The King of Clubs 3
Page 16
I burst out laughing.
“Also not an acceptable response.”
“Yes, you idiot, yes!”
Connery grinned like the cat that got the cream and slid the ring onto my waiting finger.
“I’d have preferred it without the ‘idiot’, but you are who you are and I wouldn’t change you for the world.”
“We’re getting married?” I still couldn’t quite believe it.
“No. This is just an elaborate ploy to trick you into sex.”
“We’re getting married.” It was happening.
“If you’ll have me.”
I threw my arms around him and heard him gasp in pain.
“Sorry.” I pulled back.
Connery massaged his ribs. “You know; you may have been right about the sex thing. But in a week, when I’ve got my strength back, I am going to turn your world upside down.”
“You already have.” I sat back. “I’m marrying a vampire.”
“You’ve come a long way from hunting us.”
We had a party that night to celebrate. With some help from me, Connery managed to dress and get himself out into a chair. Sharpe showed up with a bottle of champagne, Katya brought cake and was by turns perplexed and honored when Connery asked if she would be his best ‘man’.
“I don’t know anyone better,” he explained.
“Then I guess… yes. Thank you.”
Violet, of the VTs, brought along gifts from those members of the team who remained in London, and the best wishes of Marco, who had written a long and vividly explicit email. My friend Petersen from the Topside police arrived, with a gift from himself and his family.
“My wife and I have been looking for another couple to hang out with.”
“Really?”
“Yes. How do you feel about charades?”
“That sounds brilliant.”
He smiled. “You’ve changed. I mean, you’re still Ursula but… Now you’re Ursula who’s found her smile.”
I grinned. “I had help.”
An astonishing hamper of goodies arrived from the Boy King, sending his congratulations and promising to make Lundercity a place that we could grow old in together.
It was a long and wonderful evening, friends drifting in and out as the party continued. Not so long ago, there had been not a person in the world I would have called a friend. All of a sudden – or so it seemed to me – I had a heap of friends and a fiancé, as well. How the fuck had that happened?
My life had changed. It had become even more violent and dangerous than it already was, but it had also become tender and loving, things that I had never thought would happen to me. I could never forget what had happened to my parents – nor would I want to – but I could now see it in a different way. They had died doing what they loved and what they believed in; reaching out to vampire communities, believing to death that humans and vampires could unite. They would be so fucking happy and so fucking proud. And they would have loved Connery.
When everyone was gone, we snuggled up in bed together, managing to find sleeping positions in which Connery was not in unbearable pain. As Connery drifted off, I stayed awake, my mind still racing. Being a human had been of vital importance in taking down the 1st King of Clubs. Might it be similarly important during the invasion of the King of Hearts? Perhaps. But once that was over…
Change could be good – the last six months had proved that to me beyond doubt – but one thing I never wanted to change was me and Connery being together. I knew that he would love me no matter how old I got, but I didn’t want to say goodbye to him ever. Once the war was over, maybe it was time for me to become a vampire. I wasn’t scared anymore.
On the other side of the world, an army was massing against us. They were in for a shock. Because I had something to live for; the man lying beside me.
And for him, I wanted to live eternally.
The Undercity Chronicles Continue in
The Queen of Spades!
More books by Savannah Skye:
A House of Cards
The King of Hearts 1
The King of Hearts 2
The King of Hearts 3
The King of Clubs 1
The King of Clubs 2
The King of Clubs 3
Her Demon Harem: Reverse Harem Duology 1 (The Succubus Chronicles)
Her Demon Harem Book Two: A Reverse Harem Fantasy (The Succubus Chronicles 2)
A Witch's Harem: Reverse Harem Fantasy
Kidnapped by the Dragon Harem
Her Vampire Harem
Her Howling Harem 1: A reverse harem fantasy
Her Howling Harem Book 2
Her Immortal Harem Book One
Her Immortal Harem Book Two
Her Warrior Harem
Her Selkie Harem
Her Deadly Harem
Her Werewolf Harem
Her Mercenary Harem
Her Forbidden Harem
Her Shadow Harem
Her Guardian Harem
Hard Lesson
Hard Sell
Axe to Grind
Breaking Colt
Better to Eat You
Saving Grace