Page 35 of Christmas Embrace

“Oui!” Léopold clapped his hands together. “Je vous prononce maintenant mari et femme!!! Vous pouvez maintenant embrasser la mariée!”

Luca and Samantha beamed with excitement, gazing into each other’s eyes.

“Come on now, kiss your witch.” A jazz band roared to life as Luca wrapped his arms around Samantha and kissed her.

Thunderous clapping and whistling burst forth in the courtyard as guests rose to their feet. The band played When the Saints Go Marching In as the newlyweds broke their embrace and raised their joined hands.

“Congratulations!” Kade shook hands with Luca, overwhelmed with pride. His prodigy. Trusted confidant and friend. Devoted father. And now husband.

Kade glanced to Sydney who blushed. I love you.

I love you too, she mouthed through the din. She winked at him before attending to Samantha’s train. Kade reached for a black umbrella and handed it off to Luca.

The bride and groom, with umbrellas in hand, began to dance down the aisle to the music. Friends waved white handkerchiefs and moved to congratulate the couple.

But as Kade wandered into the crowd, making his way toward Sydney, the hair on the back of his neck stood up, sensing the intruder. The evil came swift, furiously whipping at the dome of shields. He glanced upward to the sky and caught sight of the demon, its hideous face appearing from darkness. Iridescent silver flames shot from the eyes of its six-horned head.

“Get inside,” Kade shouted as the roar of the entity blasted the courtyard. It appeared to ram at the shields, blasting fire towards the guests.

“Zach!” Sydney called as she ran to Dominique who still held her son. “I’ll get the kids.”

“Here,” Dominque, with eyes black as coal, handed the baby to Sydney.

“It’s okay. They won’t get in here.” Samantha stepped toward the middle of the courtyard, her voice oddly calm. “Not my wedding.”

“Sam. What are you doing?” Luca called to her.

“The wards will hold,” she insisted. “Get Kate.”

“Get inside,” Luca told Dominque and Xavier as they huddled around the crying toddler.

“Look at them,” Samantha cocked her head. “All bark and no bite.”

“What the hell is that?” Kade asked.

“Asmodeus. And his minions. He’s here to syphon energy in an attempt to make us weak. To steal life, joy, to inflict pain. He’s got a penchant for weddings. Brides. I suspected he might show his face after what happened before with Quintus. They’d poked a hole.”

“A hole? I thought whatever happened was a one-time thing, that it was sealed,” Kade yelled through the devil’s loud screeching. “You’re the high priestess.”

“That I am. And I’ve gotta do something. Stand back everyone.”

“Get the kids inside,” Kade ordered, suspecting whatever was about to happen could be dangerous.

“These are my wards. I’m going to blast them back to Hell. Evil is always going to exist, it might be back, but tonight…these assholes aren’t wrecking my wedding.”

“Sam…” Luca protested.

“Is everyone inside?” she replied, never taking her eyes off the sky.

“Everyone’s in.” Kade trusted the high priestess. Far from the subservient human she once was, Samantha was one of the most powerful elemental witches he’d ever known.

“Take my hand.” She reached for Luca’s arm. “Brace yourself.”

“Do it!” Kade called as the power of the demon began ramming the ward, pounding against it in an attempt to penetrate their circle.

Samantha took a deep breath and held up her hands, still clutching Luca’s. Her body glowed like an angel, power emanating from her body as she spoke.

“Tester numine divae. Evocant et elementa. Voco super caelum. Sume ignem uidet inferos. Producat in candorem nivis, et gratia Dei dea. Cum potestas dea mitto vos ad infernum!!!”