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“It will,” I assure her, dropping my voice low. “I am sorry this was sprung on you so unexpectedly, but know that nothing will hurt you. Not tonight, and not where we’re going. I promise you this.”

Allie takes a long look at me, eyes sliding along my frame, and I stand stock-still under her inspection. When she meets my gaze again, there’s still a question there, but also something that seems more settled on her fate.

“Well,” she says. “Should we?”

She gestures toward the Veil, and I shake my head gently. “There is ritual to be completed before we go.”

Allie lets out a long breath. “You’re going to have to walk me through it.”

Her shaking has lessened, and there’s a fragile determination set upon her face. My little witch is not so easily beat.

The next few moments will set us down a path that will last the rest of our lives, if all goes well. I try not to despair at the great unknown in the thought. It’s all become so much more complicated given her relative lack of magick, her obvious fear, and the fact she knows nothing about her new station in life.

Yet there’s still something of fate in the air.

Allie’s skin holds the barest remnants of the Goddess magick that drew us together, and she shimmers like a star burning faintly at twilight—a promise of radiance to come.

Without thought, with no ability to stop myself, I reach a hand up and cup her cheek for a moment, if only to feel that magick for myself.

Allie does not flinch from my touch. Her eyes widen, and I feel her trembling cease. As if eased by the gentleness of the caress, the last cloying ribbon of her fear fades away and her lovely scent rises once more.

With no one but the night sky and the Goddess to witness, I marry my witch.

“Allison Amethyst Hawthorn,” I say, taking both her hands in mine. “do you accept your place as my wife and consort? Will you come with me and stand beside me in the demon realm?”

“Yes, Eren Dane Ashblood,” she says, voice steady. “I do. And I will.”

“Good,” I say. “I’m glad to hear it. And as you don’t know the promises to ask of me, I will give you my vow to care for and protect you, to shelter you in my home and honor the magick you bring with you to my realm.”

Her face falls a little at that last bit, but I press on, undeterred.

“Do you accept these vows?”

“Yes, I do.”

“A kiss, then. To seal our bargain.”

I almost think she’ll balk. And indeed, my bride’s eyes widen even further and a slight tremor runs through her. Her eyes drop to my mouth, and I can’t help but stare at hers in return. Full, plush, and pink, the sight of her lips makes my fangs lengthen. At her sharply indrawn breath, I want to kick myself, belatedly realizing they’ve poked out from my upper lip.

“Fangs?” she whispers.

“I won’t bite you, Allie.”

Yet.

Giving herself a small shake, she regains her composure. “Okay. Uh, you might have to lean down.”

I bite back a grin. My Allie is tall for a human woman, but she still barely reaches the height of my shoulder. I take a step closer to her and dare to settle my hands on her lushly curved hips. When she leans into my touch, I feel my cock harden beneath my trousers.

I am going to die this night. Surely, the amount of caution and control I’ll need to exert to get us both through this is going to kill me.

Still, there’s no force in this realm or the next that could stop me from bending down over my little witch—my mate, my wife—and tilting her chin up toward me.

At the first brush of her sweet mouth on my own, I know my soul is well and truly lost.

Chapter 5

Allie