Page 14 of Phantasm
When I pause behind her and pat her hair, she begins to cry all over again. Why is she even here? Has she no backbone atall? I doubt she would’ve had it in her to pull the trigger on the members here tonight.
I smirk at Cecilia over her head. “She’s pretty.”
“Leave her alone,” she bites out, showing her cards, her hands trembling at her sides. I continue patting Lauren’s hair, ignoring the annoying scent of hairspray and cheap perfume. Cecilia cared about the others, but Lauren is her weak spot, and it thrills me to see her so tense.
“How about a trade.”
“A trade?”
I hum, playing with the curly strands, my focus on the task. “A life for a life.”
Cecilia inches closer, curious. “I’m listening.”
Of course, you are.I suppress my smile. “Marry me tonight, and I’ll let your precious friend live.”
She draws to a halt. Her face pales.
“Your life for hers.” I fist Lauren’s hair and pull hard, making her cry out. “Give your life to me, and your friend gets to see another sunrise.”
Cecilia bounces her eyes between Lauren and me, unsure. I see the moment determination sets her jaw, and she nods once like it’s a done deal. “I’ll marry you.”
“Excellent,” I drawl like a villain, then curl my finger at Father Faulkner to join us. “You heard the lady. Marry us.”
He scrambles forward. “Yes, sir. Of course, sir.”
I never take my eyes off my future bride, who’s about to sell her soul to the devil. Why does a spark of excitement shoot through me, and why am I gripped by a sense of possessiveness when I imagine calling this woman mine? I refuse to explore it, but she’ll belong to me minutes from now.
Father Faulkner fumbles with the Bible he brought, his pores dripping sweat. He’s a disappointing sight to behold.
“Anytime today,” I bark, and he jumps several feet into the air. Pages rustle. He mutters something incoherently under his breath. Sinclair smothers a laugh with a cough.
I’m seconds away from putting a bullet in his head, when he finally reads from the book.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the sight of God, and in the presence of family and friends, to join together Darian Delacroix and Cecilia van der Meer in holy matrimony…”
I tune out the rest of his speech.
“What the fuck are you staring at?” Cecilia hisses, barely tolerating my presence.
“My beautiful bride, of course. At least pretend you’re happy.”
She snorts, revolted. “In your wildest dreams, asshole. If it weren’t for my friend, you’d be the last man on earth I’d want to marry.”
“I know,” I reply, unbothered by the vitriol spewing from her sinful lips. “Why do you think I kept her alive? I knew you’d sacrifice yourself.” I can’t quite hold my smirk back.
The priest clears his throat, looking at us pointedly.
“Sorry. I got distracted. My bride is bewitchingly beautiful.”
Cecilia kicks my shin.
Smothering a laugh, I reach for her hand. “I, Darian Delacroix, take thee, Cecilia van der Meer, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward.”
“Now it’s your turn,” the priest tells her, waiting expectantly.
Cecilia takes one look at Lauren and then she stands tall and sacrifices herself. “I, Cecilia van der Meer, take thee, Darian Delacroix, to be my wedded husband…” The rest of her speech becomes background noise.
The moment Father Faulkner declares us husband and wife, I trail my lips to her ear and whisper darkly, “And so the deviltook a wife. Welcome to Hell, Mrs. Delacroix.” I seal it with a firm kiss.
