The Salvatore Saga, Part Four: My new Life

We sat on our shared throne, listening to what seemed like an endless stream of fake pledges of loyalty. I didn't have to use my pretender ability too much, as it was sometimes painfully obvious.

Wulfe had pulled back his hood, enjoying his role as the mysterious high priest who was now bound to me. I understood why he did it, but I couldn't help but wonder if there was something more to our friendship, a deeper connection. Perhaps it was just another way to keep me safe. 

What surprised me the most was the presence of the press. Only a few magazines had managed to pay enough to get a glimpse into the secretive vampire society and its mysterious rituals.

Wulfe had collected the white stones, which had turned pink from everyone's blood, and hidden them in his satchel. The preparation for the obsidian table, the carved symbols, the potions, spells, and magic required must have been immense. It was truly amazing to see how far they were willing to go for me, Wulfe, and Damon.

But as my heart raced and Damon's heart tried to win me over, I couldn't help but feel apprehensive about the future, not so much for myself but for the vampire side of me.

She didn't appreciate being enslaved by males, let alone the two of them. She was a queen in her own right and had chosen Damon as her king, but he had to assert his dominance over her. 

However, being true to myself, Damon and I both had our pheromones in full force. He smelled absolutely delicious. I hadn't planned on making him my meal, but oh my god, I couldn't wait for our wedding night, whatever it may bring.

Damon spoke to me rather smugly, saying, "Baby, soon the only rhythm your heart will know is mine, and Wulfe's too. His heart will beat in sync as well. That's my power over you, my baby. And yes, I'm eagerly awaiting our wedding night too. It will be different from last time, but there will be an audience. Hopefully less bloodshed, but definitely more passion. The only question is, how can we possibly stop in the morning?"

Oh my god. I tried to maintain a regal posture, appearing haughty. And then this seducer had to go and say that! But fine. Maybe this is a test of my resolve. How can I keep my composure while someone is trying their best to seduce me?

We didn't receive any gifts, and I wasn't sure if that was part of the plan or not. It felt like an eternity, but finally, my heart began to calm down. The line of our subjects was coming to an end, so it would soon be time to move on to whatever came next. My arm and palm ached, and my fingers felt cramped, as if they were permanently gripping something.

And deep down, I felt a profound happiness. I was being protected and cared for, which was all I had ever wanted. I mean, who doesn't want to be cherished and loved by those who are important to them? Maybe I was feeling a little smug, too.

Well, there it was. The bond between Damon and me was something that Mariella didn't belong to, and it was absolutely perfect. I wanted to be Damon's wife, and I had to admit that to myself. There was no need to try to be so independent, but instead, to show my need to be his.

It didn't make me any weaker or less of who I am. It just made me softer, more certain. And maybe, just maybe, it was time to take that leap into the unknown. Perhaps it was time to trust him, to let him help me, and to see what would happen after the heat, what kind of heat it would be.

Fine, let's start easy. I thought for a while. I could feel Wulfe in my mind too. He seemed to have grown in there; it was like our minds had merged. I couldn't get rid of him. A slight squeeze of his hand confirmed my suspicion.

But did Damon know about this? Was he merged in my mind, too? Another squeeze. Fine. Both of them were now permanently on my mind.

Let's do it. I had so much stuff hidden in different corners of my mind that neither of them knew about, but now they would see, albeit just one memory. I wasn't sure if they could find the source where I had hidden them, but I took the memory, moved it closer to the surface, and let it begin.

"I was sitting in a small cage, my body aching, feeling the stitches pricking my skin. I had to keep going; so many lives would be lost if I were weak. I reached out, my hand skeletal and thin, trying to wiggle it through the bars. There were small thorns on the bars, digging into my flesh. I was weak, helpless, but I knew that the lives of others would depend on me, so I gritted my teeth, feeling thorns ripping into my wrist."

Suddenly, I felt the memory being taken away. Someone, not sure which one it was, was soothing my mind, erasing the hurt, helplessness, and all those old feelings and sensations. I felt love instead of pain and weakness. Both of them were almost startled.

Damon's voice said in my mind, "What the hell, baby? What was that awfulness? It's all gone now. Where did it come from?"

I replied in my mind, unsure if Wulfe could hear this too, "I have so much stuff hidden in my mind. You have no idea where I've hidden them. That's the caliber they are. So, some rough stuff. I just showed that I trust you two. This was my way of sharing."

Wulfe's calm voice said to my mind, "Oh my unicorn, do you realize that you just gave me one hell of a challenge? I'll make sure those things are gone from your backups too, or I'll make them so unclear and devoid of any sensation that they won't impact you. But thank you for the wonderful challenge."

Damon said to me, "You've also challenged me, baby. I know you're keeping secrets. So thank you. At least I'll be kept busy."

It was time to move on, and as I took that step, a sense of calm washed over me. My heart had been won over, and I could feel the rhythm returning to our hearts. Oh, how I had missed this feeling. I had to be honest with myself; I wanted to be with him. I needed to be his.

There was no use in trying to convince myself otherwise. This was what my soul had yearned for, and in that moment, I felt a peace like no other. It was as if a dark chapter in my life had finally come to an end, and now I could smile again, basking in the brightness of the sun.

After everyone had pledged their loyalty, we rose to our feet.

Wulfe spoke up, saying, "It is time to reveal the bond and throw the wedding stones, to confirm the union."

He gently released his hand from mine, revealing the scars on our palms that marked our union. Then he began to unwind the bindings around our arms. I fought the urge to shake my free hand and flex my fingers, keeping it close to my body.

