by Paige, Bea
“You’d do that for me?”
“Yes, we all would. We all have.”
It is an honest answer, one that promises so much more than Devin is willing to elaborate upon right now.
“Thank you,” I say. The enormity of such a decision is not lost on me.
We pass through Nostra’s magic that hides the hamlet, and along the same path we took over two weeks ago. Devin gently kicks Phantom’s flank and he picks up speed. I hold on to him tightly, resting my head against his shoulders. Beside us the Forbidden forest rushes past, and I send a silent message to Clover hoping that, somehow, she can hear it. Every night I hope I will see her in my dreams, but so far, she hasn’t come. I try not to worry about what that could mean.
Before long, Phantom is slowing down and I can see Ezra and Rhain standing by the Light fields. My heart does an unexpected flip at the sight of them both. Flinging my leg over, I jump down and find myself in Rhain’s arms.
“Lights damn it, Cia. It has been too long,” he growls into my hair.
“I’ve missed you too,” I say, turning around so I can face him. In the starlight he is even more handsome. My body reacts instantly, and without thinking I press myself against him.
He trails his hand down my back, then slides his mouth over mine, groaning into my lips. I can feel his desire, it is pretty hard to miss.
The sound of someone clearing their throat has us pulling apart. It’s Ezra.
“It’s good to see you, Accacia,” Ezra says gently. “Rhain has missed you.”
I brush a gentle kiss against Rhain’s cheek and move towards Ezra. “What about you, Ezra. Have you missed me?” I’m not sure why I ask the question, and I certainly don’t expect him to respond. In the moonlight it’s hard to gauge what he’s thinking because I cannot see his eyes clearly from this distance. They are most definitely the windows to his soul. I’ve missed the expressiveness of them these past couple weeks.
“Yes,” he says simply. Ezra holds himself back, he is more reserved, and I respect that. Below us the moonlight catches the cylindrical shapes casting tall shadows across the field. It is beautiful even when it isn’t lit by the sun.
“So, why am I here?” I ask, looking between the men.
Ezra takes a deep steadying breath and I try not to be worried about what he is about to say. I’ve never seen him look so nervous.
“Being unable to walk amongst the light has cast a shadow over all our souls, Accacia. A shadow that has been darkening day by day for a thousand years. Rhain, Devin, me, we have lived a long time in the darkness. It has not been easy. We are not the men we once were.”
He walks towards me and grazes the tips of his fingers against my cheek. I am rooted to the spot as Ezra leans down and brushes a kiss across my forehead. When he pulls back, I notice more than starlight reflected in his eyes.
“Then we met you and our world wasn’t so dark anymore. Queen Adrielle stole a great deal from all of us, including you, Accacia. She took your parents, she cast you into a life of darkness and forced you to grow up in a world so very different from our own. I have been selfish, too caught up in my own grief to truly appreciate just what you have lost and for that I am sorry. I am sorry for how I treated you. I am sorry for making you feel less than you ever should, and most of all I am sorry for not realising sooner what I know now. I can see so much clearer. It is as though a little bit of the darkness that has shrouded me, shrouded all of us, has been lifted. Because of you, I have found a peace that I haven’t felt in a very long time. It is the same for Rhain and Devin.”
I look at them all in turn, having no idea what to say. A strange feeling in my chest is expanding, stretching out. A feeling that is so unfamiliar I don’t know what to make of it.
“Will you take my hand, Accacia? There is something I wish to show you,” Ezra says, holding his hand out towards me.
“Okay,” I whisper, sliding my hand into his, surprised to find it trembling slightly. I look up at his face, but he continues to stare ahead of us.
We head down the sloping verge and walk towards the Light fields, Rhain and Devin close behind us. Devin is quiet within my head, but I feel him there still. He is making a conscious effort not to infiltrate my thoughts and I wonder why.
We reach the very same spot Rhain had come to give himself up to the Light. The same spot Thalia and Roseanna had died a thousand years before, their screams no more than an echo in the wind now. Ezra’s hand tightens around mine and I feel his distress through our touch.
