Page 22 of Black Curtain

So,somuch of him showed in those gold, flecked, tiger-like eyes.

I didn’t think it was possible to love anyone so much.

I stared down at our clasped arms, sure the fire would ignite our clothes.

I was so sure the fire would hurt… at least a little bit… or get overly warm at least.

I didn’t even have anything on my arms.

My arms were completely bare, unlike his.

I wore the same dress I’d worn weeks earlier for the “human” portion of our wedding––the version we’d done in front of the human media, our vampire sort-of allies, all the business partners and associates and others we’d felt compelled to invite for one reason or another, along with all of ouractual and for realfamily and friends.

I could have gotten a new dress, I suppose.

I really loved this one, though, and I hated the thought of wasting it.

It had the added benefit of being surprisingly comfortable.

From my perspective, looking down at myself, I just saw piles of light-looking material, falling in a way that gave it a ruffled, flower-type texture.

From seeing myself in reflections before, I knew I looked very different to everyone else. To them, those piles of light-looking material looked like thick bunches of bone-white roses, given depth and texture with delicate designs in black and gold thread. The combination made the dress shimmer, like someone sprinkled the fabric with gold dust.

The top was a laced, low-cut corset in the back.

It had off-shoulder sleeves made of the same material as the lower part of the dress. The bottom half looked to be immersed in clouds of bone-colored feathers, contrasting the severe corset on top, and my black hair, which again, like the human wedding, was woven through with gold and green flowers.

It all looked very flammable to me right then. From my hair coated in hairspray to the cascades of ethereal fabric. My bare arms looked very burnable.

The dress didn’t catch on fire, though.

The skin of my arms didn’t burn.

I stood there, clasping arms with my husband, watching his gold eyes fill with tears as the green and gold flames rose higher, lighting the contours of his handsome face. I couldn’t tear my eyes off him, even as I worried his tux would burst into flames.

This was the seer version of our wedding.

Honestly, I’d thought this version would be more laid back.

I’d thought everyone would be less emotional.

After all, we’d already said vows in front of everyone once before.

Different vows.

In this version, the seer version, Jem got heavy with the vows. He got heavy with the questions. He took the whole thing as seriously as if the human version never happened.

Then Black started to cry, and I always died a little inside when he cried, whether it was from grief or depression, an overflow of emotion or pure happiness… it always hit at me in a place where no one else could touch me.

The threads burned completely through before my shock faded.

I looked down, staring at where those flames had been.

Pale white and pink lines covered our arms.

We both stood there, panting in shock, looking down at our clasped arms and hands, and the faint lines on our skin symbolizing our lives fused together.

Then Black yanked me roughly against him.

---