living covenant 03 - eternal covenant Read online

  Aric flattened his hands against my stomach so I couldn’t move. “No, I want the other memory.”

  “Aric, I know you think that’s going to be some sweet and romantic way for us to look forward to the wedding, but really it’s not,” I said. “I don’t want to show you that memory.”

  “Why? Were we fighting at the time? It’s okay if we were. Those memories are part of our past, too.”

  “Pick a different memory,” I ordered.

  Aric refused to budge. “I want that one. I don’t care if it’s a bad memory. I want to see it.”

  “Aric, you don’t,” I said, my voice cracking. I wouldn’t deny him the memory if he insisted, but it wasn’t something on which I wanted to dwell. “You really don’t.”

  “Please, Zoe.”

  I briefly pressed my eyes shut. “Okay,” I said, giving in. “You’re going to owe me a massage in the hot tub for this one, though.”

  “I will gladly pay up,” Aric said.

  I exhaled heavily and laced my fingers with his. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  “Let me help you get her back to the dorms,” Aric pleaded. “I can make this right.”

  “No,” Paris said forcefully. “She may be in shock, but she’s right. You betrayed her. You betrayed us both. You put her in danger. She’s been in imminent danger for months. You knew that and you did nothing.”

  A thought occurred to me. “If you knew Laura was the threat, why did you kill Jessica?”

  “I told you,” Aric replied quietly. “I couldn’t be sure. I suspected that Laura was responsible, but Jessica was a willing participant and she wouldn’t have stopped.”

  “So you killed her? You didn’t even think twice about it.”

  “I hoped that if Jessica fell Laura would let it go. I hoped that she would realize she was wrong – or at least retreat and regroup. I didn’t know ... I didn’t know what would happen. I certainly didn’t think that you would ... I didn’t think that would happen.”

  “You knew there was a chance, though,” I shot back bitterly. “You could have told me. We could have made a different plan. She didn’t have to die. We could have saved her. You made all of this happen with your silence.”

  “I had no choice,” Aric argued. “I can’t go against pack law.”

  “Well, your pack law just cost you a girlfriend,” Paris said shortly, anger practically radiating from her body. “I hope it was worth it.”

  “So you’re doing Zoe’s talking for her now?” Aric snapped.

  “No,” Paris shook her head. “But I know what she’s going to say. You know what she’s going to say. You know what you did was wrong. That’s why you’re so worried. You’re not doing anyone any favors by pretending otherwise. Let her go.”

  “No.” Aric shook his head vehemently. “I love her. I love you.” He reached for me again. His fingers felt desperate on my arm.

  I laughed mirthlessly. “You don’t use someone you love as bait.”

  “Zoe, just let me explain ... .”

  “There’s nothing to explain,” I shot back hollowly, leaning on Paris for support. “Paris is right. You made your choice. You chose your pack.”

  “I didn’t choose the pack!”

  “That’s exactly what you did,” I said, letting Paris lead me toward the gate as I shuffled along wearily. “That’s exactly what you did.”

  “Zoe, this isn’t over.” Aric’s voice was low and his eyes were filled with tears. “We need to talk about this. You just need some time.”

  I kept walking.

  “I’ll call you tomorrow. You’ll feel better after a good night’s sleep.”

  “Yeah,” I barked out harshly. “Eight hours of sleep and I’ll forget that I just burned my roommate to a crisp – and that if you had just told the truth, none of this would have happened.”

  “I’ll give you a few days.” Aric’s voice cracked.

  We were at the gate now, but I didn’t turn to face him. I couldn’t. “Let me go, Aric,” I murmured. “Just let me go.”

  And he did.

  I waited for Aric to speak, though he didn’t seem capable of finding words. The aftermath of Laura’s death still haunted me. She was the first person I ever killed. She set me on a path we still walk today.

  “Oh, Zoe,” Aric said, rubbing his cheek against mine. “I should’ve known.”

  “I told you it wasn’t a happy memory.”

  “It’s not a happy memory, but it led to happy memories,” Aric said, pulling himself together. “We’re happy now. That’s all that matters.”

