Daylight, a Timeless Series Novel

by Lisa L Wiedmeier

  “If I need you, I’ll come find you,” he said.

  He was still irritated that I’d asked, but he was right. I—we needed to let this go. We had enough worries to fill the Grand Canyon, no need to add more to the pile. I also didn’t need to have ill feelings for Nakari. She’d been dealt a lousy hand in life and love too. I set my book on the small side table and folded up the blanket, laying it over the back of the couch.

  Circling around the couch, I stopped beside Callon’s desk and gave him a peck on the cheek. He squeezed my hand and but didn’t look up. He’d get over my questioning just like I’d get over the admission. Besides, in just a few more weeks, we’d be married. In just a few more weeks, I’d have a husband. I sighed. Callon would love me, and treat me well, I had no doubt, but marrying at twenty? I’d wanted to wait, but I had a responsibility to the Timeless race.

  Daniel waited patiently in the doorway, his arm laced in mine as he led me to the dining room. Koda sat at the table, shuffling cards. A warm smile spread over his face, reaching all the way to his eyes. The way Colt used to smile at me. He’d been the one to get me to play poker in the first place at Dex and Lilly’s. My chest tightened. It made it hurt even more knowing Colt had made this choice himself. There was no rescuing the unwilling.

  “No cheating today, you two,” Koda said and winked.

  I gave a faint grin. Koda was insistent that there was no way as a beginner I could win as many hands as I had. And he was right. Daniel had been sneaking me cards. There was an advantage to his jumping skill, especially when it was used to torment Koda. It was only fair since Koda had been telling me lame jokes for months now.

  Koda tapped the chair beside him, pulling it closer.

  “I’m watching you, Chey,” his voice was low. “I’ll catch the two of you. That’s a promise.”

  I shrugged. He could try all he liked, but the chances of catching Daniel were slim to none. Koda dealt the cards.

  I studied my hand as the play continued, drawing and discarding. I was aiming for a straight flush; however, Daniel was pointing me in a different direction. And by the way Koda had slouched in his chair and his lips twitched, I knew he had something good.

  I lifted my hand, my thumb mindlessly rubbed over my Servak ring, Daniel’s sign. I discarded and drew a new card. I forced my lips into a straight line. Daniel had given me an ace.

  Koda’s lip curled, and he spread out his cards.

  “Straight F-l-u-s-h.” He drew the words out.

  Daniel let out a loud sigh and threw his cards down.

  “I’m out,” he groaned.

  I bit my lower lip.

  “Whatcha got, Chey?” Koda teased. “You’re not going to beat me this time.”

  I blew the hair from my eyes and glanced at Daniel. A slow deliberate smirk rose on my lips. One by one I lay down each card, watching Koda’s jaw drop further each time.

  “Royal F-l-u-s-h.” I drew out the words just as he had.

  His icy blue eyes grew even larger, and then he blinked. A moment later he pushed his hand through his hair and then he rubbed his chin, staring at the cards on the table.

  “How?” he mumbled. A moment later he was on his feet, his knees hitting the dining room table and jarring me back into my seat. “Cheaters!” He shoved his finger in my face.

  “That’s an awfully mean thing to say, Koda,” I reprimanded. I pushed my chair back and stood, stepping away from the table. He looked like he was about to lunge at me at any moment, like Colt had done with me playfully in the past. “Did you see anything?”

  His eyes narrowed, and a lock of his hair fell onto his forehead. He was past due for a haircut too.

  “The two of you did something, I know it! No one is that lucky!”

  “Well, you two are the ones teaching me to play poker. Obviously you’re a better teacher than player.” I shot him a playful grin.

  Koda reached for me, but I was ready. I jumped back and ran for the front entry. He followed on my heels.

  “You’re not getting away with it anymore, Cheyenne!” he roared playfully.

  I couldn’t help but giggle. It had been a while since any of us had let loose and laughed.

  “Run, Chey, run!” Daniel cheered. Bree was scolding him as I ran by.

  I reached the marble floor and slid around the corner, making contact with an entry table. The large vase of tulips crashed to the floor, and water spilled over the marble. Koda stopped in his tracks.

