Dawn's Path: Completed Work

"Love is not a little thing. It should be celebrated." Kayla reached over and stilled Angel's nervous fingers with her palm. "The fact that you and Lance found each other out of billions of nameless, faceless people is amazing. This is your special day. Enjoy it."

"Then why am I so nervous?" Angel wailed. "What have bows and flowers and all that other bullshit got to do with anything anyway? I just want to marry the man I love."

"Let Janine have her fun. And you have yours," Kayla said. She snickered, remembering her wedding. The reception lasted till dawn. But, she and Bryce hadn't stuck around to enjoy it. They'd gone off alone and made their own fun. "Once the ceremony is over, skip out if you want. The brothers will party on the bluffs till daybreak and no one will be the wiser."

"Skip out," Angel repeated. Her lips curved in an evil grin. "I like the sound of that."

"I'm sure Lance won't mind a bit. The bonding ritual is the important part. All the rest is just fluff."

"Fluff," Angel grumbled. She sat up on the bed, crossing her legs to tuck her very cold feet under the covers. Twisting her engagement ring on her finger, watching the way the tawny diamonds sparkled in the lamplight, she questioned her sanity. She loved Lance. And she already considered him her husband just as much as he considered her his wife. It all seemed like so much hassle over something that already was. "Why is the ritual so damned important? As long as we're committed what difference does it make?" Angel got up from the bed and nervously began pacing around the confines of the new suite Lance had spent the morning moving them into.

"Drinking from the cup. The mixing of your blood with Lance and Dane's binds you to the rest of us. The blood is the universal magic that binds us all together as one. Blood is passed from person to person whether through birth or ritual. Binding and eternal, the blood flows though us from one to the other, forever Angel. You're not just performing a ritual by marrying Lance. You're binding yourself to him and to all of us."

"That's just creepy," Angel muttered. She sank down on the edge of the bed, resting her head in her hands and pulling on her hair with her fingers. Her entire life she'd always been alone. Apart. And perhaps, Kayla had hit on the real reason behind the sudden jitteriness and cold feet.

Marrying Lance, made her part of something bigger than herself, bigger than the two of them. And sometimes, the sheer singularity of this group, they way they functioned as one, each looking out for the other, terrified her. She didn't know if she could do it. She'd stood on the sidelines watching the brothers for months. Each member was still his own person. But, they lived together as a part of the bigger whole. Her life would cease to be her own, and yet still, be her own. There was love in this place, in these people, and she was about to be a part of it. And the impact on her life, she could not even begin to completely fathom. "You all aren't planning on participating in the honeymoon are you?"

Kayla snickered at Angel's joking question. "No, sorry. You and Lance are on your own for the honeymoon. I was speaking in a purely metaphysical, symbolic, sense, of course."

"Good." Angel toyed with her engagement ring. Paced back and forth for a while. And passed the time making idle chit chat with Kayla while she began unloading the boxes she'd never unpacked from her first move into Lance's room. Doing something was good. Doing something kept her mind off her nervousness and made each agonizing strike of the clock a little more bearable. Kayla dutifully found places for the things she unpacked. There really wasn't that much, just a handful of clothes and a few knickknacks. Angel had gotten more gifts from her bridal shower than she had things she actually owned and they made short work of putting things in order.

Angel was distracted from the business of doing nothing much by another knock on the door and a chorus of tinkling female laughter. "Now what?" she huffed, as she climbed over an empty box and threw open the door.

"Ah, the dress is here." Kayla leapt from the bed to hug Alex and Robbie. Carefully, she took the dress from the miniature cedar-lined chest and laid it out on the bed. The silver beadwork and fragile shells hanging from the fringe sparkled in the lamplight. The dress was old, perhaps ancient. The white leather soft and supple as silk. And in it, so many brides' dreams had come true.

"I wasn't planning on wearing a dress." Odd that Janine had hounded her about every tiny detail. But, she'd forgotten to cover one basic necessity. What monstrosity she'd planned for Angel to wear to her own wedding. Made sense now. There wasn't anything to discuss.

"It's tradition. This dress is handed down from bride to bride. And now it's your turn." Reverently, Kayla held the dress up to Angel's shoulders. With her olive skin and dark hair and eyes, the white leather was the perfect contrast. The shells and beads gently, almost musically tinkled with every movement.

