18. Eighteen
EIGHTEEN
The street was bursting with activity when Ofelia and Sully emerged from the house.
Horrible things were going on behind them, but they were only looking forward.
Sully kept Ofelia close at his side, and amazement swept through him when he saw the people who had gathered to help his fiancée.
There were so many of them, faces he didn’t even know, and they all stood in a circle to greet him.
“Zacharias!” Madeline pushed past Zeke and a few other shifters and threw her arms around her son’s neck. She was so exuberant that she knocked Ofelia back two steps. “I can’t believe you’re alive!”
Sully made a face over his mother’s shoulder, and it had Ofelia grinning. “I’m fine, Mother. I was never in any real danger.”
“Of course you were,” Madeline countered. “That’s why your father and I had to rush to your rescue.”
“I’m fairly certain that my wife is the one who ran to my rescue.”
“Your fiancée,” Madeline corrected.
Sully shook his head. “My wife.” He was firm. “She’s my wife, now and forever.”
Madeline opened her mouth, then shut it. Her only response was a nod. Ofelia took that as a good sign. Her future mother-in-law might have wanted a shifter for a daughter-in-law. She’d come to terms with reality, though. Finally.
“Your wife,” Madeline echoed, offering Ofelia a small smile.
Ofelia returned it, then left Sully to talk to his parents about what had happened. She took the opportunity to scan the banshees, who were fighting the vampires with everything they had, teeth bared. She found the one she was looking for right away.
“This one.” Her stomach hollowed out, but she forced herself to be strong. “This is the one who attacked Angelique.”
The banshee in question fought harder against the vampire keeping her in check, but her fate was already sealed. Ofelia glanced up as Pascal moved in. He’d obviously made short work of Shirley. “You don’t have to,” she said. “I can do it.”
“Not today.” Pascal was firm. “I will handle it. Her first. Then the others. I will also take Biff to Jack. You don’t have to worry about it.”
Ofelia nodded. She appreciated what he was doing for her, more than he could ever know. “Thank you.”
“No thanks are required.” Pascal pressed a firm kiss to her forehead. “Go home. Check on Angelique. Rest up.” His eyes moved to Sully. “You’ll be a wife in less than 36 hours.”
“It’s hard to believe.” Ofelia managed a smile, although it was wan. “I honestly can’t wait.”
“Yes, well …” Pascal turned his attention to Sully. “I expect you to treat her right.”
“I’ll treat her like a queen,” Sully promised.
“I know. That’s the only reason I’m signing off on this.” Pascal winked at him, then made a shooing motion. “We will clean this up, your parents and I. Go home and enjoy your night.”
That was music to Ofelia’s ears.
OFELIA UNDERSTOOD THAT IT HAD likely been a bloodbath when they left.
She made herself feel better with the idea that random women wouldn’t be forced into a state they didn’t want going forward.
Sully had filled her in on Shirley’s weird idea of arranging a marriage, something that disgusted her, and there was no guilt about Shirley’s death roiling around inside when she searched her feelings.
If she thought about the other banshees too much, her stomach shrank with dismay.
Most of them likely hadn’t chosen their lot in life.
They’d been trained by Shirley, though. That meant they couldn’t be set free.
If they tried to pick up where she’d left off, then nothing would change; others would have their lives stolen, and Ofelia couldn’t live with that.
So, no, the banshees had to go. After she returned from her honeymoon, Ofelia had every intention of sitting down with Ellen and telling her the story of her savior.
They would talk about any banshees that might come in — whether they were the old or new version — and come up with a plan.
That was Future Ofelia’s problem, however.
The ride up the elevator was tense. Ben hadn’t texted Ofelia to say Angelique was back to normal. She was hopeful that was because Ben and Angelique were too caught up in their reunion. She couldn’t be certain, though.
Sully kept a firm hold of her hand for the ride up.
He let her go as soon as they hit the floor Angelique was being housed on, knowing what was to come.
He wasn’t at all surprised when Ofelia broke into a run.
He quickened his pace so he could keep her in his line of sight, then held his breath when she reached the door.
At first, he wasn’t certain what she’d found.
When she leaned over to rest her hands on her knees, however, he knew everything was going to be okay.
