by Julie Wetzel
Glancing up at her best friend, Vanessa smacked her flowers down on Darien one last time for good measure and tossed the ruined bouquet down on the flattened vampire.
Curious, Zak crept over to the fallen man and sniffed at him. Sitting back on his haunches, he picked up one of the loose flowers and rolled it in his fingers before slapping it down across Darien’s stomach several times.
Rupert stepped through the curtain and stopped when he saw Darien, sprawled across the floor with Zak beating him with Vanessa’s damaged flowers. “Did they kill him?” he asked curiously.
Elliot laughed. “No, but apparently Vicky’s pregnant.”
Rupert’s eyes widened in surprise. “Is it his?” he asked, earning glares from the three bridesmaids.
“Apparently so,” Elliot answered as he watched the hellhound raise the mangled flower up and stuffed the crumpled end in his mouth.
“But how?” Rupert asked the question that they all wanted to know. “Vampires can’t have children.”
“They could at one point in time,” Lady Aine answered from behind the groomsmen. Everyone except Darien turned to look at the queen. “Unfortunately, the secrets of dhampirs was lost ages ago.” She walked over to the changed hellhound and rubbed his head as she looked at the downed vampire. “I doubt that Kian’s children will be true dhampirs since he was human at their conception.”
“Human?” Rupert asked curiously. He hadn’t been aware of Darien’s encounter with the rogue vampire who had stolen his powers.
“It’s a long story.” Elliot intervened before anyone could start into the tale.
“Besides, they’re more likely to be blessed with their mother’s afflictions than his.” Lady Aine smiled at Vicky.
“Afflictions?” Darien asked as he lifted his head and shoulders from the floor, scattering roses as he moved. He supported his weight on his elbows as he stretched out across the floor.
Zak snapped up a few of the flowers. Taking one, he hit Darien with it before stuffing it into his mouth.
Vicky smiled at Darien reassuringly. “I’ll tell you later.”
Lady Aine left Darien on the floor and came over to touch Vicky on the stomach. The fay queen concentrated for a moment before standing up. “Your young are happy, healthy, and safe.” Smiling, the queen looked between the two newlyweds. “My little ones will be overjoyed for your good fortune.”
“Umm…” Vicky said, stopping Lady Aine from going out and announcing to the world that she was pregnant. “Shouldn’t we wait until I’m a little further along before we tell anyone?” She glanced down at Darien and back to the fay queen. “There’s always the chance I could miscarry.”
Lady Aine threw her head back and laughed. She came back over and petted Vicky’s hair. “My dear lady, it is very, very rare for a fay to have trouble carrying a child. The magic in us ensures that out babies are protected. Conception is the issue that keeps us barren.” Looking between Darien still sprawled on the floor and Vicky sitting next to her, Lady Aine stood up tall and folded her hands at her waist. “And now I think it’s time to call in my favor.” This drew both Vicky and Darien’s full attention. “I wish to be godmother to your children.”
Darien opened his mouth to refuse. He did not want the manipulative woman anywhere near his children, but the look on Lady Aine’s face stopped him. It clearly said he had no choice in this matter. He glanced over at Vicky. Her shock and surprise were written all over her face. Darien considered this request. With the Queen of Fay as their godmother, his children would be protected from everything. Very little would risk Lady Aine’s ire. Honestly, it was the best thing he could have wished for their security. “Done.” Darien levered himself up from the floor to come stand next to Vicky. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “When the child is born, we will name you Godmother.”
“Children.” Lady Aine corrected him with a smile. “You’re having twins.”
Darien staggered as if the words had dealt him a physical blow to the gut. When Lady Aine had said ‘children,’ he thought she was speaking figuratively, not that Vicky was actually carrying more than one child. He clutched at Vicky’s shoulder for support. “Twins,” he said breathily.
“Maybe you should sit down.” Vicky rose and caught Darien before he could fall. Turning around, she placed him on the chair.
