ONE WEEK LATER, Grace dragged four large suitcases from her bedroom downstairs to the foyer. Max had told her she could bring anything she wanted with her, and she was surprised she’d managed to get all of her mementoes and other sentimental items into only two bags. The other two were clothes and shoes.

Her parents had agreed to the medical trial, however, not until Samantha had spoken to Maggie’s oncologist and put together a game plan for the treatment and measurable goals. After a long and surprisingly easy conversation, Grace’s parents had given their blessing for Grace and Max to have a small, intimate wedding in Scotland since they would all be there for the trial, but made them promise they’d have a party back in the States once Maggie’s treatment was finished. Grace and Max had readily agreed, since they could be bound completely without delay.

Grace’s mom joined her in the kitchen. “Are you excited?”

Grace nodded. “You have no idea.”

“Oh, I think I do,” she countered. “Wow, moving to Scotland. What an adventure.”

Grace smiled. “I know. I’m going to miss you, though.”

“Oh, honey, don’t! Enjoy yourself. I have something for you, by the way.” Her mother grabbed a manila envelope from the desk and slid it toward her.

“What’s all this?”

“Just a few of my favorite things I saved and planned to give you on your wedding day.”

Grace pulled out the drawings and achievements from elementary school through college, and smiled. “Wow, you have something from every year.”

Her mother nodded. “Oh, I have more up in the attic, but these were just a few of the things I felt I could part with.”

Grace giggled as she pulled one out. “Lady Grace Annabelle Wilson’s house,” she read.

“I think you were seven or eight when you drew this.”

“It’s a nice house. I had good taste, even then.”

Her mom giggled. “Champagne taste on a beer budget, you mean?”

Grace nodded. “I love you.”

“I love you too, honey.”

“We’ll be back in time for Halloween,” Grace said, and grabbed her toast from the toaster. “Max thinks we should buy a house here and plan on spending the holidays when you don’t visit us.”

“That would be incredible, honey. The Millers are thinking about putting their house up for sale.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Anne told me last week. They want to move to Indiana to be close to Susie.”

Grace raised an eyebrow. “Does that mean you’ll move to Scotland to be close to me?”

Her mom laughed again. “And show favoritism? No.”

Grace wrinkled her nose. “But I am your favorite.”

Her mother rolled her eyes. “Not anymore. You’re leaving me.”

“Touché.”

“See what I did there?”

“Nice, Mom. Brought it all the way back around.”

Her mom bowed. “Thank you.”

The doorbell sounded and Grace grinned as she rushed to answer the door. Max pulled her into his arms and kissed her, kicking the door shut as he stepped inside.

“Good morning,” he said, stroking her cheek.

“Mmm, hi.” She kissed him again.

The sound of footsteps on the stairs forced her to break the kiss, but she kept her arms around his waist.

“Hey, Max,” Spencer said as he set his bag next to the others.

“Hi, Spence,” Max said, and pulled open the door, nodding to Bruce, who made his way from the car.

“Hi, Bruce,” Grace said.

“Miss Wilson,” he said, tipping his hat. “May I take the bags now?”

“Oh, yes, thank you.”

“I’ll help,” Spencer offered.

Bruce and Spencer lugged the bags to the car and Grace led Max toward the kitchen. “Are you hungry?” she asked.

Max shook his head. “We ate at the hotel.”

“Good morning, Max,” Grace’s mom said.

Max smiled. “Good morning, Mrs. Wilson. How are you?”

“Excited,” she admitted.

“I’m glad. I do hope we’ll have some time to explore. If Maggie’s feeling up to it, of course.”

“Yes,” her mom said.

Grace didn’t miss the sheen of tears as her mother turned around and busied herself with putting dishes away.

Oh, that was insensitive. I’m sorry, love.

Grace gave him a quick smile. No, it wasn’t. You were being sweet. This whole thing is just tough.

Max nodded and kissed her temple. Grace’s phone buzzed and she pulled it from her pocket. “Charlie will be here in ten minutes.”

Her mom cleared her throat. “Excellent.”

