Five weeks had passed since the night where Hailey almost lost James. Or was it the night where he'd almost lost her? Hailey shrugged at that thought. It didn't matter. They never lost each other and had grown stronger since the ordeal.
Matt was still in solitary confinement, and Aden had decided he and the other attackers would be given a trial. There wasn't any chance in hell any of them would walk, but since there currently wasn't a solid protocol in place for a trial of this proportion, it meant they'd be locked away for now. Hailey was absolutely fine with that.
She'd discussed a solution with the leaders of the Empathic Collective regarding the psychopathic Psy in the Net. She'd suggested some sort of closed facility, akin to the human equivalent of a psychiatric hospital where they could be treated. Hailey had volunteered to design a concept for the Collective to assess. The Collective had agreed with her that it was imperative these Psy needed psychiatric and empathic attendance–preferably before they were able to act on their deviant urges–and had discussed the general idea with the Ruling Coalition.
Krychek seemed to believe it was a better idea to eliminate every Psy with extreme deviant tendencies, whereas Nikita Duncan had been rather indifferent to the fate of her fellow Psy. But since the Empaths, Anthony Kyriakus and the Arrows were also represented in the Coalition, the decision was made to continue working out the concept and find a suitable location to establish the idea.
Besides her work for the Empathic Collective, Hailey had made a request to Aden to continue her classes at the valley. Before the situation with Morgan and the threat to her life, she'd only been able to keep half of her end of the bargain since she hadn't been able to start her music course yet. Aden told her she was always welcome to teach and that he was looking forward to her classes.
Apparently, the teenagers had been eager for her to continue as well. The first day Hailey had returned to the valley, her classroom was packed with children. Overwhelmed by their support, Hailey had decided to do an exercise outside on the outdoor training field, and the end of the class the children had persuaded her to play some music for them.
Hailey sighed at the memory of James' beautiful half smile when he'd joined the group after his duties.
Although she despised James going full bodyguard on her, she missed having her Arrow around. They hadn't been able to spend as much time together as before the visions. For living arrangements, James and she had decided to alternate between living at the valley cabin and staying over at her apartment in order to be together as much as possible. Though, she couldn't really complain; a week after the day they'd questioned Matt, James had filed the report about everything that had passed, and him and Hailey been able to have a mini holiday.
James had teleported them to beautiful locations around the world they had both chosen with use of Hailey's travel list.
Hailey had designed an alternative to a flight plan–which she'd called the 'port plan– since she didn't want James to waste energy on traveling back and forth. The long-distance teleports still required a significant amount of energy from him, especially with her as charge, but he'd assured her it would be fine since they didn't have any obligations aside from discovering the wonders of the world and enjoying the scenery. They had decided to take only a backpack each with essentials and some food, packing light to travel easily.
The first location on their 'port plan had been an atoll in the Maldives, where they'd swum in the sparkling water of the Arabian Sea. The water had been the same color as James' eyes, the scenery even more beautiful than Hailey had seen in pictures; fine white sand on the shores, palm trees and azure blue water stretched as far as the eye could see.
Hailey had shown James how to create an air pocket with use of his Tk and together they'd dived to coral reefs where multi-colored fish swam around them. It had been magical. They'd made love underneath the star-studded sky on that tropical beach and had slept encased in James' Tk shield. Hailey had never felt as free as she did when swimming in the vast ocean, racing against passing dolphins and manta rays, some of who had been BlackSea Changelings. Hailey had pouted at James when it was time to travel, but he had reassured her they'd return to their private beach soon.
The next location had been one of his choosing. This time they'd acted like proper tourists, visiting the pyramids and the sphinx in Egypt. There was beauty in the stretched-out deserts as well, the ever-changing scenery of the sand dunes, rich hues of brown in the hot sun.
James had told her it was one of his childhood fantasies to teleport to the top of a pyramid and see the world from that altitude. When he'd travelled to the top, Hailey had taken a picture of him standing on the point of the ancient construction. James had sent the image to his fellow Arrow Tks with the challenge to one-up him. It had caught on, and half a day later there'd been a large bulletin board placed in the common area–currently holding twelve pictures of Arrows teleporting themselves to ridiculous places. Hailey had laughed when she'd seen it, loving the fact that the Arrows were learning how to use their abilities for play.
Cairo was a beautiful, buzzing city filled with souks and bazaars, which–of course–Hailey was eager to visit. The enormous number of handmade objects in myriads of colors had astonished her. Tapestries, traditional clothing, purses, spices, jewelry… It was a mesmerizing overload to her senses.
