Chapter Fifty-Five
“Felix!”
His stormy eyes behind those black-framed glasses find me where I’m racing up the aisle. Running to him, because he looks… Well, he’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. In his tux, beneath the archway of sprawling vines and dead roses.
Perfect.
“Stop right there!” Ren throws himself in front of me. “You’re not supposed to see the bride before the wedding.
“This is the wedding, Ren,” Luthor sighs, rubbing his eyes.
“Excuse me,” I utter breathlessly. “Normally, I wouldn’t do this, but you’re keeping me from my monster right now, so…”
I lift Ren up by the waist, and deposit him out of my fucking way. He’s not light either, but that doesn’t matter to me. He shrieks and everyone laughs.
“Oh my stars, that was hot.” He fans himself.
I’m barely listening. I’m on a mission to get to Felix.
“Lemuel,” he whimpers, and I crash into him, hands on his neck while he wraps himself around me.
“Baby, I’m so sorry…” I hum. His head of soft chestnut hair bobs against my chest.
“I know, and I don’t care about anything, baby.” He peels off of me to lock our eyes. “I just wanted to know that you trust me when I tell you you’re the only person who matters to me in this crazy, spinning world of chaos.”
I beam down at him, brushing my thumb over his lips. “I know, love. I’m sorry I made you question that. The thing with Cam was stupid, and I promise, I’ll never lie to you again.”
“I believe you.” He nods fast.
“Good.”
“Lemuel, where were you?” Velle asks, smirking from seats.
Being about as subtle as Warren Xavier.
“You look tired.” Felix pouts.
“Yea, I barely slept,” I huff. “I was working on your gift.”
He frowns. “I didn’t know we were doing gifts…”
“It’s okay, it’s not really a gift,” I tell him. “Just something that I knew would make you smile.”
As he’s gawking up at me, puzzled, I step aside to reveal his best man… Dascha Reznikov striding up the aisle.
“Oh my God!” Felix gasps, as do a few others.
But Velle, Joy and I are chuckling because we knew he was coming. We hustled hard to get Dash here in time. And he made it just under the wire.
“Hey, sweetheart,” Dascha chuckles, stalking up to a trembling, visibly overjoyed Felix.
Dash scoops him up, and Felix collapses into his friend, squeezing him to death.
Well, not really.
“You made it,” Felix sobs into Dash’s tux.
“I told you, I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Dash croons.
“Dascha, you look incredible!” Ren cheers while they pull apart.
“Yea, oh my God, your hair!” Luthor exclaims.
Dash laughs some more, blushing from the attention. But the kid does look great, immaculately done-up for Felix, with his hair dyed in black and yellow stripes to match his black and yellow custom suit.
“Killer bee!” Felix whimpers. “You did… this for me?!”
“Hell yea,” Dash beams. “Killer bee deserves a killer bee best man.”
“You look like Beetlejuice’s hot, bisexual cousin,” Ren giggles.
Cackles ring out from all sides.
“You look perfect.” Felix fusses over Dash’s lapels.
“Thanks. I had to go all out. It’s your wedding!” Dash bounces. “And my first time being a best man. I’m so sorry I’m late, but I promise it’ll be worth it when you see my gift!”
“Ugh, I said no gifts!” Felix sighs, though he’s clearly elated.
“This one is the exception.” Dash grins. “Can I give it to you now?”
Felix nods enthusiastically.
Dascha turns. “Babe!”
Kellan Kemper comes striding in, carrying a… body??
No. No, it’s just a mannequin.
“Holy fuck!” Felix squeals. “Want!”
“Yup.” Dash smirks. “I figured you’d want him here for your big day. Except, I’ll admit, he’s a bit of an upgraded version.”
“Want 2.0,” Luthor chuckles.
When Kellan gets to us, he sits the mannequin in one of the chairs, and we realize that this is really no standard department store mannequin. It’s more like… a real doll.
“God damn,” Felix laughs. “You made Want hot.”
“Yea, I had way too much fun designing him,” Dash cackles.
“Does he have a dick?” Trevel asks.
“If so, can we borrow him?” Ren croons, checking out Want 2.0 while Luthor shakes his head.
“Don’t be gross,” Dash mutters. “But yea, he did come with… attachments.”
He shoots me and Felix a look, followed by a wink.
“What happened to his hand?” Felix snickers.
“Oh, yea sorry.” Kemper rubs the back of his neck. “Sobaka thought he was an intruder at first and kinda… got him.”
“You traveled all the way from Tulum with that thing??” Rook cackles out loud.
“Why didn’t you just have it sent here?” Velle chuckles.
“I had to make sure he was right.” Dash frowns. “And don’t call him an It. That’s rude.”
“He actually can’t be Want, though.” Felix peeks at me. “Sine you’re my Want now.”