As Vicky went to step back, Darien wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him. He rested his cheek against her belly and felt inside her. Two little sparks of life flickered against his power. Closing his eyes, a smile slipped across his face. “Babies.” He purred as joy washed through him. With the barest touch, he caressed the new life he was responsible for. Never in his long life had children ever crossed his mind.
Vicky smiled as she wrapped her arms around Darien’s head. Her fingers played with his hair, lovingly, as the feel of feathers softly caressed the inside of her skin. Her fears lifted as the shock and numbness she had been feeling from Darien’s link was slowly replaced with elated joy.
Darien slid his hand around to caress Vicky’s stomach next to his face. “Mine,” he breathed the word contently.
The curtain opened, letting in the cacophony from the other room. “Are you guys done in here?” Josh asked as he let the heavy curtain fall back into place, muffling the sound. “Because, we’re ready for you out there.” He paused and looked over the touching scene. His eyes ran over the groomsmen standing uncomfortably to one side, to Zak squat on the floor eating the mangled roses, and stopped on Vicky and Darien wrapped together. “I guess not.” Moving past the men, he came over and stopped in front of Zak. “You may want to get a move on it. We’ve already switched the room over, but we’ve got a couple of wolves arguing over seating, of all things.” Bending over, Josh grabbed Zak’s elbow and made him stand up as he spoke. “Jakob is between them right now, but you might want to finish up here and get out there before they start eating each other.”
Rupert shot Phalen a concerned look, and the lesser wolf turned to see to the developing situation.
Grabbing the flowers from Zak, Josh tried to take them away from the hellhound. “Don’t eat those. They’ll make you sick.”
Zak growled and bopped him with the mangled roses.
Josh wrestled them away from the fay. “I’ll get you some real food,” he promised as he dropped the crushed flowers back to the floor. “And you will use a fork,” he informed the hellhound, “at least while you’re in my tux. “
Zak gurgled at him but fell in behind the vampire.
“As for the rest of you.” Josh looked around. “I suggest you get your backsides in gear before you have a riot on your hands. The fay are ready to party.” With that, Josh took Zak by the hand and led him from the staging area.
“Well,” Rupert said as he looked around the room, “it looks like we should get back out there.”
Darien laughed and sat up from where he was leaning on Vicky. “I guess you’re right. So where’s this paperwork?” He looked around for the marriage license. As a vampire, he had wanted to skip the rigmarole of faking the blood test and filing paperwork, but Vanessa had insisted, and as a businessman, he understood the need for properly managed contracts. The sooner they got the legal side of the marriage taken care of, the sooner they could get out there and keep their party guests from running amok. With the fay in attendance, he had a sneaking suspicion that the rest of the night was going to be insane.
***
The cold air cutting across the parking lot made Vicky shiver as Darien opened the car door for her. Climbing in, she looked back at her new husband. “Are you sure it’s okay for us to sneak out like this?” She glanced back at the dark exterior of the warehouse where their wedding celebration was still going on.
Darien chuckled and leaned in to give her a soft kiss. “If we told everyone we were leaving, it would take us the rest of the night to get out of there, and we do have a plane to catch.” He paused and considered her for a moment. “Unless, you don�
��t want to go?” His eyes slid down her body to rest on her stomach.
Vicky scoffed at him and pulled her wings into the car. “Of course I want to go. I’m pregnant, not broken.” Pulling the door from Darien’s hand, she closed it, cutting off any protest he could make.
Darien laughed as he circled around to his side of the car. A strange sensation ran down his back and he paused to look out into the night. It felt as if something was watching him. Pushing his awareness out, he searched for the observer. The presence of so many magical creatures close by flooded the area, making it impossible for Darien to find anything. Shaking the feeling away, he opened his door and got in. Someone had probably noticed as they slipped out, which meant they needed to get moving before that person told anyone else they were escaping.
Reaching out, Vicky laid her hand on Darien’s arm as he settled into the car. “I’m sorry.” She drew in a calming breath before continuing. “I didn’t mean to snap at you. I’ve just been testy lately.”
