Burning (12 page)

"Talking about sexy...
Uh, is Cooper with anyone?" Jo asked shyly.  Jo, shy? 

"Not that I know of," I answered her and winked. 

She blushed under her cinnamon-colored skin. 

Leah looked up at Chloë and bit her lip.  "What's Grey's story?"

"We were together last year, but I always had feelings for Finn, and Grey couldn't handle it.  I can't say I blame him.  He left after the battle with my sister to fix the exposure she created.  It was really for the best.  Finn and I sorted out some of our drama.  Grey's a great guy though.  You have my blessing if you want to make a play for him," Chloë answered Leah. 

"Really?" Leah squeaked. 

Chloë nodded, smiling compassionately at the quiet, lovesick shifter.

"Well
, ladies"—I clapped, getting their attention—"I've got a dress to buy."

"And lingerie.  I think we have some men to torment," Jo said
, giggling.

Dean

I was nervous asking Carlos for Anita's hand in marriage, but he seemed to be anticipating my question. 

"Dean
, I couldn't be happier that you are going to marry my little girl.  I know she is strong, but I still want her taken care of.  You are a good man and good for my daughter.  Politically, all of the main families have been discussing unique arrangements for our children.  Surely you know marriages are usually arranged in the supernatural world.  Well, at least among those families with as much political influence of ours.  Your parents and I have discussed our desire for a match between the two of you, but we wanted to see how it played out once you met."

The limo pulled
into the hangar behind the plane, and the doors were sealed tight.  The doors to the plane were opened, but before the stairs could be rolled over, Grey leapt from the plane and landed gracefully.  This was going to be a stressful ride, having Finn and Grey in the same car.  I was still reeling from Carlos's comments.  They had been considering arranging a marriage between Anita and me?

Turns out I didn't have to worry much about Finn and Grey. 
Finn seemed to be too distracted by Carlos's comments to pay attention to Grey.  "You said families, as in more than one.  Who else is arranging marriages?" Finn demanded. 

Grey's head jerked up
, and his eyes bored holes in Carlos.  I could see the shutters closing on Carlos's willingness to talk.  Apparently so could Grey.  "Tell him."

Carlos exhaled forcefully. 
"Yes, Finn. Your parents have entered a marriage contract for you."

"Is that why
Bridgett is here?  Because if my parents think I'm going to give up Chloë and marry her, they are mental," Finn sneered. 

"Good to hear," Grey stated amused
ly, "because the arrangement is for you to marry Chloë." 

Finn sat back
, suddenly deflated.  "Shit," he blurted out. 

"Not the reaction I was expecting," Grey
responded crisply.

"
C’mon. Chloë is gonna freak. We all know it.  Any time her mom is involved in something, she does the opposite.  I'm going to lose her," Finn moaned and dropped his head into his hands. 

The cool expression fell off Grey's face
.  "She loves you.  I've always known it.  Hold tight to that and be ready to fight for her," Grey advised.

"What the hell?  Don't get me wrong
. I'm pleased, but I think I'm missing out on something," I blurted out. 

Grey looked at me and shrugged. 
"I'm over a thousand years old.  I know when to call it quits. She loves him, and I love her enough that I want her to be happy," Grey answered honestly. 

"Ok
ay, but what's your excuse, Finn?  I mean, don't take this the wrong way, but you've never been very understanding when it comes to Grey," I asked, confused. 

"Like he said, s
he loves me, and I think Grey has proven himself a friend.  I trust her.  I'm not going to insult her by continuing to fight with Grey," he explained. 

"That is unexpectedly mature of you," I said
, astonished. 

Finn shrugged.  "I have my moments."

We went to drop Grey off at the hotel in an underground parking garage before intercepting Nik Athenos. 

"Are we picking up Chloë before we go find Nik?" Carlos asked.
 

"I forgot to ask her
.  Grey, Finn, I saw the two of you talking to her on the plane.  Are we picking her up?" Cooper asked. 

Grey shrugged and looked at Finn to answer.
 

Finn fidgeted in his seat. "Actually
, she won't be joining us.  Her, uh, powers have been on the fritz." 

Carlos wiped his hand on his forehead.  "I was afraid something like this could happen.
" 

Finn's eyes started to glow
a brighter blue, lighting up the dim interior.  "Why did you think something like this was going to happen?" 

Carlos ran his hands through his
jet-black hair, tugging at the roots.  "It's the bond.  Your magic ties together.  It starts with a spark, like a jolt of static electricity.  The longer the couple resists, the weaker they become.  Tell me, has Chloë been experiencing weakness, nosebleeds, or blackouts?"

