The Power of One (The Forever series Book Two) (9 page)

“Cole says you had some weird dreams,” Devon says flopping
down on the end of the bed as Cole sits on my other side and takes my hand. CK
lets go of me then and I feel disappointed. Thoughts of us all in bed together,
of these three men I love so much so differently, pleasing me, touching me,
kissing me all over, making love to me. It’s pushing at my will and I have to
bite my tongue not to suggest it. Shaking my head to clear it, I recount what I
could remember of the dreams.

They are all pensive as I finish up.

“Whatever this Power is, it’s definitely trying to tell you
something,” Devon says stating the obvious.

“No kidding,” I grumble.

Ignoring me, he continues, “Maybe about where the magick is
coming from. Sounds otherworldly to me.”

I look at CK, who is deep in thought, “Well? Any clue?”

His gaze flicks to me, “Not yet. A male voice, yes?”

“Yes. I think so.”

“Is that all you remember?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, call me if you have any more dreams. I need to go and
research what other plane this might be. I am not going to tell the other two.
I think it best to keep this amongst ourselves for now,
capisce
?” and
with that he’s gone.

“For fuck's sake! That man drives me insane!” I yell and
throw a cushion at where he was standing.

Cole chuckles at me and says, “Happy Wedding Day!” and
kisses me.

XXXXX

After that it's all systems go. Devon calls in a favor from
a “friend” who even at this ungodly hour jumps to help when he rings her to
start the ball rolling for a marriage license. All we will have to do is pitch
up with identification and we’re good to go.

XXXXX

After a leisurely soak in the tub, grateful that my back has
now healed, I set about sorting my hair out and finding something to wear. I
find it ridiculously hypocritical to wear white, but Cole insists, so I go into
my closet in search of the very few white clothes I own. I find a beautiful
lacy, strapless mini dress by Jovani that I don’t remember buying that would be
perfect. It is still very “me” but also in white which will please Cole.

Deciding to wear my hair in loose curls, I plug in the
curling iron after drying my hair and work it through bit by bit. Checking the
time, I see it’s now 8 AM. Finishing my make up I pull the dress on and step
into my shoes, nude Louboutins of course. Cole chooses that moment to walk back
into the room. He stops dead when he sees me. I turn nervously in a circle for
him and his eyes burn with desire. “You are beautiful,” he says, kissing me
softly. “I am the luckiest man on earth.”

“I’ll say,” comes Devon’s voice from the doorway. “Check you
out Kitten. Who knew white was your color?” He embraces me tightly.

“Tiffany’s is opening early for us, so we should go,” he
says then, all business-like.

“Wait. There’s just one more thing,” I say and disappear
into my closet.  Facing right I press my hand to the biometric scanner and
punch in the key code. The hidden door slides open. This is my safe room. Every
article that I have deemed precious enough to keep over the last thousand years
is locked away in here. The low level lights flicker on and I head straight for
the drawers on the right hand side. Pulling open the top one I find what I am
looking for: a beautiful Celtic silver, perfectly untarnished, intricately
smithed full circlet tiara, given to me on our wedding day by Fraser.

Somehow it seems fitting that I wear it today. I finger it
carefully and Devon asks, “Are you sure about that?”

I turn with a sad smile and nod. “Yes.” I lift it out
carefully and he takes it from me and artfully arranges it on my head.
“Perfect,” he says.

Cole is watching quietly. I see his eyes dart around the
room taking it all in. A museum’s worth of antiquities adorns the walls and
fills the cupboards and drawers. His eyes land on the portrait of me that CK
had commissioned in 1503 by Leonard da Vinci.

“Wow!” he says, and I smile at his wonder.

“I’ll take you through everything in here soon, there are
some things I would like you to see.”

“I’d like that.”

“But right now, we have rings to buy,” I say smiling
brightly.

He beams at me, “Do you know what you want?”

I know exactly what I want, “Yes. Do you?”

He looks at me shyly, “It depends on what yours looks like.”
I giggle with glee at his sentimentality.

“Then let’s go.”

XXXXX

We arrive at Tiffany’s around 8:45 AM and are ushered in
straight away. Oh what a couple of billionaires at your doorstep will get you.

