Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Jewel and Steven stood in front of the priest trying to convince him of their desire to get married. So far… it wasn’t going very well.

“I want to be with him, Father!” Jewel exclaimed. “I don’t love Anthony… I love Steven.”

The priest shook his head, “Jewel, you realize what this could mean for your father and anyone that stands in Anthony’s way to get to you?” He glanced at Steven wondering which man was the most dangerous. “Do you even know this young man’s last name?”

“His name is Steven Wilder. He’s the younger brother of Quinn Wilder and one of Nathaniel Wilder’s sons. If memory serves me correctly, the Wilder and Santos families used to be two of your biggest contributors,” Jewel explained, thanks to Steven quizzing her on the drive to the church.

“I’ve fallen in love with Steven and I don’t want Anthony or anyone else to take me away from him.” She gave Steven’s hand a squeeze, “I didn’t want to get married for a few years yet, but with Daddy forcing me to marry Anthony… I don’t have a choice. It’s almost dawn anyway. If we do it now, you can have the paperwork done and at the courthouse right when they unlock their doors.”

Steven was calm on the outside, but on the inside he was slack jawed at Jewel’s ability to lie that convincingly. However, the priest was far from swayed.

The priest sighed and shook his head again. “I’m sorry Jewel. I cannot be the one responsible for the possible death of your father.”

“We can protect her sire, if he wants protection,” Steven offered even as his gut tightened at the thought of protecting anyone who could hurt their daughter like this.

“Do it as a favor for me then,” Dean stated as he stepped out of the shadows of the room. “I agree to this union and I will be their witness.”

“Besides,” Jewel continued. “If I didn’t love Steven, would I be able to do this?”

Without another word, Jewel pulled on Steven’s hand so he would lean toward her and then quickly pressed her lips against his. They shared a brief and passionate kiss for a moment. Satisfied with the display of affection, Jewel started to pull away.

Much to her shock, Steven’s arms went around her waist and he pulled her tight against him. His tongue prodded softly against her lips asking for entrance, which Jewel surrendered to.

Steven felt everything within him tighten as he deepened her innocent kiss. He couldn’t help the soft growl that formed deep in his throat. He’d wanted to do this again ever since he’d ended the kiss in his bedroom. Pushing his fingers under her thick silky hair, he tilted her head for better access.

They stood in their embrace for a moment before the priest cleared his throat rather loudly. When Jewel pulled away the second time, she felt tipsy and had to hold onto Steven to keep from falling.

Dean turned his head away from the scene and bit his lip in an effort not to laugh at their act. Holy hell, these two were a pair… made for each other and they didn’t even know it yet.

“Will you do it?” Dean asked once he got his expression under control.

The priest looked at Dean with a shimmer in his eyes that Dean had seen more than once in his existence. It was a look of awe and reverence that he never could get used to.

“We almost have to now… in the eyes of God,” Jewel said softly then lied, “Because Steven and I have already consummated the union.”

“You didn’t give him much of a choice,” Dean added following along with their act. Finally he sighed loudly and looked at the priest again, “My apologies.”

“Oh, no, no,” the priest stammered. “No apologies are necessary! I will go upstairs now and gather the needed paperwork for you. It won’t take long to complete everything.”

Steven kept his eyes on Jewel as she turned and gave Dean a hard look for that last remark, making Dean smirk when the priest was finally out of sight. Steven let go of her hand knowing if he didn’t, he would pull her back in for a continuation of the kiss that had just started to become heated.

“You two are terrible,” Jewel admonished them. “And what is it about you that has him treating you like you’re God?” she demanded from Dean trying to block out the memory of his glowing hand and wings. Whatever he was… he wasn’t God.

“I guess because I look like a painting of the Archangel,” Dean answered liking the fact that she didn’t seem to be worshiping him just because he’d healed her injury. She had spunk… he’d give her that. “You’d be surprised at how often I get that reaction. Priests tend to fall all over themselves but I’ve never had a reason to take advantage of it before now.”

Jewel crossed her arms over her chest and looked away. “Nerds,” she muttered wondering if she was going to go to hell for this.

Steven gave her a mock glare to lighten the mood. “I’m about as far away as you can get from a nerd.”

“Nah, you just wear choir robes,” Dean chimed in.

Jewel arched an eyebrow. “Choir robes?”

