Thomas and Charlotte agreed. Thomas would make all the arrangements for contacting all the Lycans. Charlotte would make the arrangements for a place to hold the function. Since there were going to be a thousand or so of us out there, it would have to be a place where it was safe to speak freely.
All these things were going to take place tomorrow, Friday, the day before our wedding. I knew the morning was going to be a busy one, but I didn‟t mind. We had also planned on the meeting to take place sometime next week, after we came back from our honeymoon, which Daniel and I still had not discussed. But he promised me he would make the arrangements and surprise me.
And so our new life began together. And it would be a life that held purpose and meaning. Now more than ever, I began to see what Thomas meant when he said Fate did indeed have a great purpose for us.
The morning broke early through the window, and the beams of sunlight drizzled through the window. The soft morning breeze stirred, and my eyes fluttered opened. I realized at once that I had overslept. A glance at my clock, I saw that it was eight a.m. I thought I might end up sleeping through my entire pregnancy!
Today of course was not a day I wanted to sleep through. Within seven hours, I would be pronounced Mrs. Daniel James Maxwell. I rolled off the bed, still in a sleepy daze and found my way to the shower. Daniel had spent the night with his parents.
Jason, his best man, of course, was with him. Heather stayed behind and Casey, bless her heart, came over yesterday evening to help prepare me for today.
I must say, seeing Casey as a vampire was quiet astonishing. Casey was beautiful before, but there was something about being a vampire that really made her look even more beautiful. Her once golden tanned skin was now a pearlescent pale color. She wore tinted brown contacts that hid and protected her now blue diamond-like eyes. Her body was much cooler to the touch than I had expected. But, she was still Casey.
It was still hard for me to believe that she had trouble hunting. When I asked her why, she only shrugged her shoulders. She told me Nathaniel thought she should choose something other than cougars or bears for her meals. Casey rolled her eyes and stated firmly it was just her taste buds and she couldn‟t deny herself.
At least she had better control of herself around humans, which to me was a relief.
Nathaniel would be with her at my wedding, but I warned her ahead of time to make sure she was in control. She laughed and told me she was completely satisfied for the day.
As the hour drew near, Charlotte busied herself with the last minute preparations.
Casey, Heather and I met in the dressing area set aside for us at the Grand Hotel, the only place large enough to handle a wedding of this size. An hour I sat through hair and makeup; I was already in a state of exhaustion. By the time everyone was finished, we all looked wonderful. Heather was absolutely beautiful and Casey, simply put in one word, astonishing.
It was finally time. Charlotte met with us briefly, then Thomas. Both of them gave me words of encouragement and love. It helped, but suddenly I was nervous. It wasn‟t the fact that I was going to marry my one true love. No, it was knowing that I was about to walk into a room filled with nearly a thousand people. Was I ready for this? I inhaled a deep breath and marched out the door with Casey by my side.
There was beautiful music playing, a soft medley of wedding songs. The music stopped abruptly as I came to a halt in front of the large double doors. In front of me, Gramps stood proudly in his tuxedo. I hadn‟t seen this one coming! He smiled as he extended his arm to me. To walk me down the aisle and give me to Daniel was a proud moment for him and for me. A smile crossed my lips as I reached for him.
The wedding march played; it was time for a new life to begin. I inhaled a slow steady breath, and then released it. Was I really ready for this? I wondered as I turned to Gramps. I had to admit, he looked quite handsome for his age in his formal attire. It was the type of attire that was traditional for his people, our people at wedding ceremonies.
He patted my hand and gave me a smile of encouragement. The large doors opened in front of me. The sound of movement, people shuffling from their seats, immediately filled the room as the guests rose to their feet.
The large room was decorated in white, red, and gold. Beautiful mixtures of flower scents filled the air. White rose petals adorned the carpet in front of me. Together Gramps and I walked down the aisle. I looked forward; a smile crossed my lips as I saw the man I loved. Daniel stood at the end of the aisle in a white tux. He looked more handsome than I had ever imagined. My heart fluttered again the closer I came to him.
