No Promises: A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance by Michelle Love (17)

“To see Kyle and Laura,” I answer.

Both our mothers look at me as if I’m crazy. “And you allowed that?” my mother asks.

“Yes,” I say as I resume the task of placing the candy pearls on the cake. “She needs closure with them.”

“Best to put them behind her. Her future is far from them anyway,” Toni says as she dollops icing on a pedestal, creating a pink rose. “Again, Eden, you will never know how sorry we are for letting her and Kyle get close. At least that’s over.”

I give a chuckle. “It will never be over. They were more than close. They had real love for each other. He’s a permanent part of her now. Once we change, it will be even more cemented into her soft heart.”

My mother stops her icing piping and looks at me. “What are you talking about? That girl is completely enamored with you. There’s no room in her heart for another man.”

“But there is and he’s there. He’s never going away. I’m okay with it. I have to be. It’s a part of her and I have accepted it,” I say as I push another pearl onto the side of the cake.

Toni places the rose on the cake, then pats my back. “Ally told you this, Eden?”

I shake my head. “She doesn’t have to. I can see inside her mind now, since she’s been enlightened. I have the majority of her heart and all of her soul. He only has a small piece of her heart.”

Mother dabs at the cake with a knife to remove a messy line of piping. “Perhaps you're wrong, son. Perhaps you’re seeing something which is not there. I can’t see her having love for anyone but you. You two glow with the connection you have. There’s just no room for anyone else.”

“I’m not wrong and its fine. I can deal with it. I can also see she will never hurt me. Whatever their relationship is will not threaten ours,” I say as I place the last pearl on the side of the cake. “There, how does that look?”

Toni peers at my handy work. “Perfect. Is there nothing you can’t do, Eden?”

I laugh. “You know what I cannot manage to accomplish?”

“No,” she says.

“To beat your son at a video game,” I say, and she laughs.

The day marches on and Alyssa is not back yet. It’s been several hours. Though I’m not worried yet, I will soon be if she doesn’t return. I’ve sent out thoughts to her, but I suppose we’re too far away from each other to hear them. I hope that gets better after we change.

The home phone rings and David answers it. “Hello, Devlin residence. Ally, where are you?” he asks. “No, ma’am. Come home, we’re all going together," he says. “I think that’s a bad idea,” he says, then turns towards me, holding the phone out. “She wants to talk to you.”

I take the phone. “Alyssa?”

“Hey, Eden. I want to go with my friends to get our gowns on for the graduation. We’re hanging out, talking about our pasts and our futures, and I want to go talk to the rest of my class too. I’m going to miss them, you know,” she says.

“Of course, princess. You do that. Have fun and we’ll be there for the graduation. I’m glad you made peace with them, Alyssa. I’ll see you when it’s over,” I say.

“Okay, I love you, Eden.”

“I love you too, Alyssa,” I say, then hang the phone up.

Her father stares at me. “You didn’t have to let her do that. You know you can make her come home and go with us,” he says.

I look into David’s eyes, because I know he’s raised her under strict conditions for my sake. I can’t blame him for being so over-protective, but I do need him to see the difference in being protective and being unreasonable.

“David, I fear you have never found the line between protection and unreasonable fears about her. She’s safe and with friends she trusts. This is an important day for her to share with those whom she’s grown up with. We have to allow her the space to have outside relationships and interests.”

“You know, I heard Kyle’s voice in the background, Eden. She’s with him,” David says.

“I know exactly who she’s with. We have no secrets between us. It’s impossible. She’s grown up with him and Laura and a lot more people she’d like to spend time with before it’s all over. Only I can stop her and I won’t,” I say as I pat him on the back. “Now, let’s get on that pit you have in the backyard. I’m dying to taste this barbecue your family raves about. Our Creator only knows how many people your daughter will invite back here to her graduation party.”

He lets out a laugh, then says, “You are something else, son. So secure. I wish I could feel like you do.”

I wish he could too. I wish everyone could.

CHAPTER 29

KYLE

Holy Shit! Would you look at her?

I’m outside my house, in the driveway, washing my truck, and Ally just passed by, driving that guy’s jag. The top’s down and her hair blows around her slightly. She looks so gorgeous I think I forgot to breathe.

Pulling the car into Laura’s driveway, three houses down from mine, she finds no cars there. Laura had to run to Alamogordo to get a dress for graduation and she won’t be home for a couple of hours.

Ally pulls back out and I’m sure she’ll pass right back by me, ignoring me.

I have to admit, I was a complete jackass.

She most likely hates me and I don’t blame her. My head has been messed up about what she’s done to me, but she didn’t deserve what I said to her. What Laura and I did was no one’s business but our own. I know now that I did it out of spite.

To my surprise, Ally rolls up and stops, waving me over. She calls out, “Wanna go for a ride, Kyle?”

I saunter up to her and lean on the door. “Why, so you can go drop me off a cliff?”

The touch of her finger as she tweaks my nose sends warmth right through me. I take her hand and hold it to my cheek.

My God, how I’ve missed her!

She smiles at me and my insides melt. “I’m not going to drop you off anything, Kyle. Come on, let’s go to Trixie’s and get something to drink. I’m buying.”

Though hesitant about this, I decide to go with her. There’s something very different about her. A certain look in her eyes.

Sure, I’m still afraid she wants to get even with me. Maybe she’s going to poison my drink to try to give me the runs so I can’t go to graduation, but I find her very intriguing, so I’ll risk it.

“Okay, Al, I’ll go with you,” I say and let her hand go. I walk around the car to the passenger seat and slide in. “Damn, this is the softest leather I’ve ever felt.”

She looks over at me as she slides her Ray-Bans back on. “I know, right?”

My God, she’s gorgeous! How did I never see her in this way?

She takes off, making me lean all the way back into the seat with the force. “This thing has a lot of get up and go, girl. You sure you can handle it?” I ask. I think I want to tell her I’m sorry for telling her about me and Laura like I did.

She laughs and something in my heart pinches. I find I’ve missed hearing it. “I made it this far so I think I can handle it. So, tell me, Kyle.”

I look at her and wait for her to finish her obviously unfinished sentence, but she doesn’t. “Do you want to finish what you want me to tell you, Al?”

Giving me a quick glance, she looks back at the road. “I was finished. I want you to tell me.”

My hair must be messed up because she runs her hand through it, then leaves her hand on the headrest next to my head. I can smell the lavender scent lingering on her skin.

“I’m sorry, Ally. I should never have told you what I did. I know I can’t take the words or the hurt back, but if I could, I would.”

Her knuckles graze my face lightly as she smiles at me. “I forgive you, Kyle. So you really care for Laura. I can see it. She has issues with men, you know. You may get hurt.”

She can see it? I didn’t realize I was wearing an, ‘I’m falling for Laura,’ expression!

“That’s a chance I’m willing to take. She’s great, Ally. You know that already. I knew a version of Laura, the person she is in front of others. I’m getting to know the real Laura, the one with insecurities about love and faithfulness,” I say as we drive down main street and people openly point at us as if we’re from somewhere else. “This car gets a lot of attention. Do you see how people point and stare?”

“The car is beautiful and should be appreciated. I’m sure the handsome young man in the passenger seat is also a bit intriguing to people as well,” she says with a wicked grin on her angelic face.

What has happened to her? She seems almost like a different person. So confident, and she was anything but that.

I have to laugh. “Who are you, girl?”

“Still just me, Kyle. Anyway, I wanted you to know I’m cool with you both. I’m not mad. I was at first, but not anymore. Now that I know you didn’t use her to hurt me, I feel even better about you two.”

Damn! She’s taking this a lot better than I thought she would. Maybe she didn’t really love me after all.

She pulls into the parking lot of Trixie’s and parks, then looks over at me, and runs her hand through my hair. “I still love you, Kyle. I always will. My heart will hold you in it forever. I must have you in my life in some capacity. You and whoever comes along with you will always have a place in my life, no matter what.”

Pushing a curl off her face, I fight the urge to kiss her. “Ally, what do you mean?”

She pulls her sunglasses off and places them on top of her head. “I mean, I never want us to stop being friends. Just because we can’t be together in a romantic way doesn’t mean we can’t be close.”

“Does your guy know you’re with me?”

“Of course he does,” she says as she opens her door to get out. “You should text Laura to meet us here. We can all hang out like we used to.”

Only this time Laura will be on my arm! Awkward!

I get out of the car and follow Ally. “I don’t know about that, Al. Don’t you think it’ll be awkward?”

She looks over her shoulder at me. “I know you do, but we need to get past that. Tell her to come, Kyle, please.”

I walk a little more quickly to get to the door before she does, opening it for her to go through first. I resist the urge to drape my arm around her like I’ve done for what seems like forever.

“Let’s get a booth,” she says as she moves fluidly through the dark bar.

Ally slides in and I take the seat across from her. Sitting next to her would be too hard. “There’s something different about you, Al. I can’t pinpoint it yet, but there’s definitely something.”

Bonnie comes to take our order and she’s wearing a smile as she looks back and forth between Ally and me. “Well looky here, if it ain’t the perfect couple back together,” she says.

Ally reaches across the table and takes my hand as she looks up at the red-headed waitress. “Not like that we’re not. But nothing can ever break us apart, completely. Isn’t that right, Kyle?”

Intertwining our fingers, I smile at her. “Guess not.”

Bonnie looks confused and I have to say I am too. “Okay then, what can I get you guys?”

“The usual will be fine,” Alyssa says, then smiles a little. “And bring Kyle a beer. He’ll need to take the edge off. It won’t be easy on him once Laura joins us.”

“Sure thing, Ally,” Bonnie says then leaves the table.

My jaw drops. “How the hell did you get her to do that?”

Ally giggles and leans in to whisper. “Eden and I came here a few days ago. She was all flirty with him and offered him one, even though he told her he was only eighteen, but she said she wouldn’t tell.”

“So, Prince Valiant drinks beer?”

“No! He turned it down of course. You know if you can put all the jealousy behind you, we can all be friends. It would mean a lot to me if you could,” she says as she wiggles her fingers, which are tangled with mine.

Can I really do that? I’m fine with her now, but to see her with him, I just don’t know.

“I’m not over you,” I say as I lean in, our faces so close we could kiss. The sweet smell of citrus and flowers wells up around her. “Is that a new perfume I smell?”

