20. Leia

Chapter 20

Six months later

The mirror reflected Aimée and Nic's mom bustling around behind me as I put the finishing touches to my make-up and hair. Nic's mom was doing something to the flowers, and Aimée was unpacking a box that seemed to only be full of delicate tissue paper as she removed layer after layer.

"It's been such a long time. I've forgotten what to do." Nic's mom stopped moving and looked at me. "Maybe we should hold more weddings."

I laughed. When I'd suggested I marry Nic in a normal (human) ceremony, no one had known quite what to do because it had dropped out of favor in vampire society.

True mates—mates of any kind, really—didn't require a ceremony that was mostly symbolic and about the exchange of tokens. But Nic had agreed quickly, the same way he did when I expressed desire for anything at all that he could grant me.

Another piece of tissue paper fluttered as Aimée pushed it to the floor behind her. "Who the hell am I kidding?" she muttered. "I still don't know what I'm doing."

I caught her eye in the mirror and grinned. "And that makes it even more special that you're here with me. Thank you for humoring this."

Ever since I'd been a child, I'd had the exact spot in Mom's garden picked out for where I wanted to hold my wedding. In my head, I'd already set up the gazebo and strung the fairy lights, arranged the chairs for the guests, and woven ribbons between the flowers and trees.

And I knew Aimée and Nic's mom didn't really understand. I wasn't sure it was even something they truly remembered or even connected with actual weddings but they were both fully involved for me, and that was all that mattered.

The perfume of all the flowers scented my room, and Nic's mom glanced up. "I'll get Baldwin to move these downstairs. I think they're ready."

I glanced over the vases Nic's mom had arranged to line the paths to the gazebo, and I smiled. "They're perfect."

I returned my attention to my face in the mirror as I applied eyeliner to my left eye. It was a face that would never age now.

Never ageing. How did that happen?

But I pictured Nic, and I didn't regret my choices.

I'd only been a vampire for six months, and the war had been won for nearly as long. It had really been the perfect time to plan a wedding. Mom would have been proud of me. I liked to think Dad would have been too, that maybe I could have walked down the short aisle on his arm, his old smile in place.

I glanced at the dress I'd selected for the ceremony. It was simple and white, a little bit boho, with daisies that reminded me of my mom stitched around the hem. It didn't quite say wedding but none of the vampires would really know or care.

"Aha!" Aimée's eyes glowed triumphantly. "It looks perfect."

My room was strewn with tissue paper when I turned to look at her, and I grinned at her enthusiasm. "You've decorated my room with paper?"

She rolled her eyes. "No, silly."

Then she reached into the box and drew out a long, ivory gown.

I covered my gasp with my hand and blinked back the tears that threatened to undo all of my careful work with my make-up.

"Mom's dress?" My voice was just a croak.

Aimée still looked triumphant as she nodded. "Yes. Turns out Nicky's not the only one with an attic he rarely goes into."

I'd seen that dress every day in the wedding pictures Mom had scattered around our house—reminders of one of her happiest days, she'd always said. But I'd never dreamt I'd see it again today.

"Aimée, you might be a miracle worker." I stood and walked toward her, reaching out to touch the soft fabric of the dress. "Thank you for letting me see this today."

"Letting you see it?" She scoffed, the sudden noise out of place. "I hope you're going to wear it. I've had it tailored to your measurements."

This time, I couldn't stop the tears that spilled down my cheeks. Oh, well—I could redo my make-up. I grabbed Aimée into a fierce hug, and she yelped a little.

"Vampire strength," she wheezed out, and I relaxed.

"Sorry," I murmured against her hair. "And thank you. Thank you so much, Aimée." I gave her an extra squeeze again because I just couldn't help it.

"Are you ready to try it on?"

I looked at the dress again, disbelief driving me to touch it again. Like it couldn't be real. "I'm ready."

But as I spoke, I shook my head, belying my words. Wearing Mom's dress had never even crossed my mind.

"Something old," Aimée murmured and she prepared the dress for me to step into.

