by Bethany Shaw
"I don't know." She bit her lip. "Eli is kind of..." She trailed off.
He frowned. "What?" Nobody ever had anything bad to say about Eli, even the witches. Him yes, Oliver definitely, Grace sometimes, but never Eli. He was considered the dignitary of the family, and usually he was the most levelheaded.
"Well, he's the only one of you that I can't read. You can never tell what he's thinking." Cadence shrugged. She hugged the sheets to her chest as she sat up.
"You’re scared of Eli, but not me?"
She crinkled her nose as she looked away. "Maybe."
"You need not fear Eli," he said reassuringly. “Trust me, if you could tolerate Oliver for a month, Eli will be a breeze. In fact, he’s such a gentleman he’ll probably make you want to puke.”
Cadence laughed and tossed her head, sending waves of hair fluttering over her bare back. She sobered after a moment and got out of bed, setting to work on getting dressed. "What did he mean when he told you to be nice?" she asked as she pulled on her slip.
"Eli and I had a falling-out in the eighteen hundreds.” He shrugged.
"Oh?"
"My family is very complex." He handed her dress to her. “We’ve spent centuries together. An argument here or there is bound to happen. Eli wanted to turn a young woman, Eliza, into a vampire. He fancied himself in love.” He cringed at the way “love” rolled off his tongue, containing more venom then he’d intended. Cadence froze for a moment before she continued to pull on her dress. Something that looked like hurt flickered across her face, but she quickly composed herself.
Zak cleared his throat. “He told her what he was – what we were. Eliza didn’t take the news well. Her father returned with the village, pitchforks and torches in hand. I was a little hard on him once we reached safety. Malcolm found us soon after, and we went our separate ways. We didn’t speak again until 1981.”
“So you didn’t speak for a few centuries?” Cadence asked. “Wow.”
“When you live forever, you can afford to hold a grudge for a while. He didn’t want to admit he was wrong and that I was right, love is a weakness. It nearly tore us apart.”
Cadence’s eyes glistened, and she looked to the floor. Zak’s chest constricted as he realized his words. He opened his mouth, but she stood and shuffled into her garments without a word. Perhaps it was best to just leave it.
Chapter Three
Zak clasped Cadence’s gloved hand as he led her through the grass. The ground crunched beneath their boots, and light snow fell around them. Their breath floated in the air. Cadence shivered next to him, drawing her wool cloak tighter.
He pulled her closer. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he prayed his lukewarm body heat would warm her. Her teeth chattered as she burrowed against him. It was frigid for December—not that he felt cold like she did. Perks of being a vampire. His witch didn’t complain. She never did. He often feared she’d get frostbite in her eagerness to see the world before she’d ever admit to being cold.
“Almost there,” he said as they neared the spot where the Eiffel Tower would one day be built. Paris was one of his favorite cities. He’d visited the tower enough times to know approximately where it was. The only downfall was that he couldn’t show Cadence the real thing.
In this time, all that was here was a large clearing with small, quaint houses. Paris was nothing like the modern city it would become in the next century. He couldn’t wait to show it to Cadence again. It always amazed him how excited and genuinely happy she was to see the monuments of the world. Hopefully, the tower’s absence wouldn’t disappoint her. It was their first Christmas together, and he wanted it to be special.
He didn't celebrate it. When he was a human, the holiday wasn’t celebrated in the same way. Even if it had been, his father would have thought it silly and a waste of a perfectly good working day. As a vampire, he still hadn’t found a reason to be festive. Truth be told, he’d never had anything to celebrate until the day Cadence had given him a chance.
Part of him still expected to wake up from this dream and realize it had all been a figment of his imagination, perhaps even some evil spell Liana had concocted.
“It’s lovely out here.” Cadence clicked her teeth and snuggled closer, resting her head on his shoulder as they continued over the snow. A few wisps of her sandy hair escaped her hood and blew on the breeze, tickling his nose.
