“Thanks, Sofia,” I said, before Kiev carried me back out of the apartment.
“Since we don’t have much time now,” I said, “let me just magic us to Corrine’s.”
Kiev acquiesced and a few seconds later, we were standing outside the Sanctuary. I knocked on the door. Corrine answered a few moments later. Her expression was sober after the ceremony she’d just led us through. The last thing I felt like talking to her about was our wedding. Still, it seemed that we were going through with this.
“Kiev and I want to take advantage of this downtime and get married.”
I felt relieved when her face lit up a little. She smiled and gripped my hand, pulling me inside. “Come in, come in. This island could do with a wedding after all this heaviness.”
She led Kiev and me into the living room and we all took seats. I could tell after about fifteen minutes that Kiev regretted being included in the meeting. He got up and began walking around the room, examining objects on the mantelpiece, as Corrine and I discussed details for the next hour.
He looked relieved when we had finished. Corrine smirked as she looked at Kiev.
“So, Kiev. You’re really ready to tie the knot?”
He rolled his eyes. “Have you two finished?”
I nodded.
“Then let’s go,” Kiev said, heading toward the door.
Corrine cleared her throat. “Go where exactly, vampire? Mona and I might be finished with each other, but we haven’t even started with you.”
“What?” He looked at us.
“You obviously weren’t paying attention to our conversation. We’ve got our work cut out if we want you to be even a half-presentable groom for Mona.”
Kiev looked himself over. “What work?” He narrowed his eyes on the witch.
“The fact that you can’t even see what work needs to be done on you shows just how much we have to do,” Corrine replied, furrowing her brows and folding her arms over her chest. “I don’t even trust Ibrahim to tidy you up. I’m going to have to deal with you myself.”
I chuckled silently at Kiev’s scowl. He wasn’t in that scruffy a state. But as I caught the teasing spark in Corrine’s eyes, something told me that she was going to enjoy “tidying up” Kiev more than the actual wedding.
Chapter 5: Mona
Corrine was true to her word in taking over Kiev’s preparation. In the meantime, she paired me with another witch, Leyni. I spent the rest of the day with Leyni preparing my outfit and doing a hair and makeup rehearsal. In the evening, she guided me through a number of beauty treatments.
It was late by the time we’d finished. Kiev still hadn’t returned. Corrine had wanted to keep us separate until the wedding. I wasn’t sure how much time exactly the witch had ended up spending on him—I suspected not all that long, since she had a lot of work to do in arranging the actual event. Although I missed lying in Kiev’s arms that night, I found amusement in imagining where Corrine was putting him up for the night. I was sure that she still hadn’t forgiven him for the night he’d stolen Ben Novak from her arms. And although Kiev was sorry, Corrine still liked to dig her heels in when she could, albeit in a good-natured way.
I woke up the next morning to find Leyni already running a bath for me.
“Come on, Sleeping Beauty,” she called. “We’ve got a lot to do before the wedding starts at noon.”
I slid out of bed and entered the bathroom. I didn’t spend long in the bath—Leyni was already knocking on the door after less than twenty minutes had passed. I got out and dried myself before dressing and starting makeup and hair. I wasn’t sure why I was suddenly so nervous.
Leyni must have noticed. She placed an arm on my shoulder and gave me a warm smile.
“It’s normal to feel tense on the morning of your wedding. But don’t worry. Everything will go smoothly.”
The next few hours passed quickly until finally, I was staring at myself in the mirror, fully dressed and made up. The dress we’d designed together was stunning. Long-sleeved, it had a heart-shaped neckline and complemented my curves perfectly. She had curled my hair into gentle waves and braided it with small pink flowers.
“Well,” Leyni said, eyeing me with pride. “Let’s go.”
I nodded, drawing a breath.
She held my hand and we vanished from the spot. When my vision came into focus again, we were standing a dozen feet back from a crowd that had formed on the beach near the Port. There were rows upon rows of chairs with an aisle in between, at the end of which was a raised platform decorated with white roses and silk drapes. Kiev already stood on the platform, Matteo by his side as best man.
