No Remorse (30 page)

They turned and pulled each other into a tight hug that Amber had remembered from years ago. She fought the tears that sprang to her eyes. “We will be okay,” Ambers voice was a broken whisper. When she opened her eyes, she saw her grandfather nodding his approval when he turned back to watch the proceedings taking place in the yard.

CHAPTER THIRTY

T
he skies were becoming darker; in a couple hours the night would take hold and allow the stars to twinkle in the background. The full moon would begin its slow ascent into the night sky.

The pack members and invited guests were anxiously gathering in the front yard to be a part of and to witness the blood ritual about to take place. Amber was surprised to see the sheriff that had taken her report at Blake’s accident, and wondered how he was a part of Blake’s pack; she would have to ask Blake later how the half dozen or so humans that milled around the group fit into all this.

Amber told her mother she needed a shower and slipped into the house to clean up before the ceremony began. She was surprised when she came out of the bathroom. Standing in the bathroom door with a towel wrapped around her body, drying her long dark hair with another, she saw that her mother had come into the room and laid out a white gown on the bed.

Winona smiled nervously from where she sat in the chair in the corner of the room. Not sure how Amber was going to react to the ritual garb she had laid out for her.

“Mom, what are you doing?” Amber asked with a puzzled look on her face.

“This has been passed down in my father’s family for centuries and thought you might want to have this for your night tonight,” Winona suggested hopefully

Amber moaned inwardly, dreading the whole ritual mumbo jumbo, but knew that it would make her mother happy, so she reluctantly agreed. She didn’t have anything other than her hiking clothes anyway.

Amber held the gown up, turning it over in her hands doubtfully, trying to figure out how it was supposed to be put on, and stay on. With no luck, Amber looked to Winona for assistance. “Okay, want to help me put this
thing
on?”

Winona excitedly stepped forward and ran her fingers lightly over the material of the dress, smiling wistfully. “Unfortunately, I didn't get to wear this.”

Amber watched the tears that sprang to her mother’s eyes and wanted to go to her, but remembered all those years ago how she had told her tearful story of lies. She held back reluctantly, wondering what her mother was doing.

Winona looked sadly at Amber. “I know I lied to you, but I had to protect you. I knew the Council would take you from me if I stayed there. I at least got to spend nearly sixteen years with you.”

Winona sat down on the bed, staring at her hand in her lap and continued. “I think your grandfather explained about you being born on the full moon. Did he mention the vampire?” She looked at Amber who stood with her hands draped by her sides. Winona could feel the battle raging inside of Amber. Understood the struggle to come to terms with what had happened in her life.

Amber nodded silently.

“With the vampire’s small exchange, he gave you more special abilities to keep you safe, but if the Council found out, they would have wanted you that much more.”

Amber closed her eyes; her hand gathered at her side into fists, she took deep breaths, exhaling slowly through her nose. “I know you think you were doing me a favor by keeping me scared and running. But, believe me I would have handled the truth much better. I could have had somewhat of a normal life.” Amber filled her lungs with air, her chest rising, and then let it out again, slowly. She reminded herself--if she stayed calm, her wolf remained calm, but watchful.

Winona nodded and looked tearfully at her hands that were still clasped in her lap. “I was afraid if I told you the truth that you would be curious and try to find out more and the Council would have found you,” she whispered brokenly and was surprised when Amber came to her.

Amber knelt in front of Winona, placing her hands on her mothers and looked up into her face. “Knowing me, I guess you were right, I probably would have looked. You were young when you had me and you did what you thought was best. But if you ever lie to me from now on, I will never talk to you again,” she told her earnestly and smiled softly up at her mother.

“Thank you!” Winona exclaimed with relief, leaned forward and grabbed Amber to her in a tight hug. “I promise I will never lie to you again.”

Amber laughed at her mother’s strength as she squeezed her tightly. When they parted Amber rose to stand and asked, “Tell me more about the dress?”

Winona jumped up, excitement in her voice. “Isn't it beautiful? Traditionally, the dress has been passed down through the family with the first-born son, to his mate. I don’t have brothers, and since my son, your brother is not old enough to marry,” she moved on quickly. “Your grandfather suggested that we pass this on to you instead.”

“Wait, you said ‘son.’ I have a brother?” Amber's eyes were wide with excitement and turned back towards her mother.

Winona smiled with a hint of sadness. “Yes, his name is Aiden, but I will tell you about him later. Right now we need to get you ready for the ceremony.”

Winona urged Amber to turn around. “Let’s get your hair done while I continue telling you more about the dress.”

Amber reluctantly turned around, but she insisted. “You can do my hair while you tell me about my brother.”

Winona stared at Amber in the mirror. “Aiden is six years old.”

“Is Byron his father, where are they?” Amber twisted around and stared at her mother.

“Yes, Byron is his father and they didn’t come because.” Winona’s eyes filled with tears. She started to turn away but Amber grabbed her gently by the shoulders and leaned down to look into her averted face.

“Why are they not here?” Amber insisted.

“Byron is out searching for Aiden because someone took him from us.” Winona wiped the tears from her eyes and straightened her shoulders. “Please I don’t want this to turn into me crying all over the place. I want this time to be happy, because I am happy to be with you.” Winona sniffed once more and gave her a wobbly smile.

Amber returned her mother’s smile and gave her a tight hug. Taking a deep breath she leaned back. “Okay, but you have to tell me more about my brother later.”

