Page 69 of Hitched to the Vampire King
“Yeah, about that,” Lucy said, pointing a fork at me. “When was this decided?”
I stuffed my face with a bunch of seasoned scrambled eggs and swallowed before answering. “Back in Jackson. The night before we went to the Academy. Gabriel and I were talking, and he told me he wanted to abdicate the throne. I offered to move to England with him, but he doesn’t want me to do that. He said I was the most important thing to him, and that the crown came second. Then he said that he can live without being king, but he can’t live without me. He knows how important family is to me, and how much I love you guys. So he chose to give up being king to stay here.”
Everyone stared at me, shocked into silence.
“He said that?” Jaden finally asked. “That he would give the crown to his brother just so you wouldn’t have to move away?”
I nodded and shoveled some bacon into my mouth.
“Wow,” she breathed. “That’s incredible. Definitely marry him.”
I froze with my fork halfway to my mouth. “Uh, we haven’t talked about that. I’m not sure if he even—I mean, he’s never said?—”
“Of course he wants that,” Lucy chimed in. “I’ve never known a mated couple who doesn’t. But I have a more pressing question. How will you two work when he’s immortal and you’re not?”
Oh boy. I should have expected that. “So, um, there’s this thing called the ‘eternal kiss,’ and well, the details aren’t important.” I couldn’t imagine telling my vampire slaying friends that I would need to drink Gabriel’s blood. “But it would stop me from aging, allowing us to be together.”
Lucy’s eyes narrowed. “Uh huh, and what’s the catch?”
I dropped my gaze. “If the vampire ever dies?—”
“Then you die,” she finished, sighing. “Figured there’d have to be a downside.”
“Are you going to do it?” Jaden asked quietly, her attention locked on her plate.
“I don’t know,” I said. “I haven’t had much time to think about it. But the thought ofnotbeing with him kills me. And if I don’t, then I’ll keep aging and he won’t.”
Finishing her meal, Jaden shook her head, then shared a glance with Josh. “I don’t envy your decision. I just don’t think that’s something I could do.”
I understood her reservations. But for me, the thought of not being with him was worse than the thought of drinking a little of his blood.
“He isn’t pushing you into doing that, is he?” Sam demanded, his brotherly nature flaring.
“No. He told me he’d respect whatever I decided and he’d be with me, regardless.”
“Okay, that’s good,” Lucy said. “Now I don’t have to kick his ass.”
I chuckled and finished the rest of my meal while everyone processed my future with Gabriel. There were downsides to immortality, like watching my entire family grow old and die. My whole life, I’d been so desperate for a family, and now I had one. I couldn’t imagine not growing old with my sister, or aging alongside her kids. When I pictured my senior days, it was with Jaden and Josh, playing pinochle in our retirement community. Us talking about our good ol’ vampire slaying days until everyone grew tired of our stories. And when I pictured my death, it was always with me surrounded by family and friends. I’d never imagined outliving every single one of them and continuing through the ages without them. Sure, Gabriel would be with me, but without Lucy, Jaden, Josh, and Sam, eternity sounded awfully lonesome.
I rose from my seat and started clearing the dishes, my thoughts heavy.
“Let me help,” Lucy said, even though we’d cooked.
Everyone brought their dishes to the counter, then stood back as I started running the sink. I needed something idle to do right now.
“You know, for what it’s worth,” Lucy said, breaking the silence, “I think you should do it.”
My head snapped up, and I turned to find that everyone else had abandoned the kitchen, leaving only the two of us. Jaden, Josh, and Sam had retreated to the living room for one last weapons inspection before tonight.
“It’s a hard choice, and I get that. But I see Anna with Vlad, and I’ve never seen her happier.”
The thought of them brought a smile to my lips. They loved each other dearly, and that was wonderful, but Anna hadn’t lost anyone yet. I wondered how her opinion would change when she was the one turning five-hundred-years old. Maybe she’d make new friends, create a new family. But that thought terrified me. I wanted the one I had now, and I didn’t want anything to change.
But change was inevitable.
“You don’t need to decide anything right this second,” Lucy reminded me, stepping forward to dry the dishes I’d washed. “You have time. Let’s finish this business with Adrian, go home, deal with the Academy, andthenyou can decide. When you don’t have so much on your shoulders.”
“Yeah,” I murmured while sponging down a plate. “Thanks, Luce.”
