Page 127 of Unbinding the Demon
My eyes flew open. I was back in the living room, lying on the couch. My hand was stuck in a bag of chips, and a news reporter was blabbering away on the screen of our new television.
Azathoth appeared beside me, crouching down next to the couch. He looked human, and his hair was still pulled back in a braid. Only now, he was wearing his regular clothes, along with his jacket. A wide, loving smile spread across his face, and he kissed me with an amused laugh.
“You better not be laughing at my pirate fantasy again,” I warned with narrow, murderous eyes.
He held his hands up defensively. “I would never. I love your sexy pirate fantasy!” he said, while struggling to suppress his amusement. He failed and buried his face in my stomach in a hysterical fit of deep, hearty laughter.
“Shut up! It’s not even that funny!” I hissed, even though I was laughing myself. His back heaved up and down as he tried to calm his farcical chuckling. “Knock it off, you big jerk!” I smacked his head with the chip bag, making him laugh even harder against my belly, which made me laugh even harder too.
A few moments and lost chips later, we finally calmed our buffoonery. “Well, anyway...” he said as he caught his breath while peeking up at me. “I was hoping we could go watch the sunset over the lake.” His eyes twinkled with more excitement than usual as he spoke.
I giggled some more while he playfully kissed my neck. “Well, of course! We watch the sunset almost every evening anyway,” I teased.
He shrugged and tilted his head. “I know, but I have a feeling this one is going to be rather special.” He looked as if he couldn’t hold back his big, goofy grin.
“In other news, the case of Fabian Aguillard remains unsolved,”the news reporter on the television muttered in the background, stealing both of our attention.
I furrowed my brows in confusion. “Wait, Fabian Aguillard? My ex-boyfriend?”
Azathoth stiffened, then nervously shifted his eyes over to the TV screen. I craned my neck up to see the broadcast a bit better.“Police reports say that the young man appeared to have been viciously and strategically tortured to death by, and I quote, a velociraptor. Still no leads—”He abruptly ripped the entire television in half like it was a flimsy piece of cardboard. It startled me nearly to death, causing me to gasp and spill the last of the chips onto the floor. Sparks flew out from the mangled, buzzing wires as the brutalized screen fuzzed up, then went black.
“Worthless technology...”he grumbled. “All right, let’s go out back!”
“Wait, but—”
“Shh, shh, shh!Let’s go!” His hands swiftly wrapped around mine, then he pulled me up off the couch. We teleported in front of the lake the moment I was on my feet and stood right at the water’s edge.
I brushed a few remaining chip crumbs from my cute cherry-red dress, then took a deep breath of the cool springtime air. Little buds were sprouting from each and every tree branch, peppering the forest with delicate specks of greenery. Grape hyacinth and glory-of-the-snow flowers embellished the vibrant grass and quivered in the breeze. A family of little rabbits was hopping back to their burrow, safely tucking themselves away for the night. Birds were returning to their nests, resigning their mirthful cadences to the peaceful songs of the night tide.
Azathoth’s arm wrapped around my upper body as he lovingly smiled down at me. We stood there together, taking in the breathtaking spectacle of the evenfall sky. The dying rays of the sun painted the large, fluffy clouds in effervescent shades of rose, amber, and lilac, and bled out over the mountain-kissed skyline. The glimmering ripples within the lake captured the enchanting colors for themselves, reflecting them beautifully upon the dark crystalline water.
I didn’t have my shoes on, so I bravely dipped my toes into the chilly water.“Ooo!Still way too cold for swimming!” I exclaimed with a laugh while stumbling back onto the small gray stones of the shore.
He laughed as well, while helping to steady my bumbling frame. “Well, what did you expect? It’s only April,” he teased and pulled me into his tight embrace. His warm hand gently tilted my chin up. Pure love and veneration glimmered in his eyes as he stared down at me. Then another goofy, borderline mischievous smile danced across his face.
“You’re up to something, aren’t you?” I accused, my glare filled with suspicion.
“What do you mean?” he replied with a guilty smirk.
“I mean, you’re acting like you have something up your sleeve.” I lightly tapped his chest.
His guilty smirk twisted into a full-blown grin. “That’s because I do... quite literally.” He released me from his embrace and took a step back. With a quick shake of his arm, a little black box fell out of his sleeve and into his waiting hand. The stupid grin stayed plastered on his face while he knelt down on one knee before me.
Wait just a minute... Holy platypuses playing ping-pong! Is he proposing!?
My hand seemed to move on its own, rising to my face to cover my uncontrollably gaping mouth as I realized what he was doing. It felt as though a thousand fluttering butterflies had been released into my stomach against my will. My heart was rapidly racing, and an overwhelming sense of love and joy blossomed inside every part of me. I knew we would eventually complete our infernal matrimony, but I hadn’t been expecting an actual proposal.
The last few rays of sunlight illuminated his handsome face, casting a warm glow that whimsically glittered in his loving golden gaze. He took my trembling hand in his while looking deeply into my wide, searching eyes. “You know, I used to think that I was the most unlucky demon to have ever existed. My powers were bound, I was cast into a world of eternal darkness for five thousand years, and then when I finally did manage to escape, I thought I was doomed to die alone and forgotten in this distant dimension.” He tenderly placed a kiss on my hand. “But I realize now that all the misfortunes and imprecations I suffered have made me the luckiest demon of all, because they brought me you.” He squeezed my hand as tears started welling up in my eyes.
“You have accepted and loved me despite what I am. You forgave my invidious treacheries, allowing me a chance at repentance and redemption, and released my soul from bondage. You broke my curse, and there is no one else with whom I would rather share this redamancy with. Nor is there anyone else whom I would rather see wear my carnal insignia upon their throat.”
My breath caught in my chest as he opened the box, revealing a sparkling black diamond resting beautifully upon a ring of gold. Delicate leafy vines were intricately embroidered in a Celtic design around the band. Clusters of little twinkling white diamonds hugged the center stone and elegantly danced down along the sides. It was too perfect for words.
“Gwendolyn Esme Gallagher, you are my love, my buttercup, and my world. Will you also be my bride?”
I didn’t verbally answer him. I simply couldn’t form the words. It felt like I was being strangled by my overwhelming joy. So instead, I excitedly threw myself into his arms and crashed my lips against his in a passionate kiss. Tears of happiness and love streamed down my cheeks as he held me in his arms.
The last remaining rays of sunlight sank behind the lofty mountains to their place of celestial slumber, while we continued to kiss among the growing darkness. The springtime flowers gently closed upon the ground below, and the stars began to bloom within the heavens above. Swirling mist crept across the glossy water, and a few fireflies started to dance within the grassy field. Crickets happily chirped and owls playfully hooted. The crescent moon rested against the midnight blue horizon as if the huntress goddess was arching her enchanted bow of silvery light towards the empyrean depths.