“Shit!” Steven whispered and blushed hotly. “You are gonna pay for that one, Dean.”

“I want to know about the choir robes,” Jewel exclaimed glancing between them. She was suddenly remembering the fact that she had put her life in the hands of two complete strangers… who weren’t even human.

“The first night you two met each other,” Dean said. “I’m sure you noticed that he was naked when he shifted back. We had to dress him in some choir robes so he’d be decent for the walk home.”

“You suck,” Steven quietly informed his big mouthed friend.

Jewel’s cheeks flamed as she remembered it all too well. Steven had even carried her while nude… not counting the fact that she’d been frightened out of her mind.

The priest finally came downstairs again and they quickly filled out the paperwork. It was done in less than ten minutes and before either of them knew it, they were standing in front of the altar reciting vows that one had no true intention of fulfilling… and the other had every intention of making stick.

Both of them breathed a sigh of relief when the priest spoke the final words before completing the ceremony. “If there is anyone present who feels this couple should not be married, let him speak now or forever hold your peace.”

“Jewel! I demand that you stop this right now!”

Jewel and Steven looked over their shoulders at the man coming down the aisle with an expression on his red face that said he was in the mood to murder them all.

Jewel slipped behind Steven when she saw it was her father. She could feel her heartbeat racing as she pressed herself closer to Steven’s back. She glanced back toward the priest and wanted to cry, seeing his face had also lost all color.

Steven could sense her fear of the man she called father, though he couldn’t for the life of him figure out why. The man may have been 5’ 10” and looked like every other businessman he’d ever seen that spent too much time behind a desk, ordering people around. So this was Arthur Scott? He quickly decided Jewel must have gotten her angelic looks from her mother.

“How did he know I was here?” Jewel whispered wanting to disappear. The church was silent and her words carried across the main hall of the cathedral as if they were shouted.

“I took the precaution of having a tracking device placed on your car and it’s sitting in the parking lot, girl.” The man thundered as he closed the distance between them. “I knew I couldn’t trust you to follow through with the plan. What if it had been Anthony tracking you down instead of me? You’re lucky I gave his guards the slip so I could come for you without him knowing you were gone.”

“I don’t care, Daddy,” Jewel started to come out of hiding to defend herself but Steven moved between them and shook his head at her.

“You should care,” Arthur shouted. “This is my life we’re talking about.”

“How is it just your life? If you want out of Anthony’s reach, then you will have to come with us for protection,” Steven told him hoping he’d turn down the offer.

“Hell no!” Arthur gave Steven the once over, then dismissed him as he tried his best to look and sound threatening, “I’ve worked my whole life to get where I am and she is my daughter.” He pointed a stiff finger toward Jewel as if she was a disobedient five year old. “She will damn well do what I tell her to. She’s not married yet, and I’ll see to it that she marries the right man and not some two bit bum she found on some street corner.”

Steven glared at the man when he pulled out a cell phone and started dialing a number with shaky fingers. In all actuality, he wasn’t dialing a number at all. He was making a show hoping Jewel would come with him so he could explain his plan.

Arthur was concentrating so hard on his cell phone that he didn’t see the other man move until the phone was jerked out of his grasp. He looked up just in time to see the young man drop the device on the floor and crush it beneath his booted foot.

“I am the right man,” Steven growled. “She belongs with me now and anyone that wants to take her will have to walk through this two-bit bum that’s worth more than you’ve seen in your entire lifetime to get to her.”

“Steven, please stop. I don’t want Daddy hurt,” Jewel said suddenly standing between them. “Let’s finish the ceremony like we planned.”

Jewel would never admit it, but seeing Steven like this was starting to scare the hell out of her.

“I’m so happy you’re suddenly concerned for my well being.” Arthur sneered at his daughter. “You plan on playing the whore to get out of your marriage to Anthony, knowing you’re giving your father a death sentence?” He may not have shown it but, for the first time in his life, he hoped Jewel would tell him to take a long walk off a short plank.

“She is not your scapegoat, she’s your daughter!” Steven growled. “From what I can put together, you’re the one that gave yourself a death sentence by crawling into Anthony Valachi’s bed in the first place.”

Arthur jerked his enraged gaze toward Jewel and spat, “So you decided to run your mouth to the first person who would listen? Don’t think spreading your legs for another man will stop Anthony from getting what he wants!”