The flurries were beginning to pick up and visibility was dissipating. As long as it didn’t ruin the experience for Cadence, he wasn’t worried about the weather. He could have her home in a matter of seconds once they were done.
Zak peered down at the blonde beauty, meeting her brown eyes as she peeked up at him. He wasn’t entirely sure what Cadence wanted from him, but he hoped he could live up to her expectations.
Christmas was her favorite holiday, and he wanted this to be one that she remembered. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for her. Cadence was his light in the darkness. The woman he loved. His feelings still shocked him.
He stopped and looked around with a grin. "We’re here."
Cadence stepped away from him, pushing the hood of her cloak down so she could peer around. “It’s hard to believe an icon will be in this spot in another century,” she whispered as she turned around in a small circle.
“Change happens so swiftly that if we blink we don’t even notice it.” Take the two of them for example. In a matter of a few months, they’d gone from enemies to lovers and something so much more. When they’d landed in the water so many months ago he’d never anticipated they’d end up here enjoying each other’s company. His mother’s spell, though malicious, had inadvertently given him the one thing he desired. His mate—his true love. Cadence.
Cadence nodded, beaming. “True. But the Eiffel Tower, that’s...it’s an icon for the city. Whenever people think of Paris, it comes to mind. Now I can tell people I was here before it was built.”
“Not many people can do that,” he said. “I wish we could see the undertaking of it. Watching them build it always fascinated me.”
“You watched it?” she asked, her eyes widening.
Zak chuckled. “I told you Paris is one of my favorite cities. My family was here during its construction.”
“It must have taken them ages to build.” Cadence stared up at the sky.
“Not really. It only took about two and a half years.”
“Really? Wow! I know I’ve never seen it, but from what I understand it’s huge. How on earth did they finish it that fast?”
Zak shrugged, not knowing the answer to her question. There was something else on his mind.
Speaking of building things... He drew in a deep breath. “I made something for you.”
Swallowing, he reached into his pocket and withdrew the creation he’d folded up in a handkerchief. His fingers trembled as he thrust it toward her. It was silly, and he had no idea if she’d like the handmade carving. When she’d said Christmas was her favorite holiday the other night, he knew he couldn’t go through the day without giving her something. She already had the pendant he’d given her, and he wanted to give her something that would mean something. He just prayed he’d succeeded.
Cadence blinked as she took his present from him. He watched as she unfolded the fabric and picked up the tiny carving. Her fingers trailed over his work, and she smiled.
"I know it’s not the same as the real thing, but I figured you can keep it as a promise. One day, I’ll bring you back to the Eiffel Tower and you can see it for yourself. We’ll spend as long as you like vacationing in Paris.” He never made a promise unless he planned to keep it.
Her eyes darted up to his, and she smiled as she threw her arms around him, enveloping him in a tight hug. She crushed her body to his and kissed his cheek. “It’s beautiful. Thank you,” she said, her warm breath ghosting over his ear.
Zak held her close, enjoying the way her body clung to his. If this was just a dream, he never wanted to wake up. This moment was perfect and he c
ould stay here for eternity.
"Thank you." She pulled back and kissed his mouth. "I love you," she whispered against his lips.
His heart flopped in his chest at her words. He kissed her harder, flicking his tongue into her mouth. He wanted to tell her he loved her too, but the words got stuck in his throat. Instead he caressed her mouth with his tongue, praying that he could show her how he felt even if he couldn’t say it.
Part of him knew she was expecting him to say the words to her too, but he couldn’t. What if everything faded away once he admitted his feelings to her? What if it was just a dream? His heart would never recover. Monsters like him didn’t deserve a happily ever after.
Cadence pulled back and cupped his check, brushing her gloved fingers over his skin. "I have a present for you too."
"You do?" Zak asked. When had she had the time to get him something? He hadn’t let her out of his sight since they’d reunited. After losing her for weeks and wondering if she was okay while he scoured the countryside, he wasn’t leaving her alone for quite some time.
