Between Rubies and Opals

The next week felt like an absolute blur to Erin. Every day there was some or other meeting with either, the florist, the decorator or the wedding coordinator. Erin had allowed her mother and Lukas’s mother to take over all the coordinating of the wedding, and they didn’t seem to mind at all. The only thing Erin insisted on choosing herself was her dress, and the mothers completely understood.

Gowns were flown in from Polawar and Finakew, and Erin could pick any one that she liked. She settled on a vintage design, with a high waistline, a backless satin corset with lace triangular sleeves, and a soft and flowing skirt, that hid her little bump. She was surprised that her unborn pup was already growing as fast as it was, and also terrified if her family, as well as the Wasilewskis were to find out about this. For now, her secret was still safe, even though she didn’t know how much longer she’d be able to hide it.

Because she and Alex had not spoken since the night she was confined within the walls of her parents’ manor, she had asked Scarlet to help her with her dress.

“Wow, Erin! You look perfect,” Scarlet beamed and clasped her hands together.

Erin stared blankly at herself in the mirror, fingering the soft material.

“Perfect…” she whispered to herself.

She may look like a perfect bride, but she definitely didn’t feel like the perfect bride. She felt like a fraud, doing something that she didn’t want to do. She couldn’t smile or be happy like the rest of them. If it were Sam that was going to be at the end of the aisle waiting for her, then she would be, but she couldn’t. She just couldn’t.

“I can’t believe you’re getting married tomorrow, Erin,” Scarlet said excitedly next to her, but the only thing that she was thinking about, was Sam.

“Erin? Earth to Erin.”

“Huh?” Erin turned her head and looked at Scarlet, as she tried to hold back the tears that were in her eyes, but she couldn’t seem to keep it together any more.

“Erin? Are you crying?”

“Only a little,” Erin nodded and burst into tears.

“Erin. Come here.” Scarlet hugged her tight and ran her fingers through Erin’s hair. “Tell me.”

“I can’t do this, Scar. I can’t.” Erin pulled away and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

“You’re just having a bit of cold feet, that’s all. Tomorrow morning, you’ll be overcome with excitement and-”

“I won’t be. I can’t pretend to be happy, when I am dying on the inside. I am so numb, I don’t actually feel like I am alive anymore. My whole life is a lie. It’s spiraling out of control and I am standing here, unable to stop it. I’ve never felt so powerless in my life.”

“Everything will be okay, Erin.”

“How do you know?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never really been good with giving advice,” Scarlet frowned.

Erin let out a disappointed and miserable breath and shook her head. “I wish Lex was here,” she breathed.

The door slowly opened and Alex stood by the door frame. Erin frowned for a split second and wondered how that was possible.

“Scarlet, could you excuse us for a second?” Alex asked, leaning against the white sofa.

“Sure,” Scarlet answered with wide eyes and rushed out of Erin’s dressing room, closing the door behind her.

“You look really pretty,” Alex whispered.

“Too bad I don’t feel that way on the inside.” Erin dropped her gaze and stared out in front of her. “What are you doing in here, Alex?”

“I wanted to talk to you.”

“I have nothing to say to you. Didn’t I make myself clear enough the last time?”

“Erin, please.”

“You told him that I didn’t love him anymore, that I want to be with Lukas. How could you do that to me?”

“I had no choice, trust me.”

“Trust you? After the shit you pulled on me?” Erin exclaimed. “You’re supposed to be my friend, for hell’s sake!”

“Don’t you realize that I was doing this for you, Erin?”

“Stop talking, Alex! I don’t want to hear about-”

“You don’t even know what I want to say! So stop interrupting me and fucking listen to me!” Alex hissed sharply.

Erin snapped her mouth shut and looked at Alex, tears filling up her eyes.

“I didn’t betray you. Nikolai threatened to kill you if I didn’t do as he said. That’s why I did it. Not to hurt you, or Sam, but to save your life.”

