Vowed

“And that I can’t wait to be married to you,” he added, his smile widening.

He sat up and kissed her, and they kissed for a long time beneath the torchlight.

Caitlin felt her heart warm. That was exactly what she had been wanting to hear. It was uncanny how he had always been able to read her thoughts.

“Now that we’re here, I want to marry you. Before we continue on our search. Right here. In this place.” He studied her. “What do you think?”

She looked back at him, her heart racing with conflicting emotions. It was exactly what she wanted, too. But she was also scared. She wasn’t sure how to respond.

Finally, she stood.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“I’ll be back soon,” she said. “I just need to clear my head.”

She kissed him one last time, then turned and walked out the room, closing the door softly behind her. She knew that if she stayed, she would end up in his arms, in the bed. And she first really needed to gather her thoughts. Not that she had any doubts about him. Or about their marriage. Or about their wedding. But she still felt conflicted, divided, over whether she needed to be out there, pursuing her mission. Was it selfish to put the wedding first?

As Caitlin walked down the empty, stone corridor, her footsteps echoing, she spotted a stairwell heading up, and saw natural light filtering down it. The castle roof, she realized. That was just the place she could go to get privacy and fresh air.

Caitlin hurried up the steps and into the twilight air. It was colder up here than she imagined, a late October wind driving strong. She wrapped her furs tightly over her shoulders, and was grateful for the warmth.

As Caitlin walked slowly along the ramparts, she looked out over the countryside in what little light was left. It was breathtakingly beautiful. On one side, the castle was perched beside a vast and lake, covered in mist. On the other side was a great expanse of trees and hills and valleys. This place felt magical.

Caitlin walked to the edge of a rampart, staring out, taking in the landscape – when suddenly, she sensed another presence. She didn’t know how that could be possible, as the entire roof had been empty. She slowly turned, not sure what to expect.

She couldn’t believe it.

Standing there, at the far end of the roof, was a lone figure, his back to her, looking out over the lake. An electric thrill ran through her. She didn’t need to see his long, flowing robes, his long silver hair, or the staff at his side to know who it was.

Aiden.

Could it really be? she wondered. Or was it just an illusion in the twilight?

She crossed the roof, slowly walking over to him, and stopped a few feet away. He stood so still, his hair blowing in the breeze, not turning. For a moment, she wondered if he was real. Then came his voice.

“You have come far,” he said, his back still to her.

Slowly, he turned and faced her. His eyes were a large shining blue, even in the dim light, and they seemed to look right through her. As usual, his face was expressionless. Intense.

Caitlin was thrilled to see him here. There had been so many questions she was dying to ask him, and as usual, he seemed to show up at just the moment when she needed guidance the most.

“I didn’t know if I would see you again,” she said.

“You will always see me,” he answered. “Sometimes in person, and sometimes otherwise,” he answered cryptically.

A silence hung between them, as she tried to gather her thoughts.

“There is only key left,” she found herself saying. “Does that mean I will see my father soon?”

He studied her, then slowly looked away.

Finally, he said, “That depends on your actions, doesn’t it?”

His habit of answering a question with a question always drove her mad. She had to try again.

“The new clue,” she said. “The page. The torn page. I don’t know where it leads. I don’t know what to look for. Or where.”

Aiden stared off into the horizon.

“Sometimes clues look for you,” he answered. “You know that now. Sometimes you must wait for things to be revealed.”

Caitlin thought about that. Was he telling her to do nothing?

“Then… is there nothing for me to do?” she asked.

“There is much for you to do,” Aiden responded.

He turned and faced her, and slowly, for the first time in as long as Caitlin could remember, he broke into a smile. “You have a wedding to plan.”

Caitlin felt herself smiling back.

“I wanted to. But I was afraid that it was frivolous,” she said. “That I should put on hold. That I should be searching first.”

Aiden slowly shook his head.

“A vampire wedding is not frivolous. It is a sacred event. It is the merging of two vampire souls. It brings more power to each of you, and more power to our entire coven. And it will only deepen your growth, your skills. I am proud of you. You have grown greatly. But if you are to evolve to the next level, you need this. Each union brings its own power. Both for the couple, and for the individual.”

Caitlin felt relieved, excited – but also nervous.

“But I don’t know how to plan this kind of wedding. I would barely even know how to plan a human wedding.”

Aiden smiled. “You have many friends who will help you. And I will preside over the ceremony.” He smiled. “I am a priest, after all.”

Caitlin smiled wide, liking the thought of that.

“So, what do I do now?” Caitlin asked, excited, nervous, not knowing where to begin.

He smiled.

“Go to Caleb. And say yes. Let love take care of the rest.”

Chapter Eight

Kyle trekked through the bogs of southern Scotland, fuming with hatred. With every step he took, he raged at the thought of Caitlin, running free, eluding him, in time after time, place after place. He dwelled on ways he could capture and kill her, exact revenge.

He had already exhausted nearly every method he could think, and she always seemed to slip through his grasp. He did manage to exact a small, petty revenge in poisoning her family. He smiled inwardly at the thought of that.

But it wasn’t enough. This had gone on already way too long, and the last time they’d met, he had to admit it, she had overpowered him. He was shocked at her strength, her fighting skills. She had actually outfought him. It was beyond anything he could have anticipated.