He was already smiling when Ofelia took off into the room, and when he got there, his heart swelled with love as he watched Ofelia jump on top of the air mattress Ben and Angelique were currently cuddling on.
They appeared to be dressed — something he was exceedingly grateful for — but the way they were snuggled together on the air mattress told him that might not have been their overall plan.
Angelique looked remarkably healthy, but the glares she sent Ofelia as the witch hopped on the bed were anything but friendly. “You’re ruining my romantic reunion!” Angelique wailed.
Sully chuckled as he crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame to watch the antics. “You should be thanking your friend,” he said, drawing Angelique’s gaze to him. “She went through hell today to save both of us.”
“Both of us?” Angelique’s eyebrows moved toward one another. “Why were both of us in danger?”
“It’s a long story.” Sully was about to suggest they talk about it later, then recognized Angelique might need the information now. “How about we order some food — I’ll pick it up — and we’ll catch you up on everything?”
Angelique searched his face, then nodded. She could tell he felt the information was important. “That sounds good.”
“You get to choose where we get food from,” Ofelia said, her smile so wide it made Sully want to snatch her up and take her home without sharing the information. He fought the urge.
“No.” Angelique shook her head. “You get to decide. Something tells me you’ve earned it.”
Sully nodded in agreement. “She most definitely has.”
LATER THAT NIGHT, AFTER ANGELIQUE and Ben had left to have their own celebration at home, Sully and Ofelia snuggled up together with their bananas foster and debated what movie they wanted to watch.
Angelique had been furious when she found out about Biff’s part in everything — as she should have been — and she was promising retribution.
She wanted to see Biff with her own eyes and hear directly from him why he’d thought he had a right to claim her as a mate when she didn’t want him.
Sully made a mental note to text Jack and tell him not to allow Angelique in to see Biff until they’d returned from their honeymoon.
He would have to talk to Jack about other things, too. They could wait, though.
“I don’t see why we’re picking a movie at all,” he complained as a bit of ice cream dribbled on his chest. “We’re not going to get through it. The second we’re done with our food, you’re getting naked.”
Ofelia made a face. “Why am I the only one getting naked?”
“I didn’t say you were the only one. I just said that you were getting naked.”
Ofelia rolled her eyes. “What if I don’t want to get naked?”
“You do.”
“You don’t know. I could be too tired.”
Sully made a “yeah, right” face, and Ofelia had to hold back a giggle.
“Fine,” she said, making up her mind. “I want to get naked. I also want to watch a movie.” She gestured toward the television. “I was thinking Sinners.”
“You just want to imagine two Michael B. Jordans so you can make a sandwich,” he complained.
“You say that like it’s a bad thing. You always benefit when I have daydreams about the Smoke and Stack sandwich.”
Sully chuckled. He couldn’t help himself. He took another bite of his dessert and considered his options. Ultimately, he sighed and nodded. “Let’s watch Sinners. Then we’re doing what I want to do, though.”
“And what’s that?” Ofelia batted her eyelashes, the picture of innocence. “It sounds as if you have designs on my virtue.”
Sully chuckled. “I have designs on your everything.”
Because there was so much naked emotion in his eyes, Ofelia could do nothing but snuggle closer and rest her head against his chest. “We’re going to be happy,” she said in her softest voice.
“Oh, baby, we already are,” he assured.
“Yeah.” She took another bite of her dessert without lifting her head, not caring that she’d gotten syrup on his chest. “I can’t believe we only have one day left together before we get married. It seems so … surreal.”
“I was thinking about that.” He scooted lower in the bed, keeping her close to him. “How would you feel if we had food delivered three times and never left bed tomorrow?”
“Do you really have to ask that question?”
“I really want to hear the answer.”
She grinned, understanding the game he was playing. “Well, let’s just say I like that idea so much that if you hadn’t already asked me to marry you, I would say yes just on principle.”
He chuckled. “Let’s make a pact. One weekend a month, for the entirety of our marriage, we’re going to spend it in bed.”
“I like that idea. There’s just one problem.”
“And what’s that?”
“When we have kids, I don’t think they’re going to be quiet, so we can hide ourselves away in bed for a full 48 hours.”
“Ah, but that’s why they have grandparents.”
Ofelia cocked her head, considering. “Good point.”