Ally pulls back a little. “I would love to have my cake and eat it too, but I can’t, nor can you.”

“Rhyming now, Al?”

“I guess. I know you want to kiss me, but those days are over. We need to make a new and very different relationship,” she says as she sits back, unjoining our hands. “I suppose the physical contact needs to stop as well, since it gives you a problem.”

Problem? It’s no problem. I love it.

“So do I,” she mumbles.

“What did you say, Al?” I ask, because I’ve just realized she has commented on several of my thoughts. We were close, but never so close we could finish each other’s sentences or know what the other was thinking.

She averts her eyes as the waitress comes back with her chocolate shake and my beer.

Christ! I can’t believe she really brought me one!

Placing a bowl of chips and salsa between us, Bonnie says, “This is on the house. A graduation present from me.”

“Thank you. How nice of you,” Ally says as she looks Bonnie right in the eye.

Another thing so different about her. She was chronically shy. Suddenly that’s gone.

“Thanks, Bonnie,” I add.

Ally pops a dipped chip in her mouth and I do the same. “You have to come see me in New Orleans. We have a chef who cooks like he came straight from heaven,” she says.

“Oh, yeah? So tell me about your new home, Al,” I sa,y but I’m not sure if I’m ready to know.

“There’s better things to talk about. Like the small graduation party my family’s throwing at our house tonight. Wanna come?” she asks.

“He’s going to be there, isn’t he?”

She nods and eats another chip.

Can I do this? Can I put jealousy out of my min, and do this?

I take my cell out and text Laura. (Meet me at Trixie’s when you get back to town. I have a surprise for you.)

“You finally asking Laura to join us?” Al asks.

“Yeah. If she says she’ll go to your party, then I will too.” A smile breaks across Ally’s face and it makes me so damn happy in an instant. “Damn girl, I missed that smile. It’s crazy how much I missed it.”

“You have no idea how much I’ve missed seeing your face every day, Kyle. I can’t give you up completely. Try to look at me in a new way. I’m someone you’ve grown up with. Can’t you look at me like you look at any of the other girls in our class?” she asks, then places the straw in between her red, plump lips, unaware of how beautiful she is.

I lean in and pull the straw from her mouth. “Can you look at me like you look at all the rest of the boys in our class, Ally?” I ask, then pull the tall glass of chocolate liquid to my mouth as she still holds it in her hand. Placing the straw between my lips, I take a sip.

Her eyes go to my lips and she licks hers. “Guess not.” Her eyes travel back to mine and she says, “We have a lot to work through, don’t we?”

That we do!

CHAPTER 30

ALYSSA

How can it be possible to love two completely different people at once and to know it will be this way forever?

What was Our Creator thinking to let this happen?

I sit across from Kyle and Laura at Trixie’s café. They hold hands and every so often share a private whisper and giggle with each other. Cody has joined us and he sits next to me. Never have I felt more comfortable and uncomfortable at the same time.

I’ve known these people for as long as I can remember. They’re my closest friends, yet they seem almost like strangers as I sit and watch my Kyle look at and touch my best friend.

“How ya doing, Al?” Cody whispers in my ear as Kyle and Laura whisper to each other about something they’re leaving us out of.

I pat Cody’s knee under the table. “I’m fine.” I whisper back, but I’m not fine.

Who could be fine knowing they can never have someone they love the way they want to? Who can be fine watching the one they love fall in love with another?

Kyle is falling for Laura. I can read his thoughts as well as I can read Eden’s. When Laura had not joined us yet he thought little of her. But what he did think about her was nice.

I could see he’s really coming to care for her. Then, when she walked in, he lit up like a Christmas tree and he thought about how sexy and hot she looked in her new green dress. He thought about how perky her boobs were and how he wanted to suck them later on tonight.

Yeah, it made me sick too!

As she hesitantly came towards us, he worried about her and how she was feeling seeing me and him together. When she and I hugged, he felt relief. When she hugged him, he got a boner.

It was gross!

It’s obvious to me, at least for now, that their relationship is highly sexual, something I assume is natural in some relationships. I worry for them both though, as I know Laura.

I can’t read her yet. Perhaps after I change I’ll be able to. For now, it’s just Eden and Kyle, I assume because they each have a solid place in my heart.

Bonnie brings us a round of beers as a graduation gift, something my parents would have never tolerated.

After being enlightened about what I really am, I trust my own judgement. One beer will not hurt me. I’m not even all human.

I could smoke if I wanted to and it would never hurt me or give me cancer. I don’t like the smell though, so I doubt I’ll ever even pick one up.

Cancer will never be a battle I’ll have to fight. Sickness of any kind will not take me from this world. Very few things can kill this body. One of the oddest things I was shown by Grace and Rodney was that milk in large amounts can kill us.

How crazy, right?

I suppose that’s why my parents always told me I was lactose intolerant. I never remember drinking milk and having a reaction to it. It seems odd now, though, as we had milk in the house. Scotty drinks it, as do mom and dad.

Kyle reaches across the table and takes my hand, which I’ve absentmindedly been tracing patterns on the table with. “Ally, Laura said we can go to your party after graduation.”

I look up at him, then over to Laura, who’s smiling. “Good! I’m glad you decided to join me,” I say, then turn to Cody. “You’re invited too, Cody.”

Cody slips his arm around my shoulders. “You gonna be my date, Al?”

I laugh. “No, but you can bring one. If you can find one.”

Kyle still has my hand in his. He threads his fingers through mine. Both of us are on the inside part of the booth. Our hands, up against the wall, are in plain view, but it still feels secretive to me. Something like that is never good.

I pull my hand away and Kyle looks over at me with a frown. “You and I have more to discuss later, Ally.”

I nod and look away. This is the hardest thing I’ve ever dealt with. The knowledge that Kyle will always be in my life does battle with the knowledge that he and I will never be anything more than friends.

I look at Laura and try hard to get into her mind to see how she feels about him. She may be my best friend, but if she hurts him it will destroy our friendship forever.

Kyle looks at Laura and says, “Ally invited me to visit her in New Orleans. Maybe this summer you and I can go together.”

Laura smiles enthusiastically at me. “Can we, Ally? That would be great.”

“Of course you can. Anytime you want. You come too, if you want to, Cody. There’s an enormous game room and swimming pool. All sorts of things.”

Cody still has his arm around my shoulders and he gives them a squeeze. “Does your man have a hot sister I can borrow while I’m there?”

“You hound!” I say as I slap his thigh, “He’s an only child, but New Orleans is a big town. Even you should be able to find someone who can put up with your antics, Cody.”

“Hell, yeah, we can all drive down in my truck. It’ll be a blast,” Kyle says, then kisses Laura on the side of the head, just like he used to do to me.

I take in a deep breath to steady my increased heartbeats, then say, “If you want to, I could send our jet to bring you. The drive is very far.”

Cody gasps. “You have a jet?”

“We do,” I answer. “Get along with Eden and you can come visit us often.”

Cody laughs. “Hell, me and Eden will get along just fine. I like the guy already.”

“He really is very sweet,” Laura says, then looks up at Kyle. “I know you’ll like him if you give him a chance.”

He takes in a deep breath and sighs as he looks at her. “I’ll get along with him. I can swallow my pride for Ally’s sake.”

For my sake? How can I do this to him?

Suddenly I feel selfish. He just thought about how hard it will be to see us together and do nothing about it. Just how I’m feeling right now about how he has his arm around Laura’s neck, holding her to his chest.

I hate it!

Light fills the dark café for a second as a police officer strolls through the door. The mugs of beer sit in front of each one of us.

Cody panics and drinks his until it’s gone. I see the officer watching him. “Stay cool,” I whisper.

“Way to go, numb-nuts,” Kyle hisses at Cody. “Could you possibly draw any more attention to the fact?”

Cody hiccups once. “At least he can’t find any proof I’ve had any beer. My glass is empty.”

Laura rolls her eyes and Kyle kicks him under the table. The officer is one of the ones who hurt Kyle the night he came to my house.

Suddenly I’m furious. He’s walking over to us and I push at Cody. “Let me out. I have something to say to the prick.”

Cody stands up as Kyle says, “No, dude! Don’t let her out!”

It’s too late. I’m in the cop’s face before he can make it all the way to the table. “Nice to see you again, sir,” I say, although it’s not.

He looks surprised. “I know you, don’t I?”

“You should remember me. How is it you’re still wearing that uniform?” I ask.

The frown he forms makes his already saggy jowls drop even lower. “I got three days’ suspension because of you.”

Kyle is at my side without me realizing he’s gotten up, I’m glaring so hard at the officer.

“Ally, let it go,” he says, his hand around my waist. He tries to pull me back with him.

He still has a spot on his lip where the man busted it as he threw him up against my bedroom wall. I can see the whole scene in my head as it replays in Kyle’s mind.

“You threw him around like a rag doll, you jerk. How’d you like to be handled in such a manner?” I growl at him, furious at what I saw.

“Look here, girl,” the officer says.

I interrupt him as I step forward another step, despite Kyle’s efforts to move me backward.

“Don’t you ‘girl’ me, Officer Koenig. I’ll be keeping an eye on you. You seem to feel it’s just fine to toss innocent people about. I’ll make sure you know what it feels like. You need to learn how to treat people. That uniform is not meant to make you feel superior to others. The badge you wear is but a token to let others know you should be respected. Guess what, Koenig, you have to give respect to get it. You disrespected my friend. I want you to apologize to him now.”

I motion to Kyle, who I see has turned one shade paler than his usual tan color. “Ally, what the hell are you doing?”

The officer stands in front of us defiantly. I level my eyes on his, then he turns and walks away. Turning his head back, he says, “I don’t apologize.”

TRIP!

Just like that, the man finds himself face first on the floor. He scrambles to his feet and turns to see us all smiling.

He walks faster towards the door, then shouts back, “Watch yourselves. I saw you drinking.”

I shout, “Apologize!”

He shoots the finger at me as he reaches for the door.

DOOR OPEN!

The door opens as if a gust of wind blew it, knocking the cop down. As he sits up, I see his lip has been busted. Bonnie runs to help him up, dabbing at the blood with a dirty bar rag.

Yeah, I think he’s had enough.