“Ezra…” I begin. It must be incredibly hard for him to be standing here. I want to comfort him.
“It’s okay, Accacia,” he says, turning to face me. Either side Rhain and Devin flank him as he takes my other hand in his. All their eyes are on me; the stormy grey of Ezra, the indigo ocean that are Rhain’s, the dark pool of Devin’s. I open my mouth to speak, but find that my words are lost as the air about us becomes electric.
“I wanted you to be here because if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have been able to do this.”
“Do what?” I say softly.
“Let go.”
He raises his hand and as he does hundreds of paper lanterns lift into the air about us. I breathe in sharply as the lanterns catch the air, lifting up into the night sky. It is beautiful. The feeling of Nostra’s magic zips across my skin as Ezra drops to his knee on the floor in front of me. Rhain and Devin follow suit.
“What are you doing?” I whisper.
Ezra looks up at me. “This is for all the loved ones we have lost, for the years of darkness we have endured. We may never stand in the light again, Accacia. But together, the four of us can strive to live a life that’s filled with more than just darkness. I know you are afraid, that you feel this is all too much, too soon. But know this, we will protect you with our lives, we will worship you with our bodies and we will love you, if you’ll let us.”
My eyes fill with tears as the strange feeling inside my chest lifts, just like the lanterns in the sky above us. In its place I feel a sense of belonging. I feel safe, but most of all I feel loved, even if that love is only just blossoming like the red rose tattooed on my arm.
Do you doubt us? Devin asks silently. I look at him, at Rhain, and finally my eyes rest on Ezra.
I don’t doubt you.
“Accacia, you have brought light into my life once again. Something I never dreamed could be possible,” Ezra begins, stroking his thumbs across the back of my hands.
“Cia, you have Claimed my body, and now my heart,” Rhain adds, the fire in his eyes unmistakable.
And you have touched my soul, Red. I would be lost without you, Devin whispers through our connection.
“With each of us you have shared a piece of yourself willingly and in return we are willing to share you, to protect you, to love you. I am here now, with my brothers’ consent, to ask whether you will seal our bond in the manner accustomed to our people? Will you join with me officially, Accacia? Will you be my wife?”
For long moments I stare at the men before me. My heart constricts inside my chest as the ring on my finger burns white-hot. I look down to find the same red cursive writing illuminate across the surface. This time three names appear; Rhain, Devin and Ezra. I look back at the men before me. They are vampires, they are cursed, they were once lost. But in this moment as the night sky dances with a thousand flickering flames, I realise one very simple fact. As much as I am theirs, they too are mine.
“Yes, I shall be your wife.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
A week later, Devin places his hands on my shoulders, trying to calm the nerves that are racing through my body.
“You’ll be fine. There is nothing to be worried about,” he says.
“But what if I do something wrong?”
“Red, there is only us four and Nostra in attendance. Please try to be calm, okay.” Devin pulls me into his arms. He holds me tight. I feel his lips press against the pulse in my neck, his fingers digging sli
ghtly into the bare flesh of my arms. A strange noise releases from his mouth. The connection between us seems odd. I can’t explain it. I still feel him there, can hear him, it’s just different, murky. Not so defined. I guess the Binding is finally wearing off.
“Devin? Are you okay?”
His fingers release their grip on me and the sudden tension between us is released. “Sorry, Red.”
“Hey, don’t be. I guess we’re all feeling the importance of today. I’m so nervous.”
“I will be there every step of the way. We all will. Now, let me look at you properly,” he says, that easy smile back again. I step out of his arms and slide my hands over the red dress I am wearing. It is tradition for the women of Clan Lux to wear red for the Joining ceremony. Nostra brought the dress to me earlier in the day and when I put it on half an hour ago I wasn’t at all surprised to find that it fit me perfectly. It is a strapless dress made of a fine chiffon material with a fitted bodice that laces together at the back with red ribbon. The dress flares out slightly at my hips and swirls at my feet when I move. There is no make-up here in Ever Vale, and nothing even remotely like it so my face is bare, natural. My hair is freshly washed and hanging loosely down my back.
“You look breathtaking,” Devin says.
