United Eden (22 page)

Wil iam placed a kiss on the corner of my mouth before looking over at him. Judging from the near silence and the numbers we held back for the second onslaught, Id say the war outside of this room was over long before the one in here was.

My brows squeezed together. You were holding some back? I asked. How many?

Wil iam shrugged, glancing at Patrick. Only about a thousand.

It didnt make sense why hed hold men back, especial y when some of those hed sent in first had died. Why?

I couldnt risk John doing something desperate with you, Wil iam answered, his voice guarded. If I came blazing through the door with the numbers we had in tow, who knows what he would have done to you. I wouldnt risk it. So I let him think he had the upper hand, coaxed him into an even more bloated confidence before Nathanial led the rest of the charge.

So Norbertos life was in vain? I said, biting my lip. Al those men who wil never open their eyes again died in vain?

No, Bryn, he said, brushing his hand down my cheek. My only objective might have been to keep you safe until I found you, but to the rest of these men it was much bigger. They lost their lives fighting the battle of good and evil and while they might have lost the battle, they won the war.

John and his Al iance are no longer.

Wil iam had been a soldier, a leader of soldiers, a lifetime back. Hed learned that wars meant lives lost. It was something he could accept easier than me because, other than seeing it on the news and front pages of newspapers, Id never known the soldiers who had died for a cause. Id never looked in their eyes and cal ed them my friends.

I knew thered be more than just Norberto whod been a friend that had died today, but I couldnt let myself be carried off with these thoughts.

There would be a time for mourning, as there was a time for everything, but today I was going to become a bride.

A bride to the man whod gotten under my skin from that first smile at OSU and stayed there, melting into the depths of my core, taking over the whole of my heart. The man fate had tried with every power of destruction at its beck and cal to surgical y remove from my life.

As I looked around the war-torn room and over our war-bludgeoned bodies, I knew wed shown fate just what we were made of and the fight we were wil ing to put up for each other. Wed kicked fates ass and were committed to doing so every day of forever if thats what it took.

Come on, I said, pul ing Wil iam up with me, sure I couldnt get out of Townsend Manor fast enough. Youve got a girl to make a Mrs. Wil iam Hayward today.

Wil iam leapt up with me, fingers weaving through my hand as he succumbed to my pul ing. Now theres motivation.

You two have fun, Patrick cal ed out after us. Im planning on not moving from this spot until my body stops throbbing from ending the lord of the underworlds life and my bodys caught up on the sleep I havent had in three days since I was making hourly visits to a girl who was . . .
cooped up
.

Thinking of the box made me want to stretch as far as I could.

Dont worry about me, though, Patrick continued. Its not like you guys owe me anything.

Wil iam and I exchanged a look. We were both suckers when it came to Patrick and his little brother tendencies that were too endearing to be ignored. Jogging back to him, Wil iam heaved Patrick over his shoulder. Come on, little brother, he said, grabbing my hand and continuing towards the door. I need a best man.

Real y? Patrick said, his mood instantly improved. You dont want that little twin of yours that hero worships you immediately to your left?

Wil iam shook his head. I want the man whos risked his life almost as many times as I have for my bride right beside me.

Patrick practical y giggled in joy. Josephs going to be pissed.

Fair warning, Wil iam said as we broke through the unhinged doors of the bal room. If you even think about my bride in an inappropriate way, I wil have no problem stripping you of your best man duties.

What if I dont think about it and just do it? Patrick asked in a wicked tone.

Then Il happily beat you to a bloody pulp, Wil iam replied, weaving through the bodies layered through the foyer. I tried not to take in the faces as we passed.

So angry al the time, Patrick teased. Hasnt any one ever told you that violence isnt the answer? At that, we al unconsciously took a sweep of the room. Except when it is? Patrick added, continuing to investigate the remnants of war.

Violence isnt the answer, I said as we stepped through the front doors into the early morning light. Love is.