“She’s house-sitting,” Grace explained to Max.

“She’s not coming?”

Grace sighed. “She has an audition on Monday, so she wouldn’t be able to come until Tuesday...which is her excuse not to get on the plane.”

“That’s too bad.”

“I know. But I knew her answer before I even asked her.”

“Because she’s afraid of flying.”

“Like, scared, scared.” Grace sighed. “She’s actually a little miffed at me.”

“Why?” Max asked.

“She’s hurt she’s going to miss the wedding,” her mom said.

Max frowned. She could still come.

No, you don’t understand. She’s terrified. If she could do it, she would.

“We’ll Skype with her during the ceremony,” Max said. “She won’t miss a thing.”

“That’s a great idea.” Grace smiled. “Maybe I do love you more than I’d like to admit.”

Max chuckled, leaning down to kiss her.

Grace hadn’t noticed her mother leave the kitchen—she was far too swept up in the “event” that was Maximilian MacMillan. She smiled and broke the kiss, leaning against his chest with a sigh. “Do you think this will work?” she asked.

He slid his fingers over her hair. “Aye. I do.”

She glanced up at him. “Really?”

He nodded. “I don’t profess to be as smart as Samantha, but I do think she’s onto something.”

Before Grace could respond, her father walked into the room. “Good morning, you two.”

“Good morning, Mr. Wilson,” Max said with a smile.

“Garrett, please.”

Grace kissed her father’s cheek. “Hi, Daddy. Are you all ready?”

“I think so. How are we doing on time? When’s Charlotte getting here?”

“Soon,” Grace said.

“We have plenty of time,” Max said.

The doorbell pealed and then Charlotte’s voice sounded from the foyer. “I’m here if anyone cares.”

“No time like the present,” Grace’s dad said, and laughed as he headed down the hall.

Charlotte walked into the kitchen a few minutes later and gave Grace a forced smile. “Hi,” Charlotte grumbled.

“Hey.” Grace frowned. “Don’t be like this, Chuck. It’s not fair.”

Charlotte shrugged. Grace sighed. Max left the room.

“We have to go to Scotland, Charlie.”

“But you don’t have to get married there, Gary.”

“Come here.” Grace took her hand and yanked her to the couch. “Sit.”

Charlotte flopped onto the sofa with a groan.

“We don’t have time to get married here,” Grace explained as she took the seat next to Charlotte. “The medical trial starts in less than a week, and we don’t know if it’s going to work.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “We have to get married in Scotland, because we don’t know if Maggie will be well enough to wait for us to get married here.”

Charlotte gasped. “Oh! I didn’t even think about that.” She burst into tears. “I’m so sorry, Grace. That was really selfish of me. I was just so hurt about not being there, I didn’t stop to think about anyone else.”

Grace pulled her friend into a hug. “I’m sorry, buddy, I didn’t mean to make you cry. I’m just as bummed as you are about everything. If I could drug you and put you on the plane myself, I would.”

“I know.”

Grace smiled. “Max suggested we have you on Skype during the ceremony, so you won’t miss a thing.”

“Ooh, that’s smart.” Charlotte’s head bobbed as she nodded. “Yes, please.”

“That’s what I said!”

Charlotte giggled. “Of course you did.”

“Come and have some coffee,” Grace said, and stood.

Charlotte followed.

Is the coast clear?

Yes, baby. You may return.

Max returned to the room and he and Charlotte were able to have more than a two-word conversation before it was time to head to the airport. Teary-eyed, Grace hugged her best friend and followed her family to the awaiting cars.

* * *

Two days later, Grace stepped out of the bathroom wearing a black camisole and lacy boy shorts. Kade had offered the apartment across the hall from them in order for Samantha to be close during Grace’s conversion. Pepper and Connall had traveled from Inverness to be close as well, in an effort to provide moral support if needed. Grace was quite humbled by their generosity, but also not quite certain what to expect.

