“Left,” she told Alec. “Left at the next street.”
“Sweet,” Colin said.
He was speaking of the maneuver the black SUV’s driver had used to force him to pull the red sports car over to the curb and block it from pulling out again. He might have been concerned if he hadn’t recognized the vehicle, or been aware that Mia was one of the passengers.
As it was, he acceded to the situation and said to the woman beside him, “This is fun.”
While she wasn’t completely in his thrall, he exerted enough influence over her to keep her calm. He got out of the car, and the woman followed him. Mia jumped out of the back of the SUV and rushed toward him. He recognized the look in her eyes, having felt the same way when she was with Tony.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing with my best friend?”
“Hi, Mia,” Courtney said, coming up beside him.
Mia lunged.
Colin caught Mia in his arms before she could do any damage to anyone.
“Sweetheart, I know exactly how you feel,” he told her.
Then he kissed her, and the usual fire threatened to explode between them. Damn, he loved kissing her!
She resisted for a moment, which only made him more urgent. Then Mia ground her body against his, and Colin forgot everything but the urge to lay her down on the hood of the car. Her nails pressed hard against his shoulders told him she wouldn’t mind.
“You’re holding up traffic, officer.”
Colin heard Alec’s comment as though from a great distance, but awareness of the other Prime helped him to reluctantly break the kiss. For a moment he saw only red, and all he could breathe was Mia’s scent. They were standing in the street with cars flashing past inches away. He moved onto the sidewalk, where the others joined them.
Then Mia moved away from him, and he was able to get himself fully under control.
She looked from him to her friend. “Courtney, what are you doing with Colin?”
There was still an edge of jealousy in her voice, and Colin couldn’t help but smile at this proof that she wanted him. “I felt your need to be with your friend so strongly, I had to do something.”
“That was a bit impulsive,” Alec said.
Colin concentrated on Mia. “So I was bringing her to you to be a bridesmaid. I wanted to do something nice for you.”
“Aw…,” Domini said.
He ignored the sarcasm. Mia was all that mattered. She was looking at him not just with confusion, but with a certain amount of cautious hope. She touched his cheek, and the connection was as electric as ever.
“You kidnapped Courtney? For me?” She sounded unwillingly pleased.
Courtney laughed. “He asked nicely.” She gave Colin a wry look. “Which I didn’t expect from him, but I have to admit, I’m beginning to understand what you see in him.”
“Did you hypnotize her?” Mia asked him.
“I used charm,” he answered.
“So of course I said I’d come with him,” Courtney went on. “Especially after he told me how the two of you had been in intensive couple’s counseling for the last week. I was wondering why you weren’t answering my calls. I was worried, girl, and I think this quickie wedding idea is a little on the impulsive side, but if that’s what you want, you know I’m here for you, like I always am.” Courtney took a deep breath, and added, “Do you even have a dress yet?”
“That’s exactly where we were heading when we ran into you,” Domini said. Colin was relieved when she stepped in to take charge. “Why don’t you two head back to Serisa’s,” she told him and Alec, “while the three of us head over to Rodeo Drive. Don’t worry,” she added to Alec’s dubious look. “I’ll be sure to have them back in time for the party.”
Chapter Fifteen
“When I was born,” Serisa said, “the world was still lit by candles, by fires, and gaslights and oil lamps. And we have always walked by moonlight and starlight, which are the reflections of distant fire. We saw the world by fire, and fire has always burned in us. In this age we live by both sun and candlelight, but the quest to find our bondmates has not changed. Two here have fulfilled that quest. We of the Clans come together to witness the binding of Two Who Burn as One.”
Serisa stood on the edge of a wide terrace, her back to a garden fragrant with roses and jasmine. The terrace was lit by hundreds of white candles, and filled with arrangements of red and white flowers in crystal vases. Overhead the moon shone as a silver crescent, and stars were visible despite the lights of the city. Anjelica and Barak stood to the Shagal Matri’s right and left, and a small table was in front of them.
