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His magic even has a sound. It’s a low melody, the faint notes just beyond my reach.
He watches me the entire time, his eyes fierce with resolve. I will destroy the world before I lose you again, they seem to say.
“You know I trust you, respect you, and above all else, love you. But gods give me grace, Callie, I will have a reckoning with you if you go rogue on me.”
I can fucking glamour fairies.
Hold on to your tits, world. Callie. Is. Back.
His eyes move over my glowing features. “Beautiful creature,” he murmurs. “You were irresistible before.” He reaches out with a hand, grazing my jaw with his knuckles. “I don’t quite know what to do with myself now.”
All I want right now is a shower, coffee, and bed—preferably all at the same time. Don’t tell me it can’t happen; I’m in the Otherworld, impossible is this place’s middle name. But am I going to get what I want? Nope.
I swallow. “You’re no longer immune to it.” I saw firsthand what my glamour can now do to Des. “I’m delightfully terrified of the prospect. Our sex life has just gotten ten times kinkier.” He has no idea.
“You’re not bait, love. The fire is the bait. You’re an iron-manacled trap set to crush willful fairies.”
“Sweet siren,” he says between kisses, “you better sharpen those claws. Tonight I don’t plan on being nice.”
I glance over at Des, who’s beginning to pose frozen fairies like they’re Christmas reindeer, each position a little more compromising than the last.
“I must admit, you are delightfully cruel when you want to be.” I was “someone’s nightmare” before, and now I’m “delightfully cruel.”
“I love you so much. You’ll never really know.” His features sharpen, and the look in his eyes intensifies. “The way fairies love… It’s the same way we live. It’s immortal, violent, irrational, and unbendable. “I understand your words, cherub, because there are aspects of my love for you that are, simply put, unfathomable.”
I nip at his finger. In response, Des’s eyes become like sultry little sluts.
“How do you even live with such a creature?” Janus asks, his gaze sliding back to me. Despite how shaken he is, he looks halfway interested. I smile, baring my teeth at him. “I try not to piss her off.” I guffaw at that, my skin dimming. “All right,” the Bargainer concedes, “I do try to piss her off, but only because she has especially twisted ideas of revenge.” Janus shakes his head. “You two are a fucked-up pair.”
“You know, you’re unbearably adorable, cherub.” Awwww. He smiles at me.
“I love you, Callie, down to every feather and scale. I love your darkness, I love your mind, I love your humor and your most coveted dreams. And I love how you love me—wholly, deeply, passionately. “You’re not normal; you’ll never be normal. I’m so sorry to tell you that. You are so blindingly extraordinary that it physically hurts me sometimes, and I’ll never stop pushing you to believe this.”
“Marry me, and I will cherish you forever, cherub.” Marry me.
I’m going to marry Des!
“It’s captured starlight,” he explains, squeezing my hand. “I figured the Queen of the Night should carry a piece of her kingdom with her.”
An easy smile slowly stretches across his face. There’s nothing but love in his expression, though even that look on Des is a bit devious.
“From flame to ashes, dawn to dusk, for the rest of our lives, be mine always, Desmond Flynn,” I say. My wings have come out, exposed by my raw emotion.
“And mountains may rise and fall, and the sun may wither away, and the sea claim the land and swallow the sky. But you will always be mine. And the stars may fall from the heavens, and night may cloak the earth, but until darkness dies, I will always be yours.”
I love you, I want to say. More than worlds can hold or words can convey. You are everything that has ever mattered to me. Have faith and strength. You’ll be all right.
My sirenic voice turns the sound into music, and it’s horrible that pain can sound so lovely.
“Where’s the Pit?” Temper asks, looking around. “Up ahead…My Great Goddess of Fuckery and Other Magical Things.” He mumbles the last part. “Speak up,” I command. His eyes shoot daggers at me. “I said, it’s up ahead…Oh Dark Queen Who Thinks I’m a Douchebucket of the Most Epic Proportions.” Temper smirks. “What’s your name again?” she asks him.
“Galleghar O’Malleghar, King of Asshats, Killer of Boners, Wannabe Emperor Who Needs to Eat a Bag of Dicks and Die.”
I take Des’s hand, and the two of us lead the group out of the dungeon. The King of the Night brings our clasped hands to his lips and presses a kiss to the back of mine. His silver eyes gleam. This man. He’s the Bargainer who saved my life over and over, and the king I ended up saving, a time or two. He’s a trickster, a secret keeper. He’s the dark side of the moon. He’s my beautiful, terrible mystery. My friend. My soul mate. From flame to ashes, dawn to dusk—until darkness dies. He’s mine, and I’m his. Always.