Erin looked at her for a few seconds, processing what she had just heard, and shook her head. “He didn’t lie to me either.”

“What?”

“Lukas told me the same thing, but I didn’t believe him,” Erin whispered.

“You shouldn’t trust him anyway. He’s a lying liar, that, um, lies.”

Erin let out a chuckle and looked at Alex. “I’ve missed you.”

“Me too.”

There was a moment of silence between the two vamps and Erin looked at Alex, her eyes full of tears. “I miss him.”

“You really love him, don’t you, Erin?” Alex asked and put her hand on her friend’s shoulder.

“I don’t just love him, Lex. I crave him more than any normal person should. What I feel for him is past my mind, beyond my heart and right into my soul.” Erin started sobbing again.

“Erin, it’s okay…”

“How can you say that? Look at me, I’m a mess without him,” Erin said as she wiped her tears.

“Trust me, everything will be okay.”

“You sound too sure of yourself.” Erin narrowed her eyes slightly and looked at Alex. “What’s going on?”

“I was at the wolf manor,” Alex whispered.

“You were?” Erin exclaimed, but Alex hushed her.

“Keep your voice down.”

“You were there. Did you see him?”

“No, he wasn’t there.”

“Where was he?”

“I don’t know. Not even Gowan knows.” Alex shrugged, but then smiled slightly. “Gowan did tell me a few things.”

“Like?”

“Like you being a vampwolf.”

“A what?” she laughed. “Honestly, that’s the name that you’re going with?”

“You sound like Gowan.” Alex rolled her eyes and inhaled sharply. “He’s nice.”

“I told you,” Erin smiled.

“Anyway.” Alex rolled her eyes with a slight smile and looked at Erin. “He also told me about this.” Alex touched Erin’s stomach and Erin smiled weakly.

“I meant to tell you about that, I just-”

“It’s okay,” Alex fobbed her off.

“Lex?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m terrified that they’ll find out. I’m terrified of what they might do to it. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

“It’s okay.” Alex put her arms around her friend and held her as she cried again. “Everything will be fine.”

“How?”

Alex smiled and whispered into Erin’s ear, “He’ll be back for you.”

Erin pulled away slightly and looked at Alex with wide eyes. Alex put her finger against her lips and Erin nodded.

“Before?”

“Just trust him.”

“I do trust him.” Erin nodded, and looked at Alex. “Thank you, for being the best kind of friend.”

“You’re welcome.”

“And I’m sorry I shouted at you, and called you all those horrible things.”

“It’s okay. You can blame it on your inner bitch,” Alex smirked and Erin pulled her close.

“I love you, Lex,” Erin whispered.

“I love you too.”

Later that night, Erin lay in her bed in the darkness and her soft sobs could be heard even as she shoved her face into her white pillows. She didn’t know how long she had been crying, but the house manor was quiet, she could hear no movement from anywhere inside and no-one was outside lurking in the shadows.

She rolled over onto her side, gazing sadly out the window, her heart torn to shreds. Her temples were throbbing from all the crying and she sat up slowly. Running her fingers through her hair, she slid off the bed and walked over to the window. Her hands rested on the windowsill and she gazed out the window.

As she scanned over the back lawn, she saw movement coming from the row of trees on the border of the estate. She narrowed her eyes as she focused and saw a snow white wolf stepping out of the shadows. The same white wolf she saw on her last night in the manor. She blinked a few times, to check if she was not hallucinating, but the wolf was still there. There was something about its demeanor that was familiar to her.

“Sam?” she mouthed and the wolf looked up at her window. Her heart started pounding in her chest and a tear ran down her cheek.

“I love you,” she mouthed again and the wolf nodded slowly. She let out a soft cry and covered her mouth with her hands.

From the other side of the manor, she heard her father’s footsteps and she sighed miserably.

“Go, you’ll get killed,” she motioned to the wolf and he sprinted off into the darkness. She ran back to her bed and climbed onto it, throwing the blanket over her. After a few seconds, her door opened and Arjen appeared.