All the other vampires were gathered on the terrace, as well. They applauded her words and spoke their approval.
“When two fires join to blend into a greater flame, that is when we know our greatest joy.”
There were more murmurs of agreement.
Mia stood on the other side of the terrace in her orchid gown and looked around in shocked wonder at the proceedings. She carried a bouquet of orchids as well, and one was tucked into her short brown curls. She felt beautiful, even though butterflies fluttered in her stomach.
She was as nervous as any bride, she supposed.
While a part of her tried to remind her that she was caught up in a monster movie nightmare, she couldn’t listen to that part of herself right now. She was touched, genuinely touched and pleased at the beauty and goodwill that surrounded her. They had done this for her. Best of all, Colin had—
“Ready to rock?” Courtney whispered.
—brought her friend to be with her. She’d been promised that Courtney would be taken safely home afterward, with only pleasant memories of the event. And no bite marks, Tony had said. I promise.
Mia smiled at Courtney, then at Domini, who was also standing with her.
“You look beautiful,” Domini told her.
“Thank you.”
It was Lady Anjelica who had found Mia’s dress. Anjelica and Serisa showed up at the exclusive dress shop only moments after Domini had ushered her and Courtney inside—a subtle reminder that Mia was a prisoner. There’d been no chance to escape, but the shopping had been glorious. The dress finally chosen was long and slinky; the bias cut gave the dress an elegant but sexy 1930s look. It made Mia feel rather like Jean Harlow.
Maybe she wasn’t draped in virginal bridal white, but this was hardly a traditional marriage. “I guess until death do you part takes on new meaning when your’re dealing with vampires,” Mia whispered.
Domini nodded.
“What?” Courtney asked.
On the other side of the terrace, Serisa raised her hands and said, “Let the Bonded be brought together.”
“You know, you didn’t have to hit me,” Tony said.
He was standing to Colin’s left while they waited in the garden. Colin didn’t glance his way; his attention was focused on the brightness on the terrace above.
“Yeah, but it was fun,” he answered.
“You should thank Tony, instead of taking your resentment out on him,” Alec said from his other side.
Though he would have preferred to have his own friends or his brother standing witness with him, Colin was grateful enough that his cousin and the Corvus Prime were with him. But he didn’t want to hear their advice on women, even if this was the traditional time to offer it.
“Of course, if your friends were standing here,” Tony picked up Colin’s thoughts, “they’d be ragging you about settling for a mortal.”
“And then you’d have to beat the crap out of them,” Alec added.
Would I? Colin wondered. He would, because his bondmate’s honor was his honor, and a Prime’s honor was everything. “I’m more old-fashioned than I thought.”
“Good thing, too,” Alec answered. “It means you’ll do right by that girl, whether you want to or not.”
“I’ll take care of her.”
“Like a person, not a pet,” Tony insisted.
A
s Serisa said, “Let the Bonded be brought together,” Colin took a sharp breath, all the dread of this moment suddenly forgotten. Mia was up there.
He moved across the garden and up the marble stairs with swift urgency. He vaguely recalled that Alec had told him this part of the ceremony symbolized climbing from dark into light as he reached the candlelit terrace. But symbolism didn’t matter, as long as Mia was up there waiting for him.
“You are so beautiful,” Colin said as he and Mia met.
She was more beautiful than he remembered, even though he’d only seen her a few hours ago. Why hadn’t he really noticed how beautiful she was before?
He reached for her. She swiftly gave her bouquet to Courtney and took his hands. He wanted to say more, but neither thoughts nor words would come, only emotions. He was so good at erecting psychic barriers, at compartmentalizing his feelings, but suddenly he had no barriers at all.
What good were barriers when they kept him apart from Mia?
She looked into his eyes, which were aglow with hope. She smiled. It was shy, tentative, but it set him on fire.
