Chapter 41
Bash
The moment Elina took up residence in my head was euphoric beyond measure. The thread of her life weaving its way into my consciousness was the mostrightI have felt in almost 500 years. Knowing that she felt me too, sending me waves of joy, was something I always hoped I would experience, but never knew if I would. I would have taken the vow eventually, if only to continue my family line and meet my obligations, but it wouldn’t have been like this.
Now that the ceremony is over, it’s time for the party. Getting Celeste bundled into the back of the suv with Jack so she gets home safely, I wander back into the cattedrale to watch the magic. The room is almost instantly transformed into a club-like space, multi-colored lights strobing from the balconies, and people dancing to the music in the middle of the cleared church. Alcohol and blood flow freely from fountains stationed around the room. Humans lining the edges of the room, waiting to be of service to any vampires, either their blood or their bodies.
I warned Elina about the party when we first discussed the ceremony, and I warned her, again, last night when she asked me if we could do the binding today.
“Ok, if we can do it whenever, I want to do it now. Tonight,” she replies earnestly.
“Well, I think tomorrow. There are some preparations to be made, plus there is the party to plan.”
“Party?” she asks me with an inquisitive lift of her brow.
“Yes, the party. Remember when I explained the Legame di Sangue? Back in the letters. The party after the ceremony—the orgy?”
Her eyes widen comically. “I, uh, had forgotten that. Do I have to be in an orgy?” she asks incredulously.
Laughing and gathering her in my arms, I reassure her, “No,Tesoro, you don’t have to. But you could. If you wanted. It wouldn’t matter to me. You will be bound to me and the only thing the bond wants is your happiness…if you’re happy with another man between your thighs…well…I shall endeavor to work harder to please you, but I wouldn’t stop you.”
She slaps my arm. “I will not be orgy-ing”
Despite my warning, I am concerned she doesn’t fully grasp what is going to be happening here tonight.
Watching her sway to the music in her wedding gown fills me with emotion. My cousins did spectacularly with her dress. It's entirely black including the tulle and lace. The full ball gown skirt fans out around her, what seems like a thousand layers of cloth making her look like a princess of the night. The top is a form fitting, lace up corset, similar to the one she was wearing when I saw her for the very first time, and it looks as stunning now as it did then. The onyx and diamond tiara on her head, with its delicate filigree, fits her perfectly, and I wish I could see her this happy and gorgeous every single day.
The demons of our collective pasts still haunt us, but tonight, she is the shining star in the night sky as she commands the attention of everyone in the room. Everyone revolves around her like she is the sun and we are her servants. Aura approaches her where she dances, whispering in her ear. She giggles freely and allows Aura to pull her away.
“Where are you going,Tesoro?” I yell after them and they look back at me, laughing loudly. Seeing her so free, and hearing her joy, is like finding a piece of my soul that was missing. But feeling the pure bliss radiating out of her, pulsing in my brain, is transcendent.
Watching the way she disappeared, I wait for her to reappear. I feel Jack before I notice he has walked up behind me.
“Sebastien, my friend, my brother, my sire. Fuck, this is amazing.” He wraps his arm around my neck, pulling me against him. “I’m so happy for you. Who would have thought those months ago, when you told me about her, that this is where we would end up. You did it, man.” Just as he finishes his sentence, I look back the way Elina went and am stunned to speechlessness.
Jack whistles next to me, laughing under his breath. “Not only am I so happy for you, but you’re one lucky son of bitch.”
“Shut up.” I huff out a laugh at his comments. Elina has reemerged into the party, and if she was the sun before, now she is the moon. Her ballgown has transformed into a short black mini dress with a flaring skirt that shows her thigh high stockings, embroidered with red beads down the back, a garter belt around her thigh made of black lace with black diamond drips, clipped to the stockings. Her gorgeous wedding corset is now tightened, creating a luscious amount of cleavage, and a large red garnet hangs between her breasts. I feel like she switched my brain off when she entered the room, and, based on the hush that has fallen in the party, I am not the only onewho feels that way. Appreciative looks rain down on her from men and women, all of them hoping to have an opportunity to get close to her tonight.
Smiling widely, she walks my way on her stiletto heels, confidence pouring off her. She has always been gorgeous, and her confidence is something I have loved about her since the moment I watched her in that bathroom mirror while she adjusted her clothing and fluffed her curls. Tonight, she knows that she is stunning and is relishing in the attention being on her. She deserves to be the object of every affection.
“Hey, handsome,” she croons as she approaches.
“Hey, baby,” Jack responds from beside me. Elbowing him, I laugh. She shifts her beaming smile to his face, crinkling her nose at him. “You sure clean up nice.” He puts on his most seductive smile, for emphasis.
“Hey, Jack.” She leans down, planting a chaste kiss against his smiling mouth. “Don’t want to disappoint you, but I’ve only got eyes for one man tonight,” she adds, beaming at him.
“Well, if you get some space on your dance card, hold it for me, darlin.” Standing, he sweeps her into his arms and spins her around, giggles filling the space around them. Setting her on her tottering heels, he kisses her cheeks and makes his way into the party, likely hunting for some entertainment of his own for the night..
“So, Bash,” she straddles my lap, wrapping her legs around me, “I remembered something else from the letter about the party. Blood sharing?”
Reaching up, I move a loose curl behind her ear, looking into her eyes. “Curious,Tesoro?”
“Yes,” she draws the word out sassily.
Taking her arm in my hand, I bring it to my mouth, tilting my head to expose my throat. “Then by all means, let's do it, beautiful.”
Pushing my fangs through my gums, I lick the delicate skin of her wrist before biting gently, feeling the lightning that is her blood, flood my body. Her fangs break through the thin skin of my neck at the same time.
