My grandfather’s package was oddly shaped. Ripping it open, I found that I was holding a long silver dagger enclosed within a gold-encrusted sheath.
“Wow,” I muttered, sliding out the shiny blade. “This is badass, Grandpa.”
Everyone laughed.
“It took some time convincing your mother to allow me to give you that.” Aiden chuckled. “But I think you’ve shown us all you’re more than capable of wielding a weapon… Just be careful not to cut your finger as you slide it back in.”
I wasn’t ready to put the dagger away yet though. I used it to open the next present: Griffin’s gift. I sliced through the wrapping paper to reveal a massive bag of pig-shaped chocolates. I burst out laughing. “Back to the piggies this year, eh, Griff? You always know how to please a girl.”
Griffin threw me a wink.
Eli had gifted me… a clunky calculator. I looked up at him, smiling and wondering if it was a joke.
He grinned. “That’s no ordinary calculator. Trust me, it’ll make calculus homework more interesting.”
Okay…
Micah’s package contained a pair of pearl earrings while Anna’s family had gifted me an oil painting depicting a view of The Shade’s port.
“We all painted that together,” Ariana said. “Except my baby brother, of course.”
I was speechless. I wanted to run back to Caleb’s and my cabin and stick it on the wall right away. It was a painting I knew I’d treasure forever.
Within Kiev—who’d turned back into himself by now—and Mona’s box was a blue gemstone necklace and when I reached for the next parcel, Brett called from my right.
“Open this one next.”
I turned to see him milling through the crowd, holding a large object covered by white fabric—fabric I soon realized was the white shirt Brett had been wearing earlier.
“Oh, thanks Brett,” I said, as he dumped the object at my feet.
“It’s from Bella, too.” He nodded over his shoulder toward the ogress, who was still wearing the smock Corrine had fixed her up with—rather stained by now.
I stood up and unwrapped the object from Brett’s giant shirt. I found myself looking down at a dark wooden chair. It had pretty carvings around its base and, when I sat down on it, it was surprisingly comfortable.
“Thank you so much, Brett and Bella.”
Brett grinned from ear to ear before making his way back toward Bella.
Most of the other gifts consisted of beautiful handmade jewelry and clothes, gorgeous artwork and more chocolates. By the time I’d finished opening all of them, my right wrist felt sore.
I looked around at the crowd of family, friends and well-wishers surrounding me and said thank you for what felt like the hundredth time.
Wherever you are, Ben, I hope you’re having a good birthday too. Or, at least, a safe one.
Now that the gift-opening ceremony was over, many people retreated to the dance floor or seats further away.
Caleb leaned in toward me.
“It’s almost midnight. I still haven’t given you a birthday present.”
“You are my birthday present, Caleb,” I said, kissing his cheek.
“Maybe… but come.”
Intrigued, I slid my hand in his and he began leading me away from the clearing. I caught sight of Abby and Erik making out beneath a tree. They barely noticed us as we passed by.
My father, who was leading my mother in a slow dance, caught my eye.
“See you tomorrow,” he said, a knowing look on his face.
My mother looked toward us too and waved.
I nodded, feeling myself blush a little.
Anticipation was starting to light up my body as we moved further and further away from the crowds, becoming more and more alone. I couldn’t walk well in my dress, so once we had reached the main forest path, Caleb scooped me up in his arms and carried me.
We were about to leave the area completely when a figure stirred in the trees.
“Who is that?” I whispered.
Stepping out from the shadows was none other than Theon. Apparently, he had been witnessing the festivities from afar.
His brilliant amber eyes fixed on me. Caleb put me down on my feet. The dragon towered over me as I stepped toward him.
“Hello, Theon. How are you?”
He only nodded in response.
“We heard that you never picked a girl in the end.”
“You heard correctly,” he said, glancing briefly at Caleb before looking back to me.
“How come?” I asked. “Was no one here to your liking? We have plenty of ladies here on this island—”
“You have many fair and worthy maidens on this island,” he said. “But none are meant for me.” His smooth baritone voice only added to his calm demeanor.
“Oh,” I said, taken aback. “Then… what will you do?”
“I leave early tomorrow,” he said.
“Leave? Where will you go?”
“On a journey,” he replied.
“A journey to where?”
“To find a female capable of bearing my love.”
I paused. “Will you, uh, stay within this human realm?”
He nodded.
“You said before that you don’t go looking for partners yourself. That it’s your comrades’ job. Will they leave with you?”
“No. I have ordered them to remain here… It’s become clear that my lineage’s customs must be set aside in this case.” He paused, his eyes becoming distant as he raised his gaze toward the trees. The moonlight trickled down through the canopy of leaves, casting shadows upon the shifter’s tan, muscled chest that was partially covered with a thin cloth draped over his left shoulder. The silence of the forest surrounded us, the chattering of the party far away. A gentle breeze blew against our skin.
When he finally broke the silence, his gaze was still unfocused, his voice husky. “The wind is calling… and I must answer to it.”