“Thank you.” The way he looks at me makes my voice catch. Since the proposal we’ve not had chance to be alone together, any of us. Apparently, though it is just a small, private ceremony, there was much to do to get it organised. I haven’t seen Rhain, Ezra or Devin at all over the last few days. I’ve missed them.
Devin’s eyes linger on the rose tattoo on my arm. “This tattoo, Solomon carved it into your skin, didn’t he?”
“Yes, that’s right. Did you know him too?”
“Solomon was a friend to many. He had this talent way before the curse was cast,” Devin says, holding my gaze steady.
“He did?”
“Yes.” He pauses, searching my face. I can feel his apprehension inside my head.
What is it, Devin, I ask, testing the connection between us. It is still there, just.
“I’ve wanted to show this to you for a little while now,” he says as he undoes the buttons of his shirt and slowly pulls it off. I am left staring at his fine, sculptured chest and abs. A little thrill streaks through me and Devin raises an eyebrow. “There’s no time for that, Red. Besides when we finally do get to be alone together, I will need more than just a few minutes with you.”
I laugh. “Is that so?”
“That’s a promise, Red.”
“So, what am I looking at?” I ask, confused now as to why he is standing half-naked in front of me.
He swivels on his feet and I am surprised to see an identical rose tattoo drawn across his back. The only difference is that his one appears to be losing its petals. Or at least the tattoo has been drawn that way. Two of them have fallen free and are resting just above his hip bone. I take a step closer to him and trace a finger over the outline of the tattoo. “When was this done?”
“Solomon carved it into my skin a few years before the curse was cast.”
“How strange that we should have the same tattoo. Why a rose?”
Devin turns back around. “I wanted a skull, he gave me a rose.”
“A skull?”
“Yes, I was always a bit of a rebel. I wanted to shock.”
“Well, I bet it was a bit of a shock when you saw the rose.” I almost laugh, but then I see his look of concern and stop myself.
“I was pretty upset for a long time, but Solomon just laughed at my anger. He said that one day I would understand the true significance of the rose. Then the curse was cast and I forgot my anger, forgot about the rose for the most part. Then…”
“Then?”
“You came into my life smelling of roses, Red…”
“I do?”
“You do to me,” Devin says, leaning close, breathing me in. His lips trail over the soft spot just below my ear. A low growl bubbles up his throat. Devin grabs my upper arms and slides his tongue over the curve of my neck. It is both thrilling, and oddly frightening at the same time.
“Devin?” I whisper.
He releases his grip, stepping back. I catch a fleeting darkness in his eyes, but it is gone before I am certain it was even there in the first place.
He steps back, checking himself, and a worried look crosses his face.
“There’s more, isn’t there?” I ask.
He nods his head. “Until recently the rose was exactly like yours. Then it started losing petals a few days after we returned from the Forbidden forest.” Devin pulls his black shirt on, re-fastening the buttons.
“What do you think it means?” I frown.
“Honestly, Red, I have no idea.”
“Should I be worried?”
“I’m going to speak with Nostra once the ceremony has completed. Perhaps he will know what it is. Don’t worry, Red, all will be well.”
“Well, I am worried. What if it has something to do with the curse. What if something’s wrong?”
“Hush, Red,” Devin says, pulling me back into his arms. “I only thought that I should tell you now before the ceremony, as it will be a few days before we will see each other again.”
“A few days?” I say, leaning back slightly.
“Yes, it is custom after the Joining ceremony for the couple to spend time alone together,” Devin says softly. His eyes drop to my lips.
“Oh,” I say. The temperature in the room has suddenly gone up a notch as a strange kind of heat ripples over my skin. What is happening between us today?
“May I kiss you, Red?” Devin asks, his chocolate eyes liquid in the firelight. I think he is as surprised by his question as I am.
“I thought you said it wasn’t the right time?”
Devin chuckles. “I did, didn’t I? It appears you have me tied up in knots, Red.”
“But you can,” I say. A niggling feeling in the pit of my stomach has begun to bloom. It feels important, somehow, that we share this kiss.