Leyni stepped in front of me and lowered the veil over my face. She gave me a smirk. “Vampires have good eyesight. We don’t want your groom sneaking a peek at you yet.”
“Mona,” a chorus of voices called behind me.
I turned to see Rose hurrying toward me with half a dozen other young women. They all wore light pink dresses and held bunches of flowers in their hands. My bridesmaids. Rose handed me a bouquet of dark blue lilies. My voice caught in my throat at the sight of them. They reminded me so much of the lilies that grew around my lake house back on our old island. Memories of the time I’d spent there with Kiev soon after we’d first met washed over me.
Rose squeezed my hand. “You look incredible. How are you feeling?”
I caught a tear at the corner of my eye before it could slip down my cheek. I beamed down at Rose. “I’ve never been better.”
Once Rose and another bridesmaid had picked up the hem of my dress, Leyni looped her arm through mine and we began walking down the aisle between the chairs. I looked around at everyone who’d come to attend. There were too many faces to count—vampires, werewolves and humans. I kept my eyes anywhere but straight ahead until I reached five rows away from the platform. Finally, I allowed myself to look up.
Ibrahim was now standing in the center of the platform, and to his right was Kiev. Matteo stood a few feet behind him. I couldn’t help but grin. I’d never seen Kiev looking so smart. He was almost unrecognizable. He wore a crisp black tuxedo and his hair was neatly combed back away from his face. His stubble had been trimmed right down, so only shadow was visible around his jawline. His skin also looked brighter somehow, as though he might have had a facial, and I could barely notice his prosthetic arm. His eyes were glued on me, as I was sure they had been ever since I started walking down the aisle.
My grip around Leyni’s arm tightened. Although this was the happiest moment of my life, I couldn’t help but feel a stab of melancholy that it wasn’t my father walking beside me.
Reaching the foot of the platform, Leyni let me walk on my own. I ascended the steps and stood opposite Kiev, my veil still covering my face.
Now that I was standing on the platform, I caught sight of Corrine, who sat in the front row next to Derek and Sofia. She had a huge grin on her face as she winked at me, nodding toward Kiev.
Ibrahim placed two gold rings in our hands and began the ceremony. I barely concentrated on what he was saying until it came time for our vows. Kiev reached for my hands, enveloping them in his.
“Mona,” he began, his intense green eyes boring into me. “I never have been good with words. But I hope you’ll believe me when I say that whatever love my heart is capable of, you have it all. If you’ll accept me, I promise to be true to you every day for the rest of my life.”
Tears began to brim in my eyes again. Kiev didn’t realize how capable he was of love. Most men didn’t possess half the heart he did, however many scars it bore.
“Kiev,” I said, my voice trembling, “not long ago, I believed I would spend the rest of my life alone. Loveless, heartless. But you smashed into my world, breaking through my walls. For all I know of your scarred heart, I wouldn’t want you any other way. You are my mirror. And if it weren’t for your flaws, I wouldn’t be deserving of you. You would be too good a man for me… The time I spent away from you was possibly the mo
st painful of my existence. And I-I don’t ever want to spend another day apart from you, my love. I accept you with all my heart… a-and I hope you’ll accept me, too.”
My voice choked up. Holding my hands gently in his, he slipped a ring over my finger. I did the same to him, and then he raised his hands to my face, lifting up my veil and tucking it behind my head. Ibrahim barely had a chance to give Kiev permission to “kiss the bride” before Kiev’s lips were on mine as he kissed me passionately and pulled me against him.
A grin split my face through our kiss as Corrine wolf-whistled from her chair.