I whisper to the manager exactly what I am looking for and
he goes off to find it for me.

Returning shortly while we are admiring some fabulous
pieces, he holds out the box with aplomb. It’s perfect. In an eternity-band
style it has circular black diamonds all the way around. I love it. Grinning at
Cole I nod and he asks for something to match in men’s rings.

Some time later--geez, who knew men could be so picky?--we
leave the shop with our purchases. Cole has finally chosen a platinum band with
three ¼ carat black diamonds across the top. It’s perfect.

At City Hall, Devon’s friend is waiting for us to sort out
the license and then we wait to be called. I go to freshen up and adjust the
circlet to perfection, remembering my last wedding day all those years ago. I
kept my hair similar when I moved onto my next life in Scotland and Shifted the
way I looked to Emily. In fact my whole guise was very similar to my natural
form, as I was keen to stay away from anything that looked remotely like Elizabeth,
still mad with Devon for leaving me, and I felt I was somehow punishing him by
not looking like his true sire. I became Emily and was taller by four inches, a
darker blonde with blue eyes. Tears spring to my eyes as I remember but I shake
the thoughts away. It is still too painful after all this time.

Exiting the bathroom I bump into Cole who has come to find
me. “It’s time,” he says nervously. I take his hand and we enter the courtroom
with Devon at my side. Standing in front of the Justice of the Peace, we say
our vows to each other, simple declarations of eternal love. I vow to take care
of him always and to teach and guide him. To love him, always. He promises to
worship and adore me. To follow my lead and to love me always.

Rather unusual vows I’m sure but meaningful to us. After the
“I do’s” and exchange of rings, we kiss. We are now husband and wife, in the
mortal sense. Cole is overjoyed, Devon is outwardly happy but I know he is sad
on the inside and me… I am at peace. It's odd. I didn’t even know there was a
war raging inside me, but yet now I feel the calm after the storm.

“Aefre,” the deep gravelly voice from before echoes in my
head. I start sharply at the invasion. “It’s time for the next step,” it says.

“What next step?” I ask in my head feeling foolish. But
there’s no answer, of course.

Facing yet another trip across the Atlantic in a few days,
we are all trying to get back to our regular schedules. Cole moves fully into
the mansion and Devon and I get back to work. I have no more voices in my head
but the recurring dream comes every night, ending in the exact same place every
time, so I learn no more. It’s frustrating which is not helping my mood or my
Power Surge at all. I am less than fine but it’s still the party line and Cole and
Devon accept it, not wanting to push me. In truth, I am a wreck and it is very
unsettling. Beating my pen in a loud staccato on my desk it snaps suddenly in
two under the force of my beat.

“Fuck’s sake,” I mumble and throw the two ends at my office
door, just as Scott, my executive assistant, knocks and opens it. As they aim
straight for his head I cry out, “Ah!” in alarm and rush to his side as they
smack him square on the forehead. He starts in surprise and pain.

“Scott! I am so sorry.”

“It’s okay,” he brushes it off. “A bit edgy there, Boss?” he
asks with a grimace.

“You could say so. I really am sorry,” I say again, rubbing
his head.

“Anything I can help with?” he asks.

“No, it’s a…. personal issue. But thank you.”

He nods briskly and hands me the revised Harlow files, “Just
need your signatures.”

I smile my thanks, and he turns to leave. Pausing, he turns
back and says, “Maybe Mr. Savant could help you with your personal issue? You
know, before you throw anything else at us hapless employees.” He winks and I
chuckle.

He has a point that I need to talk to someone, but it’s not
Devon. I need my sire. I sigh, not wanting to drag him back to L.A. - again.
Although I know he would come in a heartbeat if I asked him to. I reach a
decision that I will go to him. I haven’t travelled that far since the very
first time I did it inadvertently but I don’t suppose it really matters how far
away the destination is. I hope, anyway.

Telling Scott not to bother me for the next couple of hours,
primarily because I won’t be here, I close the door and quietly lock it. Taking
a deep breath I close my eyes and picture my sire. Hoping it will be enough to
take me to him wherever in the world he is, and hopefully I won’t end up in the
middle of the Piazza del Duomo or the Via Mercanti.