Colin drew Mia into his arms. Their bodies came together, and their lips touched. For that instant everything became clear, and he became whole. They became whole.
As if from a great distance he heard Lady Serisa say, “The Blessing of Fire is granted to Reynard Prime Colin and his lady Caramia.”
Caramia. Mia. His Mia. What a beautiful name, Caramia. As lovely as any vampire name.
Caramia, he whispered into her mind. Caramia mine.
Colin, she answered.
The next thing Mia knew, they were facing Barak and the matris across the width of the silk-draped table. Courtney and Domini were standing on her other side; Alec and Tony flanked Colin. A gold cup was placed at the center of the table. It looked heavy and ancient, and was decorated with Egyptian symbols and filled with red liquid.
For the first time Mia felt a moment of panic. Was she going to have to drink blood? In public?
Barak leaned forward and whispered, “It’s all right. It’s a sort of cinnamon drink; cold and hot, sweet and fiery, all at once.”
“Kind of like magic Moutain Dew,” Colin added.
Mia stifled a giggle as Serisa gave them a stern look. The Matri was obviously not going to allow any levity to mar this grave and solemn occasion.
Serisa reached out. “Give me your left hand,” she directed Colin. “Your right,” she told Mia. She entwined her fingers with theirs over the cup.
Mia and Colin were already holding hands, and energy poured through her and from her, making her part of a psychic circle. When Serisa spoke again, it was directly into her and Colin’s minds.
Your yearning souls sought and found each other all uncaring of your conscious wills. Your minds must bend to the will of your joined souls. You fight the inevitable to your cost. To wound each other is to wound yourselves. Bend or break, but the bond will remain. Live in joy at what you have found, for the true and complete soul bonding is rare among vampire and mortal kind. Those who seek it do not always find it. You have not sought it, yet the treasure is yours. Guard it, nurture it. Guard and nurture each other.
“I will,” Mia said, though she hadn’t meant to speak.
After a hesitation, Colin also said, “I will.”
Then Serisa placed their hands on either side of the gold cup. “Witness,” she said to the others.
Alec, Tony, Courtney, and Domini all gravely responded, “I witness.”
The metal beneath Mia’s fingers suddenly began to grow warm. Then the liquid within the cup began to glow. She almost didn’t believe what she was seeing, but she was completely fascinated.
Are we doing that? she asked Colin as the light continued to grow.
Yeah. He was as awed as she was.
The light and warmth spread into her, through her, through Colin, and back to her. This was magic, true magic, true completion.
When the moment was right, and they somehow knew it was right, they gently lifted the cup. Colin held it to Mia’s lips for the first sip. She held a few drops on her tongue while she held the cup to Colin’s lips, then Alec took the cup from them. She closed her eyes and let this magical potion take her.
It tasted exactly as Barak had described, and more. It tasted like the essence of love.
“Your souls merge, your blood entwines, forever claiming what you are to each other.” Anjelica spoke for the first time. “Colin Foxe, Prime of House Athena of Clan Reynard, your Matri recognizes the undeniable truth of your Bonding. Caramia Luchese, mortal daughter of Catherine, your Clan welcomes a new daughter into our keeping. Kiss now, and let the Binding be sealed.”
Colin took her in his arms, and when their lips met, she forgot everyone and everything but Colin, and that he tasted of love.
“Great party,” Colin said to her, after one more Prime finished giving good wishes and advice and moved away.
Mia was well aware that her “bondmate” was getting tired of all the attention, but they’d been told it was their duty to stand here by the terrace steps and speak to the guests. Mia was still too full of excitement at finally learning about vampires to be bored. For example, she found it interesting that instead of a reception line, the vampires solemnly came up one by one for private conversations.
“Great party, indeed,” she replied, gazing around at groups of people who were laughing and flirting with each other.
