His Dark Embrace
Sam frowned.
Skylynn forced a smile. “Hi.”
“Hi.” Thorne dropped his suitcase by the sofa. He glanced at Sam, then back at Skylynn. “Everything okay?”
“Yes, why?” she asked.
“Well,” Thorne said dryly, “it’s obvious that something is bothering the two of you.”
With a huff of annoyance, Skylynn said, “He invited that werewolf to go to Vegas with us.”
“Her name is Lisa,” Sam said curtly. “And I asked her to come along as my date so I’d have someone to talk to after the wedding, while you two are ... you know.”
“Seems perfectly reasonable to me,” Thorne replied with a grin. “So, are you ready to go?” he asked Skylynn. “Or have you changed your mind?”
“I’m ready,” she said, getting to her feet. “Are you coming, Sam?”
“As soon as Lisa gets here.”
Thorne glanced at the front door. “She’s here now.”
“I’ll get it.” Sam bounded off the sofa and out of the room. He returned a moment later with Lisa in tow. “Lisa, this is my sister, Skylynn. I guess you already know Thorne.”
“Yes.” Lisa smiled at Thorne. “Nice to see you again.”
Thorne nodded. “Good to see you, too. How’s your dad?”
“Crazy as ever,” Lisa said, her eyes twinkling. She smiled at Skylynn. “Congratulations to the two of you.”
“Thank you,” Sky replied.
“Okay, now that the introductions are over, I think we should go.” Thorne picked up Sky’s suitcase and his own. “Is everybody ready?”
“I left my bag on the porch,” Lisa said. “I wasn’t sure ...” She looked at Sam.
“We’re all set. Let’s go.”
Kaiden turned off the house lights and locked the door, then followed the other three outside and down the porch steps.
“Why are we driving?” Sam asked as Thorne unlocked the trunk. “Why don’t we just, you know, twitch our noses and think ourselves there?”
“I like to drive,” Thorne said, tossing the suitcases into the trunk. “I like that long stretch of open highway.”
“Didn’t know you were a speed freak,” Sam said, grinning.
“Now you do.”
Sam and Lisa climbed into the back seat, giggling and laughing like a couple of kids.
After handing Skylynn into the car, Thorne closed her door, then slid behind the wheel.
He turned the key in the ignition and the engine purred to life. “Las Vegas, here we come,” he said, and pulled out of the driveway.
Skylynn glanced at the bright lights that lined both sides of the street. She hadn’t been in Las Vegas since she was a senior in high school and one of her friends eloped to Vegas to get married. The marriage had ended a week later.
She slid a glance at Kaiden. How long would her marriage last? With luck, she and Kaiden could have fifty or sixty years together. What would it be like when people looked at them and thought she was his mother? His grandmother? What would he think? It was easy for him to promise, now, that he would still love her when she was old and decrepit, but how would he handle it when it actually happened?
Kaiden pulled into the valet parking area of the New York, New York Hotel.
“Do we have reservations?” Sky asked.
He shook his head. “No.”
“I should have called ahead. The hotels are bound to be full on a Friday night.”
“Not to worry.” He got out of the car and came around to open her door. “We’ll soon have the best suite the house has to offer.”
She frowned at him a moment, and then grinned. “I guess you’re going to use a little vampire mojo.”
“You guessed right.”
Unlocking the trunk, he gathered their bags; Sam took his and Lisa’s.
As Sky predicted, the desk clerk advised that all the rooms were reserved.
And as Kaiden had predicted, five minutes later, he and Sky were registered in the penthouse suite. Sam and Lisa had a smaller suite one floor down.
“We’ll meet you and Lisa here in the lobby in twenty minutes.” Kaiden looked at Sky. “Will that give you enough time to get dressed?”
“Forty-five would be better.”
“Okay, forty-five minutes.” He kissed the tip of her nose, then pressed the key into her hand. “You go on up and get ready. I’ll be there soon.”
The penthouse suite was like nothing she had ever seen before, and bigger than her apartment in Chicago. Plush carpets. Cozy corners. A fireplace in the bedroom. A shower big enough for two.
After dropping her suitcase on the king-sized bed, she undressed and changed into the lacy underwear she had bought for the occasion. She brushed out her hair, then pinned the sides up, so that her hair fell in soft waves down her back. Her wedding gown rustled as she stepped into it, then smoothed it over her hips. Standing in front of the full-length mirror, she set her veil in place, then stared at her reflection. Her eyes were bright with excitement, her cheeks flushed. She looked like a fairy tale princess.
She was sitting on the edge of the bed, putting on her shoes, when Kaiden entered the room. Clad in a tux and a pair of black boots, he looked good enough to model for GQ.
He whistled softly when he saw her. “You’re beautiful, Sky Blue.”
“So are you.” The man was born to wear a tux. The thought that he was hers, all hers, sent a quiver of anticipation racing through her.
Taking her hands in his, Thorne drew her to her feet and into his arms. “Are you ready?” he asked, his voice husky with desire. “Because I don’t think I can wait much longer.”
The wedding chapel was small but lovely. The pews were made of antique oak. The carpet was a deep shade of burgundy. Candles burned in ornate wall sconces and candle-holders. The minister was a tall, gray-haired man who smiled a welcome.
Lisa had changed into a long rose pink gown. Sam looked handsome in a tux. And tennis shoes.
The ceremony was short. The minister requested they hold hands while he spoke the words that joined Skylynn and Kaiden as husband and wife “as long as you both shall live.” He smiled fondly as he invited Kaiden to kiss the bride.
Kaiden lifted Sky’s veil, then cupped her face in his palms. “I will love you all the days of your life,” he said quietly. “In sickness and in health. Forever.”
“Forever,” she murmured.
“Forever,” he repeated fervently. And there was no doubt in her mind that he meant it. And then he kissed her, his tongue teasing her lips as his arm slid around her waist to draw her body up against his.