Eternal Faith - Book 4 (The Ruby Ring Saga) Read online

  “I burn so hot for you,” I moaned, digging my fingernails into his back, my tongue dancing sensuously with his.

  His kiss grew bolder and hotter as his mouth devoured mine. Burning with desire, I practically ripped his shirt off and traced the firm muscles and ridges of his powerful chest. His hands roamed over my body and skimmed the curves of my hips and bottom. I kissed his chest, a solid wall of muscle. He scooped me up and took me to our bedroom.

  In spite of my pregnant belly, I slipped into a sexy black nightie. Victor loved curves and stared at my plunging neckline. My breasts were bigger than ever, and Victor couldn’t get enough of them. I hadn’t expected to feel sexy with my big, bulging belly, but I did.

  After a night of passionate lovemaking, one of our best nights ever, we talked for a long time, strengthening our deep emotional connection. We talked about everything, from the first day we met to our new life and addition to our family. Victor wouldn’t talk about his past and only talked about his life after he met me. I found it frustrating that he wouldn’t open up to me, but I was willing to be patient.

  I stared into his beautiful blue eyes and ran a hand through his dark, black hair. He smiled. I knew we were going to last forever and that nobody could ever tear us apart. We both saw through the same Immortal eyes, sharing experiences and feeling connected, for we were both just trying to survive in the world.

  I trusted Victor and let him into my heart. I told him about my greatest accomplishments and deepest fears. My king held me, kissed me, and cherished me. Our hearts and souls were intertwined. Not only was he the world’s best husband and most passionate lover, but he was also my best friend. With that thought in mind, I fell asleep in my husband’s strong arms.

  Chapter 10

  I was now seven months pregnant. Victor was so excited to be a father, and I was thrilled to have someone so supportive. He even went with me to all of my appointments with Dr. Meyers at the Immortal clinic. I tried to eat healthy, take walks outside, and do anything I could so I’d be prepared for the baby’s arrival. Being a mother was going to be a huge responsibility, and I took it seriously. As every day passed, I anxiously waited to meet my little guy, my precious son.

  Victor and I snuggled on the couch under a blanket, next to a crackling fire. We had watched a few popular sitcoms, and I couldn’t help but smirk at some of the jokes he didn’t understand. They just flew over his head since he still wasn’t one hundred percent familiar with everything. It was kind of like being with a man from another country; as I pondered that, I realized just how true it was, and I laughed at myself.

  When the evening news came on, the reporter mentioned that another person had gone missing: “Police are seeking any information that might lead to the recovering of twenty-year-old Tina Arler,” the blonde reporter said. “A search party of 500 volunteers has been organized, and searches have begun in—”

  Grabbing the remote, I turned off the television in a panic, wondering if we should choose another place to raise a child after all.

  “Don’t you want to watch the news?” he asked.

  “It’s too depressing. So many people have gone missing, and the thought of some killer out there gives me goosebumps.”

  “Yes, it is very unsettling, but your police are working hard to solve the puzzle.”

  I shuddered. “I don’t want to think about it. Let me whip us up a snack, and we can just talk.”

  His blue eyes crinkled around the edges as he laughed. “Oh no! A snack?”

  “What? You didn’t like the last one?” I retorted.

  He cocked a brow. “Pickles dipped in peanut butter? You’ve made me try lots of new foods since we arrived here, but that one was just hard to stomach.”

  “Okay, okay. I get your point, but I can’t help it. I just get these weird food cravings.” I let out a sigh. “Sometimes pregnancy sucks.” I pulled at the shirt that was glued to my big stomach. “You know what I wish?”

  “What?”

  “I wish I could throw on a pair of skinny jeans and tuck them into high-heeled suede boots and—”

  “But you look beautiful just the way you are,” he softly said with heartfelt sincerity.

  “Thanks, honey. No more complaining from me, I guess. Let’s just have fun. I can teach you how to play Angry Birds if you want.”

  He chuckled. “So much technology. It is amazing that you have all of these little gadgets and gizmos, Smart-thises and i-thats. I don’t know if the people of Tastia will ever know of all these miraculous things.”

