Rachel heaved a sigh and rolled her eyes. “What can you possibly find funny about this?”
Kelly grinned and shook her head. “All of it, Rachel.” She looked up at Garren, who beamed down at her with pure adoration reflected in his eyes. It was a spot of happiness that momentarily chased away the impending dark clouds. When she looked back at her wedding, she would remember that it had been crazy and she would laugh.
She ran her hands up Garren’s chest and sighed. “This is perfect,” she whispered. Garren wrapped his arms around her, and she closed her eyes as she basked in his warmth.
Rachel rolled her eyes and flung her hands up in the air. “I give up,” she muttered. “You are officially more insane than I ever gave you credit for.”
Kelly giggled and snuggled closer to her husband-to-be. Yeah, maybe she was.
* * * *
Kelly winced as she tried to guide her inebriated sister down the hall of the hotel, only to have her trip over nothing and slam into a random door. Rachel burst into laughter and slid part way down it.
Chad rolled his eyes and hoisted her up. “Why is it that your sister is always tanked?” he grumbled.
“Heyyy,” Rachel slurred. “I’m not tanked. I wass jus’ celebrating.”
Kelly sighed as Rachel wobbled.
“You celebrated enough for all four of us,” Chad said.
“Come on now.” She hiccupped. “It’sss not ever’day your sissster gets married,” she insisted, still managing to scowl at Chad. “’Specially to an invisible dude, and by a wheezing man fulla diarrhea.” She cackled and stumbled backward.
Garren reached out and caught her with a smirk.
“Ugh.” Rachel groaned, slumping against Garren. “I don’t feel so good.”
“Seriously, Rach, don’t spew on the groom,” Chad pleaded.
Garren effortlessly lifted Rachel into his arms. “Come on, let’s get her to bed.”
Chad shook his head as he led the way up the hall. “No more rum for that woman,” he muttered.
Kelly bade good night to Chad once they got back to their room, and Garren cast her an amused glance as he carried Rachel through the door. “I’ll be right back,” he said.
Kelly giggled and nodded.
“G’night, sissss!” Rachel bellowed. “Have good sex!”
Kelly felt her cheeks burn, and she closed her eyes as she hung onto the door. “Thanks for announcing that to the entire hotel, Rach. I appreciate it.”
Another frightening cackle came from her sister, and Kelly sighed.
“Hey, Chad, we should go play the slotsss,” Kelly heard Rachel say. “You feelin’ lucky?”
“No offense, Rach,” Chad replied, “but I really don’t want to get lucky with you.”
Kelly giggled and closed the door, but kept the latch out so that Garren could come back in without needing a key. She sat down on the edge of the bed and smirked as she recalled the evening.
The ceremony had been a whirlwind, to say the least, but that was probably a good thing considering Howie had sounded like he might drop dead of consumption at any moment.
To Kelly’s surprise, Chad and Rachel had gone in cahoots and bought them a simple set of wedding bands. Kelly really didn’t know when they’d found the time to conspire between the DMV and the airport, but it didn’t matter. The rings were plain bands of white gold. Nothing fancy in the least, which was fine with Kelly. It was the thought behind the gesture that mattered the most.
The one good thing about the ceremony being so amazingly short was the fact that it hadn’t given either her or Garren time to feel apprehension or nervousness. Only mild bewilderment at the rushed pace of things. Even their kiss had been a quick peck, nothing like what they really wanted to do, but Kelly had feared that an elongated, passionate kiss might just put Howie over the edge.
Elvis had sung a very good rendition of “Can’t Help Falling In Love With You” on their way out, and Kelly had to say it had been the most memorable and…unique wedding she had ever seen.
After the ceremony, they had all gone to a restaurant and laughed and talked. No one concerned themselves with whether or not Garren could be seen. It was a joyous occasion and a private moment for all of them…and Rachel’s rum bottle.