Hailey had bought a traditional bronze colored hanging lamp, where little holes were punctured into the metal sphere in intricate designs. She'd packed it in a bag and tied it onto her backpack as they went to drink some of the local tea. The tea had made James grimace after tasting it, to Hailey's laughter; it was far too sweet and spiced for his taste buds and he'd decided to stick to fortified water.
They'd eaten on the balcony of their hotel room and watched Cairo by nightfall. The quiet night had been intentional planning on Hailey's end, not wanting to wear down her stubborn Arrow. James had kissed her after dinner, his hands covering hers for an instant before a beautiful scarab necklace appeared inside her palm. The bronze pendant was inlaid with gemstones in dark colors.
"The seller explained to me scarabs are sacred animals in Egyptian mythology. They are associated with transformation," James had told her. She'd loved him even more for specifically selecting the necklace for its meaning and not just for its beauty–James would never see her as a pretty ornament, but as a fighter.
They'd watched the lights of the city for the rest of the evening and in the morning, Hailey had encouraged James to try a local dish called foul. Again, James had found it too spicy, but Hailey had ordered him to finish the nutritious dish before teleporting to Santorini, the largest island of a small archipelago in Greece.
Hailey had been amazed by the architecture. The small cubical houses lime washed with volcanic ashes formed a stunning contrast to the dark stone of the island. Most of the houses were built on the edge of the caldera, creating an elevated view of the ocean. The day had flown by as they strolled through the narrow streets of the city, talking about their dreams and wishes for their future.
Their fourth destination had been Scotland. Hailey had suggested for James to teleport to Greece's capital, Athens, so they could take a speed jet from there to Glasgow and save James' strength for the rest of the journey. She could tell the teleports wore him down, even if he didn't show it. Her gorgeous mate had obviously been arrogant enough to think she wouldn't notice the difference in his energy level through their connection. Again.
Presumptuous man.
When they'd reached Glasgow, they decided to stay overnight in the city. Hailey had suggested a visit to a pub where they'd eaten and watched a football match. They returned to their hotel room where Hailey had used her best impersonation of the Scottish accent to make James smile. She'd kissed her handsome Arrow until their smiles had faded into lust and she'd loved him sweet and lazily.
At dawn, James had woken her and given her a suitable outfit for their next adventure. He'd teleported them to the foot of the highest mountain in the British Isles, Ben Nevis. Though it would usually take four hours to climb to the top, James had shown Hailey how to use her Tk in climbing the rugged surface. Adapting his pace to hers, he'd given her instructions when she was faltering and had saved her twice from slipping. They'd reached the top after ninety minutes of climbing, having taken a few short breaks when Hailey's muscles had been protesting. Hailey's heart had been slamming in her chest from exertion, but she only needed to take one look from the place where she was standing to forget all of her bodily complaints.
The view had been breathtakingly gorgeous, the vast landscape stretched out underneath them and their altitude so high, Hailey felt like she could touch the clouds. Although climbing a mountain didn't sound like a romantic thing to do, Hailey had enjoyed every moment of it with her Arrow.
But when his face had clouded over with that serious look she was intimately familiar with, Hailey had known their trip was over; duty called for her elite soldier. He'd been requested to return so he could respond to an EmNet call, and Hailey had decided to stay in the UK for a few more days so she could visit her father in London before returning to New York.
After responding to the Em-Net call, James had to teach martial arts classes at the valley and pulled shifts for the covert squad when they requested his attendance. Aside from that, he was still one of the technicians in the Squad.
Hailey knew James hated to be away from her, but he also loved his job. The only part he felt ambivalent towards was his work for the covert team–it was one of the reasons why Hailey was so set on finding a solution to the psychopathy problem in the Net.
She still had to get used to not having James around every day. The worst times had been the two days when he had to keep complete radio silence because of a covert mission. Even though she'd felt he was okay through their connection, she'd been relieved when he had teleported back home. He'd been covered in mud and sweat, his shirt torn, a deep gash on his cheekbone and bruises on his ribs.
She hated the fact that he'd been in danger, had gotten hurt, but she reminded herself not to cage him. Hailey knew what she was getting into when she'd decided on him, and now she'd have to live with her choice without bitching and moaning about it. James still felt it was his purpose to assist the covert team–though he didn't work with them as much as he had in the past–and Hailey wouldn't allow herself to take that away from him, regardless of her reservations and concerns.
