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CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

H yax stared across the London skyline, the rooftop bar empty, its usual patrons kept away, as Hyax had plans and enough money to make them happen. London by night had a specific quality that was hard to pin down. Maybe it was because the city was almost as busy at night as in the day, or that the urban sprawl cast a pattern that was almost as bewitching as the night’s sky.

“Now this is posh,” Gwil said, sipping a glass of good champagne. “I didn’t think you were a fan of this part of the city. Didn’t you say there were too many arseholes in suits?”

“None of them are here now.” The square mile was loaded with sacks of skin who thought they were important because they wore expensive watches, but by now most had fucked off home to their overly medicated spouses or were snorting coke off a hooker’s arse.

Gwil pouted. “What am I? Chopped liver?”

Hyax ran his finger down the front of Gwil’s waistcoat. “You’re not an arsehole.”

“Can I quote you on that, as I’m sure you’ve called me one several times?”

“How about overbearing twat instead?”

Gwil shrugged. “Been called worse. And that was only yesterday.”

Gwil had sat him down the evening before and calmly explained what his ex-boyfriend had admitted to and Hyax had thought he had done well not to blow the roof off the house with a discharge of anger-induced magic. An hour of raging later, he’d calmed down and realised there was nothing they could do about the situation for the moment, but Hyax would find a way at some point, to make Hoffman pay. He didn’t know how yet, but he had the time and the stubbornness to do so.

“I did apologise.”

“Calling into doubt my taste in partners doesn’t say much about yourself.” Gwil smirked. “You made up for it once you’d calmed down. Repeatedly.”

“I hope that tonight will also show my appreciation for you, and everything you’ve done for me.” Gwil could have dumped his sorry arse several times over what had happened but instead he was still at his side. “I love you, my pointy-toothed muppet.”

“You too, my favourite sparkly douchebag.”

Hyax decided now was the perfect time, he reached into his jacket pocket and brought out an oblong jewellery box. He wanted to make this special, and somewhere Gwil would appreciate. This might be a fae tradition but London was Gwil’s home, so doing what he planned in the city was perfect. “Usually us fae exchange collars when we marry, but there was never a possibility of me giving this to Metra.”

Gwil took the box and opened the lid to reveal the strip of shiny metal. “Silver?”

“It was originally, but I’ve altered the atoms and it’s platinum now.” He reached out and gently tugged on Gwil’s tie. “Will you wear it?”

Gwil hesitated. “Won’t your family be upset? Or your husband?”

“I told my mother of my plan to give you my collar. As for Metra, I don’t give a fuck. I’m pretty sure he gave Sitial his, and not recently either.”

Gwil stroked his thumb along the strip of platinum. “Do you care?”

It was a loaded question. He’d been so angry at Metra, he’d held onto the rage long after the event, and Gwil had asked at least once why he was so bothered, and why he hadn’t let it go if he was truly over Metra and no longer cared. Now Metra was his husband, he guessed it would be even more pertinent.

“I guess I cared that he lied to me, and now he’s admitted the truth I can close that chapter. It stopped being about the cheating and more about the lies, and that he thought me stupid enough to believe them. I couldn’t give a fuck who wears his collar, only that you would be willing to wear mine.”

“Am I supposed to get a fancy ceremony or will being up here looking out across London count?”

“If you’d rather wait?—”

“I didn’t say that.” Gwil pulled at his tie, sliding it free and shoving it into a pocket, then he popped the top button of his shirt. “I’ll wear it, but I don’t have one to give to you.”

Hyax liked the idea of wearing something of Gwil’s. Collars were fae tradition, but he could have one made, or there were rings but maybe they could save those for something else. “It doesn’t have to be a collar, choose me something you’d think I’d like.”

“Simon told me Meddi was meant to be a collar bearer, maybe I could get Midnight to cough you up a sparkly hairball.”

“Fucker.” He laughed. “She thinks she owns our house so she probably thinks she owns me too.”

“She’s a cat. We’re her slaves. Or I am, you’ve just not had all your training yet.”

“I should bring Meddi to meet her.”

“I don’t know, introducing the kids, it’s a big step.”

“I think we’re ready. We’re living together, we’ve a house.” He was playing along but Gwil was his happy ever after. Fae lived a long time, Gwil was, in theory, immortal, and he wanted to spend forever with him.

Gwil smiled. “Now, mark me as the Prince’s Beloved.”

He picked up the collar, discarding the box and fastened it around Gwil’s neck. He’d never been so deeply in love before, everything before Gwil was a pale infatuation in contrast and he never would have thought he’d find his happy ending with a vampire.

Gwil pressed forwards and kissed him, and Hyax had to stop himself from testing his new portal skills and toppling Gwil backwards through one and straight onto their bed.

“Thank you. I’ll take great care of it.”

“It suits you. A beautiful present for a beautiful man.”

Gwil snorted. “You’re the beauty in this relationship, I’m the blood-sucking monster.”

He tapped Gwil on the nose. “ My blood-sucking monster. And don’t you forget it.”