Darklove

  In the distance, the clop-clop of a horse pulling a carriage makes his way through the moss-draped oaks of Savannah’s historic district. The brine off the river is refreshing, slightly pungent. Perfect. The sun is shining. There’s a slight chill in the air. And not a mosquito in sight. How perfect is that?

  Today’s April seventh. My wedding day. I can barely wrap my brain around it.

  And I’m marrying a two-hundred-plus-year-old vampire.

  That’s not as hard to grasp as one might think.

  “Oh. My. God!” My door flies open, and my best friend, Nyx, rushes into my apartment. I’ve set the living room up as a getting-ready bridal suite, with a long full-length oak mirror in one corner. I’m standing in front of it now, and Nyx sashays up behind me. She slips her arms around my middle and hugs my bare back.

  “You are beautiful, Riley!” she exclaims, looking over my shoulder at my reflection in the mirror. “I’ve missed you so much. I was so scared you wouldn’t come home.”

  I smile at Nyxinnia Foster. She and Josie, Eli’s little sister, are my bridesmaids, and we’d gone shopping together. I’d let them choose their dresses, and they’d done a jam-up job.

  Fuchsia silk, above the knee, with a haltered top, and a narrow black velvet strip just under the breast. Solid black wedge shoes. Black velvet chokers. Their bouquets are faded green hydrangea and calla lily. Both have their hair down and swept to the side with a black velvet clip. “You look beautiful yourself, Ms. Foster.”

  Nyx slips her hand over my shoulder and wiggles her ring finger, where a beautiful platinum engagement ring holds a fairly impressive cluster of sparkling diamonds. She grins. “Not Foster for long,” she sighs. “We’ll actually be sisters, Ri. Isn’t that exciting?”

  Eli’s brother, Luc, had asked Nyx to marry him. She’d said yes.

  I couldn’t be happier.

  I pull her gently to me and kiss her cheek. “Always sisters.”

  A tap at the door sounds, and we both jump, then burst into giggles. Phin and Luc both stick their heads in the door. “Everybody decent?”

  “Never!” Nyx and I both holler out.

  “Yeah, well, that’s a— Whoa.” Phin lets out a low whistle. “Damn.”

  I laugh. “Perv.” My gaze moves to Eli’s other brother, Luc.

  His eyes are bugged out as he inspects Nyx. “You two are the most gorgeous creatures I’ve ever seen. In. My. Life.” He walks over to Nyx and pulls her into a quick embrace and a kiss, then moves over to me. “Sister, I am speechless,” he says, and studies me. “Eli is going to freak. You’re breathtaking.”

  “I hope so,” I say, and I’m surprised to find myself nervous.

  “I’m freaking,” Phin says with a grin.

  “Bro, watch it—that’s my sister you’re freaking over,” my brother says, entering. His eyes light up when he sees me, and he hurries over to pull me into a gentle hug. “Mom would’ve loved being here, you know? You look amazing. But . . . this feels so weird, Ri,” he says against my hair. “You, getting married? Almost like I’m losing you or something.”

  I pull back and look at my baby brother. “I’ll always be here,” I assure him. “Always together, me and you. I promise. Despite Rhine and the Ness Boys asking you to join them in Inverness.”

  Seth grins. “I haven’t said no to that yet.”

  I return the smile. After what had gone down in Inverness, Rhine had asked Seth to join the Ness Boys. As in live there, with them at the Crachan, to keep Inverness and the Highlands safe. After Carrine’s reign of terror, there’s no telling how many newbloods are roaming the glen. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Seth accepted, too, no matter that he’s hesitating. Might be good for him, although he’d probably have to take Eli’s little sister, Josie. Now that I think about it, she’d also be quite an asset to the Ness Boys. Knowing Rhine, it’s probably his master cunning scheme of getting me back to Scotland. “I know you haven’t, but if you do, it’s totally okay.” I step back and admire. “You guys look fabuloso,” I say. The guys are decked out in black tuxes and Luc and Phin each sport a fuchsia bow tie. Luc’s dark blond hair brushes his tux collar. Phin’s dark blond buzz cut makes him look simply badass. Both have blue eyes that sparkle. My brother? When did he grow up into such a handsome guy?

  “Heard all that,” Phin says, reading my mind. He looks at Seth. “She thinks you’re cute.”

  I mock-glare at Phin.

  Luc looks down at Nyx. “Ready, love?”

