Chapter 21
Chapter
Twenty-One
M ercury’s house was lit up, every window a golden beacon of warmth and happiness that made me ache to be safely inside, particularly with a certain tall, dark, diabolical necromancer who hadn’t let me go for a moment since he’d picked me up.
It was heaven to be nestled together on the couch with a carton of Neapolitan and two spoons. If only I didn’t have so many things to take care of, I could stay here forever. The tv show played in the background, but I couldn’t enjoy it, not when Vilus was such a poor imitation of the real thing.
“You’re still worrying,” he murmured, nosing my hair.
I sighed heavily. “No, it’s fine. I’m with you. That’s where I want to be. When are we getting married?” I asked.
He smoothed his hand down my arm. “That’s not what you were thinking about.”
“But you said that you didn’t want a long engagement.” I turned in his lap and ran my fingertips over his bare shoulders, watching goosebumps follow in the wake of my caress.
His eyes darkened and lips pursed. “I did say that. Are you seducing me?”
I sat up and smiled at him. “I have no idea how to seduce anyone, but I’m going to send Bones to the lingerie specialist in the goblin market and have her come up with something truly appropriate for seducing a dark sorcerer.”
“Hmph. You already lounge around in unholy underthings, even in front of other men, in my kitchen, which I made a point to not mention for fear of sounding insanely jealous. I’m insanely jealous.” He kissed my hand with some shivery teeth at the end.
I sighed heavily. “I love you.”
His brows lowered. “That feels like the opening line of a scam.”
I shifted closer to him and caressed his cheeks. “We could get married at the courthouse this very second and then watch tv in your bed instead of on the couch afterwards. I feel fine.”
His brow rose. “Now I’m really suspicious. What’s the catch?”
I winced. “Well, now that you mentioned it, I sort of promised Philip the blue diamond statue. If I don’t get it to him soon, he’ll release the second interview to the public.”
“Second interview?”
“Of course. I didn’t actually confess my mother’s secrets on National Television. I’m not as honest as I am practical, and I wouldn’t hurt my dad for the world. Philip also did the lights and played my mother’s role in the first interview, the one she didn’t see. I thought he did a fabulous job. I got the idea from Fiora. She worked with an enchanter to make that video of me running after the cat, to make everyone accept that the fire was an accident. It must have been a very powerful enchanter, but I’m not going to worry about that right now. She’ll have her trial, and hopefully all the truth will come out.”
“About your mother?”
I shook my head. “She won’t testify against my mom. She worships her as the mother she always wanted but never had.”
“Hmph. So, you’re still loyal to her. I kind of enjoyed you being heartless. I suppose if you’re feeling up to it, we could get off the couch and do a few essential tasks. Barbara Benson needs to be laid to rest, but Bones fancies her. Do you think I should let him court her? I mean, keep her animated for a few days while she considers her options. What are your thoughts? Is that ethical? I really have no idea.”
I smiled at him. “That’s very sweet.”
“Also, the young sorceress, Gabriela has been trying to contact me. We’ll probably have to swing by the Cat’s Pause after we get married to deal with her. Philip can meet us there to pick up the statue. I don’t want him in my house ever again. I don’t want anyone but you and the dead in my house ever again. You must also want to check on your mother. She had a bad fall.”
I snorted. “She’ll be fine. Mr. Good will make sure of that.” I had been worrying about her, though.
He smiled at me and then pulled out his fancy phone, texted someone and then said, “In that case, let’s get dressed. They require shirts at weddings.”
I sighed heavily and traced his muscles until he stood, kissing my hands and then firmly pulling them down.
“Seduce me later, Nova. After the wedding, or I’ll forget that you’re respectable and forget everything else as well.”
After I’d dressed faster than I ever had before, we drove through the rain, water splashing up to the windows as Mercury drove the car, me next to him in my aquamarine dress.
I was worried about my mother. I was worried about what Mr. Good would do with her. And what about my dad? Some of the truth had to come out. Still, nothing could truly touch me when I was with my heart.
We pulled up at the courthouse, icy rain still slashing down, making visibility terrible.
“Are they open?” I asked.
“Night court operates once the day court closes. Are you sure you don’t want a gown, flowers, friends?”
