"We love you," Lucien said quietly, his arms tightening around me. "All of us. You know that, right?"
I looked at each of them in turn—Lucien's fierce protectiveness, Azrael's reverent devotion, Selene's warm affection, Darius's steady presence—and felt tears prick my eyes.
"I know." My voice cracked. "I love you too. All of you. So much it scares me sometimes."
Darius moved then, shifting to sit beside us on the bed. His hand found mine, his fingers intertwining with my own. "You're the center of our world, Lizzie. The heart of this family. Without you, we're just four broken creatures going through the motions." His silver eyes met mine, soft and unguarded. "You make us whole."
The tears spilled over, tracking down my cheeks. Selene wiped them away with gentle fingers, her emerald eyes bright with her own emotion.
"No more tears," she said softly. "Tonight is about joy. About us. About everything we've built together."
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. "Okay. No more tears."
We lay there in the wreckage of the bed, tangled together in a pile of limbs and silk and love. The candles burned low, casting soft shadows across the walls. Outside, the night was quiet, the manor peaceful.
Azrael pressed a kiss to my shoulder. "Sleep now. We'll be here when you wake."
"Promise?" I asked, my voice drowsy.
"Promise," four voices answered in unison.
