Her friend started to answer, but grew tense when Elias joined them behind the veil of flowers, filling the air with electricity. “The king grows impatient for his bride…” He trailed off when he saw Roksana, his gaze slowly raking her top to bottom. “You’re here. In a dress.” His scar turned a stark white, anger igniting his deep brown eyes. “Where the hell have you been?”
“Wherever I want to be.”
“You…” A muscle slithered in his cheek. “You left my credit card behind on purpose so I couldn’t track you.”
Roksana’s voice was breathless. “Get used to it. I’m leaving as soon as I walk Ginny down the aisle.”
He stepped into Roksana’s space. “Where are you going?”
Was that fear in the slayer’s eyes? “Russia. I’ve been called back and rightly so.”
Elias choked a sound.
“Yes. It’s…been real.” The slayer forced a smile and skirted around a stiff Elias, hooking her elbow with Ginny’s. “Shall we?”
Ginny wanted to question her friend—and she would. Whatever was in Russia was not good. Not good at all. She would find out what it was and use her new power as queen of the High Order to help, by any means possible. Roksana had protected her when she needed it most and she would return the favor.
At that moment, though, Jonas came into view in between the two standing sections of wedding guests and everything else ceased to exist.
If she’d had breath in her lungs, the sight of her fiancé in a tuxedo would have knocked it clean out of her. Ginny’s heart picked up the slack, hammering wildly in her throat. Mate. My mate. Lord help her, she almost picked up the hem of her dress and ran down the flower-strewn aisle to meet him.
Jonas appeared to be contemplating the same—a run up the aisle to acquire her in his arms. His expression shifted between impatience and awe, the green of his eyes lit up like twin flames. “My love,” he mouthed, grasping at his heart. “Come to me.”
Beside her, Roksana laughed and slid her arm free of Ginny’s. “Go ahead.”
With a sound between a whimper and a sob, Ginny tossed her friend the bouquet. Then she picked up the hem of her wedding dress and ran toward a waiting Jonas.
Into the arms of eternal happiness two lifetimes in the making.
THE END