Chapter 344: Day Four at the Beach - Sadihra, Part 2
Sadihra walked in the opposite direction, splashing through the ankle deep water as the waves came in and out. Wolfe knew how she felt! He knew-
"Well hello!"
Sadihra jumped and spun to find Verchiel leaning against a palm tree. The speedos covered far too little of his wiry frame and she rolled her eyes. "You might as well be naked."
"I can be, if you prefer." He made is if to grab his waistband, then grinned. "You can shimmy out of that suit, and we could go skinny dipping."
"You're an idiot."
Sadihra walked past him, but he was suddenly beside her. "That's not very nice, especially since I came to see how you were after your fight with old crabby-britches."
She jerked to a stop and glared at him. "Were you spying on us?"
"Ha ha! You did have a fight! I only guessed from your sour expression. So what's it about?"
"None of your business."
"I could just read your mind, you know?"
She stopped, hands on her hips and eyes narrowed. "Fine, then do it."
He blinked. "What?"
"You heard me. If you're such an amazing mind reader then do it." A moment passed and Sadihra snorted. "I'm not as easy to fool as that little human. More than half of your ability is just guessing."
"That isn't true."
"Of course it is."
He turned suddenly serious and leaned close to whisper, "Why do you object to getting married?"
Sadihra jerked back angrily. "None of your business!"
"It wouldn't hurt you to tie the knot with crabby-britches. You're planning to stay with him forever, anyway, and if you change your mind you can always get divorced nowadays. Or kill him and be a widow. Whichever."
She stormed away without replying. To her relief he didn't follow, though his words stayed with her, and she tried to deny the logic in them. He was right that she planned to stay with Wolfe forever. Even during their time apart there had been no one else. She'd had offers, but she'd turned them down. He was the only one she wanted, and yet-
And yet, it's a trap.
She walked the circumference of the island. Jorick and his human were snuggled down together under the palm trees, and she pretended not to see them. She wasn't in the mood for a happy couple. Though she found it odd that the human was still, well, human. Why hadn't Jorick turned her into a vampire? He seemed to be in love with her, but then perhaps he wasn't as committed as he appeared.
Or perhaps she isn't.
When Sadihra had made a complete circuit, she turned for the houses. They were two storied twins, made of drift wood and roofed in thatch to give them an island vibe. She expected Wolfe to be in the living room, but he wasn't. She wasted a few minutes studying the map that hung on the wall and tried to find which of the many islands they were on. It was a hopeless task, so she abandoned it and resumed her search.
After checking the kitchen, dining room, patio, and bathing room, she finally found Wolfe in their bedroom. He sat on the bed, looking at something in his hand. When she stepped through the doorway he looked up quickly and stuffed the object in his pocket.
"What's that?" she asked.
"Nothing you're interested in," he said coldly.
He stood to leave but she blocked his path and dipped her hand in his pocket. She came back with a piece of cloth, like a handkerchief. Wrapped inside was a photograph of the two of them. Most of the colors had faded to red, but she recognized the moment. "Bernard's promotion party."
He jerked the photo from her hand and quickly rewrapped it. When he didn't' say anything she demanded, "What do you want from me?"
His eyes flashed. "I want you to bend once in a while, Sadihra. Everything must always be your way or no way. You don't have to spend eternity proving your dominance. I'm not your father." She made to slap him and he grabbed her wrist.
"How dare you bring him up!"
"Why? That's what this is over. That's what it's always over. Do you think because you marry me that I'll magically change? I'm not your father, and you're not your mother, and, as you so often point out, the world isn't that way anymore. You want my attitudes to change with the times, then so should yours!"
"-if you change your mind you can always get divorced nowadays."
"I'd rather kill you," she snapped.
"What?"
"I'd rather kill you than divorce you and leave you to find someone else and flaunt her under my nose."
Wolfe let go of her wrist and stepped back uncertainly. "Why would I? Did I flaunt anyone in front of you in the last ten years?"
"I don't know," she lied. "I wasn't paying attention." But of course she was. She watched everything he did and tried to guess what she was missing.
"Of course I didn't," he said dryly. "And why do you think that was, Sadihra?" She didn't answer and he went on, "Because there was no point. At best they would be a poor imitation of the woman I really want." He met her eyes and drew closer. "Whether you want to admit it or not, Sadihra, you are mine and will be mine until the world dies." He cupped her cheek. "And I am yours."
She caught her breath and gazed into his eyes. She could see his words mirrored there; see everything she'd ever wanted. He was right. Verchiel was right. She wanted him forever, so why did it matter?
"Yes," she said softly.
Wolfe studied her and finally asked, "Yes, what? Yes you're mine? I don't-"
"Yes, I'll marry you. Idiot." As she said the words a weight lifted from her shoulders, as if the burden of the decision was so much heavier than any commitment could ever be. "But I won't be chained to a kitchen."
He cocked an incredulous eyebrow. "I don't have a kitchen, only a single burner stove top, and I don't think it would hold you."
She had a sudden urge to smack him.