  “Maybe I should wed Riley, instead of Eli,” Phin says, rubbing his jaw with a knuckle. He winks at me. “He’s so damn old.”

  I shake my head. “Please take him out of here,” I tell Nyx.

  She gives me a kiss on the cheek and links her arms between both brothers. “See ya out there,” Nyx says sweetly. “I can’t wait! Come on, Seth Poe. You, too.”

  My brother gives me a sweet, wide smile. Words aren’t needed. I’ll always remember that smile of his, on this day. My wedding day.

  Just as they step out the door, Noah walks in. He looks at me, and I grin.

  “God Almighty, woman. You just killed me,” he says, and walks to me. “No, wait. I’m dying now.” He places a hand over his heart. “I’m serious, Ri. It actually hurts.”

  “Cut it out,” I say, and twirl in a circle. “Too much?” I ask.

  “Are you kidding?” he says, and shakes his head as he studies me from head to toe. “Dupré, that lucky fuck. He better thank me later that I didn’t bite him a little longer.”

  “Noah!” I exclaim.

  His mercury eyes dance with merriment. “Kidding. Sort of.”

  He walks over to me and stares at me through the mirror. “You’re beautiful, Riley Poe.”

  I look at my reflection. I admit, I do feel like an inked and slightly unconventional version of Cinderella. My hair is a messy updo, with fuchsia tendrils swirling down toward my collarbone. My dress is pretty simple, A-line, antique white, with a layer of fine lace overlay, strapless, backless—almost obscenely so. I turn in the mirror, inspecting my inked dragon that goes up my back and down my arm.

  “I want to do just one thing before I put you on the back of Eli’s bike and drive you to your wedding,” he says, and turns me around to face him. He’s wearing a black tux, just like Luc’s and Phin’s, complete with a fuchsia bow tie. So very handsome. With my white strappy heels on, I’m just about eye to eye with him.

  “What’s that?” I ask.

  Gently, he takes my face in his hands, turns my head to the side, and presses his mouth against mine.

  And kisses me. I kiss him back.

  It’s not a short kiss.

  But it’s not perverted and obscene, either. I’m a little stunned.

  And I’ll never, ever forget it.

  He pulls back, and his eyes are softened. He smiles. “I will always love you, Riley,” he admits. “And I’ll always regret the day Eli met you first. But . . .” He pulls me into a hug. “I am satisfied just loving you as a friend. And I will always, forever be here for you. No matter what.”

  I smile, adjust a loose dread that has escaped the velvet tie at the nape of his neck. “I’m the luckiest girl alive,” I admit. “To have you, Eli, and so many others. I’ll always love you, too, Noah. You’ll always be more than a friend to me.”

  His mercury eyes sparkle. “Really?”

  I laugh. “I’m trying to be serious. And yes, I mean it, but not in a nasty, sex way. I do love you.” I kiss him quickly on the lips. “But I can only be in love with one. And it’s always been Eli.”

  A slow smile cracks his beautiful face in two. “I know. And I know what you mean.” He inclines his head toward the door. “Ready, gorgeous?”

  I take a deep breath and ease it out. “Absolutely.”

  We head to the door, and he hands me my bouquet. “I told Eli I was gonna do that, by the way.”

  I smile at him. My feelings are deep for Noah, and I don’t know what I’d do without him. We’ve bee
n through a lot. “What’d he say?” I ask.

  Noah grins and holds the door open for me. “Last chance.”

  I shake my head, Noah hands me my shades, and I slip them on. I inhale a lungful of Savannah springtime air, hike up my dress, and let Noah help me onto the back of Eli’s Martin Brother’s Silverback. White silk streamers and tin cans are tied all over the back and fenders, and trail behind us as we ignore the helmet law and move through the streets of Savannah. I slide my arms around Noah’s waist and hold on, and smile at the passersby on the sidewalks as we make our way to Forsythe Park. Azaleas and wisteria are in full bloom, and honestly, it couldn’t be a more perfect day.

  If only my mom could be here to see it.

  We get to Forsythe. Noah pulls into a space, and parks. He helps me off and tucks my hand in the crook of his arm as we make our way to the fountain.

  The invited crowd of loved ones is way too large for an indoor church wedding. Outdoors was the only way to go, and I’d chosen the fountain because, well, it’s beautiful, and my mom had always loved it. God, how I miss her on this day.