I feel the vortex wash over me and I open my eyes. It takes
me a second to register where I am. As it turns out I am at The Council head
offices in Milan. Ha! I did it. Grinning at the very startled Giulia, I say “
Buonasera
.”

Giulia recovers her composure and replies, “
Buonasera,
Liv.
It’s nice to see you again. It’s been a while.” She smiles genuinely.

I return her smile, “It has. It’s good to see you too.”

“Seems you’ve picked up a few new tricks since I last saw
you.”

I laugh, “Yes, so it would seem. Is he here?”

She nods, “As always. He’s in his office. Shall I ring him?”

“No, I’ll surprise him.”

She giggles and says, “Fine, but you will have to walk the
rest of the way. No Teleporting outside of the reception.” She hands me my
visitor’s badge.

I nod my thanks and head to the elevator. CK’s office is on
the top floor and I push the button.

I knock on his door and he opens it with a look of
suspicion. “I thought I sensed you,” he says when he sees it is in fact me.

I smile, “Surprise!”

“It is indeed and a most pleasant one.” He envelops me into
a tight hug and I cling to him. He pulls us back into his office and slams the
door shut. He pushes me up against it and pushes himself up against me. My
knees go weak as he drops his mouth to mine and kisses me thoroughly. I
respond, desperate for him, desperate for him to fix this raging inside me. He
breaks off the kiss and peers at me. “I am thrilled to see you, of course, but
why are you here? Alone? I assume you travelled here by…” he twirls his hand
around in a circle as we still don’t know what to call my ability.

I nod, not letting go of him, “I know it was irresponsible
as I wasn’t sure quite where I’d end up but all I needed was to think of you
and
voilà
.” I smile. “In answer to your other question, I need you,” I
say simply.

He gazes adoringly into my eyes at my words, the three words
every loving sire longs to hear. He kisses me again and says softly, “I didn’t
think I would ever hear those words from you again. Two hundred and sixty-six years
is a long time to wait.”

I smile sadly this time, thinking back to the last time I
said I needed him. “I always need you, my love. Even if I don’t say it.” He
beams at me and I take his face in my hands, “More specifically, I need you to
help me. I am one big mass of raging Power. I need to get it under control.”

He looks at me with concern, “It’s that bad?” He steps back.

I nod and step forward not wanting to lose contact with him.
He smiles at my gesture and takes my hand. He leads me over to the sofa.

“Although,” I add thoughtfully, “I feel better now. Maybe
the release from the amount of Power I used to get here?”

“Possibly,” He says as we sit. “I am more inclined to think
that you feel better because you are here.”

At my confused look he continues, “Here, at The Council.
Where you belong.”

I think it over and yes, I can feel it. “Yes, the energy of
this place. I feel connected to it,” I say.

He nods. “Exactly, my sweet. You are one of us now. This is
where you belong,” he says again with a pointed look.

“Oh no!” I say huffily. “I am not upping sticks and moving
here.” The scale of that operation has me quaking in my Louboutins.

He sighs and sits back. I copy his move and he puts his arm
around me. “Brace yourself,” he murmurs as the door bursts open and in sweeps
Eloise.

“I thought I felt the sanctity of this place drop a few
notches,” she says in her native French.

“Don’t you knock?” I ask, also in French.

She laughs, “No need. We have no secrets, do we
cherie
?”
She gushes at CK. I scowl at her and she takes great delight in that.

“What do you want Eloise?” CK says, ignoring her remark.

She perches herself on his desk, flashing a large amount of
thigh. “Just here to welcome our guest,” she says innocently.

“Liv is not a guest here,” he snaps.

She shrugs, undeterred by his tone. “Nor does she belong
here. Not yet anyway,” she adds. “Also, I need to discuss some business with
you.” She looks at me expectantly. “You may leave,” she says when I don’t go
anywhere.

“She’s not leaving. Whatever it is you have to say, just say
it so we may return to our conversation,” CK says.

I smile sweetly at Eloise over my sire’s defense of me.
“Yes, in fact, whatever it is you have to discuss is also now
my
business.”

CK casts an expectant look over at Eloise, “Indeed it is.”