That plasti-file had been for me. Cora had been Winks’ spy. I felt my eyes swelling up.
“No! No! Calm down fast, or you’ll mess up your make-up,” Cora admonished. “Take a deep breath. Calm down,” Cora said as she demonstrated. She had stripped down to her bra and panties. “Are you good?”
I nodded. Cora turned her back to me and started pulling on a pale blue dress. Nadia wore the same color. I went into the bathroom and peed. My hands were trembling. Was this really happening? When I came out, Mrs. Stone encouraged me to strip completely. New undergarments were handed to me. Nadia had me to step into the gown’s opening. Then, she pulled it up and fastened the back. Cora tilted a long floor mirror so that I could see. Mrs. Stone made adjustments to my hair that was down and curled into long loose spirals. Cora touched up my lipstick.
“Is that really me?”
“Yes, sugar. You look beautiful,” Nadia said. She’d seen me bruised up more than once.
The dress’ dainty short sleeves began just off of my shoulders. The top was fitted and sewn so that the seams appeared to swirl down to my hips. The skirt became fuller and spread out in an oval train. Tiny pearls of blue and white and little shining crystals gave the appearance of delicate ocean spray.
“It’s gorgeous,” I said. It was the most beautiful dress I had ever seen.
Nadia arranged a veil into my hair that was held in place with tiny combs. “Here you go,” she said as she held my dress out of the way so that I could slide my feet into a pair of soft white flats.
Mrs. Stone handed me a pale blue silk square. “If you start to cry, dab. Don’t wipe,” she cautioned me.
Nadia handed me a bouquet of delicate white and light blue flowers that had been secured with a large trailing light blue ribbon. Mrs. Stone opened the door. “Okay, she’s ready,” she called out.
Winks came in. He looked at me and started crying. “Oh, Daddy.”
“No! No! No!” Cora said. “Breathe in and let it out. Don’t cry. Remember your make-up.”
Nadia said, “You clean up nice, Winks.”
He had changed into a fancy black suit. He offered me his arm. Nadia pulled the veil down over my face. “Come on, baby girl. Tadashi is down there sweating terrified you’ll disappear.”
I laughed. “No, he isn’t.”
“Oh, yes he is,” Winks chuckled.
Nadia picked up the back of my dress as the five of us entered the lift. As we stepped out, hotel employees and guests whispered which made me even more nervous. “Wait,” Nadia said as she straightened out the back of my dress. “Okay.”
Mrs. Stone, Cora, and Nadia walked in front of us. I was shaking and clutched Winks’ arm. “I didn’t realize getting married was such a big deal.”
“It is on Cassini. Don’t worry. I’ll walk you in to Tadashi. Then, you will be given directions for what to do.”
“Okay.”
I heard soft music playing. Large flower arrangements were to either side of the entrance to the large conference room. The room had been transformed into a palace of sparkling white and blue that was full of flower arrangements. People, some of whom I knew, stood in front of their decorated chairs to either side of us. It looked like the entire town had been invited. I recognized people from the town’s stores, Yago, Dr. Benjamin, the Harbor Master, Mr. Tavora, and Mr. Julian. Cosmo, Dorian, and Lord Tanaka wore fancy black suits, too. Snappy was in the front and to the right with a fluffy blue bow around his neck. I laughed. My nerves momentarily forgotten.
Then, I noticed Tadashi waiting for me at the end of the room. Everyone else seemed to become fuzzy around the edges. Tadashi was beautiful. His shiny brown hair was freshly cut. His brown eyes sparkled. His jawline looked even stronger next to the crisp white collar poking out above the black suit jacket. When Winks and I were close to Tadashi, Daddy lifted the veil and pushed it back. When he looked into my eyes, I choked up, and my eyes began to fill. He kissed my forehead and placed my hand on Tadashi’s arm. Cora took the flowers from me and sat beside Ivan. I remembered to blot under my eyes.
“I am the luckiest of men to have an ethereal goddess with whom to pass my existence,” Tadashi said as he kissed my fingers. Tadashi turned his head, smiled, and nodded. I realized we stood before Gregory, who wore his priestly robes of blue and white. Again, my eyes began to fill.
“Friends and loved ones, today we are gathered to witness the joining of two souls as one. With their joining, so too are their separate families joined creating one,” Gregory said in his deep voice.
