Page 63 of Depths of Desire
“Absolutely.”
“Okay. I’ll take care of this. You guys stay back there.” And he’s gone.
Warmth spreads through me. He believed me. He didn’t question it—he trusted my instinct without hesitation.
A few loud crashes and bangs follow, echoing through the old stone walls of the church. I don’t even want to think about what’s going on out there, and none of us makes a move to look. Whatever it is, we don’t need to see it.
A few minutes later, Luca steps into the room. His expression is tight. “There’s going to be a slight delay,” he says. We all stare at him. There’s a small spot of blood on his collar.
Pippa lets out a small, shaky sigh and squeezes his hand. “You’re alright?”
He nods and drops a kiss on her forehead. “Fine. It’s handled.”
“Do you know who sent him? The fake priest?” I ask. “I know Nico said Renzo had found the guy. Obviously, it wasn’t the same guy Renzo called.”
Luca exhales through his nose. “Our father sent him.”
The air leaves my lungs like I’ve been punched. “Do you think?—”
“No,” Luca cuts me off, shaking his head firmly. “My father wouldn’t knowingly send a fake priest. He sees the logic—and the value—in you and Nico being married. I think he got the name from someone... and this imposter showed up. We’re trying to track my father down to ask some questions. Because whoever gave him the name must have set him up. How else would a fake priest make it here?”
I finally manage a breath, the tightness in my chest easing slightly. At least Nico’s father isn’t behind it. That’s... something.
“That doesn’t bode well,” Mia says, sinking onto a nearby chair. “That means word is out—that you and Nico are getting married. And some of the vampire kings are against it.”
Luca hesitates but then gives a curt nod.
I must have made a sound, because Pippa gently ushers me to a nearby sofa. She gestures for me to sit.
“My gown will wrinkle,” I protest weakly.
“I think that’s the least of our worries,” she replies with a weak smile.
She’s right. I sink onto the cushions. Pippa looks over at her husband. “What’s the plan?”
“We’re making some calls,” Luca says. “Trying to locate another priest. But it has to be a vampire. We have to do this in blood—it’s the only way it will succeed.”
I try not to panic. “You guys didn’t marry by a vampire priest or do anything with blood, did you?”
Mia frowns. “Well, no, we didn’t, but no one had a claim to us, and honestly, the vampire world just didn’t care. Since the wedding, we’ve had a few…issues, though. I think getting married with the vampire priest and signing the contract in blood is a much smarter way to go. Renzo and I have talked about doing it as a precaution. A lot of vampires don’t like humans much.”
I stare at my friend. “I had no idea that you had any issues.”
“I didn’t know you knew about vampires and the magickal realm. If I had, I would’ve told you. I would actually love to discuss it with you.” Mia nods at Pippa. “We’ve been discussing it as well.”
Pippa offers me a smile of encouragement. “You’re doing it the right way. Mia is right. Luca and I are also considering doing an official vampire marriage ceremony. It’s a way to protect me more, and it forces the vampires to accept me as part of his father’s kingdom. There’s a certain amount of security in that.”
“I had no idea,” I say as my heart rate ticks up. “Have you two been threatened?”
Mia and Pippa exchange a look. “Not threatened, per se,” Pippa states. “More like intimidated. Or, at least, there are those who try to intimidate us. Mia, especially, since she helps Renzo runla famiglia.”
“By marrying Nico under the official vampire rules, you are forcing the other vampires to accept you as part of their world. I think Pippa and I will have to do the same. It’s better for them to be forced to accept us, and Pippa is correct, it affords us more protection. No one wants to take on one of the vampire kings and start a war, which is what would happen if we were officially vampire wives and they…bothered us.”
“No one but Malrick,” I say, my stomach roiling.
Pippa squeezes my hand. “Don’t worry,” she says. “We’re all on this. Malrick will not get you. This wedding will happen.”
I squeeze her hand back but say nothing. My mind is racing. Why is it that every single time I try to do something, it all goes wrong? But then another thought hits me, quieter and darker. Maybe it’s not going wrong. Maybe this is what’s supposed to happen. Just because I feel so connected to Nico doesn’t mean that’s necessarily true. Maybe this is a sign. Maybe I’m supposed to run.