Hailey knew James had concerns of his own as well, especially when he had to work late or pull night shifts. After everything that had happened, she was still often haunted by her nightmares when James wasn't with her. Just because she'd come out stronger on the other side of her hardships didn't mean her problems had all magically disappeared.
She'd decided to speak with an empath that was specialized in post-traumatic stress. Hailey knew in her gut that only time would heal most of her traumas, but it felt good to talk with the empathic councilor and reflect on her thoughts and feelings. She still wasn't comfortable leaving her home by herself when it was dark, but she did feel empowered by the fact that her abilities seemed more in control than a few months ago. Again, it was work in progress, but progress nonetheless.
After teaching classes at the valley, she often attended martial arts training. It gave her an outlet and provided her with more control, but it wasn't the same as training with James. That's why Hailey had been delighted when Zaira and James had discussed to start with a training program designed to fine-tune her abilities. It involved frequent sessions with James as her mentor.
Already looking forward to sparring with her Arrow, she smiled when she heard a knock at the door. James had telepathed her he was off shift for the next two days and Hailey already had some nice ideas in mind how to spend that time with her mate. Her thoughts involved nudity.
Lots and lots of nudity.
She'd accidentally discovered it was his birthday today when she'd unpacked a box a couple of days ago; James had brought it from his living quarters in the valley to her apartment, together with the rest of his belongings. She'd found a certificate on which the date had been printed and–of course–James hadn't told her.
How unexpected.
Then again, maybe birthdays didn't have the same significance to Psy as they did to the other races. Hailey had decided not to badger him about it.
The only positive thing about James' frequent absence was the fact that she'd been able to buy him a nice birthday gift and some fancy lingerie to surprise him with. She only hoped James' foresight wouldn't sabotage her plans.
James had told her he wanted to surprise her today, calling in the favor she'd extended months ago when she had agreed to swap the surprise in exchange for her touch.
Perhaps his surprise will involve nudity as well.
Grinning at that thought, Hailey put down her organizer and stood up from the sofa where she'd been working on an exercise for her music class. Walking to the front door she thought about the day when they'd been at the riverbank in the valley. It seemed like a lifetime ago.
Cheeks flushing at the memories of James' tumbled look and the storm above them, she suddenly snapped to attention.
Why is he standing outside of the apartment when he can teleport himself in? Frowning and wary, Hailey opened the front door.
"Hi!" Copper eyes beamed at her.
"Ivy! Come in," she stepped aside to let Ivy pass and closed the door.
Well, this is definitely a surprise.
"Forgive me for asking, but what are you doing here?"
Ivy walked into the living room and turned around with a bright smile on her lips. Hailey's eyes went to the small datapad in Ivy's hands before she looked up.
"I've received specific instructions for your surprise," Ivy said while gesturing with the datapad. "I'm supposed to give you this." She handed Hailey a dark piece of fabric.
Hailey held it up. "Really? A blindfold?" She looked into Ivy's sparkling eyes. "Do I have to wear this right now?"
Ivy nodded and pulled the blindfold out of her hands. She walked around and tied the blindfold around Hailey's head. Hailey touched the cool, sleek fabric with her fingertips, the late afternoon sun blocked out entirely by the material.
"How many fingers am I holding up?"
"Ivy."
The empath laughed. "Okay, next step." A pause. "It says here you need to strip."
Hailey snorted. "I need to do what? Why is James involving you if he wants me naked?"
Hailey could tell by the sound of Ivy's voice that the other woman was smiling. "I don't think this is about nakedness, I think he wants you to change."
"Jesus, Mary and Joseph," Hailey muttered. "I give the man one IOU to surprise me, and he has to take it to the next level. Those damn Arrows and their competitive natures." She sighed. "I'm not getting away with taking him to a burger restaurant as a next surprise date, am I?"
A bright laugh sounded behind her as Ivy ushered her towards what Hailey could tell was her bedroom.
Ivy gasped.
Hailey's hands reached for the blindfold, but the empath quickly put her hands over Hailey's covered eyes. "No, no. It's nothing. I just… stubbed my toe."
"Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine. Here, sit down on the bed." Ivy pushed Hailey on the soft surface and Hailey started unbuttoning her jeans as well as she could while blindfolded. She heard a rustling noise, followed by another gasp.
She reached for the blindfold again. "Are you really okay? I could get you some ice."
"No, no, I'm fine!" Ivy's voice was pitched a little high.
Shrugging, Hailey shimmied out of her jeans and pulled off her socks.
"That man really knows what he's doing." It was a soft murmur.
Hailey angled her head and frowned. "What?"