Kyle looks down at me with a giggle to his words, “Looks like he’s had a series of unfortunate events.”

“Karma’s a bitch,” I say.

CHAPTER 31

LAURA

Ally’s backyard looks beautiful. The stars fill the night sky, lending light to the dim surroundings. Ally and Eden almost glow with happiness. I can’t believe they’ll be married by this time tomorrow. I can’t believe I won’t be a part of it.

Graduation went well. We all cried when Tammy gave her Valedictorian speech.

Damn sappy girl!

Ally and Eden are leaving Eden’s mother and appear to be coming towards me. Kyle is making a plate. He loves how Ally’s dad makes a brisket. I love her mother’s apple pie.

Ally takes the chair next to mine and Eden sits across from me. It comes to my attention that once Kyle sits down, it’ll be the first time he and Eden will have been anywhere near civil to each other.

The touch of Ally’s hand on mine draws my attention to her. “Laura, I know this is sudden, but I have something I want to ask you before Kyle comes back.”

“Okay.”

“Our wedding tomorrow will be a bit different. Lots of people you and even I won’t know will be there. But Eden’s family, and apparently my parents, know them. They’ve told me there’s not to be bridesmaids or groomsmen, but I want you there. I know you won’t want to go alone, so you can bring Kyle or whoever you want,” Ally says, then looks back at Kyle who’s still filling his plate. “I’d like him there, but if he can’t be I’ll understand.”

Brushing back a long black curl from her face, I say, “I would love to, Ally. I think it would be a good thing for him to go. To see you move on.” I lean in to whisper to her, so Eden doesn’t hear. “He still loves you, you know.”

She nods and whispers back, “He is falling in love with you, you know.”

My eyes must’ve gone wide in surprise, because I haven’t felt like that at all. “Ally, you’re silly.”

Her hand strokes my cheek as she looks into my eyes. Something is so different about her. “Let him love you, Laura. You deserve it. He’s good. You can believe what he tells you. He’s not like your father. Let yourself love him. It’ll all be fine. He won’t hurt you like the others have. Please don’t hurt him.”

“I’m afraid,” I admit to her and myself.

“I know you are, but you don’t have to be. He’s meant for you. I know he is. Trust in him, Laura.”

Kyle sits on the other side of me. “Mmmm, Ally, your dad has outdone himself. I brought you a piece of her mom’s apple pie, sweetie,” he says as he pushes a small plate to me.

Damn, he’s sweet!

Ally gives me a smile and pats my hand under the table. I smile at Kyle. “Thank you, babe.”

Kyle looks over at Eden and asks, “You don’t like barbecue, Eden?”

“I helped David all afternoon with the meat. I was his official taste tester. Needless to say, I’m stuffed. It is good, isn’t it?” Eden answers.

That didn’t go badly at all. Maybe they can get along.

“Is Cody coming?” Ally asks Kyle.

A fork full of meat just went into his mouth so he can’t speak, so I answer for him. “He felt like a fifth wheel, so he went to the crazy party at Lou’s house. Kyle really should help him find a girlfriend.”

Kyle swallows finally and says, “No, Kyle shouldn’t. Cody is my friend, but he’s a bit of a bad boy. I know you girls don’t know this, but he goes down to Alamogordo almost every weekend and hooks up with random girls.”

Alyssa gasps. “You never told me that, Kyle.”

“Al, did you think I told you everything about his personal life? You certainly didn’t share secrets about this one here,” he says as he points at me with his steak knife.

I shoot him a look to let him know to shut up, but it does no good. “You could have let me in on some things, Ally. She could’ve used my advice at the very least. A couple of those guys needed a serious ass kicking,” he says and stuffs another bite of meat into his mouth.

Thank God he loves to eat more than talk. I thought he was about to talk about my bedroom experience right in front of Eden.

Alyssa blushes for some odd reason and turns her head. She’s acting so different.

Eden drums his fingers on the table. “Alyssa has told me she’s invited you two to our home this summer. I’d love for you to come. There’s so much to do in New Orleans,” he says, and I see Ally smile at him like he just gave us our own mansion.

“I wouldn’t miss the chance to get to see where Ally’s living. We’ll visit. I’ve promised her,” Kyle says, then shoves a forkful of beans in his mouth.

Eden’s eyes droop ever so slightly before he looks away. He’s trying so hard to accept whatever it is Kyle and Ally have. I have to say, he’s a special guy to even want Ally with her baggage.

I suppose I’m special too, accepting Kyle with his.

Kyle takes his last bite and drinks down a bottle of water, then turns his attention to Eden. “Dude, did Ally tell you what she did to the cop in Trixie’s earlier today?”

Eden’s eyes lock with Ally’s for a moment, then he looks back at Kyle. “She did. It was a bit reckless, don’t you think?” he asks Kyle.

Kyle makes a weird huffing sound. “More than a bit. I just about tore out of the booth, pushing past poor Laura to get to Ally before he did something horrible to her,” Kyle says, then wags his finger towards Ally. “He could have taken you to jail, young lady.”

Ally rolls her eyes. “That joke of an officer couldn’t have taken me to jail. He still needs to apologize to you. I’ll see him around again, I hope,” she says, and Eden shoots her another look.

Eden turns his attention back to Kyle. “I’m glad you were there to make sure she didn’t get herself in too deep. She said she had a very good time with all of you,” he says, then leans up, placing his elbows on the table and lacing his long fingers together. He looks at me. “I want you to know I’m not taking her from any of you. She’s free to visit and have visitors. I only wish to be a part of her life, not her entire world. There’s room for all of us.”

I see why she loves him. He’s perfect!

Kyle touches my leg, then I feel him squeeze my knee as he says, “I’m not going to sit here and act like I don’t believe you took her from me, because you did. What I do want to say is, I think it was meant to be. I have to admit Ally glows like I’ve never seen her do before. It’s because of you that she has a confidence about herself she never had before. It’s because of you that she has a gleam in her eye she never had before.”

Ally turns pink. “Cut it out. You’re making me blush.”

Kyle smiles. “I will not cut it out. I also want to say thank you to Eden. Without your intervention into our relationship, I would have never known how wonderful this girl right next to me is,” he says, and his arm wraps around my shoulders. “She is more exceptional than I ever realized. So thank you, Eden, for allowing me the freedom to find that out about her.”

Eden smiles and looks right into Kyle’s eyes. “I’m very happy to hear you say those things, Kyle. Laura is a wonderful girl and I do believe she’s needed you for some time. Perhaps nearly as much as Alyssa and I have needed each other. In the spirit of maintaining a long-lasting friendship with you both, I’d like to invite you to come with us to New Orleans for our wedding tomorrow. You can stay the whole weekend and see some of New Orleans. Our driver will take you anywhere you care to go.”

Kyle freezes for a few seconds, then turns to me. “Is that something you want to do, Laura?”

I nod. “It would make us all happy. Don’t you think?”

Kyle looks past me to Ally. “You really want me there, Al?”

“I do,” she answers.

I watch Kyle’s eyes begin to glisten. I believe he’s near tears. He blinks a few times, then laughs. “Better hold on to those two words, Al. You’ll be saying them a lot tomorrow. Of course we’ll come,” he says, then turns to Eden. “Thanks for inviting us, man. I know it wasn’t easy for you. It’ll take us a little time, but we can get through this bump in the road. When it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be, right?”

Eden smiles at him. “Right you are, Kyle.”

Wow! I didn’t think it would go this smoothly. This all seems a little too good to be true.

And you know what they say about things which seem too good to be true. They usually aren’t

CHAPTER 32

ALYSSA

My hair is done and my make-up perfect as I hang onto my father’s arm. Flashes of light blind me as people take my picture as I’m led outdoors to a waiting crowd of people, most of whom I don’t know yet, but soon will. The veil which covers my face blurs the scene, which I assume is ideal.

I can hear Eden as he sends me an, I love you, and a You look gorgeous.

I stare straight ahead until I hear another voice. I can’t believe it’s not me at the end of the aisle. It’s Kyle in my head.

In another world, it would be him, but I live in this world and my life is with Eden. In a bizarre twist of fate who I thought to be the perfect man for me is not. Instead, I’ve found myself not entirely human. A bird has dwelled in me, lying dormant until this very night when it shall be unleashed.

What will the air feel like as it flows across my face and body? How will things smell to me? Will I enjoy it?

I’m not sure if this condition is a curse or a blessing. I’ll live a long time, but I will have to endure the deaths of all those I love, save my mate. I will see even our children pass. The depths of sorrow for what I’ve yet to lose have made a chasm in my soul.

To mourn those yet to be born is ridiculous, but I do. This day starts it all, my future as a shape shifter. The other half of the only Phoenixes in this world. Chosen before birth by The Creator of all things. Such responsibility I’ve never known. Somewhere deep inside me, I know I’m up to it.

A tall and very ancient-looking man with long, white hair wears a black robe, and I think it does not bode well for all he’s about to make us promise to.

He stands on an altar above my Eden, who I’m happy to have standing next to me as we move into the next phase of our lives.

I was told this part of the ceremony was acceptable for me to have Kyle and Laura at, but what must they think of this?

As I reach Eden, my father kisses my cheek through the veil before placing my hand in Eden’s. I smile at him as we tell each other everything will be okay and how much we love each other. Then the man speaks.

His voice is booming, and I find I’m flinching at how loud it is and how close he is. “Welcome all to the marriage of two very exceptional individuals. You are all here to witness the vows they will make to Our Creator,” he says, then his arms motion outward, nearly touching Eden as they do. “I am Galchobar and you are about to witness history.”

A thunderous applause from our guests surprises me.

This is not how weddings go!

I hear Kyle thinking, What kind of wedding is this?

Deep in the recesses of an old grey-stoned church in the middle of New Orleans, we’ve come to say our vows and become one. The roof long gone, we stand under the stars, which light up the night as sconces on the stone walls add to it. I told Laura and Kyle that the wedding has a Medieval theme.

Hope they buy it.

My attention is taken abruptly as the old man’s booming voice says my mate’s name. “Eden, son of Lyle, do you vow to love this woman for eternity?”

Eden looks into my eyes. I want to melt into him right now and forget this huge drama of a wedding. His velvet voice speaks, “I do.”

Though I know he loves me, it’s very pleasant to hear him say he vows to for eternity.

