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“And miss this photo op recording our breathlessly happy moment?”
“I have demon metal embedded in my arm and I’m about to pass out.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll catch you so that your hair falls dramatically, like a waterfall,” he said, shooting me a mischievous look before he swept me into his arms, holding me close. Mm. He felt so perfect, except that I wasn’t sure where to put the sword. If I rested it on his shoulder, it looked like I might chop off his head, and I didn’t want to give anyone any ideas. “Miss Montaine, the public will be shocked to hear that such a hero as yourself, secretly tracking down evil cultist murderers, has taken up with a vampire,” he said while smiling at the public in the most attractive way possible.
They might be shocked, but they’d also be a little envious.
“Michael…” It was so strange to use a name that common on someone so not. Mike. Mikey. It was just ridiculous. “I’m not going to be okay with you exiting this relationship. I’ve never noticed, because I haven’t had any kind of relationship, but it turns out that I’m quite possessive.”
“Of course,” he said agreeably, flashing another smile at the crowd.
Maybe I should chop off his head. Why was he taking my news so casually? “I’m not going to have a casual relationship with you. I need total commitment, and if you don’t give it to me…” Well, I couldn’t kill him. What could I do? Maybe that’s why he wasn’t concerned.
“I’m not letting you go,” I said, gripping his collar and forcing him to look at me. I kissed him, which got a cheer from the reporters and enough camera flashes that I didn’t get entirely lost in the kiss.
Cross came beside us and took my sword carefully out of my hands. “As fun as this has been, we need to take our hero to the medics before infection sets in. She’s had quite a day, our hero of Singsong City,” he said with that charming smile and shake of his sweet head, like there was no way he could possibly be a deadly assassin. He was the scariest.
He urged me, still in the Scholar’s arm, out of the room past the bodyguards, but Mirabel came with us.
“Miss Montaine isn’t up to tuning lamps today,” Cross told her, a benevolent dictator, putting her in her place.
“I can heal her,” she said bluntly, giving him a flat look like she could tell that he had no musical capabilities and therefore was worth nothing to her.
“Can you?”
“Also, I know some people who used to work for the Holy Order of the Swords of Truth. If I were you, I’d send the sword back as soon as possible.”
“Of course,” I said, frowning at the sword Cross held so easily. I loved that thing.
“I’ll see to it,” he said reassuringly all around. “I will deliver it myself.” He gave me a look, because, yes, I owed him, but at the same time, did I really have to lose it? I’d had that sword for twenty-seven years.
“Why is it theirs?” Michael asked, frowning at Cross. “If my bride wants to keep it, then she should. An angelic relic should belong to an angel, not a soulless order like the Swords.”
“The Holy Order of the Swords of Truth,” Cross, myself, and Mirabel corrected him at the same time.
Michael grinned at us. “You’re afraid of them.”
“Yes,” I said, poking his chest. “Anyone who isn’t an idiot would stay far away from them and their weapons. If they say it’s theirs, it’s theirs.”
“But if you had one of their weapons,” he said in a low voice. “I think that if you worked very hard, you could kill me with it. You should keep it.”
“It’s okay,” I said softly, looking at him directly while my heart pounded and my throat got tight while my stomach tangled. “I love you.”
He stopped walking, stopped breathing, stopped absolutely everything as he stared at me, eyes swirling darker and deeper blue, so deep that I would drown and never come up for air again. “I’m not worthy of you. I tricked you into loving me so that I could have you, keep you, make you happy for the rest of my life, because I love you. I don’t deserve you. Still, I’m not noble enough to give you up since that would cause you pain, because I tricked you into loving me. Such a difficult situation, but what is a man to do? I will endure it as well as I can.” He brushed my lips with his then pulled away and leaned his forehead against mine. “You’re about to pass out. Would you rather rest in my bed or in yours? Oranges can’t be comfortable.”
I tried to sit up, and my stomach screamed at me. I was down for the count. “Who told you about the oranges in my bed?” I scowled at him.
He smiled back beatifically. “You did, my love, my heart, my morning sun searing me to ashes and nectar. I want you in my bed. I want to marry you very soon so that I can join you there.”
“You can. I love you. I’m not going to be more committed than I already am.”
He shook his head soberly. “Oh, no. I’m binding you to me with the chains of love and law. Your lawyer can do the honors. Think how charming Anna will be as your maid of honor. I’ll buy her an opulent dress that she can sell for sushi money afterwards.”
“I could be the maid of honor,” Mirabel said, reminding me that she was still there. “I’d remember to show up.”
“You can be my musician of honor,” I said, smiling while I closed my eyes and drifted. I felt like a hero, being carried off the battlefield with pomp and glory. I’d fought and defeated my greatest adversary, my own fear. It was funny that the only target I’d let live was the one I’d been after the longest, but I didn’t need to kill him, not when I had love to look forward to. Love was better than vengeance or sushi.
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