"Oh, nothing. Don't mind me." Steps on the wooden floor. "Here, let me help you with your shirt," Ivy said, and Hailey felt Ivy tug on the piece of clothing. "You hold your blindfold. No peeking!"
Hailey lifted her arms and held the blindfold when Ivy pulled her shirt over her head. She might be part changeling, but she never really liked the entire nudity aspect of being changeling since it didn't apply to her.
God, he will get paid back for this!
In too deep now, she pushed past the embarrassment of sitting on a bed in beautiful soft pink lingerie across from a woman she considered a friend–while wearing a blindfold–and waited for Ivy to speak.
"Okay," a small hand on her shoulder, the other clasping her hand. "Stand up and walk two steps."
Hailey meekly followed Ivy's instructions and bent forward a little so Ivy could shove the new garment over her head. After some pulling and tugging, Ivy clapped her hands. Hailey's head snapped up.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" Ivy sounded as if she was smiling again.
"I'm telling you; this man will be the death of me." Hailey slid her hands over her thighs, touching the extremely soft fabric of her new garment. She wiggled a little. A dress. An ankle-length dress.
Another rustling noise filled the quiet.
"Hold still," Ivy ordered.
Hailey's eyebrows knitted together. Then she felt a soft touch on her head. She jerked. "What are you doing?"
"Hold still," Ivy repeated as she pulled out the clip holding together Hailey's messy bun. Ivy ran her hands through the thick mass of Hailey's hair and sighed. "You have such beautiful hair."
"Thank you," Hailey replied, feeling a little uneasy as Ivy placed something on her head. Hailey jerked again, which got her a tsk-ing noise from Ivy.
"Abbot was right," Hailey muttered. "You Empaths aren't as gentle as you look."
A snort sounded to her left as Ivy kept on touching Hailey's hair. Hailey went to reach for whatever Ivy had placed on her head, but her hand was slapped away.
Damn it, James, she thought. If whatever was on her head were bunny ears, she'd kill him. Slowly.
"Don't touch it!"
"Okay, calm down, I won't." Hailey tilted her head a little, the weight on top of her head feeling a little odd. She still hoped it weren't bunny ears. Or a unicorn horn. "Are we done now?"
"Wait." Fading footsteps sounded to her right. Hailey slid her hands over the soft skirt of her dress again and rubbed the fabric between her fingers. It had the same feel as the emerald organza gown she'd worn the night of the attack. Stomach knotting at those memories, Hailey tapped her foot onto the wooden floor.
"Ivy?" she called out.
Nothing.
After several moments without a response, Hailey pouted. She put her hand on the blindfold to peek underneath it, to see whatever Ivy was doing. Patience had never been her strong suit.
"No!" Ivy's panicked shriek made Hailey laugh as her footsteps sounded closer. "You really need to stop touching it! Trust me, it'll be worth it."
Hailey grinned. "I'm sorry, it's very tempting to see what the hell is going on."
"You need to keep it on for now. Now, lift your foot."
Again, Hailey did as she was instructed and almost fell when she lost her balance. Gasping, she reached out and felt the cast iron frame of her bed. She clung on to it as Ivy slipped on the other shoe, which was apparently a pump of some sort.
Ivy guided her back to the bed, and she heard small rumbling noises. "This wasn't in the instructions," Ivy's said as she closed the distance towards Hailey, "but you'll thank me later for it. Relax your mouth."
Hailey fought the urge to laugh at that ambiguous comment, the strangeness of the situation combined with her rising nerves adding to her giddiness. After a couple of minutes Ivy was done applying Hailey's make up. She'd even applied some eyeliner and mascara when Hailey had promised her five times not to sneak in a peek.
"We're done!" Ivy called out as she readjusted the blindfold. She sounded as if she was beaming.
Hailey frowned again, apprehension tightening her gut. She really was going to kill James for putting her through this. And what exactly was all this? Hailey didn't have a clue, though this surprise date would probably go down in history as the strangest one she'd ever had. After having blind-dated a changeling bear once, that definitely said something.
When she stepped onto the psychic plane to reach out to her mate, all she could feel was a satisfied hum.
Well, at least one of you guys is happy.
Big, warm hands slid around her waist. Hailey nearly jumped at the contact but could smell the familiar hints of oak moss and sandalwood.
"James!" Relief and happiness in her voice. "Can I take the blindfold off now?"
His lips brushed her cheek. "Not yet."