  “If your world had television, do you think we’d be on the news and in all the newspapers and tabloids?” I asked.

  “Most definitely.”

  “I can imagine the news reporting all the details of our lives and all the pressing matters in the kingdom. Of course, it could do some good. Imagine having a reporter in the village of Lato to cover the story of those poor, starving children. People from everywhere would unite and help.”

  “I have seen that some of your movie stars are surrounded by mobs brandishing cameras and shouting out questions whenever they go out in public. I’m not sure I’d want that kind of popularity.”

  “Ah, yes, the paparazzi. They are the people taking all those pictures, chasing the stars around Hollywood and the royal family around England. I suppose we would be stalked constantly, since we are the royals of Tastia.”

  He smiled. “No Tastia TV then.”

  I shrugged. “We have enough of our own drama anyway, like a soap opera of our own.”

  “Oh no! Please don’t make me sit through General Hospital again.”

  “But I love that show, sweetie.”

  He laughed, and I playfully nudged him.

  “I’ve got an idea,” I said. “Take me to Hawaii.”

  “Hawaii? Let me Google that.” He reached for his Smartphone as if he was an old pro at using it.

  I laughed.

  “What?”

  “I just watched the king of a mighty, medieval kingdom pull out a Smartphone to Google something.”

  He smiled. “I must learn your ways if I am every to live here and function properly.”

  I playfully nudged him. “Do you remember when I first met you and snapped a picture?”

  He blinked. “Yes, you took it with a camera.”

  “Your knights thought I was wielding great and mighty magic.”

  “They thought you to be a witch.” He chuckled.

  “You thought the camera was a weapon.”

  His cheeks blushed. “In my defense, I had no idea. I’m from the Stone Age, remember?”

  “My FLIR and camera was nothing but good old technology.”

  “Well, now, if I ever again meet a beautiful, enchanting woman in the woods carrying strange equipment, I’ll know better.”

  I laughed. “Back to Hawaii. Can you take me there?” When he cocked a brow, I continued, “I mean with your dream power. Back in those cliffs, when I was running from you, you put me in a dream.”

  He shot me a beaming smile. “I can.”

  I gripped his hands. “Then let’s go.”

  “It has to be somewhere I know or something in my imagination. If I’ve never been to the place, I can’t conjure up the image.”

  “What an awesome way to spend a Friday night. Just surprise me then. Give me something with a fantasy twist.”

  “Your body will go into a trance-like state.”

  “I remember very well.”

  Gripping Victor’s hands, I closed my eyes and drifted into that familiar fog, but this time, I wasn’t scared. The first time it happened, it completely freaked me out. Back then, I was just a woman running from him, but now I felt safe and secure in his arms, completely without fear.

  My eyes fluttered open to the sound of birds chirping happy songs, and everything was bright. I gasped, my mind reeling. The sky was the perfect shade of blue, the sun shone brightly, and white, fluffy clouds drifted overhead. I stopped and inhaled deeply. The air smelle
d sweet, like perfume. I lifted my head and let the soft breeze caress my skin as I watched a nearby blooming bush sway in the wind, but the scent wasn’t coming from there. I peeked ahead through the tangle of vegetation and saw a glimpse of heaven, an explosion of color painting the lush green grass. I felt laughter bubbling in the back of my throat.

  “It’s beautiful,” I said in awe.

  He wrapped an arm around me. “This way, my love.”

  Pushing low branches aside, I burst through toward the beckoning meadow. Swarms of red, blue, and orange butterflies danced above thousands of big, tulip-like blooms, stretching out as far as my eye could see. I gasped when sounds rang out in the distance like bells. I stood still for a moment and pulled my hair up over my ear. “I hear...windchimes.”

  “It’s coming from the flowers,” he said.

  “I love your imagination.” I dropped to my knees in the vibrant garden. With my eyes wide and my mouth gaping, I gingerly touched a blue petal. I put my ear close to a big, pink blossom. It was coming from the flowers. I stood, amazed. Clear as day, I could hear the soft, tinkling echo coming from the bulb.