Darien took up her hand and smiled at her. “I know.” He kissed the back of it lightly. “And here I thought it was just nerves from the wedding.” He released her hand and turned his attention back to the car. “Babies,” he said, almost giddy.
Dropping her hand down to her middle, Vicky laughed as Darien backed the car out and left before anyone could come out to investigate the sound. They had only let a few people know they were slipping out. It was a well-known fact the fay loved to toy with a newly married couple, and they had already been subject to several of the winged ones’ harmless shenanigans. One of their favorite pranks was to steal the bride away and make the groom hunt and beg for her return. When Elliot had caught wind that this trick was in the works, he had warned Darien and sent the happy couple on their way with a promise to create a distraction while they escaped. Vicky leaned her head over on the back of the seat and studied Darien’s profile as he drove. “I love you,” she said softly.
Darien glanced at her and smiled. “I love you, too.” Taking up her hand again, he kissed it before turning his attention back to the road. His thumb caressed the back of her knuckles as he lowered her hand to rest in his lap.
“Do you think it’s okay for us to leave Zak like that?” Vicky asked. They didn’t have a chance to say farewell to the hellhound as they slipped out of the building.
Laughing, Darien squeezed her hand. “I don’t think Zak will miss us for a while.” He rubbed her hand reassuringly. “I’m pretty sure he’s going to be rather occupied this evening.”
“Occupied?”
Darien glanced at Vicky and grinned. “I last saw him in the company of a few of the braver fay.”
Confusion crossed Vicky’s face.
“Zak is a novelty for them,” Darien explained. “Hellhounds are greatly respected and feared, even among the fay. They can be unpredictable, even at the best of times. Zak is probably the most sociable of them all. The idea of a hellhound in human form is a draw that several of them are not able to pass up.”
Vicky sat up straighter as she thought about his words. “You mean…”
“I would be surprised if Josh’s tux made it through the night.” An impish grin curled the corners of Darien’s mouth. “If they are lucky, he won’t revert back to his normal state until they are done. Of course, some of the fay may enjoy that too.”
“Ewww!” Vicky wiggled in her seat trying to get the mental image out of her brain. “You know he sleeps in my bed!”
Darien laughed out loud. “He sleeps in my bed, too.” Blowing out a breath to clear away his mirth, he glanced at Vicky again. “You did say the queen’s glamour will only last the night?”
Vicky nodded.
“Good, I’m not sure I could deal with having to share you with him if he stayed like that.”
This time Vicky laughed. “You have nothing to fear.” Using her free hand, she petted Darien’s arm reassuringly. “I love you both, but you are the only one I want.”
Darien growled deep in his chest. “Damn good to know.” He lifted her hand up and kissed it again. “I’m not sure which of us would have made it out of that fight.”
“Are you admitting that you would have lost?” she teased.
“Against Zak?” Darien shot her a serious look before turning his attention back to the road. “There aren’t many who could stand up to a hellhound when it got serious. Zak would be next to impossible for me to take down.” He rubbed the back of his leg against the seat as he thought about the fay mark embedded in his calf. If they ever really got into a fight, Zak would have some control over Darien through that mark. A reassuring gurgle echoed in his mind making him smile. “But I don’t think that will happen.”
“Good.” Vicky leaned her shoulder into her seat and rested her head on the headrest so she could watch Darien drive. “I’m not sure I could choose between you two.” She rubbed Darien’s hand where he still held hers. “I love you both.”
Darien made a contented noise and settled into the drive to the airport. A draft rippled across Vicky’s wings making her shiver.
“Question.” She broke the comfortable silence, drawing Darien’s attention. “What are we going to do about these wings?” Darien raised an eyebrow, making Vicky go on. “I mean, it took nearly a full day to break the spell last time, and all that did was make them sink into my skin.”
Laughter bubbled out of Darien. “I have my powers back. It should be a lot easier to break the spell now.” He pulled her hand to his chest and cuddled it. “And this time I’ll make sure to rid you of their hold.”
