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Callie
As Lena and the other girls help me get dressed for my wedding to Az, my stomach is a total knot. Butterflies swarm in there, jostled by the baby’s increased kicking. She senses that something’s happening, and it’s got her in a karate mood. Kicks and flips and punches, all morning long.
At one point, Molli calls Finn, her purple-haired, spirit-touched boyfriend, in to lend a hand. He puts a hand on my stomach, and as his purple magic glows, the baby calms.
“There. She should be fine now.”
That’s handy! I thank him, and he goes back to helping Az get ready.
Speaking of Az, apparently there’s quite the story to how the guys got kicked out of Jimmie’s at one in the morning … and how Az became the owner of not one, not two, butsevenpairs of the dancers’ panties.
Rather than a long, flowing white dress—because, let’s face it, I’msonot a virgin bride—I choose a more Hell-appropriate garment. Crimson red silk hugs my every curve, belly and all, flaring out to a mermaid hem at the bottom. I feel like a red Morticia Addams, minus the long sleeves. Instead, I opt for a structurally-sound crisscross halter top on my dress, something that will keep my swollen breasts in line. Anything else, and I might bounce clean out of it if I bend over. That, and the backless design accommodates for my new wings a lot easier.
Lena, Molli, and Cherry look stunning in their matching black bridesmaid’s dresses. I chose one guy from each woman’s mating pool for Az’s groomsmen, so Kamran, Oren, and Holden are wearing matching tuxedos with black cummerbunds and bowties. The rest of the guys have tuxes of their own, minus the extra accessories.
Seeing so many hot guys walking about in their finest, I’m practically foaming at the mouth to get a glimpse of Az in his tux. He asked if I wanted Him in human or demon form for the ceremony, and I told Him to surprise me. I think He’s gorgeous either way, so it doesn’t matter to me.
We didn’t have too much time to plan, so the decorations are sparse, which, for a wedding in Hell, probably isn’t too bad. A few red and black streamers, some glittery red balloons, and red and black rose petals strewn along the aisle, courtesy of Cherry’s daughter, Molli.
Yep, naming after friends and family is a thing with this group. I have an idea what I’m naming my daughter, but I haven’t discussed it with Az yet.Notafter someone I know. That gets confusing after a while.
Most if not all of Az’s Children have Middle Eastern names because of that being the cradle of civilization and where He was most active in His biblical days. I don’t know thing one about the naming traditions of that time and area, though, and I’d kinda like my kid to have a name that her playmates and cousins—a.k.a. Cherry and Lena’s kids—can spell.
I stand there contemplating my daughter’s name until the black curtain hiding me from Az’s gaze opens, and theWedding Marchplays from someone’s Bluetooth speaker. I step onto the red velvet carpet, look up …
… And see my love standing there in all His demonic glory. He kept the horns and wings and scaly grey skin. The tux is a bit snug and not quite tailored for His cloven-hooved legs, but He’s absolutely radiant regardless.
Tears well up in my eyes. He trusts me. He trusts me enough to marry me as His true self.
Don’t cry now, sis! We spent too long on your makeup.
I stifle a giggle at Lena’s silliness. We didn’t put any makeup on me. I know Az likes me the way I am, so I guess the trust goes both ways.
Since Mom and Dad are dead—and they didn’t end up in Hell after—Arman offered to walk me down the aisle. It’s sweet, and I appreciate him for it. That was something I hadn’t thought about, so it’s nice that my brother-in-law took the time to come up with a solution.
It’s kind of funny: I call Lena’s boyfriends my brothers-in-law just out of convenience, and they call her their wife, but she’s never actually married any of them. So, technically, I’m the first to get married.
Cool.
When we get to the end of the aisle, Arman takes one of my hands and kisses the back of it before passing my hand to Az. Asmodeus takes it gently, threading His fingers between mine. I step up on the small stage that Az conjured, and Matt clears his throat. It turns out by random coincidence that Cherry’s Omega is legally ordained by the state of North Carolina to officiate wedding ceremonies. Who knew?
That’s going to come in handy soon, if the glimmer in Molli’s eyes when she looks at her men in tuxes is any indication. I wonder if she’ll catch my bouquet …
I snap back to the here and now when Matt says my name.
“—and Calliope Galley in, ahem, unholy matrimony. If there is anyone here who opposes this marriage, speak now, or forever hold your peace.”
All eyes turn to Lena, and she gives us her best innocent face. “What? I’m on board.”
A light chuckle ripples through the crowd, and a grateful smile stretches my lips as I gaze at my sister. Actual acceptance, not just begrudging acknowledgment. I’ll take it.
Matt’s grin mirrors my own, and he continues. “Excellent. Now, the couple has chosen to write their own vows. Asmodeus?”
Az coughs and conjures a piece of parchment with red writing on it. I can’t read it, but the ink bleeds through the back in places. “Calliope: How does one sum up the love of a million lifetimes into a few words? I fear anything I say will come up short, but I’m going to try. I have loved you, it seems, for longer than anyone can know. Your fire, your determination, your resilience, and your fortitude are just a scant few of the attributes that endear me to you. I could go on a whole millennium naming your assets, but by then most of us gathered here today would be long since dead.” Another burst of soft laughter from our gathered friends. “Instead of wasting time with that, I will say this: I, Asmodeus, demon Prince of Lust, Wrath, and now, apparently, Envy, do hereby vow to be your protector and partner, your savior and security, your heart and your home, from now till the end of my long days. There will never be another for me. You are My Heart, My Soul, and My Goddess, now and forever.”
Tears of joy spill down my cheeks, a few drops landing on the sheet of paper I’ve written my own vows on, blotching the letters. That’s okay, though; I’ve been studying these words for days now, and I have them memorized.
“Asmodeus: I don’t know how many days I’ll have with You. I’m just a human woman, but now, thanks in part to Your Child inside me, I’m something more. I could have eternity with You, but my days could also be numbered now. Nobody knows, but I do know one thing: No matter how long I have left, I’ll spend every last second of it loving You. I couldn’t have asked for a better Father for my children, a better partner, a better lover. You are my perfect match, and I’ll treasure every moment I spend with You until my time is up, and then I’ll love You from the next life into eternity.”
