I don't own Night World.

Chapter 2

I woke up slowly.

My head was on Morgead's chest, and his arms were around me. His breathing was deep and even. I could hear his heart.

I listened to it for a while. I could listen to that perfect sound for eternity.

I sat up gently, so as not to wake him.

Morgead was always beautiful, but when he was sleeping, he was otherworldly. He was so relaxed and calm. His eyelashes cast long shadows on his cheekbones, and his expression took on an innocence that was shocking on a grown man's face.

I looked down at my left hand, where the perfect ring that he'd given me was. Sometime soon, I would be his wife.

My heart thrilled at these words, and I felt Morgead respond, through our connection. I leant my head on his chest again as his arms tightened around me.

This was perfect as it was. I never wanted us to move. Just to stay like this, in perfect harmony, peace surrounding us, and the aura of happiness that you could almost taste.

Morgead stirred, and woke up.

"Jez?" he whispered quietly. "Are you awake?"

"Yes," I murmured. I let my hand trail along his chest so that I could put my arm around his neck.

He shifted round so that he was facing me and kissed my forehead. I pulled him closer.

"I love you," he said gently. He started kissing down my neck. I twisted my hand in his hair, the other still tight around his neck. His arms were around my waist, but holding me gently, as if I were too precious to be broken.

"You are," he whispered. He'd heard my thought.

I sent a gentle, probing tendril of thought to him. He welcomed it gratefully and we fell into each others minds, so that there were no secrets that the other didn't know. I knew now his perfect happiness at my acceptance of his proposal, and he knew mine, about him being here, with me, in my arms.

We stayed like that for a long while, revelling in the discovery that we made six months ago, but never failed to amaze us. We were Soulmates. Destined to be together for eternity. I couldn't have picked someone I could love more.

After a while, we had to pull out of our perfect world. It was hard, like always, but finally we managed to bear to untangle our thoughts.

"Do you want to get ready first?" Morgead said, pressing his lips to my temple.

"OK," I said softly. I reluctantly pulled away, grabbed some clothes and went into the bathroom.

I finished quickly and walked out towelling my hair dry. I'd put on a blue blouse and some jeans. Morgead got out of our bed and walked past me to the bathroom, kissing me quickly as he passed.

I went to the window and leaned against it, humming under my breath. I'd been worried when Thierry had suggested that Morgead should go on a mission, without me. And being without him... I couldn't let that happen again.

Morgead came out of the bathroom and walked up to me. "Do you want to go downstairs?" he asked.

I nodded and we walked out.

~ * ~ * ~

I was wandering around Thierry's vast garden when I was talking to Rashel.

"He proposed?" she questioned as soon as I told her the news.

I smiled. "Yes. He did."

Her eyes widened. "Tell me everything. Now!"

I told her everything. She was gazing at me by the end.

"What?" I asked, self-conscious.

"Morgead's quite romantic, isn't he?" she asked.

I looked at her incredulously. "If he wants to be. But that wasn't particularly romantic. He just got down on one knee and proposed." I shrugged.

"But he knows that you wouldn't have wanted some big set-up like... I don't know... Thierry would do. The romantic thing was the fact that he done what you wanted, and that he knew exactly how to do it."

"We've known each other for years, Rashel. He just knows me."

"Exactly." She smiled triumphantly.

We walked back to the house.

~ * ~ * ~

The months passed quickly, and the wedding plans were at an advanced stage. I'd chosen a dress (that Morgead wasn't allowed to see) and we were planning to have the ceremony along the banks of a river. If it rained we were moving into one of the big ballrooms.

Gillian also made sure that Morgead and I weren't allowed to see each other the day of the wedding until the ceremony. I was dreading that. The wedding wasn't going to be until three in the afternoon.

It was the night before the wedding. I was sitting in our room, alone. Morgead had moved out for the night.

"Damn you, Gillian," I whispered to myself.

Of all nights, I needed Morgead the most. I needed to feel the warmth of his arms around me, the comforting sound of his heart beat. I curled up and closed my eyes, hoping for sleep.