“I want you. That’s all. I can’t rest until I’ve had my way with you after that display on top of the hotel. I wonder if the video was still rolling, because you know…”
He cut me off with a soft kiss before pulling back with a frown. “I know. All the goblins would pay a pretty penny to watch it.”
I smiled happily. “Lucky for you, I don’t want any pretty pennies, just a pretty Mercury. You’re so pretty, Mercury, with your gleaming hair and dazzling eyes threaded with lightning, and I’m not even talking to your more muscular pursuits.”
“Muscular pursuits?” He put a strong hand over my forehead. “You’re not feverish. It must be a hallucination brought on by a desperate need for rest.”
“With you in your bed.”
He gave me a soft smile and smoothed his palm over the side of my face. “I adore you flirting with me. Are you really sure you want to get married? It might be against your ethics to accept the business of a diabolical dark sorcerer. You will own everything I have, and me. Every last gem and jewel.”
“Convenient, since I’ve already given away your blue diamond statue without your permission. You’ll also own everything I have, which is basically me getting around Mr. Good’s business. Do you mind handling all the people I can’t bear to talk to?”
He raised a brow. “Of course not, my heart. If you are uncomfortable with demons, or any other infernal race…”
“It’s not their race that bothers me, it’s their pain. Every one of them has a miserable history that brought them to the place they are now. I’ll need to fix it, but I can’t fix everything.”
“Ah,” he said gently, caressing my hair. “Like Fiora, the poor orphan you couldn’t help but save. Yes, I will mediate between you and Mr. Good’s employees. I will do anything to make you happy and safe.”
I leaned my head on his shoulder for a moment before we got out and walked towards the marble pillars of the court house, a steady bustle still going on, although the occupants were more mysterious and deadly.
When we got to the main hall, we almost bumped into my dad, who looked slightly rumpled and frazzled.
“Dealer,” he said, grabbing Mercury’s arm. “I got a message that my wife would be here, but she’s not. I don’t suppose you’d know anything about her. She’s been so broken ever since our sweet Cassandra died, but she wouldn’t do anything desperate, would she?” The pain and fear in his eyes ripped me apart.
I gripped Mercury’s arm more tightly while my heart ached unbearably. My dad was good. My dad was the best, most decent, well-adjusted person I knew, but he wasn’t doing great, not now.
Mercury cleared his throat. “Don’t worry. Your wife is at the Bell, getting the best possible care from Vincent Bellham himself. Do you know Miss Nova? She’s your wife’s niece. There was a mishap at a media event where Miss Nova was explaining her relationship with the Clarences when a poor distraught, delusional half-demon girl brought a gun out and, well, your wife fell and was injured, but I’m sure she’ll be feeling better shortly. We were going to go over to the hospital as soon as we’re married. Would you be willing to be our witness?”
My dad looked surprised, really looking at me for the first time.
What was Mercury doing? I didn’t want my dad to be hurt any more than he was already.
My dad smiled at me, warm and genuine, holding out his hand. “Is that what that was about? My wife doesn’t talk about her family much, but she should know that I don’t require perfection. No one’s perfect, and no one should be expected to be. It’s nice to meet you properly, Nova.”
I took his hand, feeling a rush of relief. I’d missed him so much. My eyes watered, and I blinked back tears. “Sorry for my display at the funeral.”
He squeezed my hand comfortingly. “We all handle our grief in different ways. You must have known my Cassandra well.”
“Yes. I did. She said how wonderful you were, how real and kind.”
“Kind? Me? I mostly keep to myself, or I would if Mrs. Clarence didn’t have better things for me to do. You said she’s at the Bell?” he said, looking at Mercury in concern. “You’re sure she’s not seriously injured?”
“I’m certain she will have no lasting harm. Shall we?” Mercury asked, gesturing forward.
“Sorry,” I murmured. “It’s a last-minute wedding, or we’d have arranged a witness.”
My dad patted my hand. “I’m glad I could help. You remind me of her. My sweet daughter. Not that she ever had a last-minute wedding. Pity. I hope wherever her soul is, she is at peace.”
I swallowed down the lump in my throat. “I’m sure she is.”