Damn, he hated sounding like this. He hated talking to his little girl in such a way and calling her a whore. He wanted her to get angry, to hit him, tell him to go to hell… because that’s where he belonged.

Jewel took a step back when Arthur raised his hand with all intentions of striking her. Once more Steven’s speed astounded them both as he caught Arthur’s wrist in a merciless grip. Being this close to the man, he could smell the lingering scent of werewolves and his grip tightened so the bones in Arthur’s wrist started to grind together.

Arthur’s face contorted in pain and he slowly sank to his knees in front of the other man. He looked up and his eyes widened when he no longer saw the vibrant green eyes of the dark blonde man. Instead, he saw golden cat eyes glaring down at him and the barest hint of fangs. Hope blossomed in his chest… that maybe Jewel had found someone that could fight Anthony and win.

“Be careful old man,” Steven said softly. “If you lay with dogs, you’ll end up with fleas. Tell your leader, the Wilder family has made its claim on her. Thankfully, you will not have to answer to me this night… but you will bear the brunt of Anthony Valachi’s wrath. I pray you survive it.”

Steven pushed Arthur’s wrist from his grasp and the man started to scuttle backward down the aisle.

“This marriage is a lie,” Arthur shouted as he pushed off the floor with his good hand and cradled the other. “If you go through with this farce, I will go over the priest’s head and make sure it is annulled before the closing of the day.”

Jewel looked at her father then at Steven’s back. She knew this was dangerous and almost agreed with her father, fully understanding what this marriage to Steven would mean. This was madness and they all knew it. Steven looked over his shoulder at her and she gasped seeing his eyes had changed color.

“You are mine Jewel! I will not hand you over to a mange infested dog to be ripped apart,” Steven insisted.

“Anthony will come for you, freak.” Arthur shouted. “I’ll see to it myself.”

‘You picked the right man, Jewel.’ Arthur told her silently. ‘I know he’ll be better to you than Anthony ever would. You have my blessing though you may never know it. I love you… my little girl, my Jewel.’

Arthur turned and stormed out, nursing his fractured wrist. When Steven looked back around, his eyes were normal. He didn’t want the priest to cast him out just in case the older man believed he was a demon or something.

“It looks like no one objects,” Steven exclaimed with a grin as if nothing had happened.

The priest nodded a little shaken, “Very well, then by the powers vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

Steven pulled Jewel toward him, this time giving her a soft kiss as if she was the most precious thing in the world. It wasn’t as heated as the one before, but just as passionate.

Jewel took a step back staring up into the eyes of the man she’d just tied herself to and wondered about her fate. She’d just placed her life in his hands… hands that weren’t even human. She glanced up at the giant cross wondering if she’d just doomed them all.

The priest dabbed at his sweating brow with a white handkerchief and stepped away from the altar.

“Father,” Dean said softly as he pushed away from the wall he’d been silently leaning against. “I believe it would be in your best interest to go into hiding for a while.”

The priest nodded sadly, “I think you’re right.”

Dean took a deep breath. “I want you to go to Italy and look up an old friend of mine. Once you have done that, wait for my message that you can return.”

“Who is your friend?” the priest asked curiously.

“His name is Andreas Valachi.” Dean answered sending calming waves toward the priest when his eyes widened, connecting the last name to the man that was surely going to come for him. “Many know him by his nickname Lupus. Last I heard he was living in a village called Trepalle.”

The priest nodded, “I am very familiar with the area. I did missionary work there early in my career.”

Dean nodded, “Good, file the paperwork and be on the next plane out.”

“What should I tell him?” the old man asked a little confused.

“Tell him Dean is calling in his favor… then tell him the truth. All of it.” Dean gave a small smile knowing Anthony’s brother was the safest place to hide the priest for now.

Without another word, the older man rushed out of the cathedral and up the stairs to his office with the paperwork in hand. Dean had no doubt the man would succeed in his mission. Glancing back toward newlyweds he wondered why love came at such a heavy price. He knew Steven had smelled the odor of werewolves on Jewel’s father and, for once, Steven hadn’t been too hotheaded to ignore the knowledge.

Looking up at the cross, Dean frowned when a shadowed figure appeared for a moment… crucified. When he blinked, the image disappeared and Dean looked at his friend wondering if he’d just seen another vision of Steven’s death.