“I need to speak with you.”

“Father, I do not wish to speak with you.”

He entered her bedroom, regardless of her turning him away, closed the door behind him and sat next to her on the edge of the bed. Erin turned her head away and already felt the tears of anger fill up her eyes.

“I have some idea how you are feeling at the moment.”

“You have some idea?” Erin exclaimed, and sat up abruptly. “I had to fit a wedding dress today, for a marriage to a man that I don’t even love! Tomorrow, I have to stand in front of everyone, and say I do to him, and promise that I will love him forever, when I feel nothing but hate for him.”

“You will learn to love him over time.”

“That is a lie.” Erin shook her head. “You can’t force love, and you can’t choose who you fall in love with either. I love Sam, and nothing will change that.”

“Erin, let me tell you something.”

“Another piece of wisdom for my hypocritical father? Rather not.”

“I too had to marry someone I did not love,” Arjen said.

“My mother?”

“Yes, she was not my first choice. In fact, she was never even a consideration.”

“Grandmama would never let you do that.” Erin shook her head again.

“It was out of her hands, and those years things were very different. Children did not dare show resistance towards their parents when it came to choosing a mate. We were led to believe that our parents knew best.”

“And did they?”

“Just between you and me, not at all. Your grandmother was also against the marriage. Your grandfather Seamus, and the Lewandowksi family, could not be made aware of her indiscretions with a wolf, so she had no choice but to let it continue.”

“That is so sad.”

“There was one good thing that came of it. You,” Arjen said and took his daughter’s hand. “Please believe me when I say I had no choice.”

Erin looked at him with a frown and shook her head. “No, you could have said something. You know exactly how I feel about Lukas. You feel exactly the same way!”

“Erin-love, I had no choice but agree with your mother. I could not object without exposing the truth to them. What do you think they will do to us if they find out what we are?”

Erin dropped her gaze and shook her head in disapproval. “I hate them.”

“No, you don’t.”

“I do actually. For having a hold over us, for not letting us be free.” Erin ran her fingers through her hair and looked at her father. “Daddy, I don’t want to do this. I can’t marry him. I love Sam.”

“I know, my dearest Erin.”

“Then what do I do?”

“Do whatever is right for you.”

She thought for a moment and frowned. “Will I go to prison if I kill him on our wedding night?”

“You’ve been wanting to do that for a long time,” Arjen chuckled. “But I won’t tell if you won’t.”

Erin nodded slowly, devising a plan inside her mind.

“Erin?” her father asked.

“Even though I really want him to suffer, it’ll be quick and painless. I’ll wear Alex’s rubies, for extra motivation,” Erin said with a nod, her eyes dark and filled with hate and sadness.

“As I said, be careful. Killing the governor’s son is not a minor offense.”

“Forcing someone to marry you against their will isn’t either.”

“Only, it’s not an offense, according to them.”

“I know, but it should be.”

“You should go into politics,” Arjen smirked.

“I think I’m too honest for that, Daddy,” Erin shrugged.

“On the contrary, the world needs more people like that, my dear daughter,” Arjen smiled sadly.

“What is it, Daddy?” she asked as she saw her father’s eyes filled up with tears.

“I’m sorry if I failed you, Erin,” he answered her, squeezing her hand.

“You’re my hero, and heroes never fail.”

Arjen smiled through his tears and quickly wiped them away. “You should sleep. You have a big day tomorrow.”

“Okay,” Erin whispered and her father let go of her hand.

He slid off her bed and walked to the door. “Sleep well, my beautiful daughter.”

“You too, Daddy.”

Her father disappeared behind her door and Erin sat in silence for a few seconds.

Her chest felt tight as she thought about tomorrow and her breathing quickened. Tears filled up her eyes and spilled out onto her cheeks. There was a deep ache inside her and she pressed her fist against her heart, hoping it would ease the turmoil that she was experiencing.