Suddenly the ground beneath her feet felt uneven as air currents brushed against her skin. Hailey sucked in a breath and grabbed onto James' arms, but before she could do so much as step aside to steady herself, James already had her. She leaned into his embrace and rubbed her cheek against his chest. You smell good.
Frowning at the odd sensation against her cheek, she reached out to touch his upper body. "What the hell are you wearing?" Before she could touch him, his hand clasped her wrist.
"Come with me." The soft murmur of his deep voice against the shell of her ear made her body simmer.
She turned her head when she heard a noise. Was that someone talking? As soon as she angled her head towards the sound, it disappeared.
"Are you shielding me?" Hailey chastised James, her face a scowl he probably couldn't see properly.
He swept her off her feet–which made her let out a small cry–and carried her, one arm underneath her legs and the other behind her back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled the soft hair above his temple, deeply inhaling his scent.
Wait and see, my Siren.
She shivered and cuddled up against him when he started walking. I've never been known for my patience.
Yes, I know. Your father told me.
Her head snapped up. "Wait. What?" She turned her head towards him and gripped his chin as well as she could while blindfolded. "When did you– Ah!"
Suddenly, James shifted his hold. A hard surface caused her shoes to make a clicking sound when James lowered her to the ground. James cupped her face and kissed her softly as he unwrapped the blindfold. Hailey blinked a couple of times when James lifted the dark fabric from her eyes. Carefully rubbing her eyes in order not to mess up Ivy's efforts, she looked at him.
Her eyes turned the size of saucers when she saw James dressed in a tailored black on white suit, a white handkerchief in the front pocket of his jacket. "Wh… what are you wearing?"
His eyes sparked and she looked up at the big wooden arbor covered with wisteria, fairy lights gleaming between the purple flowers and giving off a soft glow in the sunset.
James brushed his knuckles over her cheek. You're beautiful.
She looked down at her own clothes. Her heart stopped beating the instance she saw the gorgeous ivory colored gown fan out beneath her, the light fabric picked up by a slight breeze. Her head snapped up, her voice a whisper. "What am I wearing?"
James gave her a sideways smile that made her melt from the inside. She felt a pinging sensation in her mind and opened the image James had sent her. What he showed her took her breath away.
It was a mental snapshot of her, standing in her bedroom. She was still wearing the blindfold but looked absolutely stunning. Hailey had already seen the soft ivory color of her dress, but now she noticed it complemented her caramel skin tone perfectly.
The gown had an A line cut, a heart shaped neckline and a lace bodice. The lace ended at her waist, enhancing her hourglass figure. Small shoulder straps were almost hidden behind the dark mass of her hair, a floral crown of peonies, small green leaves and baby's breath on top of her head. James sent her another image, this one of the low-cut back, the lace forming a large oval and her hair falling over her bare skin in a dark, wavy curtain.
A bright smile covered her face as she looked at James again. Azure eyes blazing, happiness and pride shuddering through their connection, he nudged her to the left and lowered his shield.
Hailey clasped her hands in front of her mouth and instantly started crying at the sight of her father, Shane, Morgan, Aiseline, Devraj, Katya, Aubry, Isobel, Zaira, Ivy and Vasic. When she blinked away her tears, she saw other Arrows, the teenagers, some of her colleagues, the students from her school, family members and a man with topaz-colored eyes who was unmistakably a dominant predator changeling. She also noticed a handsome tall man with blond hair and dark blue eyes standing next to an equally handsome but smaller woman with eyes akin to James' azure blue.
When the less Silent half of the crowd started cheering and clapping, she couldn't help but smile, happiness crashing into her. Wiping away the tears with the back of her hands while James wrapped his arm around her waist, she beamed at him, sunlight in her veins. "Your idea of a surprise is to organize a wedding?" Her voice sounded a little wet.
James cupped her face with one hand and bent towards her as if to kiss her, but the sound of a scraping throat broke through the intimacy of their hold.
"As I see you're eager to kiss the bride, perhaps we should get on with the formalities."
Hailey frowned and turned towards the familiar voice that sounded behind her. "Seriously? You are going to marry us?" She laughed aloud at Aden, who was wearing his Arrow uniform with a gleaming arrow pin on the lapel of his jacket. Aden's face was neutral, but for the glimmer in his slanted eyes.
Yes, James telepathed her. I asked him. He's ordained, so if you say yes, it will be official.
Hailey turned towards James, her heart overflowing with love for her amazing Arrow mate. I love you, she whispered to him.
His eyes were filled with warmth when he took her right hand. Ready?
Hailey bit back a smile. I've been ready since the day you've tricked me in kissing you.