“Alyssa, daughter of David, do you vow to love this man for eternity?” the old man asks me.

I answer him quickly, wanting this over, “I do.”

Galchobar looks out to our guests. His voice loud, he speaks to them. “On this night, before all of you, this couple has made a vow to Our Creator to love each other for eternity. You all are witnesses to their vows.”

His long windedness is making me think this will not go as fast as I’d like it to.

Patience, princess, Eden sends to me as he squeezes my hand.

The resounding boom of the old man’s voice makes me jump again. “Eden, son of Lyle, do you vow to honor this woman, Our Creator, and all those created for eternity?”

“I do,” comes my mate’s answer.

I await the old man’s loud voice and he does not disappoint me. “Alyssa, daughter of David, do you vow to honor this man, Our Creator, and all those created for eternity?”

“I do.”

The ancient man goes off on another tangent. His long arms raise as he says, “You are witnesses to the vow of honor they have given each other. Integrity, fairness, and honesty are keystones of the foundation needed to live a life of servitude to the masses. These creatures have been sent to us to save others, and the vow of honor they give each other is extended to Our Creator and every creature on this planet.”

“What the hell does that mean?” comes out of Kyle’s mouth, from his seat not far behind me.

Eden sends me a look and a message, They’ll take him out if he says anything else.

Galchobar gives me a stern look and I turn to look back at Kyle, lifting my finger to my mouth in a gesture for him to remain silent. His eyes are wide as he nods back. I smile and see he’s thinking, I’ll talk to her after the wedding.

Good!

I give the old guy a nod and he continues, “Eden, son of Lyle, do you vow to protect this woman for eternity?”

“I do,” he answers as he squeezes my hand and smiles at me.

He’s beyond adorable!

“Alyssa, daughter of David, please kneel before your mate,” the old man says, and I turn my gaze from my gorgeous mate to Galchobar.

Eden’s voice fills my head, ‘It’ll be okay, Princess.’

This is not cool!

I look back at Eden. He’s smiling and squeezing my hand a little, I suppose to reassure me. Slowly, I drop to my knees as I try hard to control the anger which is threatening to flow through my blood.

Eden sends me, ‘Thank you, precious.’

I send nothing back, as I’m having to focus on not getting up and telling Galchobar just where he can go with this crap.

“Eden, son of Lyle, please repeat these words after me. I, Eden, son of Lyle, now am and have always been your master.”

Oh, hel,l no!

Eden sends me a thought, ‘Princess, please remember this is an ancient ceremony. I have to say these words. Please don’t make a scene.’ Then the words he’s been asked to repeat come from his mouth.

My body shakes with how mad I am!

I look up at him and glare into his eyes, which widen as he knows I’m beyond pissed.

The old man’s voice can barely be heard by me as the blood pounds through my ears. “Alyssa, daughter of David, bow your head in front of your master and repeat these words after me. I, Alyssa, daughter of David, vow to be submissive to this man for eternity.”

I swallow hard because I don’t want to make the vow. The moments tick by and Kyle’s thoughts come to me, ‘No fucking way am I going to allow this to happen.’

Eden sends me, ‘Alyssa, please, princess, it’ll be all right, I promise. Just say the words, please. I will always confer with you on everything, no matter what.’

Keeping my head bowed, I close my eyes to hold back the tears I feel threatening. “I, Alyssa, daughter of David, vow to be submissive to this man for eternity.”

I think a piece of my soul has died.

CHAPTER 33

EDEN

My mate is not taking her position well and it’s almost killing me.

I send her thoughts of how I’ll never treat her with anything but the respect she deserves. If I could change the words of this ceremony, I would, but it’s out of my hands at this point.

We may be able to make changes during our reign, but we are powerless until this part is completed, putting us in charge.

The man who presides over this ceremony is something not of this world either. Galchobar is an ancient and he is immortal, sent here to oversee our kind, and other special creatures as well.

Not vampires, though, for reasons he did not care to explain to me. He detests them as well as werewolves.

“Eden, son of Lyle, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, not only in man’s eyes, but also in the eyes of Our Creator?” Galchobar asks me.

Alyssa’s hand trembles in mine as she kneels before me, her head bowed. I give her hand a small squeeze. “I do.”

“Allow her to rise now, if you are ready to,” he tells me, and I immediately pull at her hand to help her stand.

Her eyes are narrowed, thankfully not at me. No, she looks at Galchobar, and she plots to give him a piece of her mind as soon as she possibly can. I do feel a bit sorry for the old fellow.

Somehow he holds her molten gaze as he says, “Alyssa, daughter of David, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, not only in man’s eyes, but also in the eyes of Our Creator?”

“I do,” she replies and turns her head to me. Her eyes soften and her heart beats wildly.

She is beyond anything I could have ever hoped for and she is almost mine.

Galchobar holds out two silver wedding bands. A bird is etched on both. I reach out to take one from him as he says, “Eden, please take the smaller of the two wedding bands and place it on your mate’s finger.”

I do as he says and look into Alyssa’s gorgeous sapphire eyes as I do. She smiles at me and I feel her joy.

Galchobar takes her attention from me as he says, “Alyssa, please take this ring and place it on your mate’s finger.”

She does as he’s asked and I feel complete.

“By the power vested in me by the state of Louisiana and Our Creator, I now pronounce you man and wife,” Galchobar says with a flourish of his hands and a deep bow to us both. “I am your humble servant. You may kiss your bride.”

I life the veil, which has hidden her beauty from me a bit, finding the most gorgeous and perfect creature I’ve ever laid eyes on. My heart swells with emotion as I finally have her. From now on we will be as one.

My arms wrap around her as I lean her back to kiss her. One of her feet comes off the floor as I hold her in my arms. “I love you, Alyssa Fontaine.”

“I love you too, Eden,” she says with a smile, then I kiss her.

Long and slow, our kiss seals our vows. My heart beats like a bass drum, as does hers. Slowly, I bring her back up and Galchobar says, “Let me introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Eden Fontaine.”

I hold our clasped hands up in the air as our guests cheer, clap, and shout out congratulations to us. It’s overwhelming how many people are here in this dank and dark old church. As my eyes scan the crowd, they land on Kyle and he is frowning.

“I must talk to him first, Eden. He’s upset,” Alyssa whispers in my ear.

I nod at her, knowing she needs to do this.

Am I happy about it? No!

We approach Kyle and Laura. Kyle frowns, but Laura is beaming. It’s she who speaks first. “How dramatic. So cool! I love theme weddings!”

“I thought it was barbaric,” Kyle says as he reaches out for my mate’s hand. “Is this how you wanted it, Ally?”

Ally smiles reassuringly to him as she allows him to hold her hand. “Sure, Kyle. It’s kind of cool, don’t you agree?”

“No,” his voice is flat and he searches her eyes for the truth he knows is hidden behind them.

“We can talk later. We have a lot of guests to thank for coming. You guys go get some drinks and something to eat up in the patio area. We’ll join you soon,” Alyssa tells them as she pats Kyle’s hand.

He kisses her cheek, “Okay, we’ll be up there waiting for you. Are you sure you’re okay, Ally?”

“I am, Kyle. Scoot!”

Laura hugs Alyssa and then me. “I loved it! See you in a little while.”

Kyle shakes my hand. “Congratulations, Eden. You have a great girl here. Promise me you’ll always treat her right?”

“I promise, Kyle. Thanks for being so understanding.”

They turn and walk away from us. “I miss them already, Eden,” my mate says.

“They’re not going anywhere, Princess,” I say, feeling her heart aching as they move out of her sight.

Though I’ve never felt such deep connections to anyone other than my parents and Alyssa, I am able to feel what she does now.

A physical pain in her chest when Kyle walked away stabbed at mine as well. Emotionally, I was unaffected, but this ability to feel her pain is new. I wonder if we’ll start to feel each other’s emotions as well.

Married but a minute and already new things are happening to us!

“Come, princess, let us thank our other guests,” I tell her as I lead her to meet some of our protectors.

Linda comes towards us, and involuntarily, I remember our last kiss.

Huge mistake!

Alyssa’s body goes rigid as I hold her around her waist up against my side. “Why did you never tell me?” she asks with a tremble to her sweet voice.

“I’m sorry. I’ll tell you all about it, but later,” I say as Linda places her hand on my shoulder, then pulls me into a quick hug. “This is Linda Davis, Alyssa. She’s our fashion coordinator. She’s purchased all of our clothes and accessories for us.”

Alyssa smiles at Linda, but it’s taking a lot for her to do it. “So nice to meet you. Eden hasn’t told me a thing about you, Linda.”

Linda bats at my arm. “Oh, Eden, how could you? I thought for sure you would tell her about me. After all, I am a little bit more than just your fashion coordinator.”

Alyssa speaks to her with a sharp tone to her usually angelic voice. “I’m quite aware of what you were to him. A tutor of sorts, I see. Just for future reference, if there is ever another young man who you find in need of tutoring, I like the way Eden handles me. The gentleness you taught him does nothing for me.”

Linda’s eyebrows raise and surprise fills her eyes. “I see. I do apologize, Mrs. Fontaine.”

“No need,” Alyssa says, finally softening her tone. “It is I who should apologize. I’m possessive and jealous. Two unattractive things to be. It’s something I have to work on. Thank you for all you’ve done for us, Linda.”

As if my heart could take in anymore, pride wells up in mine. To witness the acts I’ve done with Linda and deal with them so quickly is amazing. She dealt with this so much better than I did with Kyle.

I move on to other guests and the night moves on. After meeting the entire room of people, we’re both tired. Then Galchobar looms in front of us.

“It is time. You will be transported to the transformation ceremony. It’s at another location and has been prepared by other protectors. We must leave now,” he informs us and motions for us to follow him.

“I need to see Kyle,” Alyssa says as she refuses to move.

“You will,” the old man says as he continues to walk.

She and I exchange confused looks, then follow the ancient man to our destiny.

Ready or not, here it comes!

CHAPTER 34

ALYSSA

It’s so dark. Where am I?

The last thing I remember, I was getting into the back seat of a black Bentley. The old guy, Galchobar, was driving us to another ceremony, the one where we were to transform.

Is that what happened to me? I transformed and can’t remember anything?

Running my hands over my body, I find my wedding dress is gone and another much lighter dress has been put on me.