The rest of his words were a blur as I trembled. When prompted, I placed my hand to the scanner and repeated words of promise to Tadashi. Tadashi took my hand, removed my diamond and jade ring, pushed a gold band onto my finger, and then replaced it. Then, Tadashi took me into his arms kissing me long and deep.
Reality came crashing back with the feel of his tongue to mine and his warm strong arms around me. Sound suddenly returned, and I wondered if I had slipped without realizing it. Cheers and applause filled the room. Tadashi raised me back up and stared into my eyes as he ended our kiss. Joy bubbled up through me, and I laughed, wrapped my arms around his neck, and kissed him again.
“Friends and family, throughout the first floor of the Wisteria, you will find music, dancing, food, and of course, an open bar. May you each enjoy yourselves this evening as much as the happy couple will enjoy tonight!” Lord Tanaka announced while I blushed.
Loud cheers erupted. People came up to congratulate us including Mr. and Mrs. Finn. Tadashi held the back of my dress and led me past a grinning Dorian and into the restaurant. A large table had been set and reserved for family.
“Finally, you are my wife. A huge twisting worry is lifted from me whose weight I did not realize until the moment I saw your beautiful hand touch the scanner.” Tadashi decided that I was too far away seated next to him and lifted me to his lap. I smiled and kissed him.
“About what were you worried?”
“I feared you might decide to marry someone else or not at all.”
I shook my head and traced my finger over his bottom lip. Sadness overwhelmed me. “When I thought I’d lost you, I felt it would be better to die than to go on without you.”
Alarm filled his eyes. “Okami do not die. We can fade, but we never cease to exist.”
“I didn’t know that until Dorian told me. Know that my very soul is wound together with yours. Okay?”
Tadashi nodded, slipped his fingers into my hair, and kissed me again. I could feel him hardening against me. The restaurant filled with lewd noises and teasing.
“At least they’ve got plenty of rooms at their disposal,” Mr. Julian yelled out.
“I hope he lets her eat dinner first. It looks like she’ll need the energy,” I heard from a little old lady.
I turned and blushed when I saw the comment had come from Mrs. Stevens, who sat at a table with Mrs. Stone and some other little old ladies. They laughed. Tadashi gave me a naughty grin and returned me to my chair. Winks sat down beside me. Then, Cosmo, Lord Tanaka, Dorian, Gregory, and Mr. and Mrs. Finn joined us. We had fancy seafood, grilled chicken, and lots of different vegetables. We were served a sweet spiked coffee topped with whipped cream for dessert.
“Time for gifts,” Winks said as he handed me a flat box.
“Daddy, thank you. This beautiful and completely perfect wedding is more than enough though.”
“Just open it,” he said in a hushed serious tone with a sincere look in his green eyes.
I untied the bow and removed the lid. A data pad was inside. “Cool! Thanks! This will be great for my classes.”
“Activate it,” Winks said.
Tadashi looked over my shoulder at the screen as I pushed the button. A news recording began to play. A breaking news story was being covered in several universes. The priceless work of art stolen from the Laconian Ambassador had been returned. It was discovered in the Ambassador’s private residence along with an untraceable note of apol
ogy. My bottom lip quivered, and there was nothing that I could do to stop my tears. I blubbered out, “Oh, Daddy. I’m so proud of you.”
“I’m thinking of a new more challenging hobby,” Winks said with a grin. More loudly he said, “Only the best data pad credits can buy for my little girl.” Daddy wasn’t going to admit to any knowledge of that painting. I laughed.
“Oh, there goes your make-up,” Cora said as she leaned over my shoulder, titled up my chin, and used a napkin to push up all underneath my eyes.
“Cora, come here,” Ivan said with a laugh.
Dorian said, “I have a gift for you.” Even the little old ladies looked appreciatively at Dorian. He was striking in his fancy black suit.
“Thanks, Dorian.” I unwrapped the heavy box and gasped in surprise. Three beautifully illustrated books of myths, legends, and fairytales were inside. “Dorian, they’re beautiful.”
Dorian leaned in close. “Those are different. All of those stories are true.” I raised my eyes up to his in surprise. Dorian flashed his white teeth at me and returned to his seat.