The wedding was in a large hall with a pale-skinned vampire in black robes at the end. Music played, the traditional wedding march on an organ, and then the words:
“Do you, Oswald Mercury, promise to love and care, to worship and adore Nova Star, as long as you both shall exist in any kind of animated state?”
“I do.” He looked at me with a softness in his eyes that sent a thrill through me. He’d love me with the devotion he gave to his dead, with his whole heart and soul.
“Me too. I, Nova Star, promise to love and care, to worship and adore. Even if we’re dead or undead or reanimated. No matter what may come. I do.” Maybe I sounded a little too eager, but he was mine, and I was his, and I loved him more than anything else in the entire world. He was absolute perfection for me, particularly because he wasn’t perfect, didn’t try to be, and didn’t expect me to be either.
The vampire cleared his throat. “Yes, well, that’s good enough. By the power vested in me, by Singsong City, I hear-by pronounce you man and wife. Sign these papers.”
I signed, and then my dad signed on the line for witness.
“Aren’t you forgetting to kiss the bride?” my dad said with a slight smile.
Mercury took my hand firmly and looped his arm in my father’s. “No. I will kiss her later, after she’s satisfied that Mrs. Clarence is safe, and made certain that everything else is resolved. Please watch your step.”
Wait, what? No kisses until when?
Mercury pulled us through a dark net of keening misery. After another lurch, we came out into the immaculate halls of a hospital.
I took a second just clinging to him, still unsettled at the supernatural traveling system. Also, was he serious about not kissing me? Were we actually married? I didn’t feel any different, but I had signed my name on that paper. Not that it was my real name.
“Are you all right?” Mercury asked, looking down at me with concern.
I still felt woozy from stepping through that creepy dark web world. Then again, he was mine. I was going to kiss his socks off the second I got him alone.
I beamed at him. “I’m the happiest person in the world. We’re actually married. Crazy.”
“Crazy,” he echoed, brushing the back of my hand with his thumb before we walked down to a corner where a nurse worked behind her desk.
“We’re looking for Mrs. Clarence. This is her husband,” Mercury said, gesturing at my dad.
“Oh good! Maybe you can reason with her,” she said, standing up and walking around the desk to us. “She’s insisting that she’s fine and doesn’t need to stay overnight for observation. But after that concussion, she needs to be still. Vincent Bellham himself had to threaten to knock her unconscious if she didn’t stay in her hospital bed, but I don’t trust her. She’s a workaholic. I had an uncle like that. Had a heart attack and still wouldn’t stop. Had to be carried away from his office on a stretcher. Some people don’t know how to rest.”
I held very still and ignored the sharp look Mercury gave me. I was not a workaholic. I just had a few things to do before I could safely lock myself in his bedroom and devour him.
When we got to the room, my mother’s voice was very clear.
“I can’t just relax. I need to prepare with my lawyers. I have no intention of sharing a prison with Mr. Good.”
We walked into the room and there was my mother with the redhead Vincent Bellham. She looked very pale, with a bandage around her forehead, arms, and neck. When she saw me, her eyes narrowed, but then my dad rushed over to her, and her expression became completely frozen, horror and shame fighting for dominance.
“Patty, what happened?” he asked, bending over her and looking concerned.
She finally took a breath and said, “I wanted to give you?—”
“So, Mrs. Clarence,” I said loudly, cutting her off and leaning over to get in her space. “We got married! Five minutes ago. Uncle Clarence was the witness at the wedding. Isn’t that grand?”
She blinked at me, then her eyes began to narrow. “Did he miss the interview?”
“No, I saw it,” my dad said with a kindly smile. “That’s why I got on the jet to Singsong City. So your sister was Mr. Good’s obsession.” He clicked his tongue and patted her shoulder. “Your interview was perfect. You have so much grace, charm, composure. I don’t think anyone is going to think the worse of you for having a sister who happened to be seduced by Mr. Good. It was particularly interesting that the late Barbara Benson was the reporter. Undead in the ashes of the conference? It was hard to watch, but it gave me some closure.”
My mother looked at him and then at me. “You had two interviews?”
“What? No idea what you’re talking about.” I took a step away from her. “Well, we’ve got to get going. There is kissing to be done.”
“No,” she said with that look, the one where she was going to war and taking no prisoners. “I’m done running. I’m done lying. Salina is dead. He deserves to have his daughter back.”