When did I change clothes?

The sound of water dripping echoes around me as if I’m in a cave. The ground is hard, possibly cement. It’s so damn dark. A dim light shines in the distance.

I suppose I need to get to that. What the hell happened to me and why can’t I communicate with Eden?

Pushing myself up to my feet, I find them bare. When I spread my arms out I find a wet rock wall to my right. I use that to keep me steady as I move towards the light. Something squishes between my toes, making me flinch at the thought of what it might be.

This is taking an eternity!

As I near the opening, which is round, I can see it’s made from rocks; old, grey, ancient-looking rocks.

Ouch! Crap, I stepped on something.

I look down. The light shines in enough for me to make out a circle on the rock floor. As I reach for it, I can tell it’s a large metal ring with an old fashioned key hanging from it. My head jerks up as a loud roar fills the cavern.

What the hell was that?

My body clings to the cold and wet wall. The sound came from outside and now I think going out there would be a terrible mistake.

You have to go somewhere, girl!

Slowly, I creep towards the opening, staying close to the wall. Peeking out, I see dirt, then across from me two huge cages swing on chains hung from the rafters of a giant structure, much like an arena. On one side people fill stands. They’re far away, but I can still hear their yells and applause.

Dangerously close to me, a male lion paces back and forth, seemingly unaware of my existence. The large cat stops and watches something. I follow its gaze to see someone pulling themselves up inside one of the cages. The cat darts away, roaring like crazy.

Apparently, the animal does not want the person to stand up.

“No!” I hear a male voice yell, and immediately I know that voice.

God! No! It’s Kyle!

The familiar sound of Galchobar’s voice fills the open arena, yet I don’t see him. “Only minutes until the spell wears off and all will be known by the future Phoenixes. Will she make it? Or will all be lost? Once the cages open, the lion will be able to attack them. Will the male Phoenix be able to handle him on his own and save the mortal?”

What the hell is going on?

Chains rattle as the cat bats at the cage which holds my Kyle. Movement in the other cage catches my eye. It’s Eden.

What am I supposed to do?

I lay my head back on the cold wall and try my best to think of a plan.

The key on the ground has to open the cages. If I can open them and get the lion to chase me, they can go out the gate I saw at the end of the arena. I’ll have to run faster than the damn cat.

I grab the key and take advantage of the cat’s preoccupation with hitting the cages and roaring as they spin, and occasionally clank against the other.

A tall stone wall runs behind the cages, so that’s where I’m headed. Noticing my clothes, I find I’m in a knee-high, solid-white dress with a haltered top. I take a quick moment to be sure I have panties on, because how embarrassing would that be if I didn’t?

Yeah, they left them on me. Thank God!

The lack of shoes comes in handy as I begin my entrance into the arena. The cat is unaware of me until the crowd goes wild with my presence. Kyle and Eden both shout at me. I can’t make out what either of them says.

Focused on the wall, I find three stones which jut out. With my way up the wall figured out, I’m almost home free. The first step up, I feel the wind behind me as the lion swipes a huge paw, just missing me. I make it up the wall and turn to look at the lion. He’s on his hind legs, trying his hardest to reach me.

I stick my tongue out at him. “Not this time, kitten.”

Holding my arms out to balance myself, I walk down the foot-wide wall until I reach the first cage, which Eden is in. I smile at him. “Need a little help?” I ask as I wiggle the key.

He smiles back. “What makes you think that?”

“Well, since you have it all under control, I’ll just run back out of here and let you deal with it,” I say, then turn back.

“Stop messing around, princess, and get him out first, then me,” Eden says.

I turn back as the lion goes from batting at Eden’s cage to trying to climb the wall to get me.

So distracted the kitty is. I wonder if he has to take pills for that.

Kyle looks pissed. “Is this part of your damn medieval wedding, Ally?”

Eden shouts over, “I told you already it wasn’t.”

Kyle keeps glaring at me as I answer him. “Of course it isn’t, Kyle. God! What kind of monster do you think I am? Now, if you could try to swing over here to me, I can jump on the cage and unlock your door. Eden, can you keep the kitty occupied while I do that?”

Kyle pulls on two of the cage’s bars, then leans forward. The cage slowly starts swinging in my direction. Eden taunts the cat on the other side of his cage. As he gets the cage close, I jump. Grabbing onto the bars, I find I’m thin enough to slip through them.

Kyle’s hand reaches out and grabs me, pulling me to him. He holds the bar with one hand and wraps the other around me. I feel his face in my hair, then his lips on my cheek.

I close my eyes with how good his warm breath feels on my ear as he whispers in it, “God, Ally. What’s going on?”

His face is so close as I look up at him. The confusion on it does something to me. My hand runs up into his blonde curls.

“Kyle, are you okay?”

“Not really,” he says, his voice soft. The motion of the swinging cage pushes our bodies together and my breasts up against his broad chest ache for him to touch them.

This is wrong!

The swinging slows enough for me to pull my body away from his. I use the bars to pull myself to the cage’s door as I say, “I’m going to unlock the cages, but don’t get out of it until I take off, letting the cat chase me. Then you guys get out and run to that gate over there. I’ll come as soon as I know you two are safe.”

Kyle crosses the floor to get to me, holding me to him again. “There’s no way in hell I’m going to let you do that, Al. I’ll take the key and do it.”

I tweak his nose. “You can’t fit through the bars of Eden’s cage,” I say as I shrug my shoulders.

“Fuck,” he hisses.

Reaching out of the cage, I put the large key in the hole and turn it until it clicks. The door opens a bit. Kyle catches it, holding it closed. He releases his hold on me. “I’ll get the cat’s attention so you can slip out of my cage and jump into his. You be as careful as you can. Promise me,” he demands.

“Of course I will,” I say as I move to the side of the cage closest to Eden’s. “Hey, leave that kitty alone, you big bully. Let Kyle play with it for a while. Swing over here and pick me up. I need to save you, my prince.”

Eden laughs and turns away from the cat as Kyle begins banging on the bars in his. The lion moves right on over to the far side of Kyle’s cage, leaving me open to switch cages.

As Eden swings, the cages are close enough for me to simply grab one of Eden’s bars and slip from one to another without much effort. His mouth is hot on mine as he kisses me like he thought he might never see me again. Heat sears through my body as his tongue flows over mine, claiming my mouth. He has to hold me up as my legs give out.

Reluctantly, he eases his kiss and releases me. “I’ve missed you, princess.”

“I can tell,” I say, almost out of breath.

Our heads rest together at our foreheads. “My heart nearly burst as I watched that lion chase you,” he says as his finger traces a path down my stomach, leaving electric tingles in its path.

“Mine almost burst when I saw you in this cage. You about ready to get out of here and start our honeymoon?” I ask, running my hands over his back, down to his fantastic ass.

Yeah, we need to get out of here and consummate this marriage!

Eden takes the key from my wrist. “I heard you telling Kyle your plan and I cannot allow it, princess. I’ll do it.”

“Eden, please. I can do this. Let me.”

The shake of his head ticks me off. “No, baby. I just can’t do that.”

The lock clicks, and he almost jumps out when I stop him. “Eden,” I say, and he turns. “I asked you to let me.”

Although the spell Galchobar put on us has our telepathy blocked, he can read my eyes. They’re saying to let me do what I had planned, or I’m going to be pissed, and who wants a pissed off bride on their wedding night?

He pauses and considers what I’ve asked. “Alyssa, this is very dangerous.”

“I’m supposed to do this. I can feel it. Please allow me to,” I say.

Eden holds the door open just enough for me to slip through it and says, “May Our Creator be with you.”

I place a kiss on his cheek as I move past him, hopping out of the cage and running back towards the opening I came out of. The lion’s roar lets me know he sees me.

His paws thunder behind me and his roar sends heat to my back. I dart into the opening and fall back against the wall as the lion runs past me, then I fly back out the opening.

Kyle and Eden are running to the gate as I see another lion released at the far end of the arena. It takes off after them.

I run at that lion as I hear the roar of the other lion, which has turned around and found me again. With that one behind me, I run straight for the other and jump over its back as the lion who follows me crashes into him.

Seems lions don’t take kindly to being run into!

They fight each other while I double up my speed and run for the gate. Eden holds it open as Kyle yells, “They’ve stopped fighting each other and now they’re after you. Run! Hurry!”

A paw swipes at me, catching the material of my dress as it flies behind me. I hear it rip and pray my whole backside isn’t exposed. Through the gate I run, right into Kyle’s waiting arms as Eden locks the gate.

The tug on my dress from Eden examining just how close one of the lions got to me turns my attention from the tight hug Kyle has me in. “I’m okay,” I say as I pull away from Kyle and turn to Eden. “Are my panties showing?”

Kyle answers, as I’ve turned my back end towards him, “A little. Why’d you put on red panties with a white dress?”

At that moment, I realize the spectators are all cheering and applauding.

How crazy is that? I never noticed them until it was all over.

Galchobar’s booming voice comes from somewhere, but again, I don’t see him. “She has succeeded.”

Eden points up and Kyle and I join him in looking in that direction. Galchobar floats down to us, landing gently on the rocky floor in front of us. Kyle leans over. “I’m not this guy’s biggest fan,” he says, drawing the old man’s attention.

“Nor am I yours,” Galchobar says. “Yet your connection to our very special creature means we must co-exist.”

“What does that mean?” Kyle asks.

A flash of light fills my eyes, leaving me blind. My body falls, but many hands catch me.

What’s happening to me?

CHAPTER 35

KYLE

I’ve been kidnapped and placed in a clear box!

Another cage, and the second time I’ve been abducted on the same night. Ally and her new husband have told me this is not part of their medieval wedding, but what the hell else could it be?

And where in the hell is Laura?

After that completely fucked up wedding, Laura and I went up to the patio.

Okay, I have to get this straight. Who gets married in an abandoned, old-as-hell church that’s falling down? Also, who wants to take the vows my Ally has? She was never one for this type of thing.

My Ally is sweet and innocent. She’s not some theater major with a penchant for BDSM. Then this fucking guy comes along and suddenly she is?

No way! I’m not buying that!

I can’t remember how I came to be in a cage with a lion pushing it around, but I did. Ally saved me and her new husband, then it all went dark. And now here I am.

