The Wishing Hour

by J. Adams

  Falling in love with him has never been an option, for my heart has been there from the first. It is real. It is powerful. And it is making itself known with force. Looking into his eyes, I sense him unleashing his innermost thoughts. I am instantly hit with the blinding force of his feelings, and the rush is staggering.

  I raise my branded hand to his face as tears fill my eyes and spill down my cheeks. The words come easy. “I love you,” I whisper. I see tears in his eyes as well.

  “And I love you, Celine. I always have.” He caresses my face and wipes a tear away. “Will you take vows with me and complete our bonding through ceremony?”

  I can only nod, too choked up with emotion to speak at the moment. This beautiful and amazing immortal is going to be mine! He wants to bind himself to me! I can scarcely take the enormity of it all in. Not that I haven't dreamed about having full claim of him, but to know it will really happen just blows me away. But a thought quickly occurs to me.

  “Sebastian, I am mortal, but you aren't. You will live forever and I . . .”

  “Shhh,” he soothes. “Do not fear, caro, for during the ceremony my blood becomes yours, and yours mine, making us one. You will become one of us.” His gaze caresses my face. “And you will truly be mine in every way.”

  “I will become one of you?”

  “You will.” He turns to the priest standing against the door. “Padre, the ceremony, please.”

  I glance down at myself, noticing for the first time the white gown I am wearing. How . . .

  Before I can even finish the thought, Sebastian mentally voices the answer. I have many powers I have kept hidden. Now I can share them with you. And it will be my privilege to help you learn to use your new abilities as well.

  I can only shake my head in wonder. I'm sure I will be doing a lot of that. I watch the priest as he removes a painting from the wall that had concealed a safe. He opens the safe and removes an old, intricately carved wooden box with a lock on it. He opens the box and pulls out three wrapped objects and uncovers each one. One is a wooden scroll that looks ancient. The second is a silver knife with a jeweled handle. The last is a silver and gold-twined rope. I am startled by the knife and I can feel Sebastian soothing my emotions.

  “This is the ceremonial dagger used to bond our blood. On the scroll is written the bonding prayer of Challis.” He smiles at the priest. “Father Battiano is a friend of our people and has been chosen for this very purpose.”

  I look at the holy man and he smiles and bows. He places the scroll and dagger on a small rolling table and moves it beside the bed.

  “Celine,” Sebastian says softly, “we have less time than I had hoped and we must perform the ceremony now. Then we must leave and return to my people. Once we are bonded, Challis in the only place you will truly be safe. Lord Derth has no knowledge of the location of our home. Once we are there, neither he nor his minions will ever find us.”

  We must move again. Of course I know it is inevitable, but I didn't realize it would be so soon. I sigh and nod in acceptance.

  He touches my face. “I promise, when we reach Challis, you will have a home and we will never have to run again.”

  I smile and cover his hand with mine, knowing he speaks the truth.

  He nods to the priest to begin. We join hands and our gazes are locked as the ceremonial words are read. They are written in the language of Sebastian's people. He telepathically translates them for me.

  “Sebastian, do you accept Celine as your true mate, in heart, mind, body, soul, and blood, for the eternities and beyond all time?”

  “Ki,” he answers with strength in his own language.

  “Celine, do you accept Sebastian as your true mate, in heart, mind, body, soul, and blood, for the eternities and beyond all time?”

  “Ki,” I answer fervently.

  The priest takes the rope and binds our arms together. He takes the dagger, and with a swift stroke, runs the blade across our skin, then presses our arms together and pulls the rope tighter.

  I suck in a breath. It had been so quick, the cut didn't have time to hurt. I feel his blood mix with mine immediately. Like a bullet from a gun, it courses through my system and heat spreads over my whole body. My skin tingles and my senses sharpen to the point of overload. I sway a little and I feel Sebastian's arms come around me.

  “Are you all right, beloved?”