I was just starting to drop off when a gentle knock on the door disturbed me.

"Come in," I said, sitting up.

It was Morgead. "I sensed that you wanted me," he said softly.

I stood up and walked up to him.

"Yeah," I murmured, and I relaxed in his arms. "Damn Gillian. I hate being away from you."

"I could stay," he whispered. "Until midnight. That leaves us three hours."

"That would be good," I said. I closed the door and led him over to the bed.

In his arms, I fell asleep quickly. He was murmuring a lullaby under his breath, calming me. I slept well, free from any dreams.

The next morning, Morgead wasn't with me. A single rose and a note were on the bedside table.

I opened the note. It was from Morgead, obviously.

Jez,

I didn't break our promise to Gillian, and left at midnight. I tried not to wake you up. I'll see you at three. I can't wait until then.

I love you,

Morgead.

I folded the note and was picking up the rose when there was a knock on the door.

"Yes?" I called out.

Gillian walked in, a worryingly large bag that looked to big for her to carry in her arms.

"Right," she said. "I have a while, but I'm sure Morgead wants you to be perfect. I want to make him speechless."

I stared at her. "Do I have any say in this?"

"No. And you're a girl, and I know you like dressing up."

I smiled. "You know me too well. I love dressing up."

She grinned. "Good. Come on."

Gillian worked on me for most of the day. Poppy came in after a while and helped with my hair. Rashel was taking charge to sort out the seating arrangements, and from what I knew Morgead was confined to a room the other side of the mansion.

Claire and Hugh also came up. They'd come to stay at the mansion the day before with my aunt Nan and my uncle Jim.

"Wow, Jez," Hugh said when he came in. "You look... wow."

I laughed. "It's all Gillian and Poppy's work."

"What can we say..." Gillian said, one hand on her hip.

"We're geniuses!" Poppy finished. I rolled my eyes.

Gillian checked her watch. "We have one hour."

She went out, probably to get my dress.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. I didn't know why they were so bad. I trusted Morgead with my life, and just having him say a few oaths that the Soulmate connection forced us to uphold.

"Are you alright?" Claire asked, concern lining her expression.

I nodded. "Just a bit nervous, you know?" I said.

"I'll guess," she said. "I hate doing things like that in front of people. I didn't want to be a bridesmaid to my aunt's wedding because of that. I think that's the reason I'll never get married."

"That's not it, though. I'm not stage-shy. Just ask Morgead; I was always a show-off."

Gillian came back in the room, holding a garment bag. I stood up as Hugh and Claire walked out the door. Hugh squeezed my arm reassuringly as he passed.

I walked up to Gillian, gazing uncertainly at the dress. It was as close to perfect as was possible. It had a square neck and hugged to my upper body before flowing out in a skirt that would brush the ground when I moved. The bell-sleeves were long and of a netted material, with flower patterns. It was silvery-white.

"Are you feeling alright?" Gillian asked, as concerned as Claire had been.

"Yeah..." I said. "Just scared."

She smiled slightly. "Just fix Morgead's face in your mind. It'll help."

I nodded and did as she said. I fixed Morgead's handsome face in my mind. His black hair falling over his forehead and bright green eyes that always showed such tenderness when they looked at me. I imagined what it would be like to be in his arms, feeling his heartbeat against my cheek.

It worked. I calmed down quickly. Gillian saw that in my face.

"Right. You want to get this on now?" she said.

I looked at the dress again and smiled. "Yeah. I haven't worn it since we went to buy it."

I stripped down to my underwear and Gillian helped me put the dress on.

"Perfect!" she exclaimed. "I can't wait to see Morgead's face."

I looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was mostly down and it spilled around my shoulders. The paleness of the dress reflected off my already pale skin, making it luminous. The silvery-white colour brought out the silver in my eyes, which made my lashes look darker and thicker.

"The dress really works," I said.

"Morgead won't know what's hit him," she said cheerfully. She checked her watch. "Half an hour 'till the wedding starts!"

