Chapter Thirty-Six
The day of the wedding bloomed bright and clear, even though it had rained the night before. Although the ceremony wasn’t until that evening, the Barrett household rose early.
The servants had large pots of water heating, Cook and his helpers were busy preparing a lavish breakfast for the family, while other servants washed the carriages, groomed the horses, and polished the harness. The ladies’ maids readied the gowns, while the valet looked after the men’s wardrobe.
Veronica was so excited she could hardly sit still long enough to eat breakfast. She wished fervently that Bryony was there so they could share these last few hours together before they married and went their separate ways. She said as much to her mother, who nodded.
“I still can’t believe that my baby girl is a vampire. Or that she’s marrying one.” Maida shook her head ruefully. “It all seems like a bad dream.”
“What’s a bad dream?” Leyton asked, striding into the dining room.
“Bryony’s being a vampire,” Veronica said, making sure there were no servants within hearing distance. “But it doesn’t seem so bad to me. I mean, she’s still Bryony.”
“Is she?” Barrett asked.
“What do you mean, Leyton?” Maida asked, her brow furrowing.
“Nothing,” he said quickly. “Forget I said it.”
“Is there something you aren’t telling me?”
“No, my dear. Like you, I’m having a difficult time adjusting to all that’s happened.”
“Well, she seems happy,” Veronica said, spreading blueberry jam on a slice of bread. “Happier than I’ve ever seen her. And I think we should be happy for her. And for Stefan, too.”
Barrett swore under his breath. Stefan. If not for that bloodsucking vampire, his youngest daughter wouldn’t have to spend the day trapped in the dark. She would be here now, sitting at the table with her family, saying grace, sharing their meal.
He took a deep, calming breath. He knew it was wrong, but he couldn’t help wishing that the Guild had taken the vampire’s head when they had the chance.
He stared into his cup. Maybe it wasn’t too late, he thought, and then shoved the thought aside.
Whether he liked it or not, Bryony loved the unholy creature.
It would break her heart if anything happened to Stefan, he thought.
And then he sighed. Now that she was a vampire, what other man would want her?
Bryony woke as soon as the sun went down.
Sitting up, she smiled into the darkness of the room.
She was marrying Stefan in a little over an hour.
Throwing the covers aside, she lit the lamp on the bedside table.
Not that she needed it, she could see perfectly fine in the dark. But she liked the light.
“Stefan?”
He materialized in front of her while his name still hung in the air. “About time you woke up,” he teased. “I have been ready for an hour.”
He looked more handsome than she had ever seen him. The black suit coat emphasized the width of his shoulders, the white shirt and dark green cravat were the perfect foil for his dark hair and eyes
“Are you ready to go?” he asked. She had decided to get dressed in her old bedchamber at home, along with Veronica and their mother.
“Yes.” She could hardly contain her excitement as she pulled a coat over her nightgown. Stefan wrapped his arms around her and the next thing she knew, they were in her bedchamber. Veronica and her mother were already there.
Veronica grinned at Stefan. “My, don’t you look dashing!” she exclaimed. “I hope Robert looks as good.”
Stefan grinned back at her. “Thank you, my lady.” He inclined his head in Maida’s direction, kissed Bryony on the cheek, and left the house.
Veronica and Maida were already dressed. They fussed over Bryony as they helped her into her gown. Veronica brushed her hair, Maida set her veil in place.
“How do I look?” Bryony asked, twirling around in front of them.
“Lovely,” her mother said, her voice choked with unshed tears.
“Like a fairy princess,” Veronica said. “Are you as excited and scared as I am?”
Bryony nodded. “I guess we’re all grown up now.”
“I hope not!” Veronica said. “I never want to get old.”
“Me, either,” Bryony agreed. And realized, in that moment, that she never would.
Stefan stood at the altar beside Robert, all his senses alert.
He knew how deeply Barrett resented this marriage.
He could sense the man’s hatred even though Barrett wasn’t yet in the building.
The low hum of conversation filled the room as the guests waited for the brides to appear.
The air was fragrant with the scents of flowers, perfume, and candle wax.
And the rich, enticing scent of the life’s blood running through the veins of the guests.
Had Stefan had his way, he and Bryony would have wed in a small, private ceremony, with only her family in attendance.
He didn’t trust Barrett or the Guild, hated to think that Bryony’s father would do anything to put his daughter’s life at risk.
The man’s hatred for vampires was a palpable thing.
But Bryony had been looking forward to this wedding and he couldn’t deny her, not when she had already given up so much to be with him.
The flow of conversation ebbed as the priest entered the room. The organist began to play softly as Eli walked his mother down the aisle to her seat and took a place beside her.
The music changed and people stood as Barrett escorted Veronica down the aisle, then returned for Bryony.
From that moment on, Stefan’s full attention was centered on his bride.
She smiled at him from behind a lacy veil as she walked down the aisle on her father’s arm.
He heard, but didn’t listen to anything the priest said until he asked Stefan to take Bryony’s hand in his.
The words they exchanged that made her his wife were the sweetest he had ever heard.
Lifting her veil, he took her in his embrace, the rest of the world forgotten as they shared their first kiss as husband and wife.
Bryony sighed as Stefan took her in his arms. She was his at last, as he was hers. She basked in his touch, in the love in his eyes. His kiss was the sweetest, most tender she had ever known.
Still holding his hand, she glanced at Veronica and smiled as the four newlyweds faced their guests for the first time.
Outside, they were surrounded by their friends and family, all wishing them well.
Bryony clung to Stefan’s hand, finding it difficult to be in the center of so many people, so many beating hearts.