I exchanged glances with Caleb, who shrugged.
“Well, perhaps one day we’ll see you again.”
“Perhaps.” His gaze lowered to my face, his eyes digging deep into mine one last time before he bowed his head slightly and disappeared into the night.
We remained rooted to our spots a few moments longer, staring toward the direction the dragon had retreated. Then Caleb reached for my hand. “Shall we proceed?”
Chapter 40: Rose
My husband picked me up again and sped up along the forest path. Soon, we had exited the woods and neared the shore. When we arrived at the Port, he set me down on my feet again. Then he stepped in front of me, blocking my view of the jetty.
“Close your eyes,” he whispered.
I did as he’d requested. He moved behind me, pulling my back against his chest. He placed one wide palm over my eyes to make sure I didn’t peek, while he rested the other one over my stomach. He walked forward with me, guiding me in my long dress and making sure that I didn’t slip. The floorboards creaked beneath us and after what felt like twenty feet, he drew us both to a stop.
“Keep your eyes closed until I say. I’m going to let go of you.”
“Okay.”
I had to fight the urge to not sneak a peek.
When Caleb finally did give me permission, I gasped.
Floating on the waves before me was a gorgeous boat. About fifteen feet long and ten feet wide, its frame was made of dark brown timber. There were four masts in each corner from which hung long drapes of crimson silk. The floor was padded with soft cushioned material and scattered with mahogany-red pillows. Candles lined the edges of the boat, making it glow in the darkness and look almost… unearthly.
Watching my face closely, Caleb stepped into the boat. Holding out a hand, he whispered:
“Sail away with me, Princess.”
My hand was unsteady as I reached out and closed my fingers around his.
He led me to the center of the boat and left me there while he mo
ved back to the bow and cut us loose from the jetty. The boat began to drift, the calm waves carrying us away.
Caleb turned back to face me, gazing at me through his dark lashes. Positioning three cushions on the floor, he seated me on them before picking up a pair of oars that had been resting near the stern. He removed his jacket, sat opposite me and began to row.
I couldn’t tear my gaze away from him as he moved us away, the muscles beneath his white shirt rippling with each stroke he took.
He stopped once we neared the boundary of the island and I could no longer make out details of the Port in the distance.
He set the oars to one side, then knelt next to me. I propped myself up on my knees as he gathered me to him. He touched the back of my neck, his fingers reaching into my hair, before claiming my lips and kissing me deeply. I closed my eyes, returning his passion.
My breathing was fast and uneven as he drew away. He stood up and pulled me up with him. The top buttons of his shirt were open, his hair tousled from the sea breeze and all the dancing we’d done. His appearance reminded me of the night he’d proposed.
Caleb Achilles… My gorgeous sailor husband.
“You didn’t have to do this,” I said, finding my voice for the first time.
He just smiled.
Taking my hand in one hand, he reached the other around my back, gently pressing me against him. We began to sway to the music in our heads.
I shivered when he moved his hand to the strap of my wedding dress. He rolled it slowly down my shoulder before lowering his head to kiss the skin it had been covering. The feel of his lips so close to my neck made my stomach flutter. His mouth caressed me tenderly, unhurriedly, as though we had all the time in the world. Then he reached for my second strap and pulled it aside. Still swaying my body gently, he began kissing my shoulder with as much tenderness and devotion as he had done the first.
My body was beginning to course with heat I didn’t know how to contain. I raised my hands to the opening of his shirt and fumbled with the buttons.
His hands found the zipper running down the back of my dress. I felt the coldness of the metal slide down my skin as he released me from the gown. It slid to the floor, leaving me standing in my underwear.
As I undid the last of his shirt buttons, he pulled the shirt off and dropped it on the floor near my dress. I let my gaze roam over the beauty of Caleb’s physique before locking eyes with him again.
Deftly, he unclasped my bra. Then he got down on his knees and bared me to him completely.
I watched in anticipation as he finished undressing himself. Slowly, we stepped toward each other, meeting again in the center of the boat. The way his bare skin touched and brushed against mine was electrifying. Surrounding me with his strong arms, he pulled me flush against him.
I felt his need.
Caressing my earlobe with his lips, he breathed against my ear:
“May I take you, Rose?”
My throat felt so tight, I could hardly speak. “Yes,” I managed.
“All of you?”
“All of me.”
Kissing the side of my face, he ran his wide palms down the back of my thighs and lowered me to the floor. As I lay beneath him, my head against the pillows, he knelt over me, gazing down at me for several moments before dipping down.
He kissed my lips, then my neck and the base of my throat. His kisses trailed down the center of my chest, over my ribcage, my stomach, and down to my abdomen. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could hold out when his mouth found my inner thigh. My chest heaving, I bit down hard on my lower lip.
He moved back up my body so that his face was level with mine, his mouth once again closing around my lips. I gripped his hair, pulling him closer.