Tadashi took a box from Lord Tanaka. “I have a gift for my bride.” Opening it, I found a carved box. Inside of it was a heavy stick. I looked quizzically at Tadashi. He held out his palm, so I placed the stick on it. Scooting back and holding his arm out to the side, he flicked his arm. The ends of the stick elongated. “This is a bo staff. I will teach you to fight with it as my wedding gift to you.”
I stared at Tadashi, the man who truly understood me. He might fantasize about keeping me safely tucked away, but he would never want me to pretend to be someone else. “I love you, Tadashi Shimizu.”
“I love you, Clue Taylor Shimizu.” Tadashi flicked his wrist, the bo staff shrank, and he returned it to the box.
I heard a thumping sound and looked over at Snappy. Cosmo cleared his throat. “Snappy, Gregory, and I have something for you.” I could tell from Cosmo’s eyes that he was trying to hide his disappointment that I had married Tadashi. Cosmo handed me a velvet pouch. I opened it, and a silver necklace with a pendent slid out onto my palm.
Set in silver was an oval cut out of Snappy’s scale that I had found on the beach. Set within the scale was a single sapphire along with the fishhook. Cosmo’s eyes met mine. He said, “Nothing has to change between us.” I nodded. Tadashi fastened the talisman around my neck.
We heard happy shouting from the lobby. Snappy whacked his tail against the carpet and made a chuffing sound. Laughing, Tadashi scooped me up into his arms. The train of my dress trailed over his arm to the floor. The hotel doors were being held open by guests who leaned against them. Tadashi strode through them. At least forty of us were in the middle of the street. It was very cold. Instead of raindrops, white flakes fell from the sky.
“Is this real snow?” Tadashi spun me around. I examined a few of the flakes that stuck to his black jacket. “Tadashi, they’re little tiny snowflakes!”
Tadashi asked, “Will you dance with me in the freshly falling snow?”
“I’d love to,” I said as I smiled up at his handsome face. Tadashi held me close as he lowered my slippered feet to the street, swayed, and turned with me. “I love dancing in the snow with you.”
When my teeth chattered, Tadashi swooped me up and maneuvered us around our guests. Tadashi’s mood had suddenly changed. I wasn’t sure what had caused the tension and feared perhaps Liam was near. However, the male guests began saying inappropriate things and attempting to impede Tadashi’s progress to the lift. Dorian helped clear a path. I blushed at the loud jokes and teasing.
Tadashi’s tension became clear to me in the bedroom as it strained against his pants. Carefully, he removed my veil and gown. With his own clothes, he was not careful. His hot wet mouth and strong warm hands seemed everywhere at once. Gasping, my knees seemed to lose their ability to hold my weight, and I clutched at his well-muscled shoulders to keep from falling. Tadashi’s lips met mine, and he lifted me with his hands under my thighs. I wrapped my legs around his waist freeing his hands to spread across my back.
Tadashi lowered me to the bed and gripped my left ankle. He brought my foot close to his face and the turned his head licking from my ankle bone, along my calf, and behind my knee. There, he paused. His breath and lips made me frantic. I couldn’t see his eyes, only his soft shiny brown hair as he licked down my thigh to my center. There, he closed his mouth over me and gently sucked. I screamed. He kept his hand wrapped around my ankle. When he repositioned himself above me, he returned my foot to where it had been at the back of his waist. He entered me slowly while gazing into my eyes. I shattered twice around his tip.
“Your reaction delights me. Why is it so easy for me to please you?”
I gasped as he pushed himself inside of me. “Because it’s you. It’s your eyes and the love I see in them when you look at me. It’s the words you say. It’s that you really want me the way I am. Then, you touch me, and I’m done.”
Tadashi’s eyes softened even more. However, the rest of him grew harder. He growled as he began to energetically pump himself into me. His wild movements stole my control and my thoughts, swept me up, and shattered me with pleasure. My legs fell to the bed boneless from where I had clutched him. Tadashi increased the speed of his thrusts as though driven by a need too strong and primal to control. He clamped his teeth down on my shoulder and yelled out with the force of his own release. He continued to shudder and thrust. He licked my shoulder where his teeth had marked me and then kissed me. I ran my manicured nails up his back making him shiver. His pupils had grown large and black.