Gradually, the crowd thinned as people sought their carriages and began to make their way to the Barrett estate where a lavish dinner and dancing awaited them.
Stefan stood a short distance behind Bryony as she and Veronica hugged each other, while Maida, Eli, Robert, and Barrett looked on.
“We should be on our way,” Barrett said. “It’s bad form not to be home when your guests arrive.”
He had no sooner finished speaking than a dozen men rode up. Stefan was reaching for Bryony when one of the men threw a net over her. She let out a startled cry, followed by a gasp of pain as the thick silver threads woven into the net touched her skin.
The other eleven men drew their weapons and aimed them at her.
Stefan glared at the hunters and then at Barrett but said nothing. He could smell the silver in their ammunition and knew it would destroy Bryony if so many of them fired at her. She was a new vampire, still highly vulnerable.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Barrett exclaimed. “Charles, what the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“We’re just doing our job,” Charles retorted. “All we want is the male.”
“Then let my daughter go.”
Charles shook his head. “Not until we have him under our control.”
“Let her go,” Stefan said, noting that the hunters were careful not to meet his gaze. “I will not fight you.” Not so long as Bryony is in danger.
Eight of the men dismounted and moved warily toward Stefan, guns leveled at his heart and his head. Two others, carrying thick silver chains, followed them.
“I won’t have this,” Barrett said furiously. “As hunters, you have all sworn a sacred oath to protect members of the Guild and their families. This man is now part of my family.”
“He’s not a man!” Sinclair exclaimed. “He’s nothing but a damn, dirty, bloodsucking vampire!”
“There are no exceptions in the oath,” Barrett said, his angry gaze raking each man in turn. “Now put your weapons away, turn my daughter loose, and get the hell out of here.”
“Dammit, I’m sworn to destroy vampires and these two are vampires!” Sinclair insisted. “Now you get the hell out of the way and let me do my damn job!”
Leyton turned his gaze on Charles. “Are you going to let him do this?”
Charles scowled at Barrett for several tense moments, then huffed a sigh of resignation. “He’s right, men. Turn the girl loose and let’s go home.”
There was a good deal of cursing and grumbling as the hunters freed Bryony then mounted their horses and left the area.
Stefan stared at Barrett, unable to believe what had just happened. In a million years, he never would have believed Bryony’s father would defend him or claim him as kin.
Looking sheepish, Barrett returned his gaze. “I don’t like you. I don’t trust you. But like it or not, you’re family now.” He took a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh. “And I owed you a favor for repaying my debt,” he said, holding out his hand. “Welcome to the family. Son.”
Stefan smiled wryly as he shook Barrett’s hand and then turned to gather Bryony into his arms. “Are you all right, love?”
She nodded. It was mostly true, though her skin still tingled unpleasantly where the silver had touched her. But it didn’t matter. Nothing else mattered now that the two men she loved most in all the world had called a truce.
“Come on,” Barrett said, slipping his arm around Maida’s shoulders. “We’re late for the party.”
Bryony sighed as she glanced at their surroundings. Eager to be alone, they had left the reception early and transported to Italy, where Stefan had reserved a suite of rooms in Rome’s finest inn. Stefan had sent their bags ahead.
“I can’t believe we’re really married,” she murmured as he wrapped her in his arms. “So much has happened.”
“Nothing as remarkable as what your father did tonight,” Stefan remarked, planting gentle kisses on her cheeks.
Bryony laughed softly. Nothing could have surprised or pleased her more. Her laughter quickly turned to a gasp of pleasure as Stefan ran his tongue along the length of her neck, skimmed over the hollow of her throat, kissed her cheeks, her brow, her eyelids, before claiming her lips with his.
Her heart beat faster as his hands moved over her, touching her in places he had never touched before. Wordlessly, he swung her into his arms, carried her into the bedchamber, and set her on her feet.
His gaze never left hers as he began to undress her, ever so slowly, his kisses following in the wake of his hands, arousing her like never before.
Impatient to see all of him, she began to undress him, only to gasp when he stood naked before her, fully aroused.
It was good to be a woman, she mused with a grin, thinking she was as aroused as he, but grateful that it didn’t show.
He carried her to bed and stretched out beside her. Time lost all meaning as they explored each other, touching and tasting. She was surprised to learn his feet were ticklish. It seemed endearing, somehow, in a man who was so powerful.
She was ready when he rose over her, his dark eyes alight with love and desire.
She gasped as he became a part of her, his movements slow and oh, so arousing.
She clung to him, her nails raking his broad back and shoulders as he carried her higher and higher until, at last, she found what she had been reaching for.
She cried out as wave after wave of sensual pleasure washed over her, through her, and then slowly receded, leaving her locked in Stefan’s arms, her heart beating in time with his.
“Regrets, fair Bryony?” he asked, his fingers lightly stroking her thigh.
“What a silly question,” she remarked. “And at such a time. Why would you ask me that now?”
“Because now you are finally, truly mine in every way. And I…” He blew out a sigh as he sought for a way to explain it to her. “For centuries, I have thought of myself as a monster, unworthy of love. And yet here you are, my every dream come true, in my arms, in my bed.”
“I have no regrets, Stefan. Not one. I will always be yours.” Rising over him, she kissed him with all the love in her heart. “You were never a monster,” she murmured. “Not to me.”
With a low growl, he pulled her closer then rolled over so that he was again on top. His tongue ravaged her mouth as his body melded sweetly with hers a second time. Lowering his head, he whispered, “I will love you forever and beyond, my fair Bryony.”
And he proved it to her that night and every night into the realms of eternity.
~ finis ~