"Yeah, she has for a while actually.  When the vampires attacked our dorm last fall
, she passed out after the battle.  She used too much magic, and after that, she started to get nosebleeds.  Now, it seems even a small amount of magic is too much," Finn answered.

"How about Anita? Has she become more volatile?" Carlos asked me. 

"She lashed out a few times, but it got worse after Chloë had to feed her blood." 

"How do the girls fare when they are with the two of you?" Carlos
continued. 

I looked at Finn, and he nodded.  "No
, they don't have any problems when we are together," I answered for both of us.

"Why haven't Dean and I experienced any weakness?" Finn asked. 

Carlos lowered his eyes.  "When your kinds bond, both the male and female experience a drain in powers until the bond is complete.  I believe, since witches can manipulate more of their physical surroundings with magic, they have a little more power to drain." 

I slapped my head when the realization hit me.
"That's why Finn passed out the other night.  My power is more internal.  The physical change is me.  Finn can affect the elements.  I guess that means his powers have started to drain too."

"Exactly.  There is an amulet I can give you
, Finn, and a matching one for Chloë,” Carlos explained.  “There have been occasions when the bonding process begins when a couple is too young.  The amulet buys time.  If you wait too long to bond, the physical effects become more dangerous.  Still, the amulets only buy time.  Bonds are not reversible.  Once they begin, they are completed or you die.  Chloë can't be that stubborn. 

"I have a wizard to punish and a daughter t
o marry off.  Cooper and I will handle Nik.  I don't want to risk either of you powering down on me while dealing with a mature wizard.  Get out here with Grey, and get your tuxes.  We'll meet up with you later."

I laughed a deep belly laugh. 

"What is so funny?" Finn asked, irritated. 

I wiped tears from my eyes.  "It isn't really.  Just
… Chloë can be that stubborn." 

He sighed, stress
pouring off of him in waves.  "Don't I know it," he mumbled. 

"Let's go find some monkey suits that make girls drool.  Women love weddings.  Maybe we can soften her up for you," I suggested. 

"If she wavers even slightly, I'm going to marry her tonight," Finn declared. 

I laughed again, even though I knew he wasn't joking.

Chapter Seven

For as Long as We Both Shall Live

Grey

"How did the confrontation go?" I asked Carlos over the phone.  The sun was going to set in a few minutes, and I would go meet them if they needed me. 

"It went about as well as I thought it would," Carlos responded. 

"That good huh?"

"I'm texting you the address I need you to meet me at,"
Carlos said, resigned. 

My phone chimed with an incoming text.
  "The sun is setting right now.  As soon as the light has faded, I'll be on my way," I agreed. 

"I'll send a car for you." 

I laughed.  "We both know I can get there faster than a car."

I felt the last of the daylight slip beneath the horizon and
then exited my hotel room.  I moved so fast that even the security cameras wouldn’t catch me leaving the room. 

"I forget how fast vampires can move," Carlos snickered. 

"Told you I was faster than a car," I answered smugly.  "Hey, Coop," I greeted.

"Hey
, Grey. Glad to see you.  So this little shit laughed at us when we told him he needed to head for the hills.  He actually told us to make him.  Can you believe that?"

I smiled
as my fangs slid free from my gums.  I hadn't had a good fight in months.  This was going to be fun.  "Let's go make him then."

"Carlos
, I thought I told you I wasn't going to France," Nik said from the doorway.  Cooper and I moved to stand on either side of Carlos.  "You hanging with lower life-forms now, Carlos?" Nik sneered. 

I hissed.  I hated uppity wizards.  Especially those
who had descended from the "gods."  They felt like they were above everyone.  In their mind, they were higher than shifters, vampires, elves, and especially humans.  They wanted to rule the world again.

He tossed a ball of energy at me, and I ducked it.  "You'll have to do better than that. 
I've gone against your cousin, and she makes you look like the B-team," I ridiculed. 

"Vampire, you are beneath me."  He drew a stake out from behind him and charged me. 

I swept his legs out from underneath him.  He fell on his back, and I stepped on his neck.  I applied enough pressure to make him panic.  Throw off their emotions and their magic misfires.  Only a few witches and wizards were strong enough to fight me.  One picks up a few things after a thousand years.  The only witches and wizards I had ever encountered strong enough to best me were Carlos, Marguerite, and Chloë.  Nik might be her cousin, but he was an average wizard at best.