Patrick grunted as he lowered himself off of Wil iams shoulder, sweeping over the upside-down cars scattered around the Manors ground, the countless fires burning to their end as there was nothing left to consume, the bodies”endless bodies”the stil alive ones looking only marginal y more so than those of their fal en counterparts around them. Says the girl who is Uniting with the man of her dreams today, he mused, descending the steps. Come on, weve got to get you to the chapel, girl.

I fol owed the two of them down the stairs and off of Townsend Manors estate, never looking back.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

A RUN DOWN THE BEACH

Its a good thing I kept this DaVinci of gowns on hand, expecting you two would do something rash like getting United the same day of the most epic war in Immortal history, Cora said, struggling with the last few buttons on the gown shed chased me down with at the Bal . Come on, Bryn, suck it in, she coaxed, grunting as she forced a button into its place. Work with me here.

I cant suck in any more, I said, wondering if she real y had the dress hand tailored to my size, emphasis on
my
size, or if shed ordered it a size smal er to torture me. But fair was fair, shed won the bet as to whod had more fun on their girls/boys weekend”at least pre-Inheritor army party crashing ours”and I was happier than I thought Id be losing a bet to Cora. Unless youre aware of a way to temporarily remove my ribs, thats as tiny as I go.

Hmmm, she mused to herself. Not that Im aware of, but that would be a preferred solution to me potential y bursting a button on this gown of divine origins.

I was kidding, Cora, I said, sucking in a long breath in an effort to be helpful.

Yes! she hol ered, the second of the evasive three hooking into the satin loophole. One more to go and youre a bride ready to walk down the dirtiest aisle Ive ever seen.

I glanced out at the beach outside of the second floor window. When Wil iam and I had tossed around places for our Union on a short notice”a few hours short notice”wed both arrived at the same conclusion. The beach of Pacific City. Of course performing something as sacred as a Union on the same grains of sand where the boys surfed, children built sandcastles, and seagul s screamed did not please Cora, but she let it go faster than I thought her capable. She was almost as excited for us as we were.

Abigail! she hol ered over to her sister-in-law and my soon to be sister-in-law who was zippering into her own dress. Your keen talent for buttoning the un-buttonable is needed. Urgently needed, Cora emphasized, blowing the hair that had fal en over her eyes in the midst of her dress taming efforts.

Youre going about it al wrong, Abigail said, swaying her way to us wearing a tea-length dress identical to Coras. I swear the girl had thought of everything in the event of an elopement. She knew us too wel . Bryn, take a deep breath, she instructed, stopping in front of me and grabbing my wrists. I did as commanded”careful y. Any sudden movements from my mid-section would result in opening a slit down both sides. Good. Now let it out, al the way out, she said, her voice hypnotic in comparison to Coras. Coming around my back, I felt her fingers replace Coras, the final button slipping into its loop with ease. Ah-hah! she said, leading me over to the floor-length mirror in the bedroom. Now thats a dress tailored to perfection.

She was right, it cinched to every angle and curve of my body, but my definition of tailored to perfection included one that would al ow me to sit down without busting out the back, or breathing for that matter. I guess its a good thing I didnt need oxygen anymore and chairs, for that matter, I could avoid for one night.

So? Cora asked, nudging me. What do you think? Wil this work? Id meant for it to be your Betrothal gown and would have selected something far more extravagant than this for your Union, but were running on short notice here, she said, before adding under her breath. Thanks to you and your future husband who simply couldnt wait two more days for something hes been waiting decades for and youve been waiting months for.

Cora, Abigail scolded, shooting her a look before her reflection looked me in the eyes, a proud smile on her face. Do you like it, Bryn?

Putting the fit aside, I let myself real y
look
at the gown for the first time and I didnt like it.

I loved it.

I would have picked the same one had I been thrown into the center of a warehouse ful of every wedding-slash-Union gown ever made. The ivory lace overlay covered the same colored silk charmuse in a slim silhouette (very slim) sliding down the body to its chapel-length train. It was topped off with cap sleeves and a sweetheart neckline. I felt as guilty for giving Cora such a hard time about it as I felt overwhelmed with gratitude that shed selected a gown with such consideration.