  I squeeze my eyes shut and shake my head a little. His angelic voice is so much richer to my ears. I open my eyes and they take him in with renewed awe. He is much more beautiful than I'd realized.

  “I'm all right,” I finally answer. He smiles and lets his eyes roam over my face.

  It is I who did not think you could be any more beautiful. I was mistaken.

  I wish I had a mirror to see myself, to see what he is seeing. That will just have to wait. He stares at me another moment before nodding to the priest to continue.

  The holy man returns to the safe and pulls out a folded white cloth. He goes into the small bathroom and I hear him turn on the faucet. He returns and unties the rope. Then he rubs the cloth over our arms and I gasp. Both cuts are completely healed. I looked at Sebastian again in renewed wonder. The urge to wrap my arms around him and crush my lips to his is so strong, I almost can't breathe. I feel the same emotions emanating from him and it's all I can do not to melt in a puddle at his feet. The clearing of the priest's throat pulls me back to the moment. I turn to see him smiling, and I suddenly wonder if he can read my mind as well.

  No, my beloved sends to me. But he can read your face.

  I smile, feeling my cheeks warm and give the priest my attention once more. Sebastian again translates.

  “Two have now become one. Two bodies have become one flesh. He is your husband. She is your wife. The bond is complete. Your lives are forever tied.”

  Sebastian smiles, and instead of kissing my lips, he kisses my hand. I am royally disappointed until I hear his voice in my mind, the tone of it hoarse and full of yearning.

  I dare not trust myself to kiss you just yet for fear of losing control and crossing boundaries that should not be crossed until we are alone.

  I feel my face grow hot, concurring silently.

  He turns to the priest. “Thank you, my friend.”

  “I am deeply honored to have been blessed with the privilege of binding the Woman of Prophecy to her true mate. This has indeed been the greatest thing I have ever or will ever do in my life.”

  Sebastian smiles and clasps his hand. “It is we who are honored to have your friendship. We will treasure it well.”

  The priest nods, then cleans the dagger and rolls up the scroll before placing all the items back in the wooden box and returning it to the safe. He replaces the painting and accompanies us back to the main door. He places a hand on Sebastian's shoulder.

  “Please take care and have a safe journey. Be watchful.”

  “We will,” Sebastian assures him.

  * * *

  The skies are clear as we make our way back to the apartment. I know we will have to leave later this morning, but I will spend these final hours in Venice tangled in the arms of my husband. He holds me securely as he runs swiftly through the dark, his senses ever tuned to sense lurking danger. The alleyways go by in a blur, giving me no time to wonder if another creature is hiding nearby.

  In less than a minute we arrive. When we are inside, he quickly checks every room before securing all doors and windows. When he is finished, he finds me in the middle salon, standing in front of the fireplace. I have glimpsed my reflection in the large mirror above the mantle. My brown complexion is fairer and is now more light tan than brown. My once brown eyes are now a vivid shade of hazel and slightly slanted. My trim figure is still trim, but my arms and legs are defined with lean muscle. My hair feels and looks more luxurious, and the spiraled curls are rich and luminous.

  For the first time in my life I truly feel beautiful.

  I am also nervous. I don't know why, but I a
m. Sebastian senses this. He pulls me close and holds me in his warm embrace. I begin to calm immediately as my nervousness is quickly replaced by a totally different feeling. I turn back toward the mirror and we stare at our reflection for a moment, smiling lovingly at one another. His gentle voice breaks the silence.

  “Two years ago I came to understand the part I was truly destined to have in the prophecy. I felt deeply honored, awed, and blessed. And now that you are my wife, the feeling is increased tenfold.”

  “It is I who am honored,” I say softly. “I still feel completely unworthy of this, but I will try to bring honor to you . . . and our people.”

  He draws back slightly and turns me to face him again, taking my face between his hands. “You honor me just by existing, beloved. You honor me by willingly binding your life to mine–by accepting your calling as the Woman of Prophecy.” He lowers his face closer to mine. As he whispers the next words, his warm breath brushes against my face and lips, bringing about a heady rush in me and causing me to tingle. “You are mine now, beloved. As I am yours. My blood flows through your veins. I now live in you, and you in me.”

