“Touché,” I muttered.
“But that is no excuse. Give us a moment, gentlemen,” Blue said as he took my hand and led me out of Re's dining room.
Blue found an empty sitting room and escorted me inside. He took my hands; rubbing them gently as he stared at them a moment. Then he lifted his jade gaze to mine.
“I've started to remember more,” he said softly.
“Oh?” My heartbeat picked up nervously.
“We weren't married, Vervain,” Blue said. “We misinterpreted the visions.”
I sighed deeply and hung my head.
“But that doesn't change the way that I feel about you,” he went on.
I looked up at him in surprise.
“I loved you then, and I love you now,” Blue said as he lifted his chin. “I remembered what you did for me, and how your heart already belonged to another. But we had something too, and if you hadn't been with Thor, I believe we would have been amazing together. Look at how wonderful things are between us now. And in this time, there is no relationship with Thor to hinder us. You have other men, and I don't like that, but I'm willing to work around them to be with you.”
“Okay,” I whispered.
“I'm not finished,” Blue said gently. “I've had memories that don't involve you. I saw Eztli; the woman I changed into a vampire.”
“You did?” I asked in surprise.
“I love her too, Vervain,” he said. “And if I can get her back, I want her; desperately.”
“Then we shouldn't get married,” I said reasonably.
“Why not?” Blue asked. “If you can marry more than one man, why can't I marry more than one woman?”
“Fair enough,” I whispered. “But, as fair as that sounds, I don't—”
This could all be irrelevant in a few hours,Alaric interrupted me.Throw the guy a damn bone, Vervain. You're the one who was so intent on keeping this sham going.
“Yes?” Blue asked.
“I don't know how Eztli will feel about it, and I don't want you to lose someone who may become even more important to you than I,” I covered.
Oh, nice save.
“I'm willing to take that risk,” Blue said with a soft smile. “I felt my love for Eztli, but I couldn't have felt it without you. I don't know if love can be quantified—if I can say that I love you more than her or vice versa—but I know that I don't want to lose either of you. You can understand that, can't you?”
“Better than most, I'd wager.” I took a deep breath and then nodded. “Okay.”
“Wait,” Blue said as he got down on one knee. “Let's do this right, this time, Vervain.”
I just nodded.
“You washed my world free of pain and cleared my vision,” Blue said as he stared up at me with a soft smile. “You touched my soul and my magic, and brought both of them back to life. I cannot imagine living without you, little witch. You are more important to me than blood or sun; youarelife for me. I am only truly living when I'm with you. Will you marry me, Vervain Lavine?”
“Yes,” I said firmly.
Blue smiled brightly and stood up; clutching me to him as he did. We shared a tender kiss, and then pulled away to stare at each other.
“This time, it will be better,” he promised me.
I didn't point out that we were heading into Tartarus with the intent to put time back to the way it had been.