His hair was tossed slightly and he was clean-shaven. His lips firmly fixed in a brilliant smile as he watched me moving slowly toward him.
Gramps stopped in front of Daniel. Leaning over, he gave me a hug, then he seated himself in a chair reserved for my family. He sat down beside Taylan, John and Aunt Tess. A quick glance told me most of the family from the reservation was there. Daniel took my hand as I moved closer to him.
The wedding was normal, but seemed to last forever. As the last song was sung, I started becoming impatient. Daniel chuckled softly as his eyes glinted with the humor of the moment. The Minister read the ceremonial text. The vows were recited and rings exchanged. Dear Fate, was it officially over? Finally, I heard the words, “I now present to you Mr. and Mrs. Daniel James Maxwell.” I wanted to throw the bouquet in the air! Yes, it was finally over!
Everyone stood, clapping cheerfully and joyfully. The music played a soft piano melody as Daniel and I walked down the aisle in a shower of rice. Balloons from the ceiling floated down to the floor. With one hand around Daniel‟s arm, the other holding my dress, it was all I could do to keep from tripping over the balloons.
The reception was next. The other ballroom was filled with our guests. Food was laid out in abundance and there was an elaborate champagne tower. Wedding gifts, of course, were made in the form of donations to various non-profit organizations, with the exception of one very large gift. When I opened it, my heart sank into the pit of my stomach. It was a Monet. An original. I knew without a doubt that it was from Richard. It was the painting I had adored in his home. The painting alone was priceless, but the gesture was more valuable than any gift.
Daniel strolled with me to the center of the floor for our first dance. And I was not surprised when a few moments later everyone joined. Gramps soon cut-in, followed by Thomas. I glanced over to see Daniel dancing with Casey. It did my heart good to see they remained brother and sister. Another surprise, John. John appeared to be dancing with a pretty young girl around the same age as he. And the young lady appeared to be as shy as John.
After all the food and dancing, it was time for our departure. Daniel and I made the way through the rice again to the limousine that awaited us. This time we were heading to a surprise destination, which Daniel had hinted might be in Scotland.
We stopped by the house first, changed our clothes and then loaded the luggage into the limo. Now we were truly on our way to the airport. I was ready to rest and relax.
The flight itself would be a long one with two changes, and then a direct flight into the airport in Edinburg, Scotland.
Once we arrived in Edinburg, we picked up the car Daniel had reserved for us a car to drive. When we arrived, it wasn‟t what I had expected. It was a small cottage, high in the Scotland hills, the Highlands, Daniel called it. Daniel had purchased it some time ago. He said it was a place he often went to relax and fish. My only concern was whether it had running water and electricity. Daniel laughed and said that, of course, it did. He had made arrangements some weeks prior to have it fully stocked and ready for us when we arrived.
The rain showered down when we pulled in front of the little cottage. After making a mad dash to the door, I realized I had left Daniel behind to collect the luggage. He urged me inside, while holding two handfuls of luggage. It was a darling little place, very cozy and small. The fireplace looked very inviting as I shivered slightly from the cold. Daniel dropped the luggage; his attention was on the fireplace. Within a few minutes, he had the wood stacked and ready to burn. In the meantime, I went to check out the rest of the cottage.
There were two small bedrooms off to the side of the living room and one bathroom. The kitchen was adjoining the living room. It was a comfortable retreat. When I returned to the living room, Daniel had a nice fire glowing in the fireplace. The little house was warmed comfortably.
One thing I was thankful for was that I had packed accordingly. With Daniel‟s expert advice, I brought sweaters and a heavy coat. My choice of shoes however might be lacking. Daniel promised me we would go shopping in a couple of days to buy more suitable shoes to wear. He, of course. packed with such expertise that I ended up borrowing a pair of his socks to keep my feet warm.