  “She’s watching you, love,” Noah says in a quiet voice. “She sees.”

  Yeah, Noah Miles is one sweet man. I pray he finds a woman one day who deserves him. Luckily, I’ll be around long enough to ensure that. I pull him closer. “Thanks.”

  He walks me to a large moss-draped tree, where Preacher awaits me. His white smile nearly blinds me as Noah hands me to my surrogate grandfather.

  “I’ll see ya up there,” Noah says with a wink, and disappears up the walk.

  Preacher tucks my hand into his large ebony one. Callused, familiar, and loving. “You are a painted beauty, girl, dat’s right,” he says with love. “Me and your grandmudder are so proud of you. Dat boy”—he inclines his head toward the front, where Eli awaits—“he loves you in de same way I love Estelle. The forever kind.” He gives a single nod. “Dat’s all I want for my baby girl.”

  “I love you,” I say, my voice choked.

  Preacher kisses me on the cheek. “I know dat.”

  I suppress a laugh.

  “You gonna take dem tings off your pretty face?”

  I slip off my shades and ease them into the pocket of Preacher’s black tux. “Thanks,” I say.

  He grins and faces forward.

  The music starts up.

  It’s not your conventional wedding.

  Rhine, Tate, Gerry, and Pete are playing my wedding march.

  Rhine wrote it himself. It’s the first time I’ve heard it.

  It’s nearly breaking my heart.

  “Dat’s a fine boy, too, dat Rhine,” Preacher informs me quietly. “Good boy. Nice voice, dat’s right. Your grandmudder ordered his CD on Amazon. Plays it all da time, she does.”

  I look at my grandfather and laugh. Lord help the world, Estelle has discovered the Internet.

  Through the crowd, I see Rhine with his bass, and I have to agree. He’s a great guy.

  Ahead, a small line starts to move toward the fountain, where Garr, also an ordained minister, awaits us. Noah is Eli’s best man, and the pair stand at the fountain, on Garr’s left. But Noah is standing in just the right position, so I don’t have a good look at Eli yet. My insides ping with nerves. Ahead of me, Nyx and Luc make their way up an aisle covered in dogwood blooms. Guests are seated in white wooden folding chairs on either side of the fountain.

  They’re filled to the gills with people I love.

  Next, Phin grasps his sister’s arm and they head up the aisle. He returns for his mother, Elise, who is stunning in a champagne silk gown with a diamond choker. Gilles follows behind them. Luc returns and escorts Estelle down the aisle then, but not before she turns, her eyes wide, and a big grin stretches across her aged ebony face. She’s wearing a soft light dove gray dress that shimmers in the sunlight. It reminds me of Noah’s eyes. She’s my beautiful Gullah grandmother, and she kisses me, then heads up the aisle.

  I glance out over the crowd gathered before me, and I’m in absolute awe of my life and all who is in it.

  First, my baby brother, who sits on the front row. This whole thing started when he and his silly friends inadvertently set the Arcos brothers free of their graves. What would have happened if they hadn’t done that?

  I shudder at the thought.

  All things happen for a reason. I’m so totally convinced of that.

  Next to my brother, of all souls, is Victorian Arcos. One of the entombed devils, who turned out not to be such a devil after all. He smiles at me, and I’m surprised he’s behaving so well. Not once since our last mind convo has he entered my thoughts. I think Eli must have had a talk with him.

  Gabriel and Sydney are here, Lucien and Ginger. Jake Andorra, and he has a date, which makes me slightly curious. Victorian Arcos is next to Jake’s date. My WUP family. Perfect. They’d settled the wolf war in the Highlands, by the way.

  And then all of my lovely Gullah family.

  Jack and Tuba, Preacher’s nephews, flanked by big Zetty the Tibetan, are nearly taking up a row all themselves. Preacher’s family. Garr’s family, and several of Noah’s Charleston crew have gathered.

  It’s all pretty fantastic.

  Werewoves. Gullah. Humans. Vampires.

  And whatever Gabriel is.

  I am not there, Riley, but I can see you. I’m envious of Eli, and I’ll always love you. I’m here to watch over you. All you have to do is call me.

  Thanks, Athios. Because of you, this is possible. I’ll never forget it.

  I’ll never forget you, my love. And Miles is right, by the way. Your mother is here. She sees. Her happiness for you makes her light brighter.

  Tell her I love and miss her so much, Athios.