Sparks started dancing at his fingertips, and I applied more pressure
.  I heard the voices of the crowd as their attention turned to our altercation. 

"Carlos, if you have a
follow-up to this, I would do it now. We are attracting attention," I urged. 

Carlos tossed a cuff to Cooper and together they snapped them onto Nik's wrists.  I took my foot off of his throat
, and Cooper jerked Nik to standing.  He pulled both of his arms around Nik's back, and the cuffs magically linked together. 

"They're charmed.  He won't be able to use any magic with them on, and he can't get them off himself," Carlos explained.

Cooper prodded Nik into an alley, where we could limit our exposure.  I looked down the alley and noticed a lone man watching us a little too closely.  He was middle-aged and slightly balding, and he had a bit of a paunch—the kind of man who had self-esteem issues and took them out on other people.  People like that had an odor to them.  Their bitterness smelled sour, like spoiled milk.

"Carlos, we have some pretty interested spectators here," I pointed out.  I recognized that smell, his rotten
scent lingering somewhere in my memory.  The man's face turned up in distaste.  He knew what I was, or he was close to guessing.  I was sure of that.  I pointed to someone in the crowd.  "Cooper, that man… I'm fairly certain he is auto-da-fé," I whispered.  I knew Cooper stood a better chance of hearing me with his keen animal hearing.  He nodded his head toward Carlos, and then he teleported Nik back to the
Council
.

The man took a cell phone out from his pocket and started tapping on the screen.  I made a move to go after him, but he stepped back into the crowd.  I wasn't really sure how far
I was willing to go to stop him.  I hadn't killed a human since the French Revolution.  It was a dark feeling I didn't want to revisit. 

Cooper grabbed my arm
, and I snarled until I realized it was him.  He put his hands up in an "I come in peace" gesture.  "Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you.  Did you smell that?  I haven't smelled that rotten stench since France." 

"I think I just saw the leader.  One of them at least," I
acknowledged.  "Damn stupid wizard.  We warned him that he was drawing attention.  No way did that guy just happen to be outside of Nik's show.  He was checking him out.  If he had bolted when we told him to, this never would have happened."

"Let's head out in separate directions
and circle back to meet up with the others.  We can't stay the night here.  The auto-da-fé are resourceful, and they will find us.  I won't let this ruin Anita's wedding.  She's like the daughter I never got to have—or at least a bratty little sister.  The point is she is the only family I have in this world, and I want her to have the best wedding she can have, even if it is a rushed Vegas one.  But after the wedding, we board that plane and head for home.  We can drop the two of them off somewhere alone for a couple of nights, but it is time to circle the wagons.

"I think waterfalls are romantic.  Weren't Multnomah Falls filmed in that vampire movie?  That would be pretty funny to drop them there
, wouldn't it?" Cooper said grinning. 

I shook my head and laughed.  "
That does sound up Anita's alley," I agreed.

Chloë

"You look beautiful," I told Anita as I fastened her veil above her elegant twist.  She really did look stunning.  Anita hadn’t gone for the blushing-virgin-in-white look.  She had an edge, but it was softened by yards of satin. 

We
’d hit the jackpot in our search for the perfect dress.  Not only was it
the dress
, but it was also in her size.  I’d had to magically alter the dress to shorten it to her pixie stature, but it was just the quick work of a wand.

Anita's veil was lined with tiny
, iridescent-black crystals.  The bodice of her dress had a sweetheart neckline and ruching on the sides.  It was a dark-pewter color and had the same beading underneath on top of the skirt.  The skirt was full, pale silver, elegantly bunched in places.  In each area the skirt was gathered, a teardrop-shaped black crystal hung from the center.  We found her a pair of heels with the same beading on the ankle strap. 

The dress was inspired by the engagement ring Dean had given her.  The large
, round diamond was shining rainbow sparkles against the surrounding black diamonds.  I blessed a smoky quartz pendant, the same that topped her wand, and strung it on a satin ribbon.  I tied it around her neck and gave her a final once-over. 

"Hmm
. You need a few things," I said, appraising her critically.

"You're blind, 'cause
I look perfect," Anita announced. 

"Nearly,"
I teased.  "The dress is new.  That pendant I hung around your neck was made thousands of years ago, which covers the something old.  And I know it doesn't match your dress, but I can include the borrowed and blue category in one item."  I unfastened my sapphire earrings and handed them to her.  They were a pair of dark, nearly black blue studs.  She put them in her ears.  "Now you're perfect," I complimented.

