I'd just tether to them really briefly. I hoped that way I wouldn't get them into a dangerous situation.

When we stepped out of the other side onto the gra.s.sed area, I scanned the front of the house, hoping we wouldn't see any of the ceremony setup yet. I wanted it to be a surprise for Lucy. Thankfully everything looked the same.

"I'll let the girls know now, Luce. Can you take Delane inside and get Lallielle to find her a room?"

"No problem, Abbs. And I'll see your b.u.t.t inside soon. I need some help finding a dress. For you and me," she warned.

I screwed up my nose. Truthfully I was both excited and dreading this ceremony. Tucking her pixie wings away, Lucy gave me a kiss on the cheek before leading the serious-faced warrior away. Colton, as always, stayed close to his girl.

"You can go check on Abernath ... if you want to." I smiled at Brace.

"I don't want." He grinned lazily. "Mom and Caty are keeping me updated."

I smiled, but my insides turned over in flip-flopping motions. "Did you tell them about how I broke our melding bond?" His mom already had her evil eyes on me. She was going to hate me after hearing that.

"The decisions we make are no one else's business. I've told them you're my true mate, which they're very happy about ... especially Caty."

"But it was a decision I made on my own." I lowered my eyes, that burning ball of emotion rising from my chest again. I fought it down before it reached my eyes and they started leaking again.

One finger lifted my chin, and thankfully my eyes were dry. "There is no you or I. Only we. Your decisions are my decisions."

That right there was the reason I should have trusted Brace in the first place.

I cleared my throat, wanting to lighten the mood. "So you're saying that if you stuff up, that's also mine?"

"Doesn't happen." He grinned. "I'm confident in absolutely everything I do."

I stuck my tongue out at him. "Gee, must be hard being perfect."

He shrugged. "Nah, it's easy as."

Arrogance, thy name is Brace.

"Okay, King Brace, I'm going to let the girls know about the ceremony now."

He nuzzled into my neck. "No need to call me king, princeps will do."

"How about a.s.shat?" I shot back.

He captured my lips as I opened my mouth with my next insult. My mind went completely blank then. He sure knew how to distract me ... wait, what was my name again?

The kiss went on for eternity, and yet ended way too soon.

"d.a.m.n I've missed that." The words tumbled from my lips in a reckless manner.

"I want all of my memories back, Red." Brace kissed me again, just one gentle moment. "All I have are these disjointed dreams. I want everything."

I nodded. I wanted him to have them back too. Memories were precious and it was wrong for the lalunas to have stolen them from him. I'd never wanted that.

"Okay, give me a minute." I threw out my tethers to the girls, concentrating on not connecting to Delane. Time to see how good my control was. The golden cord seemed a little more strained than usual. I guess it was spread across three different worlds.

Abbs. What's up? Fury sounded happy. She was often the first to respond.

Is everything okay? Ria asked.

I just wanted to let you all know that Lucy is going to have her mating ceremony to Colt tonight. She wants you all to be there. Can you make it back?

Talina gave a little squeal. Of course, I'll head back right now. Ladre and I found no trace of any energy zones on the Sacred Isle. He's off now searching the underwater areas. I'll come back to help him afterwards.

When she paused, Ria jumped in. I'll also leave now. Klea is handling her role as temporary leader better than any could have expected. She's doing amazing. And we've had no trouble from the fringe or any Walkers since I left.

I waited for Fury. She was usually the most difficult, so there was surely some reason she couldn't come back. Plus she had a strange relations.h.i.+p with Lucy.

Dune and I have zeroed in on an area that the nomads are holed up in. I feel some strange energy there, and the tribes mention seeing some really odd comings and goings, Fury started. But I don't want to miss Luce's big moment, so I'll be back within the hour.

Well, that was a surprise, although we all knew Fury's fire hid a pretty big heart.

Can't wait to see you all. Come find us when you get back in, I said.

A chorus of 'byes' echoed around when I disconnected the tethers. My energy was fast now at severing the ties, almost as if it had memory and knew how to do these things without thought from me. Which was a h.e.l.l of a lot better than what I'd had to do in the past.

"Are they coming to the wedding?" Brace asked as we started moving toward the house.

