“This is the most beautiful jewelry I’ve ever seen,” I said softly, still stunned at the sparkling stones.
Emil smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m glad you like them.” He moved forward. “Let me help you put them on.” I held up my curls as he lifted the necklace out of the box and wrapped it around my neck. The heavy weight hit my chest in a pleasant way as Emil shut the clasp. He lingered, his hand on my neck as he took a ragged breath. His exhale was slow against my neck, like a warm breeze flowing through my hair and over my skin as he whispered, “You look stunning.” He stepped back, handing me the earrings. I slid them into my pierced ears before moving to the mirror by the door to see how I looked. The jewelry was so gorgeous, I couldn’t take my eyes off it. My jewelry usually came from a clearance bin at Target, not an actual jewelry store. I’d never worn jewelry this beautiful before, and I never wanted to take it off.
“Are you ready to go?” Emil asked, draping my black trench coat with thick wool lining around my shoulders.
I nodded and picked up my purse, dropping the keys inside as I followed Emil out the door to the car. As we started down the road, I expected to turn left and get on the highway. There was nothing in Gunnison worth dressing up this much for; we’d at least have to go to Crested Butte for something exciting.
Instead, when we got to the end of the street, we turned right. We didn’t have to drive far before we were pulling into a parking lot. I stared at the building, then looked at Emil, wondering if we’d taken a wrong turn. He simply grinned and got out of the car, coming around to my side. I opened the door. Emil gave me his hand for balance on the snow, and we walked into the large brick building.
“Where are we going?” I asked. Considering where we were standing, the destination could be anywhere.
Emil kept his hand on my back as my heels clicked on the polished tile floor. He slid his eyes to the side, smiling. “It’s a surprise.”
When I left my house, I was absolutely not expecting to end up here. “So…you know we’re at the airport, right?”
He tilted his head down once. “I do. And we made it right on time for our flight.”
Emil walked up to the front desk, handing the attendant some papers. She was in her forties with wavy blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail. Her name tag, declaring her “Cristina,” was pinned to a dark blue sweater that looked like it had been issued by the airline. She noted Emil’s suit, giving him an appreciative look as she processed our papers. I couldn’t blame her. I was looking at him the same way. Still, it irked me a bit, and I wondered how often Emil—and Alex—got those looks. I also wondered if they’d ever acted on them. I quickly pushed the thought out of my head, knowing it would make me upset for the rest of the night.
When Cristina was done, she handed Emil some papers. A security person seemed to appear out of nowhere to whisk us through security and straight to the plane.
Larger planes don’t frequently land at the Gunnison airport, so I wasn’t surprised when we boarded a small plane. What did surprise me was how nice the leather was when I got inside, and the lack of any other passengers. A flight attendant showed up in a blue and white pinstriped shirt, matching blue vest, and blue slacks. “Good afternoon, Mr. Stone.” Her eyes met mine. “It’s nice to meet you, Ms. Starling. I’m Jean. What can I get you both to drink?”
Emil handed Jean his suit jacket before settling into a chair. “A Pepsi for me, please.”
Jean nodded. “And you, Ms. Starling?”
I glanced at Emil, still stunned. “Uh, lemonade would be great.”
Jean nodded once, hurrying behind us.
I shifted in my seat to look at Emil, sitting next to me. “This is pretty impressive, you know.”
He cocked his head to the side, his lips lifting playfully. “I know.”
“Alex is going to have a hard time topping a private plane.”
He grinned widely. “I know.”
“How did you do this?”
“Buy plane tickets?” He lifted his brow. “There’s a website I could show you.”
I narrowed my eyes, a look I’m sure went fantastic with my fancy dress, jewelry and big hair. “So, where are you taking me?”
“You’ve asked me that a couple of times already. You know I’m not going to answer your question, right?”
