Chapter 25

As soon asthe new council is sworn in and the councilors introduce themselves, explain the changes in government, and reassure everyone that the world is not, in fact, ending, Fox grabs my hand and hauls me out of there like a man on a mission. He up nods Bellamy, who nods back like he knows what's going on, and then we're out of there.

We dressed for the occasion with the council (Fox in his usual battle ready yoga pants, and me in a gorgeous white and cream suit with gold jewelry decorating me), but when we get into the elevator, Johnny (the only person I've ever seen Fox treat with the kind of care that he does the rest of our family) hands Fox a suit bag. They chat about Johnny's new publishing deal, and then Fox leads me to the restroom, where he changes into a hot as fuck charcoal grey, three piece suit. His hair is long enough that he slicks it back into a low ponytail, and after adding diamond cufflinks and a matching tie pin, he holds out his hand and I take it, letting him lead me out of the bathroom.

I have no idea what is happening, so I ask through our telepathic connection. What are we doing?

He responds in kind. We have a reservation at Las Jefas de Cocina.

I've never heard of it, but if Fox changed into his nice suit, it means fine dining. About twice a month Fox treats me to an upscale experience. Sometimes it's luxury dining, sometimes it's a show, and once we went to an escape room experience that was hosted by an off-season ski resort in New Hampshire. He and I like to experience interesting dates, so whatever Fox has planned, it's going to be memorable. I could look up the place, but I like to be surprised.

We portal from Australia back to the US, and Fox casually holds my hand as he walks me out of the building that headquarters the Avatar of Good's operations. Directly across the street is the headquarters for the Avatar of Evil, and while I don't usually go in there, my pupper works there and I've visited him at work a couple of times. The minions are cuter there, and I'm actively working on recruiting at least a few of them to the side of Good.

On the curb outside, Fox leads me to a white limousine. The driver is the cherub that has been newly assigned to us, which is interesting considering that we've basically accomplished this whole coup, and I don't think we need the cherubs anymore, right? We unleashed the universal neutral force, the Avatar of Good was invested in someone new, and we even managed to make other family members important to the whole thing with newly invested werewolf leaders.

I'm not going to question the driver though; she's cute, and I trust her. The limousine is an interesting change. We've never taken a limo. The dads send cars of the Rolls-Royce variety, so this is the first time I've been in a limo. It will be a new experience for me, which I bet is the point.

You realize that you're perfect in every way, and I'm going to have to kiss you as soon as we're in the limo, right?

Fox shoots me a glance but says nothing as he helps me into the limo like the fairytale princess I am. I scoot in and Fox joins me, then the driver closes the door. The separator is already up, so I'm guessing our driver knows where we're going. Once our privacy is ensured, Fox turns toward me. He gently fingers my tie, pulling me close for that kiss I promised him, but I slide to my knees between his legs, smiling up at him.

I didn't say it was your lips I was interested in rewarding. But I do love them, so don't stop kissing me.

I have to make sure he knows that lip kisses better not stop just because his dick needs a French kiss.

Fox smiles down at me, brushing the curls off my forehead. "You're beautiful."

If I'm beautiful just looking up at him, I'm going to blow his mind when I get his dick in my mouth.

I unzip his trousers and pull his quickly hardening cock out. I think we both know this is going to be a quick blow, so I get to it, licking his shaft up and down to get it nice and slick before taking it into my mouth.

Ng. I've always known I was bi, but Fox's dick is the only one I've ever had and the only one I ever want. It's the perfect size and length for sucking. The taste of him makes me hornier than a goathead sticker, and every time I get him in my mouth it's like I've been starving for it. I love sucking his cock almost as much as I love it when he fucks me.

Fox's breath comes in pants as I bob on his cock, pushing the soft head to the back of my throat over and over. The noises that come from him match the pattern of the wet sounds coming from my throat. I love the symphony we make together and milk this moment for every note, tone, hiss, and groan.

"Coming," Fox rasps, pressing up with his hips.

I take him deep, and when the first pulse of his cock swells in my mouth, I pull back to get the taste of him on my tongue. I jack his cock, swallowing every drop of his release, and look up to find him watching me with his brand of intense passion. I will never get enough of that expression.