James' lips twitched as he responded. Good. He gave Aden a nod.
"Today we celebrate the extraordinary union between two people who've shared more adversities in their time together than most will their entire lifetime," Aden addressed the crowd. "James once told me he never expected to meet someone who'd be evenly matched to him." The corners of Aden's eyes wrinkled a little. "Obviously at the time, he hadn't met Hailey yet."
A rustle of laughter whispered through the crowd.
"James describes Hailey as a strong, passionate and honest woman. For those who don't know James, he's said to be a determined, decisive and confident man."
Hailey grinned. She shook her head and mouthed 'arrogant' and 'presumptuous' at James, who gave her a small smile.
Careful, Mrs. Addison.
His telepathic message warmed her heart, but she couldn't resist. I'd rather stick with Logan.
His eyebrow arched. You can. For five-or-so more minutes. Cool and arrogant and hers.
Hailey blew him a telepathic kiss while continuing listening to Aden.
"Two strong willed-people, each a power in their fields of expertise. Each is willing to fight for the other and go through great lengths to protect the other. Each is willing to fight with the other, to care for the other." Aden faced Hailey. "Hailey came to the Arrows in need of advice. I believe Hailey found the help she was looking for and saved James in the process." He turned his gaze to James. "She saved him from a life of solitude. In return, James saved Hailey from the same fate."
Hailey smiled deeply at the truth in Aden's words. If it hadn't been for James, she'd still be living her life in fear of hurting someone. She reminded herself to thank Devraj for sending her to the valley.
"In the darkest hours, a spark of light can reach even the deepest shadows. When hope blooms where fear resides, the light can eliminate the darkness altogether. That," Aden said as he spoke to her, "is what you are to James." Hailey felt tears burn in her eyes as she looked at James, her chest stinging at the beauty of Aden's words.
He directed his words to the rest of the crowd again. "Curious circumstances brought James and Hailey together. And as James well knows, the future is ever changing." James looked at Aden as Aden continued. "You've found someone unique. To keep them takes effort, every single day. Remi requested me to emphasize the importance of communication in the future, but I'm certain Hailey will challenge you when you believe she'll listen to your orders." The corner of the Arrow Squad's commander curled. "As I'm certain James will able to temper your fire when necessary." Aden's eyes sparked at Hailey.
She grinned back at him, happiness bursting out of every fiber in her body.
"You've come to know each other well over the past months. And now you're both here, together with friends, family and loved ones. So I want to ask you, are you willing to look past each other's mistakes? Willing to embrace the other, even when you disagree? Willing to share love, sadness, pain and health, whatever may come?" He looked at James.
James shifted his gaze to Hailey. "Yes." You are mine, he added privately, have been since the moment you captivated me with your smart mouth.
Hailey laughed and felt her heart flutter in her chest when Aden looked at her, waiting for her answer. She met those beautiful eyes of the deepest azure and spoke. "You are my shield in every storm, my strength when I collapse, the shoulder when I'm weary. Even when I didn't, you believed in me." She reached out and brushed her fingers over his jaw. "You guided me through the shadows and loved me, regardless of my flaws." Her voice turned to a whisper. "It's always been you and it will only ever be you." Warmth surged through their bond and Hailey's face broke out in a bright smile. "Yes, love. Forever."
James cupped her face with one hand and wrapped the other around her waist as he hauled her in for a possessive, long kiss. The wedding party started clapping and cheering again. Hailey pulled back and smiled deeply, her intense happiness radiating through their bond.
"Then I'm proud and grateful to pronounce you husband and wife," Aden said with a small smile. He put one hand on James' shoulder and the other on Hailey's. "Let me be the first to congratulate you."
"Thank you," Hailey said as she smiled back. "Your speech was beautiful."
Aden gave her a nod and released them both. "I had some help," he inclined his head to James and walked towards Zaira.
The next half hour consisted of Hailey and James receiving handshakes, embraces and kisses from their loved ones, which, Hailey had to admit, her Arrow handled very well.
Hailey had cried when her father embraced her and congratulated her with her marriage to a man he believed to be worthy of his daughter. Her father had even gotten a small smile out of James after offering him a place to stay if he'd ever get tired of Hailey's temper, which James had accepted despite Hailey's deep scowl.
She'd taken the opportunity to thank Devraj when he'd embraced her. Dev had smiled and shaken his head, telling her how stunned he was when he'd received the wedding invitation. Admittedly, if people would have told her she would be married to an Arrow some day, she'd have asked them if they were on drugs.
