Genny giggled when he tickled her belly and pulled her closer against his bare chest. The sound of her laughter was the most beautiful noise he'd ever heard. It helped to ease the lingering bad memory of his visit with his father.

He stretched his bare legs out on either side of her on the bed. His fingers ran over her arms as he inhaled her alluring scent. The aroma of his blood drifted from her veins and he could feel the power of hers pulsing through him. He was loath to intrude upon this moment of peace and love but he had to talk to her about what had occurred with his father. The compulsion to hold her had been too overwhelming once he'd seen her again, and he'd lost himself to her for the past few hours, but she had to know what was coming next for them and what he planned.

He nuzzled her temple and kissed her tenderly. He'd recently fed from her but the need to taste her again came back with a fierceness that caused his fangs to lengthen against her silky skin. She turned her head to the side to give him better access to her vein but he had to refuse it if they were going to get any talking done. He gave her another kiss before leaning against the headboard and wrapping his arms around her.

"We have to talk," he said.

She twisted her head to meet his gaze, her laughter faded away as apprehension flickered across her features. "Things didn't go well with your father, did they?"

He brushed the hair back from her forehead. "No, they didn't."

Her mouth pursed and her chin jutted out as if she were bracing for a blow. "What happened?"

He intended to tell her what his father had said but the anxious look on her face caused him to skip that part of the conversation and go straight to his plans. He had to reassure her that he still did not intend to be without her. "Have you heard of the other land? The one that the Vikings have discovered?"

"Well yes, I've heard the whispers and rumors about it."

"They're not rumors Genny."

"What does that land have to do with anything?"

He pressed a kiss to her forehead, hoping to ease the lines of distress etched into it. "My father has refused the idea of Merle marrying Anna." Her fingers curled into his, he felt the tremor that slid through her before she suppressed it. "And he has decided that my wedding to Anna will be moved up to the end of next month."

Her lashes fell over her eyes as she bowed her head to stare at the bed. "I see."

"I'm not marrying that woman Genny."

"If he says you must Atticus, then there is nothing else that you can do." Her fingers dug into his but she wouldn't look at him again.

"No," he said forcefully. He placed his fingers under her chin and lifted it so that she had to look at him. "No. He believes I can marry her and keep you as my mistress."

That shudder ran through her again, and though she couldn't keep her eyes from turning as red as rubies, she was able to maintain an impassive expression on her face. "I know how things work; I know that you have to obey him. If you must…" her voice broke off, tears filled her eyes but she rapidly blinked them back.

"And you would allow this?"

Her face twisted in sorrow, she tried to break free of his grasp but he refused to release her. "Please let me go."

"Tell me Genny, how would you feel about me lying with another woman and having her bear my children?"

"It would break my heart. I don't think I could stand it," she whispered as tears slid down her face. "I can't be your mistress but losing you will kill me."

He tilted her head and kissed her trembling lips tenderly. "It would break my heart too," he whispered when he reluctantly pulled away from her. "I could never hurt you in such a way, never. I wouldn't even be able to lay with her, not with the knowledge of what it will do to you. Not when the idea of even touching another woman is completely repulsive to me. This wedding won't happen simply because it can't."

"Then what do we do?"

"We leave."

"Your father won't allow you to leave. I'm not a part of the aristocracy but even I know that such disobedience would never be tolerated. They would hunt you down."

"They would," he agreed.

"They'd kill you," she whispered.

His hands clenched on her, he didn't care about himself, it was her safety that was of far more importance to him. He debated keeping the threat his father had made from her, but she had to know everything before she made any decisions. She may just choose to walk out of his life in order to keep herself safe, and he wouldn't blame her if she did. It would break his heart, he didn't know how he would react to it, but he would allow her to go if it kept her alive.

"It's you my father would kill." Her head shot around, her eyes fixed on his. "He knows about you Genny, and he's made it clear that if I don't marry Anna he will find a way to end your life."

Her eyes searched his face as she studied him. "And what would become of you? What would he do to you?"

"I'm not concerned about me."

"I am."

His fingers slid over her hair. He pulled her closer and kissed her tenderly as the love he had for her swelled even higher. "Taking you from me would be the worst thing he could ever do. If you decide to leave me Genny…"

"No!" she cried. Her hands clasped his wrists. "I never want to be apart from you!"

The relief that filled him with those words was short lived, her life was still in peril and his father would do what he could to make sure that Atticus obeyed him. "It would keep you safe if you did," he whispered.

"Do you think I should leave?"

"I think we should both leave, together. We could hide in the new land. They would never expect us to go there, especially not me. It will be difficult, it will take a lot of getting used to on both our parts, but we would be safe there. We could build a life together without constantly having to worry that they'll find us. There are indigenous people there and plenty of wildlife we could feed from. We'd be free."

She tilted her head to look up at him; her nose almost touched his. "What about everything that you would be giving up?" she inquired. "The money, your home, your family."