Showers of petals fell down upon us from the sky. Turning toward the crowd, I hurled my bouquet of flowers. There was a scuffle and Ashley emerged victorious. Perched upon Landis’ shoulders, she clutched the bouquet triumphantly. A piano began to play to our left. I looked to see Rose sitting behind it. Three witches stood next to her, each holding a different instrument, and they began to accompany her. Kiev pulled me down the steps and we made our way to an open area on the beach Corrine had arranged as a dance floor. Other couples began to follow us. Resting my head against Kiev’s chest, I closed my eyes, breathing in his musk, and lost myself in him. His lips pressed against my temple as we swayed slowly from side to side.
To anybody who didn’t know us, Kiev and I were an unlikely couple. On paper, there was almost nothing we had in common. But beneath the surface, we had more in common than most couples could ever hope to have.
“What are you thinking?” he whispered into my ear, his voice husky.
“You’re my lifeline, Kiev. You do realize that?” My voice was hoarse.
He held me closer. “And I won’t let you down.”
“Please don’t,” I whispered.
We passed the rest of the dance in silence, enjoying the music and the feel of our embrace.
“Mr. and Mrs. Novalic,” Corrine called from the side of the dance floor. She was gesturing to a large cake on one of the food tables. She held up a knife. I smiled back at her and pulled Kiev over. Everyone stopped dancing and gathered round us. I took the knife from Corrine and positioned it over the cake. Kiev’s hand over mine, we began to slice the cake together.
“Take the first bite,” Corrine said as we placed the first slice on a plate. Kiev picked up a spoon and dug it into the sponge. He raised it to my mouth and fed me. It was a shame that he couldn’t eat any of his own wedding cake. I could have sworn that I saw a look of disappointment in his eyes as he looked over the beautiful cake. Corrine sliced up the rest of the cake quickly using her magic and distributed it to everyone.
Picking up a plate of cake, I left Kiev’s side and walked over to Rose. She was still playing the piano. I bent down, planting a kiss on her cheek.
“Thank you, Rose. You’re an incredibly talented musician.” I placed the plate on the seat next to her. “Why don’t you take a break?”
“Thank you,” she said, picking up the plate and standing up. She walked over to Caleb in the crowd and sat next to him.
When I arrived by Kiev’s side again, he pointed to the rest of the delicious-looking buffet laid out on the tables. “Won’t you eat some?” he asked.
I shook my head. I slipped my hands beneath his suit, running them up along his back. I reached up to kiss his throat.
“I’m hungry for only one thing right now,” I whispered.
I wanted nothing more than to be alone with my new husband. But people were beginning to dance again, as the witches kept the melody going. We decided to dance for another hour before finally retreating away from the crowds.
We’d almost reached the entrance to the woods when someone called out behind us. We turned around to see Matteo. I’d spotted him dancing with Helina just a moment ago, but now he walked toward us alone. He cleared his throat as he stopped in front of us.
“Kiev,” he said, pausing and looking at him nervously. “I… I’m in love with your sister.”
A flicker of surprise crossed Kiev’s face, though I’d expected him to be more shocked. I’d seen the two of them dancing at the wedding today, but I hadn’t known that they shared anything deeper than that. Not that long ago, Matteo had despised Kiev’s siblings.
Matteo glanced back at the crowds. I followed his gaze to see that it had fallen on Helina, who was standing in conversation with Erik.
“She doesn’t know that I’m having this conversation with you,” Matteo said, drawing his eyes back to Kiev. “But I want to marry her.”
There wasn’t even a moment’s hesitation on Kiev’s part.
“There isn’t a man in this world I’d rather she ended up with,” Kiev said, his eyes glistening as he nodded vigorously. Beneath my husband’s joy, I couldn’t miss the pain and guilt. Kiev had murdered Matteo’s sister, Natalie. Now here was Matteo asking for permission to love and marry Kiev’s sister, Helina.
A smile broke out on Matteo’s face. He looked relieved.
“You didn’t need to ask,” Kiev said. “You know that I owe you more than I can ever repay.”
Matteo looked once again at Helina. “Well… your sister will be a good start.”
The two men embraced. Before Matteo headed off, he gave me a hug and kissed my cheek. “Congratulations, Mona. I wish you and Kiev a life of happiness.”