She folded her hands in her lap, looked up at my dad and said, “Nova is Cassandra. She came back from the dead after she was murdered by a demon-girl. It was my fault. I missed the most important detail. I thought my past wouldn’t come back to haunt me, but of course it did. I stole the identity of Patricia Watford. I betrayed you with Mr. Good because I wanted you to have a child, and I wanted to save the business. I’m only interested in protecting human rights against the greater evil because of my own self-interest, being hunted for so long by such a great evil. I’m not good. My father murdered the Watfords in their house, burned it down around him to get rid of all evidence that would prove I was someone else.”
“You didn’t agree with that,” I said, almost certain of it.
She gave me an impatient look. “It’s not my method, but I made use of it.” She met my father’s eyes, her own resolved, determined to do the right thing even though it was the worst thing for her.
Wait a second. What was goodness if not that? Mistakes? Yes, she’d made more than her share, but she’d still done so much good, and was sitting there, willing to give up her own reputation so my dad could have his daughter back. Then again, maybe he wouldn’t want me if he knew that I wasn’t his real…
He grabbed me into the biggest, squishiest hug of all time, his heart beating so fast that I could feel his neck’s pulse against my forehead. “My baby. I’ve missed you so much.”
A wave of emotion rushed through me, and then I was crying, holding him back and just sobbing because he didn’t care. He was my dad and always would be, no matter what my DNA looked like.
After a long time like that, he pulled away, his own eyes bright with tears. “Cassandra, how could you let us think you were gone forever?”
“Cassandra is gone forever. Is this Cassandra’s face? I’m not doing any more surgery to change who I am.”
He blinked at me. “You think that surgery changes who you are? No. You change who you are by the choices you make every day. What others think of you won’t ever define you unless you let it. You are still yourself. And you are my daughter.”
I sniffled and then took the tissue my mother handed me, blowing my nose. “Thanks. I’ve missed you so much.” I looked at my mother. Her expression was resigned, relaxed, at peace. “Mom loves you. Her fling with Mr. Good didn’t really mean anything.”
He nodded and touched her shoulder, lightly. “I know. Patricia, it was a long time ago. Everyone makes mistakes. I’d like to take counseling together, if you don’t mind. I understand that everyone makes mistakes, but so many years of lying can’t be undone in a moment. Will you?”
She studied him and then slowly nodded. “Of course. If anyone needs therapy, it’s me.”
I grabbed her in a tight hug for a second before jumping back and grabbing Mercury’s arm. “Well, we’ve got to go. Statues aren’t going to distribute themselves, you know.”
I dragged Mercury out, followed closely by Vincent Bellham. He gave me a slight frown once we were in the hallway.
“You had my daughter transport Mr. Good to an unsecure location.”
“Did I? I suppose I was making up for the time she had me jump off a bridge.”
He nodded, lips pursed. “Fair enough. Where are you two going now?”
“The Cat’s Pause. Would you care to join us?”
He nodded and gestured us to follow him. “Oh, I am definitely going to the Cat’s Pause to have a word with my daughter. We’ll take my car as traveling through infernal dimensions isn’t exactly healthy for the average human. Also me.”
After the short drive, when we walked in the sushi bar, Gabriela was singing a duet with Anna the Grand Sorcerer, eighties rock like it was her soul. When she finished, she saw us and came over immediately.
“Mr. Good escaped once he’d dropped your mom at the Bell. Can you believe it?”
I blinked at her. “He has bat wings. He could just fly away. Don’t worry. I’m sure when he’s bored, he’ll go back to jail.”
“But he was only there for protection from Salina. Now that she’s not a threat…”
I shrugged. “So, what do you want me to do about it? I don’t have bat wings.”
She scowled at me. “Mr. Good is a terrorist. He needs to be behind bars. He tried to assassinate the president!”
“Sorry, but I don’t think Mr. Good tries to assassinate people. He probably did it just so that he’d have an excuse to go to prison. The guy’s been evading authorities for a long time. His lawyers are the best in the world.”
She prickled. “Excuse me, but my mother-in-law is the best lawyer in the world.”
I grinned and gave her a quick hug. “Look, I get that you need to go after Mr. Good, and I’m all for that, but he could have run, and he chose to stay and protect my mom and me. I mean, maybe the time he’s spent in prison has changed him for the better.”