Cadence patted his cheek, drawing him from his thoughts. He flexed his fingers as he watched her. No one had ever given him a gift before.
She reached into the folds of her cloak and pulled something out, keeping the item in her closed fist. "I got this...well, I'm not really sure where...I was a bit lost...in case you didn't notice...when I was running from Malcolm," Cadence said. "But, uh...I saw this and it reminded me of you. As crazy as it was at the time, I had to get it.” She opened her palm, showing him a beaded wood necklace with a hand-carved charm attached to it.
Zak picked it up, running his fingers across the intricate woodwork of the sun and moon. Whoever had made it was skilled. The details rivaled his work. "Thank you, Cadence," he said as he gazed at her gift.
“In witchcraft, the circle represents never-ending life,” she said, trailing her pointer finger around the circle. “The sun and moon represent light and dark. The sun is bright and powerful and exudes strength. The black night sky represents darkness, but as the moon rises it shows that nothing is ever as dark as you think. There is always light. And where there is light, there is strength,” she whispered, tapping on the full moon on the carving.
“Where did you find this?” he asked as he eyed the gift. It was perfect.
“I saw it at a street fair when I was on my own, and it reminded me of you. It reminded me that no matter how dark it seemed right then, my light was looking for me,” she confessed as her eyes darted away from his. She nibbled on her lower lip and swallowed, clearly waiting for him to speak.
He cupped her chin and titled her face up to his. “I will always find you, Cadence.”
“I know.” She pressed her lips to his again. “It reminded me of you when I saw it. I held it in my palm at night when I tried to sleep and thought of you.”
She’d thought of him? He’d thought of her constantly during their separation. Finding her had been the one thing that kept him going. "Thank you, Cadence." He stroked her chin. "This is the nicest, most thoughtful present anyone has ever given to me. Merry Christmas."
“Merry Christmas.” She grinned. “This has been the best Christmas ever. I’m so glad that we got to spend it together.”
Zak tangled his hands in her long, wavy hair as he pulled her close. “Me too.”
She was right. This was the best Christmas ever, and it was because of her. Cadence was his light, his love, and his reason for being. He closed his eyes as he gathered her into his arms.
I love you, he thought as he pressed a kiss to her temple and sped them towards home.
Chapter Four
“Are you ready?” Jamie asked as she clutched her cell phone tighter. She drew in a deep breath and looked around Eli’s office. Everything was set for the spell, now it just had to work.
“Yeah, you?” Maddie said, the phone crackling as she breathed heavily into the receiver.
“As ready as I’m going to be.” She eyed the four vampires in the room. Trent had offered to come to ensure Maddie’s protection once she materialized in the room... though if Grace, Oliver, or Eli wanted the witch dead, there was nothing he could do to stop them. There was nothing she or Maddie could do either. The vampires were stronger and faster than the three of them. She blew out a breath, praying the trio would stick to their word and not harm Maddie.
They know what’s at stake; they’re not going to screw this up.
Her thoughts were little reassurance. These vampires could have something else up their sleeves.
I don’t have a choice but to trust them. Maddie can’t stay at the coven.
“Let’s do this.” She closed her eyes, set the phone down on the desk, and began to chant the spell.
Maddie’s voice echoed through the phone, saying the same words as she was. The room began to whirl, and Jamie blew out a breath between chants as she and Maddie spoke together. Her pulse roared in her ears and her heart pattered violently until the room stilled.
She opened one eye, and then the other. Maddie stood wide-eyed in the center of the room. Her brown eyes found Jamie, and she sighed as she ran her fingers through her dark brown hair.
Maddie giggled as she clapped her hands. “It worked.” She turned in a circle. Her gaze landed on the vampires for a long moment. She took a step back, the joyous smile slipping from her face.
Jamie licked her lips watching the trio, ready to take action in case one of them did something. The moments ticked by slowly until she finally let out a breath.
“We don’t have much time.” Eli was the first to speak. “It is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance.” He stepped forward and offered Maddie his hand.
