“Marry me,” Merrick blurted out.
Lessia laughed. “What?”
He pulled her closer so that the tips of their noses brushed. “I said, marry me.”
“Why?” she asked, her tone playful, but he could hear the emotions building behind it.
Merrick almost laughed. Why?
“BecauseIam selfish. Because I want you in any and all ways I can have you. Because I love you so much, itfeels as if my heart will burst out of my chest. Because I want to be your family. Your husband. Your friend. Your lover. Your future and your now and your yesterday. Your everything. I don’t want to wait any longer, Lessia. I want you. Please, marry me?”
The smile she shot him should have lit up the entire night sky. “Of course I’ll marry you. I’ll do it here and now if you want to.”
He could have died right then, and it would have been fine.
But the Death Whisperer didn’t. Instead, he kissed her until they were both breathless.
“We’ll need to stop in a few towns on our way to the next realm. I promised Kerym I’d help spread the word on the south side as we traveled,” Merrick said when they came up for air. “One of the towns is close to where I grew up. It’s nothing fancy, but… there is a special place there, and I’m sure we can find someone to handle the formalities. Unless you envisioned something else? I know it’s not a grand wedding, but with everything going on?—”
Lessia kissed him again, shutting him up. “I would marry you in the damned cellars beneath this castle, Merrick.”
It was like taking a strike to the chest, remembering when he’d seen her that first time. When he’d realized who she was,whatshe was.
Merrick clutched her closer. “That’s one choice I will not be giving you. I say we destroy the fucking things before we leave in the morning.”
Lessia stared at him. “Can… can we do that?”
One side of his mouth lifted. “We can do whatever we want. It’s your castle, and I might already have askedevery guard and staff member to gather the valuables—of course, ensuring they get their share—during the night and take them to the house in town where Kerym, the others, and I used to stay. Kerym is overseeing everything, ensuring that the gold, gemstones, and weapons are distributed equally to the people of Vastala. Especially to those who need it the most.”
“I love you so much.” Lessia almost strangled him with her hug, and her scent invaded his nostrils, telling him she meant every word.
He didn’t have anything else to say. There was nothing to describe the fucking happiness exploding through his veins—because that’s what that strange feeling within him was, it was pure fucking joy—nothing that could explain how he felt right now.
And when Lessia whispered “Can I take your name?” only a groan left him, and he flew to his feet, laying her down on the bed and pressing himself against her as he nestled his face into her neck.
“You’re mine,” he hissed against her heated skin. “I don’t know how I was lucky enough to call you that, but you are. I’d be the luckiest fucking male in any realm if you took my name.”
She moaned as he made quick work of getting her out of the tunic and breeches she wore, remaining hovering on his elbows to just take her in.
“So fucking beautiful,” Merrick growled. “I’m going to take such good fucking care of you.”
She squirmed beneath him, and heat traveled within his body to his groin, his cock hardening as blood rushed to it.
Leaning on one arm, Merrick used his finger to draw a trail from her neck, down her collarbone,over her breasts, down her stomach—not shying away from the marks marring her skin—until he stopped right above the hill leading to her already glistening pussy.
“I love every inch of you,” he said roughly. “Every part of your body and soul and mind.”
She shivered under his touch, but he refused to speed it up.
They had time now. Perhaps limited, but therewastime.
She would live. He would make sure of it, even if it required his own last fucking breath. They’d find whatever or whoever it was she needed to balance out her powers, and after that? He’d love her for all eternity.
Lessia’s eyes held his as he slowly traced his finger down her pussy, sliding it between her folds until her mouth opened in a silent pant as he slid it up and down, keeping the pace excruciatingly slow.
“Elessia Morshold,” Merrick mumbled. “Fuck. I like that.”
“S-so do I,” Lessia breathed. “Please…”
