Chapter 19
Chapter
Nineteen
It started with him walking through an orchard looking like a vision of golden desire. That’s the word. Desire. His eyes when they met the camera were melting blue pools that stripped away every one of your inhibitions. And there I was, looking ready to be stripped.
I closed my eyes because no one would know if I didn’t watch this, and frankly, I’d already seen him in the tub and didn’t need more fuel for my brain. Except if we were married…My eyes popped back open to see him take my hand and slide his fingers over my wrist. Such a nothing, but it was so…
I shivered, but I couldn’t look away. The entire thing was a seductive dance, and he was representing hard for the golden team.
Wow. Also, he didn’t sing as much as I expected, mostly took the harmony parts, and I sounded absolutely fabulous.
Everything was in my best range, and I killed it.
The angelic support didn’t hurt, but mostly it was about our duet, two voices blending, him supporting me, wanting me, needing me to know I was wanted, worthy, and absolutely everything.
It was a love song that made me ache more stupidly than I ever had before.
The end, singing together in the bower while the dawn came up, it was very suggestive, and I was blushing by the time the lights came on and Pearly White turned to me.
“Do you have any thoughts on that? You look at that and think, ‘the editing!’” He chuckled darkly and turned to the camera. “I think that video spoke for itself. When we come back, we’ll get to see who you, and the Princess choose to stay and give a red, red rose.”
When the cameras clicked off, I slumped back on the chair, heart beating too fast, blood pumping beneath my skin, probably blushing everywhere.
“I warned you,” Pearly said, studying me with cold, analytical eyes.
I shook my head. “Because you knew what my reaction would be. How could he post a video like that? The entire world will think he’s a seducer!”
He shook his head. “On the contrary. If you’re watching it from any other point of view you are absolutely the one who seduced the angel and brought about his downfall. Everyone will be hoping that you make him an honorable husband.”
I got up and walked out of the room, barely not running. Of all the ridiculous… And apparently we were already married.
I needed air, cold and clear, so I went to the stairs leading to the roof.
Once up there, I remembered the werewolf music video and the awful kiss, but it was nothing compared to the angel’s performance.
Seduction. Only apparently I was the villainous seductress.
Was I? The video had shown me, and I’d been pretty enough, and I’d looked in love, because I was supposed to look in love, but I wasn’t nearly as irresistible as the angel.
But maybe I did look like I was seducing him.
But I’d only done what he told me to do!
Maybe that’s why the Commander married us, because he worried that otherwise I’d seduce his son, and then he’d be a fallen angel and get thrown out of his ranks, and become…
What would he become? A world class baker and videographer.
That wouldn’t be so bad. Still, he needed his purpose, and that was to destroy evil.
But he’s the one who gave the video to Pearly White.
Maybe I could convince him not to publish it when the show went live.
I shook my head. There was no way Pearly White wouldn’t publish something that gave him better ratings.
I paced and tried not to freak out. My wings were going to come out if I got too upset.
I could feel them pulsing under my skin, and a carrion creature was the last thing we needed to add to this nonsense.
What was I going to do? The audience wasn’t going to vote Richard off, and if I did, I’d look like a bad person, throwing him away after I’d seduced him, but what else was there?
The door clicked open and I whirled around to find the werewolf, Hughenot Raferty.
He pulled out some cigarettes and started smoking.
It was a weird scent, almost…My wings came out and I launched at him, knocking him to the gravel and flicking away the offending cigarettes, that were some kind of soporific agent.
I wasn’t about to be drugged by some werewolf. My life was messy enough.
He looked up at my wings, eyes wide with horror before he started to smile. “He doesn’t know about the wings, does he? He doesn’t know the kind of monster you really are.”
Rage absolutely fueled me. This creature had kissed me without my consent, marking me like I was some prize he could take.
And now he was going to reveal my monster to Richard?
I was going to kill him and eat him to get rid of the evidence.