"Money will mean nothing over there, I will gladly call wherever you are my home, and we will build our own family." He smiled at her as he stroked her cheeks with his thumbs. "We'll have many children that we'll love and cherish, children that will run free in the new land."

"And they'll never know unhappiness?"

"How could they possibly with you as their mother?"

She laughed as she squeezed his wrists more firmly. "That sounds better than a dream. Camille will have to come with us."

"Of course," he said.

"And will Merle go?" she asked.

"It was Merle's idea and he has offered to take us on his ship."

"He'd be willing to give everything up too?"

"It's not giving everything up; he would be gaining a freedom that he would never have here. Neither of us are particularly fond of the political intrigue of the nobles and though Merle is resigned to marrying Jane, he's always enjoyed his freedom. I think, to him, this is a big adventure and he's more than willing to sign on for it."

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"This is the surest I've ever been about anything in my life. It will be us from now on." He leaned over and grabbed hold of the tunic he had draped over the wooden chair beside the bed earlier. He searched through the inside pockets before closing his hand around what he sought and pulling them free. He brought his hand before her and opened it to reveal the simple gold bands he'd taken from his room.

"These rings have been handed down through my mother's family since they first walked upon this earth," he told her. "When my mother died they came to me. They haven't been exchanged in a wedding ceremony since my great great-great grandparents were first wed. These were the first wedding rings ever exchanged between vampires and I want them to be ours."

She gawked at the rings in his hand before she turned toward him. "Atticus, they're… are we even supposed to?"

"We are supposed to do whatever we choose to do from now on," he said with a smile. "Just like these rings were a beginning back then, they're a beginning for us now." He took hold of her hand and held her fingers out. "I want you to be my wife Genny and to wear this ring as a symbol of the fact that you are my wife, if you'll have me."

Lit by her vibrant smile, her face radiated love as she nodded enthusiastically. "Of course I will."

He slid the ring onto her finger and settled it snuggly into place. He handed her the other ring and held his hand out for her to place the ring onto it. "I probably won't be able to make the ceremony happen while we're still in England, not with my father watching. As soon as I can I'll find someone to marry us, but this is permanent for me Genny," he vowed.

She threw her arms around him. "It doesn't matter. I don't need a ceremony; this is permanent for me also. I've never been so happy before!"

"Neither have I, wife," he whispered as he nuzzled her ear.

She giggled and pressed closer to him. "My husband," she whispered. "You are my heart."

His arms constricted around her as love swelled within him. "You are my soul."

***

Camille glanced up when Genny approached where she sat alone at the large table. There was a needle and thread in Camille's delicate hand, she'd been trying to learn how to sew and Atticus had brought in a woman that was helping to teach her. Genny stopped to admire the colorful blues, purples and yellows weaved throughout the beautiful tapestry her sister was creating.

"You want to learn now, don't you?" Camille inquired with a teasing smile.

At first the idea of it hadn't been overly appealing to her, but seeing what Camille was creating and knowing what she knew now, it would probably be best if she did know how to sew, at least to make clothes. "I do."

Camille released a small laugh. "I never thought I'd hear you say that, but I'll teach you if you would like."

"I would." Genny pulled out the chair next to her. "But we have to talk first."

Camille lifted an eyebrow and placed down her needle and thread. "Is there something wrong?"

"No, well yes, sort of." Genny leaned toward her as she explained everything that Atticus had told her last night. "We can start over there."

"Or we could be killed," she whispered when Genny was done speaking. "We have no idea what awaits us over there."

Genny rested her hand on top of Camille's and squeezed it. "I won't go without you, but if we go somewhere else they will hunt us down. I can't lose him Camille; I can't lose either one of you."

Camille's eyes fell to the gold ring on her index finger and widened considerably. "Genny…"

"It may not have been the traditional ceremony but he's my husband now."

Camille's eyes came back to hers; tears bloomed in their vivid blue depths. She threw her arms around Genny and laughed as she hugged her close. "I'm so happy for you."

Relief filled Genny as she hugged her back. She hadn't been sure how Camille would take the news. "Thank you."

Camille reluctantly released her and sat back. "We have no idea what may await us over there."

"We've never had an idea of what awaited us," Genny said. "Our lives have always been a never ending game of not knowing where we were going to sleep, where Marie was going to leave us, what Felix was going to do next. It will be uncertain in the new land too but at least we can start over. We can make it a home and hopefully we can stop living in fear."

Camille wiped at her eyes before smiling at her. "You're right," she agreed. "This will be a new beginning."

"It will," Genny promised and squeezed her sister's hands.

"Are you sure you would like me to teach you how to do this?" Camille asked as she turned back to her tapestry.

"It would probably be best if I knew how to sew if we're going to stay clothed."

"I don't know, I think Atticus prefers you naked," Camille teased.

Genny laughed and shook her head at her sister. "Well he doesn't always get what he wants."

Camille pulled out another needle and some more thread and set Genny up to start a new project. In less than thirty seconds she managed to stab herself with the needle but they were both laughing as Camille patiently taught her what to do.