hard on him about their relationship too, especially Michael. We constantly warned him that he was getting too close, and that it could only end badly.” She sighed. “He tried to date other women over the years, but I think your souls were already connected; it was just a matter of you growing up. And now, you are perfect for each other.”
Kris did the mental math in her head, since Derrick had never mentioned how old he was. He was about forty-nine, and he’d live another hundred years. If she were lucky, Kris had another seventy years at most. So, he’d be alone for thirty years or more. More years than she’d already lived. That didn’t seem fair.
Sensing her distress, Sabrina touched her cheek. “He wants you, Kristina. Neither you nor anyone else will ever change his mind, so stop thinking whatever you’re thinking.”
Kris’ eyes popped open, wondering how she’d known.
“I’ve been there. At a hundred years old, Lyn hardly looks a day over fifty, and I worry sometimes, but he still gazes at me as if I am the only woman on the planet.”
“You
Derrick’s warm arms folded around Kris, instantly comforting her. The thought that they too would always be so happy was worth everything. “You ready to go home?” Derrick whispered in her ear. And though Derrick’s father didn’t as much as raise an eyebrow, Kris felt her cheeks heat up, knowing he could hear everything.
“Almost,” she responded. “I have one thing left to discuss with your mother.” The three of them stared at her as if confused, so she continued, “Derrick mentioned you wanted to plan a wedding ceremony with all the frills.” She raised her hand to her chest, battling the tears that threatened at the notion they wanted to take care of her as if they were her parents. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart, but I don’t want a big wedding, Mr. and Mrs. Ashton. In fact, it may sound strange, but I don’t want a wedding at all, especially with all that’s going on.” Derrick’s eyes widened and he started to protest, so she raised her hand, silencing him. “Let me rephrase that. I want to get married, but I don’t want a wedding. I don’t have any family—other than all of you—so I think it would make me sad.”
“Oh, honey.” Sabrina stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her. “Don’t think we would ever push you into doing anything you don’t want. I just want you to be happy.”
Kris accepted the hug, reveling in the feeling of Sabrina’s arms around her. She hadn’t felt parental affection since she was a child. She’d forgotten how good it felt when her mother tucked her in at night, read bedtime stories, pressed her lips to her forehead to check if she had a temperature. All the tiny gestures that she’d taken for granted prior to her mother’s murder.
She leaned back and smiled at her new family. “I know, and I am. I just didn’t want you to feel disappointed if I talked Derrick into eloping.”
They all laughed and Kris relaxed. Already, she felt at home with the Ashtons. Of course, she wondered if Victoria was still within hearing range, listening to their conversation, waiting for an opportunity to kill her. The woman petrified her as no man ever had. Something told Kris that she wouldn’t feel safe until Vic fell in love with another man.
Chapter Twenty-five
“Today?” Derrick asked as he plopped behind the wheel, elated at the thought of marrying Kristina.
She stared at him as if she hadn’t a clue what he was talking about. “Today, what?”
“Do you want to get married right now?”
She jumped onto her knees in the passenger seat. “Can we?”
Derrick couldn’t help but laugh. “If we hurry, yes! It’s still early. Massachusetts has a waiting period, but New Hampshire is only forty-five minutes away and they don’t.” He ran his hand up her cheek. “And I know a beautiful place we can stay afterward.” His heart thumped loudly in his chest, so loud he could hear it, and at the moment—well, always—he was thankful Kristina was human and couldn’t hear his heart race. It was amazing how something as simple as that gave away one’s feelings. As creatus, they’d learned to control their heart rate and pulse when near a possible threat. Around Kristina, however, Derrick never had to worry about anything. He’d never felt so alive as he did since he’d been with her. And marrying her would just make them more complete. Though most creatus didn’t care about the act of marrying, he knew his mother—and even Kristina although she didn’t want to admit it—wanted to go through all the traditions. And he did too really. Something about taking official vows made it feel all the more tangible.
Kristina glanced at her clothes. “Like this?”
“I think you look beautiful,” he replied. “I happen to love simple attire of jeans and t-shirts, but we can do a little shopping afterward. The place I want to take you has an amazing restaurant that overlooks a mountain. We’d have to backtrack to go home, so let’s just go. It’ll be romantic, exactly what I’ve been waiting for. Plus… since no one knows where we are going, for at least a few nights anyway, we can feel completely at ease.”
“I feel at ease now, Derrick. After all, you are the superest superhero of them all, right?”
He laughed as he pulled out of the driveway. “Have you ever been to White Mountain National Forest?”
Kristina sighed. “Derrick…”
He stopped in the street and looked to her side of the car because of the way she sighed and said his name. “Yes?”
Tears flooded her eyes. “Do you have to ask? You’ve known me since I was eight. I’ve never been anywhere.”
He rested his hand behind her neck at her distressed look and his careless words he’d uttered out of habit. It’s just what people said, but perhaps he needed to be more thoughtful. No, she’d never been anywhere. He knew that. “I’m sorry. That was insensitive, but I’ll think before I speak in the future. And, get ready, my love. We’re going to have fun this week.” He stopped for a second. “Do you mind driving? I can make all the arrangements over the phone on the way.”
Kristina swiped away a tear as she nodded. Derrick jumped out of the vehicle and she crawled over the center console. He typed the address for Manchester, New Hampshire into the GPS as their first stop and then went to work on his iPhone.
“Derrick…” Kristina pulled him from his thoughts a few miles down the road. “Do you think Beth will be okay? I mean, he won’t go after her again, will he?”
“No.” He shook his head. “He won’t. The rogue just wanted to make sure I knew he was targeting me; he’s made his point and he knows I know it. Plus, Michael promised to keep an eye out.” He paused before continuing, not wanting to tell her the truth, even though she already recognized what was going on. “He wants me, Kristina… which means he wants you too. He’ll go after you first, though, I think. To hurt me.”
She nodded, but didn’t comment on his blunt statement. She was tough. Of course, he’d always known that about her. “So, is that why you want to go away?”
“Hey, it was your idea to elope,” he reminded her. “I just thought it sounded like a perfect plan. We get away for a few days, get married, and give Michael a chance to catch a killer.”
She released a nervous chuckle. “When you say it that way, it doesn’t sound quite as romantic.”
He leaned over to her side of the cab. “Keep your eyes on the road, beautiful.” He brushed his lips down her neck and shoulder and peered up at her, making sure she kept her attention on the road. He trailed his hand along her arm. “I promise to make it the most romantic weekend you’ve ever experienced,” he whispered in her ear.
She squirmed as a shiver must have swept through her. The idea that he could make her wriggle with just whispered words sent a thrill through his own body. “That won’t be too difficult, Derrick,” she said through a chuckle.
He collapsed in his seat, sighing. “You went out on plenty of dates over the years, Kristina. I know… I had to clench my teeth as I waited for you to get home safely.”
She crinkled her nose and then chewed on her bottom lip. “Hmm… not sure how I feel about the fact that
