Page 70 of Dark Space

Callan inhaled and turned away. I watched his shoulders tremble as he exhaled, watched his fingers clench into fists by his side.

Anna put a hand on his back. ‘Only if you want to, Callan. It’s your choice, too.’

He took another shuddering breath and turned to face us once more. His eyes were pitch-black; when they fell on me, I realised it was withhunger.

I swallowed, trying to push down an answering flood of desire.

Anna offered Callan the brush for a second time.

He took it, unable to resist. His palm engulfed hers, but he held her gently, bending so that he applied the gilt to her middle nail with care. When she offered her other hand he swallowed, his cheeks flushing, his fingers trembling as he finished. He glanced at Anna’s face, then, without a word, offered the brush to Vesper.

The starling’s eyes went wide. ‘Um – Anna?’

‘Only if you want to, Vesper,’ she repeated, softly.

Vesper recovered, his shocked expression splitting into a grin. ‘Well, this is unexpected,’ he drawled, taking the brush from Callan. ‘I’ve never had awifebefore, orhusbands. My parents will bethrilled.’

Anna merely smiled and let Vesper paint the nails of her fourth fingers with gold.

When he was done, she took the brush from him, and finished off her thumbs and smallest fingers herself, then admired the shine in the low lights of the bridge. ‘Do I get to paint the males, too?’ she said to Darius.

He blinked. ‘Not right now, Majesty. You may do whatever you please later.’

Vesper snorted.

Darius placed the bowl of gilt back on the altar, then took up the blessed blood. ‘You are here today by the will of the dread gods, and you stand under their all-seeing gaze. Alcide, son of Sever, do you stand here willingly?’

‘I do.’

‘And this is the partner you wish to take as your own?’

I glanced at Anna, then at Callan, then Vesper. ‘She is. They are.’

Darius blinked at my answer, but kept going. ‘Do you vow before the gods to protect them, to fulfil their needs, and to keep any young they might provide you safe from all harm?’

‘I vow it,’ I said.

‘And Anna, daughter of …’ Darius trailed off.

‘Arabella,’ Anna supplied.

‘Anna, daughter of Arabella –’ Darius’ gaze flickered to Callan and Vesper ‘– and Callan, and Vesper, do you vow to obey the male beside you in all things, to act as a partner should to preserve his reputation, to bear his young, and raise them in accordance with Roth custom?’

Anna frowned, then turned to me. ‘Absolutelynot,’ she said. ‘There is no way inanyworld that I am vowing that.’

‘Anna –’ I started.

‘Is thatit?’ she demanded. ‘Are they the only vows?’

Darius nodded warily.

‘Where is the promise oflove, Alcide? Of cherishing? Of support and communication and offering comfort in hard times? Why doyouprotect, and I–we– obey?’

‘Anna –’ Callan began.

‘Nope,’ she said, shaking her head. ‘You said something different the other day.’ She placed her hand over my heart. ‘What is it that youfeel?’

‘I –’ I swallowed. There were so many things I was feeling that it would be impossible to name them all. There was one thing I was sure of, though. ‘I want you.’