Jean came back with our drinks and before long, we were in the air. We talked the whole trip to wherever-it-was-we-were-going, but Emil steadfastly refused to give me any hints about our final destination. When we finally landed, I recognized the mountain-shaped peaked roof of the Denver International Airport.
Denver is about two hundred miles from Gunnison. It’s accessible by highway, provided snow storms haven’t closed the roads. By car it would take around four hours to get there; by plane it took less than thirty minutes. Before my childhood obsession with becoming a Ninja Turtle, I’d once thought fondly of being a princess. I’d imagined myself stepping out of private planes onto tarmacs, waving and charming people as I got into my car. I’d abandoned those dreams after being introduced to pantyhose and told princesses have to wear them all the time. I also figured my tendency for saying exactly what I thought would pose potential princess problems. Being a Ninja Turtle, or Wonder Woman, was much more appealing. But, as our plane pulled into a private hanger and the door opened, I couldn’t help but feel a bit like royalty.
We were met by a black Mercedes on the tarmac. Emil helped me down the steps of the plane and the driver, who introduced himself as Aaron, opened the car door. I slid inside as gracefully as I could considering the size of my dress. Emil sat beside me.
Before long, we were driving through the brightly lit streets of downtown Denver. We pulled into the parking lot of an Italian restaurant I’d never heard of, but the lights outside and tastefully done color pallet of romantic reds and golds made me think Olive Garden would pale in comparison.
Aaron opened the car door. I got out, sliding my hand around Emil’s arm as we walked into the restaurant. The scent of garlic and fresh bread hit me, further confirming this was going to be an excellent meal. I looked around at the décor and people. Women wore elaborate formal gowns, and men were in tuxedos or suits made from fabric that I was sure cost more than my car. The restaurant dress code explained the fancy dress Emil had bought me, and his very fancy suit.
I expected to be seated in the dining area, but instead, the host called Emil by name and took us to a private room decorated in the colors of deep red wine and midnight sky.
We sat in large, fabric covered chairs with high backs. Blooming, blood red roses filled a small square vase in the middle of the black tablecloth. The room was softly lit by candlelight. Our server, Kurt, placed our napkins on our laps, then explained the menu and different courses before putting a loaf of bread and spiced olive oil on our table. He filled our glasses with ice water, and Emil ordered a glass of Merlot. I stuck with a strawberry flavored Italian soda. After spending an overwhelming amount of time trying to decide what I wanted, we ordered.
“This is amazing,” I said as Kurt left the room. “I’ve never been to a restaurant as fancy as this.”
“I thought you’d like it.”
I tilted my head. “Did Cassandra like Italian?”
He smiled, his thoughts seeming to drift for a moment. “She did.”
The server stepped back into the room with our antipasto. My salad with four cheese dressing looked amazing. So did Emil’s plate, filled with creamy cheese, grapes, pears and candied pecans.
“Tell me about her. About us.”
Emil looked at me over the flowers. “You were amazing. I knew I was supposed to be with you from the first moment I saw you.”
It sounded like a similar reaction to what I’d felt when I saw him sitting across the room on the first day of college. “How did we meet?”
“Technically?” he asked. “At a ball, during your debut season. You were the talk of high society that season.”
“
You said, “technically.” Did you know me before the ball?”
He took a drink before meeting my eyes. “It was just before the season started. I saw you in the park. You were accompanied by friends. I inquired in my circles about who you were, and made sure to get an invitation to the next the ball you’d be attending.”
“That was outgoing of you.”
He held my eyes. Some sugar from one of the pecans clung to his lips. He licked it off like a caress. “I’m persistent when I want something.”
My stomach flipped, and not because the food was so good. “Did we—” I paused, unsure of the word for dating two hundred and fifty years ago, “—court, long?”
Emil’s lips lifted slightly, amused. “For the Season. I wanted to ask you to marry me the moment I saw you, but that would have been inappropriate. We were married soon after the Season ended though. Our marriage was the best year of my life.”