The last in the seemingly endless line of guests were the people Hailey guessed to be James' parents. The beautiful blond woman introduced herself as Margot NightStar. She smiled deeply when she stepped towards Hailey but made a jerky motion while looking up at James. Hailey could see the question in her eyes and moved forward, embracing her mother-in-law.
"I'm so happy to meet you. I've been looking forward to it since the day James told me he went to visit you," Hailey said.
Margot beamed at her, which made Hailey wonder if Margot had any secondary abilities that facilitated her obviously broken Silence, since Silence must have been deeply embedded in the psyche of someone of Margot's age.
"The pleasure is all mine," Margot replied. "I considered myself very lucky when James decided to ask for my help." She stepped back. "Now I'm even more fortunate. Not only do I get to see my son, but I have a beautiful daughter as well."
The sincere warmth in Margot's voice almost made Hailey cry, the absence of her own mother a shadow on this bright day. Managing to smile back, Hailey turned her attention to James' father.
The resemblance between them was uncanny, but for the eyes.
It's insane to know how you'll look in about thirty years. She bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing. It's also ridiculous to know you're going to turn out that handsome. That is, if you're not grey or bald by the time you've spent thirty years with me.
The greatest difference between them seemed to be that Robert Addison's face was completely blank, devoid of the emotions Margot had channeled so freely.
Robert inclined his head towards her. "My son seems to believe you're right for him. Evenly matched, were the words Kai used." He took her in from head to toe. "I'm not certain I see it."
"Robert!" James' mother sounded aghast, while Hailey nearly burst out in laughter, containing her response with an elegant cough in her fist.
Holy hell, Hailey said, amusement in her telepathic voice, you didn't tell me you were that similar to each other. She grinned inwardly. Should I try to call him milord as well?
This time James was the one to cough as he replied to her. I'd strongly recommend you don't, but then again, you often insult my intelligence with your mission of challenging my better judgment.
She elbowed him and felt laughter resonate in her mind, the deep, dark and rich sound of his joy music to her soul.
"I'm very sorry my spectacular appearance hasn't done the trick for you, Mr. Addison, but then again, you're not the one I've married, and I don't have to prove my love for James to anyone but him," she said primly. "Surely you weren't trying to be rude."
Margot's eyes turned big as she shot James a questioning look, to which James shrugged.
"James has always tried to protect the weak," Robert replied with a measured look.
She gave Robert a wide smile. "Yes, he still does, wonderful man." She laced her fingers through James' as she looked up at him. "Which is why he needs someone to tell him when it has been enough; he needs someone to protect him."
James listened to Hailey while she returned her gaze to his father. He knew better than to try and step in, even after his mother had anxiously telepathed him to shut down the conversation.
Hailey was strongly capable of fighting her own battles.
"I think it's wonderful you love your son enough that you are trying to protect him as well. But you must understand," the words made fire ignite in her eyes, sparking jade and gold, "I would die for him. I nearly did, and I'd do so again in a heartbeat if it would save him. I suggest you don't ever question my love or loyalty towards my husband. You know nothing about me or my strength."
Sharp stings of pride and love filled his chest. Yes, Hailey would always be the only one for him.
She tilted her head to the side a little. "If you are interested in getting to know me, you're welcome for dinner next Friday." She managed to keep a perfectly straight face, but James could sense the moment when Hailey's fire turned into nervousness.
Damn it! Hailey's self-conscious voice in his mind. You Addison men have the bad habit of pushing all my angry buttons.
James noticed a blush creep up her cheeks but disregarded her embarrassment. He saw the look his father gave her and knew she'd have nothing to worry about.
Robert gave her a curt nod. "I apologize if I've offended you. I had to see for myself if James was right."
Hailey stiffened. "About what?" her tone wary.
"Your willingness to fight for him." His father's gaze was cold when it locked with James', but the words he spoke next made James stiffen as well. "I wasn't able to do so for him when he was a child." He remained quiet for several moments, holding James' gaze. "He needs that fire, needs it to be happy."
Unbelievable, Hailey's voice a combination of surprise and irritation as she shook her head. "You and your son are cut from the same cloth," she muttered.
His father gave Hailey a quick glance before returning his gaze to James. "Friday."
James inclined his head as his father walked off.
After that very uncomfortable conversation came dinner, where several people did toasts to their health. Anecdotes were animatedly provided by Aiseline and Shane. Hailey was already planning multiple ways to torture her best friend after he told the wedding party about their holiday to Israel when she was twenty. She'd thrown a jellyfish at Shane when he'd been annoying… and that jellyfish turned out to be a BlackSea Changeling. The changeling had shifted, and the naked man standing in front of Hailey had not been amused. Shane ended the story by wishing James good luck dodging all the projectiles Hailey would throw at him in the future.