Vicky drew in a deep breath as she considered his words and what the queen had told her. “Yeah, about that.” The concern in her voice drew more of Darien’s attention. “I haven’t told you all of what Lady Aine said,” she said, giving Darien a sidelong glance.
He sat taller in his seat waiting to hear what she had to say.
“The wings weren’t the only thing the lesser fay did at Halloween. Lady Aine said they made me immortal.”
Slamming on the brakes, Darien threw the car into park in the middle of the street and turned to face Vicky. “They did what?”
Recovering from the sudden stop, Vicky stared at him in shock. Her wings trembled as she tried to get the words out. “She said she didn’t usually let the lesser fay have mortals, but she saw fit to let them play with me. Called it her wedding gift to us both.”
Letting out a bark of laughter, Darien pulled the startled woman into his arms. “Fay touched!” he said almost hysterically as he buried his face in the hair at Vicky’s neck.
She wrapped her arms around him. A torrent of rampant emotions spilled over her through their link. The mixture of anger, disbelief, relief, and joy made her head spin. She held onto him waiting for the sensations to pass.
“I don’t know whether to love that woman or hate her,” Darien finally said as he sat up and looked at Vicky. “She both infuriates and delights me.” Letting out a calming breath, he released Vicky and turned back to the car. He dropped it into drive and took off. “And here I was worried about our future.” He glanced back over at Vicky and snorted out a short laugh. “Fay touched.”
“What does that mean?” Vicky relaxed in her seat again. The moment of anger had passed, leaving the emotions rolling off Darien pleasant and warm.
Darien considered his words before explaining. “It means a lot of things, but the most important is that you won’t age.”
“Lady Aine said that,” Vicky confirmed. “She also said that you wouldn’t have to ‘bless me with your affliction’.”
A sad smile slipped across Darien’s face. “No, you will remain as you are without the need for vampirism.”
“You would have turned me into a vampire?” Vicky asked quietly.
Letting out a long sigh, Darien stared out the front window for a long moment before answering. “I’m not sure,” he offered truthfully. “I’ve had mixed success with fledglings and I hadn’t decided if I should offer you that option or
not.”
They sat in silence for a few moments before Vicky spoke again. “Lady Aine told us what happened. About how your last girlfriend didn’t survive the transformation.”
Darien grew stoic as he concentrated on the drive. The pain of the loss burned at his heart as he thought about the woman he had loved. The feel of Vicky’s fingers brushing against his arm pulled him back from the memories. A weak smile worked its way onto his face, and he took a hold of her hand. Lifting it up to his chest, he clutched it to him, taking comfort in her touch. They drove on for a while in silence as Darien thought about how lucky he was. Vicky knew about some of his darkest moments. Things that would make sane people run for their lives, but she was still there. She still loved him. And for that, he would always be grateful.
Pulling into the parking lot at the airport, Darien shut off the car and turned towards her. “Victoria…” he started, but Vicky raised her hand and pressed it over his mouth, stopping him from speaking.
“No.” She shook her head as a soft smile slipped onto her face. “No apologies, no explanations. I know what you are and I love you, Darien. That’s enough.”
Tears burned at the edges of his eyes as he reached up and took Vicky’s hand so he could speak. He pulled it down and watched his thumb slide across her knuckles as he gathered his thoughts. Vicky eased the soul-deep pain that crippled him when he lost his first love. The fact that she could accept his actions without an explanation touched him deeply, but he just couldn’t leave it at that. “Teagan was everything to me.” He glanced up and saw Vicky holding her breath, hanging on his every word. “I tried to give her everything and it backfired. I can heal wounds of the flesh with ease, but when it comes to the mind…” He clutched Vicky’s hand as despair crept into his voice. “I tried everything I could find, but I couldn’t fix her. I had to…”
“Enough!” Vicky cut him off before he could go on. Folding her wings down her back she surged forwards and wrapped her arms around Darien. She couldn’t take the pain in him anymore.
