by Amanda Kay
“Okay,” she responded as he gingerly slipped inside her.
This was her dream, him and her together forever.
Raiden
He rolled off her but pulled her carefully with him so she rested half of her body on his chest. He kissed her head. “Sweetheart, we need to update your dad. I told him you wanted to leave so we need to tell him that you’re staying and we’re engaged and Tai, we need to tell him about the kidnapping.”
“Yeah.” she sighed; he saw a flash of sadness.
“Tai, what’s wrong?” She looked down.
“I’m scared to tell him.” He lifted her chin.
“About the kidnapping?” He needed an actual confirmation on where her fear was coming from. If it was about the engagement, he could set her mind at ease, but he had a feeling that wasn’t it.
“Yeah, I don’t want him to think that I’m not safe here, because being with you I’ve never felt safer. Today wasn’t anyone’s fault but mine for not checking the door before answering it.” He cupped her cheeks and she studied him as he placed a quick kiss on her lips.
“It’s not your fault, sweetheart; you couldn’t have known that Kai had gotten that desperate. If anything, I would’ve expected my stalling would’ve cause him to back off a little.” He couldn’t take her blaming herself for the events of today. If anything, it was his fault. “It’s my fault, sweetheart, I should’ve known he wouldn’t back away until you were completely out of my life. I should’ve warned you about him and the entire Lukas family.
“No, Raiden, please don’t blame yourself,” she pleaded. “Maybe the only person at fault is Kai?” He smiled at that thought. Kissing her again.
“Let’s call your dad together.” She nodded at him and he found her phone for her.
He watched her speed dial her dad and he waited. He knew her dad would find their engagement great news, but he was nervous to tell him that just the fact that his daughter was with him caused her to get kidnapped.
“Baby girl?” he questioned with concern.
“Hi dad, umm....Raiden is here and we have a few things to tell you.” She paused for a minute. He studied her, she was nervous, he understood though.
“Baby girl, did you say Raiden was there?” he asked. Raiden could feel her father’s joy start to break through in his voice.
“Hi, sir,” he cut in.
“You fought. Thank you, son.” Raiden could hear tears in her dad’s voice now.
“I didn’t know how to, sir. Tai helped me find that fight.” He smiled over at her. “I dropped to both knees and proposed. She said yes, sir.”
“Tai, baby girl?” Tai smiled at Raiden.
“I said yes, dad. I’m really happy, but there’s something else we called you about, as well.” ‘Let me’ he mouthed at her. She nodded and reached for his hand.
“Sir, I didn’t tell you earlier when we spoke but something happened this morning.”
“What happened, Raiden?” The joy from a second ago gone, completely replaced by concern.
“You and I spoke a bit one time about an enemy of my family. Well this morning Tai was kidnapped by the son in that family. She managed to pop the trunk and jumped. She’s okay, a bit sore but in general, good.” Raiden held his breath and Tai squeezed his hand he glanced her way and mouthed, ‘not your fault, playboy.’ He knew that but it didn’t change the facts in his mind. He wasn’t awake to stop it. He felt like he failed her in so many ways and not just today.
Tai
She and Raiden both waited in silence for her dad to speak after learning about her kidnapping.
“Tai, baby girl?” he finally questioned.
“Yes, dad,” she answered.
“You were seen by a doctor? He didn’t hurt you right?” She knew what her dad meant it was the same question Raiden had asked.
“Yes, dad, Raiden’s friend, Bethany, her mom is a doctor. She made a house call and cleared me. And Kai didn’t hurt me.” She responded to his questions.
“Okay, Raiden take care of my baby girl. I’ll see you two next Friday. Love you, Tai.” Raiden exhaled and Tai stifled a giggle at his relief. He shot her an amused glare.
“Love you, too, dad, can’t wait to see you,” she said before hanging up.
“Playboy, can I ask you something?” She knew she could but after the day they had, she wanted to tiptoe on everything.
“You can ask me anything, Tai.” She smiled.
“When is the latest we have to get married?” She wanted to know not because she was scared about marrying him but because she was ready to start making amends with her mom.
“Sometime towards the end of next year. I can ask my dad for the date. Why, sweetheart?” he questioned slowly and she knew he was suddenly on alert.
“That would be nice, playboy.” She took a breath, “I want to try to mend things with my mom but know it will take time. I don’t want to rush it.” His emotions changed. He was relieved at her words.
“I think that’s wonderful idea, sweetheart. You’ve forgiven Jordan and I know it was different with her, but I think it’s time.” She gave him a small nod. It might have been time but she was nervous.
“Let’s eat, playboy.” He smiled at her, kissed her and then obliged her.
He was nervous and excited. Today was the day he was going to meet Tai’s dad. She had asked to go with him to the airport since it was no longer a surprise. He was just waiting on her to finish what she needed to. She had asked for a few moments to write and make a call she’d been putting off all week long to her mom. They still had plenty of time so he wasn’t going to rush things.
His phone rang in his hands, ‘Jordan calling.’ “Hello, Jordan.”
