The Soul Mate

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

When I went to Jaelle’s tent to dress for Becki and Hockey’s ceremony, I was delighted to find the dark blue dress that only days earlier, had long sleeves and a high neck and been several sizes too large, now fit me like a glove.

Short, fluttering, off the shoulder sleeves had replaced the long ones and where the high stiff neck had been there was now a low scooped neckline with Jaelle’s signature floral embroidery on the bodice. The waist pulled in tightly and then flared out beautifully, stopping a few inches above my knee. It wasn’t anything you would have been able to find in a modern store. Custom made to fit every single one of my curves, it looked like a piece of art and I felt like a Goddess inside of it.

After much fussing, Jaelle finally decided to wrap my hair in an elaborate twist, pinning it together at the base of my neck. She finished off the look with several strategically placed buttercups that grew near the creek. Then I was shooed away so Becki’s bridal transformation could begin.

I found Stevo, instead of Xan, waiting by my trailer.

“Where is Xan?” I asked, confused.

“He said he’ll meet you there.”

The clan had gone all out for the wedding. Elaborate beadwork decorated almost everyone’s home and colorful strips of cloth had been tied to the branches of the trees in camp.

The fires blazed high with rainbow colored flames, Maisera’s handiwork, as she made her rounds sprinkling crumpled herbs on each of them.

The excitement was palpable. The happiness the clan had expressed the night Hockey had kidnapped Becki was nothing compared to the genuine joy that shone on their faces tonight. Tonight the Baró himself would bless their union before Nature.

Stevo led me to where Jericho was waiting to preside over the ceremony. Depositing me to the right of the Baró, Stevo took his place next to Hockey on Jericho’s left. The rest of clan waited around the bonfire.

When the violins began to play, Becki emerged from the living lot on Stefan’s arm. Her dress was as simple as mine, a deep pink that hit just below her knees and had been cut specially with extra room for her growing mid section. A handmade wreath of flowers sat atop her braided hair and in her hands she held a beautiful collection of wildflowers. Becki was truly a bride tonight.

Their vows were a quick, shortened version of a catholic wedding ceremony mixed with the Romani beliefs. Hockey pulled a heavily bejeweled ring out of his pocket, a gold band, inlaid with rubies and placed it on Becki’s finger.

Their kiss was probably the most improper wedding kiss I’d ever seen. It was decadent and sensual. It was wonderful.

Wasn’t everyone supposed to cheer at the end of a wedding? Instead the camp had grown eerily quiet and everyone turned expectantly to me. Jericho, smiling down at me, surprised me by reaching out and grasping my hands.

“Trinity Shannon Petros…” His deep voice boomed. “Have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourself in marriage?"

Oh Gods. An apple had nothing on how bright frickin’ red I turned.

Becki and Hockey, hand in hand, wearing matching wicked grins, moved out the way as Xan took their place in front of me. Jericho placed my shaking hands in his. He held on tight. A good thing too, I was ready to run.

“Trinity?” Jericho repeated.

“No,” I said through clenched teeth. Xan deliberately cleared his throat.

“I’m sorry Trinity, I didn’t hear you. Could you speak up please?” For an old man Jericho had excellent hearing. I shot him a dirty look which he returned with an innocent expression.

Refusing to look at the tricky jerk that had already tied me to a bed and was now publically humiliating me, I mumbled, “Yes.”

"Will you honor Xan Daniel Delaneu as your husband for the rest of your life?"

The rest of my life? Oh Gods.

“Yes,” I whispered, staring at my feet, feeling faint.

"Will you accept his children lovingly and bring them up according to Roma Law and lead them down the path Nature chooses for them?"

Children! My eyes widened. I think they may have even fallen out of my head. I no longer felt faint, I felt downright horrified. Licking my lips, which had suddenly become uncommonly dry, I drew in a shaky breath. Xan squeezed my hand. I took a peek at him and wished I hadn’t. He was grinning.

Dirty bastard.

“Yes,” I choked out. Barely.

Done with me, Jericho turned to Xan. “Xan?” He asked. The dirty bastard stepped forward to grasp my face in his hands.

“I, Xan Daniel Delaneu, take you, Trinity Shannon Petros, to be my lawful wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad. Especially the bad Trin. I promise to be true during sickness and in health. And I swear to you fată that I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.”

He leaned forward and caught my bottom lip with his teeth. “And then some Trin,” He whispered.

Oh damn. Was I actually going to cry? Yep… Yep I was.