Couples kept disappearing down the garden stairs and into the house. There was a joyous air of sexual tension in the atmosphere. It was pretty obvious that people got laid a lot at vampire parties. These were highly sensual, sexual beings, and quite comfortable with it.
“Maybe we should dance or something,” she suggested to Colin, relishing the idea of moving slowly with her body pressed against his. “The bride and groom can do that, right? It’s a way for us to be left alone for a while.”
A group of guests were playing classical music on one side of the terrace; the vampire musicians were very talented. She supposed that they had plenty of time to develop their skill.
“They’re playing a waltz,” Colin said. “Do you know how to waltz?”
“No.”
“Me, either. And we don’t use terms like bride and groom,” he explained. “Not for a bonding ceremony. We’re mates, bondmates, bonded, but it’s hard to translate into mortal terms. It’s not gender-specific like husband and wife. It goes deeper than that.”
She caught his sense of profound surprise that they shared this special vampire thing, and she nodded. “Me, too.”
“We can’t fight it,” he said, responding to her understanding of him.
But did that mean that he wanted to fight it? Did she? Should they? Not right now; she was having too good a time. “Are you having a good time?”
He kissed her cheek. “Like I said, it’s a great party.”
Mia took another sip from a crystal flute and sighed. “This is the best champagne I’ve ever had.”
“I’ll get you another glass,” Colin offered.
She put her hand on his sleeve when he turned toward the buffet table. “You know I never let myself have more than one glass of wine at a party.”
He was still for a moment, then turned back to her with a puzzled look. “I do?” She nodded. He frowned. “I guess we don’t know each other very well yet.”
She settled her arm more snugly around his waist, leaning against him. Desire buzzed through her as it always did when he was near, and there was no frantic edge to it, no darker undercurrents. She was enjoying him, enjoying being with him, loving the anticipation of making love to him.
“This feels good,” she said.
“You smell good,” he answered.
“It’s the perfume. Turns out Serisa uses the same brand my grandmother did. When she spritzed it on me, all these childhood memories came flooding back. It was kind of like having her with me—though I doubt she would have approved of you.”
He
laughed. “What sane granny would?”
“What about your family?” she asked. “I know that Alec’s a cousin, and that Anjelica’s a great-aunt, right?”
“Right.”
“What about the rest of your family? Will they approve of me? Do you wish they were here?”
“We’ll have another ceremony for your family,” he said. “A mortal-style wedding.”
He had evaded her question. “Will your mom and granny and brothers and sisters come?”
“I don’t have a sister, but my mother and brother will welcome you into the Clan. Both my grandmothers are dead,” he added. “And don’t say you’re sorry, because Grandmother Genevieve was nearly six hundred years old when she passed away. Even for a vampire, that’s ancient.”
Mia’s mind boggled at this information. And it reminded her that her great-grandfather—who was ancient by mortal standards—had talked a lot about how wrong it was for something as monstrous as vampires to hold the secret to eternal life. It seemed that they weren’t exactly immortal, but…
“Six hundred. Whoa. That’s impressive.”
“So was she. I’m told she was a tough old matri, but the old lady I remember was sweet, and loved to spoil kids.”
Mia wondered just how vampires spoiled their children—and about vampire children, and about having vampire children.
“What about your other grandmother?” she asked, grasping for a focus before her mind completely boggled.
Anger and pain clouded Colin’s expression. Mia didn’t think he was going to answer, but after a moment he said, “I never knew Grandmother Antonia, my father’s mother. She was captured by one of the tribes long before I was born. Those are the bad-guy vampires out of mortal legend,” he told her. “They’re as much our enemies as they are yours. They take our women when they can, as they did my grandmother. Like they tried to take you.” His hold on her became suddenly tighter, more possessive and protective.
The tense moment was interrupted by the approach of another Prime. Mia hadn’t yet seen a vampire who wasn’t spectacularly handsome or beautiful, but this blond male also had an aura of sorrow and weariness about him that was almost palpable.
I Hunger for You Page 11