I nodded. "Yep, they haven't had any dramas on their worlds yet, so we should see them soon."

"I let Lucas know about the ceremony, but he said if Ria was coming he probably shouldn't." Brace furrowed his brow. "Not that I don't love the fact he's stopped propositioning you, but what's the deal with Ria?"

"Lucy says they're mates, and they both mentioned dreams of each other from when they were young. But if any mating would be complicated, it's that one."

"You said that you had dreams of me before we met. Did I also dream of you?" Brace was always trying to piece together our past.

"Yes." I let my feelings fill that one word.

He smiled. "I like that. We should never have been away from each other. It should have been my role to protect you until you were old enough for our bond."

I screwed up my nose. "That's a little creepy, don't you think?"

He laughed, bopping me gently on my still-wrinkled nose. "You're precious. Imagine if something had happened to you on Earth, and I had lost my one true mate." He shook his head hard. "That would not be acceptable."

The command in his tone had me on the edge of saluting him and shouting 'sir, yes, sir'. I managed to refrain.

We stepped in the front door and Lallielle practically dived on me. "Okay, so I have everything set up down the side of the house." She spoke quickly, her words tumbling over each other. "Arch, carpet, flowers, chairs, music, white birds, rings." Her pause was brief. "Have I forgotten anything?"

I smiled, reaching forward to hug her hard. "Thank you. It'll be perfect." Pulling back, I released my mother. "Who will speak at the ceremony?"

"Brace is Colton's princeps, and Lucy will join that Walker clan by default." Lallielle smiled at Brace. "So he'll perform those duties."

"Not to mention this best-man business." Brace grinned, revealing his flawless teeth. "Going to be a busy afternoon."

"You need to head upstairs." Lallielle started ushering me away. "Colton is with Josian and Samuel in the media room," she shouted back to Brace. "I've split the men from women as per Earth's tradition."

I laughed. No point telling her that rule was only for the bride and groom. I met Brace's gaze and threw him my best tortured look. He laughed as Lallielle practically dragged me up the stairs. Dresses, hair and make-up. This was Lucy's heaven. And me ... well, I could endure it for her.

I hoped, anyways.

Chapter 17.

Lallielle had the ladies' area set up in one of the spare rooms on the children's floor. It was a pretty spa.r.s.e room generally, but now it had mirrors and comfy chairs scattered around. Not to mention two women that I didn't know. Lucy grabbed me as soon as I walked through the door.

"Oh, my G.o.d, I love you, Abbs." She hugged me so tight. "Lalli told me that you made this all possible. You guys are the best family ever."

Bits of pixie dust and tears flew around as her emotions overflowed.

"Hey, I didn't do anything but put the idea into our chief organizer's head." I jerked my head toward Lallielle. "Mom's the miracle worker."

"Oh, yeah, you're doubly the best, Lalli." Lucy flew over and kissed her cheek.

"So," I plastered a smile on my face; she deserved my enthusiasm, "show me this dress."

There was a rack of clothes sitting against the far wall. I could see half of the dresses were white, and the other half colored.

"I need you to help me choose." Lucy fluttered off again.

"How long until this ceremony?" I lifted my brows.

Lucy was going to be hours.

"It will be just on dusk." Lallielle smiled. "So you girls have three hours."

I'd need thirty minutes. Lucy on the other hand ... three hours was going to be cutting it close.

"The other half-Walkers are heading back now too," I told Lallielle. "If you run into them, send them up to find dresses."

"Oh, gosh, I better go." Lallielle ducked away. "I have heaps to organize, see you soon," she called as the door shut behind her.

Lucy had reached the rack and was starting to paw through it. Her hands moved rapidly, although occasionally she paused for longer and then really fast past the dresses which were a definite 'no'. I'd go to her in a moment. First I'd meet these two females. Lallielle must have been in a ma.s.sive hurry to forget to introduce them.

"Hi, I'm Abby," I said to the woman who was standing near the largest mirror.

She was around my height, with long chestnut-colored hair. It had the slightest wave and hung to mid back. Her dark gray eyes were s.h.i.+ning as she gave me a nod.

"I'm Glenda, and that is Cherine, my daughter." She pointed toward the girl, who had similar hair and eyes to hers. She looked about fourteen years old. "We're here to help you with hair and make-up."