Nic's Mom moved forward, a pair of delicate pearl earrings in her outstretched hand. "And here is something borrowed. Nic's father gave them to me, many years ago."

Her eyes grew a little misty, swirling the same gray as Nic's.

I giggled through my tears. "You two have really done your research."

She simply smiled. "Of course. You're part of our family now, Leia, and you're important to Nic, so you're important to all of us as well."

Aimée had outdone herself with Mom's dress. It fit me perfectly and dropped the floor in an effortless, graceful flow of fabric. When I moved, it clung and swished in all the tight places. "I feel like a princess."

"Isn't that the way all brides are supposed to feel?"

I glanced at Aimée. Apparently, she'd been reading and memorizing bridal magazines. I almost teased her for it, but instead I nodded, feeling touched. "Yes, I think it is."

She smiled like she was proud of her work then finished fastening the row of tiny buttons that tracked my spine.

I exhaled a calming breath as she lifted something else from the box—Mom's veil—before fixing it into my hair with delicate flower clips accented in the palest blue.

"The shoes are new, right?" She sounded worried, and I laughed.

"Yes, we have our old, new, borrowed, and blue bases completely covered." I nudged against her. "Thank you. Both of you." I included Nic's mom, and she smiled.

"Nic will be wondering where you are."

"Brides are supposed to be late," Aimée reeled off another fact she must have read in a magazine.

"Still, I don't want to miss it completely," I acknowledged and took a deep breath before unnecessarily smoothing Mom's dress and turning toward the door.

Longing for my dad squeezed my chest. He should have been here for this part, but maybe it was more fitting that I walk alone. I'd supported us alone for more years than I could count, and I'd made my decision to enter this life alone.

Well, alone except for Nic.

I took a deep breath and left my room to start my walk to the garden.

Nic

Leia brought out so many emotions in me that I wasn't used to experiencing. She always had. Today, I stood at an altar in a gazebo in her childhood yard, my insides tangled into knots as I waited for her to appear. There wasn't even any reason to be nervous.

She was my true mate. She'd wanted a wedding. But I checked my watch again. She was late.

I glanced at Jason. "She's late."

He cleared his throat. "I think they're supposed to be," he muttered. Then he grinned. "Don't take it personally."

I looked around the gardens, the ones I'd had restored. It was like a trip down memory lane. I'd spend many evenings walking these gardens, listening to the stories of Leia's maternal ancestors. They'd intrigued me as humans, the only family to capture my interest, and now that seemed fated. Like I was just waiting for the one to capture me for all time.

And now she had.

Music seemed to swell from nowhere at all, and the cue that things were starting carved a hollow in my chest, releasing all of my breath just as I tried to draw a fresh one. Leia appeared in view, and I almost sank to my knees at the sight of the beautiful woman slowly walking toward me, her approach both the ultimate offering while also being almost predatory.

A small smile curved her lips, and I tried to return it, but my face felt frozen as she continued to walk toward me. She was my mate. I swallowed past the lump in my throat as I wrestled with the idea that this beautiful, strong woman was mine.

My eyes prickled and I swiped at them, hoping for discretion, but Leia smiled a little wider, so perhaps she'd seen my gesture.

When she reached my side, I took both of her hands and pressed my mouth to hers, eager for the softness of her lips, but she drew away and chuckled.

"That's for after the ceremony," she whispered and glanced at the official.

I chuckled too. Adherence to human standards meant very little to me, but this day was for Leia.

The celebrant recited words and pledges and vows, and I spoke the words back to him, meaning every one as I looked in Leia's eyes and promised her my body and my soul.

Leia said she'd made very few changes to a traditional marriage ceremony, so as much as she actively seemed to be trying to shed her humanity, she clung to elements of it and rejoiced in that connection to all she'd previously understood and lived by.

I didn't want her to lose that. I wanted to give her everything she needed.

"This is the kissing part." Leia's voice broke into my thoughts, and she stood on her tiptoes to press her lips to mine.

I clutched her against me, deepening the kiss, uncaring of the onlookers watching the ceremony. I had everything I needed.

My true mate.

My bride.

My wife.