Slowly, gently, he laid her down on the biggest bed she had ever seen, onto the softest linens and pillows she had ever felt. He sat beside her, then leaned down, and gently kissed her on the lips.
Despite herself, she was helpless to resist.
Suddenly, there was a pounding on the door, a metal knocker slamming into the oak.
Caitlin’s heart stopped, as she knew that it was Caleb, coming to check on her.
“Caitlin!” screamed the voice from behind the door.
Caitlin tried to get up, but Blake held her in place. He lifted a single finger and placed it on her lips.
“Shhh,” he said.
The door banged again. “Caitlin!”
“Caitlin!” came a voice.
Caitlin woke with a start, sitting straight up in bed and breathing hard. Disoriented, she tried to figure out where she was.
She looked around and realized she was awake, in her room, in Dunvegan Castle, and that she lay alone in bed. She saw Scarlet lying on her daybed, Ruth in her arms, on the far side of the room.
She looked out the window and saw the sun rising, the day beginning to break.
She wasn’t in Blake’s castle; she wasn’t anywhere near Blake. It had all just been a dream. A terrifying dream. She felt a wave of relief; and yet, at the same time, it had felt so real. Even though it was just a dream, she felt terribly guilty, as if she had cheated on Caleb. She had to forcibly remind herself that it was just a dream. She had done nothing wrong.
She looked over at her empty bed, looked around the room and saw no sign of Caleb. Where was he?
Then she remembered. As part of the vampire wedding ritual, the bride and groom were supposed to sleep apart during the days leading up to the wedding.
The door banged again.
“Caitlin!” yelled an excited female voice.
Caitlin got up, put on a silk robe, and hurried for the door.
Ever since she had seen Blake at the festivities, it had been hard for her to get him out of her head. And that upset her. She loved Caleb now, and Caleb only. Yet still, Blake haunted the periphery of her consciousness. She wished she could erase him completely from her memory, out of loyalty to Caleb, but she just couldn’t.
After she had spotted him, and he had disappeared again, she’d asked the others about him, and was shocked to discover that Blake lived there, with the coven. Caitlin hadn’t expected that. The idea had never even crossed her mind—especially since she had not seen him with the others upon first entering Skye.
As Caitlin crossed the room and opened the double doors, still nervous, she half-expected to see Blake standing there, despite the female voice.
But luckily, it was Polly. She stood there excitedly, with a big smile on her face. She looked happier and more content than Caitlin had ever seen her.
“Will you get up already?” Polly exclaimed, strutting past her into the room. “We’re going to be late!”
As Caitlin took a deep breath, closed the doors, and followed Polly into her own room, she was beginning to feel relieved again. Polly always had a way of distracting her from her troubles.
“Late for what?” Caitlin asked, confused.
“Just for preparations for the biggest day of your life!” Polly said, exasperated. “It’s the final day before your wedding! Today, we need to prepare everything for the big ceremony. The flowers, your dress, the feast, the ceremony—”
Caitlin held up a hand, already overwhelmed. She could tell that Polly was in her element, as if she’d been anticipating this forever. But this was hardly Caitlin’s expertise. All these preparations overwhelmed her; she just wanted to be married to Caleb. She didn’t feel the need for any of this pomp. And even if she did, it was certainly too early in the morning to process all of this.
“I’m hardly even awake, Polly,” Caitlin protested.
Polly smiled and strutted across the room and began picking an outfit for Caitlin, throwing clothes off a dresser and onto Caitlin’s bed.
“That’s what I’m here for,” Polly said.
Caitlin could see that she was determined, more excited than she’d ever seen her. She could also detect something else in her friend: a sense of peace, of contentment, one that she had never quite seen. Something had shifted within Polly: if Caitlin was not mistaken, it seemed as if she were in love.
Caitlin immediately thought of Sam. The last she’d seen the two of them, they were walking away from the party, hand-in-hand. Had something happened?
Caitlin examined Polly as she hurried over to her and excitedly draped a shawl over Caitlin’s shoulders.
“Polly?” Caitlin asked, smiling.
Polly finally turned and looked at her.
“I sense something different about you,” she said.
Caitlin noticed the slightest bit of red in Polly’s cheeks. Yes, she was definitely blushing.
“Nothing’s different,” Polly answered.
But Caitlin already saw what she needed to see. Sam and Polly were officially together.
The thought of it made Caitlin happy. There was nothing she’d like more than for Polly to be part of her family. Her sister. Her real sister.
Suddenly, the door slammed open, and in marched Taylor, Barbara, and several other girls from Aiden’s coven. They were all flushed, as happy and excited as Polly, dressed in fineries, carrying flowers. They cheered as they entered. They gathered around Caitlin, practically buzzing with excitement.
Caitlin was taken aback.
“It’s not my wedding day yet!” she protested.
“No,” Taylor said. “But it’s only a day away! And today’s your preparation day. There’s so much for us to do. It’s so exciting!”
Ruth barked, and Caitlin looked over and saw Scarlet standing beside her, tugging on her robe, looking up in excitement.