Angel's eyes trailed down Kayla's petite frame, and ran over Robbie's slightly stouter build and then over to Alex. While Alex had a perfect figure for her frame, she was at least a couple of sizes bigger than both Kayla and Robbie. There was no way the tradition was true. There were women in the compound, brides at one time, of all different shapes, sizes, and heights. Chris was so curvy. Anna topped the height charts at about six feet tall. And Janine had a generous amount of junk in her trunk. There was no way the same dress had been worn by all of them. "It'll never fit."

"Yes, it will," Kayla said. She tugged the bottom hem of Angel's t-shirt free from her jeans and helped her work it over her head. Slipping the dress over Angel's shoulders, she told the story of the myth behind the dress. "Lore has it that the dress was handmade by Kokumthena. She used her hair to sew the stitches. And she picked the shells from the shores of the Great River to decorate the fringe. She captured laughter from the happy souls that cross in her palms and used the sound to form the beads. The dress is sacred, holy," Kayla said, tying the leather straps tightly to hold the shoulders in place. "That's why it always fits. The bride who wears it on her wedding day is guaranteed happiness and good fortune and her marriage blessed by the goddess."

Angel reluctantly sipped her t-shirt over her head and held out her arms so that Kayla could slide the dress down her shoulders. She didn't believe in fairy tales or happily ever after. Her happiness was up to her and no one else. But, she saw no harm in letting Kayla win this round. She wiggled out of her jeans, kicking her feet free. Kayla made a few more adjustments, securing the ties a bit snugger.

Kayla dragged Angel to the full-length mirror and parked her in front of it. "What did I tell you? See, it fits."

Angel nodded. Remarkably, the dress did fit, and quite well. As if it had been made for her. Staring at her reflection in the mirror, watching the silver beads and iridescent shells glitter in the lamplight, she began to believe in magic and in happy endings. She hazarded a glance at the clock, mercilessly ticking the seconds away. Six hours to go.

She exhaled and obediently followed Kayla into the bathroom with Robbie and Alex tight on their heels. There wasn't much that could be done with her short hairstyle. But, Robbie and Alex, with Kayla's help, managed to make the most of what she had, curling the short locks to form soft ringlets around her face. Angel frowned at the glitter spray Alex intended to spray into her hair.

Angel always thought she resembled a pixie without adding glitter. But, Alex wouldn't hear of her refusal and sprayed her hair with it anyway. In the garish light of the makeup mirror in the bathroom, the glitter sparkled like silvery points of light in the dark backdrop of her hair. Like stars in the night sky. Underneath the full moon tonight, the effect would be even more dramatic. The glitter would shine in the moonlight. And she'd look like a magical being forged of darkness and moonlight, not a damned pixie.

Conventional makeup wouldn't stick to a vampire's smooth skin. But, Janine had been working furiously on a way to combat the problem. She gasped at how pretty Angel looked, radiant and glowing, not from the glitter but with the vibrant joy only a bride on her wedding day can have. Janine dumped her 'makeup' bag on the counter and pawed through the various sharpie pens she'd been collecting. Actually, Angel had given her the idea with using black sharpie as eyeliner. Janine had more colors than gothic black. And tonight Angel's eyes would be lined with sliver ink.

Angel sighed nervously. She could not believe the magical being staring back at her in the mirror's reflection. The women, her bathroom was filled with them, giggling and chatting, hovering around her, each of them with something to contribute. She no longer hated looking at herself. And when she'd first arrived here, she had looked at her reflection with bitter hatred. She'd accepted who and what she was. Moved beyond her past. And now, in about an hour, she'd embrace her husband and their unknown future together.

"Perfect, she looks perfect," Janine sighed. Blinking back the tears she dabbed at the corners of her eyes with a Kleenex. She'd always been a sucker for happy endings and blushing brides. Long after the other girls in her boarding school had abandoned their Barbie dolls for posters of boy bands and the latest teenage heartthrob. She'd continue to play with hers. Marrying Barbie to Ken, planning the perfect day. She believed in magic and she believed in love. Always had. And if she had one job, one purpose in the universe, it was to create magic and make every bride's dreams come true. "I just love weddings."

Robbie rolled her eyes at Janine's teary display. The woman could not make it through a wedding without dissolving into a puddle of tears. She took one of Janine's elbows and Alex took the other, promising Janine a front row seat at the wedding as they all but dragged her out of the bathroom.