Now, Kelly was exhausted. It had been a long day, and she was pretty sure that she’d experienced the entire range of human emotions. She bent down to take off her shoes, but found her hands stilled by Garren’s fingers over hers. She jumped because she hadn’t even heard him come in the door, and her heart leapt. “Garren,” she breathed. “You gave me a heart attack.”
He looked up from where he knelt in front of her and gave her a bashful smile. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sneak up on you.” He ran his fingers down her ankles and pulled the buckles on her heels free. He lifted one foot, slipped the shoe off, and did the same to the other one. He kept a hold of her ankle and sighed, caressing his hands up her calf and pressing a tender kiss to her skin.
Kelly smiled and reached down to thread her fingers through his silky hair. The light caught on her wedding band and made it shine, drawing her attention to it. Warmth stole into her heart and she knew that, even if there were no other moments of joy for her and Garren, they had this moment. It was real. It was perfect. And it was all theirs.
Garren pressed another kiss to Kelly’s leg, then hugged it close to him and rested his head against her knee. He closed his eyes as she continued to trail her fingers through his hair and along the contours of his face. “You have shown me so much,” he whispered. “So much beauty in such a short time. I never knew such beauty existed, such joy…” He looked up at her, his eyes glossy. “You are everything to me.”
A lump of emotion constricted her throat, and she framed his face with her hands. “You rescued me, Garren,” she murmured. “And not just literally. In every way. You made me remember who I really was, who I’d always been afraid to be. I was living a half life as a half person. Because of you, I am better. I am…me.” She shook her head, fighting tears. “Your love has changed my life, Garren. Whatever happens, my heart belongs to you. I don’t want it back. I want you to always hold it, to always carry my love.”
Intense emotion flashed in his eyes, a mixture of awe, devotion, and sadness. He rose up to take her face in his hands as she had done to him. “Your love is a gorgeous gift, little one,” he whispered. “I am yours for eternity.” He sealed his vow with a kiss, encircling Kelly tight in his arms.
She knotted her fingers in his hair, and she kissed him back with passion she had kept locked inside herself for her entire life. It was the passion she only used when writing, the passion that was hers alone and now belonged to him. No one else would have appreciated it. No one else had been deserving of it. Her tongue tangled with his, and he laid her back against the bed, blanketing her with his body and running one deft hand down the length of hers, starting at her slender throat.
Garren felt his fingers tremble as he slipped his hand underneath her skirt and slid it back up the path of her leg and hip, taking the fabric of her dress with it. He broke the kiss long enough to tug the garment up and over Kelly’s head. He wasn’t meaning to be bold. He wasn’t meaning to be aggressive. He just knew that there wasn’t much time left, less than he had anticipated, and he couldn’t wait any longer to see her supple skin and perfect curves. He was a gentleman, and because of that, coupled with the chaos that had been ensuing over the past week or so, he had not made any bold moves toward intimacy with Kelly. But she was his wife now. She belonged to him, and he could no longer keep his wicked fantasies locked inside of his inexperienced mind. He had been kept far too long in seclusion. He had known isolation and cold. He wanted to know her body. He wanted to know her warmth. He wanted to know every aspect of her love. He wanted to memorize her taste, her smell, the feel of her, everything that made her the woman he adored. He wanted it emblazoned in his mind and heart.
He caught her contented sigh as he returned his lips t
o hers, and he shuddered as he felt one long leg wrap around his waist. Her satisfied giggle made him raise his eyes to hers, and mirth danced in their green depths. He arched an eyebrow. “I see you have no intention of making this easy on me.”
She grinned. “Not at all.” She shifted her weight and rolled him onto his back so that she was straddling his waist. His sharp intake of breath made her smile, and she focused the attention of her hands on removing his shirt.
He allowed her to pull it up part way, her fingers teasing along his skin and sending shivers all throughout him. Unable to take much of that for fear he would incinerate on the spot, he yanked his shirt off the rest of the way and lay back with a small smile on his lips, more than willing to let her make her inspection.
