Chapter Forty
In the garden on the grounds of the mansion, a scene was set for a wedding.
Alison nervously waited in the wings to walk down the aisle. She shivered remembering who would be waiting at the end.
Not Rafe. Joshua.
She heard the strains of the horrific music Joshua favored, remembering the soft violins and harps from the last time she'd made that journey. The only similarity between that day and this evening was that potential heartache awaited her at the end of the aisle.
Alison clutched her bouquet in her hands thinking back to the last day she had spent with Rafe before this current portion of their nightmare began. She had told Rafe she wanted to fight and that spending so much time with a slayer had rubbed off on her.
She hoped enough had so that she could do what she needed to do.
********** Unbelievably, Abby had been right. With Caleb and Livvie's help, Rafe had learned of Joshua's plans to speed up this little ceremony. It was the break he had needed. Joshua had planned to have the wedding outdoors which would make it much easier to get him and take him down. Without the protection of the mansion and the many guards he had stationed inside, Joshua would be more vulnerable.
And for the first time in a long while, Rafe wasn't alone in the fight.
He'd also be distracted, since he would be focused on his so-called bride.
Alison would never ever be his. Rafe would be ready and waiting to save her from that fate worse than death, and eternal life with that murderous, psychotic bloodsucker.
Rafe could see Alison from where he stood, his heart aching as he watched her. She looked scared to death.
Just hold on for a few more minutes, angel. You'll be safe in no time.
He watched her walk down the aisle, cursing himself for letting it get this far. She walked as if in a trance, and Rafe silently prayed that Joshua hadn't had a chance to do anything else to hurt her, like drug her or control her mind. He wouldn't put it past him.
He saw her reach the end and turn to face the vampire. His hand closed around the stake he carried - itching to plunge it straight into Joshua's chest. He needed to wait for the perfect moment. He needed to wait until it was right. His life was at stake, because Alison was his life.
Without her, there'd be no reason for him to live.
Rafe waited, watched and listened to the scene unfold in front of him.
"Ah.my pet. So lovely." Joshua said as his hand touched her face.
It took everything Alison had not to cringe and back away.
"Thank you." She said softly.
"I think we should begin, because the sooner our vows are said, the sooner we can begin our wedding night."
Alison's stomach turned. Rafe shook with rage as he stood in the shadows.
"Alison, my beautiful, precious Alison. Together, we will reign over this town. Your wealth, my power, your youth and beauty, these things combined will enable me to rule our kingdom. And tonight, my sweet as I turn you, you will fully realize how wonderful your eternal life will be."
Alison looked up at Joshua, contempt in her heart as she knew the end was near.
He continued as he looked into her eyes, his own glittering with anticipation of finally making her his and only his. "And now, my dear, it's your "turn." No pun intended of course."
Alison knew the moment had come. It was now, or never. This was her last and only chance to get her life back - to get Rafe back. She took a deep breath and spoke.
"Joshua. As you know, I was not sure that I could ever believe that you and I together would even be possible. And now I see, I was right. Because, in order to love one needs to have a heart, and I know now for sure that you don't."
"Alison." Rafe spoke in a whisper, "What the hell are you doing?"
Joshua began to shake with fury as he gazed down at his bride to be.
Her hands moved to her bouquet, finding the weapon concealed there. She slipped it from the stems in her hand held it tightly in her fist, hiding it in the folds of her gown. She stared into Joshua's eyes.
Joshua gazed down at her, his voice incredulous, "What are you trying to do? Surely you are not trying to resist me."
"Oh Joshua, you are certainly hard to resist." Alison said, her voice laced with sarcasm. "You seem genuinely hurt by the idea that I might think you are not. Perhaps you do have a heart. Maybe I should put you to the test. But I'm sure you'll fail."
"Test?"
"Yes. If you do actually have a heart, this will prove it."
It was the last thing he ever expected to see. Oh my God. She was insane. Rafe looked on in shock and horror as Alison turned the letter opener in her hand. She pulled back and used all her strength to plunge it into Joshua.
