Page 68 of Depths of Desire
He smirks faintly. “I’m not worried about time, Nico. I’m worried about intention.”
I narrow my eyes.
Julien’s gaze remains steady as he says, “Is this marriage what you want? Not what the family wants. Not what politics demand. Is it your wish to marry this woman?”
A snarl rises in my throat, unbidden. “I wouldn’t bind her to me if I didn’t want her.”
“That’s not what I’m asking.”
I step in close, my voice just above a growl. “She’s mine, Julien. She always was. Before I knew her name. Before she looked at me like I wasn’t a monster. Before she touched me, and I forgot what it meant to be alone.”
Julien tilts his head, watching me. “Ah, it’s love, then?”
“It’s more than love.” I clench my jaw. “It’s fate. It’s bone deep. It’s in the blood. And if you’re asking me whether I’ll protect her, whether I’ll cherish her, whether I’d kill for her, then yes. I would. I have. I will.”
“And if she runs?”
The words hit like a hammer. I look away for half a second—then back at him, fierce and unflinching.
“Then I’ll find her and bring her home.”
Julien studies me for a long moment. Then he exhales slowly. “Then I will perform the ceremony. If your bride agrees,” he cautions. “And I will do it knowing that you’re ready.”
I nod once, tightly. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” he says, eyes flicking toward the candlelit aisle. “I have to talk to Luna first.”
“I’ll take him,” Renzo volunteers, and he escorts Julien down the aisle toward the back of the church. The urge to run after them is extreme.
“Don’t worry, Nico,” Luca says. “Luna will say she wants to marry you. She doesn’t have a choice.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” I murmur. “I need her to actually want to marry me, or he’ll see right through her and everything will fall apart.” What I don’t say aloud is, I will not allow her to walk away. Luna is mine now and forever, whether she likes it or not.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Candlelight flickers against the ancient stone walls, and I can hear the distant crash of waves through the cracked stained glass. Somewhere out there, Nico is preparing. Or maybe pacing. Or maybe second-guessing everything the same way I am.
My gown rustles as I shift on the sofa. My fingers ache due to how tightly I’ve folded my hands in my lap. Pippa and Mia have gone out to see what is holding everything up.
A sound comes from the shadows to my left. I flinch, then turn to see a man standing there. His long dark hair is tied back, and his green eyes sparkle in the flickering light. He’s wearing a black button-down shirt and a pair of jeans.
Renzo appears beside him. “This is the priest—Julien Montrevault—he has some questions for you.” With that, Renzo disappears.
Julien steps into the soft candlelight. His expression is unreadable, but his eyes... his eyes are kind. "You look like a woman about to leap from a cliff."
"Maybe I am," I say quietly.
He gives me a half-smile. He doesn’t look like a centuries-old vampire priest. He looks dark and dangerous, sexy. But his eyes, despite their sparkle, look like someone who’s seen too much. Lost too much. Survived more than he should have.
“May I sit?”
I nod, and he lowers beside me with the kind of grace only immortals seem to carry. For a long moment, we just sit there. The silence is comfortable. Grounding.
Then he speaks again. “You don’t have to do this, Luna.”
I turn my head sharply toward him. “Excuse me?”
Julien’s voice is low, patient. “If you are walking into this bond because of pressure—because of fear—I need to know. Because what we do here tonight is ancient and binding. It is not for show. It is not a farce to appease political alliances. And I won’t be the priest that binds two people together against their will.”
