Vowed (The Vampire Journals, #7) - Morgan Rice Page 0,14

New York City, and it feels like lifetimes ago. But it also feels like it all just happened yesterday.

I think back on all that I’ve been through, and I don’t even know where to begin anymore. I feel like too much has gone by to catch you up on everything. So I will just fill you in on the most important things.

Caleb is alive. He survived his sickness. I’m back together with him now. And we are going to be married.

Nothing makes me happier.

Scarlet, the most beautiful eight-year-old girl in the world, is in our lives. She is our daughter now. She survived her sickness, too, and I am overjoyed.

Not to mention Ruth, who has grown bigger and stronger than Rose ever was, and might just be the most loyal and protective animal I’ve ever seen. She’s as much a part of our family as Scarlet and Caleb.

And I’m thrilled to be reunited with Sam and Polly. Finally, I feel like my whole family is back together again, under one roof.

I am nervous for our wedding. Caleb and I haven’t had a chance to talk about it yet, but I feel it will be soon.

When I was younger, I always tried to imagine my wedding day. But I never imagined anything remotely like what this might be. A vampire wedding? What will it look like?

I hope that he still loves me as much as I love him. I sense that he does. I wonder if he is nervous for the wedding, too?

I look down at my ring, at the ring he gave me, so beautiful, covered in all these shining jewels. It doesn’t feel real.

Not any of it. But at the same time, I feel like I’ve been connected to him forever.

I want to find my Dad. I really do. But I don’t want to search anymore, and I don’t want things to change. Any of this. I want to be with Caleb. And I want our wedding to happen. Is it wrong to put our wedding first?

Caitlin closed her journal and sent down the quill. Still lost in another world, she blinked and looked around the room. She wondered how much time had passed while she was reflecting; she looked out the window and saw that it was twilight, and as she glanced about the room, she saw that Scarlet and Ruth were still fast asleep. On the other side of the room, beneath the torchlight, Caleb seemed to be asleep, too.

Caitlin also found herself feeling sleepy. She felt she needed to clear her head, to get some air.

She got up from the desk quietly and began to cross the room, determined to slip outside. She grabbed a fur shawl on the way, wrapping it around her shoulders. Just as she reached the door, though, she heard a soft clearing of the throat.

She looked over and saw Caleb looking at her, one eye open, beckoning her.

She turned and walked over to his side, and as he patted the bed, she sat beside him.

He smiled as he slowly opened his eyes. As always, she was struck by his beauty. His facial features were so perfect, so clean and smooth, his jaw line and cheekbone prominent, his lips full and smooth, his nose angular and perfect. He blinked with his long eyelashes, then slowly reached out and ran one hand through her hair.

“We’ve hardly had a chance to talk,” he said.

“I know,” she smiled back.

“I want you to know how much I still love you,” he said.

Caitlin smiled. “I love you, too.”

“And that I can’t wait to be married to you,” he added, his smile widening.

He sat up and kissed her, and they kissed for a long time beneath the torchlight.

Caitlin felt her heart warm. That was exactly what she had been wanting to hear. It was uncanny how he had always been able to read her thoughts.

“Now that we’re here, I want to marry you. Before we continue on our search. Right here. In this place.” He studied her. “What do you think?”

She looked back at him, her heart racing with conflicting emotions. It was exactly what she wanted, too. But she was also scared. She wasn’t sure how to respond.

Finally, she stood.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“I’ll be back soon,” she said. “I just need to clear my head.” She kissed him one last time, then turned and walked out the room, closing the door softly behind her. She knew that if she stayed, she would end up in