House of Ravens (31 page)

The hostess seats us at a booth near the
back of the building, eying Henry with great wariness.

“
Thank you for coming out
with us,” Ian says, acting nervous and unsure. I set my hand on his
knee under the table and he covers it with his own hand. His ring
sits upon my finger, a constant reminder of the love that ties us
together.

“
Why do you seem so
nervous, Ian?” Henry says with a hint of a smile on his lips as he
takes a drink from the glass the waitress sets in front of
him.

“‘
Cause, well, last time I
asked this question, I was told no,” Ian chuckles.

Henry does actually smile. It’s a small
thing. Reserved and subtle. But it’s a smile. “Well, what could you
expect? I couldn’t have my daughter going off and marrying someone
I didn’t know.”

Ian looks over at me, and a slew of memories
pass between us.

In the month and a half since the battle of
the Bitten, things have been calm. We’ve taken time to recover, to
recharge our batteries. And it’s given us the perfect opportunity
to get to know one another. Henry and I. Henry and Ian. Hours spent
together, just talking. Learning small details and little
secrets.

We’re becoming a family. One simple day at a
time.

“
I hope you feel that has
changed,” Ian says, looking back at Henry.

My father doesn’t respond right away. He
studies my fiancé for a long moment, before his eyes flick to mine.
“Once I found out about my daughter’s existence, I tried to gain
some kind of connection to it. I observed her, learned about her
needs and her abilities. Alivia is fire and brilliance.”

His eyes burn into mine, and I find all of
my emotions surging. After over twenty years of never knowing who
my father was, here he is. We’re together.

“
Sometimes when fire and
fire meet one another,” Henry looks back at Ian, “it just destroys
everything. It burns too hot, causing destruction and pain to
everything around it. And eventually, both those flames extinguish
one another.”

My heart races. Because it’s an accurate
description. When Ian and I first met, we were both hot flames,
each fighting the other, but so desperately trying to exist
together. But in the end, all we caused was pain.

“
But sometimes,” Henry
says, reaching across the table and taking one of my hands in his.
He reaches again, taking Ian’s other hand, as well. “Those flames
make each other burn brighter.” He looks from Ian to me. “Giving
light to those who stand by them.”

Henry studies me, and I can’t fight the
smile that breaks onto my face. The love I’ve come to have for this
man in such a short amount of time is astounding. And it’s all
there in his eyes. He loves me. Father and daughter.

“
Henry,” Ian says, bringing
me back into this tender moment. “May I please have your permission
to marry your daughter?”

My father’s eyes flick from my face to
Ian’s. He takes a moment to respond. But slowly, a small smile
pulls his lips. “I wouldn’t wish anyone else to marry her. Ian
Ward, you have my permission.”

The smile that breaks onto my face could
blind the world. And a triumphant one is on Ian’s own face as he
turns to me, pulling me to him to claim a kiss.

“
Alright, alright!” Henry
says, mock disgust in his tone. “That’s enough of that!”

“
Dad!” I laugh, leaning my
head on Ian’s shoulder. “I know you’re far more mature than
that.”

He chuckles, winking at me.

“
So does this mean we have
the all clear to go ahead with next week’s plans?” Ian asks,
looking between Henry and me.

“
What are you waiting for?”
he says.

I glance once more at my father, before
looking up at the love of my life with a smile. “Let’s get married,
Ian Ward.”

A KNOCK SOUNDS ON MY bedroom door and I
smile as I stare up at the ceiling. “Come in.”

The door does not squeak, despite its age,
as it swings open. Through the last of the dark, just minutes
before dawn breaks, bare feet pad over the wooden floor, over to my
bed. I look over, even though I don’t need to.

Ian kneels on the edge of the bed, crawling
up toward me.

“
Don’t you know it’s bad
luck to see the bride before the wedding?” I whisper as he stalls
above me on his hands and knees. A smile curls on my lips, my heart
racing a million miles an hour.

“
I have to disagree,” he
says, lowering his face to mine, his lips only a breath away. But
he doesn’t kiss me. He hovers there, breathing the same air,
letting our heartbeats sync into the same rhythm.

“
And on what grounds do you
claim to disagree?” I tease him, dying to lift my head just
slightly and close the gap between our lips.

“
Because I said so,” he
says as he lowers his head, tracing his nose along the skin beneath
my ear. “Come on.”

He doesn’t give explanations. His hands
close around mine, and he hauls me out of bed. In a flash, we’re
outside and across the grounds. “Jump!” he calls to me as we
rapidly approach the river’s edge.

Gathering my immense strength, we take a
flying leap. With a scream of laughter, hand in hand, I tuck my
knees into my chest, and we cannonball into the waters of the
Mississippi River.

I open my eyes under the water, clinging to
Ian as our bodies magnetize. Buoyancy carries our bodies back to
the surface and we emerge above water into the humid, hot air.

“
It’s always an adventure
with you, Ian Ward,” I say with a smile as I wrap my legs around
his waist. His hands slide under my saturated shirt, caressing and
supporting as he kicks to keep us above water.

“
Wouldn’t want you to ever
get bored of me,” he says as a mischievous smile crosses his
lips.

His eyes study me, tracing down my neck,
lingering over my chest. His fingers search my frame, his body
reacting to our nearness.

“
Just a few more hours,” he
says in reverence, touching his forehead to mine.

“
Are you ready for this?” I
tease him, yet asking a true and serious question.

“
I’ve been ready since the
moment I first saw you, baby doll,” he chuckles in lust and
hunger.