  As soon as his warm mouth makes contact with mine, heat rushes through my entire body and I immediately understand why he couldn't kiss me before. Not only would it have been his undoing, it would have been mine as well, just as it is now. My lips part and he deepens the kiss. His mouth is moist, sweet, heated, demanding, and fulfilling. Never in my life have I experienced such love, such passion, such desire, such need. And I never will again with anyone but him. I sigh as his mouth sears a burning path down my neck and over my face before finally claiming my waiting lips again, tasting, teasing, feasting, taking my very breath away.

  My arms are around him, my hands clutching his shirt. My palms feel the taunt muscles of his back and shoulders and my body melts into his. I feel so at one with one with him, I can't tell where I end and he begins.

  You are mine, beloved. Only mine. His rich, silky voice plays in my head, wreaking blissful havoc on my senses. Everything I am is yours. Our kisses become frenzied and desperate, as if any moment could be our final one. His emotional aching need burns through me and I welcome its mingling with mine. You are mine. My wife. My love. My heart. My soul. My true mate. His muscular arms are steel bands that I never wish to escape. You are mine, Celine. You belong to me. Say it.

  His love and longing penetrate every part of me, and the power of it feeds my own with a voraciousness that is almost frightening. I am yours! I tell him. I am yours. Your wife. Your love. Your heart. Your soul. Your true mate. I belong to you. I tangle my fingers in the long, silky strands of his hair and hold him impossibly closer. I feel his heartbeat pounding madly, matching mine beat for beat.

  He parts his lips from mine and lifts me in his arms.

  Then Sebastian, the beautiful being who is now my husband, my protector, my guardian, my heart, my soul, my love, and my life, carries me to our room and I give myself to him, melding my body and soul with his, secure in the knowledge that we are indeed now one in all things. * * *

  It is five in the morning, but Sebastian has yet to close his eyes. For to sleep would mean he would no longer be gazing at the woman in his arms and he just can't take his eyes from her–not yet. His long body is curved around hers, which keeps his legs from hanging off the bed too much. It is no longer raining and the last remnants of night linger in the room. The light from a distant street lamp shines through the gently billowing sheer curtains that hang from the half open bedroom window, casting shadow roses on the wall.

  He continues to gaze at his wife's shadowed profile, seeing her as clearly as if it were daylight. His eyes roam over her, taking in the curves of her slender body through the silky white sheet. He can clearly see the downy soft hair on her exposed arm. He lightly runs his hand over the surface, watching with pleasure as her skin reacts to his touch, causing the down to shift. His gaze moves back to her face and is met by her beautiful smile. He stares into her eyes and rubs his thumb over the tiny black beauty mark beside her mouth, grateful that the change did not take it away. His thumb moves to her parted lips and he can't resist following it with his own lips. Her mouth is warm and sweet, and completely intoxicating. She sighs and the sound ripples through him, provoking a returning growl from deep within him.

  “Am I a suitable replacement for Henry now?” he asks in a raspy voice, drawing a soft laugh from her.

  “More than suitable. You're not as furry, but I am willing to compromise.”

  “That's very kind of you.”

  “What can I say? I love strays.” He purrs against her ear and tickles her, making her jump. She laughs, catching his hand. He watches her trail a finger over his open palm, tracing the lines showing through his Ki Talimai, before pressing her own mark against his. The heat is instant. He tightens his fingers around hers, bringing the back of her hand to his lips.

  He remembers his father talking with him about what to expect when he was finally bound to his true mate. He father told him how much more intense a couple's emotions are toward one another, how even a simple touch would be overwhelming. Because of being chosen to be the guardian of the Woman of Prophecy, he hadn't known if he would ever be gifted with those experiences. But the fates had been kind and his true mate had been placed before him, taking him by complete surprise.