"I swear you're more excited than I am, Gillian," I said, turning to her.

"This is the first time I've been a bridesmaid! Of course I'm excited. And as for being more excited than you," she shook her head. "I'm not. I just can't control my emotions. You're better at that."

I laughed. "Talking about being my bridesmaid, shouldn't you be going to get your dress on?"

She gasped. "And I've only got half an hour! Oh, no..." She ran out of the room.

I rolled my eyes. Gillian really was one crazy witch. I sat down on my bed and tried to make the time pass quicker, keeping Morgead's face fixed in my mind.

I heard a knock on the door. "Hello? Come in," I said.

My Uncle Bracken came in.

"Uncle Bracken!" I said, and I walked up to him to hug him tightly.

"Hey, sweetie," he said. "How're you feeling?"

He pulled away to look at me, a worried frown on his face.

I flashed him a smile. "Great. Never better."

He smiled back. "Good," he said, and dug around in his pocket. He pulled out a chain with a pendant and held it in front of me. "This was your mother's. She wore it for her wedding."

I took it. The pendant was a blue topaz. The same colour as my eyes. The chain was silver, and quite short. It would rest just below the hollow of my throat.

"Help me put it on?" I asked.

He nodded and I held my hair to the side so that he could put it on. It went perfectly.

"Thanks," I whispered. I touched the pendant and smiled.

"Gillian did a good job. You look really beautiful, Jez," he said.

"Thanks. And Gillian really is good. She could make anyone look great."

He smiled. "It's strange. It seems like just yesterday you were a little girl constantly fighting with Morgead. And now..." he shrugged. "At least I can trust him not to hurt you."

"He wouldn't hurt me. He loves me."

I heard the quiet certainty in my voice. It was true. Morgead loved me more than anything. I'd seen myself through his eyes. To him I was the most wonderful thing in the world, something to be protected at all costs.

He would die for me and I would do the same for him.

Because for me it was the same. I didn't see anything else when we were together; the world could have blown up and then got pieced back together, and we wouldn't have noticed.

I checked the clock over the mirror. It was twenty to three.

Twenty minutes until my wedding.

I wasn't scared now, but impatient. I trusted Morgead. He would never hurt me, and I loved him more than anything. I couldn't wait to be Jez Blackthorn.

Out the window, I could see that people were starting to take their seats along the riverbank. The late afternoon autumn sun shone bright, reflecting off the water. The willow tree under which Morgead and I would stand to say our vows was perfect. It was slightly secluded; the overhanging branches cut off the view only slightly. We could ignore everyone else; it would be like there were only us two in the world.

Which was the best feeling in the world.

Gillian came back in, wearing a dress that was perfect. More luminescent white than mine was, without the silver tinge, with spaghetti straps and it ended just above her knees. Her white-blonde cap of hair was carefully arranged into slight curls.

"You look great, Gillian," I said. She smiled.

There was another knock on the door, and Rashel came in. She was holding a bouquet of blue orchids.

"Hey, Jez!" she said. "It's looking great downstairs, so I decided to leave Quinn in charge for a while so that I could come and see you. Are you nervous?"

"No," I answered positively. She smiled.

"Good, because there's no point to be nervous. Morgead's coming down in about ten minutes, and remember what we rehearsed."

I nodded.

She smiled and left, saying "Better make sure Quinn hasn't flooded the river or something," over her shoulder.

I looked at the clock again. Fifteen minutes. Why was time going so slowly?

Uncle Bracken noticed that I was glaring at the clock. "You impatient, Jez?" he asked.

I groaned. "I'm sick of waiting. It's getting on my nerves."

The next fifteen minutes went even slower. I was ready to rip my hair out by the time that the music started.

"We better get a move on," Gillian said.

I nodded and we walked out. I was ready to place my entire life into Morgead's hands.

The walk down to the river seemed to take forever, but finally we were there. I could see the back of Morgead's night-dark head, but he didn't turn round.

The music changed, and Gillian walked up. I waited for a minute, then twisted my arm around my Uncle Bracken's.