“What the fuck, man? She’s impossible,” he greeted. ‘Well hello to you as well,’ he thought as he chuckled.
“Dude, if this is about Bethany, you need to give her room to maneuver. She was stuck in a zone for so long she thought she was going to be forced to marry me. She never got close to anyone because she was afraid of it crushing her heart when I didn’t settle down.”
“But you did, Raiden,” he spat out.
“Yeah, I did man, but maybe it hasn’t completely sunk in yet,” Raiden said thinking that maybe Bethany didn’t realize she could be free.
“Are you saying she had feelings for you?” Seriously?
“No, Jordan, no more than a friendship. I meant that maybe it hasn’t sunk in that she is free. Look, dude, she’s never been with anyone except a few kisses, as far as I know anyways.” Raiden waited and waited and waited. “Jordan?”
“Are you saying she’s a virgin?” Ah that’s what it was, it was processing.
“Yeah dude, that’s what I’m saying but I could be wrong. Just take things slow with her. She cares, she does,” Raiden reassured. Maybe he could get Tai to talk with Bethany.
“Yea okay, I’ll let you go. I know Tai’s dad is due in soon.” And then he just hung up. Raiden was staring at his phone shaking his head when she walked in. His eyes immediately shifted to her.
“Something wrong?” she questioned, he shook his head. And reached for her hand pulling her towards the door so they could go and get her dad.
Tai
To the world,
Okay, so I’m going to be calling my mom soon. I must say I’m nervous about this. Raiden asked me if I wanted him to stay and I did, but didn’t. I need to make this first call by myself. Granted, I’ve talked to her twice since I’ve been here but those times were different. So very different. It was time though to extend the olive branch, even though Raiden and I haven’t set a date it would be before us and I know I want my mom here when we get married. So it’s time. ~Tai
Picking up her phone she expelled a held breath, hitting the speed dial button that belonged to her mom. “Tai?” she questioned when she answered.
“Yeah, mom, it’s me,” Tai responded.
“Is everything okay, darling?” Now was Tai’s moment to extend that olive branch.
/>
“Fine, mom. I just have a few things I wanted to tell you and I wanted to try to umm...make things right.” She suppressed her fears about this conversation.
“I want that, darling, anything to get back my daughter. Why don’t you tell me what you called to tell me. That might be a good place for us to start.” This was actually the part that caused Tai the most apprehension. Her mother had sent Jordan half way around the world to get her and bring her back upon learning that Raiden was a vampire.. And while they talked with her since, telling her she was marrying him was different than just being in a relationship with him.
“Mom, Raiden and I are engaged.” She didn’t sugar coat it or stall she spit it put just like it was and waited with a bated breath.
“I see,” she responded, pausing briefly. “How does your father feel?” Really? That was what worried her? How her dad was handling it.
“Dad, gave Raiden his blessing when he called and asked him for my hand. He’s coming to visit next Friday to officially meet him.” Maybe the fact that Raiden had asked her dad first would score him major points in the mom’s book. She needed a relationship with her mom. She knew that now and that required her accepting Raiden in her life, vampire or not.
“Okay, then I want to meet him soon then, too,” she finally responded.
“When I’m ready, mom, baby steps.” She wasn’t quite ready to see her mom, she missed her but she wasn’t ready after everything that had happened. Sure, both she and Jordan were happy and moving on with their lives, but it didn’t excuse her mother for her part in the affair with Jordan.
“I understand, Tai. Love you.”
“Bye, mom,” Tai carefully responded. She loved her mom but wasn’t ready to say those words either. Her and her mom had a lot of work to do to get back a normal mother and daughter relationship. Even more work to get back to the close relationship they had.
“Bye, darling.” And then the call ended. She felt better for reaching out but it would indeed take baby steps.
Raiden
He had wrapped his conversation with Jordan when he felt her presence. His eyes shifted to her instantly. “Something wrong?” Shaking his head he grabbed her hand and raced towards the door. If they didn’t get going they were going to be late picking up her dad.
Once in the car he answered her question verbally. “Yes and no.”
Her eyes jolted to him immediately. “Raiden, what’s going on?”
His hands tightened on the wheel he was worried about Bethany. They had always been close, more like siblings. He wanted her happiness yet she was afraid to grab it. “Jordan called when you were talking with your mom. Bethany isn’t being as embracing about moving their relationship forward now that we’re engaged.” He watched her nod and look out the window. Placing a hand in her leg he spoke low, “Sweetheart, is something wrong?”
She sighed, “I don’t know what I was thinking about Bethany and Jordan, my mom. My world feels settled now, peaceful even, but their lives aren’t. I guess I feel bad.” He caressed her thigh.
“Don’t feel bad, sweetheart. You and your mom will get there and that’s all it will take for her world to feel right. And Bethany just needs a friend to talk to. She won’t listen to me. I’m too much like a brother and she won’t listen to Jordan because she wants to try things with him but she’s scared.” Her eyes finally shifted back to him and she nodded.
“I’ll talk with her. I know all about being scared.” Raiden smiled as he pulled into the parking space reserved for him at the airport.