Kelly gasped as her eyes fell on his chest. She blinked in bewilderment, and he glanced down to see what had caught her attention. He smirked when his gaze fell on the large, tribal tattoo he had. It looked like some sort of dangerous weapon, a blade of some kind with an intricate hilt that sported two long, wicked points on each side.
“You have a tattoo?” she squeaked. She met his eyes in confusion as her fingers traced the outline of the design.
He grinned. “Looks that way.” He chuckled at her halfhearted scowl and put his hands behind his head, enjoying the feel of her body on his and her imploring fingers caressing over his skin. “We all had them, the Royal Guardians. It identified our status.”
She frowned and shook her head. “But we never gave you tattoos.”
He propped himself up on his elbows and brought his face close to hers. “Not everything came into being merely by your will, little one,” he murmured. “We had a whole civilization while the Lucienus lived.”
She smiled and looked down at his chest again. “It’s beautiful, Garren.”
He cupped her cheek in his palm and gazed into her eyes. “So are you.” He brought his lips to hers again and took the dominant role, cradling her in his arms and rolling her back down to the bed. He monopolized her mouth while he let his hands explore, finding the remnants of her clothing and removing them. Once all of her silky skin was exposed, he launched an assault, investigating every fascinating and beautiful part of her until she was writhing and making the most desirable noises.
She, likewise, took her turn, shedding him of his clothing and taking him to the heights of ecstasy with her clever hands and lips on his body. He didn’t know how long they explored one another. He lost concept of time. He lost himself in the rapture that was all her. There was no lurking darkness. There was no imminent demise of joy. There was only Kelly. His best friend, his wife, his purpose. Without her, he would never have been anything at all. Without her, he would be nothing still.
Nothing could have prepared him for the feeling of making love to her. It was so intense, so all consuming, that he trembled like a child. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, and she whispered his name. It was the sweetest sound he had ever heard.
His breathing was ragged, shaky with his emotion and the intense pleasure he felt at being one with her. Instinct guided him, for he had no experience to mark a clear path. He tuned his senses to her, let her noises and her reactions show him what was right. He let her essence fill him completely, and swore that more than their bodies joined. Their hearts beat in tandem, they breathed the same breath. They were one and the same in body, heart, and soul.
Kelly was shaking with the force of their union when Garren finally laid his head on her shoulder and tried to calm his breathing. She wrapped her arms around him and held on tight. He relished in the warm comfort of her embrace.
“Little one,” he murmured. “I have…” He shook his head, searching for words. “No word or phrase can describe that feeling. If heaven exists, you have shown it to me. I have seen beautiful things. You have shown me beautiful things. Nothing compares to what I just experienced in your arms. You are the most magnificent wonder on this world or any other.”
She bit her bottom lip as tears leaked out of her eyes. She gave a forced laugh. “Garren, for not being good with words, that was very poetic.” She laced her fingers through his hair.
He frowned and looked at her, hearing the tears in her voice. “Kelly,” he murmured. He cupped her cheek. “Why do you cry?”
She sniffed and smiled, shaking her head. “So many reasons.” Her bottom lip trembled and she let her eyes scan over his face. “Just hold me?”
He obeyed instantly and gathered her up in his arms, pulling her to his chest and cradling her head under his chin.
His heart ached with what he knew was coming. It throbbed with knowing that he would not have a lifetime of happiness and rapture with his Kelly. He knew she felt it too, the impending darkness. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to banish the painful thought by concentrating on how she felt in his arms. Soft, warm, trusting.
“Never let me go,” she whispered.
“Never,” he swore, smoothing her hair. “Never, never, never.”
She curled into him and they lay in silence, drawing enough comfort from one another to momentarily chase the shadows away. Slowly, sleep overtook her.
Chapter Nineteen
“Sing the song of Guardians, who live beyond the skies…”
“Garren, why did Rachel and the others stop playing with me? Why did they turn their backs on us?”
Garren’s smile was warm and compassionate. “I don’t know, little one. Sometimes children lose their love for fantasy.”
Young Kelly was confused. “But why?”
