Magic's Love
Page 40
“Lila, you are my angel of love. You saved me from purgatory, a fate worse than death because I didn’t even know I was existing. I was not’in’ before I met you. You woke me up and showed me the beauty of life and love. With this ring I pledge my soul to you forever. I will love you, and protect you, and always come home to you, eternally.”
Lila blinked away tears and tried to ignore the sniffles she was sure came from Lily. Lifting the other ring from Sebastian’s palm she placed it on Evan’s finger and swallowed down the tears that were threatening to overwhelm her.
“Evan.” She had to swallow again to begin the vow she had written, adapted from a Hebrew text she had read long ago. “Your heart is my heart, your love is my love. Wherever you go, I will follow, and wherever you live I will live happily. Your blood is my blood, and your magic is my magic. Our lives are inseparable. If you die, I will follow you, and I will be buried where your body is buried, so that we return to the earth together as one. With this ring I pledge my soul to you, eternally.”
Not one person in the room managed to hold back the tears upon hearing Lila’s vow. She reached up to brush away the tear that was sliding down Evan’s face as he looked into her eyes with tenderness and awe.
Sebastian suddenly remembered that he still had a role to play, and cleared his throat.
“Bonded by blood, bound by magic, and chosen by love, Evan and Lila, you may kiss your mate and seal your promise.”
Evan lunged for his mate then, there was no other way to describe it. The words of her vow were still resonating in his heart. In fact they had almost made his heart stop. He couldn’t believe that he was the recipient of such a promise. It was a vow worthy of the Chosen One, but was he worthy of such a vow? As he kissed her deeply, Evan made another vow silently; to honor Lila, and to spend the rest of his life striving to be worthy of her vow to him.
As Lila kissed the love of her life, she remembered that just a few weeks ago she thought she could never love anyone more. Yet in spite of her deep feelings for Evan and the very sincere vows she had just proclaimed out loud, she could not ignore the empty space in her heart reserved for her missing mate. If only he could be here with them to enjoy the love and friendship of the holiday. She hoped that at least he wasn’t alone.
Epilogue
December
Lash got out of the cab in front of the large gated property and stood for a moment. It was raining. Through the open gate he saw the expanse of green lawn, perfectly cut and edged along the driveway. The house wasn’t visible from the road, there were too many trees. But he knew what he would find at the end of the half mile driveway, the Arts and Crafts style mansion that he had grown up in. Well, he thought to himself, no use standing out here wondering. With trepidation, Lash picked up his duffle, and began the long walk to his family’s home.
It was the afternoon of Christmas day, and he guessed that everyone would be present. His nephews and nieces would be eating sugar and fighting over toys. His brothers would have given up on assembling whatever toys required “some assembly,” and were now most likely watching a rerun of a college football game. Their wives would be in the kitchen, making something delicious out of the dinner leftovers for supper, and generally hiding from the kids and their mates. And his father, Leonard Westin, would be in his office, plotting. None of them were expecting a visit from the prodigal son.
In spite of his rain jacket, Lash was soaked when he reached the front door and rang the bell. A deep and sonorous bing-bong alerted the occupants that a visitor had arrived, followed by the sound of many small feet running, and the deep muffled bark of an order. The foot falls stopped abruptly, a thump sounded, and a child began to cry. The deep voice sounded closer as it scolded, and then a minute later, the front door opened.
A tall blond man who looked nearly identical to Lash and wearing a button down shirt and slacks, stood holding a small whimpering child of about three years. The man stared at Lash, his hand still on the doorknob, but said nothing. A crowd of children peaked around the legs of the man at Lash. An unseen child asked, ”Who is that?” in a high voice. A slow smile grew on Lash’s face.
“Hello, Luther, Merry Christmas.”
Playlists
Lila’s running playlist
Gregg Allman, “Midnight Rider”
Lowell George, “Fat Man in the Bathtub”
Lowell George and Martin Kibbee, Dixie Chicken”
Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, “Ramble On”
Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, and John Paul Jones, “In the Evening”
John Hiatt, “Cry Love”
Counting Crows, “Mrs. Potters Lullaby”
Nathaniel Ratecliff, “Look It Here”
Slow dancing with Evan playlist
Colin Hay, “I Just Don’t Think I’ll Get Over You”
Remy Zero, “The Fall”
Dire Straits, “Wild West End”
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, “Souvenir”
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, “Secret”
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, “Forever Live and Die”
Nathaniel Ratecliff, “I’d be Waiting”
Nathaniel Ratecliff, “Wasting Time”
Brian Ferry,”Slave to Love”
Ed Sheeran, “Tenerife Sea”
Hozier, “In a Week”
Rhye, “Open”
Rhye, “The Fall”
About The Author
Alexandra Von Burg
She's great.