Dark Redemption (7 page)

         
Giovanni chuckled. “There’s only one way to find out.”

         
They quickly traded places. He leveled a serious look at her as she moved the
driver’s seat forward. “Please don’t break my car.”

         
Lindsey tossed her head back and laughed. “Oh honey, I’d be more worried about
your heart.”

         
Gio shook his head at her, but she accelerated so quickly, the car jerked into
motion and he was thrown into his seatback. The moonlight danced in her blue
eyes, exhilaration radiating from her as she drove like a bat out of Hell.

         
She was one
hell of a woman -- sexy, intriguing, and quite possibly insane. Trouble in high
heels and a mini skirt. He was hooked. He knew one thing for certain; putting
her back on a plane to the United States was not going to be easy.

         
Gio tried to shake off the memory and the thoughts it elicited. He focused on
Kate’s smiling face. She looked so happy,
so
alive as
she locked eyes with Dominic and made her way down the aisle toward him. For a
split second, Gio wished he had a woman who looked at him that way. The
sentiment was gone as quickly as it came. He knew better.

         
Love was not meant for immortals. Love made them weak, caused them immeasurable
pain. No thank you. He’d take temporary pleasure over eternal pain any day. And
his current lifestyle fit the bill. Live for the moment. Yet in that moment, he
couldn’t help the twinge of jealously unraveling in his chest. Dominic and Kate
had a rough, painful road ahead, but they had each other.

Chapter
7

         
Dominic stood at the front of the empty church with his uncle, Lucan, anxiously
watching and waiting for Kate to emerge at the foot of the aisle. Uncle Lucan
placed a steadying hand on his shoulder. “Are you alright, son?”

         
Dominic grinned at his favorite uncle.
“Absolutely, just
excited.”

         
“You’re sure this is what you want?” Lucan asked, his dark eyes betraying the
wise, old soul his immortal body disguised.

         
Having lived the better half of a millennium, Lucan was the oldest wolf Dominic
knew. He would have been the patriarch of the family, but had taken on the holy
mantle of the church shortly after his brother Rafael committed suicide. Rumor
had
it,
Lucan had been a hell-raiser himself before
his holy days. Dominic liked him even more because of it.  It made his
austere uncle seem all the more human, all the more relatable.

         
Dominic nodded. “I’ve never been more certain of anything.”

         
Lucan raised an eyebrow at him. “There will be consequences, far beyond your
comprehension.”

         
With a shake of his head, Dominic met his uncle’s assessing gaze. “I know. I
don’t care.”

         
“Very well, Dominic. What shall be, will be. I will sanction the union,” Lucan
agreed with a grave nod. “May God have mercy on us
all.
”

         
Dominic patted the back of the holy man’s arm in reassurance. “He will, Uncle,
fear not. Kate may be a vampire, but she’s the closest thing to heaven I’ve
ever known.”

         
Lucan smiled indulgently at him. “Spoken like a man in love.”

         
“No,” Dominic disagreed, shaking his head. “Spoken like the truth.”

         
“We shall see, Dominic. I am eager to meet this vampire who has you convinced
she is an angel.”

         
“She
is
an angel, Uncle,” Dominic averred.

         
Lucan chuckled. “Far be it from me to argue with a groom on his wedding day. If
you say she’s an angel, then it must be so. Your Kate must be something truly
spectacular for you to sacrifice all you have for her.”

         
Lucan sighed as though the weight of the world rested on his square
shoulders.  “Your father will not be pleased when he learns of my part in
this.”

         
“He need never know,” Dominic said grimly, his chest tightening at the mention
of his father. In another life, his father would’ve stood beside him as he took
a wife. Now, his father would kill him on sight.

         
“I have kept your plans secret thus far, but should he ask, I will not lie.”

         
“I know, Uncle, nor would I ask you to,” Dominic agreed, “except, I ask that
you leave Giovanni and Gianna out of it, should the situation ever come to
light.”

         
Lucan inclined his head in agreement. “I will do my best.”

         
“Thank you, Uncle,” Dominic said with a grateful smile, then turned at the
sound of footsteps approaching. “Speak of the devil.”