“Can I help, too?” she asked. “Please, mommy, you promised! You said I could be the flower girl! I want to help! With everything! This is my first wedding, after all!” The girls all broke into laughter, as Caitlin reached down and hugged Scarlet.
“Of course you can, sweetheart,” Caitlin said.
Caitlin turned to the others. “What about Caleb?” she asked. “Won’t he help plan, too?”
“Not today,” Polly said. “Today is the girls’ day. And to begin, I have a surprise for you.” The other girls quieted in anticipation, and Caitlin could tell they were all in on some secret.
Caitlin watched with curiosity as Polly strutted across the room, followed by the others, and approached a knob lodged in the wall which Caitlin hadn’t noticed before. Polly pulled it and revealed a large closet, recessed into the wall.
And there, sitting alone inside, was a sight that made Caitlin’s heart drop.
Sitting in the huge closet, hanging by itself, was the most beautiful wedding dress Caitlin had ever seen. It was endlessly long, made of lace, with a narrow, bejeweled belt around the waist. It had long sleeves, and fanned out at the waist, with a train that seemed to go on forever. Surprisingly, it had dramatic, high collars, framing the neck.
And most surprising of all, it was black.
Polly reached in and removed the dress. Two of the girls hurried over and helped, holding its train so that it wouldn’t touch the floor.
Caitlin was so overcome by this surprise, by the beauty of the dress, by the thoughtfulness of Polly and all these girls, she didn’t know what to say. She wanted to thank them, to gush over it, but she found herself speechless.
“It’s black,” Caitlin heard herself say, awestruck.
“Yes,” Polly answered. “The vampire wedding color. I hope you like it.” Caitlin stepped forward, in a daze, and slowly ran her hand along its length. She had always imagined herself getting married one day, and now, for the first time, it felt real. Ever since she was little, she wondered what sort of dress she might like to be married in. She had never quite settled on any particular dress, or style—but she’d always had a feeling that it wouldn’t be the t
ypical dress.
And this certainly wasn’t. This dress far surpassed anything she could have imagined. This was not a dress meant for a girl—this was a dress meant for a woman. More than a woman—a dress meant for a princess. Caitlin looked down, following the train, and saw that the fabric was studded with diamonds, and that, as they moved it, the dress glittered and sparkled in a thousand ways.
Caitlin was truly speechless. Overwhelmed with gratitude, she felt her eyes well up.
She turned and hugged Polly, then the others.
“It’s beautiful,” she said. “It’s the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.”
“Try it on!” Scarlet urged, and they all cheered.
Caitlin’s tears turned into a happy laugh, as the girls helped her slip out of her robe, and held up the dress for her to step into. As she did, the girls pulled it up over her, then tied up the back with string, crisscrossing again and again. She felt increasingly tighter around her rib cage. She was shocked to realize that it fit her perfectly—as if it had been meant just for her.
Caitlin actually felt like a different person in it; she had never felt so regal in her life. She twirled and felt the material lifting into the air, swirling around her, then settling slowly back to the floor. It felt magnificent.
Caitlin could tell by the girls’ stunned expressions that they were surprised by how well it fit, too.
“Amazing,” Polly whispered.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Taylor said. “It fits you like a glove. Incredible.” Caitlin walked over to the large mirror and stood before it, instinctively wanting to check herself.
But she saw no reflection, and remembered, too late, that it was useless. Still, she stared into the empty mirror, going through the motions she might have as a human.
“Where did it come from?” Caitlin asked.
“Aiden,” Polly answered.
Caitlin turned and looked at her in surprise. She never would have expected that.
“He said he has been saving it for you for centuries. That it was always meant for you.” Caitlin was struck by that. Centuries? How long had he known that she would be getting married? Had he known from the very beginning, from the very first time she’d ever met him? She couldn’t help but wonder how much he knew—and how much he knew of her future yet to come.
Did he see children for her?
“Can I wear a dress like that too, Mommy?” Scarlet asked.
Caitlin smiled down at her.
“Of course you can, love. I’m sure we can have somebody make you something, right?” The others nodded.
“How do I throw the flowers?” Scarlet persisted. “I want to practice.” The girls laughed.
“Speaking of flowers,” Taylor said. “You have to choose. Which type of flowers would you like for the ceremony? And which type for the reception?”
One of the girls stepped forward and showed Caitlin several varieties of flowers: long-stem roses, all in different colors, hydrangeas, tulips….In Caitlin’s eyes, they were all beautiful. She felt overwhelmed by the choice.
“Um…” Caitlin began.
“And what about the invitations?” chimed in Barbara. “Do you like this parchment, or this one?” she asked, holding up several varieties of thick, heavy parchment.
“And what sort of ink?” another girl asked. “Of course, we will seal the invitations with wax, right? Which color wax would you like?”
Caitlin’s mind spun at all these details. She had never considered any of this before.
“And what color dresses would you like your bridesmaids to wear?” another girl asked.
“In the traditional vampire wedding,” Polly explained, “the bride wears black, and her bridesmaids wear white. But would you like a pure white, or an off-white? Or some other color altogether?”
