Goddess of the Rose (Goddess Summoning #4)(108)

"Asterius! It's me! I just wanted to surprise you."

His look darkened. "I said begone, nightmare creature!" He closed on her.

Mikki squealed and stepped back, blurting the first thing that came in her mind. "The first night we met you put a rose in my wineglass!"

As if he'd run against a wall, Asterius halted.

"Mikado?" he said tentatively.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you." She sighed when he still didn't seem to thaw. "You know, as often as you've rejected me, it's a wonder we've ever gotten together at all."

"Mikado!" He lunged forward, pulling her into his arms.

His powerful body was trembling so hard he didn't seem to be able to do more than just hold her and repeat her name over and over again. She held him in return, touching him and murmuring wordless endearments, until his shaking stopped and he was able to loosen his grip on her.

She looked up into his beautiful, terrible face, which was wet with tears.

"How did this happen? How can you be here?" he asked.

"Hecate gave me a choice."

"But the realm - your blood - it is safe, eternally. The goddess said that after your sacrifice, no other Empousa's blood would be needed to make the realm thrive, not for an eternity."

"I know. I chose the eternity, and I chose to spend it with you."

At first his eyes were blank and then understanding flashed joyously across his face. "We will never be parted?"

"Never," she said.

"Then the threads - they were not tormenting me. They were showing . . ." He broke off, unable to speak through the swell of emotions.

"They were showing you our happily ever after. And, yes, my love. That particular dream has finally come true."

Slowly, he bent and kissed her, cupping her face between his massive hands. Mikki wrapped her arms around him and held on to their future - their eternity.

In the shadows, Hecate smiled and patted one of her great beasts on his dark head.