CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Spectra

“Spec.” Someone poked me in the side. I grumbled and rolled over. Mercury chuckled. “Come on Spec, you'll be late for your interview.”

“Argh! I feel like I've been hit by a truck.” I threw back the blanket and started walking towards the... I stopped and looked around the room. Bay stood at the foot of the bed in his standard suit, mild humor on his face. Mercury was still on the bed shirtless, openly laughing as I looked at them, confused. Bay pointed to one of three doors leading from the room. “Thanks.”

I opened the door and turned on the hot water, stepping under it and sighing in relief. My suit was hung up in the beautiful stone and glass bathroom. The shower was next to a wall-to-ceiling window that was opaque, so it let in maximum light without exposure. After the shower, I dressed and went back into the bedroom. That's when I actually took in the size of the room and the luxurious furnishings. Mercury was still half naked, standing and talking to Bay in the large open space by the bed.

“Where are we?” I asked, buttoning the black silk blouse I'm pretty sure wasn't in my wardrobe before today. I took in my laptop on the breakfast for two table nestled in the far corner by a large round window that made it look like an adjoined tower room.

“Your new home,” Mercury smirked, standing back and crossing his arms to watch me.

I looked at him, unsure. “I've missed something or a couple of somethings by the sound of it.”

Mercury walked towards me, his eyes gentle. “It's not important right this minute, Spec. You need to get ready for your interview. Gina has offered to drive you over to it and back. When you get back, we can discuss the details of living here and everything else that goes with it.”

I met his eyes and he sighed. “Where are we? A converted monastery or something?”

“You're at my estate,” Bay butted in. “This wing has been relatively unused except for occasional guest accommodation. The rooms on this side and level are now your apartments. This is the master bedroom. You have two other bedrooms, a modest lounge room, and...” Mercury shook his head at Bay, “… another room that could be put to whatever use you desire. You will still need to share the kitchen and laundry, but my cleaners will clean your apartment for you unless you wish to do it yourself.”

“This place is too peaceful to be yours, Bay.”

“Father Mathew came and blessed Bay's house so we could be comfortable here.” Mercury touched my arm, gently bringing my attention to him.

“We?” I asked, my voice hesitating over the word.

Mercury smiled. “As husband and wife.”

I felt my heart flutter but looked at Bay before meeting Mercury's eyes. “Are you sure you want to live here?”

“Why? Because it's hideously spacious, opulent, and someone else will clean the toilet for me? Oh my lord, Spectra, you are right, what was I thinking to move into a hellhole like this?”

Bay hid his smile behind his hand. Mercury took my hand in his and pulled me closer. “The land is blessed so we will find it restful. It is guarded so that you will be safe. You will get this job at Galaxy, so it will be close to your work. I've been at Saint Benedict's too long now anyway and need to move on before the humans start asking why I haven't aged in ten years. There is a hospital twenty minutes from here that I can go work at. I've already called this morning and arranged an interview.”

“But...” My eyes flicked to Bay.

“The days and nights I'm here, you're mine. When I'm working or engaging in my other interests, you are free to be with your lover.” Mercury swallowed. “Though once we have children, he will probably need to come to our bed to be with you.”

Mercury saw the look on my face and grabbed my elbows before I could pull away. “You do want children, don't you?”

“I don't know, Merc.” I sighed and stepped into him. Mercury wrapped me in his arms, and I felt instantly more at ease. “Is that a bad thing?”

Mercury kissed my forehead. “It's absolutely your choice, Spectra. We can be careful till you think you're ready, or we can just let nature take its course.” Mercury stepped back from me and dropped down on one knee. “Let's take this one step at a time. Spectra Michaels, I would be honored if you would be my wife, in this life and life ever after.”

I felt butterflies take flight in my stomach and tears started falling down my face. I'd always imagined I'd marry Alexander, but I understood now, holding part of my soul didn't mean he held my heart, nor I his.

“Yes,” I whispered.

