Rosie plays the piano in the corner. She tickles the keys with a professionalism I didn’t expect. Grim sits on the bride’s side,and King sits on the groom’s side, each of them acting as witness and support for us orphaned killers. Jim stands at the head of the party. His smile nearly rivals Aven’s.
Even Kenny is in attendance, perched right beside Jim. He flew straight to the hotel after escaping the tree house, and he hasn’t left Jim’s side since. It’s only fitting that he’s part of the wedding, considering how he provided the perfect distraction for me to attack Desmond. If it hadn’t been for Kenny, I might not be moments away from the happiest moment of my life right now.
Then I spot the surprise nearly halfway down the aisle, and my feet stop moving. Kneeling in front of Jim, dressed in a white suit, is my father. His hands have been fastened behind his back, and a white ball-gag keeps him from speaking. He looks like shit, so I can only assume he hasn’t been very well cared for during his stay in the Cattle barn. How wonderful.
My focus returns to Aven, and I find the strength to move forward again. I feel like I’m carried on wings as I close the distance between us. When I’m nearly there, Aven reaches out for me, and I take his hands in mine.
He gives them a squeeze. “Ach, damn you for being so beautiful. You’ve made me cry.”
I squeeze back. “Damn you for being so sweet, because you’re going to get me started too.”
A gentle laugh eases out of our bridal party, and Grim rolls his eyes.
Jim gets started by telling the group a little about each of us. Aven is so closed off and I’m so new to the group that everyone ends up learning something they didn’t know. That includes me. As it turns out, I’m marrying into a very extensive vintage toy collection. I’m not mad about it.
Aven learns that I have a very extensive collection of my own, though it’s books rather than toys. Granted, if you count sex toys...
“I hope that the two of you continue to explore and learn new things about each other for the rest of your lives,” Jim says with a beaming smile, and now he’s crying. He pulls a handkerchief from his pocket and blows his nose. “Do we have the rings?”
Desmond has been sitting quietly through all of this, but knowing that I’m about to get my happily ever after must be too much for him to bear. He forgoes his stoicism and starts thrashing his shoulders as he tries to wiggle out of the ropes on his wrists.
Ignoring his theatrics, I pull the rings from my pocket and pass mine to Aven. “Right here.”
“Wonderful,” Jim says with a sniffle. “Quinn, do you take Aven to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you vow to clean up his kills without complaint and keep his secrets faithfully?”
“Ach, I don’t need her cleaning up after me.”
“I do,” I say with a smile.
Jim turns to Aven. “And Aven, do you take Quinn to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you vow to protect her from the evils of this world and be silent when she’s reading?”
“Aye, I do,” he says.
“Normally, the happy couple would exchange rings and vows at this time, but I thought we’d do things a bit differently, hmm?” Jim looks toward the back of the room and motions for someone. “Gary, bring them in!”
Gary is all smiles as he strolls toward the head of the room with two axes in his hands. I recognize the aged one from the shack in the trees, but the one in his left hand looks brand new. Its handle is white instead of wooden.
“The life of a serial killer is often a lonely one,” Jim says. “The two of you are blessed to have found someone who sharesyour most secret desires. I am a firm believer that the family who slays together stays together, so it’s only fitting that you begin your new life with a kill.”
Desmond drops to his chest and starts worm crawling across the floor. No one stops him. Gary merely steps over him and pushes the axes into mine and Aven’s hands.
“Congrats to the happy couple,” he says before hurrying out of the room. He already knows this is about to get messy.
Aven smiles down at the ax, then spins it through the air one time. “Feels good to have her back in my hand.”
“Anything special I need to know?” I ask as I test the heft.
“Just don’t get too carried away with the swings and lop off your own limbs,” he says with a laugh. “I’ll love you either way, but I prefer both legs wrapped around my waist.”
“Noted,” I say as I step toward our prey.
Kenny flaps his wings and lets out an excited screech.
Desmond hears our footsteps and rolls onto his back. The entire wedding party files in behind us and closes in to watch. Even Grim shows a moderate amount of interest as Aven nudges the prone man’s head with his boot.
“Looks like you missed your plane back to Scotland,” Aven says. “Such a shame. But no matter. We’ll make good use of your refunded flight.”
Desmond shouts something behind the ball gag. Instead of looking terrified, he just looks pissed.
