To the Falls

by Heather Renee

  Jordan added the final touches to my makeup and helped me slip into my dress. I was happy to hear that bonding ceremonies were very much like human weddings with the exception of having a wedding party standing up with us. It would just be Lucas and I standing before Oliver as he preformed our ceremony. An Elder always did the ceremony and since we were technically Elders, even though in training, the other Elders said it was fine.

  I had been chosen to complete Jordan and Kane’s ceremony and it was one of the most amazing things I have ever done. We choose Oliver for ours because he was Lucas’s oldest and closest friend.

  With the finishing touches done, it was time for me to walk down the aisle to my Meraki. I couldn’t be happier than I was right now. Jordan left to go back and verify everything was ready. I knew she would make sure everything was perfect for me today.

  “You ready?” Jordan popped her head back in the room. “Everything looks perfect, so I’m going to go take my seat. Brooks is waiting for you outside the door. When you hear the music start, that will be your cue.” Jordan hugged me and gave me a kiss on my cheek. “I love you, best friend. You look beautiful today.”

  “You’re going to ruin all your hard work by making me cry. I love you, too. I am so grateful that you’ve been with me all this time. Even if I didn’t realize the sacrifices you made for me at the time, I do now and they mean more to me than you’ll ever know.”

  “Okay, enough mushy stuff,” Jordan wiped a tear from her eye. “We need to get you hitched and on your honeymoon. I will see you out there. Don’t make us wait or the groom will surely come find you and drag you out there.” Jordan winked and walked out the door.

  I had no doubt she was right. Lucas would find me if I didn’t get out there soon. He hadn’t wanted to wait for so long to complete the ceremony, but I needed to know that I was doing this for us and not because we were destined to be together. Poor guy had waited two hundred years, but I knew he could survive waiting a bit longer.

  I took one last look in the mirror. Jordan had taken me shopping and tortured me with dress after dress until I finally found the one that left me speechless. I went with simple as was my usual style, but it was still elegant.

  The dress was strapless with a sweetheart cut. The top of the dress had beading throughout and the bottom flowed out in an A-line. No long train for me, I didn’t want the chance I’d trip on it. Jordan had pulled my hair up and created intricate braids and curls in the up-do to form a bun with curls cascading out of it. My veil was tucked into the bottom of the bun and went down my back.

  Ready or not, it was time. I walked out the door to find my dad waiting for me like Jordan had said. He looked so handsome in his tux.

  “Baby girl, you look incredible. I can’t believe you’re getting married today.” My dad had tears in his eyes. I don’t think I had ever seen him cry before. “You’re not going to be my baby girl anymore and I don’t think I’m ready for that.”

  He had threatened Lucas more times than I can remember over the last six months, but I knew he was happy for us regardless. Lucas, on the other hand, was now afraid for his life.

  “Dad, I haven’t been your baby girl since I stopped wearing pigtails and overalls, but I will always be your daughter and I don’t plan on going anywhere soon.” I kissed him on his cleanly shaven cheek.

  The music started playing and it was time for us to walk out. I hooked my arm through my dad’s and took his hand.

  “You ready, Daddy?”

  “No man is ever ready to give his only daughter away, but I don’t think I could have chosen anyone better for you myself, so I guess I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. Let’s do this.”

  “Can you please tell that to Lucas next time instead of the threatening him in some manner?” I asked with a laugh.

  “Not a chance,” Dad smiled. “He needs to always be on his best behavior and by keeping him afraid, he will be.”

  We walked out of the room and headed down the hall. All bonding ceremonies took place in the town hall since it was big enough to fit all the people of Arvata. Jordan had the hall decorated in yellows and whites for me. She also had yellow lilies brought in as she knew they were my favorite. While everything was meticulous and perfect, Jordan kept it simple just like I had asked.

  We stopped before we rounded the corner and I took a deep breath. I was ready for this, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t nervous.

  “I love you.”

  “I love you too, baby girl.”

  We stepped around the corner and the whole scene took my breath away. Thankfully I had a good hold on my dad or I might have faltered. Lucas was at the end of the aisle waiting for me and he had never looked so handsome. All our friends and family were standing there watching me walk down the aisle with my dad. Many I still did not know well yet, but I was happy to have them all there nonetheless.

  At the end of the aisle Lucas walked up to meet us and my dad gave him my hand. They shared a look that only a father-in-law could give his son-in-law. It said hurt her and I will hunt you down and kill you slowly.

  Men, an overprotective bunch.

  “You are the most gorgeous sight I have ever laid eyes on,” Lucas whispered in my ear and I felt shivers run from my head to my toes.

  Oliver started the ceremony before I could respond. He did his speech and while it was pretty similar to ceremonies on Earth, it was also mixed with magic. I could feel magic swirling around us the whole time. The magic was what sealed our bond and our fates together.

  “Kaliah May Atwater and Lucas Edward Evans, your magic, bond and fates will be as one from this day forward. The connection will be unbreakable, even in death one will follow the other. Your individual magic will strengthen when you become one and you will balance each other out. Where one is weak, the other will be strong. Remember this always. Do you understand these changes and accept the other as yours for this lifetime and any lifetime after this?”

  “I do,” We both said at the same time and smiled at each other.

  “By the magic within me as your Elder, I bind you Kaliah May to Lucas Edward and Lucas Edward to Kaliah May. Your fates are now one.”

  I felt the magic that Oliver used as it penetrated my body and soul. I could feel new magic join with mine and I realized it was Lucas’s. It filled my whole body. I looked up at Lucas and knew he was feeling the same thing.

  He leaned down and kissed me as I wrapped my arms around him. I heard a catcall from someone and assumed it was Jordan. We pulled apart and stood before our friends and family as one for the first time.

  Lucas grabbed my hand and we walked down the aisle to go around the back. We would get maybe five minutes before Jordan would summon us for the reception. I was told we would be there for several hours before we could leave or there would be consequences.

  “Mrs. Evans, you are beautiful and you are mine,” Lucas said. “Do you feel it?”

  “Why yes Mr. Evans, I do and I’ve never been happier.” I leaned up and kissed him again. He was mine and we had decades to spend together. I was the luckiest girl in the world.

  “I love you.”

  “I love you too. Wait, you just said that in my head,” I said out loud.

  “Yes, I did love. I think because of your connection with Strix and our magic now being joined. I have the same connection.”

  “This is the best wedding surprise ever,” I said to him mentally.

  “Let’s get to this party of ours so we can get it over with and start the rest of our lives,” Lucas said. “I have no intention of sharing you with everyone here all night, if that’s okay with you.”

  I couldn’t agree more. I had found my happily ever after and while I knew the road we were on would not always be easy, with Lucas by my side, it would always be worth it.

  Thank you for reading To the Falls, I hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I did writing it. Please consider leaving a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads as they are extremely important to indie author
s like me!

  Look for the next installment of this series by the end of 2017.

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  Acknowledgements

  First, I’d like to thank my husband and daughter for enduring all those nights they had to fend for themselves for dinner and supporting me while I wrote this book.

  To Jaymin Eve, thank you for not being an asshole. I love you like peanut butter and jelly. You’re never getting rid of me. EVER!

  To Kristie Cook, thank you for suffering through my first draft and telling me what I needed to hear. You are amazing!

  To Lela and Tiana, thank you for being my sounding board whenever I was stuck. You girls are amazing!

  Lastly, to my readers and reviewers! Thank you to my review group for making me so excited for this release and supporting me before this book was even published. To the readers, thank you for buying this book and encouraging me to write more. Lots of love to you all, until next time!