The smell of freshly burning wood filled the air as I padded into the living room. I folded my arms around myself and strolled to the window. The soft melody of rain poured down outside. Such as soothing sound, listening to rain as it fell. Well, more at an angle than straight down. No thunder. No lighting. This was my favorite kind of evening. The soft sound of the rain beating against the roof gave me a lazy feeling.
“So Mrs. Daniel James Maxwell, what do you think of the Scottish weather?” Daniel had moved. He was stood directly behind me as I peered through the window.
“I love it,” I purred softly.
“Mmm...” he growled lowly against my ear. “Wait until you see the rest of Scotland.” His body pressed closer against mine.
“Intent on moving me here are you?” I murmured, feeling the heat emanating from his hard taut body.
With each breath he took, he became more aroused. The temperature in his body increased as well as the spicy scent. Each beat of his heart forced the scent to stronger levels, intoxicating my senses.
“Maybe.” Daniel‟s voice was deep and throaty. His lips pressed against my neck.
The deep vibrations in his voice sent my senses soaring. Chills ran down my neck to my arms. I wondered if the feelings I had for him would last forever. One could only hope so. My heart pounded and the pulse in my veins raced against my flesh. His lips left a trail of soft kisses down the length of my neck. He stopped only a brief moment at the edge of my sweater. He gently, with one finger, pulled it back, revealing that spot on my neck he so enjoyed. The warmth of his lips was on that sweet spot and a breath escaped me. The world I knew swirled around me.
Ever so gently, he kissed and nibbled on the erogenous spot. My eyes closed as his tongue traced the outlined area. How could one spot on a person‟s body create so much tension?
The taunting stopped. Daniel‟s hands gripped the sides of my shoulders. He turned me to him slowly. His tall statuesque muscular figure now towered over me. The warmth from his body soothed me, and I felt warm and safe. For a long moment, he looked deep and longingly into my eyes. His spicy scent became full of rich and intoxicating tones with each breath he took. The beautiful hazel eyes melted into a mixture of warm brown tones. Hungry tones. It was the type of tones that I recognized as desire.
The rain continued to pour as we stood in front of the small window. Electricity filled the room around us. Desires swelled inside us both. There was more than the fireplace providing heat in that tiny room. Daniel shifted his body closer to mine. His hands slid around my waist then trailed downward. The beautiful, perfectly formed lips of his twitched as he pulled my hips closer to him. Tightly, he pressed my body against his. His thoughts were clear. He wanted me to know how much he desired me at that moment. The hardness I felt was enough for me to know, and my desire burned hotter for him. Ever so gently, his lips grazed over mine. My heart pounded with excitement, forcing a new level of fire through my veins. All I wanted at that moment was Daniel, every precious piece of him.
Daniel‟s lips pressed harder against mine, parting my lips to his. His tongue slowly teased me, penetrating, probing the inside of my mouth until a soft moan escaped my throat. My hands left his arms, trailing upward to the back of his neck and encircled the black tendrils on his head. The spicy scent grew heavier as I inhaled a deep breath and allowed the fragrance to encamp my soul. I drank in his scent like a glass of fine wine. I wanted to savor the flavor he provided for me. Daniel pulled me tighter to his body, pressing me against him with such force it was difficult to breathe. Deeper he searched with his tongue, creating a more heated and passionate kiss than ever before.
Suddenly the kiss broke. His gaze met mine. Daniel‟s strong chest heaved against mine. For an instant, we both held our breaths, our gaze momentarily locked on one another. I could hear his thoughts. I could feel the tension, and the desire within him.
The love this man had for me was undeniable. Even if I couldn‟t hear his thoughts, I would have known my life was his. Dear Fate, I believed at that moment I wanted him more than he did me. Then suddenly we both went into a frenzy. My fingers grabbed at the zipper of his jeans. Daniel tugged my sweater over my head. Clothes went in directions from left then to the right. My fingers gently and softly found Daniel‟s hardness and clasped him hungrily. His mouth found mine again. Urgency was felt as a moan rumbled from deep inside his chest. The vibrations tingled all of my senses, sending me into a hot matted mess. My body ached more than ever for him.