  Now, as he lay with her, soaking in her warmth, and sharing his bed for the first time in his long life, he fully understands his father's words, and he completely grasps what he'd meant when he said, “The love you share with your true mate will swallow you whole, son. It is all consuming without beginning or end. You become one another's lifeline. One cannot survive without the other.” Oh, how he knows the truth of it! And the reality of her being in danger washes over him anew. He can never let anything happen to her. He will protect her with his last breath. For to lose her would not only be the end of the world as they know it, it would be the end of him, too.

  He reins in his thoughts, not wanting to upset her in any way, but he cannot disguise the tears that now fill his eyes, and he knows she sees them.

  Celine lifts a hand to his face and caresses his cheek. He can feel her concern and quickly replaces the previous thoughts with the consuming love he harbors for her. “You are everything to me, beloved.”

  She says nothing, but wraps her arms around him and captures his mouth with hers. He feels the rush of her emotions wash over him and knows that no words are needed.

  Ten

  We travel by private plane to Ellesmere Island, Canada. Before leaving Venice, Sebastian explained to me that to make sure we were not being followed, we would need to stay mobile for several days. We flew to Russia, staying one night in Moscow, and from there to Montreal. We rented a cottage there and laid very low. For two days, we simply immersed ourselves in each other, spending our days by the fire wrapped in one another's arms as he told me more about Challis. Our nights were spent by that same fire, making love and creating searing heat of our own. Because the beds were always too short for him, we usually slept on the floor, and I laughed when he told me about the beds in Challis being custom made to accommodate his people, both the men and the women, which meant they would most likely swallow me whole. I was looking forward to feeling short around other women for a change.

  He spent some time demonstrating a few of his various powers–moving disappear into objects, causing things to appear and thin air, sedating and calming others,

  dressing and undressing, all with the power of his mind. The last ability saved us both a lot of time, which was very convenient when it came to certain things.

  When we finally left the cottage and made it to the airstrip, Sebastian surprised me by informing me that he would be flying the plane from here on out. He said it would be safer that way. And we would be changing our mode of transportation on Ellesmere Island.

  Now, we step off the plane onto yet another private airstrip where a black SUV is waiting for us. This driver is
older, his skin very fair, and his face is one of the kindest I have ever seen. He smiles and bows slightly before clasping hands with Sebastian.

  She is even more beautiful than I imagined she would be , comes the man's voice in my mind.

  She is, Uncle, Sebastian agrees.

  Uncle? I question.

  Yes, caro. He smiles. Celine, meet my uncle Aaron. Uncle Aaron, I am honored to present my wife, Celine.

  I watch his uncle's eyes widen.

  The One truly has guided you with his hand. Your destiny has been set from the beginning–to be not only the guardian but also the true mate of the Woman of Prophecy. His expression is one of awe.

  When the knowledge came to me, I was just as surprised as you are, Uncle, but by that time, my feelings for her were already sealed in stone. He turns to me and smiles, raising my hand to his lips.

  It is good to meet you, Uncle Aaron, I finally relay. It is both an honor and a joy to meet you and call you family. I smile, instantly loving the older man.

  Sebastian and his uncle load the luggage in the back of

  the vehicle and we get in. I smile, musing over how comfortable I feel in the below freezing weather. For the sake of appearances, we had worn coats when we arrived in Canada, but the truth is, we both could have walked the city completely naked and it would have felt like summer. I am definitely loving being immune to the cold.

  My husband grins at the visual he is picking up from my thoughts.“The drive is not very far,” he tells me, holding my hand between his. Fortunately, he has given me a few lessons on not only telepathically communicating my thoughts, but keeping them closed to others as well. It's a good thing, too, because Uncle Aaron would definitely be blushing right now.

  A few minutes later, we pull off the main road and drive down a graveled path into a forest of leafless trees. After another mile or so, the gravel road stops at the edge of a large, grassy clearing. The tall trees form a circle around the area, as if they had been planted this way.