Page 96 of Graveyards & Greed

I lifted up my dress, and she knelt down and slipped the garter on over my thigh-high silk stocking. I took a few deep breaths and straightened. “Why can’t we have normal boyfriends who try toavoidcommitment and marriage?”

Alexa blinked at me as she stood. “Speak for yourself. I don’t have a boyfriend.”

Luna laughed in her face. “You may notwanta boyfriend, but you’ve got one.” She turned to me. “But seriously, are you okay with all this? You can call it off or ask for more time. You have choices.” I wondered if Luna was thinking of her own marriage. It seemed she might still be harboring some resentment.

I caught my reflection and pondered her question. “I’m ready. Drakos might be cynical and jaded—and pushy. But he's also protective and kind, and he has this philosophical side to him. Have you ever wondered what they’d be like if they’d never been shipped off to that godforsaken school in Arizona?”

Luna nodded. “I also wonder what the three of us would be like if we’d had normal parents. Maybe we’d be worse.”

Alexa sighed. “I’d chance it. My childhood sucked.” She wasn’t wrong.

“Alright, enough of this psychoanalytical bullshit.”

We heard the front door unlock and open, and Fenn yelled down the hall. “Where’s the sacrificial virgin bride?”

“Not here, thank God,” I called back.

Fennick and Kilian walked into my room, both wearing black suits, black ties, and small white boutonnieres. They cleaned up nicely.

Fenn stopped short and stared at me, then gazed down at my dress. “Damn, Sylvie. You look… girly.”

Kilian shook his head and walked around Fenn. “What he meant to say is you look beautiful.” Then he looked around my room and winced at the mess. ”Fenn tried to tell us you’d be okay with wings and beer for refreshments. Luckily, Luigi’s is catering.”

Fenn grinned. “All is not lost. Declan ordered brownies from one of the High Grounds Dispensaries for dessert. You should probably warn people.”

Kilian glanced at my alarm clock and then studied me. “It’s time. Are you ready?”

I took a few big breaths and let them out slowly. “Yes, I believe I am.”

As we descended the stairs of the mortuary apartment, I lifted my head to breathe in the cool spring desert air and take in the brilliant blue sky and bright sun. We entered the mortuary's back door into the dimly lit hall, its shadows punctuated by the soft glow of sconces on the walls. The faint scent of roses and greenery tickled my nose. Fresh flowers weren’t uncommon in the funeral home, but this time they stood witness to a happier occasion.

Before proceeding ahead of us, Fenn grabbed my hand and pulled me in for a hug. “I love you, cousin, and Kilian is right. You do look beautiful.” I started tearing up and lightly slapped him on the shoulder. Kilian hugged me too, and I had to blink several times to stop from letting tears slip out.

“I love you guys too. Thank you for supporting me.”

Alexa hugged me next, then Luna sniffed and wrapped her arms around my neck. “You’re beautiful, both inside and out. Thank you for bringing us together. Drakos loves you, and even if he can be a cynical asshole sometimes, you’ll always be cherished.”

Ezra stood in the hallway, waiting to escort me down the aisle. His thick silver hair gleamed, and he also wore a black suit and tie, complete with a tasteful boutonniere. He smiled, looking both proud and wistful, his eyes deep with emotion.

Camilla stood next to him, shifting nervously in her lavender bridesmaid dress and steampunk Doc Martins. She looked miserable, but her hair was clean and softly curled, and she even wore the barest hint of makeup. My heart squeezed when I realized she’d lost her exuberant innocence and baby fat. Pulling on one of her curls, I hugged her to me. “You look—and smell—amazing. Follow Luna and Alexa down the aisle and stand next to them on the left-hand side.”

She nodded. “Thanks for the boots. You look really great.”

Ezra smiled. “You do look beautiful, sweetheart. I wish your mother could see you. What do you think? Are you ready?"

“I wish she could have been here too, and I’m as ready as I'll ever be. Is it weird that I want to get married here at the mortuary?”

“Maybe,” he chuckled. “But that isn’t bad. In fact, it’s one of the many things I love about you.”

A tear slipped down my cheek, and I smiled up at him. Luna and Alexa swung the chapel doors open to reveal the sanctuary, and we turned and walked through them. The chapel had been transformed from a house of mourning to something else entirely.

White and soft pastel-colored flowers were twined with greenery and draped across the benches. Breathtaking urns of roses, lilies, and hydrangeas decorated the space, and their sweet fragrance filled the chapel.

Drakos stood at the altar with his partners, all wearing black suits and ties, but Drakos also wore an exquisite charcoal brocade vest designating him as the groom. Anddamn, he looked positively decadent. His thick black hair was combed back, giving him a masculine, serious aura. My heart stuttered, and I paused. His piercing blue eyes found mine immediately, and he seemed to see straight through the facade of lace and satin to the girl who had once sworn never to marry.

His eyes narrowed, and he leaned forward as if silently telling me he’d chase me down if I bolted. I stilled, fighting off nerves for a few seconds, then threw my shoulders back. Drakos relaxed and his lips curled up, taking me in. Raising an eyebrow, I strode steadily down the aisle while Ezra walked beside me.

The soft murmur of guests filled the space with an expectant hum. Time seemed to stretch and warp as I walked, and the chapel felt like a strange alternate reality, where love and death intertwined like wild ivy on old gravestones.

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