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All of his favorite people were here.

His dad stood behind him, while his dad’s closest friend and teammate stood up front to officiate. The rest of his dad’s team were on watch, ready to strike if Tisiphone interrupted.

And his team. Those who knew this was the most terrifying moment of his life.

Lana understood a shotgun wedding to save the day, but she’d done it to save Archer’s life.

Vann was dooming Eryn to die.

Not even two days since he’d nearly died, recovery was still weeks away. His heart pounded wildly in his chest. He might just become the first demon hunter to die of a heart attack.

Sweat beaded along his brow.

His pits were gooey. Palms clammy.

Stomach on fire.

Eryn stood somberly in front of him. Not meeting his gaze, she stared down at their joined hands.

But she was calm as hell. Death didn’t scare her.

“Stop,” Vann said, breathless and a blink away from releasing a flood of tears.

The room froze; even the candles seemed to stop flickering, the fire stopped crackling.

“Are you okay?” Eryn looked up to read his expression.

“No.” He shook his head and grasped to keep his calm.

“Vann, we’ve beaten the subject to death.” Eryn held his gaze, her lips pursed in a soft plea. “I’m not afraid of dying, but I am terrified of becoming a killer.”

He puffed out his cheeks and nodded stiffly.

Eryn stepped close and palmed his cheeks. “If this works, if she can’t get to the rest of my soul, it will be a fantastic fuck-you to Tisiphone. It might even work. Whatever happens, if I’m going down, I’m taking her with me.”

Clinging to his instincts, he pleaded with his own mind for a vision…

But his failure was all he could see.

A choice.

Death, or… the fate that scared her more than death.

Rising with outstretched wings.

A full fury with a craving for death.

He nuzzled close and pressed his cheek to her temple. Finding solace in her touch.

A voice rumbled behind him. His father’s gentle cadence. “What do your instincts say?”

“This is the only way.” He turned to Eryn and searched her steady gaze. “I don’t even know what your favorite food is—besides cheddar and sour cream potato chips. If you like flowers. What your parents’ names were. If you actually wanted to be a physician, or if you do what you do to compensate for the fury.”

“Cheddar and sour cream potato chips are my favorite food,” she said with a sweetly daring smile. “My parents were Angela and Graham. The rest? Let’s finish this, and then we can go on a real date.”

A laugh bubbled in his chest.

Vann nodded for the ceremony to continue.