  “Don’t you want to show me when you knew you loved me?” I asked, hoping the shift would yank both of us out of our doldrums.

  “You’ve already seen that memory recently,” Aric said, grinning. “It was the day we met.”

  “It was not.”

  “Yes, it was,” Aric said. “I loved you from the moment I saw you. I knew I had to have you.”

  “You’re so full of crap.”

  Aric grabbed my waist and wrestled me to the side, rolling on top of me and planting a smacking kiss on my lips. “That was the day I fell in love with you,” he said. “There’s no getting around it. You’ll have to live with it.”

  “No fornicating in the yard!” James bellowed from the deck.

  “Yes, you two are being incredibly rude,” Mom said. “Come up and entertain your guests.”

  “Yes, Mom,” I said, rolling my eyes.

  “Let’s get everyone in the hot tub,” Aric suggested. “That will allow everyone to relax.”

  “That’s a great idea,” I said, brightening. “I can’t wait to get Rafael in the water.”

  “That’s never going to happen,” Rafael said, appearing at the deck railing and locking eyes with me. Man, he must have hearing like a cat … or, er, a vampire. “Never.”

  “Never say never.”

  “I CANNOT believe I let you talk me into this.” Rafael sat on the hot tub bench, morose, and crossed his arms over his chest. “This is so undignified.”

  “You look fine,” I said. “You fit in James’ swim trunks. I don’t see what the big deal is.”

  Aric idly rubbed my back and smirked. “You should be thankful,” he said. “We usually do this naked.”

  “You’re both twisted.”

  “Whatever,” I said, getting up from Aric’s lap and moving closer to Rafael.

  “What are you doing?” Aric asked, suspicious. “If you sit on his lap I’m going to have to kill him.”

  “I’m not going to sit on his lap,” I scoffed. “I do have to touch him, though.”

  “Why? If it’s a dirty touch I’ll have to kill you,” Aric said, his tone darkening. “Do you want to die before marrying me?”

  “I just have to see something,” I said, tentatively extending a finger and pushing it into Rafael’s chest. “Why are you so hairless? And why are you still cold even though the water is hot?”

  “Oh, here we go with the questions,” Rafael said, leaning his head back and staring at the sky. “Why do I put up with this?”

  “I think you’re a glutton for punishment,” I answered.

  “Wait, is this the first time you’ve seen him shirtless?” Aric asked.

  “I told you we never hooked up,” I replied. “You need to let it go.”

  “Please, let it go,” Rafael intoned.

  “For some reason the knowledge makes me inexplicably happy,” Aric said, beaming.

  “Of course it does,” Rafael said dryly. “Stop poking me, Zoe!”

  “Do you have hair … you know … other places? You’re as smooth as a cue ball.”

  “That does it! I’m out of here.”

  “Oh, stop your whining,” I said. “You’re happy to be here and you know it.”

  “I just wish some mystical Candyman would come and kill me so I didn’t have to suffer through this for one more second,” Rafael said.

  “You’re such an old woman,” I shot back.

>   “You make feel so very tired.”

  29

  Twenty-Nine

  I dreamt, but it wasn’t what I was expecting. Aric was there. So was I. It was almost as if a third person watched us through a haze. I couldn’t understand the images.

  Aric’s body was warm against mine when I woke the next morning. I opened a sleepy eye, prepared to take in Aric’s handsome face one final time before marrying him, but I found my mother staring at me from my side of the bed instead.

  “What the … ?”

  “Get up,” Mom ordered.

  “What’s going on?” Aric murmured from behind me.

  “You get up, too,” Helen said, swatting Aric’s arm. “You two slept half the morning away, and it’s time to get ready for the wedding.”

  “What time is it?” Aric asked, propping himself up on an elbow and pulling the sheet tighter against my chest so I didn’t accidentally flash our mothers. “By the way, didn’t we have a discussion about you guys wandering in here without an invitation?”

  “It’s almost nine,” Helen replied. “The wedding is in four hours. Pemberley is already outside setting things up. Everyone else is up.”