Then his hips pressed against me.
And he took me.
All of me.
Even as we made love, it felt like a dance. A dance I didn’t need to learn.
His tongue brushed against mine in rhythm to the rest of his body, our breathing forming a symphony as he explored the deepest part of me.
The lapping of the waves, the blowing of the wind, the flickering of the candlelight, even the stars glimmering overhead seemed to join in the beat of our love.
I still didn’t know what lay ahead of us, how we would make what we had last. Whether I would risk turning into a vampire, or Caleb would turn into a human.
But we had time.
Caleb was mine and I was his.
And as our hearts beat against each other, the heat of my body melding with the coolness of his, nothing else in the world mattered.
Chapter 41: Sofia
Derek and I turned in soon after Rose left with her new husband. There were too many gifts to carry back with us, so Corrine offered to transport them to Rose’s bedroom in our penthouse by magic.
Leaving the area, Derek and I didn’t speak much as we headed back home. We walked hand in hand, lost in our own thoughts.
Arriving at the front door, we headed straight for our bedroom. I entered the bathroom and started brushing my teeth. Derek pushed open the door a moment later to join me. I caught his eye in the mirror. I was expecting to see moroseness in his expression—after all, this was the first night Rose was officially Caleb’s. Instead, the corners of his lips were curved up in a smile.
I raised a brow, my mouth filled with toothpaste.
He responded by burying his head against the back of my neck and kissing me.
“I was just thinking of our wedding night,” he said, resurfacing.
Ah. That should be reason enough to smile… Then again, I recalled how much anxiety we’d been in, since Derek had been due to take the cure the very next day and neither of us had had any idea whether or not it would work.
I rinsed out my mouth.
“I said to Rose how much better behaved Caleb has been with her than you were with me.” I gave him a teasing smile.
He placed his hands on my hips, pulling me back against him. “But would you have had it any other way?”
I craned my neck up to kiss him full on the mouth. “You know I wouldn’t.”
We changed into our night clothes and got into bed. Though there really wasn’t much point in changing into clothes with Derek giving me his look. We’d stripped out of them in a matter of seconds.
After we’d finished our tumble in bed, I nestled my head against him while he brushed his fingers through my hair.
We both sighed.
“A daughter married,” I said. “A son missing. What a year it’s been.”
“Barely an hour goes by when I don’t think of Ben,” Derek said, “but… I’m not as worried about him as I was before.”
My eyes shot up toward him. “Why?”
He paused before replying. “After seeing Rose’s growth in the face of danger while she was away from The Shade, whatever Ben is going through now, I can only think that he will pull through it stronger and braver than ever before.”
I wanted nothing more than for my son to return. But I couldn’t deny that Derek’s words had struck a chord with me. Although Rose’s gumption scared the living daylights out of me sometimes, I couldn’t have been prouder of her.
Gradually, I’d also been coming to terms with why Ben had chosen to leave. Even after hours of discussion with Derek about it, I still hadn’t accepted why our son had seen no other option.
But Ben was prince of The Shade. He’d killed Yasmine. An innocent young woman. One of his people, his citizens, who’d looked up to him as an authority. As a ruler.
Ben had done what any true leader would do—held himself accountable and taken full responsibility for his actions. He didn’t want to return until he was certain such an incident would never occur again.
As his mother, I’d lost perspective. I realized that I should be proud of him for making that decision, despite the pain it caused me. Ben was a stronger man than I’d given him credit for.
“I agree with you, Derek,” I
said. “Adversity will be good for our son.”
Derek looked surprised. He’d probably been expecting me to disagree with him and try to persuade him once again that we ought to go looking for Ben.
My husband raised a brow.
I propped myself up on my elbow and looked him in the eye.
“Because that’s how heroes are made.”
Epilogue: Ben
I stared down at the mark of a black cross etched into my right bicep.
Who did this?
I got to my feet and looked around my bedroom, scanning it for any sign of someone having entered. I couldn’t spot anything out of place. I sniffed the air. I was familiar by now with Jeramiah’s scent, but I couldn’t detect it. I walked out of the bedroom and entered the dark corridor outside. I headed straight for the front door at the other end of it. No sign of forced entry, that was for sure. Of course, whoever had done this would have had a key.
I returned to the doorway of my bedroom and stood there, looking over the luxurious Egyptian furnishings. I was still coming to terms with the fact that I’d been drugged. Heavily, to not have woken up while my skin was being inked.
I glanced down at the tattoo again. It was beginning to prickle less. I wondered how long ago it had been done. For all I knew, it could’ve been just minutes before I woke up.
One thing was clear: I’d been right in my instinct to not trust these people.
Unwilling to just sit about my apartment now that I’d woken, I opened the front door and stepped out. I looked up and down the terrace outside. It was empty. I could hear deep breathing coming from the apartments surrounding me. I also couldn’t hear any noises coming from the desert above. They must have finished up their festivities by now and retreated to their rooms.