Winona nodded, her hand reached out and she quickly pulled the towel from around Amber's body. Amber felt a little strange standing there naked in front of her mother and wanted to cover herself. Her mother paid her modesty no attention. Winona had turned and was fussing over the dress she had lifted out of the box. So Amber quickly slipped on her panties, and then lifted her arms, allowing her mother to drape the dress over her and around her torso.

“This was made in the late fifteen hundreds in France and has never been altered. As you can see,” She gestured towards the front of the dress, “this would have been considered risqué.” Winona continued describing the dress in great detail.

“They used Egyptian cotton and flax to weave the fabric, which has kept it in such good condition, and I believe that a spell was woven into the dress at it was being created so the dress will never be damaged.”

Winona kept talking and working to adjust the dress when the door opened. Amber watched two women who appeared to be just a little older than she was come through the door. One of them was pulling a small suitcase behind her. They both smiled brightly when they saw Amber.

“Amber, these are my twin sisters, Melanie and Melinda.” Winona waved towards the two women, but kept working on the dress.

Amber looked at them in surprise. In her mind she kept reminding herself to accept what comes along and just quit remembering what her mother had told her in the past. She hugged each one of the women when they stepped forward.

“How can you tell them apart?” Amber asked, inspecting the women for any kind of difference and found none.

She looked at her mother who shook her head; Amber couldn’t stop staring at the two women. They were identical in every way. And it definitely didn't help that they dressed the same, did their hair the same, and even applied make up the same!

Winona leaned close to Amber's ear and whispered loudly. “I can't. I just call them both Mel.”

Everyone laughed and both Mel’s began rifling through the suitcase, pulling out a hair dryer and laying cosmetics and all kinds of things that Amber had never even seen out on the bed.

“You are going to look great,” they told her in unison and looked at each other knowingly and laughed.

Geez, even their laughter was the same
; Amber thought and wondered what she was getting herself in to.

An hour and a half later, Amber stared at herself in the mirror. She never wore make up, but the twins had applied just the right amount. Her strong facial features looked soft and alluring. Her eyes were practically radiant and
she
couldn’t stop staring at herself in the mirror.

“It's not just the make-up, dear,” her mother told her, patting her lovingly on the shoulder.

Amber continued staring at her reflection, and realized that she had never worn a dress. It had not been practical, so she had never considered buying one. Her life on the run meant she had to wear sturdy comfortable clothing. Dresses were for feminine women who didn't go traipsing around in the woods all the time.

She stared in wonder at how the dress clung to her in all the right spots, like it had been made specifically for her. The almost sheer material had a plunging V neck that wrapped softly around her neck and clung to her breasts when she moved. She felt a little self-conscious and stared at how low the dress hung with a portion of her generous breast playing peak-a-boo. It opened all the way down to the high waist where the material was gathered together by an intricate diamond shape broach at her slender waist. The material continued, blending into a softer waterfall skirt that fell right below her knees, swirling slightly around her legs when she twisted to look at the back of the dress in the mirror. There wasn't one.

Amber stared at her slender toned back, taking in her form. Her aunts had performed a miracle with her long dark hair, causing it to cascade in curls down the middle of her back. They had swept the tresses loosely from her face holding them in place with small white roses tucked here and there. The pins holding the roses in place also provided volume to her hair, making it appear to float around her, along with the dress. They put a ton of product in her hair to keep it looking perfect. Amber shook her head lightly, not a hair moved out of place and she laughed. It would be hell getting all the stuff out of her hair tomorrow, but tonight, she liked what she saw.

She felt glamorous and stared disbelievingly at her image. She felt soft and sexy at the same time. Even her fingernails and toenails were perfectly manicured. Her skin glowed while she continued to stare at herself in disbelief.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Amber had never dared to allow the dream that she would have a life mate, never dreamed that she would ever get married. She gave herself a mental shake and reminded herself.
This is not a wedding.

It can be if you want it to be,
Blake told her softly in the recesses of her mind.

Go play with your friends, Blake,
Amber responded, a little embarrassed that he had caught her thoughts.

She heard his soft chuckle in her mind and continued to stare at herself in the mirror. She shook her head slightly to clear her thoughts. The curls swung lightly around her, brushing gently against her bare shoulders, frowning at herself in the mirror. “Something is missing,” she mumbled.

Both Mel's and her mother looked at her with a slight frown. “You look perfect, dear, except for no shoes,” Winona said and she pulled the strappy heals from the bag.

Amber's eyes lit up, but not at the site of the shoes, she had realized what she needed and rushed back into the bathroom. She came back out carrying the stone her grandfather had given her. She couldn't believe she had actually forgotten to put it back on.

Melanie or Melinda, whichever one, held her hair up off her neckline while the other took the small chain and fastened it around her neck. It looked good; the stone nestled between her breasts to rest lightly at the top of the v of the dress. Oddly enough, the stone matched the black, blue and white stones set in the broach, almost perfectly.

Amber turned with a smile and her mother had tears in her eyes staring at her beautiful daughter. “You are absolutely stunning.” Winona told her, fanning herself to keep her mascara from running.

Amber smiled wistfully at her mother and all the women hugged.

“These should fit,” Winona told her, holding the shoes out for Amber to take.

“I have never worn shoes like that in my life,” Amber exclaimed and refused to accept the shoes.

“That's why they are not too high.” Melinda or Melanie, again, whichever one, said, pulling her hand from her side and forcing the shoes into her hand.

Amber gave herself a mental shake, telling herself that she would have to figure out a way to tell them apart. There had to be a tale-tell sign.