         
“Hey, little bro,” Gio called as he strode up the aisle. “It looks like a
perfect night to ruin your life. You ready?”

         
Dominic grinned back at his brother. “Please, Gio, I was born ready.”

         
Giovanni threw his arms around Dominic, slapping his back before releasing him.
“Congrats, little bro.
I’m proud of you.”

         
“Thanks.” Dominic lowered his voice. “You know, it’s not too late to get out of
here. No one needs to know you’re involved.”

         
Giovanni scoffed at that.
“Yeah, right.
It’s only a
matter of time before they figure out I’ve been helping you all along.”

         
“Do they suspect?” Dominic asked, all humor gone.

         
“Nah,” Gio smirked. “I’m the dumb one, remember? I can’t even spell subterfuge,
let alone commit it.”

         
Shaking his head, Dominic chuckled. “Underestimating you was one of Father’s
greatest mistakes.”

         
“Don’t go feeling sorry for me now,” Gio said with a sad smile. “I kind of like
the low expectations.”

         
“Seriously, Gio.
You should probably just get out
while you can.”

         
“You think I’m going to let a little threat of death keep me from standing next
to my brother while he takes on the old ball and chain?
Hell
no.”

         
“Alright.
Just don’t say I didn’t try.” Dominic
shrugged.
“You still willing to play?”

         
An evil grin spread across
Gio’s
face. “Damn right, I
am.”

         
Slinging the sturdy black case off his back to set it on the front pew,
Giovanni snapped open the case and lifted out his acoustic guitar. With a few
tweaks and adjustments, the instrument was tuned and ready to play.

         
“So, you want a little AC/DC?” Gio strummed a few chords of
Highway to Hell
.
“Or Nine Inch Nails?” More strums, punctuated by slaps on the hollow body in
imitation of the percussion in
Closer
.
“Or Marvin
Gaye?”
He strummed the slow and steady accompaniment to
Let’s Get It
On
.

         
Dominic chuckled at his brother’s teasing. “I’ve got a better idea.” Leaning
in, he whispered his song choice into
Gio’s
ear.

         
Gio gave an approving nod.
“Fitting.”

         
Gianna appeared at the end of the aisle. “Kate’s just about ready.”

         
“Did she like the dress?”

         
Gianna gave Dominic a smug grin. “Of course she did. Is everything ready?”

         
“You tell me?” Dominic gestured around the empty chapel. It wasn’t the big
wedding he wished he could give Kate, but he hoped it was enough. If only he
could’ve brought her parents, but he couldn’t justify the risk.

         
Gianna scanned the room, turning
in a slow circles
.
She nodded. “It’s perfect. She’s going to love it.”

         
“Thanks,
Gia
,” Dominic said, smiling in gratitude at
his elder sister. “It’s not too late for you to get out of here...”

         
Giovanni sighed, “Here we go again.”

         
Gianna glared at Dominic.
“As if!
You think I’d turn
my back on my baby brother, just because I don’t approve of his bride?
If so, you don’t know me at all.”

         
Dominic shook his head. “No, I expect you to save your own skin and not get
caught helping a brother with a price on his head.”

         
“No matter what the pack says, we’re family. Family sticks together,” Gianna
snarled, her dark eyes flashing with rage. “I’m staying. I’ll protect you and the
woman you love with my life.
From anyone.”

         
“Don’t get
Gia
all worked up, Dom,” Gio warned with a
grin. “She might tear the church apart before the wedding.”

         
Gianna turned her angry eyes on her twin. “And you.” She pointed one perfectly
manicured finger at the center of his chest. “How dare you try to keep his
wedding a secret from me?”

         
Holding his palms out in front of him in a cease fire, Gio backed away from his
twin sister and her mercurial temper. “Hey, I told you, didn’t I?”

         
“On accident!”
Gianna railed.

         
“Children, children,” Lucan interjected. “Let us not fight in the house of
God.”

         
Gianna glared at Giovanni and hissed under her breath, “This is so not over.”

         
Giovanni straightened his black tuxedo jacket and grinned at her. “I’m counting
on it, sis.”

         
A rustling at the front of the chapel drew their attention toward the double
doors. Lindsey popped her head in the doorway, waiting for the signal that all
was ready.

