Lilith grabs me by the back of the neck and kisses me for the second time in a day, and even though it no longer tastes bitter, it still feels like poison.
“I love you, Lucian. You’re mine forever and ever,” she pants as if her whole world has been turned upside down.
“I think you should let me go,” I tell her.
Lilith smirks.
“I think you should marry me before the guests get hungry.”
The hell-vespers watching us start crowing, and one even flies up to Yu-jin and nips at his cheek. My own cheek burns as if it’s my flesh that’s been torn.
“Stop it,” I growl as another vesper flies to him. “Stop it. Stop it now.”
“What is it, dear?” she asks.
She’s taking way too much pleasure in all this. What the hell happened to her during all the time we’ve been apart? Has she completely lost her mind?
I can’t let her hurt him. And I can’t figure a way out of this. I can’t even call for Brimfang. Just one look at her and Lilith’s vespers will tear her apart.
“I’ll do it,” I whisper.
“What was that?” She puts her hand to her ear, and I have half a mind to rip it clean off, but I hold back.
“I said, I’ll do it. I’ll marry you. Just stop hurting him. Don’t hurt him. And promise me I get to keep him.”
Maybe if I play along, maybe if I go along with this charade, she will keep her promise. Then, I can free Yu-jin and kill her and all her pets.
“Of course, sweetheart. I’ll doanythingfor my husband.Anythingfor love.”
And so will I.
CHAPTER EIGHT
YU-JIN
I can’t stand it.
I can’t take standing here, watching Lucian in his wedding suit, looking perfect in every way, and getting married to someone else. Getting married to her. That should be me next to Lucian. It should be me he’s getting married to. It should be me he promises his undying love to. Me whose eyes he looks into. Me whose lips he kisses. Not her.
I know it’s a show. I know it’s coerced by Lilith, but…it breaks my heart nonetheless. It makes my insides turn.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join Lucian and our beloved queen Lilith once again,” the creepy bat-human creature called Mammon says. My eyes sting as tears form. I blink them away, but they only run down my cheeks.
Shit. Get a grip, Yu-jin. Get a fucking grip.
Lilith’s veil is draped back over her eyes, but it does little to hide her glee. It also shows her desperation. Her delusion.
I’ve got to give it to her. She’s smart. She’s thought of everything. I don’t know if she’s been planning this for a while or if she’s naturally that talented in getting what she wants, but it’s admirable.
I don’t even know how she got through my store’s protective wards to not only attack me but steal my book of eldritch.
I guess where there’s will, there’s a way, and her will is unstoppable. I don’t even know what she wants. Is it Lucian? Then why would she offer to let him keep me? Is there something she’s hiding? Is there somethingheis? Is this about more than reuniting with her ex-husband?
Why wait all this time? If what Lucian said is true, then he hasn’t seen her in centuries. Why come for him now? Unless…
Is it possible she’s just…jealous? Is it possible she’s only here because she heard we were getting married and couldn’t stand the thought of losing him?
I let out a breath as another tear runs down my cheek and look up at the orange slowly turning fire red. I need to get my shit together and stop this mess.
