“I’m sorry it’s rushed, but I’ll be damned if I let the Council drag you away. Maybe we should have a baby, if that’ll get them off our backs.”
As always, the mention of a baby made her heart ache. Cody touched her stomach and leaned his forehead against hers. She knew he was thinking of the tiny grave they’d visited on the way here. They’d stood side by side gazing down on the gravestone, and both of them had cried.
“We’ll wait,” Cody said, his voice thick. “Give it more time.” He kissed her and stepped back. “I have something for you. We all—Nina, my parents and brothers—we thought you should have these.” He walked to the mantle and brought back a box. He opened it. Inside were two thin gold wedding bands. “We think they belonged to your parents.”
“Did you find their bodies?” Malek had dug up her parents’ graves searching for proof that Shay was alive, when the whole world had thought she was dead.
Cody shook his head. “No. Marcas is still looking. But he found these in Malek’s things.”
“Why do you think they belonged to my parents?”
“There’s something engraved inside,” Cody said. “I don’t know what it means. It’s in a language I don’t recognize, but my father recognized the markings.”
Shay rubbed her fingers over the worn gold and strange writings, and she felt something warm inside her. Another piece of the parents she hadn’t known.
“You’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen.” Nina stood beside Shay in front of the floor-length mirror, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “My little tomboy all grown up and getting married.” She and Matilda, along with Bree and Sorcha and Cody’s mother, Laura, were helping her get ready. Mostly they were reminiscing and trying not to cry.
“Thank you, Nina. I think it’s just the dress,” Shay said, turning to look at the side. The dress was simple but stunning. A sleeveless creation in white satin that flowed gracefully to the floor. She and Bree had found it in a little shop in Albany. Shay wished she could have worn her mother’s, but everything from her parents’ lives had been destroyed to protect her.
“It’s not just the dress,” Matilda said. “You are such a lovely girl. If I could have had a daughter, I would have wanted her to be like you. But I couldn’t have kids.”
“I didn’t know that, Matilda. I’m sorry. You would have been a…fascinating mother.”
“Thank you, dear. You’re sweet to put up with all my untapped maternal instincts. I know I frustrated you and the boys sometimes.”
“Matilda, I adore you.” Even when she was driving her crazy. “Cody and his brothers adore you too.”
“Maybe you could put in a good word for me with Jamie. I know he still has feelings for you even though you’re marrying Cody.”
Shay still cared for him too. She’d almost married him.
“Now, Matilda,” Nina warned. “Let’s not talk about Jamie. It’s Cody’s day. I always knew you two were meant for each other.”
Matilda nodded. “Lachlan or Marcas would have made you a good husband too, but you and Cody were magic. Like a fairy tale.” Matilda started sniffling. “We’d better get out of here, Nina, before we ruin our makeup. It took me forever to look this good.”
Nina gave Shay another hug, and she and Matilda left.
“I’m going to look for Anna,” Sorcha said. “I don’t know where she could be.”
“With everything going on, she probably just needs time alone.”
“If she doesn’t hurry, she’s going to miss the wedding,” Sorcha said.
“You do look beautiful,” Laura said. She took Shay’s hands. “I’m glad you’ll officially be part of the family. I always hoped it would happen.” Her eyes started glistening. “Oh dear. I should go before I have both of us in tears. I love you. We all do.” She hugged Shay and left. Only Bree remained.
“So are you nervous?” Bree asked.
Shay thought about it a moment and then shook her head. “Excited.”
“Liar.”
Shay smiled. “Well, maybe nervous too.”
“I was the same way.”
“You had good reason, marrying a man from the nineteenth century.”
“At least you’re marrying someone from this century. And one hell of a man, if I might add.”
“He is hot, isn’t he?”
“Completely. Sorcha still drools over him.”
“Not as much as she drools over Duncan,” Shay said rolling her eyes. Then she sighed. “I feel guilty getting married with so much happening.”
“We’re in love with warriors. There’s always going to be craziness.”
“Does it worry you knowing you’re bringing a child into this life?” Shay asked.
A shadow crossed Bree’s face. “I try not to think about it. Instead, I think how lucky I am to have found Faelan. And you should think how lucky you are that you found Cody again after all these years. So, no guilt about the wedding. If Shane’s right, this might keep the Council at bay for now. You don’t want them dragging you off somewhere for questioning.” Bree frowned. “Or testing.”
“Could they really do that?”
“I don’t know. The Council makes me nervous.”
“Cody doesn’t like them,” Shay said.
“I thought he was going to walk away from his duty when they grilled him about telling you who you really were. But everyone in the room would have walked with him.” Bree touched Shay’s hand. “No matter what, you have people behind you. If you get married or don’t. If you have a baby or don’t. The warriors will always be there to protect you.” Bree giggled. “Actually we’re warriors. Isn’t that a hoot?”
“You’re starting to talk like Matilda. You’ve been spending too much time with her and that cat,” Shay said. “You’re becoming as obsessed with it as she is.”
“It’s a strange cat. I can’t figure it out.”
“You don’t think it killed that vampire too, do you?” Shay asked.
Bree shrugged. “Something killed it. I doubt it was Matilda’s holy water. OK, enough talk. We have a wedding in,” she checked her watch, “ten minutes, and a hot groom who won’t want to wait.”
“I can’t believe Anna didn’t show up to help.”
“She’s probably with Tavis.”
“I heard suspicious noises coming from Tavis’s room last night,” Shay said. There was a tap on the door. “Maybe that’s her.”
But it was Lachlan who stuck his head in. “Looking good.”
“Thanks, Lach. Have you seen Anna?” Shay asked.
“No. Thought she was up here.” Lach was supposed to escort Anna down the aisle.
“No.”
“She’ll show up. You ladies about ready?”
“Another minute and we’ll be done.”
Lach winked and stepped out.
“There’s a walking heartbreak,” Bree said. “Just like Ronan.”
“He always had some girl after him when we were growing up.”
Bree made a final adjustment to Shay’s hair and gave her an almost hug and an air kiss.
“What kind of hug is that?”
“The kind that doesn’t want to mess up your hair, makeup, and dress.”
“Forget that,” Shay said, and grabbed Bree in a tight hug. “I’m so glad to have a sister.”
“Me too. Did you just sniffle?” Bree leaned back. “No crying. I worked too hard on this getup. OK, sister. Let’s go see that gorgeous groom.”
The wedding party was waiting in the chapel wing. And from Shay’s quick glimpse, it was crowded for a spontaneous wedding. They’d worked miracles to pull it off. Cody’s father, Ewan MacBain, had offered to give Shay away. He had been like a father to Shay. Ewan was a retired warrior. His last mission had been to sneak Shay out of Scotland when she was a baby in order to hide her from an ancient demon who was trying to kill her. Ewan had moved his entire family and started a new life to protect her. His sons had taken part in the deception. Shay had resented them all for a while, but now she understood why they’d had to do it. She wouldn’t be here if they hadn’t.