After he finishes and softens, I suck the excess wetness off his cock and help put him away, zipping him back up and sitting back on my heels. I'm hard and desperately want to come too, but I'm going to wait to get inside my man because he'll be ready for that before I am if I get off now. Well, I could probably do both, but if I save it, then I can dick him down twice tonight.

Fox helps me up and onto his lap, kissing me deeply. His mental voice drifts through the haze of lust clouding my resolve to wait for my next O. I love you, Romily. My soul's mate.

I smile at that, pausing our kiss. And you said humans don't have soulmates.

You're not human.

The reminder makes me think of all the things I've learned that I haven't told him yet.

Gwendolyn told me that the scar on my neck is a magical scar, not a surgical scar like I'd been told. I'm voiceless because my stepfather stole my elven magic. Most of it. There is a kernel that protects me and gives me the long life that elves usually have.

Fox studies me, looking for what, I don't know. Well, I bet he's looking to see if he can figure out how I feel about my power being stolen from me when I was a baby.

I was angry about it for a few minutes, but I'm over it. Anger isn't going to change anything, and the man who stole my magic and mutilated me is dead. I can't ever get it back, and I'm still ok because I'm here now. I should have had a different life, but who knows if that different life would have led me to this moment, and I'm not going to sit around moping when I have you and our family, our beautiful life, and everything in between. I mean, we changed the world today. I'm putting that on my resume. Unique qualifications like that don't just spring out of nowhere.

Fox chuckles softly as the car comes to a stop and our driver informs us through the speaker that we've arrived.

I love Fox's laughter because he so rarely does it, and I revel in having made him laugh as he rearranges us. The door opens and Fox steps out, turning to offer me a hand. I take it and let him pull me out of the vehicle, then take in the classic design of the restaurant. A doorman opens the door for us, and Fox leads us in, taking us to an elevator. A bellman takes us up to the top floor of the building, and we step out of the elevator into the quiet din of a cozy restaurant with a view over the city.

The ma?tre d" gives Fox a polite bow, inviting us to follow him to our table without Fox even giving him a name. My man is famous—well, probably infamous, but it counts.

The ma?tre d" takes us through the restaurant to another elevator, and accompanies us up to the roof where there are candlelit tables set spaced far enough apart to ensure privacy; there's no one else out here except a violinist playing softly on a raised dais. Fox holds my chair out for me, and I sit, then watch him take the seat next to me rather than across the small square table.

The ma?tre d" introduces our server, a beautiful woman in her mid-thirties with a long dark braid. Her name is Jana, and she offers us a wine selection, but Fox tells her to bring the house wine. After she goes, his hand slides to my thigh. "Amos is a silent partner here. It's run by a couple of Argentinian sisters who have each earned the three star Michelin rating. We're going to have the house special tonight, because that's what you do when you're presented with the opportunity to dine like this."

I love that Fox knows me well enough to know I have no idea what to do. He's not shy about acknowledging my inexperience and educating me.

Thank you for bringing me here,I tell him, leaning over to kiss his scruffy cheek.

His deep brown eyes meet mine, and he looks at me like the world would end if I wasn't in it. Mine certainly would if he wasn't in it. "When you disappeared, I would have ripped Fae asunder to find you. I would have left a trail of blood and bodies a mile wide in my wake. I did not like not knowing where you were."

Gwendolyn cursed me so that I can teleport to you from anywhere. I can also teleport to her throne room, but she's smart enough to make you my final destination. I will always return to you. Nothing can keep me away. So you should take that into account when you're making plans for the future, my love. I can always get to you now.

"Good," he declares in a rough, gravelly voice that makes my dick twitch.

Jana returns then with table bread and our wine, and Fox goes through that tasting ritual that I've seen in movies, which is weird, right? He's not a—what's the word for wine connoisseur? Sommelier? I don't know. Anyway, he's not an expert here. Unless…

Well, he's been alive since the invention of wine. Maybe he is an expert?

