Page 31

Chapter thirty-one

T he rest of the evening was spent laughing, dancing, and celebrating. A five-course meal was followed by the traditional cake cutting, toasts, and then our first dance as husband and wife. After that, things began to get a little fuzzy. Glass after glass of champagne was passed around, loosening everyone’s spirits, and tongues, for that matter.

Everyone got along, teasing, and taunting one another in a playful manner. There was no mention of Lucifer or the upcoming battle we would all soon face on the front lines. Adrianna and Loriana let loose on the dance floor, accompanied by Tyler and Roric. Joseph and Antonio sat at a table most of the night, stewing, yet seemed to behave themselves.

Frankie and I were in the center of the action as the music blared over the speakers. We danced and twirled each other, laughing as we let ourselves be free. Aunt Thora and Mom eventually joined us. The joy in this moment was nothing like I had ever experienced.

Deus came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist, kissing the curve of my neck.

“Are you happy, my love,” he whispered against my ear.

“The happiest,” I answered, leaning back into him.

“Good. Now, you wouldn’t mind sharing a bit of that happiness with your cousin, would you?”

I stared at him, taken aback by the question. He smiled softly and shrugged as Levi approached the center circle of the dance floor. Frankie saw him and lunged into his arms, clueless. She beamed and planted kiss after kiss on his face.

Levi steadied her, brushing his hand across her face. He spoke to her softly, and a moment later dropped to one knee, pulling a green velvet box from his pocket.

She covered her mouth as she began to cry. Unable to get the words out, she nodded over and over with acceptance. Levi gathered her in his arms, swinging her around. Aunt Thora began to cry tears of joy while my mom gathered her twin.

“You’re sneaky, husband,” I whispered to him.

“Let’s just say, I’m not confident in your secret keeping skills when it comes to Frankie,” he replied.

I laughed, hitting him in the chest. “That is so rude … though I see your point.”

Once Levi and Frankie were done kissing, I rushed to her, wrapping my arms around my best friend while she screamed and laughed with joy.

“Let me see, let me see,” I insisted. Her ring was magnificent. The green emerald was cut into a large pear shape, outlined with small diamonds and held together with a gold band. “It’s beautiful, Frankie.”

“Isn’t it!?” she replied. “He did so good. I can’t believe it, Seren. I’m actually getting married.” She grabbed onto me, bursting with happiness. “You will be my matron of honor, right? Say you will.”

In an instant, my joy vanished as it hit me … I most likely wouldn’t be alive to fulfill that honor. I felt a pair of eyes on me. Behind Frankie, Talia st ood … watching. I forced a smile at my beautiful cousin.

“Like anyone else is more equipped for the job.”

“Oh!” she squealed, jumping up and down before barreling into me. “Thank you, thank you!”

I grinned, holding onto her tightly. “Anything for you,” I whispered, the sadness crushing me. I caught Deus’s eyes. His face filled with concern and confusion. Shit. My walls had been down. He was feeling what I was through our bond. I slowly fortified my barrier, trying not to appear suspicious.

“Okay, enough about me,” Frankie said. “This is your wedding after all.”

“I hope you don’t mind,” said Levi, appearing at her side.

“Not at all,” I replied. “This was the perfect ending to a perfect day.” I watched as he looked at my cousin, his expression full of love and tenderness. Deus was right. Though the mating bond set the whole emotional experience over the edge, it wasn’t necessary when it came to matters of the heart. I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, Levi would do anything to make Frankie happy and keep her safe. That was all that mattered to me.

“It looks like we’re planning another wedding,” Nonna said. Thora pulled Frankie into her, kissing her profusely. Mom stood on the other side of me.

“Yes,” Frankie said. “But mine will be somewhere warm and tropical. Honestly, I don’t know what Seren’s obsession with the cold and snow is.”

“It’s breathtaking,” Deus said, wrapping his arm around my waist. “Just like she is.” He smiled down at me. “Everything alright? I felt you just a moment ago,” he said into my mind.