  “Oh, you’ve done it now, Chey. Lilly’s going to kill you for that one.” Koda crossed his arms.

  Crap…he was right, Lilly had been watering it for weeks.

  Daniel and Bree moved behind Koda, grinning.

  Callon emerged from the library, and I slowly stood. My socks were drenched, and glass crunched under my feet as I tried to move.

  “Hold still, Cheyenne,” Callon said and moved closer. “Let me help you.”

  Callon carefully stepped onto the glass and lifted me off my feet.

  I kissed his cheek.

  “Ah, my knight has come to rescue me!” I giggled.

  He shook his head and carried me over the broken glass and water. We were heading towards the library.

  “Koda, you get to clean up the mess,” Callon called out over his shoulder.

  “Wait! What?” Koda’s eyes narrowed and his head shook. “Daniel…”

  Daniel and Bree suddenly appeared at the top of the stairs.

  “Oh, I’m sure you’ve got it, Koda,” Daniel called out and then in another blink they were gone.

  Koda grumbled as he headed for the kitchen.

  Callon and I entered the library. He set me on the couch and carefully removed my wet socks, discarding them in the trash. He lifted each foot, inspecting it closely.

  “You don’t feel any cuts, do you?” he asked.

  “Not that I can tell.”

  “Good.” He sat before me on his knees, his hands running up my legs and stopping on my thighs. Butterflies erupted in my belly, and I couldn’t help but lick my lips nervously. Apparently he wasn’t irritated anymore.

  He’d been a bit distant lately—we all had—but that was why I was following him around like a lost puppy. We both needed reassurance; and he needed to know how much I loved him. We both needed to know it was going to be okay, that we could go on even with Colt’s choice.

  “We haven’t really talked about other things,” he said, his hazel eyes softening. “I think we’ve both been a little distressed about finding Colt in the manner we did. It hurts.” He sighed and grasped my hands. “Honestly, it would have been better if we still thought he was dead.”

  I pressed my eyes closed, tears close the surface. I knew exactly how he felt. We both loved Colt dearly, and wanted him back the way he was, before Marcus changed everything.

  “He’s a threat now, love,” he continued, lowering his head. “A threat I’m not sure how to deal with.”

  My heart sank even further. I knew Callon had been talking with Brogan and Maes. He’d purposely left me out of those meetings. He knew I’d still defend Colt, even though I shouldn’t.

  “What are we going to do?” I whispered, my voice cracking.

  “There’s talk of elimination.” His finger began running over my engagement ring.

  A tear trickled down my cheek. I tried to blink the rest away.

  “How much more harm can he cause us, Callon? We’re safe here with the enchantment. You’ve changed it so he can’t access it, right?”

  “Yes, but the problem is that he knows things about us. Things about other Timeless that could be damaging, and result in...”

  “More deaths.” I finished his sentence for him.

  “Yes.”

  “You don’t think he’d try anything before the wedding, do you?” I wanted to trust my instincts and say no, but after what had happened, after he assisted Conall in causing me harm, I couldn’t or wouldn’t put anything past him.

  He looked up, not bothering to
hide his wariness.

  “I don’t know,” Callon sighed, “and then there’s the wedding itself.”

  “I don’t understand,” I told him.

  He moved onto the couch. His arm came to rest behind me. I turned towards him, and placed my hand in his.

  “I’ve been wanting to talk to you about the ceremony so you’d understand. I wanted to wait until I knew we could secure everything, but I can’t wait any longer. You need to know the potential risk for both of us.”

  “A risk? Dex said something about us marrying during the summer solstice so we would counterbalance each other. Is that it?”

  “It’s more than that. During the ceremony, we are united with the Braid del amour, the braid of love. The Braid is placed upon us, binding our hands and arms together, then the ritual is performed to show we’re united in power and love.” He hesitated for a moment.

  “What?”

  “We’ll lose our powers for a period of time. We’ll be completely vulnerable.”

  I blinked and then quickly recovered. “How long will we be without powers?”

