Page 42 of Twisted Union

“Viktor Levin,” Viktor supplies.

“Do you Viktor Levin take …” The priest looks at me. “Gemma Moretti,” I say. The priest clears his throat and continues, “Take Gemma Moretti to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

Viktor gives me the biggest shit-eating grin. “I do.”

The priest’s hand shake as he adjusts his glasses. “And do you, Gemma Moretti, take Viktor Levin to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

There’s no way I’m getting out of this. I tried escaping my fate, but it seems I’m destined to be married whether I like it or not.

With a deep breath, I say, “I do.” I know I just sold my soul to the devil himself.

Viktor kisses me before the priest can even finish the vows. It’s passionate and not at all appropriate for a church,especiallya Catholic church. Once we pull apart, Viktor shakes the priest’s hand and thanks him for his time. “I’ll get these bodies cleaned out, don’t worry.” He goes over to one of them and grabs it under the shoulders. It takes me a second to realize it’s Will. “I’ll take this one off your hands first. I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t tell the cops about me. You won’t like the results if you do. Any of you,” he tells the civilians still inside the church. Most of them ran away the moment the firing stopped, but a few remained, probably too scared to leave. He stops next to the woman who tried calling the police. She’s curled up in a ball, crying silently.

Viktor points at her hand. “That’s a nice ring you have. Can I have it?”

She stares at him before taking off her ring and giving it to him. Viktor tosses it at me. “There you go. A new wedding ring.”

I look down at it for a moment before giving it back to the woman, who nods in relief. “What are you doing with him?” I ask Viktor as he drags the dead man out of the church.

“I’m bringing him home as a table centerpiece for our wedding dinner.”

I stop. “You can’t be serious.”

“Oh, I am.”

Viktor shoves Will into the backseat before motioning for me to get in the car. “Let’s celebrate.”

* * *

Once we arriveat Viktor’s Victorian mansion, Viktor takes Will into the house and lifts his body onto the dining room table. I just watch in disgust.

“We’re really going to have a wedding feast in front of a dead man?”

“Yep.”

“Where’s our food?”

Viktor blinks, his smile dropping. “I, uh, didn’t get that far in the planning stage of this. I still have to get you a ring since you rudely gave the ring back to that woman. Don’t worry, though. I’ll get you one tomorrow.”

“Right. Ok.” I inhale deeply. “You got what you wanted, Viktor. We’re married now.”

“I know.” He waggles his eyebrows. “But we need food. We can’t have a wedding feast without food.”

“Are you going to make us something?”

“About the only thing I can make is pancakes, so …”

I sigh. “Pancakes it is.”

And that’s how I find myself sitting across from a dead body in a bloody wedding dress eating pancakes on my wedding day.

“These always taste better,” Viktor says as he pours syrup onto his pancakes, “after you’ve taken a life. Trust me.”

“I’ll take your word for it.” I stare into the open eyes of Will, feeling incredibly sad. “Did you have to kill him?”

“Who?”

I point at Will. “Him. Did you have to kill him?”

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