She and Max had been married in a tiny little chapel in Edinburgh just a few hours earlier. Due to a technical glitch, Charlotte was unable to attend via Skype. The entire site was down, but Grace made sure the ceremony was recorded and sent to Charlotte before editing. Grace’s family was being entertained quite enthusiastically by Niall and Oliver, which gave Grace and Max two blissful days alone before Maggie’s trial started.

Max grinned as he let out a low whistle.

“Is this okay?” she asked. “I feel like I should have bought something sexier.”

Max shook his head and grinned. “You are stunning. My imagination didn’t give you justice.”

“Mmm, same.” She ran her finger over his smooth, chiseled chest. He wore black pajama bottoms that sat low on his hips, and she licked her lips as she swept her gaze over his body.

He smiled. “Trust me?”

“With all my heart.”

“You’re going to repeat after me.”

“Okay,” she whispered.

Max kissed her quickly. “Ég gef þér allt sem ég er, allt sem ég vil vera og allt sem ég get verið.”

She nodded. “Um, okay.”

“Let’s try it. Ready?”

“Yes.”

“Ég gef þér allt ég, allt sem ég vil vera og allt sem ég er að verða,” he whispered.

“Ég gef þér allt sem ég er, allt sem ég vil vera og allt sem ég get verið,” Grace said, with surprising ease. As she finished the last word, she felt unsteady on her feet and her vision blurred. She gripped Max’s shoulders. “I feel light-headed.”

“I know, baby. It’s all part of the process,” he said, wrapping his arms tighter around her waist.

“What does it mean?”

“I give you everything I am, all I want to be, and all I can be. I’m yours forever. Our bond will never be broken. My love is absolute,” he said.

“Wow, beautiful.”

He nodded. “As are you.” He smiled down at her. “Ready?”

She nodded.

“I’ve got you.” He kissed her nose. “Okay, repeat after me. Ég er þinn að eilífu. Eining okkar mun aldrei bresta.”

“Ég er þín að eilífu Eining okkar mun aldrei bresta,” Grace whispered. “The room’s spinning, Max.”

“Just a bit longer.” He stroked her cheek. “Ást mín er alger.”

“Ást mín er alger.” She gripped his waist. “Please tell me we’re almost done.”

He nodded. “We have to say it together, but we can lie down for that.”

“Okay.”

Max helped her to the bed, stretching out beside her. He kissed her gently again and then nodded. “Together,” he instructed.

“Always,” she said.

“Ég gef þér allt sem ég er, allt sem ég vil vera og allt sem ég get verið.” Grace picked out the words from his mind, which helped her when she wasn’t sure. “Ég er þinn að eilífu. Eining okkar mun aldrei bresta. Ást mín er alger.”

As they said the last word, Max kissed her and stroked her cheek. “You are perfect.”

“You are too,” she whispered.

Max grinned and kissed his way down her body, stopping at her panties, and taking the edge in his teeth. He ripped them from her hips and chucked the scrap of lace into the corner. Licking her bare pussy, he sucked gently on her clit, then moved back up her body, drawing a nipple into his mouth and biting gently as he pushed her cami from her body.

Grace arched into him, sliding her hands into his hair as he gently bit down again on one nipple, then the other. Kissing his way back down her body, he knelt between her legs, and ran his tongue over her already slick folds. She shuddered as he ran his tongue over her clit again, then he slid a finger inside of her and she came apart.

“That’s right, baby, come for me.”

He focused back on her pussy, and her fingers weaved into his hair and she tugged gently as she ground her core against his mouth. “Max,” she breathed out. Unable to wait, he sat up, sliding his cock against her wetness, before slipping inside of her, stopping at her barrier. Grace whimpered, but their connection assured him it was with need, not pain.

“It’s going to hurt a bit, love,” he warned.

She nodded, and before she could change her mind, he surged into her, catching her cry with his mouth as he kissed her.

I’m okay, Max.

With a control he wasn’t sure he could hold on to, he paused for a few minutes, rolling her nipple between his fingers and waiting for her body to get used to his size. When her hips began to move, he took the cue and buried himself inside of her over and over again. He was overwhelmed with all of it, and he knew he was feeling what she was feeling. As her nipples tightened and her body took him deeper, her arousal swamped him, urging his burning hunger to find assuagement.

