on the door just before Adrian stepped in. After a pause, he moved farther into the room. "Don't stop on my account. I'm just going to get a couple things from my suitcase and sleep in the other room. Try not to make too much noise."

"I need to get back to my post." Eddie got up and picked his shirt up off the floor.

"No, you don't. She's just as safe with you there as outside. This place is crawling with guardians. They'd never get this far." Adrian walked out, closing the door once again.

The pair looked at each other a moment. Jill pulled him back down on the bed. "Hold me, Eddie. Please, don't leave me alone."

"I won't." He assured her as he settled beside her again and pulled her head onto his shoulder.

She sighed, all the passion blowing away. But she felt relief and comfort in Eddie's arms. It was definitely better than sleeping alone.