Mercury stood and pulled me into the most wonderful kiss. I started rubbing my hands over his back as I pressed myself to him. Mercury sighed into my mouth then stepped back, laughing. “No. You have an interview to go to and I have a wedding to organize. Tonight when I take you to bed, you'll be my wife.”

“Tonight?” I queried, shocked. “I don't have a dress.”

“You will.” Bay smiled. “I'll organize the dress and your dinner at my expense. My gift to the happy couple.”

“You've already let us move into your place, Bay, and we aren't poor.” I sighed.

“To have you close to me, Spectra, and to keep you safe, it is an easy price.” Bay took a step towards us. “I've arranged for other guards to patrol the estate unseen from now on. We will never be surprised like that again.”

“You don't get to touch her today,” Mercury stated firmly, stopping Bay's approach. “She has to wait till we are married to get any now, just as I will.”

Bay smiled broadly. “Can I at least escort Spectra downstairs so she and Gina can leave?”

Mercury gave an amused huff. “Sure.” He pulled me in for one last kiss. “I'll see you at the church this afternoon.”

Bay held out his arm. I put mine through it, and he led me through the apartment to the main staircase, down two levels to the main foyer and then out to the garage. “Are you happy?” Bay asked gently.

“Did last night happen?”

Bay's face became unreadable. “I don't ever want to be in the position of not knowing if you are safe ever again.”

“If you guard me like I'm precious, Essence will use me against you, just like they tried last night.”

Bay turned and gave me a hard look. “Paul would not have told you about them. How do you know, Spectra?”

I met Bay's eyes and let the hidden knowledge shine in my eyes. I noted Bay's hesitation, but I took no pleasure in it. “While the men in my life seem to prefer me naive, there are those who want to keep me safe and therefore also keep me informed. I know Essence is the reason Alexander hid me initially, but then he grew to like the life he lived, and I became secondary to it. It took meeting you to realize, if he truly loved me, he would have managed it differently.”

Bay cleared his throat. “Do you understand our connection?”

I smiled, understanding what he was asking, and started walking to the garage. “I was already paranoid about unprotected sex. My friend warned me what it would mean to let Alexander have me entirely, and while I don't understand the entire concept, I understand our bodies are wedded.”

“You did it to punish him for the way he treated you?” Bay queried.

“No, Bay. I did it because we are connected somehow, because it felt right for me to be tied to you in a way I wasn't to anyone else.” I turned to face him and lowered my voice as I saw Gina crossing the foyer to come to the garage. “I love Mercury, and he has my heart. He will be the father of my children when we choose to go there. My soul is intertwined with Alexander's, and because of that, separation over long periods is hard on us. I've been working at staying away from him as long as I can.” I touched his face tenderly. “I'm still working out exactly why I need to be near you, Bay, but it is a need.”

“Ready to go?” Gina bounced past. She didn't stop. Just gave me a smile and kept on to the garage.

Bay waited for Gina to enter the garage. “You are my wife now. When you marry Mercury tonight, you will take two husbands. Mercury and I have already talked, and we hope to make this work for all three of us. When Alexander finds out about this, he will try to have both Mercury and I killed.”

I smiled. “I guess you're lucky then.” I stepped towards him and put my mouth to his ear. “That the people he'd hire to kill you love me more than him.” I kissed his cheek and turned, walking into the garage and climbing into the Wrangler next to Gina.

Bay stood at the door, hands in his pocket, a mix of worry and surprise on his face as we drove out. I grabbed onto the dash bar as Gina sped up the driveway and swerved onto the road with barely a look for traffic.

“How are you feeling this morning?” Gina asked.

“I was fine till we left the garage,” I answered, a little wide-eyed with panic.

“Relax, I've been driving these roads for years now.” Gina sped down the road, and I did as suggested and relaxed. “Are you hoping to get this job today?”

“I am. Though I'm still a little nervous about moving into Bay's.”

Gina nodded. “I'm sort of glad though, it'll make my job a little easier.” Gina tucked her hair behind her ear, flashing her tattoo purposefully this time before she turned to meet my eyes and we smiled at each other. “Miranda asked me to say goodbye.”