Page 127 of Thick as Thieves
On May eve, the night before the wedding, I put my little boys to bed. Tucking them in, they look so big compared to Rio, but they’re still only one-year-olds. Not two until the end of the year. I kiss their beautiful heads as they snuggle down. Walking out of their room, I catch my dad, yet again, carrying Rio downstairs.
“She hasn’t settled, so I’m going to take her.” He grins at me. “Oh, and Evie gave me this to give you.” He hands me a note in an envelope, my name on the front in Evie’s scrawly handwriting. I frown a little as I stand and open it, Dad waving at me as he descends the stairs.
‘Xan. come to your workshop down past the fairy ring. 10:00 p.m. Don’t tell Kell. It’s a surprise.’
I raise my eyebrows at that. What on earth has she planned for us now? I know it's not a conventional wedding. Indeed, her and Kell’s wasn’t remotely conventional the first time around. He ambushed her at a meeting and press-ganged her into marriage. And this one is a handfasting marriage. So I suppose we are dispensing with all traditions. Not seeing the bride—oh, and err, groom in this case—the night before the wedding is clearly being thrown out on its ear.
As I set off down the path to my workshop, the light is nearly gone, and that dark blue hue that only seems to be in Scotland illuminates my way. To be honest, I could find my way blindfolded. The forest is on my left, the mountains and the loch are to my right. The ripples on the loch making a gentle noise as I walk past, the little beach standing out in the darkening skies.
I get to the path that leads to the fairy clearing—a ring of stones that no one knows who put there. So old, so magical. I hesitate whether to go there first or go to the workshop. The Fairy Prince wins out, and I detour, the space in front of me getting darker and darker as the trees close in. But my feet are steadfast on the path.
The trees widen out into a clearing. It’s eerie on a good day, but tonight it feels even more majestic. I can almost feel the power coming up from the ground. I walk over and pull a small knife from my pocket. Knicking my skin, I rub the blood bubble onto one of the stones.
“I’m getting married,” I tell the trees, and the stones. “You know them. You’ve met them. I love them. They love it here. My boys and my daughter were born here. I hand them over to you. Keep them safe.” I bow my head, a smile playing on my lips. Maybe Dad has been rubbing off on me. My smile gets wider when I hear the responding rustle of the trees. I nod my head in acknowledgement and leave. I’ve officially lost it. But what a way to do it, talking to trees, stones, and Fairy Princes.
I rejoin the path and see the light on in my workshop as I walk towards it.The workshop is my calm space. A place I let my conscious self take a backseat and just let my hands create. The warm, red brick and green windows and doors feel like home. Floor to ceiling windows at one end allow the last of the daylight into the building. The other end is full brick, a woodburner that constantly burns keeps the place dry and warm, even in the coldest of winters. I push open the double oversized green door, closing it behind me.
They’re both stood in the middle of the room. I haven’t seen Kell all day as he went out with Jonno earlier, but now he’s stood behind Evie, his hands around her front, his head bent, his face nestling in her hair.
He looks up as I enter, his green gaze intent. The smile he gifts me takes my breath away. He could be any age from birth to now, giving me that same smile. It’s the one he saves only for me. Evie’s smile is one from my dreams too. Churchyards, hills, fields. Everything is in that smile.
“Are you both in on this?” I gesture around me. There’s a whiskey decanter set on the side. Food bursting out of a picnic basket. Behind them, the sofa has been pulled up to face the open log burner, the heat blazing outwards.
But it’s not the flames that are making me sweat. It’s the look in both of their eyes. Love and lust is staring back at me.
I must look nervous, as Evie starts towards me. A huge grin on her face.
“Happy May Eve, Xander,” she exclaims, drawing me into a hug. Her arms around my neck, pulling me to her, she places her lips on mine. Her eyes open, so fucking beautiful, grabbing hold of my soul and drawing it out. Taking it into her body.
Kell walks over grinning. “I’m not in on anything. I was told to show up here at this time. It’s all Kitten.” He kisses me and stands next to me. “We need to stick together, Xander. She's giving off weird vibes.”
He’s smirking at her. It’s more like a challenge.Bring it on babyhis whole body is shouting out to us both. He’s crazy at times.
“Well I do have something on my mind,” she purrs out. Walking towards a small sculpture of a horse, running her fingers over the metal, her eyes remain on me the whole time. “You know it’s May Eve.”
“Why do you keep saying that?” Kell asks. “You’ve mentioned it at least three times to me already and I’ve only just got here.”
She looks over at me, and grins. Oh Fuck. She knows I’ll know the meaning of this day and night. You don’t live here in these old hills and not know all the festivals and rituals.
“May Eve is the day before Beltane. The fire festival. It’s the night of the Greenwood marriage.” I alter my stance slightly, making it more alpha, more dominating. I hear Kell's intake of breath. Oh yeah. I drop my voice to a husky whisper. “The night of the sexuality of life and the Earth is at its peak. It’s all about the fertility.”
Now I do hear Kell gasp and he looks at Evie. He’s gone a bit pale. I carry on, my voice getting lower but stronger. The register running into an almost growl. “Sex, sensuality, passion, joy. Virility and vitality.” I stop and stare at them, both gone completely still, prey waiting to be pounced on. “It’s also about conception. A point in the year where hopes and dreams and ideas come into action.” My eyes are fixed on Evie now. I see exactly what she’s about. I see exactly what we’re doing here on this particular night.
“Fertility and conception,” Kell chokes out. His face is as pale as a ghost as he looks over at Evie, his eyes wide with shock.
She’s stood stock still next to my workbench, skimming her hands over the wood, as if she’s caressing us both. The biggest challenge in her eyes.
“Oh my fucking God. No way, not again. Now. Really?” Kell turns to me pleading. I can see his pulse pounding.
“I said I didn’t want to wait,” she states, her voice matching mine, low and husky. She’s turned up the magnetic force, and our bodies are responding unconsciously. We’re inching closer and we don’t even know it.
“Waiting. It’s only six weeks. Surely that’s not safe. Xan, tell her.” He backhands me in the chest, trying to break the trance she’s put me in.
“I’ve one condition.” I don’t take my eyes from her. My eyelids feel heavy as the desire starts to take hold.
“One? Just one? No, Xan. It’s not safe, Kitten, please.” Kell is losing his mind. He drops to his knees in front of her. “Please, is it safe? Just tell me that. I thought you had to wait. I thought twelve months, not six weeks.” He’s looking up at us both, helpless and vulnerable.
“It’s as safe as anything is in childbirth. I’ve checked. It’s fast and not recommended, but not unsafe.” She looks from one of us to the other. “Kell, if you really don’t want any more children, I won’t ask this of you.” She’s serious. If he says no, we won’t.