A knock sounded at the door.  I opened it to find Carlos fidgeting with a bow tie. 

"Anita, your escort is here," I called out. 

Carlos came in and stopped suddenly in the middle of the room when he saw her.  The glint of tears sparkled in the eyes of the usually stoic wizard.  I pretended to finish getting myself ready.  I fussed with the skirt of the emerald-green cocktail dress Anita had chosen for me as her maid of honor while eavesdropping on her father-daughter moment. 

"I've missed so much of you growing up.  I never dreamed I would be welcomed into this special day in
your life.  You have grown into such a remarkable woman.  I know I don't deserve any credit.  You have such a big heart, and I am awed at your capacity to forgive.  I have a present for you. It won't make up for anything, but I hope it's a start," Carlos said.

He walked over to the door and opened it to a beautiful older Latina woman.  The resemblance to Anita was remarkable. 

"Mom!" Anita squealed. 

"I saw your young man out there.
  He's quite the looker," Anita's mom, Carmen, gushed.  "We do have a problem though.  Anita, there isn't a priest," she continued seriously.

"I'm sorry
, Mom, but we really didn't want to wait.  But Dean is also a Catholic, and I'm sure the Church will still recognize our marriage." 

Carmen huffed.  A myriad of emotions flitted across her face.  "
Sí
, I suppose you are right.  The important thing is you have remained pure until your wedding night." 

"At least one of us has," Anita muttered under her breath. 

"Anita Carmen Sanchez Padilla, I better not have heard you correctly," Carmen admonished. 

"
Mama, lay off the second last name.  Did I mention Dean wants kids?" Anita deflected. 

"Oh, grandchildren!" Carmen exclaimed
, distracted.  "Not too soon though.  You have to finish college first," she ordered. 

"Of course
, Mama," Anita agreed happily.

Another knock on the door, and Grey entered. 
He smiled lovingly at Anita, and I remembered the night he’d helped her get vengeance against Alexander.  Grey might have believed that he loved me, but he’d never felt as strongly for me as he did for her.  It had stung the first time I’d realized this.  That night, facing the betrayal of my sister and realizing my boyfriend was there to support my best friend, had nearly crushed me. 

Finn
had stood by me.  I think my heart had started to forgive him a little that night.  Now, seeing the connection between Grey and Anita was soothing instead of painful.  I loved him for being there for her.  Grey and I weren't meant to be.  He was right about that, but we were meant to be friends.  I wouldn't change the time we’d spent together, but I was finally able to agree with him.  We were a different kind of meant to be.

"Ready to get hitched
, little sis?" Grey asked Anita. 

She sniffled. 
I'd never seen Anita cry, but she was a walking fountain tonight.  "You haven't called me that in a long time," she said, continuing to fight tears. 

"Geoffrey Grey
, do not make her cry.  I just fixed her makeup," I warned. 

"Happy tears are allowed.  These are happy tears
, aren't they, sis?" he asked lovingly.  She sniffled again and nodded.  "Right, then.  Carmen, may I escort you to your seat?" he asked, offering her his elbow.

"
Showtime!" I announced.  I opened the door and found Finn waiting to escort me to the altar. 

Carlos had made arrangements
at a five-star resort off the Vegas Strip.  The courtyard had been converted into a fairytale paradise.  The officiant was set up inside a large gazebo decorated with white lights. 

White chairs were
elegantly set up in two small sections, an aisle of silver satin running down the middle.  Torches were installed around the outside, casting a warm glow over the entire courtyard.  A small, white piano was placed on the left of the chairs.  When Finn and I stepped out, the pianist began to play, and we proceeded down the aisle.

"You know
, eventually this will be us, don't you?" I gazed into his unnaturally beautiful face and smiled.  "It's only the when I haven't settled on yet."

He cocked his eyebrow at me.  "Hmm
. Sounds like I'm making progress."

Finn

I offered Chloë my elbow and waited for the music before we started walking down the aisle.  As soon as her tiny fingers slipped around my arm, I felt the jolt of electricity.  My eyes flared blue, and hers lit up in response.  I wished now were the right time and that she could be all mine after tonight.  I wanted to take advantage of Vegas and convince her to marry me.  Especially before she found out about our parents' plans.

I had to tell her.  I didn't want to, but if she found out and learned
that I knew about it, she would leave me.  I can't lose her. 

"You look beautiful," I commented
around the lump in my throat. 

She smirked up at me.  "If I'd known you cleaned up so well
, I would have found a reason to get you in a tux sooner."