“Let’s go get your dad, sweetheart.” At that statement he was greeted with her brilliant joyous smile.
Tai
Raiden wasted no time interlacing her fingers with his as they walked to the airport. She meant what she had said in the car. She felt settled; she didn’t know how she thought she could survive without him. The last week after her kidnapping, their breakup, his proposal, their reconciliation she knew one thing; a life without him wouldn’t be a life at all.
She tugged on his hand causing him to stop their forward motion and gaze into her eyes. “I love you.” He smiled.
“I love you, too. Not complaining, but what prompted that?” he said bringing her hand he was holding to his lips.
“Was just thinking about everything from the past week and how I almost royally screwed up my life. Because without you. there is no life.” He showed more emotion at that moment than she had ever seen in his eyes. And that’s when she truly knew she had indeed found Prince Charming. Her Prince Charming, he was very real and she could never truly express how much she loved him.
He didn’t know how the human ended up in his bed last night. Probably a weak fucking moment. He was reeling about Raiden and Tai’s engagement when the bitch, Gloria, showed up at his door. He was pissed as fuck at her for not succeeding in breaking up Raiden and Tai and now what the hell had happened? They were engaged. So he solved his anger issue by fucking her all night long, hard. Very hard. She didn’t complain. she just took it over and over until Kai passed out, but he hoped she would’ve left. She hadn’t, which meant he now had to get rid of her skanky ass. He was a jackass, woman who slept with Raiden before he met Tai thought he was jackass but no one dared to mess with him.
“Get your shit and get out, dammit!” he hissed.
“Kai?” she questioned. Really? Seriously? What the hell did she think was going on with them?
“Don’t know what you’re thinking. Really don’t fucking care either, but I asked you to leave and I suggest you do it now!” He yelled, his patience was already wearing thin. It would be wise for her to not test that. He wasn’t Raiden; you did not mess with Kai Lukas.
“I thought Raiden was a jackass,” she spat as she left.
He growled, but let her leave. He had bigger things to worry about. Moving to his desk, he began reading over the documents he had found after his failed kidnapping attempt of Tai. He was pissed off that she escaped, but grateful for a prayer that could solve his problem. Raiden getting married.
As he scanned the document he found it. If the leading family’s heir chooses to be with a human, the human must make the ultimate sacrifice. Become a vampire.’
One choice...
One sacrifice...
Happily ever after...
I’m beginning to question its existence
~Tai
Tai and Raiden are happy; their life together is moving forward. She has complete rein over their wedding. Time isn’t on their side though, as Lee’s takes an unexpected turn for the utter worst.
And just when things are stressful enough for them both, documents arrive from the Lukas family. Documents that will alter their world and possibly their happily ever after search.
Can Tai stand and be strong? Will Raiden allow her to make the ultimate sacrifice for him? Does happily ever after exist?
Prologue
Life never works out as planned. Tai and Raiden were madly in love, living a fairy tale. One document from the Lukas family crushed it all. Threatened everything they had built. Tai never doubted, but something inside Raiden snapped, and now they both had to hold on for dear life.
Raiden
DAMN IT! This was not happening to him, to them. How did he not know this document existed?
“Raiden?” she gently questioned from behind. She didn’t flinch when he showed her the document. She just accepted. No, there was a way out of this. He wasn’t going to put her through this change. There has to be another way. “Raiden, stop it. I can handle it, all I need is you.
He turned to face her standing, just barely standing, on the porch her arms crossed. “I refuse, Tai. I made a promise to you. I won’t break it.” She shook her head and returned inside. She was annoyed with him. She expressed if this was what needed to be done then let it happen so they could get on with the planning of their future.
“Fuck!” he shouted to the morning breeze. This was killing him. He promised her she would never have to change
to be with him and now...well now, he didn’t know what to do or think.
He was the luckiest bastard in the world because he had Tai, but his behavior since receiving this piece of garbage Kai dropped off three weeks ago was threatening his future with his soul-mate.
Tai
To the world,
So it’s been a few weeks since I needed to write but damn it I NEED TO WRITE!
One choice...
One sacrifice...
Happily ever after...
I’m beginning to question its existence. I don’t know why Raiden is so hung up on this it’s my choice. It’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make, no doubt in my head. Raiden however, isn’t having any of it. He’s been moody as hell for the last three weeks. We’ve been fighting and I’m just defeated. I don’t know what to do. How can I make him understand? This is my choice, my sacrifice, to accomplish our happily ever after. ~Tai
Tai shuts her journal everything was going great. Everything was far too perfect, Kai just couldn’t let things alone. So, of course, he dealt a blow to Raiden. One Tai was afraid he wouldn’t recover from, which would mean she’d be leaving. No, Damn it! Screw the fucking Lukas family. She wasn’t letting Raiden go. She had been down that road once before and it nearly crushed her. When she said YES, she meant it. He wasn’t going to push her away, but for now she needed to let him have his space. Without thinking, she dialed the only person who could help take her mind off this and Raiden’s insecurities.
“Hey, Tai,” her maid of honor Bethany answered.
“Hey, Beth. You Busy?” she sighed.