“And what about your groom?” asked another girl. “And his groomsmen? In most vampire weddings, they wear black velvet robes, with high collars, and a white satin shirt, with studs and cuffs. But do you want a different color scheme? And do you want him dressed differently than the others?”
“How do you want your hair?” asked another girl. “Up, or down? And what about makeup?”
“Who is Caleb’s best man?” asked another.
“What sort of drinks do you want served during cocktail hour?” asked another. “We have blood-infused cocktails, and straight cocktails, and three different types of blood varieties.”
“What food do you want to complement it?” asked another.
“Where you want to place the candles in the ceremony?” asked another. “And what sort of alter do you envision?”
“Have you chosen your wedding band for Caleb?” asked Polly.
Caitlin finally broke into laughter, holding up a hand.
“Enough. Please. I love you all. And I thank you so much. I don’t know even where to begin.
I’ve never considered any of this. I guess anything is fine. I don’t care about the color, or the flowers, or any of these details. I just want to be married to Caleb. That’s all that matters to me.”
“Well, that’s what we’re here for,” Polly said. “We’ll take care of all of this for you. Is that okay?”
Caitlin nodded. “Please do. Whatever you choose, it’s totally fine with me.” An excited whisper broke out among the room, as the girls started immediately debating and planning what to choose on her behalf.
“OK then,” Polly said, “we’ll decide on all this later. For now, let’s get you out of that dress, and get our pre-wedding day rituals rolling!”
As the girls helped her get out of the dress and back into her other clothes, Caitlin looked over at Polly, puzzled.
“What rituals?” Caitlin asked.
“Why, the pre-wedding wish,” Polly said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Caitlin was still puzzled.
“Before a vampire wedding,” Taylor explained, “the bride is taken to a magical place, to make a wish. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime event. There is a place not too far from here, where they say that whatever you wish for comes true. It’s our next stop.”
Caitlin knew what she would wish for—but it had already come true. To be with Caleb.
But she didn’t want to disappoint his girls; if this was what was entailed in a traditional vampire wedding, she would go through with it. Besides, she wouldn’t mind seeing more of the island, and getting some fresh air.
Besides, she barely had a choice. In no time at all, Caitlin found herself being dressed by all the girls in brand-new fineries, and whisked, helplessly, out the door.
*
Caleb looked out the castle window from his bedroom, watching with a smile as Caitlin was led out the castle front door, accompanied by all her bridesmaids. He could see the joy in her face, and could see how excited Scarlet was as she clung to Caitlin’s side. It was a magnificent Fall day, and Caleb decided he’d go up to the roof and watch them leave, taking in the beautiful green hills, and the changing leaves. He hurried out his bedroom, down the corridor, and up a stone, twisting stairwell, leading up to the roof.
Caleb strutted across the ramparts until he reached the edge, and looked down and saw Caitlin and the others crossing the drawbridge over the moat.
“Caitlin!” he called out, cupping his hands against the wind.
Far down below, Caitlin turned and looked up, as did the girls surrounding her.
Caleb grinned wide and waved.
“I love you!” he mouthed silently.
She grinned back and waved, silently mouthing the words back. Then she was ushered away by her group of girls.
Caleb stood there, grinning, watching them all go. He couldn’t be happier for her, and he was excited for their upcoming wedding. He knew this was her big girls’ day, and that they’d all be busy preparing for the wedding, going through all the vampire rituals. He marveled at how few preparations the men had to go through, but figured that was the way of things. And frankly, he was
relieved not to have to worry about so many details.
Caleb was happy in this time and place. He loved being here, with Caitlin and Scarlet and Ruth and all the others, and he felt relaxed, as if he could let his guard down. The search for the final key was of course in the back of his mind, but he knew there was little that could be done until the new clue’s location revealed itself to Caitlin.
Until then, they could sit back and enjoy. After all, how often did one get married? He was happy to take some time and slow down, and focus on the wedding. He just wanted things to remain the same, to go smoothly, at least until the wedding was over. After that, they could allow their mission to take them wherever it needed to go.
Caleb reflected on all the times and places he’d already been with Caitlin, and he realized, once again, how much he loved her. She had truly become a part of him; at this point, he couldn’t imagine life without her. Once again, he felt a brief pang of anxiety, as he wondered what would happen once they found the final clue. Would they still be allowed to be together? What would their future look like?
As Caleb stood there, leaning against the cold stone rampart in the October morning, wondering if they would ever have a family together, suddenly, there came a voice:
“There you are.”
Caleb wheeled, surprised that anyone else was up here. A part of him immediately recognized the voice, but another part refused to believe it could be possible.
Caleb’s heart stopped as he turned and saw her. Sure enough, it was her. Standing there, not ten feet away, facing him. Looking as intense and passionate as she always had.
Sera.
Caleb was speechless.
She took a few, deliberate, steps forward, smiling crookedly.
“Miss me?” she asked.
Caleb started to answer, then stopped. He had no idea what to say. He was at a total loss for words. How could she possibly do this? Appear here, and now, at this time and place? When his wedding was just hours away?