I thought back to the things I knew about how our time together had ended. Emil telling me about the Daevos. Telling me I had to leave because the Amaranthine were the only people who could keep me safe from his, and all the other Daevos Clans. “It must have been difficult letting me go.”
He stiffened, his lips going tight like he was reliving the moment. “More than you’ll ever know.”
We watched each other in silence, both of us trying to understand the other’s thoughts. We were interrupted by Kurt bringing our next course: gnocchi in a spicy tomato sauce, and steak, marinated in a red wine reduction, and grilled to perfection.
I bit into the pillowy potato dumplings and immediately decided if I got to choose my last meal, this would be it. “What about after Cassandra died?” I asked. “What did you do? Just wait around for me to come back?”
“Our bond made it easy to find you. I kept tabs on you throughout all of your lives, making sure my Daevos Clan stayed far away. It was hard to be near you and not be able to be with you, so I tried to keep myself occupied with other things unless there seemed to be a threat toward you. I started a shipping business and did quite well, especially during the 1800s.”
I’d wondered about that. So, Emil’s money didn’t all come from the Daevos Resistance. That made me feel a bit better. I was pretty sure my next question wouldn’t make me chipper though. “Did you marry again?”
Emil stopped eating and held my eyes. “Never.”
I found that hard to believe. I’d seen women ogle Emil and Alex. They were both attractive in a way that would make perfectly sane women lose their minds if given a chance to date them, let alone marry them. I wasn’t with them all the time, but I knew they got hit on a lot. If they weren’t both immortal, they’d need a security detail just to walk around. I searched Emil’s eyes, but didn’t find a hint of deception there. “Did you date?”
“No.”
I blinked, my mouth hanging open. “Are you saying you haven’t had a relationship since you were married to me as Cassandra?”
He held my eyes. “You were the only one I wanted. Why would I waste time with someone else?”
“But you didn’t know if you’d ever get me back!”
He reached across the table, holding my hand. “Nothing worth having comes without risk. I wasn’t going to settle for anyone less than you.”
I was stunned. I couldn’t even decide which man in my life I loved more, let alone put all my faith in one of them for centuries. “That’s…amazing.”
His lips curved into a tender smile. “That’s true love.”
His matter-of-fact statement made me think of something I’d been trying to figure out for a while. After I was safe and Emil had taken Caleb’s soul, Emil had told me the reason he and I could touch was because no one else could detect our bond. I’d asked him why and he’d said he hoped someday I would remember. I wondered if his devotion to me had something to do with it.
Kurt stepped into the room with a warm chocolate lava cake covered with gelato, whipped cream, and a rich chocolate sauce. I decided not to think of the calories. It was better that way. “Is that why no one can see our bond now? Because you haven’t been with any soul but mine?”
Emil ate a bite of dessert, then another. Almost like he hadn’t heard my question—or he was stalling. He finally looked at me. “I guess you could say that’s part of it, but it’s not the only reason.”
I stared, waiting for him to go on. He didn’t. “Are you going to tell me what is?”
He pursed his lips like he was trying to decide if he should. “I’d rather have you remember on your own.”
“What if I don’t?”
“Then I’ll tell you.”
“When?”
“Before you die.”
“Haha. Good one. Seriously, why don’t you want to tell me?”
He leaned back in his chair. “I do. But this is something I’d really like you to remember without me clouding the memory first.”
“Maybe if you give me a hint, it will help jog the flashback.”
He considered that. “Okay,” he said, leaning forward and taking another drink of his wine. “Alex gave you the bracelet to mask your bond, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, there are other ways to hide a bond.”
I stared. “That’s it? That’s the only hint I get?”
He lifted one shoulder. “That should be enough.”
I looked around, waiting. Nothing. “If it was enough, I’d be slumped in my chair having a flashback right now.”
He smiled. “It will come. Maybe not right now, but eventually. You just have to be patient.”
“Not my strong suit.”
He grinned. “Never has been.”