Finally, the bindings were removed. Damon let go of my hand, and Wulfe pulled our arms apart. Both of us had long scars, stretching from the base of our palms to the crook of our elbows.

Wulfe nodded, raising my arm for all to see, and declared, "It is time to confirm the union, time to throw the wedding stones."

I had no idea what this ritual was all about, but they offered their arms to me, and I took them. We were led to a private elevator, and there was an air of silence among us. It was clear that I wasn't meant to know just yet. Eventually, the elevator reached the upper floor, and we walked out.

They guided me through a series of hallways, the sound of my heels clicking against the stone floors. The air was stale, carrying a faint scent of old blood and carnality, but it felt ancient. No one had been here in quite some time.

Finally, we arrived at a massive black door, and Damon effortlessly pulled it open. It was heavy, but it posed no challenge for him. We stepped inside, and there were stairs leading up. We ascended them, opened another door, and emerged onto the roof.

People were waiting, and the rooftop was almost filled with guests. Despite the chilling winter, it wasn't cold here. There was a certain kind of magic in the air, causing a tingling sensation on my skin. 

We walked in front of a horde of people, and Wulfe stepped forward. As I looked behind, there was a huge unfrozen lake with water that moved lazily, swirling like ink. It was so dark, almost black.

The sky was adorned with stars and a red full moon, a blood moon. It reminded me of a time when I had howled at the moon, longing for Damon, but now I had him.

Wulfe reached into his robe and took out a bag. Inside were the sacred wedding stones.

His voice echoed through the starry night, "Behold the wedding stones. These sacred stones have accepted a blood sacrifice from our family. Each stone will forge a bond between the king and queen. Now it is time to throw the stones and let the moving water seal the bond. Each stone will strengthen their bond, and it is their choice if they want it to last forever. The trial of the bond has ended, and our hearts beating in sync. Now, each of us will take one stone, throw it into the lake, and let the enchantment of the moving water make it eternal, unbreakable."

He walked towards us. Damon led me to the roof's edge, where a black stone table with symbols attached to it awaited. Wulfe poured the stones onto the table. Without hesitation, Damon slung the first stone into the water.

I felt a slight prick in my forearm as the stone made contact. I took a stone in my hand, briefly picturing Charles in my mind, and threw it, sealing his sacrifice. Stone by stone, as Wulfe joined in, we continued throwing them, feeling the pricking sensation in our forearms growing stronger. Heat started to encircle my wrist and the base of my palm, but we persisted, throwing the stones.

Even if one of our enemies were to somehow find those stones, they would be sealed and unable to break our bond, ever. This was the moment.

I could feel the bond forming within my soul, my heart, and my forearm. As Damon reached the very last stone and threw it, a sharp pain shot through my left hand and wrist.

Wulfe simply smirked. He led us in front of the quest, his voice effortlessly resonating around us. "The choice has been made, the bond has been forged, and this is the proof."

He lifted both of our arms, revealing an ornate tattoo encircling my wrist, with tendrils extending to my forearm.

Damon had his own tattoo, and Wulfe said, "Now, this bond is forged by power, by lust, and by love. Each time there is something between you, the tattoo will grow. It requires genuine feelings, and each of you will make your tattoo. But be warned, it will record difficult times as well as good times. However, if there are no true feelings for each other, the tattoo will not grow, no matter what happens."

He looked directly at Damon, a clear warning. Wow, I now had a magical tattoo recording my life with Damon. It could be perfect, but my realistic and sarcastic side couldn't help but note that Damon's tattoo might not grow as much as mine.

Nevertheless, the next time someone told me to trust him and take a leap, I would have evidence on my arm. Maybe everything would be fine, and I didn't even want to think about whether this tattoo would record if those 12 days of Christmas happened again, if we would make that room.

We made our exit through the roof, walking together in a golden circle. Suddenly, we found ourselves in a huge hall, where it was time to mingle and talk. It was the perfect opportunity to play the roles of queen and bride, eagerly awaiting the wedding night.

As I had mentioned before, Wulfe was a hopeless romantic, and his tattoo was a reminder to Damon of the consequences of his actions. Damon kept me close by his side, while Mariella socialized with anyone she could find. Mimosa and Shadow, Elena, and Katherine, all engaged in conversation and strolled along.

However, I couldn't help but notice that Lepard and Demon kept a watchful eye on them. The boys embraced their role as protectors, and I overheard Lepard hissing at his protégé about how she should eat. He truly took after his father. Derek and my other children were engrossed in their own conversations, not paying us much attention.

There were so many people to meet and greet, making it difficult to have a private wedding night. But my husband's smug smile told me everything I needed to know. I had to be prepared for anything. Despite my vampire pheromones being irresistible to him, he managed to maintain self-restraint.

It was time for me to indulge in my mischievous side, imagining a steamy scenario in my mind. Wulfe caught my gaze, raising an eyebrow and slightly curling his mouth.

I reminded myself that I had others to consider, but the fun was too enticing to stop. Wulfe engaged in conversations with everyone, his hood now off but his robe still on.

Damon whispered in my mind, frustrated yet excited, "Damn it, baby, I'm trying to act like a king here, and you're sending those thoughts to me. Luckily, our wedding night is approaching."

It was my turn to wear a smug smile and continue teasing my husband. This was all too enjoyable. Soon, we would discover what the wedding night had in store for us, and things were bound to get intense. After all, I was stoking the fire for both of us.