  “Rafael?” I challenged.

  “He’s in the wine cellar,” Mom replied. “He could be up. It’s not like he can go outside for the wedding.”

  “I’m going to fix that,” I said. “I have a plan.”

  “Oh, good,” Mom intoned. “I’m glad you have a plan for fixing Rafael when you should be fixing yourself. You need to shower, young lady. Then you have hair, makeup and nails.”

  “I still haven’t seen my dress,” I pointed out.

  “You’ll see it when it’s time to get in it,” Mom said. “Now, get up.”

  “We’re naked,” I protested, clutching the sheet tighter. “Get out, and we’ll meet you in the kitchen for breakfast in five minutes.”

  “You were born naked, and we gave birth to you,” Helen said. “We’ve already seen it.”

  “Well, you’re not going to see it again,” Aric argued. “Get out!”

  “Don’t take that tone with me!” Helen shot back.

  “Leave them alone,” James said, poking his head into the room but shielding his eyes in case anyone’s naughty bits were on display. “We’re cooking eggs for breakfast. Zoe and Aric, you have five minutes. Helen and Nancy … get out.”

  I waited until the door shut to shift my eyes to Aric. “We could still elope, you know.”

  “Get up, soon-to-be wife,” Aric urged. “I want to have breakfast, and then I have a surprise for you.”

  “I hate surprises.”

  “You’ll like this one.”

  “You don’t know that,” I argued.

  “Get up, Zoe,” Aric snapped. “You’re ruining my surprise.”

  BY THE time we padded into the kitchen, everyone was gathered around the table, watching us with expectant eyes. Rafael was still in his dark hole, and I vowed to fix that before I let the unwanted pampering begin. It may be my day, but he’s getting a special gift, too.

  “What is so important that you had to wake us up this early?” I asked.

  “It’s your wedding day,” Mom said. “You need hours to prepare. I have a mud mask for you, and we’re going to paint your fingernails and toenails. We also have cute makeup, and Paris is going to do your hair.”

  “I can’t wait,” I deadpanned, hopping up on one of the stools and watching as Mom cooked breakfast. “I want bacon and sausage.”

  “You’ll eat what you’re served and keep quiet about it,” Mom shot back.

  “And I thought it was supposed to be my big day.”

  “It is your big day,” Aric said, kissing my cheek before wandering over to the pantry. “That’s why I’m going to give you your wedding gift early.”

  I stilled. “Wedding gift? Was I supposed to get you a gift? Crap!”

  “I think the gift of my life will do,” Aric said, making a face as he returned with an envelope. “I picked it out, but everyone paid for it. It’s technically a gift from everyone.”

  I screwed up my face as I took the envelope. “I’m kind of afraid to open this,” I admitted.

  “Just open it,” Aric prodded. “You’ve been asking about it for weeks.”

  Realization dawned. “This is our honeymoon stuff, isn’t it?”

  “It is,” Aric confirmed. “We leave tomorrow for two whole weeks.”

  “Where have you been hiding this?” I asked, flipping the flap open. “I broke into the safe, but it wasn’t there.”

  “Yes, I knew you would break into the safe, so I hid it the one place I knew you wouldn’t look,” Aric said.

  “The pantry? I’ve been in the pantry for cookies twenty times this week alone.”

  “I hid it in the oatmeal box,” Aric answered. “I knew you wouldn’t look for healthy options.”

  “Well, crap,” I muttered, digging into the envelope and pulling out a set of plane tickets. I widened my eyes when I realized it wasn’t one set of plane tickets but rather a stack of tickets. We had more than one destination. “What is this?”

  “We’re going to Europe,” Aric answered. “You said you wanted to go to London, so we’re going. We’re also going to Ireland and Scotland before winding things up on a beach in Santorini.”

  “Holy crap!” I was beyond excited. “That means we can see the Loch Ness Monster.”

  “Yes, that’s exactly what I was thinking,” Aric said dryly. “Are you happy?”

  “Baby, am I!” I threw my arms around his neck, relishing his warm embrace. “I still can’t get over how you managed to keep it a secret.”

