Chapter 35
“Marriage is too important to be left to the determination of the individuals concerned.”
—BENJAMIN DISRAELI
S hem handed me the leash, and for the first time, I wished I didn’t have to do this to her. I didn’t want our wedding night to be a punishment. I had hoped it would have fallen into the category of a reward, but she had forced my hand.
To complete the ceremony, we needed sixty-six witnesses to our joining. This needed to happen before my meeting with Yahweh, and the bond took five days to solidify.
Even if I were capable of selfless love, I could not let her go. We had both failed Yahweh’s test, and there would be consequences if Shem and I couldn’t convince Yahweh to settle this dispute civilly. She wouldn’t stand a chance, and Yahweh would likely put her back into purgatory, perhaps for eternity.
A marital bond to Lilith would hold more weight than me claiming her as a citizen of Hell. Even Yahweh respected the sanctity of marriage. It was not foolproof. He may still object, but it was just another strike in our favor.
I couldn’t understand the look on her face as she knelt before me on the altar. She had never looked at me like that before. Her hatred and her pain I understood, but there was something more there now. It looked like maybe she had seen a piece in me that she hadn’t known was there. I felt a twinge of what felt a lot like sadness when I realized she would likely not look at me like that again once we were done here.
“Let’s begin,” I said, and Shem moved to stand behind the podium to address the audience.
“We gather here tonight to witness the joining of Ramel Endlyne and Lilith Cortland. Two beings forged from the very essence of night. Let it be known that their union is bound by the eternal flames of starfire and shall never be extinguished. May their hatred burn fiercely, unyielding to the trials of this underworld, and may their union reign supreme amidst the chaos and darkness that surrounds us.”
His voice twined with the harrowing notes of the bone organ and echoed against the obsidian walls of the unholy chapel.
“Tonight, Death will claim Lilith as his own, and she will forever bear the Endlyne name. Her place at his side will be solidified and acknowledged by the Fallen. With sixty-six pairs of eyes, we will ensure their union is immortalized and carved into the wings of night for all eternity.
Still holding her leash to ensure she couldn’t run away, I stepped closer.
“Get on your hands and knees,” I ordered, though I delivered it softly. Her breathing quickened, and her eyes darkened. She knew what needed to happen next. She had taken me in this form before. However, we had been alone on the train. Her eyes darted out to the audience. All sixty-six members of the Watchers were present, their faces expressionless, their eyes all-seeing. I had attempted to prepare her for this, but again, I wished we had more time.
“Now, Lilith,” I ordered, letting her hear the threat in my voice. This needed to be done by midnight, or the bond would not set properly.
She frowned as she searched my face. To my surprise, she took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. She gave me a curt nod and turned around, getting on all fours on the altar. I pressed her head down gently, causing her to arch her ass further in the air. She rubbed her thighs together in anticipation, and I felt my eyes widen in surprise. A shot of adrenaline ran right to my cock, and I felt my mouth water. She pressed her cheek against the stone altar and looked up at me with an undeniable heat in her eyes. Shocked at this sudden willingness to participate, I brushed her hair away from her face and patted her cheek softly. I moved to take my place behind her, but her little hand shot out and wrapped around my death-laced wrist.
“Ramel…”
“Yes, Lilith?”
“I know I’ve been bad, but can you punish me later? I want this to feel good,” her little voice wavered, and I felt my cock twitch.
Feeling the ice around my sin-ridden heart soften, I leaned forward, kissing her lips gently.
“My little deathtrap wants to feel good?” I asked, and she nodded, biting her lip. I chuckled. All the anger I felt about her earlier escape attempt melted away. She would still need to be punished since she had broken two rules, though I didn’t see the harm in saving her punishments for later.
“If you want to be rewarded, you need to earn it, Lilith.”
“I know,” she whispered.
“Beg for it. Beg me to make you feel good.”
She let out a slow, shaky breath and gave me her most innocent, come-fuck-me eyes.
“Please, Ramel. Please make me feel good.”
I smiled and slipped two death-soaked fingers into her mouth, hooking them onto her bottom teeth. “Since you asked so nicely, I suppose I’ll see what I can do,” I purred and slid to my place at the end of the altar.