Shadows of the Past (26 page)

“You did more than I deserve,” Dacia told her, her eyes tearing up as she touched her nose. “You even fixed my nose.” She laughed out loud.

Amethyst smiled softly. “I think I even took away whatever kept you from healing yourself. It was a dark curse, and I chased all the dark away.”

Dacia’s eyes went wide. “Why do so much for me?”

“Kindness gets you further.” Amethyst stood up and offered her hand.

Dacia awkwardly took her hand and stood before wrapping her arms around Amethyst. “That’s a lesson I hope you’ll teach me. I’m obviously not very good at it.”

Hayden took Amethyst into his arms as he murmured, “You did it.”

She glanced over and found Preston with his hands splayed against thin air. Robert opened his hand and Preston’s hands fell as he rushed forward. Hayden stepped back to let Preston hug her tight.

“I’m so proud of you,” Preston’
s voice broke. “So proud, babydoll.”

“Thank you for believing in me,” she whispered, but she didn’t trust her voice as tears filled her eyes. She knew what was coming.

“I’ll see you around, okay?” Preston’s voice broke and his eyes filled with tears.

“I hope so.” She really did, but had a feeling it would be a while. He kissed the top of her head
before he turned and walked out of the bar.

Amethyst turned and fell into Hayden’s arms. She didn’t fight the tears. She couldn’t. There was nothing she could say or do to make things right for the first man she
had ever loved.

She realized what she felt for Preston paled in comparison to what she had with Hayden, but it didn’t hurt any less to watch him walk out of her life.

Hayden swept her hair behind her ear and tipped her head up to peer into her eyes. “Don’t worry, sweet. He’ll be back. He just needs time.”

“Will you take me home now? Our home?” she whispered.

He smiled back at her. “Our home.”

Amethyst stood against a tree, staring out over the lake as a light summer breeze swept her hair around her. It was a week since she
had chased Izackarus into the Abyss.

A part of her missed Preston, and his little teasing texts, or phone calls that always se
emed to come at the right time to cheer her up. She always would, and she hoped they could get back to the way it was before.

She was happier than she’d ever been, but she felt guilty because Preston wasn’t. Clint and Hayden had helped her move her stuff to Hayden’s the day after, and she was settled into her new life
. There was just a little part of her that felt empty.

Her eyes closed as she tried to force back the tears that threatened to leak down her face. She should be enjoying the barbeque and she knew it.

“Hey,” Fallon said brightly.

Amethyst managed a smile as she looked into her green eyes. “What’s up?”

“Preston won’t be gone forever. He promised to come to my wedding.” Fallon nudged her shoulder. “Which reminds me, I need a maid of honor. That would be you. If you’ll do it. Please, say yes.”

Her mood brightened. “Me?
Really?”

“Mmhmm.
Of course, you.” Fallon rolled her eyes. “I love Jess and Jamie, but you’re still the only person I can tell everything to. Just don’t tell them that.” Fallon cast a secretive glance toward the twins who were across the yard.

“My lips are sealed, and yes. Of course I’ll be. Just don’t put me in some hideous dress that will clash with my coloring,” Amethyst teased.

“I’m letting you pick. You don’t think I’m actually going to let the twins dress me, do you? I want simple, and Brody just wants our friends and family here, so it’s perfect.”

A real smile spread on Amethyst’s face. “I’m so happy for you.” She hugged her tight.
“Really, Fallon. I’m ecstatic. Brody’s perfect for you.”

“Yeah, who’d have thought I would wind up with Mr. Perfect?” Fallon laughed and glanced over at Brody who returned her cheesy grin.

They were ridiculously adorable together. “It works for you both. You deserve it.”

“Yeah, and you should see you and Hayden. You two have chemistry that’s through the roof. Although, I swear you need to post a sign or something when you two are in the lake.
So we don’t wander outside, or maybe call and warn us so we can go out or something.”

Amethyst blushed and swallowed hard. “If I could cast that handy sound spell you do, I would take care of that.”

Fallon snickered. “Yeah, somehow I don’t think that would help you. Just wait until you two have kids and you have to be quiet.”

“Oh, don’t go there.
Unless, wait… are you?”

Fallon shook her head, but one corner of her mouth lifted. “We’re going to try though.”

“I can just see you as a mom.”

“I never thought I could, but Brody really did change all
of that.” Fallon sighed and looked out over the lake. “What about you and Hayden?”

“Oh, I’m not ready for kids. Not yet.”

“You are still just a kid,” Fallon teased.

Amethyst gave her a sharp look but then leaned in and whispered.
“You do know Hayden and I won’t have any sort of formal ceremony, don’t you?”

“Don’t only royal Fae have big weddings?” Fallon honestly looked curious.

“Usually just the royals, and anyone in line to a throne. That’s neither of us.”

Fallon glanced over at Hayden. “Something tells me that if you wanted a big ceremony, Hayden would make it happen.”

“Honestly, I don’t care about a wedding. I know what Hayden and I share won’t ever go away. I’m finally happy in my own skin, with all of my gifts.”

“Good, especially after everything you did.”

* * * *

Hayden watched Fallon and Amethyst talking. Opal walked up to him with Gabriel at her side. “Hello Opal, Gabriel.”

Opal studied him a moment and one brow arched. “I see her magic all over you. You really are bound together, aren’t you?”

“Yes
, we are.” He looked back at Amethyst who looked up and smiled at him. A grin spread across his face. “I will do anything and everything to make her happy.”

Gabriel squeezed Opal’s shoulders and looked Hayden in the eye before saying, “You do. It’s plain to see.”