  “Living with you has taught me that you can do anything when you put your mind to it,” Aric said, dropping a kiss on my forehead. “We’re going to have a good time.”

  “And I’m going to ride the Loch Ness Monster,” I said.

  “You know he isn’t real, right?” Paris interjected. “He’s an urban legend.”

  “So am I,” I shot back. “This is going to be great.”

  DESPITE my mother’s protests I excused myself to the wine cellar before she could hustle me into the shower. I found Rafael sitting on a cot reading a book when I entered.

  “You’re a lovely bride,” Rafael said, smirking. “I thought you would go fancier, but you always manage to surprise me. The bedhead is a marvelous touch.”

  “I’m going to start getting ready in a few minutes,” I said. “I wanted to give you something first.”

  Rafael leaned forward, his dark hair brushing his shoulders. “You’re giving me a gift on your wedding day? Shouldn’t it be the other way around?”

  “I owe you,” I said. “I probably owe you more than I can ever repay.” I wasn’t used to being serious with Rafael, but I’d prepared myself for this moment and I had no intention of backing down. “You stood by me when you had no reason to do it.”

  “I knew you would grow into something great,” Rafael replied, his tone equally somber. “You didn’t disappoint me.”

  “Didn’t I? There was a time, and I know it was brief, but there was still a time when you thought we might have something,” I said. “I’m not sure I ever did, and I don’t think I was fair to you.”

  “You didn’t owe me anything, Zoe,” Rafael said. “You stayed true to your heart, and no matter how much it irritated me at the time, I knew you loved Aric. I’ve always known that. Things worked out as they were supposed to.”

  “I still want to thank you,” I said, lowering my hand and letting the magic wash over him.

  Rafael was taken aback as he felt the warmth I sent surging through him. “What was that?”

  “Your present,” I said. “Go enjoy the sun.”

  Rafael raised his eyebrows. “For how long?”

  I shrugged. “Forever.”

  Rafael was dumbfounded. “Are you sure?”

  I pressed my lips together and nodded. “I’m sure,” I said. “I think your eyes are probably st
ill going to be sensitive, but I’m not a doctor. You’ll be able to survive bouts in the sun, though. You won’t burn. You’re already dark, so I don’t think you’ll get a sunburn.”

  Rafael snorted, although tears formed at the corners of his eyes. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “You don’t have to say anything,” I said. “Just enjoy the day.”

  I followed Rafael up the stairs, holding in my laughter as he tested his hand in various parts of the house where the sun peeked through windows. Aric appeared in the living room, his tux draped over his arm, and watched as Rafael walked through the sliding glass doors and onto the deck.

  The vampire extended his arms and lifted his face to the sun he hadn’t seen in centuries as he circled.

  “What did you do?” Aric asked, awed.

  “I thanked him for helping us live our dream.”

  FOUR hours of harsh primping later, I was at my wit’s end.

  “I’m done,” I said, jerking away from my mother and her mascara wand of death. “I’m completely done. I want to see my dress now.”

  Mom pressed her lips together. It was the moment of truth, and she knew it. “Okay,” she said, moving toward the closet. “Just remember, it’s too late to wear something else, and I threw that other dress away.”

  “Whatever,” I muttered, bracing myself for some hideous monstrosity.

  Mom pulled a garment bag from the closet and unzipped it, revealing a relatively simple spaghetti strap dress with a skirt that somehow managed to be big without being overly wide – or making noise.

  “What do you think?” Mom asked, already shrinking before the anticipated onslaught.

  “I think it’s beautiful,” I said. “Thank you.”

  “Really?”

  “Really,” I said, taking the dress. “Now give me a few minutes to get in it. I … need a few minutes. I need to be by myself.”

  I didn’t tell her what I had to do, and she was so relieved I didn’t freak about the dress – or shred it into a million pieces – she left me alone for the final preparations. I carried the dress into the bathroom and hung it on the back of the door before rummaging in the bag of medicinal items Paris brought back from the pharmacy earlier in the week.