Daylight, a Timeless Series Novel (43 page)

“Shall we?” He extended his arm
, and I looped my hand through it.

The silk of my dress swished with each step. We paused at the top of the stairs so I could take in the beauty of the garland
s wrapping the staircase and the candlelight in the entry.

“Ready?” Daniel asked and I nodded.

I blinked, and we were at the bottom of the stairs. I smiled. At least I wouldn’t trip down the stairs. We moved towards the sitting room, and stopped at a small table so I could pick up my bouquet.

It was a beautiful
collection of brilliant pink and white zinnias. The stems were wrapped in a white silk with long flowing silk ribbons attached. They were simple, and yet elegant, like everything else Lilly had planned. We waited in the sitting room until Lilly came and motioned for us to wait at the terrace doors.

My heart began to race, its beat rattling in my ears
, drowning out the soft music. Daniel’s fingers touched my arm, and I took a deep breath.

“You okay?” he whispered leaning closer.

“Nerves,” I murmured back.

Clayton and Skylar stood guard to the entrance, their eyes on us. Lilly motioned
, and they slowly drew back the tulle-filled entry, parting the way for Daniel and me.

The music changed
, and my knees grew weak. I leaned on Daniel as he escorted us off the terrace steps and into the tent.

The tables were gone and chairs were lined up in their place.
I took in the beauty around me. The rows were draped with wildflower garlands along with the tent posts, and thousands of twinkling lights illuminated the ceiling. I followed the rose petals that continued their trail to the front. The sunlight was disappearing over the horizon, and the soft hue was creating a warm glow. The lights sparkled.

My attention
locked on Callon, and at that moment, nothing else mattered. He made me forget about everything else.

His warm eyes took me in, while goosebumps trailed over my skin. His black tux made him
look regal, like he had been made for this moment, to stand and wait for my arrival. A stray lock of his wavy brown hair fell on his forehead; his chiseled jaw was clean shaven. His full lips beckoned me to come closer, to kiss them wholeheartedly.

Callon stepped forward as Daniel squeezed my hand and raised it for Callon to take. My pulse quickened even more, but any fear or doubt I
might have had washed away with every step we took. We stopped in front of Dex. Callon raised both my hands in his, and placed a tender kiss on each without ever losing eye contact.

A shiver filled with pleasure and promise escaped me.

“I’m the lucky one,” he whispered as he leaned in and place a kiss near the corner of my mouth. “The lucky one indeed.”

I heard Dex begin the ceremony, but I didn’t take in all the words…I absorbed all of the man that was before me, my soon to be husband, Callon.

Lilly stepped beside me and took my bouquet; it was time for our vows. We each turned, facing each other, and locked wrist over wrist. Lilly next held a carved metal box with a simple latch. Dex raised the lid and revealed what looked like an old, worn leather braided rope.
The Braid del amour, the braid of love.

Reverently he pulled it from its velvet-lined case and began to wrap it around our connected hands. He then began to speak.

“As the
Braid del amour
is wrapped around your arms, we are reminded this braid, as our lives, is twisted together in a myriad of different ways. You each bring in your own parts, and combine them together to form one union. One union that shall forever remain strong, one union that will eternally remain united in love.”

Dex focused his attention on Callon now.

“Callon repeat after me,” he said. “I, Callon Michael O’Shea, of the Consilador clan, pledge my love and my life to you, Cheyenne Alexis Wilson. To forever be your partner in life and your one love. I will cherish each moment I have with you more each day than the day before. I will trust you and rule with you, I will laugh and cry with you. I will love you faithfully no matter the outcome, regardless of the trials we shall face. I give you my heart and my soul from this day forward as long as we both shall live and until death we should part.”

I listened as
Callon repeated his vow to me, and then watched in awe as the Braid began to give off a bluish hue. I looked up, listening to the love and sincerity flowing from his voice, and the firm grasp of his hands told me of his commitment. Dex turned to me now, and he read the same vow. It was my turn to repeat the words.

“I, Cheyenne Alexis Wilson, of the Kvech and Servak clan
s, pledge my love and life to you, Callon Michael O’Shea.” My voice grew stronger, knowing the words I was pledging to him. The Braid’s glow began to grow. “To forever be your partner in life and your one love. I will cherish each moment I have with you more each day than the day before…” I hesitated, blinking my eyes. My vision was growing blurred, lights flashing around the edges. I looked down. The Braid’s blue hue was growing darker. A tingling sensation tickled my skin. My powers were draining. Were they going into the braid? They hadn’t told me what would happen during the ceremony. They just said our powers would unite. Why hadn’t I thought to ask more detailed questions? I inhaled and forced myself on.

“I will trust you
and rule with you, I will laugh and cry with you. I will love you…” I paused again. A strange stinging sensation pinched at my flesh. I shook my head; the lights around Callon’s body were growing brighter. I couldn’t see his face clearly now, but felt his grip tighten. I went on.

“Faithf
ully no matter the outcome…regardless of the trials we face…” I sucked in a wild breath, starting to become light-headed. “I give you my heart and my soul…”

The pain was
becoming intense, and I shook. This wasn’t right. I tried to focus on Callon again, and then realized my mistake. The lights; they weren’t from the ceiling. They were shimmering speckles, the same ones that had appeared during our ride to Dex and Lilly’s. Where Callon had first kissed me to break their hold on me.

No…not here…not today!
This couldn’t be happening!

“Cheyenne!” Callon’s voice broke through.

“The lights,” I whispered, scarcely able to get the words out. “The lights…
Ghosters!
”

They’d been here the whole time
, and I was staring straight at them…they were around Callon’s face!