"Thank you." I returned her smile. "I better go and a.s.sist the crazy bride-to-be."

Lucy was muttering to herself. "No ... no ... no ... G.o.d, no ... maybe." She was about halfway through the rack now. "Pick out a dress, Abigail, and I'll tell you if it's acceptable," Bridezilla ordered me.

I coughed to hide my laughter as I moved to the opposite end of the rack.

"And no black," she demanded as my hand hovered over a slinky black dress.

With a sigh, I pushed the black to the side, along with a bright pink, a color not many redheads could pull off. Nothing was catching my eye. I shoved past a short baby blue with a tulle skirt, a yellow which reminded me of puke, something brown that looked like a fluffy bear. I sighed, already bored. I was never going to find anything.

I continued shoving through and then suddenly I paused. The dress in my hands was made of lace and silk in an emerald green. It was very close to the color of my eyes. It was a simple design. The thin straps had a delicate lace beading over the top, a sweetheart neckline which cupped under the b.r.e.a.s.t.s and then fell in a silky straight line. But what made it extra spectacular was the longer train of lace that sent s.h.i.+mmers of light across the fabric. It was perfect.

"Oh, my G.o.d, Abbs, that's the dress. It's beautiful. Perfect." Lucy reiterated my thoughts. "Now help me."

I draped my dress over one of the chairs, and when I turned back Lucy was holding two fluffy bundles in front of her. The first was pretty, with a short-waist strapless bodice and a full tulle skirt. But I was thinking that style might make Lucy look kind of ... short. I turned to the second, and had to let out a sigh.

"That one." I pointed.

It was delicate, strapless like the other but fitted all the way until the bottom, where it flared like a mermaid tail. The back was cut low; her wings would have plenty of room. It was white, but the lace and jewel overlay had a slight s.h.i.+mmer of green, which would match Lucy's new pixie coloring.

"I'm pretty sure that was made for you, Luce."

She smiled and hugged it toward her. "It's perfect. I really want to show Colt." Shaking her head, she re-hung the other dress. "It's funny that the one person's opinion I want is the one who can't see my dress until the ceremony. What Earth moron came up with that?" She snorted.

"I guess you're supposed to know your man well enough to choose something he'd love." I offered the other side, but I definitely saw her point.

She snorted again, trailing into laughter. "I could wear a sack and Colt would love it. That Walker wears blinkers when it comes to my appearance."

The door opened then and in trooped Talina, Ria and Fury. And with a squeal Lucy was off, ordering them around, finding them dresses, and generally being a pain in the b.u.t.t. Eventually I grabbed her and shoved her into one of the chairs.

"Calm down. You need to get your hair and make-up done." We were running out of time.

Glenda stepped forward. In her hands she held a small scanning device. It was First World technology that helped in the application of make-up. I sat in another chair and Cherine hurried to me.

"Close your eyes, please." She had a sweet, innocent voice.

With a sigh my lids shut down, blocking out the sight of Fury falling down in laughter after finding a horrid floral dress on the rack. G.o.ds knew what those three were going to decide to wear. I wondered where Delane was and if she'd bother coming to the ceremony. We should have invited her up here, but I knew I wasn't getting warrior-Walker into a dress.

Thirty minutes (or what felt like hours) later, I was allowed to open my eyes. I caught my reflection in the mirror, and had to admit Cherine had done a great job.

My hair was in loose curls that fell in a red ma.s.s to my waist. White and green flowers had been woven high across the crown of my head. My make-up was flawless, but subtle. Just touches here and there to accentuate my features.

I wrinkled my nose. I always found it weird how huge my eyes looked when I wore any kohl or shadow. I'd had enough time staring at my reflection, so I pushed myself up from the chair, and Talina took my place.

The next few hours were filled with a flurry of dresses, hair, make-up, and tantrums which were just from Lucy but in the end all of us were dressed and waiting at the door. My dress fit perfectly, and it was really comfortable. I had totally lucked out.

Fury wore red, which suited her personality and somehow didn't clash with her skin. Talina's dress was short and a pearly white color, which set off her stunning hair, and Ria looked like a supermodel in the black strapless number that I'd been denied.