Page 70 of Killer of the Bells
Instead of getting angry, Echo laughed softly. “You did that for me, didn’t you?”
I nodded. “It was something you enjoyed. I wanted it to last as long as possible.”
Echo’s face split into a grin. “I can’t believe I didn’t realize. The minmaxers were all acting so weird. I should have known you had something to do with it. You’re just as crazy as I am, aren’t you?”
“Very likely more so, I’d wager.”
Echo wrapped his arms around my neck and said, “Good. I couldn’t imagine a better guy to bind my soul to. If we ever meet this Cal guy, I’m going to have you thank him for me.”
“I’ve met him. It was an incredibly mediocre experience, and I have no desire to experience it again.”
“You are such a bitch,” Echo said merrily, like it was a good thing. “I love that about you.”
“That’s good, because I’m not likely to change.”
“Please don’t. As for Cal, maybe I can send him an email.”
“I’d leave him alone entirely if I were you. He’s not in control of the magic he uses, so it’s better to avoid contact with him if at all possible.”
Echohmmed, leaving me unsure if he would heed my advice. Then he said, “I’d rather not leave town if you don’t mind. I really want the title this year. You keep swiping it from me, and it’s been driving me nuts.”
I cocked my head, and my eyebrows drew together as an idea came to me. “Do you want to team up?”
“Really?” Echo looked tempted, but then he frowned. “If you were able to terrify all the fae into making sure no one wins, then it would obviously be easy to just make them let us win. That’s no fun at all.”
I gave Echo a sly smile. “Not if I don’t rescind the order not to let anyone win.”
“Oh my god. You’re horrible. I love it. Let’s do it.”
My mind raced as I thought about the challenges we’d find fighting against a horde of confused humans and terrorized fae fighting tooth and nail to prevent anyone from winning because I’d told them to. It would be far more challenging, especially if I didn’t allow myself to kill them as I pleased.
“Can we get the rest of your family in on it?” Echo asked, dousing my thoughts in cold water.
“Why on earth would we want to do that? Also, can you please not call them my family? It makes me feel sick.”
“It’s for family bonding! Your family needs to love me if we’re gonna stay with them,” Echo said, completely ignoring my request.
“You want us to stay with the collective?”
“Don’t you?”
For the first time, I allowed myself to ask what I really wanted from my life. If I wasn’t going to obsess over finding a cure for my curse—the curse that would now guarantee that Echo would live a long life with me—then I had to decide what I wanted out of life.
Other than drowning myself in Echo, that is. I doubted he would put up with it for long.
“I don’t… hate the idea,” I admitted.
“So, what you really mean is that you adore your villainous household and can’t bear to be parted from them?”
I coughed. “I wouldn’t go that far. They’re tolerable.”
“Oh, really? Am I tolerable too?” Echo snuggled into me and gave me puppy eyes.
“You are indispensable.”
“I love you too, Vale.” Echo yawned. “Can you do a magic thingy on me? All the blood loss and excitement have me feeling exhausted.”
“Anything for you.” I kissed Echo’s forehead and allowed the magic to flow from me to him, filling his body and repairing anything that needed mending.