In the garden on the grounds of the mansion, a scene was set for a wedding.
Alison nervously waited in the wings to walk down the aisle. She shivered remembering who would be waiting at the end.
Not Rafe. Joshua.
She heard the strains of the horrific music Joshua favored, remembering the soft violins and harps from the last time she'd made that journey. The only similarity between that day and this evening was that potential heartache awaited her at the end of the aisle.
Alison clutched her bouquet in her hands thinking back to the last day she had spent with Rafe before this current portion of their nightmare began. She had told Rafe she wanted to fight and that spending so much time with a slayer had rubbed off on her.
She hoped enough had so that she could do what she needed to do.
********** Unbelievably, Abby had been right. With Caleb and Livvie's help, Rafe had learned of Joshua's plans to speed up this little ceremony. It was the break he had needed. Joshua had planned to have the wedding outdoors which would make it much easier to get him and take him down. Without the protection of the mansion and the many guards he had stationed inside, Joshua would be more vulnerable.
And for the first time in a long while, Rafe wasn't alone in the fight.
He'd also be distracted, since he would be focused on his so-called bride.
Alison would never ever be his. Rafe would be ready and waiting to save her from that fate worse than death, and eternal life with that murderous, psychotic bloodsucker.
Rafe could see Alison from where he stood, his heart aching as he watched her. She looked scared to death.
Just hold on for a few more minutes, angel. You'll be safe in no time.
He watched her walk down the aisle, cursing himself for letting it get this far. She walked as if in a trance, and Rafe silently prayed that Joshua hadn't had a chance to do anything else to hurt her, like drug her or control her mind. He wouldn't put it past him.
He saw her reach the end and turn to face the vampire. His hand closed around the stake he carried - itching to plunge it straight into Joshua's chest. He needed to wait for the perfect moment. He needed to wait until it was right. His life was at stake, because Alison was his life.
Without her, there'd be no reason for him to live.
Rafe waited, watched and listened to the scene unfold in front of him.
"Ah.my pet. So lovely." Joshua said as his hand touched her face.
It took everything Alison had not to cringe and back away.
"Thank you." She said softly.
"I think we should begin, because the sooner our vows are said, the sooner we can begin our wedding night."
Alison's stomach turned. Rafe shook with rage as he stood in the shadows.
"Alison, my beautiful, precious Alison. Together, we will reign over this town. Your wealth, my power, your youth and beauty, these things combined will enable me to rule our kingdom. And tonight, my sweet as I turn you, you will fully realize how wonderful your eternal life will be."
Alison looked up at Joshua, contempt in her heart as she knew the end was near.
He continued as he looked into her eyes, his own glittering with anticipation of finally making her his and only his. "And now, my dear, it's your "turn." No pun intended of course."
Alison knew the moment had come. It was now, or never. This was her last and only chance to get her life back - to get Rafe back. She took a deep breath and spoke.
"Joshua. As you know, I was not sure that I could ever believe that you and I together would even be possible. And now I see, I was right. Because, in order to love one needs to have a heart, and I know now for sure that you don't."
"Alison." Rafe spoke in a whisper, "What the hell are you doing?"
Joshua began to shake with fury as he gazed down at his bride to be.
Her hands moved to her bouquet, finding the weapon concealed there. She slipped it from the stems in her hand held it tightly in her fist, hiding it in the folds of her gown. She stared into Joshua's eyes.
Joshua gazed down at her, his voice incredulous, "What are you trying to do? Surely you are not trying to resist me."
"Oh Joshua, you are certainly hard to resist." Alison said, her voice laced with sarcasm. "You seem genuinely hurt by the idea that I might think you are not. Perhaps you do have a heart. Maybe I should put you to the test. But I'm sure you'll fail."
"Test?"
"Yes. If you do actually have a heart, this will prove it."
It was the last thing he ever expected to see. Oh my God. She was insane. Rafe looked on in shock and horror as Alison turned the letter opener in her hand. She pulled back and used all her strength to plunge it into Joshua.