When he felt her walls contract around him, he continued to slam into her...he just wasn’t ready to stop yet. He wanted more...needed more.

Grace seemed to understand this, and despite the fact she’d cried out as she came, she wrapped her legs around his waist and took him even deeper, dragging her nails down his back as another climax built. The feeling of hers building as his was about to crest, was heady and he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to stop.

She cried out as they came together and Max rolled them onto their sides, keeping their connection.

Grace stroked his face. “Wow.”

“Aye, love.”

As the fire started to die in the room, he pulled the covers around them and settled her firmly over his body. She kissed his chest then grinned up at him. “I’m gonna need to do that often.”

“That can be arranged, love, but let’s give your body a bit to rest.”

She nodded. She hadn’t expected the experience to be so incredible.

“You didn’t?” Max asked as he pulled her onto his chest and kissed her.

“No.” She giggled. “My mom sat me down and reminded me that the first time probably wouldn’t be very good—”

“Reminded you?”

“Yeah, we had ‘the talk’ when I was about nine.” She kissed his chest. “And so last night, she went over the bullet points again.”

“Good mum.”

Grace smiled. “Yes...a little nosier than I like, but overall, a really good mom.”

“So, you’re pleased with me then?”

Grace laughed. “Unbelievably so. All your practice paid off.”

Max groaned. “Baby, don’t remind me.”

“Too soon?” She licked her lips and smiled. “Sorry.”

“You’re sorry?”

“So very, very sorry.”

He chuckled and pushed her onto her back. “Prove it.”

Grace giggled as she craned her neck to give him better access and sighed as he ran his tongue across her pulse. She wasn’t prepared, however, for the pain that slammed into her stomach, and her forehead collided with his as she doubled over with a scream.

“Shite,” he snapped, and scrambled from the bed.

* * *

“Baby, I’m getting Sam.” Max pulled on pants and a shirt and texted Samantha.

Grace groaned as she pulled her knees up to her chest, squeezing her eyes shut.

Within minutes, a knock came at the door and he opened it to let Samantha in. “It’s started?”

“Aye,” he said.

“Quicker than with me or Pepper.”

He nodded, his heart racing.

“It’s okay, Max. I promise. She’ll be fine.” Samantha squeezed his arm. “Now, lie down beside her and keep contact. You can ease some of her pain.”

Max nodded and climbed onto the bed beside Grace, not entirely sure where to touch her. So far, other than one scream, she hadn’t made a sound, but her skin was red and she took quick, shallow breaths.

“Baby, I’m going to put my hand on your hip.”

Grace squeezed her eyes shut again and Max laid a shaky hand on her hip. She jerked away with a whimper, but he held firm.

“Good, that’s good,” Samantha said. “Her pulse is slowing.”

Max scooted closer to Grace, her back to his chest, and kissed her shoulder. “I’m here, baby. Just breathe.”

“Grace, I’m going to take your temperature,” Sam said, and slipped a medical thermometer under her tongue. “Max, you should really take your shirt off. Skin to skin is best.”

Max whispered to her in Gaelic in an effort to calm her as he broke contact and pulled off his shirt. He was grateful Sam had paper-like thermometers...God forbid, Grace were to bite through one with mercury in the tip. He resumed his position, keeping Grace close.

Samantha took the reading and nodded. “Okay, she’s at about one hundred six. It’s time for the ice sheets. Look for the birthmark and see if it’s red. I’ll get Pepper, okay?”

Max nodded and Sam left them alone.

“Baby, this isn’t going to last long. I promise.” He took a second to check her right buttock for the birthmark that would mirror his. Shaped like a tiny paint splatter, it was there and now bright red.

“Sing,” she rasped.

“Really?”

Yes, Max, please.

Max quietly sang the song he’d been working on for her, and he smiled when she sighed and her body finally relaxed.

I love you.

“I love you more, sweetheart.”

She let out a quiet snort. Um, I highly doubt that.

