Page 114 of Between Soul and Vessel
My heart missed its beat.
I thought back to the limited time we had spent together after I reincarnated—from the moment he took me from the village square to the time I spent working in the bathhouse, all the way to when he had traded his life for mine, making that deal with Arkyn.
All that time, I had been so suspicious of him, mistrusting. Little did I know he was carrying my wedding ring with him, that he had for centuries—
I would not make him wait any longer.
“Yes, I want to become your wife. Tonight,” I exclaimed, smiling up at him.
“Good,” he replied, and then he closed the distance between us as his lips found mine. His kiss was ravenous, his desire scorching. I enveloped my arms around his neck,careful not to drop the ring. My body pressed against his, while his hand clasped my jaw, keeping me there as he kissed me senseless.
I pulled back and asked, “Do we need to find a priestess or something? If that’s even possible, all things considered.”
He raised a questioning brow as he spoke in a low, amused tone, “Are you askingme, the maker of deals, if I needsomeone elseto marry us?”
A laugh blossomed from my lips. He had a point. “Areyougoing to marry us then?”
He smirked, pride flickering in his eyes—the look akin to a cat with a mouse in its mouth. “I am, although it will not be done in the traditional sense.”
“What do you mean?” I couldn’t stop smiling.
“We’re going to make a deal.”
“Are we now?”
He gave a confident nod. “We are.”
“And the terms of this deal?”
“Give me the ring, love.”
Unweaving my arms from his neck, I handed it to him.
His fingers brushed against mine as he took it. Holding it before me, he said, “Tonight, you become my wife, and I, your husband. Tonight, you agree to give what is owed to me. You agree to give me your soul.”
“Will you give me yours in return?” I asked, voice light. Playful.
“I cannot,” he answered, his dark eyes glinting with amusement.
My smile faltered. “Why not?”
“Because it’s always been yours.I’vealways been yours.”
“Oh,” I whispered, my heart ready to stampede straight out of my chest.Thismale.
“However . . .” Von took my hand as he got down on one knee. “What I can give you in return is my vows.”
My eyes pulled wide. “Wait, are you doing it right now?”
“I am.” No arrogance was spared in those two words.
My mouth popped open. I gestured to myself. “But I’m not wearinganyclothes.”
A wicked grin played on his lips. “I see no point in conjuring you a dress, considering it will not last very long.”
He had a point.
Still, that didn’t explain . . . “Why are you kneeling?” I finished the thought out loud.