“Can what?” Devin asks, stepping towards me. He places a hand on my lower back, stepping closer.
“Kiss me.”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
Devin wraps his other hand behind my head and pulls me towards him. The kiss isn’t soft, it isn’t gentle. It is urgent, filled with passion and something else, something stronger. The kiss is filled with a promise of more to come. We wrap around each other, holding each other close and it’s as though the sun is emerging from heavy clouds. As we kiss, I can feel the feather soft touch of his soul against my own as they entwine and dance just like our tongues do. The murkiness begins to fall away. He is part of me, as I am of him.
“Red,” he murmurs against my lips.
“Devin,” I whisper back.
“It is time. Ezra will be waiting.”
I draw in a deep, calming breath. “I’m ready,” I say.
* * *
Devin escorts me under the cover of darkness to Ezra’s home. I am surprised to find that this is the place he has chosen for the Joining to take place. I don’t want him to taint the memory of his wife in the home that he had loved her in, but according to Devin he had insisted, and so here we are.
The horse stops just outside the boundary of Ezra’s land. Nostra has cast a spell over the property, much like the one that covers the hamlet. I can see Ezra’s house, but from this side of the magic it looks empty, uninhabited. I know this is because of Nostra’s spell. If anyone were to pass by it would look completely abandoned.
Devin lifts me off Phantom and pulls me into his arms, holding me close for a few seconds. Then he lets go, stepping aside as Rhain appears from behind the wall of magic. He looks handsome, incredibly so, and the familiar pool of desire rushes through me at the sight of him. He is wearing a simple pair of black trousers and matching shirt. The top couple of buttons are undone and I can see a smattering of dark hair there. I almost reach out to touch it.
>
“Cia, you are… exquisite,” he says, his eyes roving over me. The want in his eyes is undeniable. “By all that is Light…” he murmurs, capturing a strand of my hair between his fingers. He is holding back, I can tell. It reminds me of the first time he appeared in my bedroom. It feels so long ago now. More than anything I want him to pull me into his arms. Right now, I need his touch, his reassurance. Just like I had wanted Devin’s a few minutes ago.
“You have a few minutes, brother. I suggest you use them wisely,” Devin says, patting Rhain on the back. He presses a soft kiss against my cheek then disappears with Phantom through Nostra’s magic.
“Cia, I’ve missed you, my love.” Rhain steps so close I can feel the heat of his body across my skin.
“And I you…” I say, meaning every word. I look up into his beautiful indigo eyes, eyes that have seen me completely naked and undone, and pull his head towards mine.
Rhain’s lips hover just over mine, the length of his hair tickling across my forehead. “Ezra is a good man, Cia. He will love you fiercely.”
“And you?”
“I already love you fiercely,” Rhain says, grabbing my free hand and pressing it just over his heart. Then he lowers his lips to mine and snatches my breath away with the power of his kiss.
After a while we pull apart. I know my cheeks are flushed and I press the cool tips of my fingers against them. Rhain captures my fingers and presses his kiss upon them before walking with me through Nostra’s magic.
Chapter Twenty-Three
My mouth pops open as I walk through the magic wall. In front of me is a large white marquee covered in thousands of tiny fairy lights twinkling in the moonlight. Some of the material is pulled back over the entrance, and inside I can see Nostra standing at an altar covered by an arch of red roses. Rhain remains by my side and Devin steps up to the other. They both hold out their arms for me to take. We do not say a word to each other, but it is enough to have them by my side as I slide my arms through theirs. Together we walk into the marquee and as we do the material closes behind us. Floating in the air are smaller versions of the lanterns that light the hamlet. Inside them, blood red flames are lit, casting a soft red glow about the space. Red dress, red roses, red light, all of it adding to the sensual atmosphere. And it is sensual, incredibly so. As we approach the altar there is the sound of a guitar strumming too, a soft melody that vibrates over my skin, though I see no musician or musical instrument. We take slow steps towards the altar and as we move a warm breeze washes over me, causing the skirt of my dress to flutter over my legs. I catch the sweet scent of the roses. Devin smiles inside my head and I know that they are here upon his request.