Talon

by Alice Wade

  “Why don’t you go back to the room and wait, we’ll get him for you,” Talon suggested. He was amused by her discomfort but wanted to ease her anxiety. She should not be frantic on this day, but filled with joy.

  “Would you?”

  “Go. We’ll collect him,” Talon said again.

  At the smithies, they found Dace completely consumed with watching the master pour a clear liquid into the mold that clearly was a curved blade. Talon had actually never seen that metal before and was curious to what could cause molten metal to turn clear as glass. He knew this was important, so waited until the mold filled before he cleared his throat surprising both men.

  “You’re late,” Talon could not hold back the laugh that bubbled out at the flash of realization that shaped Dace’s face—the man panicked.

  “Oh, no. ” With one thought, Dace blinked out using the teleportation skills that Cuilwen had endowed him with.

  Talon was laughing in earnest now. Kailani hide her smile behind her hand as she nodded to the master before she dragged her mate out of the hot location and towards their room. They didn’t have the benefit of teleportation so needed to move it or they’d be late themselves.

  “Wait, I really wanted to learn what that was,” he half-turned to look at the cooling metal.

  “Later. You need a bath and also to get dressed. If I remember correctly, you are giving her away. Delaying now is not such a good idea,” Kailani said while tugging on his arm in the direction of their quarters.

  He released an exhale in defeat, “You are right. However, that metal was strange. Did you see it was clear?”

  “Yes, but I care not. That is for others to wonder on. Now can we please go?” Her voice was more insistent along with a firmer tug on his hand.

  “Yes, my apologies, love.” Talon chuckled and allowed her to lead him away.

  * * * *

  Dace stood staring at his reflection and felt a wild nervousness race through his body. It was strange to be feeling this way, because according to his elven time scale, they were mated for three years. This moment should be just that, a moment, but he still found himself to be extremely nervous.

  Omar would meet him when he arrived and stand at his side while he and Lainey exchanged their wedding vows, so he had nothing to fear. Yet he still was scared.

  Dace took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he did one last check on his suit. The material was similar to Lainey’s but a shade of taupe rather than white. He turned a little to the side to admire the long tails which hung just below his firm butt, giving him a formal appearance. This royal doublet was skillfully made and tailored to his broad chest, along with the tight leather pants which hugged his chiseled thighs. The elven seamstress didn’t hold back any detail and even attached tiny pearls to his doublet that matched the ones in Lainey’s hair. He looked stunning and rather royal if he had to admit.

  Talon watched this from the doorway with a smirk on his face, “You look shocked to be wearing a royal doublet.”

  Dace spun around, “Ah, a little. I knew it before, but to see me in it is something else,” his eyes darted back to his reflection.

  “Well, you are marrying my ward, so by default you are royalty.” Talon peeled from the door frame and entered. “Not to mention you are already part of my family, so this is appropriate.”

  “Yeah, I know. Still.”

  Talon chuckled. “Come on, are you ready?”

  Dace turned and looked at Talon, taking in his attire for the first time. He was wearing a similar royal doublet but of a different color. His was constructed of fabric in the palest blue, just enough to say it had color, but it was enough to compliment his searing blue eyes. He’d let his hair grow shaggy, just long enough to have volume, so as Dace watched, Talon ran his elegant hand through it to smooth it out.

  “We’re waiting outside for you. Lainey is busting with anticipation, so can we please depart? The faster this is over with, the faster you two can actually enjoy your day,” Talon replied with amusement.

  “Yes, of course.” Dace practically danced towards the door. He’d been waiting for this day for so long and could not wait to officially, in the eyes of his human friends, claim her as his wife. To everyone else, vampire and elven, they were already a mated pair.

  Talon only laughed and followed. He’d never really participated in a human wedding before, so this entire event was somewhat of a novelty for him. Between the violent emotional outbursts during the planning to the extreme anxiety in anticipation of the moment, Talon was transfixed and somewhat amused.