All of a sudden, a wonderful calmness crashed over her and she let out an exhausted breath. She slid off the bed, wiping her tears and walked to the window. In the shadows, she could see Sam, hidden between the trees. She opened her window, climbed out onto the windowsill, and jumped out onto the ledge. She carefully climbed down the brick wall and surprisingly landed on her feet.

The grass was soft under her feet and she pretended to wander through the garden. As she reached the row of trees, she saw Sam in the darkness. His eyes were bluer than she had ever seen them and her heart pounded in her chest. She disappeared from the moonlight into the darkness and felt Sam’s strong arms around her.

“Sam…” she breathed.

“I’m here,” he murmured. “Baby, I’m here.”

“Sam…” She buried her face in his chest and held on to him as tight as she could, without breaking his ribs of course.

“Baby, I missed you so much.”

“I’ve missed you more. I thought you were gone,” she whispered and looked into his bright blue eyes.

He gently caressed her cheek and whispered, “I would never leave you, you know that.”

He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers, kissing her softly and she felt herself fall in love with him all over again. Tingles ran up her spine as his hands cradled her face and she breathed in the earthy scent of him.

“How is our little pup? How is she doing?” he asked her, still holding on to her.

“She?” Erin asked and Sam nodded. “She’s fine.”

“That’s good.”

“She misses her daddy.”

“I miss her too,” he whispered. “I can’t stay for long.”

“I know. If they catch you here, they’ll kill you.”

“Let them try.”

“I can’t live without you, so don’t go rogue on me now, okay?” she said with a frown.

“Yes, dear,” he winked at her.

“I’m serious.”

“I know.”

Erin took a deep breath and took his hands, holding them tight. “I’m going through with the wedding.”

“What?”

“Let me finish.” Erin looked at him with a frown. “I’m going through with it, and then I’ll kill him on our wedding night. I’ll blame my rubies. My family knows how crazy I get when I’m wearing them.”

“It’s too dangerous,” he said, shaking his head.

“Do you have a better idea?” she asked.

“I do, actually.”

“What, are you going to march into the ballroom, kill Lukas and abduct me?” she asked.

“Yeah. Actually, that’s exactly my plan.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she chuckled, but her smile faded when she saw his serious expression. “No, you can’t. You’ll get killed.”

“I would do anything for you.”

“Sam, I can handle Lukas. Killing him will be a relief to me,” Erin whispered, looking deeply into his eyes.

“Not if he kills you first.”

“He won’t. I can handle myself.” She shook her head at him. “Please don’t doubt me. Not now.”

“I will never doubt you.” Sam kissed the top of her head and suddenly crinkled his nose. “I better go. I can smell him coming.”

“Wait for me tomorrow night. I will come to you, and we can go away. Far away from here,” Erin whispered. “Wait for me, Sam.”

“I will wait forever if that means I get to spend an hour with you, baby.”

“Good.”

Their last kiss was swift, yet powerful, and it left Erin feeling empty when she opened her eyes and he was gone. She slowly fell down onto the soft grass and looked up at the moon in the sky.

“Erina?”

She turned her head and watched as Nikolai walked across the lawn towards her. “What are you doing out here?” he asked.

“I was just sitting here, looking at the moon.”

“Counting the hours until you become a Wasilewski?”

“Hardly,” she scoffed and stood up slowly.

“You know I will kill him if he sets foot on our grounds, don’t you?” Nikolai glowered.

“You are free to kill Lukas at any given time if he sets foot on our grounds, I honestly don’t mind,” Erin said sarcastically and walked passed her brother, back to the manor.

The next morning, Vikki walked through the hallway towards the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door, peering inside with sleepy eyes. She leaned against the frame of the fridge, scanning the contents for a second. She froze suddenly and looked over her shoulder. Sam was standing beside the stove, his hands on the counter.