With every ounce of energy I possessed, I fought to
shut my eyes. But it was too late. They had me, and I couldn’t stop them. They must have waited until I was at my weakest during the ceremony, when my powers would start to fade…but how’d they get through the enchantment? Had Colt let them in?

I watched in horror while I floated above my body in a ghost
-like state, my vows unfinished. There was an eerie silence as I watched my family frantically race to my side. It was as if all sounds were blocked out. I could see their lips moving, but I heard nothing. I grew cold, colder than I’d ever felt, like I was freezing. The warmth my skin provided no longer insulated me. I exhaled, and steam rose from my mouth only to cause me to start choking. It was as if the air was freezing on contact—freezing me from the inside out!

Dex ripped the glowing Braid from our arms. In desperation
, Callon pushed his lips to mine, fighting to bring me back—to focus on him. I reached out, struggling to force myself back into my body, but it only caused more agony. I wailed as thousands of needles pierced my limbs and saw, in the last moment before I was ripped away, my limp body in his arms—my eyes wide open and lifeless.

The more I struggled
, the more misery I was in. The needle pricks turned into stabbing pain. I willed myself to still. I watched the forest fly past as I was sucked away by some invisible force. My soul was ripped from my body, only to be joined back when I arrived at the Ghoster’s side. I was at their mercy—I’d be in Marcus’s hold. No!

Powerless, I could only watch the scenery fly past.
Trees flew by in a blur as they blended together. Dark shadows mixing with the leaves…what else was out there? The night sky gave way to a glowing figure in the distance. As I came closer, I saw the Ghoster, and Raina was standing beside her.

I hit what felt like a brick wall, my body slamming to an abrupt stop and my head pounding. I gasped and lay on the cold
forest floor. Pain came in waves that rippled through my limbs and I shook, completely incapacitated.

Slender fingers grasped my wrist
, and the searing pain of flames ignited. Raina was burning me. But without my strength, without my powers, there was nothing I could do to fight back.

I didn’t have to rise or even look up to know we were moving again. Strips of her black mist licked at my face like whips snapping in the wind. I lay crumpled at her feet
, dragged through the forest again. The sounds of my dress ripping to shreds as it caught on the branches echoed exactly how I was feeling at the moment. How…how had they come for me?! Maes had promised me everything was going to be alright, that everyone would fight for me, and yet Marcus’s forces had snatched me with barely a second thought. My mind whirled. Had someone else chosen to betray us? But why? Everything around me, everything I’d fought for and loved was once again ripped away.

It was over.
We’d lost.

A scream captured my attention, and I search the darkness
, frantic to see who it was. Nakari’s ivory gown stood out in the night, but she wasn’t standing anymore. A fight was taking place, and she was surrounded by misty shadows that soon blocked her from sight.

“Give her back!” Nakari screamed.

“Nakari!” I cried, knowing I could do nothing to help her. I could only pray she’d survive.

Another black shadow
stirred between the trees, blurring as it moved and then suddenly became clear…Daniel! He neared, and I struggled to reach out, trying to break Raina’s burning grip.

Time seemed to move in slow motion as the moon’s rays shone down through the trees. I pushed back the agony and forced myself to my knees, shoving myself into Raina’s legs to knock her off balance.

She hissed and glanced back. Daniel reached out, and suddenly Raina’s fingers dug into my scalp. She yanked me forward, and I screamed as white hot pain rippled through my head. I lost my breath, and I felt my eyes rolling back into my head.

I was
quickly losing consciousness. Raina’s grip was taking its toll. Without my powers to protect me, she could very well kill me if she didn’t release me soon.

The moonlight faded
, and soon lights outlining a city clipped past. She was circling us around the city, avoiding populated areas. She had to be taking me to the Dublin airport.

We stopped
, and I was dropped, my cheek hitting what felt like concrete. My breaths were short and labored. Heavy footsteps neared.

“I told you not to hurt her!” an angry voice snarled.
A voice that sounded like Marcus.

“She’s breathing
, and she’s here. It’s more than the others have done for you!” Raina snapped back. Her words were cut off by a yelp.

“
Don’t try me, Raina!” he hissed. “I only keep you around because you’re useful, but that doesn’t guarantee your safety. Now release her!”

Her petite body slammed onto the concrete beside me, her blue eyes burned with a wild animal
’s rage. A moment later, she was shoved away and Marcus rolled me to my back. His fingers brushed the hair from my lashes and sympathy etched his face. I growled. How could the man who’d inflicted so much pain on me dare look at me like that!

Carefully
, he adjusted the remnants of my torn silk dress and scooped me up into his arms without saying a word.

“You’re mine now.”
I hadn’t the strength to stop him—to stop what was now taking place. Everything around me began spinning, and I pressed my eyes closed trying to prevent the nausea from taking over.

“Marcus!” Callon’s voice boomed with fury.

My heart began to race. Callon was here! I opened my eyes, enough to see that we were inside a dimly lit hangar and just feet away from a jet. Marcus halted, turning to face him.

“It’s been done, Marcus,” Callon
said. “We’ve already united our powers. She’ll do you no good. Let her go.”

Callon and Daniel stood side
by side. Their eyes were hard and piercing, their stances rigid and firm, ready to do battle.

“Do you take me for a fool, Callon?” Marcus
asked.

“You are a fool if you think you can leave here with Cheyenne,” Callon’s reply was laced with warning.

“…from this day forward, as long as we both shall live, and until death we should part,” Marcus said.

My eyes went wide.
The vows! I didn’t finish my vows, but Callon had!

Marcus shook his head. “Your vows were not completed. I
t’s too bad really, you were so close.”