Page 50 of Devils and the Dead
His eyes widened. “Oh, hell no.”
I giggled. “Bibs. We’ll all eat pomegranates. Maybe have one of those hands-free pie eating contests. Or a food fight.”
“My darling, I will gladly sign on for pie-eating or food fights for our real marriage.” He tilted his head as he regarded me, his gaze warm. “But we should plan on something more intimate and informal for our temporary, get-out-of-elfland marriage.”
Darling. He’d called me darling. The implications of that endearment sent a rush of heat through me. Yes, I was not-so-slowly falling in love with this guy. He was goofy, nerdy, and kind. He was smart, creative, and dependable. He was gorgeous, and I loved every moment I spent with him.
“I can do informal and intimate,” I teased. “We say a few words. I eat a fruit. Do we need to consummate this marriage afterward? Please tell me we need to consummate the marriage.”
Red surged up Hade’s neck clear to the roots of his hair. “It’s not necessary. I mean, for the spell to work, we don’t have to do that. But we do need to kiss. Is that okay?”
He was so silly. Shy. And adorably awkward. “Yes, it’s more than okay.”
I was on board with more than kissing, but willing to take this as slow as he wanted. He was risking everything, offering me this. I didn’t want to push the envelope too far and take a chance I’d destroy what we’d been building over the last few days.
He looked down again. “When you return, I really want to show you the afterlife I’ve created—The Underworld. I hope you’ll like it, that maybe we can spend some time there. On dates or something. It’s my home. Or it will be once I’m done with all these contracts in hell.”
“I’d love that.” I reached out to touch the pomegranate, thinking that we should probably do this informal, intimate marriage ceremony tonight. Maybe back at my house, where if that kiss led to something more, we’d have a nice comfortable bed nearby.
Shit. I’d completely forgotten about Maude. I hadn’t told him about Maude yet. My smile faded, thinking that this whole thing might be blown all to hell once I revealed my secret. Hades had risked everything to tell me his past hurts, and to offer me this out. I couldn’t let him marry me—even a temporary marriage—without him knowing what I’d done.
I twisted my fingers together, took a deep breath, and looked up at him. “There’s something I need to confess to you before we go any further. And I totally understand if you want to rescind your offer. I understand if you never want to see me ever again. I…I did something really bad. And I lied by omission to you. I know that might be a deal breaker, but I just need to get it all out on the table.”
“What is it?”
His voice was so gentle, his gaze so kind that I almost cried.
“I’m…I’m the necromancer who stole that soul from heaven,” I blurted out. “I didn’t mean to. Addy and I were under attack, and I panicked. I raised zombies from a nearby family cemetery, and when I returned them all to their graves, one didn’t go back. She’s been living with me ever since, and I’ve been trying to figure out how to fully resurrect her. She wants a second life, and since this was all my fault, I vowed to do everything I could to make that happen. But clearly I suck as a necromancer, because nothing I do works, and she’s this zombie who can’t leave my house. But then I met you and found out that her being gone is causing you problems and might end up causing a war between heaven and hell, and I don’t know what to do. The angels won’t be happy until she’s returned, but I made her a promise. It’s such a mess, and I understand if you never want to see me ever again.”
There. Done. And while it felt very cleansing to tell him, I was miserable, worried about Maude’s future. And Hade’s and my future—which might now be nothing.
“Hey.”
I glanced up at his soft word and blinked away my tears.
“I already knew you were the one,” he said. “I’ve known for a day now. The souls were called to defend the Hoffman farm against demons, and when I interviewed the demons involved, they told me about you and Addy. You were there. Your sister was being attacked. You’re a necromancer.”
I sucked in a breath. “You knew? And you didn’t turn me in? You didn’t tellanyone? Not even Lucien?”
He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Of course I didn’t turn you in, Babylon. These past few days have taught me how kind and generous you are. I’ve seen how you care about those you love as well as those you feel responsible for. We all make mistakes. I admire you for working so hard to correct yours and to help this woman. And I’m honored you trust me enough to tell me your secret.”
“You’re not mad?” I whispered. “You don’t hate me for not telling you right away? Or for doing dark magic?”
He sighed. “Babylon, I built the very structure of hell. Dark is in the eye of the beholder. There is nothing wrong with necromancy. Many are afraid of those who have power over the dead, but I simply see it as yet another magic—one that intrigues me. You did what you needed to do. Your only error was in not having the training or the knowledge to perform the magic you attempted. And that’s not your fault. You grew up in a family of witches where no one has ever been gifted with necromantic magic.”
“But I didn’t tell you,” I insisted.
“You’d just met me,” he countered. “I’m not foolish enough to expect you’d confide all your secrets to me over French toast within hours of our first meeting. I hadn’t told you I’d been married. You didn’t tell me you were living with a zombie you’d raised and were trying to resurrect.”
He was right. And I realized all the worry I’d had over trusting him had been in vain. Hades was kind, understanding, and I could one hundred percent trust him.
I loved him. And I hoped when this was all over, that eventually I would wear his ring for real.
“What are we going to do about Maude?” I asked. We. Because I knew he’d help me with this just as he was helping me with everything else I was facing.
He stood, then came around to take my hand as I rose from my chair. “Well, I think the first thing we should do is go to your house so I can meet this Maude. Then the three of us can discuss possible courses of action. I feel she should be a part of this discussion, given that she is more than the usual zombie and that you’ve made her promises.”
He was right. I stepped in to brush my lips against his cheek, then smiled up at him.