In pairs and some, single file, the other women followed suit, leaving Kayla alone with Angel. Angel stood in front of the bathroom mirror staring at her reflection. Her eyes distant and unfocused, her thoughts somewhere else, perhaps in another place and time. And Kayla left her to it as the final minutes ticked away. "Honey, we need to go," Kayla said gently.

She had never seen a more nervous bride in her whole life than Angel. Angel had no idea how wonderful she looked or how Lance would react when he saw her. Kayla hoped that when Angel set her eyes on her groom, her anxiety would ease. "Don't worry. And remember what I said. Stick around long enough to be respectably sociable then skip out. I'll cover for you."

"Ok," Angel whispered. Kayla's grip on her upper arm was gentle and the touch light. But, to Angel it felt as if Kayla was dragging her each and every step she took closer to the door. She could do this. She wanted to do this. She wanted to marry Lance. Become his wife, and belong to something bigger than herself. Her future waited for her out there on the bluffs. And if she dragged her feet, she'd never get to it. "This is it, isn't it?"

At one time, Kayla didn't believe in happy endings. She didn't believe in love. And then Bryce had come along and changed all that. Shook her to her very core. She'd had to rethink a lot of things since arriving here. She and Angel had their share of struggles along the way. Everything, every hardship had been painful and seemed at the time almost more than they could endure. But, the two of them, had managed to survive. Their struggles had made them stronger, better than they ever would have been without them. And in so many ways, Kayla was grateful for the pain she'd been forced to bear. Keene had been with them since the very beginning. Living through things Kayla could not begin to imagine. They had seen their share of heartache. And now it was time for happiness, for joy, and for love. "Angel, this is everything."

Chapter 77

Lance stood to the right of Dane. Waiting impatiently for his bride to arrive. His brothers milled about, standing loosely in formation. The sounds of muted chat echoed along the flat valley surrounded by the high, stone, walls and the lush woodlands bordering bluffs. Talk of the Guardians, dominated the conversations. He rubbed his hands along the smooth, tawny leather of his ceremonial leggings. He couldn't believe that his palms were sweating profusely. The moon was high and fat in the black sky above. But, Angel had yet to show.

"Don't panic. She'll be here," Dane reassured. Lance's nervousness radiated off him in waves. Tinting the air around him with its acrid fragrance. Dane raised his voice and called the brothers to order. Once they were silent and in formation. He began singing. Lifting prayers in song, to the goddess and the ancestors.

Calmed by the ancient words. The rhythmic chanting spoke to his soul. Soothing his restlessness. He joined in. Adding rich baritone of his voice to those of his brothers. The soft, lilting soprano voices drew closer. His sisters emerged from the woods. Delivering his bride. His breath hitched as he got his first look at Angel. She was beautiful. Radiant. A grin spread across his lips as he waited for her to finish her walk down the aisle to be by his side.

Angel forgot her anxiety. Her fears of the unknown future faded away as she spotted Lance standing next to Dane at the alter table. Her heart pounded in time with Lance's. His heartbeat all she heard. Out of all the brothers and the guests, his face was the only one she saw. She took her first step forward. Her legs no longer shaky, all doubts erased from her mind. Formalities and the carefully timed march that Janine spent hours drilling into her head didn't matter. She ran, racing to Lance, leaping into his open arms.

Lance grappled to keep his balance as Angel launched her body at him and her weight landed in his arms. Taking him totally by surprise. Her lips were full and so sweet. Tasting of anticipation and love. He drove his tongue into her mouth. Not able to sate his need for her with a mere peck. Everyone else faded away. She was the only thing that existed in his world. That was until the sound of chuckles from his brothers and Dane's throat clearing got his attention.

Angel blushed. Beneath her feet she felt the soft carpet of flower petals as Lance set her down. He didn't let go. Wrapping around her shoulders to hold her close to his side. She rested her cheek against the bareness of his chest and inhaled of his masculine, woodsy scent of him. She tried to pay attention. To listen as Dane conducted the ceremony. But, thoughts of Lance preoccupied her mind.