“Holy shit…” she breathed and abruptly stepped away from the fridge.

“Hey Vik.”

“You scared the shit out of me, you psycho!” Vikki closed the fridge door, walked over to him and hugged him tightly. “I’m so glad to see you!”

“Me too, Vik.”

“So what’s going on?”

“I was with Erin last night.”

“You went to see her?” Vikki exclaimed, and Sam nodded. “Are you mad?”

“They didn’t see me, Vik.”

“It doesn’t matter!”

“You don’t understand, Vik.” Sam shook his head and looked at her, desperation on his face. “I had to see her.”

Vikki smiled sadly and nodded. “You’re not going to crash the wedding, are you?”

“No. Erin wants to go through with it, so that she can kill him tonight,” Sam explained.

“Would she be able to?” Vikki raised an eyebrow at him.

Sam nodded, confidently. “She said she would, and I trust her.”

Vikki bit her bottom lip and frowned.

“What?” Sam asked.

“Nothing, I just hope that they don’t come after you anyway.”

“Why would they do that?”

“Because they’re vamps, Sam. They have no conscience. They’ll kill you in cold blood and not bat an eyelid. You know that, I know that. Even they know that.” Vikki crossed her arms, shifting her weight from the one side to the other.

“They wouldn’t dare.”

“You can’t take on all of them, you know.”

“I know.”

“So what’s going to happen tonight?”

“Erin’s meeting me here, after she killed him, and we’re going away,” Sam explained and looked at her.

“Where are you two going to go?”

“I’m taking her and our little girl to Mortania, to grandfather’s castle in the hills. I spoke tom him earlier and he’s more than happy to have us there,” Sam explained.

“We’re going to miss you. All of us,” Vikki whispered.

“You can visit us any time, you know that.” Sam placed his hand on Vikki’s shoulder and flashed a reassuring smile.

“I know, but still. You’re my cousin and I like having you around.”

“Thank you for everything, Vik. I don’t think that you will ever realize how much it means to me.”

“Are you trying to make me cry?” Vikki asked, wiping a tear from her cheek.

“Not intentionally, no,” Sam chuckled.

Sam put his arms around Vikki and hugged her tight. “I love you, Vik.”

“Love you too,” she said breathlessly.

“What’s with all the hugging?” Gowan asked suddenly and Vikki and Sam looked over at him, walking towards them.

“Are you crying?” Gowan pretended to be shocked and Vikki scowled at him.

“No.” She shook her head and turned away to wipe the tears from her eyes.

“Don’t be such an insensitive dog, Gowan,” Sam said with a slight grin.

“Why’d you make Vikki cry?”

“I’m not crying, okay,” she exclaimed.

Gowan chuckled and looked at Sam. “What’s going on?”

“Erin and I are leaving tonight.”

“To Mortania.”

“Yes, it’s better this way,” Sam said with a nod. “Erin’s going to meet me here.”

There was a sad expression on Gowan’s face, and his bottom lip quivered slightly.

“Don’t give me that look, Gow. You’ll still have Vikki to keep you company.”

“Someone’s got to make sure you stay out of trouble,” Vikki said as she walked over to them.

“I’ve got to do this. It’s the only way.”

“We understand,” Gowan nodded.

“Thank Gow. For everything,” Sam said with a grateful smile and hugged his best friend.

“What’s with all the hugging?” Vikki mimicked Gowan’s voice and smiled at the two wolves.

Sam stepped away from them and as he turned towards the door, Gowan asked, “Where are you going?”

“I just need to get away for the afternoon,” Sam answered.

“But you will be back, right?” Vikki asked, with slight panic in her eyes.

“I’ll be back later,” Sam nodded. “I promise.”

Gowan and Vikki watched as Sam pulled his hoodie over his head, exiting the kitchen and they exchanged sad glances.

“Don’t worry, Vikki. They’ll be okay,” Gowan whispered and Vikki nodded, grateful for the reassurance.