Crimson Echo (37 page)

                                                 
            Chapter Fifteen                          

                            
                              Here Comes the Bride

         My legs went numb and wobbled under me as Kane pulled
from Sabrina’s bedroom. I broke out in a cold sweat and my hair stuck to my forehead just thinking about walking in front of all these people that I had never met. My breathing became more labored as we approached the staircase and my hands started to tremble.

            It felt more like stage fright. It was
like that time in fourth grade when we did
Little Red Riding Hood
for the end of the year show. What was Mrs. Myers thinking when she picked me to be the star of the play?  Luckily I ran off the stage before I puked on the entire first row. I think that may have traumatized me for life.

“
I thought we already settled this?” Kane murmured. “Just look at me the entire time. It’s just you and me, okay?”

“I’m the one who should be nervous here, it’s
my
big day. They’ve all come to see me.” Sabrina interjected. I knew she didn’t mean it to come out as catty as it did, but her words stung a little.

“You’re absolutely right. T
hey’ve all come to watch you fall on your face, not me.” I smirked, feeling triumphant at my funny little quip.

            Kane’s entire body stiffened as he moved in front of me.
He stared at Sabrina and shielded me, nudging me backwards. His lips curled up and a small growl escaped. Sabrina and I eyed each other for a quick second and we both burst into laughter as we hugged.  Kane shot up out of his stance with a puzzled look and then smiled when he realized we were joking.

“That was a good one, I’ll give you that.” She laughed.

“Thanks,” I smiled. “I thought it was pretty good too.”

“Well, if you two are done playing aroun
d we have a wedding to get to, remember?” Kane scolded us.

“So
rry.” I whispered.

“Oh Kane, lighten up a little. Talk about a real stick in the mud.” Sabrina said as she adjusted her veil.

            Kane pulled me by the hand again, dragging me to the top of the stairs and then paused. Kole and Patience stood at the bottom waiting for their cue, then Kaleb and Hope in front of us. Sabrina went back to her bedroom and hummed to herself. Kane shot me a worried glance as he straightened his suit.

              
A soft melody carried through the air and up to where we were. It was a piano, the chords so soft and so delicate I could have cried at its beauty. Knowing the time to walk down that aisle was near, my heart raced again, louder than before. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Kane’s lips curved into a slight, brilliant smile. He could hear it too. It probably sounded more like a jackhammer to him.

“C
alm down, you’re going to give yourself a heart attack.” He laughed quietly.

“I’m sorry.” I admitted.
“I’m trying to get it under control.”

“Maybe I should have made those drinks a little stronger.
” My cheeks flushed with warmth as his hand ran along the length of my jaw. He had to have known that his touch would only make my heart beat faster, but I didn’t care.

“That probably would have been a good idea.”

“The dress looks good on you, by the way.” Kane smiled.

“Get a room.” Kaleb
threw his head back and guffawed.

Hope half turned and gave me an
apologizing look.

             
Kane lifted his hand in the air and pointed it toward Kaleb. In his palm a small flame flickered, it was barely noticeable. I realized at once what he planned to do with the small ball of fire and I quickly put my hand in his and pulled it back between us. Kaleb turned to look at us after hearing the loud clap our hands made when they slapped together.

“It wouldn’t have hurt, Tristan.” Kaleb laughed. “He’s not as powerful as he thinks he is.”

Kane stiffened beside me. I yanked on his hand again and he relaxed.

“How did he?” 

Kane pointed to a large mirror hanging on the wall. Kaleb waved, mocking me in the reflection. I stuck out my tongue at him.

           
My eyes flickered to Kole and Patience as they began to move toward the back door. The music got louder when the door opened and faded again as it closed. Kaleb helped his date down the stairs and stopped at the last step. Kane guided me to the place Kaleb stood moments earlier and then stared at me.

“How are you feeling?” Kane
rubbed small circles in my back.

“Okay, I think.
” My hand shot to my throat to check my pulse. “Is my heart beating out of control again?”

“No,” he laughed. “Just checking on you, that’s all.”

I hadn’t noticed Kaleb had left until I heard the music again and I was being pulled to the bottom step.

“Here we go
. Are you ready for this?” He smiled, lifting my hand to his chest. His heart was beating in thick gallumps. It made him seem human, even though I knew he would never think of it that way.

I took a deep breath and clutched his hand tighter in mine.

“Oh, by the way don’t look the queen in the eyes.” Kane added.

“What? Why?”

“Come on, that’s our cue.” He glided gracefully out the door with me in tow.

           
I scanned the crowded gathering, not letting my eyes linger too long on any given person. My gaze locked on the minister and that’s where it stayed. He wore a long white robe of some sort and a very charming smile. He had a round face and was balding on top. He looked around at the guests occasionally, but he mostly kept his eyes down on the book he held in his hands.

           Kane greeted a few people with a hello, others he smiled at, but mostly he watched me. We stopped at the end of the aisle and he had to pry my hand from his. I gave him one last look before we parted and then we walked to our own sides of the altar. I took my place beside Hope and rested my eyes on Kane. He smiled and winked at me.

           
To think this beautiful creature could see something in me, something he valued, something that put me above all else in his eyes baffled me. I had him up on a pedestal, but that was different—he was worthy of a pedestal, I wasn’t.  His blue eyes sparkled in the setting sun, it was magical, and
he
was magical.

