Page 66 of Shut Up and Bite Me

“Life with you feels like a dream, Vivian. And I never want to wake up,” he murmurs, his soft voice caressing my heart as he slowly and carefully descends the stairs with ease.

As his feet hit the floor of the foyer, I wiggle to get down, but he only squeezes me harder with a cocky smirk, refusing to let me down until we are in front of the double front doors.

“Last chance to back out,” he whispers into my ear as he lowers me to my feet.

Turning in his arms, I look straight up at him, fixing the collar of his shirt. “I think I should be the one saying that to you.”

“If there are no objections—” He pauses, stepping beside me as we both face toward the doors. “—then we better get started.” His voice gets louder, projecting his next words, which are definitely not intended for me. “We’re ready.”

“What?” I ask, confused, but my question is quickly answered.

The doors pull open simultaneously, and my jaw falls to the floor as I take in the most romantic scene. A white aisle lies before us, lined by hundreds of burning candles, casting the softest glow on everything around us.

Tears well in my eyes as I take in every detail. Endless red, white, and gold-painted flowers surround the path, growing taller and fuller further down the aisle. I can’t help noticing the absence of roses in the space.He remembered.

At the very end of the path stands Autumn, centered in front of the giant black fountain, the sounds of the flowing water like music to my ears.

Greyson clears his throat, and I turn to him, in awe of the man that stands before me. His blond hair is grown out slightly and parted down the center, tousled atop his head, not a strand out of place. He’s perfect, every inch of him.

Those pretty blue eyes shine with love as his next words brand themselves in my memory. “You never belonged in the shadows, Vivian. You deserve to shine in the light.”

Autumn holds the doors open with her magic as we descend down the first step toward forever. With every stride forward, my heart thumps in my chest, even more so when Greyson’s hand dances along my wrist, his fingers intertwining with mine.

Greyson has granted me a gift more powerful than I’ve ever wielded. He’s seen my darkest parts, the broken and jaded pieces I’m not always proud of, and he chooses me anyway. He makes me feel loved like I’ve never experienced and cherished like I never knew possible.

Before Greyson, I hid from all of those things, deep in the depths of the darkest shadows, only emerging for my two outings a year the night before the Cullings, the Cullings themselves, and the needs of the High Council.

It was him that brought me back to life, him that made me open up and rid myself of the fear that ruled my decisions for so long.

If I had never met him, I still would have survived, serving the High Council with honor and grace, protecting those who need me most.

But a dream I’ve long forgotten about was brought back to life when I met him. The possibility of finding the love that I’ve yearned for since I was a little girl who first heard the story of thelamia et fatis sanguis.

There is nothing wrong with dreaming of a fairy-tale romance. There is nothing wrong with craving love more than power. I waited lifetimes for this moment, and now that I know what it’s like to be loved by him, I don’t want to ever remember what it’s like to live without him.

Tears fall from my lashes as I stare into the eyes of the man who I’ve been searching for my entire life.

“Are you okay?” he leans down and whispers into my ear, pressing a gentle kiss on my cheek.

“More than you will ever know.”

His eyes soften, his eyebrows pinching together. “Are you sure?”

Biting down on my bottom lip, I take a big stride forward, dragging him along with me, a smile stretching across his face, ear to ear. “I’ve never been more sure. Now, hurry up. I can’t wait any longer. I have already waited almost two hundred years for you. I’m not waiting another second.”

He rushes forward, tugging my hand, and I giggle as I match his pace, racing toward Autumn.

We come to a halt in front of her, and she welcomes us with the biggest grin and overwhelming joy. “Greyson. Vivian. It is my absolute honor to bind you two together beneath this full moon tonight.”

My body is vibrating from adrenaline and anticipation. Greyson’s thumb swipes across the back of my hand, and I take a deep, steady breath, calming my erratic heart.

Autumn’s gaze bounces back and forth between us. “The ceremony is rather short but permanently binding. To start, I need a few drops of blood from you both.” She turns, grabbing a wrapped blade from the edge of the fountain. “Vivian. You will go first.”

She hands me the blade and grabs a gold chalice that is already nearly full to the brim, the liquid a stunning lavender color with herbs and flower petals floating on the surface.

Taking the knife, I raise my hands above the mixture and draw it across my palm, tilting my hand to allow the blood to drip into the cup.

“Perfect. Now you, Greyson,” she instructs, and I carefully hand him the blade.

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