Winter's Touch (Immortal Touch Series) (38 page)

She slipped her hand in his and squeezed it reassuringly. “Jules, the only thing that matters to me is that we’re together. That’s all I care about.”

“Then you
wouldn’t mind if I made the arrangements myself?”

“
You
want to take care of the arrangements?” Weird request. Most men would run screaming in horror from such a task.

“Yes. All you
’ll need to concern yourself with is showing up and saying
I do.
”

“Well
...sure, if you really want to. I just can’t figure out
why
you would want to.”

“You’ll see.” He smiled mysteriously.

“When will we do it?” She hoped it wouldn’t be long. To rush was silly - they had all the time in the world - but the lure of having his name as her own, of their union being official, was positively overwhelming.
Evangeline Rowan Winter.
It sounded beautiful. And it was to be her name...she could hardly conceive it. Could hardly believe she was marrying the very man who had abducted and imprisoned her.

But no, he wasn’t the same man. He wasn’t the same man at all.
That
man had been under the influence of something dark and malevolent and vicious, a cold piece of unholy iron that now lay protected, locked within Julian’s hidden wall safe. Although he could never fully escape its curse, he at least had become capable of controlling it. And she would spend the rest of her waking years helping him to keep the darkness at bay. With all the love she had.

“Soon. Very soon
,” he was saying.

“You’re not going to tell me a thing, are you?”

“No, not a thing.” The dark indigo-tinted eyes sparkled roguishly. “I will tell you
this
. We’ll have to do away with the ‘death do us part’ bit. Because nothing, least of all death, will ever keep us apart.”

“Promise?”

“I swear on my immortal life.”

She smiled, her happiness complete. “Would you do something for me?”

“You know you have only to ask.”

“Play my requiem for me. But on the cello this time.”

“You like the cello, do you?” They’d reached the house and he opened the front door for her with a gallant flourish.

“I like when
you
play it.”

“I’m flattered. But before I do that, I’ll need you to do one
little thing.”

“And what is that?”

“Come upstairs with me...
now.
I have a need to feel your legs wrapped around me and I don’t think I can wait another minute.”

She was more than
willing to oblige.

After all, t
he vampire always had his way.

~*~*~

EPILOGUE

What a lovely little vamp she is.

Sheer poetry.
A face as sweet as an angel’s, eyes as green as budding leaves, russet curls spilling in a torrent almost to her waist. And a body ripe for iniquity.

Asher
’s going to love this one.

Her mate
, however...now he could present a problem.

If
mortal, it will only be a simple matter of disposal. But if he is the source of the young neophyte then clearly he is untraceable and that designates him as high risk, therefore expendable.

Shit
, I hate all the drama of eliminating one of our own kind. Reid actually seems to get off on it. Guess he views it as a challenge, a vampire adrenaline rush of sorts. Kept telling him eventually he was going to tangle with the wrong one but he proved me wrong. He’s managed to eradicate every alpha before him.

What’s one more?

Well, might as well go introduce myself and deliver their invitation. I guarantee the very last thing they’ll be expecting this evening is for another immortal to come calling.

I
t’s showtime.

Tristan
Kendall straightens his tie and strolls casually up the front walk.

~*~*~

Look for Fire and Ash - Book Two of the Immortal Touch Series, coming in October 2013.

~*~*~

Author’s note: Although Brightwood and Nethy Bridge are indeed real places, any homes or businesses I introduced were purely fictitious. The Phantom Ridge Inn and Rabbit’s Run tavern currently exist only within my imagination and the pages of this novel.

I borrowed from the legend of the Melrose Abbey vampire and tweaked the details just slightly to better fit my story. While it is an actual ancient Scottish legend, to my knowledge there was no dagger involved in the slaying of the wayward priest.

But then again...you never know.

~*~*~

About the author: New to the writing scene, Allie Gail resides in Florida with her husband and three obnoxious cats, all of whom strive to make it their personal goal to demand her undivided attention just when she is trying hardest to concentrate. The cats, not the husband. Well, most of the time anyway.

Allie can be found at
http://www.facebook.com/alliegailauthor
.