Dutifully she repeated the words that marked Lance as hers. And reveled in the sound of his voice as he proclaimed that she was his. For her there would never be another. She held out her wrist and added her blood to the cup. And when the cup was offered she drank. Swallowing down every drop that clung to the inside. Love flowed into her. The love Lance had for her. The love she had for Lance. And universal love, the thread that bound the brothers to one another, overflowed within her heart. In return, her blood flowed through Dane and Lance, out to her brothers and sisters everywhere, across the globe. They were bound, universally, as one.

Angel exhaled a sigh of relief as a chorus of cheers filled with joy rose up around her. The ceremony was complete. She expected painful hours filled with smiling and receiving guests. Taken totally by surprise. Lance lifted her and slung her over his shoulder. She helplessly, well not so helpless as utterly willingly, waved goodbye to her guests.

Tala laughed and clasped Drew's hand in hers. "That was some wedding," she said through her chuckles. The bride and groom had already disappeared up the trail, so eager to be alone. "I guess he's eager to start the honeymoon."

Drew chuckled. "They both are. Come." He dragged her to the bonfire and thrust her into the midst of the happily, undulating bodies. Dancing wildly the wedding dance. Ancient chants filled the air. Calling to her soul. Her body moved in time to the archaic rhythm. He feet danced the steps. She'd never felt so free. Unbridled by convention. Liberated. Her wolf howled in joy. Content to stay locked inside the confines of her body. Reveling in the chanting, in the song and the steps of the dance.

Tala panted in exhaustion. She'd been dancing around the fire with the vampires for hours. But, unlike them, never faltering in their preternatural endurance, she needed a breather. Her wolf yipped in agreement. She inched her way out of the mass of dancers and plopped down at the edge of the woods. Settling against the rough bark of a tree to catch her breath. The weather cooperated and the early spring temperatures too warm for the thick sweater she'd chosen. Without a care, she stripped down to the thin camisole top she wore beneath.

Drew withdrew from his brothers. His heightened sense of awareness for Tala led him to her. Happy and grinning he dropped to his knees beside her. "Isn't this fun?"

"Yeah. But, you forget, I don't have your endurance," Tala unwittingly admitted. "Go back and join the others. I'm fine. I just need a break."

"Yeah. I can go for hours." Drew chuckled mischievously. "Did you try some of Anna's cooking?" He asked changing the subject and getting his dirty mind out of the gutter. Before it got him in big trouble with Tala. Tables lined one side of the meadow piled high with food. "I hear she's a good cook."

"Why all the food?" Her wolf wagged its tail at the smell of roasting meats and sweet deserts wafting across the grassy divide.

"Human members often frequent these events and we want our guests well taken care of." He pointed to the couple hovering by the food table. Snickering as the graying blonde female chastised her husband for piling his plate high with sugary goodies. "That's Alex's mom and dad, Leigh and Alexander."

"Human, huh? They snack on the food and then you snack on them?" Tala was trying desperately to grasp why a human would willingly surround himself with a bunch of hungry vampires. Seemed dangerous to her. But, then again, she too was in part, human. And she was the one lounging in the dark with a very studly, scantily dressed, hopefully not too hungry, vampire.

"Hey. I resent that. We don't snack on people." Drew huffed in mocking disdain. He playfully tugged on her long braid. The braid he'd woven. "Werewolf," he grumbled jokingly.

"I'm not a werewolf," Tala retorted. Snatching her braid out of his fingers. Drew didn't show this side of himself very often. The casualness and the playfulness he displayed was just a glimpse of one of the many facets of this man.

"And I don't consider people as snack food. I take from WILLING humans only what I need and nothing more," Drew said in mock huffiness, snagging onto her braid to give it a gentle pull again.

"Sorry. So you're not hungry?"

Drew rose to his knees and crawled along her body. Pinning her between him and the tree. "I'm always starved, for you." He drew close and nibbled at the pink line of her lips. Snaking his tongue across their strawberry colored sweetness to taste her. "I'll never have enough of you."

"Drew. Can't vampires see in the dark?" Tala was suddenly very shy and very self-conscious. No one seemed to be paying attention to anything else but the party and the dance. Flattered, but embarrassed by his advance, she tried to dodge the descent of his lips on hers. Seemingly with a mind of its own, her chin tilted and her tongue slid between his lips and lapped against his. His scent was musky and heady, of wolf, woods, and man. He had no idea how insane he drove her. And how badly she and her wolf wanted him.