“Of course. Happiest day of my life,” I replied. He looked at me curiously. I gave him a tight squeeze before needing some air. “I’m going to go freshen up,” I announced and turned back to the lodge.

Our guests were enjoying themselves as laughter filled the air. I tried to focus on the celebration that surrounded me, but it had become a glaring reminder that this joy was temporary, as I wouldn’t be at Frankie’s wedding.

I entered the quiet lodge, closing the doors behind me and heading to a room in the far back, away from everyone and everything. I locked myself inside, taking a seat on the edge of the bed, trying to calm myself. In that silent moment, everything hit me. The nightmares from Hell that replayed in my mind every time I closed my eyes. Deus without a soul. The fear of losing him completely. The torture I had endured at Lucifer’s hands. The loss of Orion. All of it overwhelmed me in that dark room.

I grabbed at my head, focusing on my breathing while I tried to make it all stop. I wouldn’t let it ruin this day for me. Not this beautiful day.

Two cold hands gently touched mine on either side of my face. My eyes opened, met by two stunning deep brown irises. Talia. She smiled softly and tilted her head, silently asking permission to enter my memories. I nodded as a tear rolled down my cheek. She closed her eyes and breathed out. I let the walls fall, allowing her to see … to feel it all.

Pain. Torment. Fear. Loss. Devastation. Depression. Guilt. All of it slammed into her slithering presence. I didn’t hold back. Let her see—no, feel —what her mate had put me through. The evil I had been subjected to because of his obsession with power. The very thing he would have killed his mate to obtain.

Her eyes snapped open, her coldness softening into empathy. “I am so sorry, my child,” she whispered. “ How could I know you were haunted by such torments?”

“And there’s still more to come,” I replied.

She rose from in front of me, taking a seat on the bed. “Power leads to corruption. I’ve never known it to end any other way.”

“I didn’t choose this. I don’t care about the power, or the keys to Hell. I don’t care about any of it. All I want is to live with Deus in our castle, secluded and happy.”

“From what I’ve learned and lived through, it doesn’t appear the vessels have ever had their version of a ‘happily ever after’, as your culture refers to it. The universe seems to enjoy torturing us in the most inhuman ways, and I don’t know why. What did we do to deserve all of this?”

“I don’t want to die,” I whispered, finally admitting it out loud. “I don’t want to leave him … my family … this life I’ve built. It isn’t fair.”

“No, it’s not,” she said harshly. “But it’s what we must do. It’s what we were designed to do. I survived in Purgatory, looking death in the face every moment, protecting my life so someday I could sacrifice it again to stop him … the person I love most in this world. None if it makes sense. None of it’s fair. But we all have a role to play.”

“Has anyone ever told you you’re not one for pep talks?”

“What is this pep talk?” she asked, looking at me confused.

I laughed, thinking back to my husband. “How am I going to get away from him long enough to kill Lucifer?” I asked. “Deus isn’t going to leave my side when the war finally happens. He’s already proven he wouldn’t hesitate to die for me. I can’t let him do that again. I won’t.”

“Lilith,” she answered without pause. “She will do as you ask. She is pledged to you. When the time is right, she can distract him to separate you from your mate.”

“It’s going to take a miracle to get him to leave my side. ”

“A barrier,” she said. “We will have to create a magical barrier so you can do what you need to. Once you are locked inside, I will open my gate to Hell, where the cage will be waiting. I will infuse my lifeforce with it, becoming the thing that keeps him bound. When you kill him on the earthly plane, his spirit will be drawn to mine. To the cage, where he will spend the rest of eternity, watching time pass while he contemplates his mistakes.”

“You’ve thought this out.”

“You have no idea.” There was a moment of silence between us before she finally turned to face me.

“May I ask you something?” I whispered. She nodded. “Why did you not contact me sooner? I could have come for you earlier and saved you from that place.”

“We are connected, not only by our demons, but by Aradia’s soul. Purgatory, as you saw, is without magic, or life, for that matter. Before the bond, you were not strong enough to feel me … to find me. But when you and Asmodeus nurtured your bond, your powers grew and so did your reach across realms. I was able to sense you then … latch onto your power and send you a message.”