Either way, he approves the wine and Jana pours us both glasses of it, leaving the bottle with us. Fox tells her that we'll each have the house special, and she leaves again.

Fox cuts the bread and butters it, then instead of giving it to me, he tears a little piece off and holds it to my lips.

Awww, is my man trying to be romantic? How cute is that?

Also, he is romantic, so I open my mouth and let him feed me the bread. It's amazing, the best bread I've had since the last time I had bread made by Chef Trellis at the fathers' house, but more than that, it's Fox doing something for me that he's never done. He must've caught me thinking about it when Sterling and Jethro were being lovey dovey at breakfast.

Fox alternates feeding me bites and taking his own, kissing me between each. After the slice of bread, he pushes his chair back and invites me to my feet with an outstretched hand. I take it, of course, because I always want to hold his hand, and I'm always going to want to do what he wants. He pulls me to his body and moves, leading me in a slow dance to the violin music.

I love being this close to him. I love being in his arms and swaying, and I've even gotten better at actually doing a box-step with him. He's a patient partner, and when I get a little frustrated with myself, he has me step on his shoes, dancing with me that way.

Gah, he's the perfect date.

After a dance, our appetizers arrive, and he feeds me small amuse-bouches from a plate with six little bites. Silently we talk as we eat; we talk about anything that floats through our heads—the mental connection between us growing stronger as we do. My brain is never quiet, and we end up Googling some things, like what a sommelier is.

Fox tells me that he enjoys wine. He discovered grape wine as a young man and at one point, he collected wine. He stopped when his wine cellar was trashed by an enemy in the fifteen hundreds. Now if he buys wine, he drinks it so he can enjoy it. The way he treats food, I didn't expect that from him. I love learning new things about him. I'm not in a hurry to learn everything; we have an eternity together ahead of us. We have time, but I do love when we get to converse about things that aren't work related.

After a delicious meal, there's a bit of a bustle from the dais, where a familiar figure now stands behind a microphone. His dark mahogany skin shines as a spotlight is set up on him, and he smiles at us, his only audience. It takes me a second to remember that he's the siren that sang during my first date with Fox. The violinist starts a new song, and the man starts singing.

The music pulls all the romanticism of this date to the surface. I let myself get lost in how truly special this night is, how much I love Fox, how amazing every moment with him is, and that longing inside me to never be parted from him. I move in as close to my Fox as I can get and am rewarded with my lover's arms coming around me. He presses his forehead to mine, and together we revel in the magic of the music, the deep connection of the moment, and the beauty of our love.

Fox's breath hitches, stirring me from the reverie, and I open my eyes. He's staring at me and slowly lowers himself to his knee, holding up a ring with a diamond so big it looks like a rose in full bloom. "Romily Capricorn Butcher, you are the joy that brings sunshine to my life, a radiance that I have never seen in three thousand years of life. All that I am will always be yours, and I want nothing more than to call you my husband. Will you honor me with your hand in marriage?"

There is no reality in which my answer is anything but an enthusiastic yes.

Yes!!

I shout that in his head and nod so that the witnesses on the dais can also see that I am fully committed to marrying this man.

I hold out my hand and he slides the ring on my finger. It fits like it was made for me (it was) and shines beautifully in the candlelight. The cut of it is round and sparkly, and that's all I know, but damn, it's perfect. The band is wider than the usual engagement ring and is formed from a gorgeous Celtic knot pattern.

I lean down and kiss him senseless, and applause erupts like we have an audience. It startles me enough that I jerk back from my fiancé. Near the entrance, our family is grouped, clapping for us. I didn't even notice them arrive. Everyone important to us is here, even the people new to our family, Gwendolyn, Akile, Ace…

Well, almost everyone. Darcy is missing, and it strikes me that his absence is notable. He really is part of this family, isn't he? Dammit. I'm going to have to do something about that.

Fox huffs a laugh, standing with me as the crowd of our family joins us, offering us hugs and congratulations. Champagne appears, toasts are made, and the people who matter the most to me, the people who're going to be a part of my happily ever after, celebrate the beginning of it with me.

Life's good, isn't it?