“Would you be interested in going up there to visit him at his new place? Alfonso commissioned me to do some paintings of their childhood estate in Madrid and I should have them finished pretty soon. It’d give you a chance to see him again. Maybe the two of you could talk.”
“He hasn’t returned any of my calls or emails. You should probably just take Dom.”
“Well, I’m not sure he’s ready for a social call with his brother, either, although I’m hopeful that day will come. Stubbornness seems to be a Serrano family trait. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, you need to love your family while you have them.”
Lily walked around Mackenzie again, straightening the tiered lace layers of her wedding gown. “Speaking of families, your mother cracks me up. She was convinced Jackson was trying to look up her skirt earlier.”
They looked at each other and laughed. “He probably was.”
Corey burst through the doors, his skater shoes a stark contrast to his slightly wrinkled tuxedo. “Kenzie, Shirl wantedme to tell you that it’s almost midnight. Everyone’s waiting. It’s time to— Wow, you look great.”
“She cleans up well, eh?” Lily said. “Okay, let’s get a move on.”
With his chin held high, knowing all eyes were on him, Dom waited at one end of the red velvet carpet that stretched down the center of the expansive lawn. The other end covered the stairs of the lodge’s veranda, disappearing into the ornate doorway, and a small gathering of people lined up along the side near the center. They watched him now, but he knew that at any moment their heads would crane around to seeher.The steady but slightly elevated sound of her heartbeat caressed his mind, reassuring him she was very near. For probably the millionth time, he reached up to smooth down his ponytail. He wasn’t accustomed to wearing the stiff-collared cloak of his ancestors.
“Would you stand still?” Chuck laid a hand on his shoulder. “It’s almost time.”
As if on cue, the sound of a single chime broke the silence, and Dom felt his heart pound even harder against his ribs. When he rubbed his forefingers along his thumbs, he had to force himself to stop. For the past year his father’s ring had sat on his own wedding ring finger and the other, his mother’s, after some adjustments, had sat on Mackenzie’s. Tonight, in the tradition of his people, would be the ceremony that celebrated their now-eternal bond. Squaring his shoulders as the chiming continued its midnight countdown, Dom peeled his gaze from the doors and glanced over at Chuck, standing to his right.
“You’ve made a wise choice, son. Your father would be very proud of you.”
As the twelfth gong sounded, the double doors at the far end of the red carpet opened and there, in the doorway, she stood. With her dark curls fanned out over her shoulders, she wore a flowing ivory dress and matching hip-length coat with a velvet collar and cuffs, and sheer sleeves. She had told him it was covered in gold French embroidery, but he hadn’t seen it until now.
His breath caught in his throat as a hush descended over the guests. Her form was almost ethereal, shimmering in the light of hundreds of candles. Although he would never have thought it possible, she was even more beautiful to him after going through the change seven nights ago. That she went through the agonizing blood ritual for him, to become like him, when he was perfectly happy with her as a human, still amazed him. This woman had sacrificed everything for him, and he vowed to cherish her every day for the rest of his life. At the top of the stairs, she paused and his soul reached out for hers.
When the humming of the soloist began, he lifted his arm in a loving command and Mackenzie descended the steps toward him. After piano notes joined the hauntingly beautiful singing, he started walking toward her and they met in the middle.
As he looked down upon her upturned face and felt the heady warmth rolling off her body, he was struck with the desire to bow at her feet. She’d called him her savior, but it was he who should be worshipping her. She was the one who’d saved him and brought him out of the darkness.
Eres la luz que ilumina la oscuridad de mi vida. Thank you, Lord.He lifted his eyes to the heavens.
Mackenzie untied the silk ribbon of her coat and slipped it off her shoulders. A sweet fragrance wafted up from her skin and hair, somewhat familiar and yet different. It was gloriously musky, and he closed his eyes for a moment as it invaded his nostrils. Was it from the ritual oils anointing her body or thesmell of her since her change? They had not lain together yet so he couldn’t be sure.
When she bent on one knee, her pale peach toenails peeked out from the hem of her dress. Dropping her coat at his feet, she looked up into his eyes and began to speak.
“All that I was, all that I am, all that I will be, I surrender myself to you.” Her voice, though soft, rang out through the still night air for all to hear.
He grasped both of her hands and pulled her back to her feet. With a shrug, he slipped off his cloak, revealing his bare chest, and wrapped it around her shoulders as a sign of his protection. From his pocket, he pulled out a princess-cut diamond solitaire, flanked with tiny emeralds. She gasped as he slipped it on her finger, where it nestled against her filigreed wedding ring.
Oh my God, Dom, it’s absolutely beautiful.
She twisted it around and watched as it sparkled in the candlelight, shooting tiny prisms onto her gown. Moisture tinged her dark lashes as she looked up at him and his heart soared. Exactly the reaction he had hoped for when he had it designed. He’d purposely not told her about this little detail of the ceremony.
Then, after turning to take the ornately carved sword from its scabbard, which Chuck held in outstretched hands, Dom bent on one knee at her feet. He repeated the same vow to her and offered her the weapon.
“I give to you my strength and power. Your enemies are my enemies and I will give my life to protect you and our family.”
He stood and with his hand over hers, pulled the blade across the palm of his hand. Then he did the same to her careful to barely nick her skin. Chuck took the weapon from him and sheathed it without wiping off the blood.
His hand still joined with hers, Dom was bending his head to kiss his wife, his mate, his forever, when he heard her sharp intake of breath.
She was looking at her coat, still crumpled at his feet.
What is it, love?he started to say until his thoughts to her stopped. Several drops of their mingled blood had dripped onto the coat, marring the delicate ivory fabric. His knees almost collapsed at the sight.
How was this—? His heart swelled impossibly larger in his chest and his hands, clasped over hers, began I shake. When she lifted her chin to him, he felt her concern but couldn’t see it etched on her face. Everything was blur through his warm tears.
What’s wrong? I’m not upset about the coat, just surprised.