She glowered at me. “You’re not going to help me flush him out, are you?”
“I just got married. I’m actually going on my honeymoon right after Philip shows up.”
“Speak of the devil,” Mercury said in a low rumble, directly behind me.
I turned and waved at Philip, hurrying over to him. “You did the best job I’ve ever imagined. You’re the most talented, amazing enchanter I’ve ever met.”
He blinked at me, his gorgeousness absolutely enchanting. “Naturally, because you wouldn’t remember any other enchanters you’ve ever met.”
“Right. So, do you think you can find the enchanter who made the video and the spell to make everyone not suspicious of the fire?”
“No. I think I’m going to get my statue and then spend time on a beach somewhere with it.”
“Oh. That’s not at all more information than I needed. Mercury?” I turned and there he was, pulling the statue out of his coat and handing it carefully over to me.
I turned and handed it to Philip, who took it reverently in his hands, eyes gleaming as he soaked in the risqué image of Cassandra Clarence.
How he was looking at that statue was seriously disturbing. I cleared my throat. “And now you’ll hand over the footage of the second interview.”
“I’ll email it to you.”
“Really? Because I need it as soon as possible.”
His eyes narrowed as he looked away from the statue and glared at me. “You doubt my word?”
“No, I really want to have video of Mercury without his shirt raising the dead. I’d take it with me to a beach if I didn’t have the real thing, and honestly, I still want it.”
Mercury snorted, but Philip nodded, like that made sense to him.
“Goodbye, Nova. If you ever need an enchanter, don’t.” He turned and stalked out, holding the statue close to his heart.
“Such a weird guy,” Gabriela said, standing next to me, staring after Philip. “Pretty though. Maybe I could set him up with Rynne. She’s not having great luck finding a work- life balance.”
“Ah, another workaholic,” Mercury said, scooping me up into his arms. “My wife and I have to make a flight. I’m sure we’ll see you sooner than we’d like.”
Vincent Bellham shook his head. “So rude.”
“Yes. But I didn’t bring my rats to the sushi bar, so there’s that.” Mercury summoned another veil or darkness and death, stepping through while I clung to him and tried not to get a heart attack.
We came out in the kitchen where Bones was sitting at the table with Barbara Benson. Bones beamed at us and stood. “You drove yourself? But where is the car?”
“Ah, Bones, you’ll have to go get it after the rain stops. It’s at the courthouse.” Mercury nodded at Barbara. “I’ll have an interview about your interest in remaining undead or whether you’d prefer to be laid to rest in three days. Until then, I’ll be unavailable.”
Barbara stood up. “You were at the courthouse? Is everything all right?”
“We got married,” I said, holding onto Mercury. “We’re going to be on our honeymoon. It’s going to involve dreadful lingerie and even worse television.”
She raised her tattooed brows. They were tinted purple and added to the macabre, undead vibe. “That’s what an heiress twice over wants to do for her honeymoon? What about an island paradise? Or somewhere with culture? Europe?”
I shook my head and tucked myself closer to my necromancer. “Absolutely not. All I want is him and absolutely no distractions. Bones, we’re going to order in, so you just help Barbara figure out her options, all right?” I whispered in Mercury’s ear. “Take me to your bed, now.”
He started walking, quite briskly, through the kitchen and into the hall. After two steps, we were at his bedroom door, the one across the hall from mine.
“Your house is so obliging,” I murmured, biting his ear.
He laughed. “Have you noticed it’s put effort into being less dusty? It likes you.”
“Well, heaven forbid our house not like me.”
He opened the door and stepped into the bedroom, the same one on the boat, with its teal duvet and aquamarine silk sheets.
I laughed and turned my head to brush his nose with mine. “You had me in your real bed. No wonder it was so easy to put me into mine across the hall.”
“No, it was not easy to put you in your bed across the hall. It was the most difficult thing I’ve ever done. I wanted to keep you, and now you’re mine.” He flashed a dangerous smile at me and then kissed me with more fire and intention than I ever imagined existed in one imperfect person.
We weren’t perfect, we were better than that, and we’d keep growing into something more beautiful and complicated for as long as we were together. Which might be forever.
The End