“I see,” I replied, turning my attention back to my new wedding rings.

“If I were you,” she said, seeming to sense my feelings, “I’d forget about the future and the past, and just focus on the present. You have no idea how lucky you are to have a mate who truly loves you. Every moment you two have together is precious. I have nothing left to live for in this life. But you do. Don’t waste a second of it, Seren. Not a single second.”

I smiled, knowing that her words came from a place of pain and regret. “I will,” I whispered, taking her hand in mine. She looked down, appearing shocked at the affection. “I think I would have enjoyed getting to know you. You know, before you became the leader of a dark, psychotic coven and all.”

A genuine smile appeared on her face. My mouth fell open in response. She arched an eyebrow arched at me. “What?”

“You’re so beautiful. Smiling suits you, truly. You should allow yourself to do that more often.”

We exited the lodge together, returning to my wedding reception. My husband was laughing amongst his brothers with a glass of blood wine in his hand. His eyes drifted to me the moment I stepped foot into the snow.

“There you are,” he said, his smile beaming. “Seren Resnov.”

“Uh, excuse me,” Frankie interrupted. “She is a De Salvo, now and always.”

“Does that mean you won’t be taking my last name?” Levi asked.

“Damn straight,” she replied. “And any daughters we have will also be De Salvo.”

“Any heirs we sire will bear their father’s name, as it is custom,” replied Levi.

“Whose custom are you referring to?” asked Frankie, standing toe to toe with her fiancé. “Some, sexist, barbaric, rule create by men who believe us to be their property? Ha, not happening.”

I approached Deus, unsure if I should interfere. He gave me an exasperated look.

“I,” said Levi, “am a Prince of Hell. Our children will be heirs to my kingdom.”

“And I,” rebutted Frankie, “am a descendant of a long line of powerful witches who have changed the very course of history and mankind as we know it. Any children we have will be raised topside, if that hasn’t been clear for you.”

“Alright, alright,” Nonna intervened.

“Thank Father,” Deus whispered.

“This is a celebration,” continued Nonna. “Put your personal issues aside and let’s all focus on what matters.” She looked around the open area at each person. “We’re family,” she said softly. “No matter what coven we’re from, no matter what blood we may or may not share,” She took Deus’s and Levi’s hands in her own. “No matter what realm we’re sired from. Each of us have fought for one another. Have bled for one another. We are blessed to be surrounded with such strength and wisdom. No matter where we go from here, this is what matters. We mustn’t forget.”

Deus smiled at her, then kissed the back of her hand. “You are very wise, Elder Salvo. It is an honor to stand by your side.” He paused, turning his eyes to me. “To join your family.”

“To the two little love birds,” bellowed Mammon, raising his glass in the air.

“To a match made in Hell,” echoed Belz, the crowd laughing in response.

“To two halves of a whole,” said Frankie, stepping towards us, “after millennia, finally finding their way back to one another. To my soulmate Seren and to my new brother, Asmodeus. May your reign be one of peace and order.”

“Here, here,” yelled Gor before the crowd erupted with cheers and rounds of applause.

Deus kissed me on the lips, pulling away only to look down at me with the deepest love and admiration. “Thank you for making me whole,” he whispered. “For showing me what true love really is. For giving me something to fight for.”

“You are worth everything to me,” I said in return.

“You are my everything, my love.” We remained entranced in each other’s eyes while our guests resumed dancing and laughing. The servers began to make their rounds once again, refilling empty glasses. All I could think about, all I wanted, was him.

“Would it be rude if we slipped away?” I whispered, drawing my hands up his firm arms. He smiled, flashing those sharp canine teeth I couldn’t wait to have scraping against my skin.

“It’s our wedding,” he replied. “I think they’ll understand.”

I bit the side of my bottom lip, the anticipation beginning to grow. I quickly made my rounds, kissing and thanking people for coming, as did Deus. Just before we shifted away, the multicolored sky lit with blasts of fireworks. I grinned from ear to ear while our guests cheered. Deus’s and my eyes met and then we drifted between time and space.