Page 18 of Cherry Moon

Aki tensed after releasing a long breath. “Shit.”

I kept my arm around him. “I’m right here. You’re not alone.”

“Fuck today.”

The pink light of the moon brightened, pouring into the plane. It did that over the course of the nights, increasing its glow and the density of the blossoms.

“Think we’ll be married in seven days?” Aki questioned.

I didn’t like the exhaustion in his tone. “Of course we will.”

He faced me, giving me a soft smile that didn’t reach his lovely brown eyes flecked with the golden sparkle of a wolf.

“Aki.” I traced my pinky finger down his light olive cheek, stopping at his lips.

He let out a shaky breath.

His beauty made we want to cry. He was so strong yet so precious, my everything and more.

“I’ll keep you safe,” I said, my other hand sliding to the back of his head.

“Likewise.”

I knew he’d say that. And for all my stressing about protecting him, I also felt safe with him. Who wouldn’t? The guy had white-hot inner fires in many, many respects.

“We will be getting married,” I emphasized, twirling a loose strand of his hair with my index finger.

He cupped my right cheek. “I’m holding you to that.”

“No pressure, then?”

“Scratch that. I’m holding us both to that.” His throat bobbed. “As long we don’t have to do it here.” His nostrils flared as he glanced at the window.

“We won’t, Aki. I promise.”

How could I possibly promise that?

Once we landed, I had some calls to make. My parents shouldn’t be anywhere near here until absolute safety was guaranteed.

How goes that promise you just made?

Aki sighed. “Can’t wait to hear all the info about me being mazoku enemy number one again.”

His sarcasm came with a cold bite.

“Sorry. My big gob is just spewing crap,” he said.

“Spew away.”

“Thanks, honey bunny.”

A horrible thought hit me. Did the Cherry Moon somehow provide a means for the mazoku to strike us? Did it strengthen them in some way? Darn it. I couldn’t make sense of it.

“Somebody call the tenshi,” Aki muttered.

“Sorry?”

“You’re thinking what I’m thinking, right? That this healing is having an adverse effect on things? They’re using it to do something bad. Because there’s always consequences to these things.”