She saw only women and children; the men were barely visible in the distance, where they were working a large tobacco field. For a moment Ari was confused, but then she saw a small boy, no more than eight years old, with short dreadlocks. Intrigued, she followed him, watching as the boy snuck out of the camp and towards a large shed. He whistled once and then a small girl appeared from behind the poorly made shed, and Ari knew instantly from the girl’s plumb rosy cheeks and braided hair, that it was Larissa and the boy was Cambridge. She watched as Larissa reached for Cambridge, while Cambridge looked around hesitantly.
“I don’t care what colour you are,” said Larissa, reaching forwards and kissing him on the cheek once. “I just don’t want you to get in trouble. My father would kill you if he found out.”
Cambridge smiled, letting a cheeky laugh before saying, “There are some things worth dying for.”
Instantly Ari was reminded of that deep booming laugh that she often associated with Cambridge, and the last words he had spoken to her before he had saved them all from the blood hunter. He had always been ready to die for Larissa; die to become a vampire and die to be with her in the afterlife.
Back in the present, Ari felt small tears well in her eyes. She could have easily let them fall but she didn’t. Rather she blinked them away and let her memories of Cambridge and Larissa be only happy ones. As she continued walking down the aisle, Ari’s eyes suddenly fell on Lea. Ari had barely smiled at her before she was once again thrown into the future. She saw Lea, her red fiery hair waving freely in the wind. Still it had the same fierce red glow to it but it was longer, and there were now the smallest hints of age around her large brown eyes. For a moment Ari was afraid that Lea was alone and that she would single-handedly feel the sting of mortality. But just as soon as that dreadful thought occurred, Ari saw Chris. His light blue eyes were locked on Lea in admiration; the first witch and wraith to fall in love, although they weren’t really. Grandor had been the first witch and he had fallen in love with Narsissa, the wraith. Like Lea, Chris was older. The large intricate tattoos that wound around his arms were slightly faded, and his dark hair gave way to a few grey strains. Two children raced to their sides; one boy with red hair and tiny brown freckles that dotted his cheeks and one girl with long shiny black hair.
“Daddy, tell me again why Sam gets to be a witch and I have to be a wraith,” the girl said, glaring at her younger brother with her hands on her hips. “Sam says that I will be evil. It’s not fair.”
“Oh Ava,” said Chris, swooping down and grabbing his daughter in her arms. “Just because you were born a wraith, it doesn’t define you. We set our own destiny… we make our own choices. Do you know why your middle name is? It’s Christine. I named you after your grandfather. He was a wraith and for a long time he thought that he had to be dark, controlled by the gift that binds us… but in the end, when it mattered most, he chose to be good. He died to save my life. Don’t for one second think that you haven’t got a choice.”
Still cradling his daughter, Chris looked over and smiled at Lea, and she smiled back, winking as she said, “I told you so.”
Back in the present, Ari smiled knowingly as she walked past Chris, but couldn’t help thinking about Ryder and Patrick, the last of the coven who were not there. Yet even without their presence, flashes of the future came to Ari. She did not see Patrick’s future; rather her vision took her to Ryder’s grave, where two small golden bands sat side by side on the earth in front of his tombstone in the Young cemetery. She knew that Patrick had placed them there; a symbol of what his and Ryder’s life together should have been.
As Ari continued to move to the music, the last person she saw was Ragon. He looked magnificent, wearing a black suit with tails like Jamie, though his bowtie was white and matched the rose petals that she stepped over as she glided towards him. It took every inch of her self-control not to race to him, but she maintained her posture. At the same time Ragon’s eyes widened in appreciation and his face broke into a smile that Ari mirrored immediately. They had been through so much together, overcome darkness and shadows, all because their love was worth fighting for.
Again Ari had a vision, though this time it was her own future that she saw, as well as Ragon’s.
She saw their life together, their happiness that could not be felt in one life time, let alone many. For the first time since losing her parents, Larissa, Cambridge and Ryder, Ari felt whole, not broken or damaged but perfectly, wonderfully, blissfully alive. And then she saw something in her future that made her heart sing, and finally dislodge the single tear that had been threatening to slide down her face since she had started walking down the aisle.
In her vision, Ari was standing with Ragon and Jamie, atop a cliff. The rocky surface they stood on seemed to stretch for miles, while below them were majestic green rolling hills.
“Are you ready?” asked Jamie, looking at Ragon and Ari, before peering down below to the valley.
Ari nodded, smiling ruefully, while Ragon said, “Is anyone going to tell me what this is all about?”
“It’s a surprise. Something that you told me you missed,” said Ari.
Then, without warning, golden sunlight rose from the valley, blanketing the cliff in bright yellow light. Ragon’s eyes widened, his face falling in fear, as the burning sun reflected in his enormous green eyes. Jamie moved to stand behind them, just as thick shadows poured from him, blanketing Ragon. When the sun reached his toes, Ragon looked around at Ari, his eyes still wide.
“Happy anniversary my love,” Ari whispered, just as the bright sunlight encased them.
Protected by Jamie’s power, Ragon squeezed Ari’s hand, his eyes closing as the warm rays settled on his skin. And, for the first time in over two hundred years, Ragon was able to sit with his wife and feel the warmth of the sun, as if they were two mortals, simply watching the sunrise.
The End
***
Did you enjoy Ragon and Ari’s story?
Visit the Bell Stoires website and subscribe to receive the latest novels released and any new works in the pipeline.
www.bellstoires.com
And don’t forget to say hello on facebook
https://www.facebook.com/BellStoires
Bound (The Grandor Descendant Series Book 3) Page 43
