by S Lawrence
"Okay, let's do it." She smiles at me, mischief in her eyes.
* * *
I take her home. We spend time with her family. I help her dad as much as I dare. It is my gift to him, a thank you for raising her to survive for me. I watch her dance; it is a thing of beauty. We go out into her city with Aislin and Kai, people watching, eating, and drinking.
She takes me to her bayou. We make love under the night sky, and she loves that I can keep the bugs at bay. Nights are filled with whispered secrets. She tells me of the time she was gone after her fight with Aislin. Tells me what only one other person knows, that she was held by men her father owed money to. She tells me of how he had turned to drugs to fight his memories. Her tears break my heart, even when she says that it was that night that saved him. She isn’t ready to say what happened, and I don’t push. I tell her the horrors of the hound taking over, of watching him tear apart those I couldn’t save. I tell her of the guilt of those that Arias killed just to punish me. Somehow, at some point, I feel peace among the huge oaks dripping with Spanish moss, the water slowly sliding by as we sit at her dad’s little camp.
Mentally, I countdown the days, but we don’t speak of Hades and her deal out loud. Our nights are spent in each other's arms, and as the days grow slightly cooler there is an urgency in her touch. I often wake to find her sitting in the ancient rocking chair on the porch staring out into the night. Damn you, Hades.
Suddenly it is November. Our time is almost up. Tomorrow Aislin marries Kai … Again.
62
EMMA
It is a beautiful November day in Louisiana. Everything is perfect. Aislin is standing in front of the mirror, I meet her eyes and smile. She is beautiful in her white dress with the tartan plaid wrapped around her waist. Conall's are misty, and I squeeze his hand.
I grin at her as we both remember telling him our secrets. In true Conall fashion, he had no problem believing in the magic, telling us both that he had always knew we had magic flowing through us. I move to the window, looking out at the huge old oak tree that stands in the middle of the pasture, Kai and Jason stand beneath it waiting for us. Old Moira sits stiff backed and indignant that we chose to have the ceremony here at the farm, although the knowledge of Kai's money had softened her a little. Jason's gaze turns up to the window, and I know he can see me even at this distance. I wave my fingers, and he smiles as he elbows Kai, who also glances up.
Turning, I stare at my best friend, her happiness is radiating from her soul. "Are you ready? Everyone is waiting." She nods, tears springing into her eyes.
I lead the way down the stairs and through the barn. Smiling at Fergus as he neighs to us, I reach out and give him the candy I have in my hand. Aislin's hand runs over his nose and she whispers to him. Soon, he might be going to Scotland to join her there.
I step out into the evening light and glance back at her mouthing I love you. Her eyes twinkle and she mouths back the same. Drawing a breath, I make my way to the tree. Lights twinkle in the Spanish moss and some very unusual flowers have sprung up from the ground. I look at Persephone and grin. My gaze travels over the guests and wonder at the number of Celtic and Greek gods sitting among the riff-raff from the Irish Channel and Bourbon street. Hades nods his head slightly, and I feel my heart begin to pound at the reminder of my short time left here. Jason's eyes are on me when I refocus on those waiting for us, and I smile at him.
I refuse to be sad today; worry is for tomorrow. Kai is grinning and as his eyes flash amber, I raise my eyebrow at him. He only shrugs, unrepentant. I move into place and stare at the Druids in the front row on either side of Raven, the tension palpable. I wink at Patrick, who managed to get ordained through some online church and is performing the ceremony. That was another fight I fought with Moira, but Kai eventually stepped in, telling her it was important to his family. She was probably currently grinding her molars to nubs at his attire. It is classical Druid garb and I for one loved him more for it.
Kai's eyes soften, and I look back to see Aislin moving toward us, glowing in the light of the sunset. Morrigan sat in the front row beside her Druids, and tears are in her eyes, happy for her guardian. Aislin stops before Kai and turns, hugging me tight and handing me her flowers, flowers from the Elysian Fields. "I love you. Thank you for all of this." My look says ‘no thanks needed, and you know it.’ She giggles before turning back to her destiny.
I get lost in my thought as they pledge to love each other forever. I don't realize they are done until Aislin turns to face me and I refocus on her smiling face. Over her shoulder, Jason is standing where Kai had stood moments ago. I glance around and realize everyone is looking at me. "What, I'm sorry?" I whisper looking back at her.
"Your turn." She grins like the Cheshire cat.
"My turn?" I have no idea what is going on.
Jason steps forward and takes my hands in his. "You said we had forever. And since everyone is here..." He shrugs and his face is a tiny bit worried as he waits.
Tears begin to slide down my face and I look out, scanning the crowd until I find daddy. He nods, mouthing ‘I love you, kitten.’ I look back at Aislin and she grins, "Surprise." She pushes me forward, and I look up into the eyes of the man I love. For an instant, the chocolate turns red, and I smile, nodding my head.
We all dance the night away under the stars. As everyone starts to leave, Orpheus comes over to say goodbye. He draws me close and whispers in first one ear and then the other. I'm frowning at him as he walks away. After looking at Jason, his voice calls out, "My wedding gift to you both."
"What is?" I whisper to Jason.
"You'll see." Orpheus's voice is filled with humor.
Jason shrugs while watching him leave. One by one, everyone says their goodbyes until only Aislin, Kai, Jason, and I remain under the oak tree, hidden beneath its branches. We lie upon a blanket until the dawn, only standing and moving to bed when our needs take over. We find the Druids camped out on the couch and floor. We stand, staring at them, smiling. The day was everything we could have hoped for. I glance at my friend and she is looking at me. We both are wondering when it will be the boys’ turn.