“Likewise,” she said, slipping her palm into his but turning to look at Jamie.
“We have a private jet outside ready to take off,” he said, inclining his head to Jamie.
“What? Why?” Maddie asked, confusion evident on her face.
“We hope the coven won’t notice your absence for some time,” Eli told her. “When they do, we don’t want you here. You, Jamie, and Oliver will fly to Paris immediately to help do the same spell for Zak and Cadence. You will spend the remainder of the month with Oliver and Jamie, moving across Europe with a few other trusted vampires as escorts. You will return here a few days before the full moon. Hopefully the constant traveling will make you harder to find. However, we think it’s best for you to be here during the full moon where the clan can offer you its full protection.”
“Oh,” Maddie said, staring at Jamie.
“We should go.” Jamie took Maddie by the elbow. They didn’t have much time if they were going to attempt the spell for Zak and Cadence.
***
"What's bothering you?" Zak asked as he rubbed Cadence's shoulders. She was so tense.
"Just worried about this spell. I haven’t done a spell in months, and this is like a double whammy," she said, looking at the witch they’d acquired to send them to 1944. "We either end up in another of Malcolm's traps or in the middle of a war. Nothing too horrible, right?"
"Jamie's spell is going to work," he said confidently. "And France has already fallen to the Axis troops. There will be soldiers, but I don't think much fighting." Even so, they weren’t in the clear yet. The soldiers had done horrible things to the occupants of Paris. He just hoped Cadence wouldn't have to witness that.
She leaned into him. "Good, because I’m sure getting shot hurts."
“As soon as we get through, I’m going to start running,” he told her. She already knew the plan, but it bore repeating. “I doubt you’ll get shot.”
She nodded. “I’ve already been bitten by a werewolf and a vampire. I’d really rather not add gunshot wound to the list.”
She had a point. It was time for her to start preparing for their final trip home. Liana and Malcolm were going to prepare with every ounce of magic and muscle they could procure – they needed to be ready too. “When we get to Eli’s, I want us to start trainin
g again. Hand to hand and using your magic, understood?”
Cadence licked her lips but inclined her head. “Yes.”
“I’m not going to go easy on you. We should use our reprieve from Malcolm to get you ready for when we get home. I guarantee we’ll be walking into an ambush,” he said, meeting her gaze. Even if they did come through time at his family’s home, the witches and his father would be there, raging a war against them. The full moon made them vulnerable, and Liana wouldn’t stop until she completed her mission or died.
Cadence let out a breath. “I know.”
The witch interrupted them and they took their place, holding hands. Cadence's hand was clammy in his, and he gave her a reassuring squeeze, he wouldn't let anything happen to her. It was a silent promise that while he had no idea how he would keep it, he knew that he would. As the witch began to chant, he felt the familiar vertigo take over.
Cadence’s voice chimed in, repeating Jamie’s spell over and over again.
Flames roared to life around them, billowing high as Cadence clutched his hands tighter. The scenery whirled. He swallowed, trying to keep his balance.
It became silent as quickly as it started. Cadence sighed and gently rubbed her temples as they acclimated to their new surroundings. "I think it worked," she said, opening her eyes and flicking them over their surroundings.
"It did." He smirked as he put his hands on her shoulders, turning her so she was facing the Eiffel Tower. He heard her gasp and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Care for a private viewing?"
"Can we? Is it safe?” She turned in his embrace so she could look at him.
Zak glanced around. The street was deserted, no doubt all residents inside due to a curfew. “I think so. If anyone approaches, I’m pretty quick on my feet.”
“I'd love it," she said as she threw her arms around him. “Thank you.”
***
The night was cold and crisp, but even in the darkness he couldn't deny the beauty of the sight before him. He had never met anyone that compared to Cadence in all his years. Snow was beginning to fall and blanket the ground. Zak hoped that if the war didn’t end the weather would keep people indoors instead of out on the streets. They had only been atop the Eiffel Tower for thirty minutes, but Zak didn't want to linger too long.