I hugged him tight. Matteo had been like an older brother to me during some of the most painful and hopeless years of my life. “Thank you,” I whispered.
Matteo left us and headed back toward Helina. Kiev watched him leave, positively beaming. “Well, that’s one sibling sorted. Now there’s just Erik…” He turned and looked down at me. “Now, where were we? Ah. Are you comfortable in that dress, my love? It looks rather tight. This ridiculous costume Corrine has put me in certainly is…”
Not willing to hang around for any more distractions, I gripped his hands and vanished us from the spot.
Chapter 6: Caleb
My eyes were mostly on Rose throughout the wedding. She looked more beautiful than ever in that light pink dress, her dark hair trailing down her back. As the hours passed by, and Kiev and Mona had left the beach, Rose continued playing along with the witches for those who were still dancing. I could see that her hands were growing weary. I walked over to her and sat down on the bench. Placing an arm around her, I whispered into her ear, “Shall I give you a break?”
She smiled, then shook her head. “I would rather play with you.”
I acquiesced, although I would have much preferred to see her resting. Planting my hands further up along the piano, I began to accompany her melody. As our harmony filled the air, the thoughts and emotions that I’d experienced during the wedding came back to me.
Watching the ceremony had moved me in ways I hadn’t expected. With Rose sitting only a few feet away from the platform where Kiev and Mona had stood, I kept looking from them to her. My mind filled with images of Rose walking down that aisle toward me, the two of us standing on the platform, exchanging vows, sharing a kiss… I couldn’t stop the scene from playing in my mind.
I wasn’t sure why this wedding had brought about such a reaction. But it stirred something deep inside me. An ache. A desire. A longing to finally claim a woman as my own, to place a ring upon her finger, to both give myself and accept her completely… I thought back to the heat I’d seen in Rose’s eyes the other evening. She’d wanted me to make love to her. I’d refused to that night. I hadn’t even been sure why at the time.
But now I understood.
I looked back down at Rose expertly playing her piece, her brows furrowed in concentration, the flowers in her hair beginning to loosen and touch the sides of her face.
I wanted to commit everything I had to her before making her fully mine.
Chapter 7: Rose
I was glad to be able to provide the music for the party. A wedding was just what this island needed. We’d been under so much stress, I could see how much everyone appreciated this relief.
People stayed on long after Kiev
and Mona took their leave. They continued to dance and mingle even as sunset arrived beyond the island’s boundary. Although my hands were aching, I didn’t want to take more than a few minutes’ pause. I was enjoying playing with Caleb too much. I hadn’t played with him since I’d been trapped on his island as a prisoner.
I noticed Caleb looking at me a lot throughout the wedding. I wasn’t sure why he was staring at me. As we both took our third break, allowing Landis and Ashley to take a turn, I walked with Caleb toward the dance floor.
“You’ve been staring at me a lot today,” I said, raising a brow.
Caleb smiled. “Then you must have been staring at me to notice.”
I chuckled. “I guess so.” I did find myself looking at him a lot. Partly because I still couldn’t believe he was here with us on this island. It felt like a dream.
“You look stunning, Rose,” he whispered into my ear as he led me to dance. “And I still can’t quite believe you’re mine.”
I know the feeling.
As I draped my arms over his shoulders, his hands wrapped around my waist and he lifted me up suddenly so that my face was level with his, my feet hovering above the ground. He kissed my cheek and rested his chin on my shoulder, still holding me in the air. I giggled as my legs swayed.
Erik and Abby danced a few feet away. The way Erik was holding Abby close to him, and the way she nestled her head against his shoulder… I was surprised by how intimate they looked. I hadn’t even known they were friends until recently. The attraction was unmistakable as they looked into each other’s eyes.
When Abby caught my eye, I looked away again. Not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable, I turned my attention back to Caleb.
“How did you learn to play music?” I asked.
“Mostly, I just taught myself.”
“Seriously?”