As Jason shuts to the door behind us, I stand by the bed, filled with need. “I wonder what Orpheus meant?” It had been on my mind all night.
Jason grins, “I’ve been thinking about just that.” His wolfish smiles has butterflies fluttering in my stomach. He stalks closer, moving behind me, and I feel his breath on my neck. I shiver in anticipation.
“Let’s play.” His voice whispers across my skin, and his power curls around me.
I gasp as I orgasm, “Oh my god.” Holy shit, this is going to be awesome. The lust flares in his eyes, and he wraps his arms around me, pulling me down to the bed. Everything and everyone is forgotten for hours.
I awaken from a sex coma late in the afternoon. A note is on the bedside table, a distinctly masculine handwriting scrawled across it. I open it and read…
Emma,
Arias is dead. Therefore, our deal is null and void. Make him happy.
Hades
Short and sweet. I roll over and drink in the sight of my husband sprawled across the bed, the evening sun turning his skin a beautiful bronze. My tears slide down my cheeks. We are free.
The End...for now
Afterword
Sneak peak at book three in the Guardian Series:
1
Sean
It’s the pounding in my head that wakes me. Rolling onto my side I slit my eyes and throw my arm over them blocking the blazing sunlight. Fuck, I drank too much. Gritting my teeth, I open my eyes again slowly and try to figure out exactly where I am. It only takes a moment to realize I passed out on Aislin’s couch after the celebration. Two suckers got married last night. I’m happy for them but no thanks nothing like that for me. Lying still I take a few deep breaths trying to convince my body not to throw up.
The sound of skin peeling off leather force me to turn my head to my right, Michael h
as taken off his shirt in the night and is now sweating puddles in this crazy humid weather. I swallow a few times at the sight of the six Hurricane glasses that sit empty on the table between us. Now I understand why those two wicked women were laughing at us last night. Emma had warned us to go easy, Aislin just kept handing us more.
A groan draws my eyes back to Michael, he is pushing his dark hair out of his blue eyes and glaring at me. I slowly begin to push up, gulping more air. He shakes his head slowly holding it.
“Me head is going to split right open, ye bastard.” his voice is filled with humor and pain. A dainty giggle causes us to whip our heads to the kitchen. “Oh Jazus.”
I narrow my eyes on the one standing there sipping some of Aislin’s beloved coffee. I squeeze my eyes closed tightly, trying to remember her name. She is a friend of the girls, one they know from Emma’s old neighborhood and the French Quarter. She looks like a pixie, every color of the rainbow in her clothes and hair. Piercings in her nose, ears and no telling where else and tattoos cover her exposed skin. If I remember correctly, she handed us more than one of the drinks that put us here.
“How ya feelin’ this morning… well day? Bless your hearts we warned ye.” She mimics our accent mixin it with her thick southern one.
“Hauld ye tongue woman.” I grimace as my own voice makes my head pound harder.
“”I made you my very special, very secret hangover cure. If you can manage to get over here.” Her grin makes me nervous and I stay where I’m at, but Michael crawls to his feet, moaning the whole time.
She hands him a cup when he finally reaches her side, he sniffs it and gags. She just nods her head and pushes it toward his mouth. He glances at me and then gulps it down, heaving the whole time.
“I knew you would be first to drink it.” She smiles at him.
“Did you see it in your cards.” My tone is harsher than I mean.
She shrugs at me before looking back at Michael, her eyes narrow on him. He is watching her just as closely. I don’t like the feel of this. We are Druids and we believe in magic. Hell, we have to given everything we’ve seen in our lives but this is different.
I stand and cross to them drawing her gaze, she picks up and hands me a cup. I look at it.
“Drink it, Sean. I feel better already.” Michael’s eyes haven’t left her. “So, Cora… what do you see?”
“I see a white raven, brother killing brother and the beginning of the end.” Sadness fills her eyes as she looks between us. I look at her and I know she sees my anger. I don’t try to hide it.
“Don’t look to us to fulfill your vision. I would die before I would harm him.” I growl it out at her, I might not be able to change into some fucking animal but I have beast in me. Michael nods in agreement.
“I only tell you what I see. I will say some of those who were here yesterday could have affected my powers. Especially the one with gray eyes, he is one to keep an eye on.” Her voice is filled with confusion and a hint of lust.
Michael chuckles before speaking, “Yes one should always keep an eye on The Trickster.”
Cora gasps understanding dawning in her eyes, “The Trickster, Loki?” She whispers, glancing around. I shake my head yes as Michael grins. We both figure one more person knowing the Old Gods walk among us isn’t going got hurt anything besides Cora could be helpful.
I realize my head is already feeling better and I look around. Cora is studying Michael’s chest with interest, I’m not sure if it is his muscles or the tattoos. I get my answer as her finger flits out and traces an intricate Celtic knot on his right pec just below his collarbone. Her eyes glaze over as he watches her silently, suddenly her head flies back and her eyes open wide and a blood curdling scream is forced from her throat.
Acknowledgments
I’d like to thank everyone who has and is supporting me along this journey. It is a wild and crazy ride.
To my husband: thanks for letting me live my dream.
My kids: thanks for understanding the closed office door and being excited about what I’m doing.
My friends: thanks for buying the books and telling your friends.
And to Summer: Thanks for the grammar policing.
