Page 93 of Death Dance

Every time I blinked, somebody found some way to make our future appear even brighter. “I’ve been told we have to be careful with the train and the uppermost layer of silk so we don’t ruin the jewels. They are not fake jewels. In good news, after we’ve successfully rescued that part of the gown, we can get to the serious business of destroying everything beneath.”

My husband issued a rather dark chuckle. “I asked your mother to watch our kittens until tomorrow night so we do not have any interruptions, by the way.”

“All I ask is that I don’t have to text for help this time,” I murmured.

He smirked. “However sad it makes me, your request will be met due to pregnancy. Once the children are born, you’ve recovered, and they can survive without us for a few days, I will be ravishing your person at my leisure and taking away your phone so you can’t request aid. Only when you have completely surrendered will I show you even a scrap of mercy.”

Well, I would have a memorable tombstone. “Just wait until after we’re certain the experiment is fully over before engaging in that plan. Next time, additions to the family are fully planned, although I do want to repeat this experiment. But the children we have will be grown before we have any productive dates of that nature, sir.”

“Define grown for me, please.”

“At least thirty.”

He pouted. “How about three?”

“No.”

“Four?”

I rolled my eyes. “I’ll think about it after the first two arrive. My father? He’s going to need at least a hundred years of recovering from having had me.”

“Hardly,” my father replied.

“I don’t want to know how long you’re holding out, Mom,” I said before she could find some way to embarrass me.

She giggled. “You have at least a year of freedom. You can view that as a wedding present.”

I giggled. “Thanks, Mom. I’ll do that.”

Around us, our guests laughed. I took in the crowd, which consisted of our friends, family, brood, and ancient vampires who had nothing better to do than gossip about the love lives of others. That many of those ancient vampires were both family and friends would baffle me for years to come.

In many ways, the ceremony was nothing more than a formality, acknowledging a collection of endings and new beginnings. No matter where we decided to go or how we decided to go about it, we would do so together.

Life would be good.

With Edgar leading the pack, the squealing and laughing children made it to the front of the ballroom, and they bounced around as though they had springs installed on the bottoms of their feet. I blamed my various relatives, as approximately half of them had been in charge of the children’s party on a different floor of the ship while we’d been occupied with the murder mystery dinner.

Ben, dressed in a new suit, served as Emerick’s best man while Breanna served as my maid of honor. After much discussion with my father and the rest of the family, we’d decided to have two officiators of our ceremony. While I still didn’t know their names, I’d thought it fitting to have a priestess of the sun and a reformed necromancer oversee our union.

Within every person was darkness and light, and I was of the belief that the actions of both were why we’d be having daughters sooner than later.

I saw nothing more fitting than having them bless our ceremony.

Rather than a long speech or a sermon, the priestess accepted the pillow with our wedding rings on it from Edgar, gave the boy a kiss on his cheek, and returned to her place beside the necromancer, who cleared his throat and said, “Emerick, do you solemnly vow that you shall love and honor Pepper for as long as you both shall live?”

My husband squeezed my hand, smiled, and said, “I solemnly vow that I shall love and honor Pepper for as long as we both shall live.”

The priestess regarded us both before staring into my eyes and saying, “And do you, Pepper, solemnly vow that you shall love and honor Emerick for as long as you both shall live?”

I drew a deep breath before saying, “I solemnly vow that I shall love and honor Emerick for as long as we both shall live.”

The necromancer eyed the crowd with open suspicion, and I giggled at his expression. “Does anyone among you have any reason why these two should not be wed?”

Silence.

Good. Had anyone protested, I would have ruined my wedding gown and spilled blood all over my ship’s new floors.

The priestess handed off the rings to the necromancer, clapped her hands together, and bowed to us. “None have spoken. I declare you to be husband and wife in the eyes of all gods and man.”