The Immortal Takes a Wife

by Pamela Labud

“For what? Abandoning us? Keeping us alone and afraid?”

  “Brother, we were never alone. We had each other. I admit I was scared, at first. But, he’s our uncle and he made a promise to our mother to take care of us. We were a little damp, a little cold, but we survived, didn’t we?”

  Max relaxed. “After a fashion. I didn’t enjoy any of it.”

  “I’ll take that as a yes. Now, come on. I’m ordering a porterhouse—on him.”

  Matty left his brother standing in the lobby, but it wasn’t for long. Up ahead, Walter had Holly on one arm and Fiona on the other and was chatting them up.”

  “I don’t believe it,” Max said behind him. “That old goat is hitting on my wife…”

  It was all Matty could do to keep from laughing. He suddenly loved his brother all that much more. He didn’t know why but seeing that tiny bit of human nature popping up out of his too-serious brother brought him a great deal of joy.

  Just as suddenly, reality hit him hard. He was going to miss them all when he reported to the Druids. And that was the most painful thought of all.

  Chapter Eighteen

  As family get-togethers went, it was a very nice dinner. Fiona did her best to remain friendly and cordial during the four-course dinner. She picked at her own plate, her appetite having fled the day before when they’d learned the truth of Matty’s fate.

  She did get a great deal of joy watching Matty enjoy his family. Even Max had come around after a fashion. They’d ordered enormous steaks, heaping servings of bread, potatoes and enough vegetables to feed a small country. When all was consumed, baked Alaska was brought to the table and they all were now enjoying coffee for the four of them and a glass of brandy for Walter. All in all, a very nice family dinner.

  “I don’t mean to be a buzz kill here,” Fiona said at last, “but if you know of our story, then you know we’ve come to you for help.”

  Walter’s grin faded but did not disappear.

  “Of course. My boy Matthew is in a bit of a spot, eh?”

  Matty nodded. “My own fault for not being pickier about who I share a brew with.”

  “Or, the whole brewery,” Max corrected. “We’re not sure, but we think there was some foul play at hand.”

  Walt nodded. “There must have been. I’ve never known any of us to have a problem with liquor. Let alone, get so smashed that we forget ourselves.”

  “There’s nothing to be done about it now. Tomorrow night at sunset, I’ve got to turn myself in.” Matty reached across the table and took Fiona’s hand. “If there’s any way you can think of for me to get out of this, I’d greatly appreciate it, uncle.”

  Fiona’s heart had been cracked in places before that night. She’d often thought that she was at the edge of her tolerance, that she’d be able to let him go and somehow go on living. She’d thought her heart had been on the edge of breaking.

  She now realized she hadn’t even been close. For all of his warts, he was the true love of her life.

  “Indeed, uncle,” Max said, clearing his throat. “We have no right to ask your help, myself especially. If you can tell us what, if anything can be done. We’d truly appreciate it.”

  Fiona realized she was holding her breath. “Matty and I are getting married tomorrow. We’d be honored if you would join us for the ceremony.”

  She didn’t know why she blurted that out at that second, but it seemed to help, for when he looked at her, she saw his eyes light up like Christmas.

  “I’m a happy man this night. All of my wealth and good fortune mean nothing, if I’ve no family to celebrate with. Of course, I’ll tell you all I know, but I doubt it’ll be very helpful.”

  “Please,” Holly said. “Max and Matty have been a long time repairing their relationship. They’ve been through a lot. It would be terrible if they were broken up now.”

  “Of course.” He sat back and crossed his arms. “I, too, once find myself owing a debt to the Druids. An odder bunch of fellows I’ve never known. So serious, they are. The truth is, their numbers are dwindling. Five hundred years ago, many a mage would line up to join their ranks. Times changed, and Druids worthy of their own order started to dwindle.”

  “Really?” Matty asked.

