Chapter 42

He grins. “Your guests are yet to arrive; it would be a shame if they miss your big day." Hope springs eternal. Maybe they will remain safe and won't be given the fate of death.
He loops my arm through his as the doors slowly swing open. He pulls me down the aisle as demons watch from chairs dressed in black fabric bows. We make our way down a deep red velvet runner all the way to the far end of the ballroom. I clutch the flowers tightly; their thorns embed into my skin. Men with sharp fangs and wrinkled faces slaver and froth at the mouth as I pass. My blood sings to them. Each vampire that lunges from their seat receives a painful headache; I am guessing from the king. I watch the display with no feelings. My mind is completely blank.
We reach the end where Cole awaits, his hands clenched into tight fists and his jaw set in a firm line. His knuckles white from the pressure.
The genie I encountered at the engagement party winks at me as he takes his place behind an ancient wooden stand.
I stare blankly ahead. Tears well in my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. The genie’s words become a low hum as I block out reality.
Chris's baby blue eyes flash in my mind. I picture a scene with me pressed up against a tree trunk, my hands running wildly through his hair. Snapping back to reality, heat rises in my face. I don't even like him so why am I thinking of him like that, and at a very inconvenient time?
I shake my head as I try to rid myself of the strange feeling welling in the pit of my stomach. Static energy covers my skin. I rub my arms, cursing my overactive imagination. I feel I like I can sense him. I look around, but I don’t see him amongst the crowd. The static energy turns into a buzz, and my heart sinks lower. He is here. I can feel him.
"Kayla, do you or do you not take this man…"
"I do not. I’m far too young for this." I wave my hand to make the point. I know it is pointless but if I can delay the ceremony for only for a second, then I will. As soon as the vows are said, and I am bonded, then I am as good as dead. Speaking out will delay my death for a few moments longer.
"Yes, I do." The words are forced out of my mouth as a strange black mist fills my senses, blocking out all thoughts and feelings. I had let my guard down. My panic over the feeling I get when Chris is near had opened a gateway that allowed the king in.
I look to Cole hoping he will help. The struggle in his eyes causes me to look at the floor as the hot tears spill from my eyes. He’s as much a victim as I am.
The genie orders us to entwine our hands. My body moves involuntarily. Grasping Cole’s hands, I entwine my fingers with his as the king nods in approval.
"You will be bound forever until death. With this union, you agree to be two parts of a whole." The King and the genie give one another a confused glance. Lillian had explained the ceremony to me and told me I would know when it was complete by the blinding light.
The king storms forward and grips the genie by the throat, holding him several feet above the ground. "Are you playing games with me, Genie?"
I look at Cole, confused. What’s he talking about? I didn’t see him do anything wrong.
"Of course not, sire. Please forgive me, let us try again." The genie repeats the same words again, and again, only to be thrown around the room by the king each time. The tables and chairs now lay scattered and broken haphazardly across the floor. The guests huddle together in the corner as the king loses control.
Suddenly, a young girl around the age of six with pure white eyes seems to float slowly down the aisle. "You cannot have the girl if her soul belongs to another,” she says in a sweet, innocent voice.
"Wise one, how can that be so?" asks the king, his face paler than normal. His eyes grow wide, and his mouth sags a little, with confusion written on his face. Her pure white hair and pale skin make me look away. A strange feeling sits in the pit of my stomach.
"Love can be a powerful thing," she says before transforming into a black raven and flying out of an open window. I watch in amazement.
The king grips me by both shoulders. “Who has the other half of your soul?" he shouts in my face. I shake my head. I don't know what he’s talking about. He flings me violently across the room. My head smacks the stone wall. Blackness flashes before my eyes but doesn’t give me the sweet release I hope for. Pain throbs in my skull, and dizziness sets in.
Dark hooded people step forth from the crowd. I didn’t notice them before and wonder where they have come from. The hoods of their long cloaks hide their faces. They stand in a neat line with their heads bowed. Some pull swords out from their robes, while others form large blue electrical balls in the palms of their hands.
Blue electricity leaps from the hand of one of them creating a bright whip. Together they walk forward. The guests shoot into action leaping for their backs. Around five of the black hooded people spin around. The electric whip takes out four of the demons with one swipe. Blue spheres fly across the room, wooden chair legs and other sharp objects whiz around finding their targets. The king comes towards me with fire in his eyes. I back off slowly. Cole touches my shoulder, and we disappear. We land outside the wall of fire. I have no idea what has just taken place, and my mind is racing.
"Stay here. They will come for you," he says, looking over his shoulder
"Who? Who will come for me?" I ask, gripping onto his arm preventing him from leaving.
"Your guardian friends." A howl fills the air around us. Yellow eyes glow in the distance. At first, I fear Hunter has followed us. A blur of gray dashes towards us and my heart leaps with joy.
"Justin!" I cry out. The wolf starts to shake and shudder, a popping noise follows as Justin shifts into his human form.
"I must go now," Cole says, looking at me with eyes that sting my heart. I can’t leave him here.
"Come with us, you don't belong here," I plead.
"This is my home; this is all I have ever known. I am sorry, Kayla, but I must stay for all the wrongs my father has done. He is still my father, and I must stand beside him." He leans down and places a soft kiss on my lips. His body disappears into black particles before vanishing. I stare at the empty spot before me. My heart aches for the life he has chosen. I pray he will find love and happiness in a world where fear and hate are all that’s known.