  He smiled and gave me a quick squeeze, and I bent down and poked at a red flower. It made a high-pitched melody. When I touched an orange one, it made a low-pitched noise. I caressed a turquoise flower, and it made a different twang. Cocking an eyebrow, I ran my hands up and down an entire line of blooms; they sounded like a xylophone. Each flower was tuned to a specific pitch, like a musical scale.

  Victor picked a big bloom, as yellow as the sun, and put it in my hair, just above my ear. He flashed me a smile, showing off his perfect white teeth. “This flower represents all the light you bring into my life.”

  “Thank you, My King.” I kissed him on the lips, basking in the undeniable spark, that connection between us that we could both feel. I grinned widely.

  He looked so handsome as the wind blew his hair around that I couldn’t possibly tear my gaze away from him. He was absolutely striking, from his muscular frame and exquisitely sculpted face to his strong jaw and piercing blue eyes. He wore a blue shirt that stretched across his wide shoulders and powerful chest and a pair of faded blue jeans.

  I glanced around, completely amazed. “This place is beautiful. How long can we stay here, in your dream?”

  “I can hold on to it for roughly an hour,” he said.

  A gentle breeze caused the flowers to ripple. I reached out to pick a purple-red bloom when a butterfly landed on my hand, tickling my skin. I laughed. The luminescent, metallic blue reflected by the sunlight shining on its wings took my breath away. I stood and stretched out my arm. The butterfly slowly opened and closed its delicate wings. With each flutter, it lightly sprinkled silver glitter into the air.

  A startled gasp escaped my lips. “Did you just see that? It’s spraying silver stuff everywhere.”

  His face beamed as he watched me squeal in amazement. “You asked me for a fantasy twist.”

  “And you delivered. It’s awesome. I love it!”

  I smiled as a sense of harmony washed over me. Striped, spotted, and squiggly-lined butterflies floated over the flowers, leaving long trails of sparkling glitter in their wake. Steven Spielberg himself couldn’t have asked for better special effects. As if on cue, a butterfly landed on my nose. For a split second, it lingered there, then flew off toward the flowers, leaving a glittering trail behind as it passed over the sea of chiming blossoms.

  Wide, velvet wings fluttered and shimmered everywhere, landing on my head, face, arms, legs, and clothes. Soft music echoed all around me, and I couldn’t help but smile. I leaned against him until I could feel the warmth of his skin against my racing heart, and I lifted my arm to touch his cheek. He smiled and kissed my fingers where they touched his lips.

  His eyes fixed on my lips, and he moved closer. His mouth lowered onto mine. Our lips connected in a slow, gentle touch. I closed my eyes, savoring his sweet taste. Goosebumps rippled my skin as his strong hands wandered down my back to my middle, drawing me unbelievably closer. More sweet, romantic kisses on the lips followed. His arms squeezed me more tightly, but his touch remained soft, like the butterflies fluttering on the nearby blossoms.

  The way Victor sparkled in the bright sunlight, I could have sworn the make-up and costume artists from the Twilight set had dumped an entire bottle of glitter into his hair and all over him. It wasn’t just his skin; it was everything, from his clothes to his hair. When he shook his head, sparkles landed on the nearby grass and flowers, the air around us glistening like Heaven. Even his eyelashes were beaded with the shiny stuff.

  “Why did you choose butterflies?” I asked. “I love them, but what made you pick them?”

  “Butterflies symbolize change. You came into my world and changed me, changed my whole world and my whole outlook on life. You didn’t change who you are, yet you accepted my customs and tried to fit in and adjust the best way you knew how.”

  “And you came into my world and tried to change for me.”

  “Ah, yes. I am still stuffed into these most uncomfortable denim bindings, aren’t I? I could’ve easily changed into something far more to my liking, but I am wearing this for you, milady.”

  “You’re trying, Victor, and I’ve gotta give you that. Change isn’t like a light switch that you can turn on and off. It’s a process, and it takes time...for all of us.”