The scene in front of me is surreal. I’m at the back of a crowd of red, hooded, cloaked people, trapped in this clear box, which is raised on some type of platform.

It’s night time. The only light comes from a massive fire in the middle of the congregation. Why I’m here is a mystery.

God, please don’t let me be a sacrifice!

The last thing I remember was hugging Ally, then she turned around and I saw her red panties.

On that note, when I held her to me, she reacted. She’s not over me, not by far. As a matter of fact, I feel closer to her than ever. I wonder what happens if she’s married but decides to dump him to be with me?

“We are here to witness the new Phoenixes' rebirth. You are all witnesses to the change of power,” the complete asshole who officiated my Ally’s wedding says as he rises from nowhere up into the air.

Seriously! Who or what is this old dude?

The red-clad mob in front of me begins to chant something I don’t understand. After three minutes of the mind-numbing chant, thunder rings out, shaking my glass cage.

I didn’t see any lightning!

The old dude shouts out, “Your Phoenixes are here. They have served this planet for over a century. Their time has been served and they are free to go home.”

The cloaked audience stops chanting and falls to their knees. Throwing their arms up in the air, they say, “Praise be to Our Creator.”

Okay! This is a new kind of nuts!

A horrible shriek sends my hands to my ears.

Hey! I’ve heard that sound before!

That day, at Ally’s. In the woods. I heard the same exact sound.

Thank God the roof of my cage is also clear and I can look up into the night sky. The moon is full and there are two shadows which continuously move in front of it.

Shit! Those things must be huge!

The crazy people in front of me change their weird chant to something else. Two bright beams of light come out of the ground in the distance.

The chanting is faster and I can see something moving in the lights. A tall pole comes from each one. I watch as the poles ascend into the air. My heart has stopped.

My Ally is tied to one of the poles, her small, bare feet on a tiny platform. A silky, white dress hits her at her ankles. Her head hangs at her chest. She’s unconscious.

I bang against the glass wall of my cage, but no one turns back to look at me. My Ally’s new husband is strapped to the other pole. He’s also unconscious, but he seems to be stirring.

If I make it out of this alive, I swear I’ll kill him!

This has to be his doing! He was in a cult and dragged my precious Ally into this crap!

The poles with their tiny platforms rise high into the air. Another shriek alerts me to the fact the enormous creatures are much closer than before. And now both Ally and Eden are fully awake.

My God! What is she thinking? Please don’t let her be afraid!

Now I can see very clearly as the things fly over me and the crowd of freaks. They’re enormous blackbirds.

Just what my grandfather said flew around his truck down in Texas, making him crash into an electric pole the day before Ally had her accident. And most likely what Ally and I saw when we went on that hike the day I asked her to go to Texas and live with me. What do these things have to do with this cult?

The chanting has changed. I can finally understand the words, as they’re now in English. They’re saying, ‘Spirit to flames,’ whatever that means.

God, please do not let these crazy people send my Ally into that fire!

The giant birds come close, circling over all of us three times, then they both fly straight up into the sky. Horrible shrieks fill the air as they move away from us. Ally looks up at them. Her eyes are bright and she’s smiling.

She doesn’t seem to be afraid at all. How is that? Is she even the same girl? Did that damn jackass give her something to make her so different? I swear I’ll kill him if we all make it through this!

The crowd is chanting faster and it’s driving me crazy. Suddenly, they all kneel. I look up and see one of the birds doing a free fall. Its back is coming down first, the long wings spread upwards. It looks dead as it passes in between Ally and the jackass.

Her eyes frantic, she screams, “No! Rodney, wake up!”

Rodney? How the hell does she know the bird’s name?

A flash of orange, red, and yellow flames momentarily take my sight. The bird has fallen into the large pit of fire.

That bird’s history!

Once I can see again, I look back up at Ally. She’s crying.

I bang on the glass wall of my box again. I have to find a way out of this thing. She needs me to help her.

A loud screech draws my attention. Just as I look up, I see the other bird doing a nose dive into the pit of fire. Another explosion of flames erupts.

My Ally is sobbing. She shouts, “Why, Grace? Why?”

Grace, huh?

Sorry to say, she’s history too. What is it with those birds? I’ve never known of suicidal birds, but those were really big. Maybe only the giants kill themselves.

The chanting stops. “It is done!” the old man’s thundering voice says.

What does that mean? Did this cult somehow bring the birds into the fire? Were they on a rope that pulled them into it that I didn’t see? Were the birds evil and needed to be killed?

“It is time for the new couple to take the place at the top of our society. They have been joined in marriage and now they will be joined in the unity of the legendary Phoenixes. We must thank Our Creator for this gift to this world,” the old guy shouts, followed by the crowd’s shouts of thanks.

More chanting begins as the robed people continue to stay on their knees. “Flames to spirit,” they all say.

What does that mean?

The pole Ally’s jackass prince is on begins to move forward. “No!” Ally screams as she looks at him with tears streaming down her face.

“It’s going to be okay, Alyssa, my princess. It’s time. Have faith. I love you,” he shouts to her.

Dear God! They’re taking him towards the pit of fire!

Oh my God, please save him. I know I said I was going to kill him, but I didn’t mean it. God, please don’t let these crazy people kill him!

The pole moves closer to the pit and I find I can’t watch anymore. I turn my back, leaning up against the glass wall.

This isn’t real. It can’t be.

I close my eyes and will myself to wake up from this nightmare. This cannot really be happening.

I can still hear the insane chanting going on, but my mind moves far away. I think of Ally and me walking in the forest, back in Cloudcroft. The way her hair smells in the summer, like lemons and honey. How her hand feels in mine. Small and fragile, like she needs someone to protect her.

Her scream pierces my brain, “Eden! No! Stop!”

I close my eyes even harder and put my hands over my ears. The sound of the flames bursting into the air can still be heard.

They’ve killed him!

There is no way I can turn around and witness this. It’s obvious they’re about to kill my Ally, and most likely I’m next. Thunder booms, and a strange screech rings in the air, yet I cannot make myself look.

“Eden!” Ally screams.

Why did she sound so surprised?

I turn around, my eyes still closed. It takes everything in me to open them and look at my Ally. Her pole is moving towards the fire. She’s looking up and she seems unafraid.

It must be some powerful drugs they gave them both!

I hope they give me some before they do whatever horrible act they’re bound to do to me, so I don’t freak out.

I place my palm on the glass, wishing I could touch her just one more time and hold her in my arms once before they take her from me forever.

Please let there be a heaven where I’ll see her again as soon as they take my life. Please let God be real!

Across the sea of red-robed people kneeling and chanting, my Ally looks at me. Her eyes glisten with tears as she shouts out to me, “Kyle, don’t worry. I’ll be okay. I’ll be back for you. Please don’t worry.”

She’s delusional and I have to watch her go into the flames. I must bear witness to her execution. If I do manage to escape, I must be able to get justice for this horrible crime.

“I love you,” I yell, but I doubt she can hear me through this glass.

“I love you too, Kyle,” she shouts back. “I’ll be back to get you.”

The bottom drops out from underneath her small feet. Her hands must have been released, because her arms dart out and turn in the air as if she’s trying her best to fly instead of fall into the red-orange flames.

My heart stops beating as her body disappears into the pit of fire. “Ally,” I find myself screaming over and over again as I pound on the glass.

She’s gone! Gone forever!

My body and brain go numb as I fall to my knees. Tears fill my eyes and my breath catches in my throat.

I can’t quit staring at the flames, praying she’ll come out of them unharmed. Though, even in my current state, I know it can’t happen.

Something dark, and large rises from the flames, moving slowly up. I wipe my eyes to clear the tears which blur my vision. Standing back up, I watch as long, black wings unfurl just above the flames. The thing emerges, flying straight up. A shriek breaks the night air.

‘It’s me, Kyle,’ I hear Ally’s voice in my head.

It can’t be! I’ve gone insane!

‘You haven’t gone insane, Kyle. It’s really me,’ her voice fills my mind again.

I hope they take my life quickly. I’m going crazy fast.

‘You’re not going crazy. This is real. Watch, I’m about to fly right by the glass container you’re in. Look at my eyes as I pass you and you’ll see it’s really me,’ the Ally voice says in my head.

I guess if I have to be crazy and hear voices in my head, hers is not an unpleasant one.

‘Simply not an unpleasant one, Kyle? I expected you to like my voice much better than that. Here I come,’ her voice tells me.

Suddenly the sound of beating wings pound against the glass walls of my prison. Faster than I can see, something huge passes by me. “If that was you, I didn’t get to see much. You went too fast,” I say out loud, and now I feel really crazy.

‘I know. This flying stuff is new to me, remember. I’ll come back by. They’re about to let you out anyway. You have a special place in this society, Kyle.’

Speaking out loud again, I say, “And just what would that be, voice in my head?”

Beating wings pass by me again. This time I catch a glimpse of a dark blue eye.

Could it really be her?

‘It really is me, Kyle. Now some of our stronger male protectors are going to help you out of there. Promise me not to start trying to fight them. I promise nothing is going to happen to you. You are part of me and they cannot hurt you. Since I fell in love with you, Our Creator had to make adjustments for that. Though I cannot see the future, I can see you are to be asked if you’d like to join this society as my primary protector.’

I can’t believe I’m saying this out loud. They must be pumping the drugs into this glass cage, because I’m starting to believe the voice in my head.

“So, I have a choice?” I ask.

‘Of course, Kyle. Eden and I had no choice. We’re not completely mortal. You are, and mortals always have a choice in what they do. The only thing is, this is your one chance. It can’t be offered to you again, and if you decide not take the offer, your memory of this whole event will be taken from you. You’ll wake up in your bed back in Cloudcroft.’

“Where’s Laura?” I ask, feeling kind of dumb for talking to myself.

Maybe they need to pump some more drugs in here, because I’m not all the way mindless yet.

‘She’s asleep in one of the bedrooms at our mansion. She’ll be told she drank too much and had to be taken home. I’ll implant some fake memories of a reception which never happened in her mind. Also, at this point, she’s not to be told about what we are,’ the Ally voice tells me.

I settle into a squat as I lean against the glass wall and contemplate her offer.

Be a permanent part of my Ally’s life, or go back to my normal life, go to college, probably marry Laura. Or is that even possible?

