25. Bruticus

CHAPTER 25

brUTICUS

T he stiff collar of this human suit chafes against my neck spurs. I tug at it for the hundredth time, shifting on the hard plasteel bench outside the IHC courtroom.

"How much longer do I have to wear this torture device?"

"Just a little while longer, love." Maryse pats my hand, her touch soothing away my irritation. "Once we give our statements to Judge Chen, we can finally put all this behind us."

The gentle weight of her fingers on mine reminds me why I'm here, why I traded vengeance for something far sweeter. "You're right. Time to focus on the future instead."

"Oh? And what future plans did you have in mind?"

"Important ones. Like how many children we should have."

Her emerald eyes sparkle. "At least two. A boy and a girl."

"And if the first two aren't one of each?"

"I guess we'll just have to try, try again." She winks, and heat floods my chest at the promise in her voice.

"The court will now hear testimony in the matter of the Rakura IV incident."

The judge's words echo through the chamber as I take my place at the witness stand. My claws click against the polished wood as I recount that dark day - the screams, the blood, the sight of my mother's body. Detective Vorpa catches my eye from her seat, giving me a slight nod of encouragement.

"And you were prepared to take the law into your own hands?"

"Yes, your honor. Until I met someone who showed me a better path."

My gaze finds Maryse in the gallery. The corners of her mouth lift in a small smile that gives me strength to continue.

When it's Maryse's turn, my chest swells with pride. Her voice stays steady even as she describes discovering her father's true nature. A tear rolls down her cheek when she recounts his final moments, but she brushes it away and keeps going.

"He left me no choice. He would have kept hurting people, destroying lives..."

The pain in her voice cuts deep, but she doesn't falter. She tells the whole ugly truth, sparing no detail.

Outside the courtroom, I pull her into my arms. Her shoulders shake slightly as she presses her face against my chest. The familiar scent of her hair - sunshine and citrus - fills my senses as I hold her close.

"There's my favorite unlikely couple." Detective Vorpa's scales catch the fluorescent lighting as she approaches us. "Care to join me for lunch? My treat."

"That's very kind of you, Detective." Maryse wipes her eyes, composing herself.

"Please, call me Vorpa. After everything we've been through..."

Twenty minutes later, we're seated at Valabar's. The maitre d' doesn't even blink at my bone spurs - a testament to the establishment's discretion. The aroma of exotic spices fills the air, but my appetite fades as I watch Maryse push her food around her plate.

"The kreeth curry here is excellent." Vorpa's voice stays carefully neutral. "Though perhaps a bit spicy for human tastes."

"Everything looks wonderful." Maryse's smile doesn't reach her eyes. "I'm just not very hungry."

My chest aches. Three months since that night, and the shadows still haven't left her face. Sometimes I catch her staring at nothing, lost in memories she won't share. The weight of what she had to do - what I couldn't protect her from - hangs between us like an invisible wall.

Vorpa launches into a story about her latest case, trying to draw Maryse out of her shell. But I see the way my mate's hand trembles as she lifts her water glass. The way she flinches at sudden movements. The nightmares that wake her screaming, though she pretends they don't happen.

I'd give anything to take this burden from her. But how do you heal from having to kill your own father? How do you reconcile the loving parent of your childhood with the monster he became? These are wounds my reaper healing can't touch, no matter how much I wish it could.

Vorpa sets down her utensils. "So what's next for you two?"

The question hangs in the air. I watch Maryse straighten in her chair, a spark of life returning to her eyes.

"We're starting a foundation." Her voice grows stronger with each word. "Using father's seized assets to help trafficking victims. Counseling, job training, medical care - whatever they need to rebuild their lives."

My chest swells with pride. This is the Maryse I fell in love with - fierce and determined to right wrongs, even ones that weren't hers to begin with.

"The paperwork's almost finished." I reach for her hand under the table. "We're calling it New Dawn Foundation."

"I can't undo what he did." Maryse's fingers tighten around mine. "But maybe I can help heal some of the damage."

Vorpa's golden eyes soften. "I'm a Vakutan. We don't believe in paying for the sins of our fathers, but there is nobility in what you are doing. If there's any way I can help, please let me know."

The evening air cools my skin as we step out of Valabar's. Vorpa waves goodbye, her scales gleaming under the station's artificial twilight.

Halfway down the promenade, I stop. The words bubble up inside me, demanding release. I take Maryse's hands in mine, marveling at how delicate they look against my ebony skin.

"Maryse." Her name tastes like honey on my tongue. "You are everything I could ever hope for in a companion. My love. My soul. My everything." The collar at her throat catches the light, marking her as mine. "I will never leave you or do you wrong. That's my solemn vow."

Her eyes shimmer with unshed tears. Before I can say more, she rises on her tiptoes and captures my mouth in a fierce kiss. Her passion ignites mine, and I sweep her into my arms.

The steps to our condo pass in a blur. Her slight weight feels perfect against my chest, her fingers tracing patterns on my neck.

"I am the luckiest Reaper in the galaxy."

She laughs, the sound pure joy. "And don't you forget it."