  Butterflies circled above as the song of tingling bells hung in the air.

  Victor held my gaze through the cloud of glitter falling softly upon us and wrapped his arms around my waist, drawing me closer. “Change and transformation are inevitable, my love, but it need not encumber one with stress, anxiety, and fear.”

  I cupped his cheek. “We might be from two different worlds, but I’m never going to let you go. I’ll do whatever it takes to make this work, Victor,” I said, my words dripping with emotion.

  His lips crashed into mine, sending shivers down my spine as he claimed my lips, his own way of sealing the deal. I knew right then and there that he would also do everything in his power to make our marriage last. He stared into my eyes as I gasped for air after the amazing kiss. “The butterflies also stand for a new life, a new beginning,” he softly said. “You, my beautiful angel, were deprived of the wedding you wanted, with all of your friends and kin present, and—”

  I touched his face, stopping him at the thought. “I don’t care about that. I have you, and that’s all that matters now.”

  “No, Sarah. When we had that horrible argument outside, you mentioned your regret that your wedding was not as you’d hoped, not the event you’d been planning for your entire life. It pains me that I took that away from you. You mustn’t give up on your dreams so easily, for me or anyone else.”

  I tucked a strand of stray hair behind my ear. “All little girls dream of a grand wedding ceremony, Victor. I supposed I’d been planning my special day since I was five years old. It was just...a childhood fantasy.”

  He touched my face and winced. “Perhaps, but I took it from you, and to make matters worse, the ceremony you did endure was more torturous than fantastic.”

  “It was different than I’d ever imagined, that’s for sure.”

  “Our wedding was not as nuptials are intended to be. It was not two lovers reciting their vows. It wasn’t an expression of the true love we feel for each other now.”

  “That’s because we weren’t even in love with each other then, Victor. All we had between us then was...well, lust.”

  “I cannot say that lust does not still play a role in my feelings for you, my darling, but I am also madly, deeply in love with you. Sarah, I want to declare that love properly now, in front of all your family and friends. I want to fulfill your childhood fantasy.”

  “In so many ways, Victor, you already have,” I said, smiling at him. “Still, what is it you are proposing?” I asked, my curiosity brewing.

  His eyes twinkled, betraying just how happy he was. “Funny you should mention a p
roposal,” he said, toying with me. “Sarah, will you marry me...again?”

  Emotion choked my voice. “You mean, renew our vows?”

  “Yes. Absolutely. You deserve the wedding of your dreams because you are the woman of mine. We rushed through that forced ceremony before, and you had no choice or say in the matter. I want you to have a choice this time, to choose the gown, the venue, the food—all of it.”

  I stood there, stunned, unable to believe my ears, with visions of bridal gowns and bouquets already dancing through my head.

  “We were merely strangers then. Of course there was a physical attraction,” he said, smirking, “but we were not in love with each other as we are now. You are going to be the mother of my child, Sarah. You are the love of my life, and I want to give you that wedding of yours, the wedding you have always deserved.”

  Tears welled up in my eyes. “I can’t believe you’d do something so wonderful for me.”

  He smiled, again revealing his perfect white teeth. “You have told me the story of Cinderella, and you should not have to envy her. Your wedding will be grand, attended by all of those you love, even more resplendent and glorious than anything you dreamt about as a small girl.” He shot me a wink. “If it will make you happy, I will even wear one of those torpedoes you have told me about.”

  “Torpedoes?”

  “Yes. You know—the black and white garment with a cucumber bun, jewels at the wrist, and long tails like an animal’s to cover my behind.”

  “Cucumber bun?” I thought for a minute before it dawned on me what he was trying to say. “Oh! You mean a tuxedo, with a cumberbun?”

  He nodded.

  A tear slipped down my face. “You’d do all that for me, Victor? You’d let me plan a wedding ceremony in the tradition of my world? You’d really wear a constricting, itchy, hot, stuffy tux and walk down the aisle looking like a spruced-up penguin?” I asked with a grin.