Xan slid a thin silver band on my ring finger, on it was a small black stone with flecks of white. A sense of serenity enveloped me like a soothing balm. All the anxiety and doubts I had about marriage and the anger I felt about being tricked again instantly fled, leaving behind only my true feelings for Xan.

“I chose you Trinity above all others, to be my wife. I offer this ring as a token of our love, and as a sign of my fidelity. With this ring and Nature’s blessing, I willingly join my life to yours.”

I stared at the beautiful ring, turning my finger over. The white specks seemed to move around, blending together and then separating, like a lava lamp. A trick of the firelight, I mused.

“It’s a snowflake obsidian and was my grandmother’s,” Xan told me softly. “Luludja Deleanu was a powerful healer, even more powerful than my mamă. I’ve asked her to protect you if there is ever a time I cannot.”

“Kiss her!” Shandor bellowed.

Becki and Hockey had nothing on us. Xan picked me up, tipped me over backwards and crushed his mouth to mine. Every stroke of his tongue was a promise, a pledge to never let me go and protect me with every fiber of his being.

Jericho raised his arms in celebration. "What Nature has joined, men will never divide!"

The celebration was just as overwhelming as the ceremony. The men and women who had danced for money in the Gaje carnivals donned their colorful costumes just for us. They performed elaborate dances that ranged from mind bending acrobatics to awe inspiring fire breathing.

The food was spectacular, the decorations beautiful and the entertainment top notch. As if I expected anything less from a camp full of Gypsies.

When the party began to slow, the dancing began and we passed partners to the cheerful cries of Lajos’s fiddle. I watched Hockey hook elbows with Becki. They were adorable, smiling happily as he thrust her forward, passing her through the line of foot stomping onlookers. The bodies parted, cheering and clapping as she spun by. Nicu waited at the end to grab her.

“Hey!” She shouted locking elbows with the eldest Ĉonka brother as I was being spun by Pitti.

I grinned at her. “Hi!”

“We’re married!” She mouthed.

Hockey was next; he grabbed his little sister as he spun by, lifting her up and twirling her in the air. Simza squealed in delight as she flew instead of danced down the line. Passing her off to their father Hockey paused and looked around. Becki was supposed to have waited for him at the end of the line but she’d disappeared. I disentangled myself from Pitti and stood on my tiptoes to look over the crowd of dancers.

Hockey spotted her before I did. I followed his narrowed gaze across the end lot to the edge of the living lot where Becki was shaking her arm out of Tobar’s grasp. He was gesturing wildly at her and they both looked angry.

I looked back to where I last seen Hockey. He was standing perfectly still, staring at his bride. The press of dancing bodies soon enclosed around him and he disappeared from my view.

Realizing I too had been standing still in the middle of a dance floor, I turned to head out of the melee and came face to face with my husband. Caught off guard, I staggered back.

“Sorry,” I breathed.

He grabbed my hand, lifted it high above my head and twirled me out into the crowd. Reeling me back in, he pulled me close and held me. With his chest pressed firmly against my back and his hands wrapped tightly around my middle we began to move with the music.

I caressed the strong dark arms gripping my waist and leaned into the lips pressed against my neck. Shivers escaped me as his long hair spilled over my shoulders and tickled the bare skin of my chest and breasts.

There was no more twirling for me, no more passing down the line. Something primal and instinctual was taking us over and the music took a back seat to our movements.

His teeth nipped at my neck and with a soft moan my head lolled back on his shoulder and my eyes closed. I glimpsed visions of starlit dances by fire light, laughter and singing, and nights that would never end. I saw Xan as I woke up next to him every morning, touching him whenever I wanted, making him smile, having his children…and loving him always.

As if he could sense my thoughts he moved faster, attacking with more vigor, sucking on my skin, sending cool shivers down my overheated body.

I cried out softly, needing more.

Spinning me around so we faced each other, he crushed me to him and we began to move slower. Cupping my chin, he tilted it upwards and those dark, wicked eyes of his I found an echo of my thoughts.

“You were wrong,” I whispered against his lips.

“It’s not often that that happens.” He smiled at me and I couldn’t stop myself from pressing a kiss to that devilish smirk.

“What was I wrong about fată?” He asked, running his hands roughly through my hair, destroying Jaelle’s masterpiece.

“About magic,” I told him.

“Oh I was, was I?”

“You do have it.” I grinned. “Without it you couldn’t have broken the spell.”

He paused for a second and just stared down at me. Then his mouth met mine in a collision of teeth, tongue and hunger.