Page 132 of This Blood that Bonds Us

“But . . . what if, Aaron. What if?” There was a crack in her voice.

I grabbed her face in my hands. “I’ll find you again. That I promise.”

Nothing could keep me from her. Not even death. Some bonds were stronger than death, and ours was one of them.

It had occurred to me it could be the last time I held her in my arms. That the peonies sitting in a vase on our nightstand could outlive the both of us. So badly I wanted this dream with her. I’d wanted nothing more in my entire life, and it was guaranteed if I’d just stay. My older brothers had lain in bed with likely the same thoughts. I wondered if Zach had ever held Ashleyknowing he’d say goodbye . . . for us. And now I was the one making that sacrifice.

“What if this is how it always ends for us . . . in every timeline?” She sniffled.

“Then we’ll keep trying till we get it right. I’ll find you again and annoy you till you talk to me. I don’t think you ever have to look for me . . . but I always search for you.”

“I wish I could see those infinite worlds in your head, Aaron Calem. All the places of light you see.”

I kissed the top of her head. “Just ask. I’ll tell you anything.”

“The wildest one.”

“You’re a mermaid, and I’m a do-gooder pirate who saves you from a perilous fate.”

“Mermaids?”

“Come on. If vampires are real, somewhere out there, mermaids are real.”

Her soft laughter was warm against my neck.

“Fine. Tell me your favorite one.”

I hesitated and twirled a piece of her hair. “Well, in my favorite one, we’re both human. We met in grade school, and I got to grow up with you. We’re best friends, and you’re blissfully unaware that I’m in love with you . . . but I finally work up the courage to tell you in college, and you feel the same way. We get married and have kids. My brothers love being uncles. We grow old and die together . . . We’re never apart. We’re those old people that cry when they have to leave for a day.”

She laughed. “I knew you’d say that.”

“Am I that predictable?”

“You’re just soft. I . . . love it.”

I let the silence settle as I gazed at the stars in our skylight maybe for the last time. The entire sky was dancing with the lights. Mom said it was a geomagnetic storm that was causingthe northern lights to flair for the next few days. The news showed pictures of it all the way in Florida.

They were our lights. Our storm.

“Aaron . . . this is my favorite one.”

“The vampire one?”

“The one where you are warm and here. The one where you’re holding me and you never let go. And we never have to say goodbye.”

“I like that. No goodbyes.” I pulled her up to kiss her. “Are you sure that there isn’t a way for me to make you stay here? Where I know you’re safe.”

“Probably another timeline. But not this one.” She smiled again.

I buried my head in her hair to breathe her in. I’d never known love like this existed. There weren’t words for it. Only the undying urge to bind myself with her in every way possible.

“Kim . . . please marry me.”

Her muscles stiffened, and she moved to look at me.

“You know I will. I want to . . . more than anything.”

“No, I mean, right now. Marry me. I can’t go another second without being married to you. I want you to be my wife. I promise I’ll give you more to look forward to than just a proposal. We have so much we’re going to do. I’m going to take you all around the world, and I’ll build us a cabin. We can still have a wedding where we can celebrate with everyone. Just marry me right now.”