  He looked down at my hand, caressing my fingers. “We don’t know for sure.”

  I tilted my head. “Why not?” My mind began spinning. “Dex and Lilly were married, and so were Brogan and Layla. Why can’t you ask them?”

  “It’s different for everyone. It’s only used for clan leader marriages, and honestly, it all depends on the power of the couple uniting. If they’re weaker, it may just be hours or days; if they’re stronger, days or weeks.”

  I began twisting my Servak ring. Both Callon and I were considered strong, which meant it could be weeks before our powers were restored. Weeks in which Marcus could plan an attack and slaughter us all, but my parents had taken the risk too.

  “What about my parents? Their marriage was the most recent. Dex would have married them.”

  “He did, but right after the wedding they went into hiding. He never got the opportunity to ask.”

  Of course…but someone had to know. If they were in hiding, they would have been guarded.

  “Who guarded over my parents during this time?” I asked.

  Callon was quiet for a moment then replied, “Dex might know. I’ll ask him, and then maybe we can get a closer estimate.”

  I nodded, still distracted by the thought of losing our powers.

  “We’re working on ensuring our safety,” Callon added.

  I knew he was, but things could happen, unexpected things.

  “Where’s the Braid now?”

  “Hidden.”

  “Do you know where it’s at?”

  “No, Dex is the keeper of the Braid.”

  Dex kept the Braid hidden; at least that was a plus. But being completely vulnerable didn’t set well with me.

  “Who performs the ceremony?”

  “Dex.”

  “Can anyone else perform the ceremony?” I stared at the red and gold area rug beneath my feet.

  “Yes, one other.”

  “And let me guess…he’s with Marcus?”

  “Yes,” Callon replied.

  He drew me into a hug, and I soaked up his musky scent. We were risking our lives just by marrying each other, a risk that had to be taken, just like my parents had. Both the Servak and Consilador clans’ power had weakened over the years. Dex had told me that. We needed to marry to restore the balance before it got completely out of control.

  “I’ll always come for you, Cheyenne, always,” he whispered in my hair.

  But if Marcus came, would Callon come too late?

  “Cheyenne?” Lilly’s voice echoed in the front hall. Her footsteps paused at the library’s entry. “I’m sorry to bother you, sweetheart, but when you’re done, Layla and I need you for a fitting.”

  I glanced behind me. Her blue eyes twinkled with excitement.

  “We’ve only got a few more weeks till the big day.”

  “I’ll be right there, Lilly,” I replied.

  A bright smile flashed over her lips and then she disappeared, but not before calling out, “We’ll be up in your room waiting.”

  I snuggled back into Callon’s hold, if only for a few more moments.

  “You’d better go, love. You don’t want to keep Lilly waiting.” He kissed my head.

  I sighed. I’d rather spend the afternoon in his arms than be fitted for a dress that I might die in. He drew back and stood.

  “I’ve got more research to do. We can have some alone time tonight if you’d like.” A warm grin appeared.

  “I’d like that,” I said softly.

  With one last glance at Callon, I headed for my bedroom. Might as well get this over with sooner than later.

  I entered my bedroom to find Bree, Andre and Nakari. Bree and Andre greeted me with a smile, but Nakari clasped her hands and looked down. She’d been like this for weeks now, since I’d found out about the engagement. I honestly couldn’t tell if she wanted to be here or not, not that I cared anymore. But if it was uncomfortable seeing me in a gown, knowing I was marrying the man she loved, well, I completely understood. I’d have felt no different if the roles were reversed. It was time I just let it go and made an attempt at friendship.

  I stopped beside Andre. Her blue eyes were wary at first, then turned to understanding.

  “Nakari,” I said softly, “if this is difficult for you to be here, I understand, but if you want to stay, I’d like you to.”

  Slowly her auburn head rose and green eyes stared at me with a mixture of emotions. Bree grasped Nakari’s arm in support.

  “I’d like to stay,” she replied.

  I nodded.

  “Well, someone wore her big girl panties today.” Andre’s sarcasm made me grin. I looked over my shoulder, she raised a brow.