‘You can marry whomever you want, Kyle,’ Ally’s voice tells me.

Okay, so I can still live my life how I want to and live this crazy life as some type of protector to Ally.

I ask out loud, “If I decline your offer, will I forget that I love you, Ally?”

‘You will.’

The silence after her simple statement fills my heart with a sadness I’ve never known before. That’s saying a lot, because I thought only minutes ago that my Ally was dead.

I can start over. I’ll forget about my love for her and be able to move on. How come that makes me sick?

“I want you in my life, Ally. If this is real, which I highly doubt, I want to be your protector. Hell, I always have been in a way. Tell them to come get me out of here and let’s get this show on the road. Wait! I have one more question. This just came to me,” I say.

Before I can ask the question, her voice interrupts me, ‘I will not always be a bird. I can transform back and forth.’

“Okay, then. Yes, I will take the place as your primary protector, Alyssa,” I say, and find a place in the glass squeaks as an invisible door opens. Four men, much bigger than me, wait for me on the other side.

I hope I’m not dead already. This is not my idea of heaven.

CHAPTER 36

ALYSSA

I follow Eden as we fly through the night, which is lit up by the full moon. The transformation is complete and our full powers given to us. I can communicate with Kyle telepathically as well I can with Eden.

Kyle’s agreed to be my primary protector, something I’m very happy about. Eden, not so much.

‘Stop thinking about it, Alyssa. You had to offer it to him. You had no choice,’ Eden sends to me.

His words tell me he’s taking it as best he can. I can feel what he feels though and his heart is aching.

‘I love you more,’ I send to him.

‘I know you do, princess. I’ll get used to this. Just give me time.’

Cool air blows past my face as we fly over Lake Pontchartrain. A fish jumps, a spark of silver against the dark surface. My imagination was nothing compared to the reality flying is.

Strength fills my bird body as I glide through the air. Eden flies up high and I follow him over the tall treetops. We’re going back to the mansion.

Kyle has been taken there and he waits with Galchobar for our return. A brief ceremony to cement his commitment to me will be held. No one will attend. This is between Eden, me, and Kyle. Galchobar will officiate.

Guess The Creator is telling the old guy what to say. This is a new deal for the Phoenixes.

‘Yes, it is. Thanks to my stubbornness,’ Eden sends to me.

‘This is not your fault, Eden. Please stop blaming yourself. It was meant to be. Can’t you look at it like that? Our Creator makes no mistakes,’ I send back.

His sleek bird head looks back at me and he winks his large emerald eye. ‘You are right, my princess.’

I’m right! Wow! Marriage ain’t so bad! And my man makes a handsome bird.

‘You’re quite beautiful yourself, precious,’ Eden sends.

I feel as if I’m blushing with his compliment. Can birds blush?

The mansion is lit up. We can see it from a mile away. This night has lasted forever. I swear we’re in a time warp. Never has a night lasted so long.

As we approach the backyard, it becomes pretty obvious why it’s as large as a football field. We require a bit of room to land. ‘If I trip and fall all over myself, you better not laugh at me, Eden.’

His chuckle fills my head as he thinks about how funny that would look.

Okay, the scene does look funny I have to admit, but I’d rather not be the comic relief this evening.

‘Make sure you stay in bird form until you stop, or I’m quite sure you’ll take a tumble if your human legs try to keep up at the fast pace of our bird legs,’ he sends to me, along with a mental picture which frightens me.

So much to think about!

As we descend, my bird feet hit the ground running. I hold my wings out some to use the wind to slow my large body. My weight as the large bird is a burden I’m not used to, and I lean forward, threatening to take a nosedive into the lush lawn.

‘Raise your head, Princess.’

I do as Eden says, finding myself balanced and slowing. Once I stop completely, I picture myself as a human again.

In an instant, the weight of my body changes. My hands rub my arms, which are tired. Involuntarily, I run my hands all over my body to make sure I really am the same girl with all the same parts.

I hear Eden giggling as he runs up behind me, picking me up and tossing me into the air. His strong arms catch me as I come down.

“That was exhilarating, don’t you agree?” he asks me.

“I do,” I say, and he laughs.

Still holding me off the ground, he presses his body to mine. My legs wrap around his waist and my arms do the same to his neck as he walks with me.

“Thank you for saying those words so many times when I know it was hard for you a few times during our vows. I swear to you I will always treat you as the equal I consider you to be,” he tells me as he looks into my eyes.

Even if I wasn’t able to get in his head, his eyes would tell me he was telling the truth. I don’t know why I was ever afraid.

“You weren’t afraid, Princess. You were pissed. As well you should have been. We’ll get that changed straight away. I’ll not have our successors be subjected to such an outdated thing,” he says, then stops walking. “We’re here, if you care to stand on your own. It’s a bit awkward having Galchobar see us this way, don’t you think?”

I look back and see the old man and Kyle sitting by the swimming pool. ‘Damn, Ally, really?’ Kyle thinks to me.

Thankfully, there seems to be a privacy screen between the telepathy Kyle and I share and the telepathy Eden and I share, or I’m quite positive the two would never get along.

I glance at Kyle and send him, ‘You should see the things I’ve had to see about you and Laura in your very dirty mind, Kyle.’

He blushes and looks away. I smile up at my new husband and unwrap my legs from his waist. “I love you,” I tell him.

The touch of his hand on my cheek sends shock waves through me and suddenly this little ceremony can’t get over with quickly enough.

We need to start this marriage thingy, and quick. My body aches for him.

Eden turns me toward Galchobar. He’s ready to do the ceremony it seems, as he rises up into the air.

“Stand next to your primary guardian, if you will, Mistress Fontaine,” he says, with a bit less than the booming voice he’s used at the other ceremonies.

I move away from Eden and take the place next to Kyle, who’s risen from his chair. He smiles at me. “I can’t believe this, Al.”

“I know, right?” I say with a giggle.

Galchobar clears his throat, making us stop our childlike banter, and pay attention to him. “Our Creator has given you a choice Kyle, son of Joe.” Galchobar hesitates as if listening to something, then looks at Kyle. “Your father’s name is just Joe? Not Joseph or Josiah?”

“Just plain old Joe, sir,” Kyle answers.

“Okay, then. How very common. Who’d have ever thought, oh well,” the old man says with a shrug of his large shoulders. “Let me continue. Kyle, son of Joe. Do you vow to protect this special creature for as long as you shall live?”

Kyle looks at me. His sky-blue eyes sparkle as he takes my hand in his. “I do,” he says.

My heart just skipped a beat and then it felt like it was breaking as Eden’s felt pain.

Galchobar pulls my attention back to him as he says, “Mistress Fontaine, do you vow to follow this man and do as he bids you to, without hesitation, as he is your guardian for life?”

I look up at Galchobar with confusion. “For life? Do you mean his or mine?”

“Yours, Mistress Fontaine. As your primary guardian, he will live as long as you do. Special powers will be bestowed upon him. One is longevity, just as you have,” he tells me, and now I’m not sure I want to do this to him.

I turn to Kyle. “This is something I’ve had trouble accepting about my position, Kyle. It’s a surety we’ll outlive all those we love. Our children included. Are you sure you wish to do this?”

Pictures fly through Kyle’s head as he thinks over what I’ve said. He pats my hand as he says, “I will be with all my loved one's in the end, Ally. Let me do this. It’s far beyond anything I could’ve ever imagined.”

I look back at Galchobar and say, “I do.”

He looks back at Kyle as he says, “Kyle, son of Joe, with the power vested in me by Our Creator, I now give the female Phoenix to you to protect as you would protect your own child. You may place a kiss upon her wedding band as a sign of your acceptance of this position.”

Wow! Given to two men in the matter of a day! Do all the ceremonies have to be so archaic?

Kyle looks at me, a seriousness in his eyes I’ve never seen before, then says, “Alyssa, I will protect you always. Thank you for this. I love you.” His lips touch my wedding band as he bows in front of me.

I run my hand through his blonde curls. “I love you too, Kyle.”

Eden is at my side before Kyle can stand back upright. “Congratulations on the position, Kyle. It makes me very happy to know my wife has such a great protector. I know you’ll always treat her with the respect she deserves now that you know what a truly special creature she is.”

Kyle gives Eden a smile as he says, “You know I will, Eden. I would like to apologize for not treating her like the princess she is. If I’d known, it would’ve been much different.”

Eden moves between us, clapping Kyle on the back. “I’m sure you would have, Kyle. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m taking my wife to bed. We’ve had a very long evening as have you. I’m sure you’re just as exhausted as we are.”

Kyle’s eyes dart to mine. “See you later then?” he asks.

I smile at him. “Much later. When you decide to get up, take Laura and go see some of the sites. Just ask Niles to get the driver for you two. There’s so much to see.”

Eden wraps his arm around my waist as he leads us into the house. It’s evident he’s placing his body between mine and Kyle’s.

“Niles will be giving you your own credit card. It’s payment for your services to Alyssa. The Phoenix Foundation provides everything for us and they will for you as well,” Eden tells Kyle as we walk. “We’ll get together soon to hammer out all the details. In the meantime, consider this a vacation. Have fun, see the sights. Don’t wait around for us, okay?”

Finding we’re at the top of the stairs, we stop in front of the bedroom Laura’s been placed in. “Remember, Laura can’t know anything yet. Maybe never,” I say.

“Do me a favor, Al,” Kyle says. “Don’t send me any mind messages for a while, if you catch what I’m pitching.”

“You don’t send any and I won’t,” I say with a smile.

Eden shakes his head as he says, “Shit! This is weird.”

“Yep,” Kyle and I say in unison.

As Kyle slips into the dark bedroom, Eden and I walk down the long hallway to the very end where our new suite has been built. Neither of us has seen it yet.

If I wasn’t so damn exhausted, I’d be more excited.

We stop in front of the ornate, cherry wood door. Eden slips his other arm under my legs, pulling me up to cradle me in his arms. “You ready for this, Mrs. Fontaine?”

Placing my arms around his neck, I whisper in his ear. “I’ve never been readier for anything in my entire life, Mr. Fontaine.” I leave a light kiss on his neck.

Oh! This is about to get good!

CHAPTER 37

EDEN

The grandeur of our new suite of rooms is almost lost on us as we enter. Alyssa is my wife, and the thought of getting her to our new bedroom consumes me.