"Finally," I muttered to him. He chuckled.

Morgead turned round and froze, his eyes wide when he saw me. The crowd all stood up as I started walking down, leaning on my Uncle Bracken.

Finally... I thought and by Morgead's breath-taking smile I knew he'd heard me through our bond.

The walk up was frustrating; all I wanted was to bolt to Morgead's side, but I had to keep my pace steady and in time with the music. I knew Bracken could feel how tense I was.

We arrived after what seemed an eternity and Bracken placed my hand in Morgead's. The spark was stronger, rejoicing with us. I couldn't believe it had taken me so long to realise I loved Morgead, it seemed impossible that I could have been so blind.

I love you, I murmured to him mentally.

I love you too, his response came. I could see it was the truth in his eyes. They were so tender and soft and a perfect happiness lit the green to a stunning colour, no words could describe how beautiful they were, how beautiful he was.

The ceremony began. The vows were spoken. The time passed quickly, for which I was glad. It was time then to speak those two binding words.

"I do," I said. Morgead's eyes were so perfectly happy. I didn't know that just two words could cause such joy.

"I do," Morgead said. His voice was gentle.

The minister smiled. "You may kiss the bride," he said.

The kiss was perfect, albeit rather short. He held me gently, so carefully. My hands were twisted in his hair, holding him firmly against me.

He pulled away after only a few seconds, but kept one arm tight around my waist as people came up to congratulate us.

The ceremony flowed perfectly into the reception party. Morgead and I took the traditional first dance. I relaxed, perfectly content, in his arms and let him take the lead; I knew he could dance.

"You look really beautiful, Jez," he murmured to me.

"It's all Gillian; as she says, she's a genius," I answered.

"Not really. It's not the hair or the dress," he whispered. He kissed me while we were dancing.

When the dance finished, everyone else came onto the dance floor. I danced with Hugh whilst Morgead was dancing with Raven.

"You feeling alright now?" Hugh asked me.

I grinned at him. "Yes. I'm feeling great."

"That's good. You know you can count on Morgead," he suddenly grinned. "I told you he didn't hate you."

"When did you tell me that?"

"When you were assigned to find the Wild Power. I told you that he had strong feelings for you, but hate wasn't one of them. And you responded that he did hate you because you were always gunning for each other."

"He is a good actor. I suppose I couldn't see that he did love me."

"And I guessed that you loved him then."

"You didn't say that, Hugh, but you're right."

I had to dance with almost everyone else before I could get back where I wanted, in Morgead's arms. I sighed in happiness when his arms wrapped around my waist and he leant his cheek against my hair.

We were silent, just dancing in the encroaching dusk. The other people twirled around unknown to us. We didn't care, all we wanted was to stay revelling in the perfect fact that we were Soulmates. We would always stay together. Nothing would be strong enough to take us away from each other.

The reception party also finished, after a while, and it was time for Morgead and I to go. Gillian dragged me upstairs to change into jeans and a t-shirt. She helped me take my hair out and then we walked back down.

I saw my Aunt Nan and my Uncle Jim. They didn't know about the Night World, but we were planning to tell them at some time.

"Jez!" Aunt Nan said. She hugged me. "Gillian really did a good job. You looked beautiful."

I smiled. "Thanks."

"You looked like your mother when she got married," Uncle Jim said. He touched the pendant that I was still wearing. "This was hers, wasn't it?"

"Yes. My Uncle Bracken gave it to me."

"Jez! You're gonna be late!" Gillian shouted.

"Go on," Aunt Nan said, pushing my arm gently. "You don't want to be late for your honeymoon."

I smiled in thanks and hugged them again. I walked quickly back to Morgead's side. He twisted one arm around my waist and kissed the top of my head.

"You ready to go?" he murmured.

"Yes," I said back, leaning against him.

We went into the car, waving goodbye to the crowd. We drove away, holding hands.

If you're interested, there's a playlist to Morgead's view on Huntress and to the first two chapters of Huntress II. There's something there to suit everyone!