“We must dress and make another appearance at our wedding party. They will wish to toast our union, and the women will want you to throw your flowers.”
“Seriously? Can’t we just stay in bed?”
“Think of Colwyn.”
I sighed. “Fine.”
We cleaned up. Tadashi helped me get back into my dress. He hung my veil from the handle of one of his swords and smiled about it. My mouth was red from Tadashi’s kisses, but my lipstick was gone. I watched as he put on his shoes. He tucked his white shirt into his black pants and rolled up his shirt sleeves. He left the tie and jacket behind.
“Everyone is going to know what we’ve been doing,” I said as we entered the lift.
Tadashi chuckled. There were loud cheers that spread as people caught sight of us. Men congratulated Tadashi by patting him on the back which had my cheeks burning. Winks was in the bar with Mr. Julian, Nadia, and Lord Tanaka. The four of them were not sober. The bartender brought me a sweet tea with raspberry vodka mixed into it.
“My beautiful baby is married,” Winks said sadly.
“Yes, now you have a daughter and the addition of a fine, strong son,” Lord Tanaka stated as he patted him on the back.
“Oh, I guess so. I didn’t think of it like that.”
Tadashi and I wandered around. The older guests had gone home. The Finns had a room at the Wisteria. Cora kissed my cheek as she and Ivan congratulated us again before going home. A light snow had continued to fall.
“Clue, I’m going to take Snappy home. I am happy for you, but just remember. If Tadashi pisses you off, you’ve got me,” Cosmo said. He blew me a kiss and winked at me.
“Yes, Cosmo.”
Gregory was having a conversation with a few of the rescued sailors about Palena, Goddess of the Ocean Waves, and his dream of building a place of reflection in her honor.
Mr. Tavora approached us and said, “Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Shimizu. As a wedding gift, you have the rest of the week off.” Mr. Tavora chuckled, shook Tadashi’s hand, and left.
“What exactly is he?” I asked after Mr. Tavora had gone.
“He is a minor sea dragon, perhaps only as strong as Palena’s sirens in the spirit realm, but in the mortal realm he is very lucky. His temperament is not always as kind and patient as Snappy’s.”
The next morning while Winks, Nadia, Mr. Julian, and just about everyone else in t
own slept off the effects of the party, Tadashi playfully woke me up by pulling the blankets slowly down my body with his teeth. His eyes glittered with excitement.
“Again?” I asked somewhat alarmed.
Tadashi laughed. “Please, dress warmly. We wish to go to our forest.” Grumbling, I got up. Tadashi chased me while nipping at my butt on my way into the bathroom. I shrieked and ran. He urged me to dress quickly. “Don’t bother with your hair. Come,” he said with a boyish smile. He carried my coat, hat, gloves, and scarf.
Dorian and Lord Tanaka waited for us in the transport. Dorian handed me a lidded coffee and a bag with a pastry inside. I yawned and ate. “Does your throat hurt?” Dorian asked.
Tadashi was in the process of wrapping the warm scarf around my neck.
“No, why?” I asked.
“From all of the yelling last night.”
“What yelling?”
Dorian turned a skeptical gaze upon me and in a high-pitched and terrible imitation of me said, “Tadashi! Oh! Oh! Tadashi!” Lord Tanaka laughed. I felt the color drain from my face. “You must be exhausted,” Dorian added.
“You heard us? I’m that loud?”
“I feared she would not be able to walk,” Lord Tanaka said from the driver’s seat.
“Do not worry, little wife. I will help you punish them for this teasing.” Tadashi kissed my nose while pulling a hat over my ears. The sun hadn’t yet risen, but the snowy blanket of white made it easy to see. After Lord Tanaka parked in the snow covered clearing, they all hurried to get out of the heated transport. I was less enthusiastic. “Come, wife.”
I could hear Dorian’s snicker preceding his. “Again?” comment. Narrowing my eyes in annoyance, I got out. It looked like a new alien world, pristine and unexplored.
“It’s so still and quiet,” I said in awe.
“Much like how Tadashi’s bedroom once was,” Lord Tanaka said as he began to strike his fist into his open palm with a hard steady rhythm.
“Oh!” I said in horror when I realized the sound he imitated.
Clue and the Sea Dragon (The Clue Taylor Series Book 2) Page 17