The moment of levity didn’t last long. Her body contracted again and she cried out in pain. Max kissed her shoulder and tried to use his healing gift. Unfortunately, Samantha had informed him that he wouldn’t be able to take the pain fully away during Grace’s conversion. Her body had to go through the worst of it without his assistance; however, Max was determined to try.

She relaxed in tiny increments, but Max didn’t let up until her panting turned into steady breathing. “Good girl,” he whispered.

Patronizing as ever, she accused.

He linked his fingers with hers. “Aye, love, I suppose I am.”

Forgiven.

He chuckled. “Thank you.”

“We have the sheets,” Samantha said.

Max hadn’t heard anyone enter the room.

“You should carry her to the chair,” Pepper suggested. “As long as you keep contact, Grace will feel better.”

Max kept his hand on Grace’s hip as he sat up and then lifted her into his arms. Her cry broke his heart, but he knew he had to get her into the coolness of the sheets or she would be more miserable than she already was.

He sat in one of the chairs by the window and kissed Grace’s forehead as she stiffened in his arms. He hadn’t noticed she’d bit through her lip and the blood now ran down her chin. He kissed her gently, healing the wound, relaxing when Grace sighed.

She wasn’t relaxed for long, as her body stiffened again. “Sick,” she rasped.

Samantha moved with lightning speed, placing a bowl under Grace’s chin just in time. “If you move her onto the floor, I think it helps to be on all fours during this part,” Samantha suggested.

Max nodded and waited until Grace had calmed. Keeping the bed sheet wrapped around her for modesty, he lowered her to the ground.

You can go, Max.

I’m not going anywhere.

Baby, this is gross. You really don’t need to see this.

“No.”

“What’s wrong?” Sam asked.

“Sorry,” Max replied. “Grace is trying to get me to leave.”

“I get it,” Pepper said. “This part’s the worst.”

Grace groaned and pulled the bowl closer. Max stayed connected, his hand on her back, praying for the pain to be over soon.

Sam knelt beside Grace. “Sorry, Grace, I have to look in the bowl.”

Grace grimaced as she rolled to her side.

Sam smiled gently. “No blood yet. Sorry, honey, this is going to go on for a little while longer.”

Please don’t see this, Max.

Max stroked her back. I’m not going anywhere, love.

Twenty minutes later, Grace was in the bed of ice and finally drifting off to sleep. Max stretched out beside her in an effort to watch her closely.

“Max, she did great,” Samantha said. “Amazing, in fact. My conversion and Pepper’s lasted for hours. Grace’s barely lasted one. I’ll be noting that in the record.”

Max nodded, although he continued to watch Grace. “I hope all your poking and prodding’s worth it.”

Samantha had taken Grace’s blood before the conversion and would take more when everything was over. Ever the researcher, she was tracking what happened to the body during a Cauld Ane change in an effort to understand it better. She had also discovered that some of the data she’d gathered from herself and Pepper had some overlapping benefits to her new medical trial.

“It will be, Max. I promise,” Samantha assured him. “For now, she should sleep. You both should.”

“We’ll clean up here and leave you guys alone,” Pepper said. “Call us if anything changes, okay?”

“I will,” he said. “Thank you.”

The ladies left and Max lay his head on the pillow, still facing Grace. She smiled, although, her eyes were still closed. “You’re staring.”

Max chuckled. “I can’t help it. You’re beautiful.”

“I’m tired.”

“Sleep, baby.”

“I don’t want to miss anything.”

“Are you in pain?”

“Nope. I just feel super sleepy. Like I’ve had just enough wine to be entirely relaxed, but not quite enough to be drunk.”

“Well, that’s very specific.”

She smiled again. “I’m all about specificity.”

“Can I hold you?”

She nodded. “My body feels like rubber, so you’ll have to move me where you want me.”

Max laughed as he gathered her in his arms. “Oh, baby. A different day and a different situation, I would have been all over that.”

Grace giggled, her eyes still closed. “Hmm-mm, don’t I know it. Sex kitten blow-up doll.”

Max gave her a gentle squeeze. “Sleep.”

She did.