I didn’t care how the physics applied of consuming something more massive than myself.
I was just going to do it. Except that would be two weeks in a row without a contestant to vote off.
And I really, really wanted to vote this wolf off.
Maybe he’d tell Richard about my wings, but that was a risk I was going to take.
I grabbed him by the throat, carried him to the edge, and threw him off.
His shriek was incredibly satisfying. The fall wouldn’t kill a werewolf, but it should take him some time to heal, and then he’d be voted off, and not get the chance to talk to Richard.
“Katriana?”
Speak of the devil! Richard was here! On the roof, and…
My wings slicked around me, tighter than a mummy board, leaving only a slit for my eyes so I could see him come out onto the roof, looking around, and frankly being way, way, way too hot in Mitt’s shirt and Banus’s pants.
If I held still, he’d go away. Would he see me?
His gaze panned over me, but didn’t stop.
Good. I’d just hold still until he left.
“I heard a scream. I hope it wasn’t you.” His mouth tightened as he walked slowly in my direction. “I can vaguely feel your presence through the life-binding. Aren’t you here?” He walked zigzagged towards me until he was a foot away, then he reached out and touched my wing.
I gasped and shrank deeper in my wings while he stepped back, looking relieved. “You’re invisible?”
“Um…I don’t want to talk about it.”
He nodded like that made sense. Who wanted to talk about random invisibility? “Good. I’m glad you weren’t the one who screamed. It sounded like a werewolf. The kind that waxes his legs. Has a very girly shriek.” He grinned in my general direction and I tried not to feel weird.
“He should be fine by the time we have to vote on the live segment. I’m fine, so you can go now.”
He frowned and shook his head, looking furious.
“I’m an idiot! I’m such an idiot! I love you!
” He ran a hand through his hair and shook his hair while it puffed out like a lion mane.
He seemed actually upset about loving me.
Like the best friends forever love? “It all started with emotional intimacy. That’s how it was for my dad and my nanny.
They just got comfortable together, sharing their feelings and thoughts, and building a relationship that way.
” He scowled at me. “I’m slaughtering this.
How can you believe that I passionately adore you and love you when I didn’t even realize it until after the music video when Lorien dumped a bucket of ice over my head and told me that we were married.
I mean, I realized while I was watching the video that I’d fallen for you, and I didn’t care how far I fell.
And then I started wondering how long I’d been like that, and I can’t remember not feeling like you were the best, kindest, most loyal and beautiful creature in existence.
The first time we met…” His eyes warmed and his smile was the sweetest thing.
“You were so fearless. So loyal to your guardian, and so absolutely adorable. You don’t know how rarely I am charmed, but I was.
And then when I realized who it was that was following me on social media, I could have—should have—just closed the door and focused on the real threats, but instead I let you become important to me.
I let you see who I was beyond the cocky, indestructible force of whatever.
I became something more with your encouragement and affection. ”
He took a deep breath and gazed towards me. “Could I hold your hand? I’m not sure you haven’t turned to smoke and escaped again.” He held out his strong hand, eyes hopeful.
I sighed and slipped my hand awkwardly out of the folds of the wing. It was weird to see my disembodied hand floating there, but Richard took it like it was completely normal. And he felt so good.
His eyes were soft, luminous blue with a rim of gold, and so intent.
“Thank you. I should have realized that I loved you with my whole soul when I kept my phone notifications on all the time so I could answer when you messaged me. Even in the middle of battle, I’d stop to message you.
Except for that one time I was staked down by this giant kraken for two days while he tried to figure out how to kill me.
That was boring. I missed so many of your messages. Sorry about that.”
My heart throbbed, beating painfully in my chest. “You were staked down for two days?” And he loved me? Like a best friend forever?
“Yes. It chopped off my head, but doesn’t seem to have done any damage, probably because I never used it much. Forgive me for being so stupid. For lying to myself for so long. I should have realized when I life-bound us. Who does that unless they’re irrevocably in love?”