He reached out and touched her cheek with his forefinger. “Not all believe like you do.”
“No one has ever believed like you. No one who’s ever brought life to the realm.”
Kelly’s mind was sluggish, and she felt like she was traveling in a surreal cloud. The voice was indiscernible, but it stirred something inside of her. “Who are you? Where am I?”
Slowly, the mist surrounding her cleared, and she was lying on a hard slab of stone. Around her, she saw lush forest and cabinlike structures. Her eyes widened as she realized she was looking at the long-forgotten village of the Lucienus. She tried to sit up, but her body felt heavy, and it limited her movement.
“You lie where the Royals used to address their people.”
Her frown deepened, and she followed the sound of the voice to a shadow that was approaching. He came closer, and Kelly made an audible gasp as his strong form and flowing golden hair came into light. He crouched in front of her. “Eamon?” she whispered.
His smile was gorgeous, but his handsome face was drawn and fatigued.
“But how?”
“You dream. All things are possible in dreams.” His brilliant blue gaze met hers with intensity. “You, Kindred Spirit Sister, possess power unknown. You can correct the damages done. Within you lies the secret to save all.”
She frowned. “What? I don’t understand. How are you here?”
“I’m not. I live in your memory. Listen to me. Reach inside yourself and find the answer or he will die. We’ll all die.”
His shape wavered, and she wanted to reach out to him, but her arm refused to move.
“I love you, little one.”
Her breath hitched as Garren’s voice seemed to float in on the breeze. She closed her eyes as she felt his fingers caress against her face. “Goodbye, my heart.”
“Save him,” Eamon’s voice came, just as ethereal as Garren’s. “Save us all.”
Kelly awoke with a gasp, disturbing voices still ringing in her ears. Her heart beat abnormally fast, and she had to close her eyes and concentrate on her breathing to get it to calm down.
That dream. She swallowed. It had been surreal. She knew that Eamon was gone, that it was impossible for him to communicate with her. The dream had only been a convoluted attempt by her psyche to sort out her troubles.
Still…
With a sigh, Kelly rolled over and reached for Garren. Her dream had left her feeling cold, and she needed his warm embrac
e to chase the shadows away. Her eyes flew open as her questing hand found only bed sheets. She raised her head with a frown, and her heart lurched. “Garren?” When no answer came, she sat up. “Garren, where are you?” Still, nothing. “Garren!” Her voice wavered and she swung her legs out of bed as panic caused her hands to feel like they were being pricked with hundreds of needles.
She yanked one of the robes off the bathroom door and hastily wrapped it around her naked body. She noticed that the other robe was still there. She threw a glance over her shoulder, and her stomach dropped as she saw Garren’s clothing still on the floor.
With a shaking hand, she yanked the door open and went to Chad and Rachel’s room, pounding on the door with vehemence.
Rachel answered it with her hair in wild disarray, looking half-dead. “What do you want?” she grumbled.
Kelly pushed past her sister and into the room. “Is Garren here? Did he come in here? Garren!”
Rachel frowned and rubbed at her swollen eyes. “Garren didn’t come in here, Kelly. What’s going on?”
Tears filled Kelly’s eyes and her heart threatened to pound from her chest. “Garren!” she shouted. “Where are you? Come back, please!” She barreled past Rachel and ran out into the hall, calling his name at the top of her lungs. She prayed he would answer, that he would walk down the hall and tell her he’d just been exploring.
“Kelly!”
Chad ran to her and tried to take her by the shoulders, but she pushed him away. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she felt her heart begin to splinter. She closed her eyes. “Sing the song of Guardians who live beyond the skies. Who fly to fight beside us and help us when we cry.” Her voice was shaking so badly she could hardly understand herself. “Come to us, great Guardians. Your friendship is a must. We are your kindred spirit sisters. You have our promise and our trust.” The rhyme was followed by deafening silence, and she squeezed her hands into fists. “Come to me, Garren!” she cried in desperation. “Please!”
Beyond Wild Imaginings Page 17