11. “Sounds good, doesn’t it?”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

"SOUNDS GOOD, DOESN'T IT?"

"Are you sure?" Jace, the real Jace, gives me a once-over and frowns.

I laugh and turn to look at myself in the mirror again. Considering my brand-new tailor-made suit is rotting somewhere in the sand dunes of hell, this is the next best thing. And I love it even more.

Just a simple black T-shirt under denim overalls and my precious everyday sneakers are the perfect wedding outfit.

After all, that's how Lucian met me. Regular, old Yu-jin. Well, young Yu-jin. And I met him like the pristine demon with one hell of a suit. Isn't it better to claim each other in the way we are and not pretend we're somebody else?

"It's your wedding." Jace sighs. He flattens the fabric on top of my shoulders as if it needs ironing and looks at me through the mirror. "Are you okay?"

I appreciate the question. We went through hell and back yesterday. Literally. And it couldn't have been easy for him, seeing Lucian taken prisoner, being left behind uncertain of what was happening, unable to do anything to fix it.

"I'm okay." I cover his hand with mine and give him a reassuring smile. "I just want to get married before the whole world descends on us."

"You've got quite the luck, you two."

"You can say that again." I sigh and glance at Brimfang sleeping with one eye open by my feet.

After what happened, neither she nor Lucian will leave my side. I would complain, considering my new bonded creature makes me even more powerful, but I love her company, so why would I?

"You've got quite the luck, you two," Jace says, and even Brim lifts her head to glare at him.

"There, see? No one thinks you're funny," I tell him.

He rolls his eyes.

"Oh, leave me alone. I take my joys where I can find them."

I snort and shake my head.

"Oh my goddess, don't be so miserable again."

"But—" he starts.

"If I hear one more time about Sorrowhand failing you in necromancy, I will slit my wrists. And it won't even do me any good."

"You say that because you don't have my problem anymore."

I turn and face my best friend and purse my lips.

"What?" he asks.

I glance at my closet and cock my head.

"Well," I start and head toward it, "I was going to wait until after the wedding, but oh well."

I open it and retrieve the big box wrapped in red with a matching bow.

"This is for you." I pass him the box and watch him eye it with suspicion.

"What is it?"

"The answer to your problem."

He raises an eyebrow and looks back at me.

"You didn't buy me a…"

"I sure did. Consider it a little present for your help with my problem."

If it hadn't been for Jace, I would never have been able to order a summoning kit for myself. I wouldn't have met Lucian, and he wouldn't have freed me from my tormentors.

"Yu-jin! You shouldn't have. I'm supposed to buy you a present. It's your wedding day."

I wave him off and bend to pet Brim.

"I don't need anything. I've got all I could ever need in my life. I've got you. And you, Brim. And Lucian. My mom's store. What more could a boy ask for?"

Jace sets the box down and pulls me into his arms for a tight hug and whispers thank you against my neck.

"Now, come on. There is one more thing this boy needs, and that's to get married. Stat."

I chuckle, place my hands lower on the small of his back, and open my wings.

"That's a great idea."

I fly out the window and soar high into the sky. Jace's eyes fill with wonder, and I can't help but feel good for putting that on his face. He's such a good guy. He deserves everything in the world. Whatever his secrets, whatever his hardships, he deserves it all. Even love if he wants it.

"That was…wow." He's still reeling when we land in front of the St. Frances Church, and as we open the heavy double door, I see a familiar face coming out.

"Ty!" I smile at the ghost tour guide from the other day.

He looks absolutely shaken. White as a sheet. And even when he looks up at me, he's still too overwhelmed by whatever's going on to remember me.

"Do I know you?"

"We took your tour last week? We're the ones who asked if we could get married here?"

Recognition flashes across his face, and he looks at Lucian deep inside the church.

"Oh. That's…that's your fiancé? Oh, that's right."

What's happening? Why is he acting like he's seen a ghost?

"What are you doing here?"

He shakes his head as Brimfang appears beside him and makes him jump.

"Shit. Sorry. Don't be afraid. She's harmless." Unless provoked.

"I…I need to go," Ty says and hunches his shoulders as he passes between Jace and me, as if disgusted to touch us.

"What's his problem?" Jace asks.

I shrug and move farther into the church.

It's stunning. Candles are lit all around us, whether naturally or by magic, I don't know, but they make this moment feel…holy.

Jace walks down the aisle with me, and I set my eyes on the prize. My Lucian. My beautiful, wonderful man. The man who saved my life.

"Hey," I tell him.

"Hey," he says back, offering me a bouquet of blue roses. "For you, my darling man. Unique, just like yourself."

Their smell tickles my nose, their scent soothing.

"You look wonderful," he says.

"So do you." I take a moment to revel in this moment under his bespectacled gaze, standing beside him in his black suit that hugs every inch of him to perfection.

This is real. This is…really happening.

"Are you ready?" A man coughs in front of me and makes me jump.

I've been so focused on Lucian that I didn't even notice the officiant.

"Sorry. Yeah. I'm ready. Are you?"

Lucian smiles back at me and shakes his head with amusement.

"What do you think?"

The officiant looks from me to Lucian to his book with a big grin and starts the ceremony.

"Oh, what was Ty doing in here?" I whisper.

Lucian leans closer and whispers back.

"He came in saying there's been a murder. Then, when he saw me, he freaked and ran back out."

Hm. Strange.

Why would he think there's been a murder?

Unless…

Is it possible he could sense the officiant Lilith killed yesterday?

"Maybe he can speak to ghosts?" I shrugged, and Lucian turned his attention to the officiant.

"As we stand here today, celebrating love conquering all, I invite Lucian and Yu-jin to share their vows of devotion with us."

"You first," I say when Lucian turns to me.

Lucian grins, takes my hands, looks into my eyes, and opens his mouth.

"My dear Yu-jin, I spent so long looking for my purpose in life. For meaning beyond…my nature." He glances at the officiant, as human as they come, before continuing, "And then I met you, and everything changed. I gave up on people a long time ago. I simply didn't believe there was anyone worth saving. But you? You came and crushed all my beliefs, all my previous experiences, all my preconceived ideas, and shattered them to pieces. You made me believe in people, but most of all, you made me believe in love. So here's my promise to return that love, the trust you put in me, tenfold from here to forever after." My heart must grow twice its size because I can feel it thrumming in my ears.

How did I get so lucky?

"Your turn," he says.

"Oh," I say. "Um…ditto."

Even the officiant laughs.

I clear my throat and squeeze Lucian's hands back.

"Lucian, my beautiful Prince Charming, you came into my life like a knight on his white horse and gave me new meaning. Gave me a new life. Nothing I could say could ever be enough. I could never express how much I love you. But I can show you. For the rest of our lives." I lift my toes and press my lips to his ear. "Long as they may be."

He smiles back at me and my heart goes even wilder. Like it's trying to jump out of my chest.

Today marks the rest of my life, the first of many years, centuries even, with my demon Prince Charming.

Sounds good, doesn't it?