  They found their women outside, along with Cuilwen, Athradien, and Daerwen standing calmly off to the side. Lainey looked about ready to pass out, but at the sight of Dace, she smiled.

  “I think we’re ready,” Talon announced with signal to Cuilwen who would be transporting them to their human home. Within moments they were there, standing on the knoll of a field that below them held hundreds of people waiting. Someone must have seen their arrival because there was gasp and then all heads turned in their direction.

  “Here we go, baby,” Dace whispered in Lainey’s ear just before he planted a small kiss. “See you at the altar, love.” He then stepped forward and met Omar. Together they walked to the front, where they both stood waiting.

  Talon was in the back with his father watching this with a certain level of detachment. He wasn’t feeling the anxiety of the ceremony but was lost in the emotion nonetheless. Daerwen watched him with a sidelong glance then leaned in. “You know, you have a lovely family.”

  That caused the vampire to flinched and turn in his direction. “What?”

  “Lainey and Dace, they are lovely. I’m proud of you, son. I thought I had lost all hope of you fostering a child and forming a family, but you’ve proven me wrong yet again. I mean what I said, they are lovely.”

  Talon swallowed an emotional lump then nodded, “I’m proud of them too.”

  “I’m more proud of you. You made wonderful choices when faced with such adversity. You found a charming mate, and your family is perfection. I have no complaints and frankly, I’m humbled by your honor.” Daerwen touched his forehead then his heart before he nudged him towards Lainey. “She waits.”

  How right his father was. Lainey was watching him with extreme agitation and stood there fidgeting by shifting from one foot to the other. Talon looked over the audience one last time, spying Adara’s weeping face, Makena and Quincy holding their young infant, and even Ian was smiling. All the renegades were in attendance along with their reunited family members. All in all, it was an impressive turnout for two people who were nobody special until they chose to take a stand against the Dûr Falas and became someone special. To this group, these two were their leaders, their friends.

  Talon swallowed again, the emotion of the moment hitting him for the first time. He would be walking her down the aisle and ‘giving her away’ whatever that meant, to Dace. He smiled at Kailani one last time, squeezed the tiny hand that clutched his elbow and prepared to take a step forward.

  He was overcome with the joy that he’d finally found and accepted his family. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that he’d never been this happy or content before, even when he’d converted Kailani. He realized something in that split second: he finally felt complete. Never again would he ever be alone or fear of being abandoned, for these three people, these family members would never leave his side.

  Kailani watched his emotions disintegrate and touched his mind, “Are you all right?”

  Talon’s mental smile said it all, but he still added, “Couldn’t be better.”

  He looked lovingly down at Lainey, his ward and whispered, “Ready?”

  “Oh, yes,” she moaned. “Let’s get this over with.”

  Talon chuckled as he took that first step with Lainey at his side. Al
l heads turned and everyone, including Ian stood up to witness Lainey walk past.

  Overcome with the outpouring of love for these two, Talon slyly reached up and wiped the tear in his eye before he embarrassed himself. With a slow march, they walked down the aisle to meet the beaming Dace at the front. Talon knew in that moment all would now be well. His coven was finally complete.

  About the Author:

  Alice Wade graduated from University of California, Santa Cruz with a degree in Psychology. She is a Marketing Professional by day, writer by night and has devoted herself to using the written word to motivate emotional responses.

  With her writing, she’s proven that anything is possible if you just try, as evident by the accomplishments to date. She has written a total of nine novels, three of which are being published with Eternal Press. Talon (April 2012) is a Paranormal Romance and will be the first to release. This is followed by two books in the Flame Thrower Saga: Flame Thrower (May 2012) and A Jewel of the Kingdom (TBD), both books are Romantic Fantasy.

  Alice does take breaks, however. When she is not writing, she loves camping with her family (two step daughters plus very supportive husband), learning to fly fish around California, and playing with her two Boxer dogs.

  Visit her online at:

  http://www.alicewadewritings.com/

  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alice-Wade/261678170529712

  http://twitter.com/#!/AliceWadexx

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