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Chapter Seven

One year later

Sylvan

“Tell me the deets,” I say.

“The what?” Axton asks.

“Details. I’m here to save the day,” I announce as I step onto the scene. The police officers see me and immediately step back. Not because they’re afraid of me, but to give my mini army the space they need.

Axton gives me a warm smile. “I know you are. So there are two men inside with five hostages. We need to be careful because we know for a fact that the two men have killed multiple people but have eluded capture.”

“Nearly killed a few of our men last time we cornered them,” an officer adds.

“So we need to use precaution and?—”

“WE GOT THEM!” Johnny yells as he comes running out in the nude, holding a rather large man in his arms while Paul drags the two killers out through the front door.

“Good job!” I say with a smile as Paul tosses the men over to the police. The policemen—being regular humans—are flung backward, nearly flattened by the unconscious bodies of the perps.

“If you don’t have plans for them, I can dice them up for you,” Paul informs the officers.

“N-No, we’re good. Thank you.”

“You are most welcome!” Johnny booms as he sets the large man who must have been one of the hostages on his feet. “And you, my friend, are free to go!”

“T-Thank you?” the man says, clearly uncertain.

“Alright, where’s the real issue?” Johnny asks. “I was told this one would be a hard one.”

“No, no, you got them,” Axton says.

Johnny and Paul are both quite surprised, as are the fifty undead who’d been ready to help and got to do absolutely nothing.

A woman whose daughter had been held hostage inside rushes over to me. “Thank you.”

“Oh! It’s no problem at all.”

“No, thank you… thank you so much,” she says as she hugs me.

It doesn’t matter how many times I’m thanked; I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to it. It’s such a good feeling being appreciated instead of feared.

“We’d love to stay but we need to get going,” Axton says. “Come on, Sylvan.”

I unsummon my lovely crew and hurry after him as we get into his car. He refused to tell me where we’re going, but I’m sure I’ll love it.

When we reach the park, he pulls over and lets Hades out. The miniature horse immediately trots off to find something or someone to harass.

“It’s such a nice day out.”

“It is,” Axton says as he takes my hand, sliding his fingers between mine as he leads the way.

“Why didn’t you tell me we were going to the park?” I ask, unsure why it was so secretive.

“Because I have a whole day planned. A mystery day.”

“Ooh, I’m here for this,” I say as I watch Hades stomp on some child’s ball. The child seems mystified as Axton yells at him to stop.

“He’s just always into something,” he grumbles.

“Yeah, but he’s cute so everyone lets him get away with it,” I say.

“No one lets me get away with anything. I swear your crew watches me like a hawk, just waiting for me to mess up so they can swoop down.”

I grin at Axton. “You don’t have to worry,” I assure him. “They know I love you.”

The moment he hears that, he’s all smiles, but I can tell something’s up. Almost like he’s distracted by something.

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

Axton glances over at me. “With?”

“You seem to be worried about something.”

“Oh, just thinking about how the light shimmers off your flawless skin?—”

“You’re such a lying dork,” I decide.

“I was thinking about how your blue shirt brightens your impeccable eyeballs.”

“It’s getting worse,” I tease.

“And how you never untie your shoes but simply cram your feet into them.”

“That’s the only way to do it.”

“And how you laughed at me after I tripped yesterday.”

“I made sure you were okay first! But you can’t be mad… you were waving your arms like you were trying to take flight!” I say, trying not to grin at the memory before failing. “It’s okay, though, Johnny was there to catch you.”

“While naked. I think I’ve seen his dick more than yours.”

I chuckle. “What can I say, he’s like an ancient warrior who fought naked back in his time.”

“Is that true?”

“No. He was an accountant who hated clothes.”

That makes Axton laugh. “No, no, you’re lying.”

“I’m not! Ask him next time. He’s not only my brawn but the very reason I didn’t fail math in high school.”

He shakes his head as we round a bend in the path that leads to my favorite part of the park. There’s a large pond with two swans who are always together—mated for life—but today I only see one.

“Where’s the male?” I ask.

Axton glances around and shakes his head. “I don’t know.”

“I hope something didn’t happen to him,” I say, but I’ve always been drawn to death and know all too soon that the female is standing next to the body of the male.

“You think a dog got him?” he asks.

“I don’t know,” I respond as I look at the female who isn’t ready to leave him behind. I’m sure she assumed they’d always be together.

I hold my hand out and let my magic fall over him. The female jolts as life returns to her mate and he stands up. He ruffles his feathers and I watch the two of them rush off into the water together.

“Will he be able to stay like that?” Axton asks.

“If I visit them enough, he’ll be fine,” I say. “But this is our secret. I shouldn’t mess with the fate of things but just a little bit won’t hurt.”

I stand up and turn to him as he gives me a smile. “You’re so sweet.”

“No, I’m just…” I shrug.

“You’re just impossibly sweet,” he insists as he runs his finger over my cheek.

“It was a little thing.”

“Not to them.”

“Hmm…”

Axton tips my chin up and kisses me. “Can I tell you a secret?”

“Depends… is it a scary secret? Because I still hold true to my dating app. I don’t date serial killers.”

He laughs as he shakes his head. “Definitely haven’t killed anyone lately.”

“Oh phew!”

“So, when Danielle got arrested, she confessed what her vision really was.”

“Oh?”

“It was this very day, the two of us standing right in front of this pond. The two swans behind us and me asking you to marry me.”

I freeze as I look at him in surprise. “W-What?”

Axton pushes my white hair behind my ear. “So? Sylvan, will you marry me?”

“T-That… I… yes! Of course!”

The smile on his face makes my heart beat out of control as he slides the ring onto my finger and pulls me in close. I don’t even get to admire it before he kisses me, and I feel the tension leave his body. I can’t believe that even knowing what would happen an entire year in advance, he would still be so nervous.

I lean back and smile at him, arms draped around his neck. “You really knew about this day for a year?”

“I did.”

“And you didn’t tell me?”

Axton grins at me. “I didn’t want to spoil the reveal.”

“You are so delightful and amazing and lovely and sweet and kind.”

“You forgot lucky. I’m pretty sure I’m the luckiest man alive to have met you.”

I can’t stop smiling.

“If we have to invite your whole side of the family and my side… we’re going to need someplace huge.”

“At least my side doesn’t eat,” I tease.

“My sister’s already asked if Johnny will be wearing clothes. I think she enjoys the view.”

“Oh no…” I mutter, which makes him laugh.

“She said she wants to dance with him too.”

“I think we need to force Johnny to wear clothes,” I say as I admire the ring. “I love it. All of it. Every part of it. Every part of you.”

“And nothing could make me happier than knowing I get to spend my life with you,” Axton responds.

For so many years I felt so alone, even when surrounded by my group because while they could support me and care about me, I always felt that I had to bring them back to life to get that love. I never knew that I’d eventually find someone who cares about me for who I am, no strings attached.

“You’ve made me feel like the luckiest man in the world,” I say. “Thank you.”

“You never need to thank me. You know who we should thank?”

“Hmm?”

“Danielle,” he says.

I grin at him. “That is evil . Should we invite her to the wedding?”

“She could be the maid of honor.”

I cackle at the idea. “Are we actually evil people?”

“If we are, I don’t see the issue,” Axton says as he slides his fingers between mine and starts walking as we talk about every aspect of our wedding and our life and how lucky we are to have Cupid on our side.