  “Yes. Two hundred years ago they started recruiting from outside of their order. Then, around fifty years ago, they were forced to start taking in every being they could entice. Werewolves, and Vampires won’t give them a second look, nor will various other magics, like Warlocks and Elves. Lately, the rumor has been that they’ve taken to more underhanded ways to increase their numbers.”

  “Who’s left?”

  “Wood elves, Sprites, Goblins and other less savory characters,” Holly answered.

  Walt pointed at her. “Exactly.”

  “What do I do about it?”

  Walter leaned back. “Well, if it’s a legal signing, and there were witnesses, then nothing.”

  Fiona’s heart sank. “Really? Then we have to prove that Matty was drugged.”

  “I don’t know how you can prove that, unless someone comes forward.”

  “You were once in debt to them…” Max said.

  Walter looked from one twin to the other. “I was. I paid for my debt. But I hadn’t signed up for service.”

  “What kind of debt?” Matty asked. He looked to Max, who wore similar expression.

  The other man looked down at his hands. “It was a friendly wager. Suffice it to say that I lost. They gave me two choices, and I took the one that didn’t involve me signing on to their legion.”

  “Which was?”

  Walter lifted up his shirt and on the right side, under his right arm, was the faintest pencil thin scar.

  “You gave them an organ?”

  He shrugged. “I gave them part of my liver. Luckily, mine grew back.” He looked to the Fiona. “It’s an Immortal thing, you know. The recipient won’t be Immortal, of course, but he will survive for a normal lifespan.”

  Fiona didn’t realize she was crying until she felt a warm tear slide down her face and land on her hand.

  “Oh, baby,” Matty said, suddenly pulling her into his arms. “I’m so sorry.”

  “No.” Max slammed his fist on the table. “We’re not going to let this happen.”

  “Max, please,” Holly started.

  Walter held out his hand. “I’m so sorry lads. I wish I could help you. I wasn’t going to tell you, because it really serves no purpose…”

  “What?” Max snapped.

  “I’d heard about your problem about two days ago. I scheduled an appointment with Vizier, and argued a case for you, but to no avail. I’m afraid their decision is final.”

  That was that.

  Or, at least it should have been. Except, when they were saying good-bye to Walt, Matty got a text.

  “Need to meet up. H.”

  So, now Hawke was texting him? It meant only one thing. His visit with Remmington was over. Looking at Fiona, the last thing Matty wanted to do was leave her on what could be their last night together.

  Still, if there was a chance he could make things right, he had to try it. Besides, Walter had given him an idea, and there might be a chance he could save himself after all.

  #

  After they’d said their good-byes to their uncle, Matty and Fiona rode back to the Funeral home to drop Max and Holly off.

  “You should come in,” Max told him. “We still have time. Hopefully, the attorney I’ve hired will be able to come up with something to buy us more time.”

  Matty thanked him. “I really appreciate you, brother.” He turned to Fiona. “I want you to stay here tonight.”

  “Where are you going?”

  He looked down at his feet. “I don’t think it’s a good idea, me staying with you.”

  “What?”

  There it was. She didn’t trust him. He heard it in her voice.

  “Listen, Fi…”

  “No.
Don’t you dare do this. Don’t you run away from me, tonight of all nights.”

  “It’s not that. I only need a couple of hours and I promise I’ll be back.”

  She looked as if she were going to send him off once and for all. To be honest, Matty wouldn’t blame her if she did. “Do what you have to, Matty. It’s your choice. It always has been.”

  With that, she climbed out of the car and followed Max and Holly into the house. He sat for a minute, watching her go. Just as she reached the porch, Matty realized what she must be thinking.

  Rolling down the car window, he called out. “Don’t think you’re going to get out of marrying me, Fiona. I’m holding you to that.”

  She turned, her expression one of surprise and then relief. “I’ll be here, Matty, as always, waiting on you.”

  Matty’s breath left his chest when he looked at her. If he could have frozen time, he would have done so, if only to see her like that. Tall, lithe, silhouetted in the moonlight, her eyes beautiful onyx, her skin glowing and her beautiful chestnut hair fluttering in the breeze.

