Page 148 of Sweet Venom

And then, something more beautiful than the blue world surrounding us happened. He smiled.

He knew.

He knew exactly what that number meant to me. Those three little words I felt for him but was always too afraid to say out loud.

I love you.

His eyes then flash with something that should terrify me— something sinister and alarming— but instead, it did the opposite. “I’d kill for you.”

He’d kill for me… A sane woman would run, would flee in the other direction, but all logic and reason vanished the moment I laid eyes on the beautiful, dark prince standing before me.

“This place is you,” Azariel whispered, his voice softening. “And you, Poe Vaeda Nicolasi James… are my heart.”

The darkness in his eyes faded and his eyes were softer than I had ever seen them before.

“I created Venomous because I wanted the world to see you, even long after we’re gone. Your essence is in every corner of this place, and it will live on long after your heart stops beating. You’ll be immortal, baby.”

I didn’t need to hear another word. I don’t think my heart could’ve taken it. With a heart filled with love for him, I rose to my toes and kissed him. But it wasn’t just a kiss. It was me surrendering to everything that I felt for him. It was soft and fierce, a silent promise wrapped in a tender touch. It was more than just two people kissing. It was a merging of two hearts that had only ever ached for each other.

His world, his heart… it was all for me. And mine was his.

In that moment, everything felt right. Perfect. Whole.

And when we finally pulled apart, breathless and still tethered by something deeper than words, I knew without a doubt that this wasn’t a dream.

This was real.

This was us.

A dark fantasy. The most breathtaking one I’d ever known.

Heart blooming with love and anticipation, I reached for his hand, my fingers trembling a little with the weight of every sweet word he’d spoken. “Show me,” I whispered. “Show me Venomous.”

A slow, knowing smile spread across his lips, and he squeezed my hand gently before pulling me toward his beautiful blue creation.

It was majestic and it took my breath away. Just like its creator.

Every step we took felt like we were moving deeper into the world he’d made just for me. And as he held my hand and led me, I could already feel the magic of the blue park wrapping around the both of us, pulling us closer to everything his heart loves about me.

He showed me every corner of Venomous, and I could barely process—how he had woven pieces of me into every store, every ride, every detail.

How?

There were things here that no one knew about me— things only my family would have known. And yet, here they were, brought to life in beautiful and creative ways.

He didn’t ask. I know Azariel would never.

He watched.

He studied.

He saw me when I thought no one was looking just like I watched him.

We’re strange, no doubt. Our love language might be sarcasm and lurking from a distance, but hey— sane people flirt, we stalk.

What can I say? All’s fair in love and mild, slightly unhinged but sweet obsession.

Almost half an hour passed as we rode every ride that didn’t involve being flung into the sky. Azariel looked absolutely ridiculous squeezed inside a tiny space shuttle roller coaster with me, his knees practically up to his chest. I nearly died laughing and even took a few pictures with my phone. He just raised a brow like he didn’t care that I was making fun of him.

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