Page 20 of Meant to Burn

A YEAR LATER…

T he bell above the door chimes when Azriel comes into our shop, and I smile at him widely as I put the lady’s items in a bag and hand them to her.

I tell her to have a good day, and she tells me to do the same.

She looks around at the eclectic decor one more time before she heads for the door and leaves, and I grin.

I love it here. Owning a shop selling banned books, candles, and charms in the French Quarter in New Orleans is not what I thought I’d be doing with my life, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Having the freedom to live my life as I choose, to love who I love, is a gift I never thought I’d receive.

And I owe it all to Azriel, the love of my life.

He’s walked alongside me in human skin for a year now, only letting his wings come out in our home, where no one can see him.

I’ve loved every second of seeing him come out of his shell and discovering who he is as a person, and I’m sure he’s loved every second of seeing me do the same.

We’re learning and growing together, walking this life side by side with fingers interlaced. We’re living .

Living has never felt so good, and the seminary closing in Texas has just been the cherry on top.

No one knows how or why it happened, but I have a sneaking suspicion it’s thanks to Azriel.

He’ll never admit to it though, and I don’t care enough about that place to pressure him.

I’m just happy it’s over. That we’re out of there, and that no more people will get hurt because of that cult.

Because that’s what it is, a cult. I don’t believe in religion anymore, and the God I believed in all my life is a God of punishment, not love.

Now, my beliefs have shifted. I believe in what Azriel gives me every day—his heart, his soul, his everything. That’s all I need, all I’ll ever need.

I watch as Azriel shuts the door and locks it, flipping the sign from open to closed.

He turns around with a grin on his face, and I raise an eyebrow.

We’re not supposed to close for another two hours, so whatever he has planned better be good.

Though I truly don’t mind spending every waking moment by his side, no matter what we’re doing.

He makes his way towards me, offering his hand when he finally stops a few feet across from me.

I walk to him and take it, and he leans in and gives me a soft kiss on the lips, then drags me to the back of the store where the stairs lead to our apartment on the second story.

We live in the heart of the French Quarter, and while the place is not big by any means, it works for us.

My favorite part of the apartment has to be the balcony overlooking the streets of New Orleans. I live for the people watching.

Azriel stops abruptly before opening the door, telling me to cover my eyes.

I think about peeking, but I kind of want to be surprised more, so I cover my eyes and shut them tightly, letting him lead me in by my arm.

I hear the door shut, and then he’s gently guiding me around the living room.

I feel the breeze of the chilly October night as he leads me onto the balcony, and when he tells me to open my eyes, I gasp.

There’s a covered meal on the small two-seater table on our balcony, and he pulls out a chair for me.

I look around at the candles on the floor, and I rack my brain, trying to remember the special occasion when it finally clicks.

It’s our anniversary. The day of his summoning.

I grin at him as I sit, and he lifts the lids off our food.

It smells amazing, and it’s my favorite—gumbo.

He’s been patient with me as I learn how to cook for us, but I can’t deny, I’m not very motivated when he’s so good at putting recipes together.

Sitting across from me, he grins back, and I clean the plate fairly quickly.

I make conversation about the shop and the customers, reveling in how easy it is between us.

We’ve adjusted to partnership effortlessly, and I sigh with happiness as I reach for his hand, just to frown when I find it shaking in my grip.

“What’s wrong?” I ask Azriel, and he gulps. “Baby?”

His golden eyes are leaning more toward an amber color in his human form, and they’re wide right now as he bites on his full bottom lip.

I take a long look at his strong nose, chiseled jaw, and brown hair glowing lighter as the sunset casts its beautiful light upon him.

I’m hypnotized. Absolutely unable to look away from him.

Azriel lets go of my hand, pushing his chair back and standing. He takes a deep breath and comes to my side, then drops to one knee and looks up at me. I gasp, covering my mouth as his eyes water.

“ Elijah .” His voice breaks on my name, and a tear spills down my cheek.

“From the moment I saw you for the first time, I knew you’d be important to me.

I just never realized you’d end up being my treasure, my love, my whole world.

I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you, Beloved, and I’ll never love anyone else.

You’re my reason—my reason to exist. I want to walk beside you for all of eternity, and I want you tied to me in all ways possible. ”

I watch as tears spill down his cheeks, and my bottom lip wobbles as I sniff. He reaches into his back pocket and produces a simple dark gray band, and when he turns it and the light hits it, I see the engraving on the inside.

Little Lamb.

“Elijah Rivers.” He smiles at me, and my heart squeezes in my chest. “Will you do me the honor of being by my side forever? Will you marry me?”

I gasp even though I knew it was coming, and then I smile through my tears and nod quickly, shoving my hand toward him.

Azriel chuckles. “Say it, Little Lamb,” he whispers, taking my hand in his and kissing my knuckles. “I want you to say it.”

“Yes,” I choke out. “I’ll spend forever by your side.”

The grin on his face is blinding, and he slips the ring onto my finger and kisses it too.

It fits perfectly, just the way he does in my life.

And yeah, I know forever is a long time by his side, but apparently, I became immortal the moment he bound me to him.

So forever really is what I will give him.

Grabbing the back of his head, I pull him to me, pressing my lips to his softly.

It quickly grows heated, and he stands, pulling me up with him.

I stumble forward into the apartment, but as soon as we make it to the living room, he picks me up and carries me to bed.

I bounce when I land on the mattress, looking up at him through my lashes.

His cheeks are pink, and I can’t tell if it’s from the cold, arousal, or his crying. But it makes him look gorgeous.

I want him so badly.

I quickly shed my clothing, and so does he, and when I’m completely bare, I spread my legs for him.

He crawls toward me, hard cock hanging heavily between his thighs as he settles himself between mine, and then he puts my legs over his shoulders and kisses my belly button.

It ignites a fire within me, and it doesn’t matter that we’ve done this hundreds of times; it still feels like the first time.

He takes me nightly, sometimes soft, sometimes rough, but always worshipful.

I moan when his mouth wraps around me, the heat of his tongue circling the head of my cock, making my eyes roll to the back of my head.

My hips have a mind of their own as I chase my release, and when I find it, spilling my cum down his throat, I’m reminded of something I’ve been thinking about every day for the past year.

Azriel was never my demon.

He was the answer to all my prayers.

I plan on living my life just as I was meant to.

By his side.

Forever.