         
Dominic assumed his position next to Lucan. Gianna and Giovanni stood to his
left. Gianna gave Lindsey a thumbs-up signal. Giovanni strummed the opening
chords of the song Dominic had chosen.

         
Dominic couldn’t tear his eyes away from the empty doorway, waiting for his
first glimpse of Kate. And there she was, dressed all in white.
His angel, his princess, his Kate.

         
Never before had he seen a creature as beautiful as his bride. She floated
slowly toward him, draped in form fitting lace, her green eyes sparkling
beneath the mesh of her veil. Her plump lips were tinted a soft pink, perfectly
kissable. Those lips curved into a soft smile below the edge of her veil as
their eyes met.

         
He could lose himself in those eyes. He could die a happy man. In that moment,
he had everything he ever wanted. The world stood still and all that mattered
was him and Kate, the moment they would become one before God and the
world.   

         
Dominic wanted to rush down the aisle to her. He wanted to gather her in his
arms and hold her forever. He wanted to kiss her sweet lips and every
tantalizing inch of her body. He wanted to lay claim to her in every way a man
could. Yet, he found the restraint to hold himself in place.

         
Kate drew nearer, love and excitement glowing in her eyes. Dominic couldn’t
contain his excitement. She was his.
Forever.

***

         
Kate tried to calm her thundering heartbeat as Lindsey fluffed her skirts and
straightened her train. She absentmindedly accepted a thick bouquet of red
roses, mixed with evergreens and tiny white flowers, their stems wrapped in
soft white ribbon to form a clutch. Lindsey linked her arm through Kate’s and
Kate sucked in a deep, calming breath.

An
acoustic guitar began to strum a familiar melody and Kate put one foot in front
of the other.

         
The chapel was small and dark, lit only by the numerous candles scattered about
the room. Colorful stained glass filled the arched windows on all sides of her.
Scenes of wolves, angels, and men.
The candlelight
bounced faintly off the colored glass in a rainbow kaleidoscope of light. The
ancient church sparkled in the candlelight, a creamy stone treasure box of
jewels.

         
Soft, fragrant rose petals of a rich crimson crushed beneath her feet as she
stepped into the aisle. Cascades of roses poured from arrangements on the ends
of each pew, lending their sweet fragrance to the air. Dominic stood at the
front of the empty chapel, his siblings positioned off to his left. An
unsmiling man in rich red and black robes stood behind him, waiting for them at
the altar.

         
Giovanni strummed his guitar, the smooth melody wrapping around Kate like a
warm embrace. It was the song Dominic sang to her the first night they’d made
love. Kate could hear the rich velvet of his voice in her
mind.      

         
Kate’s eyes met Dominic’s and her heart stalled in her chest. Dressed in a
crisp, traditional black tuxedo, he was the most breathtaking man she’d ever
seen.
So strong and dynamic.
So
beautifully, achingly male.
And he was hers.

         
His dark chocolate eyes burned with such intensity, such love, Kate thought she
might melt from the heat of his gaze. He watched her approach as though she was
his salvation. When in reality, he was hers. Kate held his gaze, afraid to
blink and wake up to find this all a dream.

         
The short walk to Dominic seemed much longer, when all she wanted was to pitch
herself
into his arms. But she inched slowly closer, with
Lindsey at her side, as Giovanni played their love song. When at last she
reached the front of the church, Kate drew Lindsey into a tight hug.

         
“I love you, Linz,” she whispered.

         
“I love you too,” Lindsey whispered back. “Now go marry that sexy piece of man
candy, you lucky bitch.”

         
Kate chuckled and stepped up to the place where Dominic waited before the
altar, accepting his outstretched hand. His big, strong fingers enveloped hers.
He took both of her hands in his as she turned to stand face to face with him
before the holy man. His touch warmed her from her head to her toes. Kate
couldn’t take her eyes off of his, even as the priest began to address them in
Latin.

         
“Dearly beloved…”

         
Dominic graced her with that dazzling, heart stopping grin that awakened a riot
of butterflies to flutter in her tummy.
You look beautiful
, he mouthed
to her.

         
Kate felt her cheeks warm with pleasure.
Thanks.
You look amazing
,
she mouthed back.