“You could call him… Warren,” Ren sneers.
“Yea, no,” I mumble in amusement while he pouts.
“How about Darcey?” Dash lights up. “Since after today, you won’t be Darcey anymore. You’ll be Felix Love. Which is like the best name ever, by the way.”
I chuckle.
Felix looks to me again. “What do you think, Want?”
“I think it’ll be the perfect piece of Felix Darcey to hold onto.” I wrap my arms around his waist, kissing his neck.
“Perfect,” he sighs.
“Alright, it’s settled then!” Joy announces. “Let’s get into position. Kemp, you can sit next to Darcey over there. Make sure he doesn’t kill anyone in the audience.” They chuckle.
“Places people!” Ren claps. “Let the Alabaster Wedding commence!”
“That sounds so badass,” Byron snickers.
Everyone gets into position. But Felix stays right where he is, under the arch with me.
There’s no need for him to come down the aisle. He’s already here, we both are.
And we have been for a while.
“Heathens and hellions,” Joy announces, grinning. “We are gathered here today to celebrate the very unholy matrimony of Felix “The Carver” Darcey and Dr. Lemuel Love, PhD.”
She goes on with her speech, while I gaze into the deep gray irises of my betrothed. I still can barely believe that I’m getting married, to a serial killer… But more so, that I get to call this one-in-a-million man mine.
Fucking beguiling.
“You look incredible,” I whisper to him.
“Me?? You look like a god,” he drools, and I chuckle.
“Wanna know what you really look like?” I hum, squeezing his hands. His head tips. “Mine. You look like mine.”
“Your monster?” He bites his lip to contain his smile.
“My monster.”
Sliding the ring onto his finger, I speak my vows to the love of my life, “Felix, I never saw myself getting married. Honestly, I never even saw myself falling in love, either. It’s my name and all…
but despite knowing so much about so many other aspects of the human condition, I knew nothing of love. Until you.”
Felix’s smile widens.
“From the moment we met, I knew you would be the most fascinating thing to ever happen to my life. And I was right… But I never could have expected or anticipated you, baby. You are something that nothing and no one sees coming. And just like your victims, I bled for you, Felix. Physically and metaphorically.”
He chuckles. Joy looks disturbed, and I have to laugh.
“You stole my breath, you opened me up… you carved your way inside me, baby, and I was amazed every step of the way. You are my Need, because I will always need you. And I vow to love you the way you deserve, Felix Darcey. Unconditionally, irrevocably, obsessively. My sweet, perfect monster, you made me… love.”
Felix blinks tears down his cheeks, and I kiss them off.
“Okay… anyone who isn’t crying, you’re dead inside,” Joy sniffs. “Killer bee, you’re up.”
“Lemuel, I was trying to think if there was something I could say to you that you don’t already know,” he hums. “But I don’t think there is anything.
You know everything that’s in my head, and my heart, because from the moment I met you, it was your mission to unearth my every skeleton.
I’ve never been able to hide my attraction to you, my obsession with you, my love for you.
You see all of it, but the one thing you can’t see, Lemuel, is the future.
“So what I’ll vow to you is a future of giving you every single bit of myself, and taking yours in return.
The good and the bad, baby… I accept it willingly.
Because I love your imperfections just as much as your many perfections.
I want your scars, your trauma, your pain…
just as much as your lust, your need, and your love. I just want all of you, Want. Forever.”
Pressure tightens my face as I press my lips together. Restraining the emotion as best I can… Though, it’s no use. For him, I let the tears fill my eyes.
“Here’s to a future of possibilities, baby,” he whispers, slipping his ring on my finger. “Starting right now. I can’t wait to tear it apart with you.”
He grins, biting his lip. I slide my hands onto his waist, pressing my forehead to his.
Joy croons, “By the power vested in me by You Be Ordained dot com,” we all chuckle, “I now pronounce you Dr. And Mr. Carver.” I rumble satisfied laughter as Joy winks at me. “Dr. Love, you may kiss your husband.”
“Need,” I hum, grasping Felix by the jaw and melting my mouth over his.
My husband.
“You just married a serial killer! May God have mercy on your soul!” Joy whoops, and everyone cheers.
Everybody Wants To Rule The World plays as we walk down the aisle past our Pen family. Hand-in-hand, and married.
The first ever Alabaster Wedding went off without a hitch.
The reception was perfect. We ate, we drank, we danced to eighties music and laughed with our friends.
And when we couldn’t possibly wait one more second, we adjourned to our bedroom.
When we stepped inside, I jumped. “Jesus…” Slapping my hand over my heart. “He scared me.”
Darcey the lifelike mannequin was on our bed, staring at us. Beside a new gift.
Felix looked at me suspiciously, but I simply held up my hands. “Don’t look at me. That one’s not mine.”