  She knows.

  My eyes mist with tears. My mother’s watching. Of course she’s an angel. She was in life. Why would she be anything less in death? A joy fills me, and I know it’s her.

  Thank you, Athios. What do you know? My own guardian angel.

  My eyes drift to the other side of the guests.

  The side that is nearly taken up by the absolute largest men I’ve ever seen in my life. Tristan de Barre of Dreadmoor Keep, his wife and brood, along with Jason, Gawan, and Ellie, and all of their children, have crossed the Pond to attend the nups. Tristan’s men have come as well, and let me tell you, it’s an impressive bunch of once-medieval fellas.

  To think of all the lives that have been lived. Lost. Relived.

  Shocks me to the core.

  “Time to go, baby girl,” Preacher whispers to me.

  Rhine starts a new tune—another he’s written—and Preacher and I start up the dogwood-petal-strewn aisle.

  My eyes are fixed now on only one soul. My breath leaves me.

  His eyes are mostly back to that beautiful cerulean color I love. But there are still flecks of red embedded in them that may never go away. I’d decided that it’s him, and I wanted all of him. No contacts needed. Our gazes are locked as I make my way toward him. The look on his face reveals much. Jaw muscle flexing, and he’s fighting a smile, but soon loses that fight as his beautiful lips stretch into a wide grin.

  I think he’s freaked.

  He meets me and Preacher in the front of the fountain. Preacher kisses me and places my hand in Eli’s. Then he joins them together and sits beside his wife.

  “I can’t stop shaking,” Eli whispers in my ear as we face Garr.

  My heart leaps.

  Garr goes through the typical ceremony, and I hear every single word he says. Through sickness and in health. Yes, yes, of course. For as long as you both shall live? Is there any other choice? Longer than that, maybe? His words register, and Eli and I both answer. Inside, though, I’m a quiver of nerves. My wedding day. To Eligius Dupré.

  How did I get so lucky?

  “You wish to say your own vows, dat’s right?” Garr asks.

  Eli nods and turns me to face him. He holds my hands and slips a platinum band over my ring finger. It
nestles next to the engagement ring he’d given me, before Edinburgh. It feels right, like it’s belonged there all along, and my breath hitches. “All my life, I’ve waited for you, Riley Poe. You’re everything I could ever want, no matter how many lifetimes we live. You make me full, complete, and I’ll spend every single day making sure you never regret marrying me.”

  My heart is in my throat, and I swallow past it. Eli’s words sink to my core. Love makes my nerves tingle. My eyes meet his, and I hold his gaze. My heart flutters. “I worked hard to pull out of the dregs that were once my life,” I say, and I ease the wide platinum matching band over Eli’s ring finger. My hands are shaking. The sun beams overhead but is filtered through the canopy of live oaks. Dapples of sun light on Eli’s face, and just looking at him I feel my heart melting. His mouth lifts on one side, fighting a grin. “But to love you is the easiest thing I’ve ever done. I’ll love you till the day I die, Eligius Dupré. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. You’re my life.”

  I hear Nyx sniffling behind me, and I fight my own tears.

  “Well, den,” Garr says. He’s dressed in a dark gray tux and a slick hat to match. “I think you two belong togedder, forever. In the eyes of God, and all dese folk, I pronounce you wife and husband, for as long as you both exist.” Garr grins at Eli. “Well, den, kiss her, boy!”

  My whole body is humming with love and excitement as Eli grasps my face with both of his hands and presses his mouth to mine. It’s a sweet, long, sleight-of-tongue kiss, and I melt into him. He pulls back and looks down at me, and the love in his mostly blue eyes takes my breath away. He smiles. I smile back.

  You’re mine, he says.

  Nuh-uh, you’re mine, I correct.

  “Mr. and Mrs. Eligius Dupré, all hitched and legal!” Garr hollers.

  Someone in the crowd whistles, and I know without looking it’s Tristan. The sound pierces the air and rivals that of a screeching falcon. The crowd roars then, clapping and rising to their feet. Eli takes my hand and we make our way right into the center of them all, and we stand there forever greeting, hugging, and rejoicing.

  “My God, woman,” a deep voice rumbles at my ear. “I thought you were a vision wearing a battle helm and yielding a broadsword.” I turn and look up—way up—into the strange blue eyes of Tristan de Barre. “But I fancy this dress, for sure!”