Dark Child of Forever (Dark Destinies Book 3)
Page 35
The vampiress was the picture of serenity as she made final adjustments to Evelyn’s hair. “Everything is beautiful, good sir.”
“Okay then. Fifteen minutes till show time.”
“The bride is ready,” Cassidy confirmed. She did a quick check-in with Dominic. “As is the groom.” At Lillian’s odd look she added, “I would hope.”
Fifteen minutes later, the groom was waiting. That was as much as Cassidy saw before she started her walk down the aisle between two walls of people smiling at her and the other jewel dresses floating after her even as they craned their necks for a first glimpse of the bride. The only one Cassidy had eyes for was the best man. It was him she was moving toward, step by step, heartbeat by heartbeat. Everything and everyone else vanished. Only she and Dominic remained under the balmy night sky, coming together again as they had from the beginning, but also as they never had before. Here, now, amidst a sacred celebration of love, something shifted beneath her feet. Something . . . inevitable.
Je t’aime, Cassidy. Toujours et pour toujours.
Forever and ever, she repeated, feeling the words in her blood like a vow. I love you.
She took her assigned place at the front, aware of nothing but the man standing at the groom’s side. They both looked straight ahead, but their minds twined together so tight, they threatened to fuse and leave the immediate reality of the moment. There is time, Dominic said as he released his invisible embrace on her a little. Endless time.
Yes. Endless.
Cassidy became aware of the crowd’s appreciative murmurings at the bride’s appearance. Samantha was like a slow-moving meteor in the night, and Étienne looked indeed gobsmacked. But what startled Cassidy was the virtual stranger escorting Samantha down the aisle. It was the shoes that threw her most of all. She had never seen Serge wear them. But not only was he shod, he wore a tailored suit, sported not a smudge of grub on his clean-shaven face, and had styled his mop of wild curls into a semblance of civility. It was Serge 2.0.
His smitten gaze flickered toward the woman responsible for this miraculous transformation. Since arriving a month ago to pledge herself to the new Lord of Night, Estelle and the pirate had fallen hopelessly under each other’s spell. More than five decades his senior, she was worldly and sophisticated, and all the motivation Serge needed to at last embrace the twenty-first century.
The ceremony—conducted in both English and French by the minister flown in from St. Barth—held the assembled crowd of four-hundred-plus in rapt attention. More than a few eyes glistened with happy tears by the time the couple enjoyed their first kiss as husband and wife. Love swirled in the air like an intoxicating mist, and every vampire there wore an expression of bright-eyed euphoria. Hyper-aware of it all through Dominic, Cassidy’s head swam with it too, the effect resembling fine champagne fizzing in her blood.
Nothing, she decided, nothing at all could ruin her mood this night. Though she had to remind herself of this when she came face to face with her father and Iris, his wife of ten months. The cynic in Cassidy made note again of the fact that as his business partner’s widow the woman had brought sizeable assets into the relationship, allowing Gil Chandler to recover from the financial ruin of his last divorce. But tonight she saw what looked like genuine affection in the looks and small touches they exchanged, and her heart softened a little around the edges. Maybe her philandering coward of a father had learned his lesson?
“Baby girl,” he greeted with an exuberant smack of a kiss to her cheek. “You look incredible.” After greeting Dominic as well in an only slightly more restrained fashion, he continued with, “So? You two have been engaged for—what?—more than two years now? When are you making it official?”
Cassidy glanced at the platinum and sapphire band encircling her finger. Dominic had given it to her as a promise of his undying devotion and marriage if and when she wanted it. She hadn’t wanted it. Not then and not now. At least not by any human standards. Different, deeper and far more permanent bonds existed in the world they inhabited.
When she looked up at Dominic, a knowing smile lit his eyes. “Soon,” she said.
“Very soon,” he confirmed softly.
“Well, I’ll be,” Gil hooted. “I’m standing by to walk you down the aisle. You just say the word.” Lowering his voice a little, he continued, “Though I hope you’ll forgive me if I can’t afford quite this kind of shindig.” His finger circled to surreptitiously indicate the inside of the reception tent. Chandeliers hung over the sea of chattering people, a four-piece band provided live entertainment, and dozens of servers bustled between the flower-festooned tables.
Cassidy laughed, surprisingly moved by the sincerity in his voice. As though it hadn’t been a decade since she had done it last, she leaned forward and pecked a kiss on his cheek. “No worries, Dad. We’ve got this covered.”
Gil beamed and clasped her hand in both of his. “But anything you need that I can give. Even the shirt off my back. I’m only a phone call away.”
“I know.”
