Marcus sniffled. “All of us, together forever. It’s so beautiful!”
I sighed heavily, but really, I was masking my feelings as I choked up. “I suppose you guys aren’t going anywhere, huh?”
“Come in here, all of you!” Ava cried.
A different slow song began to play as all of our friends gathered around, wrapping us in a group hug. Nobody moved to end it, either. We began swaying back and forth. The group dance felt slow and intimate. Kallie and Marcus pressed in around us, while Ivy hummed to the beat. Alistair and Eddie rocked side by side, while Ez and Opal leaned on each other.
Chancey was bawling— I knew, because it was right in my ear.
You know what? My dad had screwed up his speech earlier, butthiswas my family. I’d die for any one of these guys. We’d been through some mad shit and slayed some wicked foes, and we were still fucking here, and we were still friends. All of us were together, and that’s how it always should be. I never wanted that to change.
I had to fight every day to prove that I was worthy growing up, and sometimes it felt like I was still fighting the entire world, all the time. I never thought I’d be good enough, but my friends insisted that wasn’t true. I needed these people to remind me who I was every single day. I was more than just the ups and the downs; I belonged to them. When I was at my weakest, they promised I was strong, and they held me up when I just went numb to it all. The person I was lived inside of them. I couldn’t fail, not when I had these guys to back me up.
My friends believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. And I believed them, too, when they said they loved me. That was the biggest miracle I’d ever experienced.
The song ended, and the group slowly broke apart. I was really grateful to have that moment with my friends. Whatever happened, even if things didn’t stay the way they were now, it was a memory I’d always cherish.
Okay, enough with the sappy stuff. Now it’s time for somerealmusic,Oberi demanded.
“Woohoo!” Kallie yelled. “Let’s party!”
Oberi stomped her hooves at the DJ, and fast-paced music began to boom over speakers set around the ballroom. Our friends let us go to begin spinning or twerking across the dance floor. Eddie brought Ava’s chair, and I helped her into it. She kept on dancing the whole time, shimmying her boobs against me and grabbing my ass as I shook it in her direction.
“All right,nowit’s a party!” a grating voice called from beside us. A vampire who reeked of alcohol and blood stumbled against me. He must’ve had several bottles of wine by now, because it took a lot to make a vampire drunk.
I groaned. “Go away, Danny. You weren’t invited.”
“I crashed!” he stated proudly, before rubbing his ass against me to the music. I shoved himhard. He stumbled, but didn’t fall over.
“Actually,Iinvited him,” Ava said.
“And I’m having a great time!” Danny cheered. He threw his hands upward, and a splash of wine landed on my pant leg.
“Danny, you’re drunk,” I complained.
“Shh…” Danny hissed, coming in close to me. “Don’t tell anyone, because it’s a secret… but getting drunk is what youdoat weddings.”
“Get drunk somewhere else.” I put my hand on his face and pushed him away.
Danny laughed. “Lighten up. It’s supposed to be the happiest day of your life!”
Danny stumbled off to another part of the dance floor.
“Oh, be nice to him,” Ava scolded playfully. “He’s just here to party.”
“Well, he can party somewhere else,” I said, before taking her hands in mine and spinning her around.
Danny completely fell from my mind as we continued dancing to upbeat songs. This was supposed to be a royal affair, but neither Ava nor I held back. We groped each other and shook our asses, spinning all over the dance floor like we owned it— and we fuckingdid. This palace, this nation, thisworld… it was ours for the taking. Now that we were officially joined in marriage under the gods and the ancestors, it felt as if we could do anything and not one fucker alive was going to stop us.
The song changed to a slow song, and Ava gave a heavy sigh. “Whew! I need a drink.”
“I’ll get it, love,” I offered.
I went over to the drink table, and Ava followed. I was filling a glass of punch when the hairs on the back of my neck stood. I didn’t understand why, until I heard the voice of Ava’s aunt behind me.
“Ava. Charlie,” Maddie said.
I turned to her, though my tone was stilted. “Maddie. I trust you’re having a good time.”