Having her and Abigail beside me, doting over me like proud parents, dul ed some of the ache that my real ones were not able to be here today.

I didnt know how I would have explained any of this to them, but they would have known their daughter was marrying a man she worshiped and who would protect her with his life and I knew”even if they were aware of every nitty-gritty detail of our Immortal world”they would have been whole-heartedly supportive and thril ed to see me so happy.

The Haywards were becoming my new family, never to replace the one Id lost, but to enhance and create a future of memories with. I was gaining a family my parents would have selected for me to take their place had they seen in a crystal bal that theyd be pul ed from mine so violently.

I love it, I said, stil kind of awed. I love you guys. Thank you. I felt myself getting choked up, thered be no shortage of that today, so I elected to stop gushing words before my eyes fol owed suit. Sniffling, I asked, You think the boys are ready to go? My heart thumped at the thought of seeing Wil iam soon. The last time Id go to him as a Miss Dawson, the first time Id walk away with him as a Mrs. Hayward.

Theyve been ready for an hour already, Abigail said, smiling as she brushed my hair back, twisting it into an elegant updo. Someones growing very impatient down there.

What are we waiting for? I said, not meaning to shout, but the anxious excitement in my voice pitched it higher than normal. Lets get this show on the road.

Not so fast, Cora said, holding my arms at my side. Hold your horses while I accessorize you.

And she was back to playing dress-up. I took a breath and would count to a hundred, knowing I owed her big time for the dress. If she wasnt done with her accessorization process by then, I didnt care it I had to drag her down the aisle with her hands glued to my train. I was meeting Wil iam at the end of it in five minutes or less.

As Abigail pinned the last few pieces of my hair into place, Cora slid a white orchid in ful bloom behind my left ear. When she came at me with a diamond choker that was al too similar to the one John had given me which Id promptly re-gifted to Annabel e, I balked away.

Dont you want to wear something different around your neck? For once? she asked, holding the sparkling necklace in front of my eyes.

No, I said, covering the sapphire pendant with both hands just in case she went in for it.

She shrugged a shoulder. Suit yourself, she said, giving up easier than Id thought her capable.

What did the boys end up deciding to wear? I asked, hoping to distract myself from the jitters. You have five tuxes within arms reach like you had these dresses? I teased.

I wish, she grumbled, rifling through a suitcase spil ing over with scarves, jewelry, and shoes. I keep an emergency tux here for Joseph, so Wil iam wil at least be dressed for the occasion, but the other four are having to make due with dress shirts and slacks. She sounded like it was one of the most detestable things she had yet to encounter in her lifetime.

Done, Abigail announced, slipping the last bobby-pin from her mouth into the nape of my neck.

I practical y leapt for joy.

Hold it! Cora said, running towards the door I was aiming for. Lipstick, she said, drawing a tube from the depths of her dress.

I shook my head. Im going to be kissing him at the end of the ceremony. I dont want to smear lipstick al over his face.

Cora shook her head back at me. This isnt a Mortal wedding, this is an Immortal Union. The preacher doesnt announce you husband and wife before you kiss. You save the kissing for later, she said, uncapping the tube.

I dodged my head to the side as she came at me with a color that reminded me of clown paint. Chapstick, I announced victoriously, grabbing up my tube sitting on the dresser beside the door. I slimed on a double coat to appease her.

She blew out an exhausted sigh, giving Abigail a look. Ive waited over a hundred years for a wedding other than mine in this family to get al girly over. What a waste, she said, hustling a pair of satin ivory stilettos from a box. Put these on and thats it. I wont impress any more torture on you.

Heaven forbid I try to turn you into a girl.

I looked down to the floor where the dress skimmed down over it, covering my bare feet. Shoes with any kind of lift on them were a dangerous thing for me and, considering I had stairs to go down before Id be drudging through a quarter mile of sand to the surf line, shoes were the last thing I needed if I wanted to make it there quickly. Not to mention ankle sprain free.

I hesitated for long enough when she lowered the shoes down to the floor that I could tel shed already succumbed to my decision when she looked back up to me. She tossed the shoes across the room. What a waste.