  “I love you,” he said, though he didn’t think she could hear him. Truth be told, he would have yelled it to the rooftops, but he’d not the air in his lungs.

  “I love you, too,” she mouthed back to him. And that’s when he remembered that werewolves had way better hearing than a lot of magics.

  Grinning, he put the car in reverse and backed out of the driveway. All he could think of was meeting with Hawke, finding out what he’d learned, and then get back to Fiona as soon as possible.

  Thirty minute later, he’d made the small parking area where they’d met with the Druids the night before.

  “I hope you’ve got good news for me,” Matty called out when he saw Hawke. “Don’t let me down.”

  “Where’s Fiona?”

  “I told her to stay with my brother. I can’t stand to see her take any more hits. What did you find out?”

  Hawke was sitting astride his motorcycle, looking out into the valley beyond the picnic area.

  “No good news,” he said. “I checked in with Remmington, but he didn’t admit to any wrong doing, but on the other hand, he didn’t deny it, either.”

  “So, no progress.”

  “No. How about you?”

  Matty crossed his arms. “Well, I visited someone who had a run in with them a few years back, but it was a different situation. It gave me an idea. I’m thinking I might be able to trade them an organ or two in exchange for my freedom. That’s what my uncle did, anyway.”

  Hawke sent him a sharp expression. “That’ll work?”

  “No. But, they don’t know that. Once I give up an organ, it’s no longer Immortal, but it would grant us a little more time.”

  “And some very disgruntled Druids. Besides, you don’t think they’d test it or anything?” He coughed. “I don’t know even if we could get Remmington to come clean if it would make a difference. Besides, he’s going to get his due.”

  “Really? How?”

  “Before he was drugging and trading Immortals to them, he was dealing in a different kind of exchange with them. Goblins were his easiest mark, but I think he was pressured by the Druids for a more advanced species.”

  “Who?”

  “Hobgoblins. You know, they are distant cousins but a half a step higher on the evolutionary scale.”

  “Right. So, he was what, earning extra brownie points with me?”

  “I think you were a crime of opportunity. You went in for a drink, Remmington was desperate, and well, you know the rest.”

  “Do you think he’s done it before? Trading some unsuspecting bloke who’s now serving the Druids in another dimension or time period?”

  “I think that ol’ Remmy’s been pretty lucky so far, but that’s about to change. The Hobs don’t take well to being interfered with on a good day. I’m pretty sure this is worse.”

  “So, they’re going to do what?” Matty thought for a moment. “They were the ones who’d taken out Remmington’s men?”

  “Well, they didn’t kill them, per se, Remmington has a guy that conjures up his henchmen. That guy, Grogan was a Gollum. So, the Hobs just turned him back to what he originally was.”

  “And oil slick.”

  “Yes.”

  “That’s rough.” Matty suppressed a shiver. “So, what do we do now?”

  Hawke looked at him then. “Nothing. Go be with your bride.”

  Matty started to turn away, then paused. “Wait. You didn’t call me down here just to give me bad news. You have a plan.”

  He saw the other man waver. “I don’t know. There’s no guarantee, and it could end up with both of us in the soup.”

  “I’m in,” Matty said.

  “You haven’t heard my idea.”

  Matty crossed his arms. “I know it’s a long shot, but what’s the alternative?”

  “You get taken away to serve in another dimension by a Druid military.”

  “Like I said, I’m in.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Fiona paced back and forth in her room at the Inn. So many things were going through her mind. The wedding ceremony was to be at one in the afternoon. They were off to a reception, and then at dusk, Matty would be meeting with the Druids and chances were good that she would never see him again.

  She was so deep in her thoughts that she jumped when a gentle knocking startled her back to reality.

  “Yes?”

  “It’s Holly. I have a present for you.”

  A present? What was she talking about? “Oh, um, sure. Come on in,” She said, opening the door and pulling it open.”