  “Well, I just found some laying around and thought I’d give them a try,” I replied.

  The room erupted in light laughter.

  Lilly and Layla appeared from the bathroom doorway and headed towards the bed. A large wooden framed full-length mirror was propped up against the wall nearby.

  Layla’s blue green eyes lit up. She’d been working very hard to create a dress that I’d love, but from her drawings, it was hard to say what it would look like on me.

  “Over here,” Layla called out and motioned for me to come beside the bed. “We’ve got your dress ready.” Her smile was contagious, and I couldn’t help but grin.

  Lilly looped her arm in mine as she met me halfway. “It’s going to be beautiful, Cheyenne.”

  A pile of white silk lay on my bed. Layla and Lilly carefully lifted the dress up, revealing its simple beauty. It gave the appearance of a ball gown, but what Layla had done to it was utterly amazing. She dropped the waistline and had buttons running down the full length of the long train. A small band of rhinestones and crystals embroidered the bodice, and there was a tulle halter strap that would help hold it in place.

  “Come on,” Lilly tugged at my hand. “It’s time to try it on.”

  I was in complete and utter awe as I undressed and then allowed Lilly and Layla help me put the gown on. The room grew silent as I turned towards Bree, Andre and Nakari.

  Bree’s hazel eyes watered. She brushed back her long brown hair and smiled a genuine smile.

  “It’s beautiful,” she whispered.

  I gathered the skirt up in my hands and walked towards the mirror. I was completely speechless. It was even more beautiful than when it had been lying on the bed. This was my wedding dress, but I was marrying someone completely different than who I thought I would be. Colt should have been here with us. He should have been reunited with his family…

  “I think you’ve outdone yourself this time, Layla,” Andre said thoughtfully, bringing me back to the here and now.

  My fingers traced the rhinestone and crystals, such a simple addition that made it sparkle. And the tulle halter was flattering and feminine. I twisted to see the back had a semi deep plunge that revealed my back without going too far.


  Without a word, Layla and Lilly began tugging at the side seams, adjusting the tulle around my neck and pinning where they thought alterations should be made.

  I caught Nakari as she tried to hide her watery eyes. My heart ached, regardless of the fact that we hadn’t been the best of friends, or even friends. She was hurting, and it was because of me. She didn’t have to be here. She could have left, and I wouldn’t have thought anything of it, but the fact that she stayed made me realize truly what type of person she was. She was sacrificing, just like the rest, but she did it with more dignity and honor than I ever had.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered.

  She blinked, but recovered quickly.

  “It’s no one’s fault, Cheyenne. It’s just the way it is,” she replied quietly.

  I nodded and turned back towards the mirror. We probably would never be the best of friends, but knowing we could accept each other was better than the anger and hatred we’d been feeling before.

  “Here,” Layla said breaking the moment. “We need you to try on your evening gown too.”

  “What?” I asked in surprise. No one had said anything about an evening gown.

  “Regardless of the fact that this will be a small family ceremony, Cheyenne,” Lilly said, “it’s tradition to have a wedding dinner.”

  “A dinner?”

  “Yes,” Lilly replied.

  “If it’s just a dinner, then why the evening gown?”

  Layla, Bree and Andre began tugging at my dress to get it off.

  “Ouch!” I snapped as a pin lodged into my skin.

  “Sorry,” Andre snickered.

  “It’s a wedding dinner that will include music, and dancing. It’s the celebration before the celebration, of course,” Lilly stated like I should have known about it. “This would have been a bigger deal if the clan members could be here for it.”

  “Then why hasn’t anyone told me till now?” They removed the remainder of my wedding dress, and I stood there in my underwear and bra, crossing my arms.

  “Callon said he’d tell you.” Lilly began tapping her foot impatiently and her jaw squared. “I should have known he’d leave it to the last minute,” she huffed then waved her arms. “Men!”

  Layla and Bree had already brought over a blue silk gown and were helping me into it. Lilly hauled me forward once it was on, determination etched in her blue eyes. She pulled pins from her mouth, and she and Layla were pinning again before I’d even had a chance to view the dress.