           
I got a better look at the decorations now. Small white lights covered almost every surface in the backyard. The large gazebo was covered in flowers and even more lights. Candles were placed on every table and white silk covered every chair. Pink rose petals trailed down the soft, white walkway and disappeared at the altar.

           
The soft melody quickly changed into a wedding march and everyone turned in unison to see Sabrina walk down the aisle. All of the guests stood as Sabrina appeared. Kane and Sabrina were right, all eyes should be on her today—she was stunning, absolutely gorgeous. I could never hold a candle to her—no one could.

            Aurora appeared beside Sabrina
, holding her hand. They walked the length of the white carpet and stopped a foot away from us. I hadn’t even given a thought to the fact that her father wasn’t alive to walk her down the aisle. How she remained so calm, I would never know. Maybe she had had time to come to terms with it, though I don’t think you could ever come to terms with losing a parent.

“Who gives this woman away?”
The minister said after he cleared his throat.

“We do.” Kole, Kaleb, Kane and Aurora all answered at the same time.

            Aurora placed Sabrina’s hand into Stefan’s and kissed her cheek.  He stared at his bride for a long moment and a tear rolled from his eye as he mouthed
I love you
. It was the perfect wedding, with the perfect family. No one could ever hold a place in my heart like these people did.

           
There wasn’t a dry eye in the group and the sound of sniffles was echoed over and over again. Sabrina smiled at Stefan and he smiled back as they joined hands. I looked to every member of the Evans family, all beautiful, perfect and motionless. There was more love in this tiny gathering under the gazebo then I’ve ever felt in my entire life. Where else would I ever want to be then with Kane and his family? I couldn’t imagine a future without them in it.

“Greeting friends,” The Priest started. “We have been invited here today to witness the love that these to young people have for each other. In the many years that this couple has been together their love and understanding for one another has grown and matured and they have decided to live their lives together in marriage.
”

“I would like to start with a scripture.” He added. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes and always perseveres. Love never fails.”

Sabrina wiped a tear from her eye and then handed me her bouquet.

“If anyone objects to this marriage, let them speak now or forever hold
your…” The minister abruptly halted his speech.

“I do,” a man at th
e back of the wedding hissed. “But, only because I can of course.”

            The crowd gasped at his intrusion and a low commotion began to erupt as everyone questioned who this man was.
He gave a crooked smile and snatched a lily from a place setting.  I scanned the horrified faces, waiting for a rebuff. This has to be a joke. How could someone protest to this union, or any union for that matter?

Sabrina’s eyes narrowed and she let out a low, but distinguishable growl.

“Aw, I’m hurt. Did my invitation get lost in the mail?” He raised the lily to his nose and gave it a sniff before throwing it over his shoulder.

“Last time I checked, they didn’t have a pos
tal route in hell!” She glared.

“Touché, since I’m here, I might as well enjoy the show. Where were we reverend?  Oh yes, I object!”

“Why?” The plump, balding man asked like he had been caught off guard.

“Because
I enjoy their pain, it’s fun to watch them squirm.”

“I’ll make you squirm, you, you… you troll!” Sabrina spit. I had never seen her
even slightly upset. It took a lot to get under her skin like this.

“Ouch, is there really a need for name calling? Aren’t we a bit too…old for that?” He laughed to himself, obviously amused by his little joke. The man was menacing as he snaked toward the altar, his yellow eyes shifted from Kole to Kaleb to Kane to Stefan, then on to Sabrina, me, Hope, and Patience and then back to me.

“And who is this beauty?” His pulled my chin up to examine my face.

           
I snapped my neck back, freeing my face from his icy fingertips. His right eyebrow rose and he hissed— he wasn’t used to being defied in this way. My skin burned like acid where he touched me, not the way it felt when Kane did it. I knew he wasn’t human— the yellow eyes gave that away from the beginning. His hair was black as night and his skin almost translucent as the blue veins in his neck seemed to protrude on the surface.

“Don’t touch her!” Kane snarled.

            I turned to Kane as a cold sweat swept over me. He was at my side before my eyes could focus on him. His eyes narrowed and his breathing quickened as he pulled me to him by my waist. His body became rigid as he stared down the sinister man.

“Stay behind us
!” Stefan instructed and the rest of the family coiled around me, protecting me.

“Jackson, please don’t do this.” Aurora begged. “This isn’t how I raised you.”

            It took me a minute to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Kane had once mentioned that he had another brother, but he never told me that he was still alive. I could hardly see the family resemblance, though I was much too frightened to stare into his cold, yellow eyes any longer then I had to. Jackson’s face was more angular, drawn down into a sharp V, where Kane’s was squarer.

“Keep quite old woman, this doesn’t concern you!” His nostrils flared and his hand twisted out in front of him, like I had seen Kane’s do earlier.

            With lightning fast speed Kane tackled his brother to the ground, breaking tables and chairs in the process. It was like watching a pack of angry wolves fight over dinner. They rolled around, fists flying in every direction—growls filled the air as they destroyed everything in sight.

            
I couldn’t tell who had the upper hand— one minute Kane was on top, the next Jackson had the advantage. My eyes tried to keep up with the blur as they whirled around the yard, but it only made me dizzy. Kole, Kaleb, Sabrina and Stefan stood around me like a barrier, blocking me from flying debris. Kole caught a large dogwood tree as it hurled toward us and threw it in the opposite direction.