The soft melodic tinkle of the piano started, and Marcus twisted around as a procession of bridesmaids strolled down the aisle in beautiful gowns, carrying a bouquet of white and purple flowers. Ella glided along, swaying the way she did, smiling at him and lighting a fire deep within him in an instant. Casting his eyes over her soft curves, he admired every inch of her, stirring his desire and reminding him of their antics last night. Their lovemaking had been sweet and tender. Ella slid her gaze to his and blew him a kiss. He sat there immobile as he watched her, enchanted.
“When do you leave?” Steel asked, shaking him out of his daydream.
“We leave the day after tomorrow,” Marcus replied.
His boss spoke with his usual gruff voice. “And you’re set on Ella joining you, despite being pregnant?”
Marcus shifted in his seat, examining the rigid set of his wife’s shoulders as she stood, holding her bouquet of flowers. Ella wasn’t like any other woman he had ever encountered. Aside from the fact, that as a soul-shifter, she was part human and goddess with her own unique brand of magic running through her veins, she loved hard, gave as good as she got, and never gave up. Every battle she faced made her stronger and yet, she managed to be kind and forgiving. In his mind, Ella was too damn forgiving. He loosened his tie and sighed.
“We need to find her brother, Issac, and learn what he knows. If Zephra’s vision is correct, he’s in Wales, and Ella needs to do this. The last time I left her behind, she ended up fighting the Morrigan…alone. Her shoulder still aches. This way, she’ll be at my side.”
Steel stroked his whiskers and dipped his head low. “She’s full of spirit, and no one is more worthy of being at your side, son.”
Marcus eyed his commander, recognizing the admiration for his wife shining bright in his clear eyes, and nodded.
Steel slouched back in his chair, slapping his hand on his arm, and looked more relaxed than he had ever seen him. And that was all due to the witch at his side.
“The Morrigan threatened us all, but I won’t let her harm my family again. If she wants me, she can come and get me. I’ll make it easy. I’ll agree to go with her. I’ll do anything that doesn’t involve my wife in a face-off with the goddess of war. I may only be buying time, but we can’t just sit and wait. We’re doing this and you better have our backs.”
“Don’t I always?” Steel said, his expression directed right at him, and he nodded.
The procession of bridesmaids split left and right, turning to face the audience as they waited for the bride. Ella stared at him, but her focus switched direction. Following his wife’s line of vision, Marcus caught sight of the emperor of the vampires and frowned in response. He had already decided he didn’t trust Lucius, and now the leader of the vamps escalated his irritation. His face reminded him of someone he couldn’t place, but how was that possible?
“Is Ella on board with this?”
Marcus reined in his focus and frowned at Steel, going over the conversation, lost for a moment in his thoughts. “Not exactly. But she knows we don’t have a lot of options, and I’ll be damned if I’ll sit by and wait for the Morrigan to strike again. This way, we have the element of surprise. I want this over. Ella deserves to have peace this time when she gives birth.”
Steel slapped his hand over his and he sighed.
Lifting his head, he studied Roman, the prince of vampires, who looked down the aisle, his eyes no doubt seeking Isabella. The vampire’s serious expression revealed none of his inner turmoil, but Marcus caught the vamp fiddling with his fingers, something he had never witnessed before. Perhaps nerves as he waited for his bride. A gasp from the crowd signaled Isabella had arrived. There was no other woman besides Ella for him, and judging by the vampire’s stillness and determined glare, he felt the same way about his. But he wondered what Roman would make of Lucius’s concerns.
“I’ll do anything to protect my family. Even if it means sacrificing myself, as long as Ella has peace.”
Steel gripped his hand. “Then don’t fuck this up. Because if you die, your woman will never have that.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Two weeks later
Steel’s funeral service was kept short. He wasn’t a religious man and had left explicit instructions for Marcus to carry out in the event of his death. His estranged wife had passed away several months ago, a fact they only discovered now. Ella’s boss had requested to be cremated, with his ashes to be dispersed over the stormy ocean he loved. He did not want a lavish send-off. Marcus gave an emotional eulogy, talking about the man he admired and his life in glorious detail, laughing over his antics in the military, adding some humor to the somber occasion.
After the brief ceremony at the clifftop, everyone had been invited inside Steel’s mansion to celebrate the man’s life. The last time there had been such a gathering of creatures, it had been to forge an alliance with the members of the Assembly, to solve the unexplained murders of the supernatural species and humans. At the time, they believed the culprit to be the Padre. Now, they knew the identity behind the chaos was the Morrigan.
Today, the smiles on everyone’s face were forced and several members of the Assembly were absent. Ella shook hands with