“It is. I just never thought she would wind up with an Earth Fae.” Humor danced through Opal’s iridescent white eyes. “It’s funny though. You two complete each other. It’s good to see.”

“Yes,” Amethyst wound her arm around his waist and he pulled her closer. “You and Gabe do the same
for each other.”

“
Mmm, we do.” Opal took her daughter’s hands. “I’m proud of you. You know that, right?”

Amethyst nodded. “I do.”

“Good. I’m going to miss you with you being all the way up here. We need to get back home though, and it looks like this is your home.”

“I love you Mom,
Dad.” Amethyst hugged them both. “I’m sure we’ll be down to visit.”

“Oh, I’m sure we’ll
be back up here from time to time,” Gabe told her.

“Of course we will,” Opal wiped at her eyes.

“I’ll walk you out.” Amethyst took her mother’s hand and started toward the front of the house.

Hayden walked over to Brody and Tremaine
, who sat at a picnic table. He took a seat. Brody couldn’t tear his eyes off of Fallon, who was no doubt talking baby stuff with Danika and Adam. Tremaine watched Liz, who skillfully avoided Clint’s advances. Although, he knew Liz occasionally went home with him.

“Why is it you’re sitting here watching her, instead of being with her?”

Tremaine sighed and met his gaze. “I suppose my story is a little like Preston’s. I’m too old, and she’s already in love. They just need to find their way back to each other.”

“How is he doing?” Hayden asked.

“He’s diving into work to forget. Don’t worry, he has Robert for company. They’ll both figure their shit out one of these days.”

Hayden remembered Robert and Liz together over twenty years ago. That was a long time, even to mages. No matter how good they were
together, Robert’s family tore them apart.

“I don’t know what to say, other than Robert’s not stepping up to the plate, so why don’t you?”

“She hasn’t let him go. She never will.”

“Man,
Trem. Just talk to her about it. I’ve seen her watching you. She may still have feelings for Robert, but she has them for you too. Just talk to her.”

“Look, I appreciate the
concern, but it’s complicated.”

Simons and Stacey stopped by the picnic table. Stacey looked up at her husband with a blush before sending a smile Brody’s way. “Sorry
to eat and run, but we….” She looked up at Simons again and wet her lips.

“We need to get going,” Simons finished. He
threw Stacey over his shoulder and carried her away. He called back, “Thank you for dinner. We’ll see you later.” The big werewolf stalked off around the building with his wife in his arms.

Brody turned to Hayden
, and asked, “So, Amethyst agreed to be Fallon’s Maid of Honor. Does that mean you’ll be my Best Man?”

Hayden’s brow arched. “
Me?”

“Yes
, you. You’ve been a great friend.”

“Then yes.” Hayden grinned.

Amethyst made it back to the barbeque and her face lit up when she found Hayden. She nodded toward their house. He was up and on his feet in a second.

Hayden didn’t look back at Brody as he said,
“I’ll help you clean up later if you call, but my woman beckons.”

Brody laughed. “Yeah, I think I’m afraid of what
Ame might do if I interrupt anything over there. I’m sure we can handle it.”

* * * *

Amethyst didn’t wait for Hayden to say his goodbyes before she took off down the trail at a run. She wasn’t too proud to beg, but she knew Hayden would never make her.

She made it inside and hurried to his office
as she pulled her silk slip dress over her head and set it on his desk. She threw open the second drawer and snagged the silver cuffs she’d purchased the other day.

Her little fantasy changed a teensy little bit, but she had every intention of letting him play if he wanted
, just later. Right now, she wanted her way. Hayden strode in. His mouth popped open when she stepped behind him and clicked the cuffs around his big wrists.

“Am I in trouble?” he asked in a husky voice.

She moved in front of him and slowly opened his jeans, and then pushed them down his powerful thighs. “Sit down. I’ll ask the questions.”

“
Mmm, ask away.”

“I said sit.” She swatted his butt
and he groaned low before taking his seat awkwardly.

“Comfortable?” She smirked as he settled into the deep chair and caught her in his smoldering gaze.

“I feel really overdressed right now.” His voice was a low growl.

Amethyst smirked as she grabbed her dress and moved behind him. She wrapped it around his
face, making sure his eyes were covered and tied it in a knot.

“Oh, my naughty little nymph.”

Leaning down, she took his earlobe between her lips and trailed her fingers across his chest to unbutton his shirt. “Do you like it when I’m naughty?” she whispered.

“I love you all ways.”

“That’s not what I asked, baby.” She pinched his nipple hard and his hips jerked, his erection bobbing.

“Yes,” his voice was strained. “I do.”

She slid his shirt off his chest before walking around him.

His big sculpted body was hers for the taking
. She knelt before him and licked him from balls to crown. Hayden’s head fell back.

“What do you want?” she asked.

“You, please. Just you.”

“How?” she whispered. Her tongue circled his head.

He sucked in a breath. “Ame, I need to be inside your sweet little body. Every touch is torture. All I can do is feel, but I need you, now.”

She climbed into his lap and threaded her hands in his hair as she leaned in to kiss him slow. Teasing him, she ground her slick heat over his throbbing shaft.

“Please, please, please,” he begged.

She reached between them to stand his length up before easing down on him. “I love you, Hayden,” she whispered against his lips.

“I love you, too.”

She kissed him again as she made love to him, riding his body, his pleasure.

“Forever, Hayden, I love you forever, with everything.”

The chain snapped and his hands came up to cup her
cheeks. She tore her dress from his face. His molten chocolate eyes locked on hers. “Forever, little nymph, I’m yours.”