ChapterTwenty-Eight
Yesenia trudged through knee-high mud, doing her best to keep her balance and not fall over. Leo, and River, and Meadow, all waited for her on a far shore. Although every time she thought she made progress toward their location, they moved farther away.
Over and over it went, her moving toward them and them skirting back, to the point she nearly lost her voice crying out for them to wait for her.
Then an unfamiliar voice came from far behind her. Looking over her shoulder, she gasped.
The still-young form of her mother, wearing exactly the same dress as she did in the locket Yesenia treasured, beckoned for her. "Come, my daughter. We'll be safe together, forever, this way."
Her mother's soft Spanish felt warm, and comfortable, and stirred something inside her that she'd long suppressed—the longing for a parent to love her, to treasure her, to be there when she needed a shoulder to lean on.
Her father had never cared for her, beyond her potential worth in dollars and cents. And she barely remembered her stepmother either.
"Mamá," she murmured.
But then Leo's scolding voice filled the air. "Come back to me, Yesenia. I vowed not to drink blood again until you did. Do I need to make some other ridiculous vows? I'll do it, as long as you wake up, love. You can even tell me off with words I don't always understand, a million times over. Just wake up."
The desperation in his voice twisted her heart, and she glanced back at Leo in the distance. A stronger longing filled her, and she took a step toward him. Her mother called her name, but Yesenia finally shook her head. "Sorry, Mamá. I will always love you. But I can't let him kill himself. Too many people rely on him. He needs me more."
Tears trailed down her mother's cheeks, and Yesenia choked back a sob. "Sorry, Mamá. I'll join you someday, but not yet. Not today."
Wiping the tears from her own cheeks, Yesenia trudged in Leo's direction. "Don't you dare move again and expect me to keep trudging for all time, you arrogant vampire. Stay put, or I'll find something to drop over your head when you least expect it."
She had no idea if Leo heard her, but he, as well as her siblings, and now even Nora, Ambrose, and Rebecca, waited for her. They didn't retreat, and the closer she came to them, the more animated they grew.
Yesenia had no idea how long she trudged, but only knew she couldn't feel her limbs any longer when she came within a few feet of Leo and the others. As he put out a hand, he murmured, "About time, witch. I was getting bored without you."
She smiled and as he tugged her up, everything evaporated. She gasped a breath, opened her eyes, and found herself inside a bedroom.
Leo's furrowed brows came into view. "Yesenia, love, are you okay? Are you in pain? Shall I fetch the doctor?"
She croaked, "Leo?"
A flash of relief filled his eyes but was quickly replaced by a hint of arrogance. "I would hope you know my name by now, otherwise I'd have to question just how clever you really are."
If her face didn't hurt—every single inch of her body ached—she might've snorted. Instead she murmured, "Asshole."
He full-on grinned as he took her face in his hands. "There's my witch, full of fire and still ready to take me on." He kissed her gently, laid his forehead against hers, and whispered, "Don't you ever fucking scare me like that again, do you hear me? My heart beats for you, Yesenia Vale. And it'll stop without you."
Her eyes warmed with tears. "I-I don't think I can take this romantic version of you right now."
He moved his mouth to her ear, his warm breath reassuring her she was alive and awake. "I think you can. And if you think I'm going to wait another second to tell you that I love you, then you're madder than I thought."
Heat spread throughout her body. "You do?"
Leo moved back a fraction to meet her gaze. "Of course I do. You appeared out of nowhere, wearing just about nothing, and I cursed the second you made my heart beat." She frowned, but he continued before she could say anything, "I thought finding my bride made me weak, that you would only make me weaker, and it was all I could see at first. But slowly you challenged me, showed me how you were stronger than you looked, and threw your entire being into learning something new, all whilst becoming the friend my sister needed and the temptress I never thought I'd ever have."
He moved his lips to her ear again, his hot breath dancing against her skin as he said for her ears only, "But more than how much I love your body, or how you come so sweetly when I play with your ears, you have become an ally, someone I want to discuss things with, make plans with, and, of course, have in my bed. I thought you would become my greatest weakness, but in fact you've become a great source of strength. I don't doubt that one day, you'll be my greatest source of strength, the one I trust with everything, the one who helps shoulder my burdens when I need a moment to catch my breath."
Her heart raced as he looked her in the eye again. "You've won my heart, Yesenia. I love you, and I want you to be my bride in truth. Even knowing we'll probably always argue, and challenge one another, and possibly shout more than we should. Will you do me the great honor of marrying me?"
Maybe she should tell him to give her time to think, or to wait until she hadn't just woken up out of some sort of dream challenge, but she didn't have to do any of that. All she'd thought about during her never-ending trudge was reaching her vampire, finding him, and never letting him go. So she blurted, "I love you too, you arrogant, cocky vampire, So yes, I'll marry you. Just don't expect me to meekly become your property in the process, though."
He snorted, kissed her gently, and murmured, "I'd rather not end up thousands of years back in the past, unable to ever hold you, or kiss you, or have you come apart on my tongue again."
She laughed, and then winced at the burst of pain the action caused.
Leo cupped her cheeks. "Sorry, love. Let me fetch the doctor and ensure you're okay. We can discuss the finer points of our marriage contract later."