And I smile. He hasn’t called me that in so
long. Since the first few weeks after we met.

“
In just a few hours,
you’re going to be my husband,” I say in awe as my fingers knot
into his hair.

“
A few more hours and
you’ll be my wife,” he echoes, so much reverence in his words as
his mood grows serious.

My eyes slide down to his as my heart
swells. We’re wrapped up in each other, as close as we can get, yet
it’s still not close enough for all the emotions that are coursing
through me.

“
I promise you three
things, Liv,” he says as he once more touches his forehead to mine.
“I promise to protect you, even though you’re perfectly capable of
protecting yourself.” He slides one of his hands up my back,
beneath my shirt. “I promise to always do my best to make you
happy.” He rests that hand against the back of my neck. “And I
promise to always love you.” So very gently, he closes the distance
between us, pressing his lips to mine, sending a wave of sparks and
bliss crashing through my blood. “Those are my
promises.”

I tighten my grip on him, feeling the shore
come to meet Ian’s feet. My eyes study his, so alight with truth
and possibility. I press my lips to his. Gentle but firm. Promises
of an immortal life.

“
I love you,” I breathe
into his lips. And my heart swells and races, so filled with the
certainty of the words.

“
I love you, too,” he
whispers back.

“
Aw, no!” a voice calls
from the bank. Suddenly, we’re both being hauled out of the water,
just as the dawn is breaking. Grabbing Ian from behind is Cameron
and Lexington. Anna throws me over her shoulder.

“
You know all that bad juju
about seeing the bride? Can’t risk that now, can we?” Lexington
bellows as they all haul us back to the House.

“
Are you kidding me?” Ian
says in disgust as Lexington throws him over his
shoulder.

“
This is serious stuff,
bro,” Cameron says as we walk through the doors into the ballroom.
“We told you to stay in Nial’s room like a good boy, and look who
thinks he’s so sneaky he can get past a house full of immortal
ninjas.”

“
You both really should
know better,” Anna chides me as we walk up the stairs and down the
hall to my bedroom.

“
You can’t keep us away
from each other!” I hear Ian call from downstairs.

“
Can’t deny true love!” I
call back with a laugh as we walk through the door to my bedroom,
and Anna closes it with finality behind us.

The banter continues to roll on downstairs.
I laugh as I shake my head and Anna sets me back on my feet. But a
blissful sigh escapes my chest, feeling as if everything is finally
falling into place.

The sun crests over the trees, beautiful and
dawning. I look over my shoulder to the window, left wide open,
inviting in the light. It no longer causes me pain. I no longer
have to hide from it.

I simply get to enjoy my very long, immortal
life.

With my family.

“
No time for daybreak
swims,” Leigh says, walking into my room like she owns the place.
“We have a million things to get accomplished before noon, so get
your skinny, sopping wet, little ass into the shower.” She claps
her hands loudly.

“
Okay, okay, wedding drill
master!” I laugh as I continue dripping water all over the floor
and head for the bathroom. Leigh winks at me as I close the
doors.

I am dried. I am primed. I am buffed and
polished.

Leigh commands it all. The hired hands that
do my hair. That apply my makeup. That do my nails.

Meanwhile, I hear the business outside as
hired hands prepare everything on the grounds.

I hear Ian downstairs, getting ready. The
other men of the house getting dressed.

It’s a flurry of activity, yet all I feel is
calm. I feel excited.

For today, I get to marry my best friend.
The most incredible man I know.

“
Are you ready?” Anna asks,
a hint of a smile on her ever-serious face. It’s so weird having
her around all the time now, so relaxed. We’ve been on the edge of
action for so long. It’s difficult to unwind now that the storm has
passed. She’s even dating Luke out in the open, just like they’re
any normal couple.

I smile, nodding.

It’s just the six of us girls who now live
in the House. Me, Anna, Leigh, Trinity, May, and Elle. We all
gather in my bedroom, a full-length mirror against one wall. I wait
in a strapless bra and panties, holding my breath.

Trinity carries the box in, and the weight
of all of this sinks into my heart.

Three weeks ago, Nial was cleaning out
Lillian’s room at the Institute. Under her bed, he found a dress
box.

And in it, was a wedding dress.

Trinity opens the lid to the box, and Elle
carefully takes it out.

Simple, elegant fabric unfurls, stretching
to the floor. She unzips it, and my ladies help me step into the
gown. I step in front of the mirror as Elle zips me in, so many
emotions rushing through my body.

A sweetheart neckline hugs my chest. The
bodice hugs to my upper waist, the chest covered in simple lace and
carefully placed pearls. The skirt drops down, hanging loose and
flowing around my body. The fabric is faintly rose gold, so subtly
not white, but also soft and warm.

It’s so simple, yet so elegant. The moment I
tried it on weeks ago, I knew no other dress would be more
perfect.

Lillian might not be by my side right now,
zipping me in her beautiful, last creation, but she’s here with me
in this small form.

A knock sounds on the door, our five-minute
countdown.

Leigh lifts the crown of flowers atop my
head as Trinity fastens the simple veil into my hair.

I stare at myself as everything comes
together. So perfect. So breathtaking.

“
You look beautiful,” Leigh
says, scrunching her nose and kissing her lips at me.

“
You’re perfect,” Elle
says, offering a small smile.

“
Ian’s a lucky man,” Anna
says, shrugging her shoulders.

I smile at them all, my heart swelling with
so much love.