Page 151 of Sweet Venom

After exploring every corner of Venomous— which, I swear, could rival a small state— we stopped at a tiny building nestled beside a blue rose-themed ride. At first, I thought it was a bakery. But no.

It was a tea party. A literal tea party spot.

I blinked, completely stunned.

Hell, I still think I’m dreaming all of it.

We sipped tea and nibbled on delicious pastries that oddly tasted like Azariel’s Aunt Mila’s recipes while talking about everything and nothing all at once. I was completely in awe of it all as I talked his ear off about every new idea I came up with for the trilogy.

And he just sat there calmly with the tiniest porcelain teacup balanced in his massive hand, looking at me like every word I said was sacred to him. Like I was reading him “The LittlePrince”instead of rambling about plot twists and morally gray romance leads.

But now the sun is gone leaving room for only the moon and stars. The deep black of the night sky stretched above us, and the deep blue and green glow of the park’s eerie lights reflected the mist rising from every mountain surrounding us.

Wow.

If heaven did exist… this would be it.

Azariel carried me on his back in silence, his footsteps steady beneath us as we made our way through the lighted paths. I rested my chin on his shoulder, enjoying the ride but also noticing it.

He’s been suspiciously quiet for the past few minutes.

We were heading toward the large open space near the biggest fountain in the park— a breathtaking centerpiece that shimmered under the glow of blue and green lights. Water danced high into the air, catching the moonlight like tiny diamonds.

It was ethereal.

And yet, all I could think about was the quiet tension in his shoulders, the way his thick fingers gripped my legs just a little tighter.

Something had shifted from the tea place to now.

But… what?

“Azariel…” I whispered against his shoulder.

“What?” he asked, his voice low and steady.

“Put me down…please.”

It was thepleasethat did it.

He didn’t argue. He just paused for a second, then gently lowered me to the ground like I was made of glass. His hands lingered at my waist for a moment longer than necessary, as if he didn’t want to let go.

I looked up at him, unable to stop the soft smile that tugged at my lips. “You’re being weird. What’s going on?”

He didn’t answer right away— just lifted his gaze to the sky, and I instinctively followed.

“Azariel?” I whispered.

“My father told me once that he was the night sky and mom was everything that shone in the dark” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, though his words felt like they were vibrating in the air between us. “I didn’t understand how something could shine in total darkness until I met you.”

I held my breath as I looked up at him completely in awe of everything he said.

“Do you want to see what you do to my world Poe? Do you want to see what I see when I look at you?”

Oh…

Words were stuck in my throat but I managed a small nod.

Right then, a firework shot into the sky with a loud crack startling me. It exploded in a brilliant burst of electric blue, painting the heavens above us with its soft, glowing hue. I gasped, my eyes wide with wonder. Each firework that followed seemed to be even more mesmerizing than the last, splashing the sky with shades of cobalt, indigo, and deep, midnight blue. Just like the park.

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