Revenge, Hailey decided, would be a sweet, sweet thing if her friend would ever fall head over heels.
Even the Arrow teenagers chipped in; Robin and Joyce had apparently learned of Hailey's beloved nicknames for James and explained during their speech that they very much 'liked' the names Hailey had called James. Hailey had blinked away a few tears in pride for them to open up so wonderfully and had given them a hug. It made them both adorably awkward.
After munching away some cookie dough ice cream with rainbow sprinkles–which she persuaded James to taste by coaxing him with a kiss,–music started playing with the announcement that the bride and groom's opening dance would start in ten.
Hailey was chatting with Aiseline, who revealed she'd helped James pick Hailey's wedding dress together with Ivy.
Hailey kissed her friend on her cheek. "Thank you. It's beautiful."
Aiseline waggled her eyebrows. "You make a handsome couple, I'll give you that!" She pursed her lips as her gaze went to the group of Arrows standing in their uniforms. "Some of those men make me want to jump them! It's so sexy they're wearing their uniform, but I really want to see what's underneath."
Hailey snorted as Aiseline kept checking out the oblivious men. "I'll ask James to introduce you."
"That sounds like a wonderful idea," Aiseline grinned. "But we're going to dance first!"
Hailey's eyebrows rose. "Who organized all this?" She swiveled around to the fairy lights in the trees, the beautifully decorated tables on the lawn and even a plas dance floor that lit up whenever somebody stepped onto it.
Aiseline poked Hailey's shoulder. "Who do you think?" she asked with a wide grin. "That man of yours isn't just damn gorgeous, but he's actually a very good party planner! He mapped out the general lines and a lot of people volunteered to help out with the details." She smiled affectionately at the teenage Arrows. "The kids wanted to help a lot. They're a little quiet, but lovely."
Happiness bubbling in her blood, Hailey nodded. "Yes, they are."
Aiseline squeezed Hailey's arm and shot her a knowing smile before walking to Shane, who was attempting to make conversation with Aurelia. Hailey narrowed her eyes when she caught her friend laughing at something Aurelia said.
"Are you having a good time?" James' deep, dark voice made her shudder as his hands slid around her waist.
She turned her head towards him and leaned into his embrace. "I can never thank you enough for everything you've done. I'm also never going to be able to top this. Damn competitive Arrows." It was an affectionate remark, her smile bright.
He nuzzled her neck. "I wanted a surprise for my birthday."
Hailey laughed as she turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck, rising on tiptoe to kiss him. "That's not how birthdays work," she muttered against his lips. Will you do me a favor?
He brushed his lips over hers again while responding to her telepathic question. Anything for you.
Top shelf of the kitchen cabinet filled with snacks. Back left corner. She sent him a mental image of the small box. Could you retrieve that for me?
James leaned back and held out his hand. An instant later, a small, black box with a copper colored bow appeared in his hand. Hailey took the box from his hand and opened it to reveal the item inside.
A slow smile curled around James' lips at the sight of the black titanium ring Hailey showed him. She had it custom made with a narrow azure blue line ringing the outside, the inside gold. Hailey lifted the ring out of the box and held it so he could see the engraving on the inside.
"The Arrow and the Siren," he said softly as he inspected the small arrow and fishtail etched in the metal. His eyebrows knitted together. "On which hand do I wear it?"
"The Ancient Egyptians believed the ring finger of your left hand was the only finger of which the blood vessels were connected to the heart." She stroked her fingers over his pectoral. "But you can choose whichever hand you like."
James held up his fist after he slid on the ring. "Let's both choose left, then," he said as he opened his hand.
In his big palm lay a beautiful platinum ring with an oval jade stone. The gleaming green gemstone was clasped between two silver curls, the band made from four narrow braided strands.
Hailey's heart swelled when she picked it up and read the intricate engraved letters on the inside of the ring. My Siren, your Arrow.
She pulled him close and kissed him deeply. "It seems I was right after all," she said a little breathlessly after she drew back from his embrace and slid on the ring. "Ours is a great story."
James took her hand and pulled her towards the dance floor where multiple partygoers were slowly dancing to a sugar-sweet love song that was most definitely on Hailey's Guilty Pleasures playlist.
Yes, James replied as he hauled her close and looked deep into her eyes. And it has only just begun.