I turn with her in my arms and she closes the door, locking it. Down the hall I go. A light shines into the darkened hallway. Turning into the first room on the left, I find what must be the master bedroom.

“Oh, my!” Alyssa gasps at the sight. “It’s beyond gorgeous, Eden.”

A monster-sized bed sits in the middle of the large room. A royal blue bedspread makes me smile at the thought of my wife holding it up to her bare chest, the color enhancing her eyes.

“I need a bath,” she tells me.

I carry her into the lavatory to find a jetted tub sunken in the middle of the large room, a large shower to the right of it. “The shower would be quicker. Don’t you think?” I ask.

“You can put me down, Eden,” Alyssa says.

I do as she asks and she goes to look at the tub.

Please pick the shower!

She turns back to me. “Okay, a shower it is, but tomorrow I’m taking a bath in this piece of art,” she says as she begins to pull her dress away from her shoulder.

I hold up my hand. “Don’t you dare deprive me of undressing you, princess. I’ve dreamt of this for some time now.”

A slow and sexy smile she gives me as she drops her hands. “Have you?” she asks. “By all means, do not let me stop you, husband.”

Husband! It sounds so sweet as it leaves her plump, red lips.

I unbutton the white shirt they put me in for the last ceremony. I watch her eyes as she looks at me. Her eyes roam over my pecs and down my abs, which I’ve worked very hard on being sure are defined.

The tilt of her head and movement of her eyes looking away from me cause me to follow her gaze. She’s caught site of my back in the mirror behind me. By the smile on her face, she likes that too.

Dropping my shirt, I pop the button on my white slacks. They left us both with bare feet, so I’m done as I drop the last bit of material keeping my body covered.

Alyssa takes in a breath, her words but a whisper, “My God in heaven, Eden, you are perfectly gorgeous.” Her hands run over my tattoos and she looks impressed. She trails one finger over the cross in the middle of my chest. Her hand grazes the word trust along one rib.

I walk around behind her, leaning my head to whisper in her ear, “I am nothing compared to you, princess.”

I push down the thin straps which hold her white dress up. The loose garment floats down her body, leaving her in small, red, lace panties. As I move around her body, I graze hers with mine.

My fingers trail over her delicate collar bone, making a trail between her breasts to rid her of the last item covering her body from my eyes. A slight push and they lay on the floor.

Taking her hand, I lead her to the shower. I push a button in the middle of the shower and water flows over us from every direction possible. “It’s warm,” Alyssa says with a giggle.

I steady my heart and my need for her. Bottles of shampoo and other things have been placed in the shower. I put a nice-sized dollop in my hand and massage it into her hair. It smells like honeysuckle.

She moans and says, “That smells great.”

“Good, I’m glad you like it,” I say as I let the water rinse the shampoo out of her long, silky, black locks.

Picking up the body wash, she stops me. “Not yet, put that conditioner in my hair first,” she says.

I do as she says and she rewards me with a kiss after I’ve massaged it in.

Her lips taste like cherries. My tongue moves into her mouth, finding it hot.

She’s making this so hard. She’s making me so hard.

I pull back. “I have to hurry up with this shower thing.”

She giggles and I’m about to have to take her, conditioner in her hair or not. I put some body wash on a poufy scrubber, running it over her body, and its physically killing me. My heart is racing and my lower region is on fire.

“Your turn,” she says as she turns to me. “The water will rinse my hair and body off. Let me do you.”

That’s exactly what I want! Do me, baby!

Alyssa pulls me to one of the seats in the large, grey, slate shower. The seat is warm and puts me at just the right height for her breast to graze my face as she leans over me to grab the bottle of shampoo.

Involuntarily, I take it in my hand. “Nuh uh! Not yet, Mr. Fontaine. Let me get the grime off you first.”

“Okay, but hurry up. I swear I’m about to burst,” I say as I watch her move to the side. Her breasts move up and down as she massages the shampoo into my hair.

Her fingers glide along my head. “I love your hair, Eden. Never cut it any shorter than this.”

I close my eyes so I can’t see her naked breasts and tiny waist so close to my face. Quite literally, I might burst.

“I don’t need conditioner, Alyssa. Just wash me off.”

“No way! Your gorgeous hair deserves just as much attention as mine does, Eden,” she says as I feel the shampoo rinse out and the conditioner put in.

Kneeling with the poufy scrubber thing in her hands, she washes my feet.

Dear Lord, help me to take my time with her! There has never been anything sexier to me.

Her long, dark hair falls across her back as she leans over my legs. The touch of the silky, soap-drenched scrubber makes my skin tingle.

Or is that from her touch?

Up one leg then the other, she cleans me. Finding herself face to face with my arousal, she hesitates. Slowly, she places the scrubber on my erection and rubs it. “You’re beautiful, you know,” she says.

“You’re killing me, you know,” I say as I run my hand over her wet hair while she kneels before me. “Hurry this wash up. I need you.”

The water which flows over us rinses the soap from where she’s washed. She lifts her head to look at me and says, “Eden, can I place my mouth on you?”

For the love of all that’s holy!

“Perhaps another time, Princess. I’m sure to be unable to control myself if you do that right now, and truth be told I want to do that inside of you, not in your mouth.”

Red covers her cheeks. “Of course. How dumb of me.”

Taking her face in my hand, I lift it to look at me. “There is nothing dumb about you, princess. I’m inexperienced and completely hot for you. It’s no fault of yours.”

She stands and hurries to wash me the rest of the way. “There. You’re done,” she says.

Rising, I take her by the waist and lift her up, pressing her up against the wall. “I love you, Mrs. Fontaine,” I say as I press my body against hers.

“I love you, Mr. Fontaine,” she says, then her mouth presses to mine and I fall apart.

Every place she touches me sets my skin on fire. Her hands run over my back as my tongue claims every space of her mouth. I want every bit of her.

Her breasts press against my chest, their nipples hard. One foot begins to travel up my calf, then the other follows as she attempts to wrap her legs around my waist.

I push away from her. “No,” I say. “I’m taking you to our bed. Our first times needs to be done right. I don’t want to have sex with you, Alyssa. I want to make love to you.”

I press the button and the water goes off. Fluffy, white towels sit on the counter top. Wrapping her up in one, I wrap one around my waist. Her body is light as I pick her up and carry her to our bed.

Our bed! How long I’ve waited for this.

I set her down on the bed, her body kept from my view by the towel. I remove it, then drop mine. “You are perfect, Alyssa.”

“No more than you, my prince.” Her eyes smolder as she looks me over.

I drop to my knees on the side of the bed and take her hand in mine.

“Alyssa, you are precious to me. You’ve had to agree to so many things you never thought you’d have to. I want you to know we can do this when you want. I’m putting the consummation of this marriage in your hands.”

The softness in her voice makes my heart swell as she says, “Eden, my love, thank you for putting this in my hands. I’ve had to swallow my pride and vow to things I don’t believe in. It’s wonderful to know that if I say we wait on this, then we do.”

Her eyes search mine for a long while. I cannot read her thoughts. She moves her body away from me, moving further onto the bed. Her answer, I assume.

Her slender hand pats the bed next to her. “Please come join your wife, love. I’ll not have one night go by where we don’t have a taste of the love we share. Take me, my prince, I am yours.”

My heart pounds at her words. “And I am yours, Princess,” I say as I slide onto the bed next to her.

Dim light throws shadows over the contours of her face. My hand flows over her high cheek bones as I look into her sapphire eyes. The darkness of her thick lashes make them stand out. They twinkle up at me.

She is beyond comparison!

Though I ache to be inside her, I wait. Stroking her arm with one hand and her thigh with the other, I watch her eyes as she watches mine. I move to straddle her body and run my hands over her ample breasts, then down to her flat stomach. I lean over and kiss her stomach where I hope to one day see it swollen with our child.

Slowly, I kiss my way up to her breast, popping one into my mouth. Her hands tangle in my hair and she moans softly. I fight the urge to thrust my erection into her innocence.

I must take my time!

As I kiss and nip at her breast, I run my hand down between her legs, stroking the small bud in the center. Her hands tighten in my hair, pulling at it. “Kiss me, Eden.”

Her voice is raspy and I find it intoxicating. Trailing kisses up from her breast to her neck, I finally place my lips to hers and she opens her mouth for me to enter. Slowly, I move my tongue in and she wraps hers around mine.

The heat which has filled me intensifies. My kiss grows hungry and frantic as her nails bite into the flesh of my back.

She reaches between us and takes hold of my cock. The silkiness of her skin on me nearly throws me over the edge. I want her.

I need to be inside her!

Pulling my mouth from hers, I move my body down hers, running my tongue over her breast, down her stomach, and over the small bud. Her hips arch up as I do.

As I kiss her clit, I put one finger in her, finding her wet, and ready. She is tight, though. Her walls squeeze even one finger. I ease it back out and push it in. Her hands tangle in my hair again.

“Eden,” she groans.

I move my finger in and out, trying to get her as wet and ready as I can. As I dart my tongue over her swollen clit and move my finger inside her, she arches up and pulls hard at my hair.

“Oh, God!” she screams as she comes, her tight walls pulsing around my finger.

She’s as ready as she’ll ever be.

My body grazes hers as I move up, kissing her all the way. Her eyes are closed as my face nears hers and I press my lips to her cheek.

“I love you, Alyssa.”

Her eyes flutter open. “I love you, Eden. Please take me now.”

Her legs spread open for me and I lower myself into her slowly. “This will hurt, precious.”

“Go slowly,” she says with a determined look in her eyes.

The tip of my throbbing dick touches the edge of her vagina. I push a bit and it goes in. She squeezes my ass and pushes at me to go in further. A bit more of me goes in and the heat is like a magnet to the head of my dick, pulling it in until it’s stopped by something.

“Just do it, Eden. Just do it. I’ll be okay,” her voice is raspy in my ear.

I kiss her neck as I push past the last barrier. She screams out in pain, “Fuck, that burns!”

I try to pull out, but her hands on my ass stop my retreat. “Alyssa,” I say, but she stops me with a kiss.

Her mouth is soft and yielding. I move slowly inside her with a short stroke. Slowly, she grinds her hips against me, moving me inside her. Her kiss grows harder and she moves against me with force.