Emil paid for our meal. Given the prices I noticed on the menu, he could have fed a small country with the dinner bill. I thanked him and he helped me into my coat.
I was thoroughly enjoying spending more time with Emil, away from Alex and the crazy life we’d been living. Emil was funny, smart, and on a bad day, he was one of the best looking men I’d ever seen; but in a designer suit, with his hair slicked back and eyes bright from the combination of his sapphire tie and black shirt, he was off-the-charts sexy. I couldn’t help but wonder what he’d look like out of those clothes. That was a flashback I’d really like to have.
The Mercedes pulled up in front of the restaurant, whisking us to our next destination. Fifteen minutes after leaving dinner, we stopped in front of a park. Emil wrapped my coat around me again, and handed me some gloves.
“Are we going for a walk?”
He grinned. “Kind of.”
Aaron stayed with the car as Emil offered me his arm. We walked across a brick pathway, light hitting the salt that had been thrown down to melt ice from a previous snow storm. We passed under a gazebo, sparkling with icicles in the moonlight. The night air wasn’t as cold as I expected, and being outside in this beauty was invigorating. The mounds of snow and ice looked like miniature versions of the mountains.
Emil guided me along as I took a deep breath and sighed. He looked over at me and smiled, then we rounded a corner and he tilted his head to the right. I turned and gasped. It was the most stunning display of ice I’d ever seen. Ice castles, towering between twenty and forty feet in the air, soared above us. Each one had its own unique shape, the ice crystals capturing the light in a hauntingly scenic way.
“They’re stunning!” I breathed, my voice almost a whisper. “Absolutely beautiful.”
“Not as beautiful as you.” I stared at him, in complete awe. What had I done to deserve a man who cared about me so much? “Come on, they’re waiting for us.”
“Who?”
He smiled and pulled me close as we walked.
The ice castle display was in the middle of the park. Ice covered everything. I looked around, thinking I’d made the wrong shoe choice for this terrain. As we walked up to the castles, I noticed the ground was covered by non-stick rubber. I breathed a little sigh of relief that I probably wouldn’t end up with a broken tailb
one. My high heels still made me nervous though, so I held tightly to Emil.
I stared in awe as we walked. “Each castle is so different.”
Emil nodded. “They’re created with water, strategically placed sprinklers, and the freezing winter temperatures. More water is added daily, so the castles change every few days.”
The castles were lit with bright, slowly changing lights. As one color dimmed and another brightened, an ethereal glow streamed through the ice.
I’d seen a lot of beautiful places—the mountains and sand dunes were a couple of my favorites. There was something overwhelmingly incredible about beauty made from natural elements. But nothing had ever left me feeling quite as peaceful, or speechless, as this.
That Emil would take the time to find such an amazing place, that he knew me well enough to understand why this would speak to me, said volumes about our past history together and what a continuation of our relationship would be like. I’d never been so close to feeling like royalty, and I knew he’d work to make me feel that way every day. Always thinking about me, considering my wants and needs before his own—because that’s the kind of man he was. This was a memory that would stay with me for eternity, etched on my soul. A memory that answered the question: what is love?
I couldn’t think of anything that would make it more perfect.
Then, I heard the music.
I looked to Emil. He smiled again as we came around a corner. In the middle of the biggest ice sculpture in the park, a three string orchestra was playing “Think of Me” from the Phantom of the Opera. The orchestra was surrounded by candles on pedestals, the ground, and even the ice sculptures around us. Across from the orchestra, sterling rose petals were scattered on the ground next to two chairs and a pile of blankets. Emil wrapped us up in one and put his arm around me as we sat. A few seconds later, a woman wearing a heavy winter ski coat, ear muffs and gloves handed us each a steaming cup of hot chocolate.
The song transitioned into “Music of the Night,” then “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again” before ending with “All I Ask of You.”
Eternal Echoes, Emblem of Eternity Trilogy Book 2 Page 6