  Holly stuck her head inside. “Is Matty here?”

  “No. He texted me at midnight, begging for my forgiveness. Said he was working on something.”

  “He abandoned you on what could be your last night together?”

  Fiona dropped her gaze to the floor, internally repeating the mantra, ‘I will not cry, I will not cry. Wolf girls do not curl up in a corner and bawl.” Taking a deep breath, she looked up.

  “It’s what he does sometimes.”

  She didn’t think she’d been that pathetic but judging by Holly’s sympathetic expression—of which she’d seen many times before—wide-eyed, jaw dropped and mouth in a perfect circle.

  “You’re kidding me.”

  Fiona shook her head. “He’s doing everything he can to fix things.”

  “Oh, sweetie. It could’ve been your last night together.”

  “I know.”

  “There won’t be any time for you two to be together after…”

  “I know that, too.”

  For a brief moment, she thought Holly might run over and pull her into a ‘pity embrace.’ Which was the very last thing Fiona wanted. She hated the ‘pity embrace.’

  Instead, Holly surprised her by waving it off. “His loss.” She ducked quickly back into the hall and seconds later came bounding back into the room, arms laden with several large bags, a huge dress bag and several smaller bags.

  “What in the world?” Fiona began. “Wait, you carried that all in…by yourself?”

  Holly shrugged. “I’m stronger than I look.” She settled everything on the bed.

  “Now, get dressed we only have a few hours to do this.”

  It was Fiona’s turn to stand in the middle of the room, mouth wide open. “Do what?”

  Holly stopped in her tracks and stared at her. “Hello…It’s your wedding day, remember.”

  “Oh, that,” she said. “I’m sorry, I mean, it’s not that big a deal.”

  “Really? Of course, it’s a big deal. You put me in charge. Remember?”

  “I did?” Fiona muttered. “Oh. I did.”

  “Yes, ma’am, and I’m holding you to it. Now, get your tee and shorts on, honey because we’ve got to roll.”

  “Roll where?”

  Holly let out an exasperated breath. “Let�
�s see. You have a hair appointment at nine, a mani-pedi scheduled at eleven. Then, it’s over to Delaney’s Delectables to get your cake. They have several choices lined up for you. Oh, and of course, we need to get your shoes and veil.”

  “Wait,” Fiona looked at the dress bags that were now piled on the bed. “You got my dress?”

  “Oh, yeah. I got three dresses, all of which are guaranteed to fit, then, there’s the decorations. We’re meeting with the Branson’s House’s manager to choose the decor for the ceremony and the reception…”

  “We’re having the wedding here?”

  “Oh, yeah. It seems they have an additional wing that is just perfect for special occasions. Your guests are already arriving.”

  “I have guests?”

  “You do. Of course, there’s Max and I, a few of your relatives…”

  “You called my family?” Fiona wilted at the thought of her father and brothers at a wedding, and meeting Matty for the very first time. Closing her eyes, she remembered the last family get together they’d attended. A funeral for one of her great, great aunts, in which resulted in three screaming arguments, two fist fights and an arson fire.

  “Don’t worry. I have the sheriff’s on office alert. There will be several deputies in attendance, to make sure there’s no funny business.”

  “I think I’m going to be sick.”

  Holly stopped. “Unless you’ve changed your mind?”

  For the first time in her life, time seemed to stop. “Oh. I, um…” She looked around the room and it was like she was seeing things for the first time, in a perfect crystal clarity.

  Holly took her hands and held them firmly. “You always have a right to change your mind. It was a great effort to try and buy Matty more time by doing this. We’d hoped to get more time. Whether it’s a day or a year, think about what you’re doing.”

  Fiona’s mouth went dry. “What am I doing?”

  “That’s only a question you can answer. We can’t stop this, he will be gone, and you will be…”

  “Alone.”

  “Eternity is an awfully long time.”

  That was the crux of it. “I don’t know what to do,” she said at last.

  “Okay. Take a moment. We have time.”