“Love you, baby girl.” He turned away to shepherd Iris toward the next knot of people he wanted to mingle with, but not fast enough to hide the shimmer in his eyes.
Cassidy stared after the man she had sworn to hate for the rest of her life. Dominic cast a shield of invisibility about them, giving her time to collect herself. After a while, he said, “It truly is a night for miracles.”
And another one was on approach. Not only had Warren Striker shown up at the first notes of the bridal march, he now followed Jackson to a far corner of the tent where Garrett had stationed himself to keep watch for misbehaving vampires. Isao moved to his youngling’s side, clearly sensing the potential for emotional havoc about to unfold. And there was Leonidas trailing in his wake, watching the Striker patriarch with great interest. Jackson had volunteered as an official intermediary. Judging by his father’s stern face, however, a peace deal was by no means a certainty.
Dominic nuzzled at her ear. “Would you like to dance, my lady?”
She turned to place her hand in his. “Any time.” For all time.
On the dance floor, Dominic took her into his arms and put her new ballroom dance skills to the test. To prepare for the wedding, Cassidy had taken classes. This was something she wouldn’t be able to do just by tuning into Dominic’s head. For this she had to be independent of him and literally think on her feet.
They began slowly, feeling their way around each other and the music with all the excitement of new discovery. Unlike her, he had learned these steps years ago in his human life, and they came back to him with ease. Cassidy’s initial uncertainty soon gave way to her feet flying along, following his lead. She trusted in his timing and strength as he swung her through breathtaking dips and dizzying twirls. By the second dance, they were the couple everyone else watched and cheered.
“I think we’re stealing the bride and groom’s thunder,” Cassidy said, laughing and breathless at the end of a racy tango.
“I don’t think they mind,” Dominic replied with a glance at the newlyweds, who clapped in enthusiastic support. He raised her hand high and together they took a deep bow to raucous applause, the gracious hosts, the Lord of Night and his queen.
The band shifted into the slower gear of “Unchained Melody,” and Cassidy moved into Dominic’s arms, her entire body vibrating with happiness. Rocking gently now in a sea of couples, their souls merged once more.
Samantha and Étienne swayed nearby. Cassidy’s heart pinched. I’m going to miss her so much. Dominic’s private jet would whisk them away to Paris later tonight. The couple planned to spend the better part of a month traveling the French countryside, visiting family, even Francesca, before settling on St. Barth. While Étienne would manage the restaurant, Samantha had big plans for setting up a yoga studio and hosting workshops with renowned instructors. Their day
s would be full of life and their nights full of passion. Samantha had found her fairytale, and Cassidy was thrilled for her. Though her own days looked positively dull in comparison.
Dominic stroked the back of her neck with his thumb. The day is no longer your domain.
It was true, she had to admit. When there wasn’t some business that required her to be up and about, Cassidy’s days were mostly spent in bed. Rare was the moment that she stepped into direct sunlight anymore to relish its warmth on her skin. Rarer still the moments that Dominic looked for these memories in her mind. It was the magical light of the moon she craved now, the quiet power of darkness, and the cool, earthy aroma of her lover. The lover who no longer grieved his mortal life, nor needed her to be his tether to humanity, but needed her just the same.
The lover who patiently waited for her to join him in the eternal world of night.
“Tell me, mon amour,” he murmured, his breath against her damp skin making her shiver. “Tell me what you want. Tell me in words.”
In words. Because only as words would her decision become . . . official.
Cassidy swayed to the music that spoke of hunger and touch, need and love. Swayed in time and in Dominic’s arms. Dominic, the only true anchor she had ever known. And would always know.
She tipped her head back just a little and felt her body melt when his lips found the delicate skin beneath the corner of her left jaw. Only hours before, his teeth had pierced the pulse beating there.
“I’m ready, my love,” she whispered and felt those teeth again. “I’m ready for forever.”
Thank you for taking the time to read Dark Child of Forever. If you enjoyed it, please consider telling your friends or posting a short review. Word of mouth is an author's best friend and much appreciated. Thank you, S.K. Ryder
About the Author
S.K. Ryder is a software developer by day, a scribe by night and answers to Susan any time. She writes the type of stories she loves to read: heart-pounding adventures full of supernatural mysteries and relationships between strong, compelling characters. Though she calls South Florida home, she has also lived in Germany and Canada and has traveled widely, usually in the hot pursuit of wild and scenic nature. When not debugging code, complicating her characters' lives or plotting her next rafting adventure down the Grand Canyon, she can be found beach combing, scuba diving, sailing or just hanging out with a good book. When push comes to shove, she can also bake a halfway decent cake and stand on her head, though not at the same time.
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Also from S.K. Ryder and Soul Mate Publishing:
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