Siren's Fall [Siren's Mark: Book 2]

Chapter 65

𝔸𝕧𝕒

We've been back in Zane's house in London for almost a week now, but I'm still aching from our battle with the Demon Kings.

Of all the dumb reasons my body decides to ache, this one actually kind of makes sense.

I guess I can check 'Fight with Lucifer' off my bucket list now.

Tonight, Zane has talked me into going out on a late-night date. That date turned out to include a very long hike.

Great.

I don't know what about me screams 'I would enjoy exercising in the cold', but he is very, very mistaken.

We come to a still pond sparkling in the moonlight.

It's pretty, but not worth the leg cramps.

"You like it?" he asks.

"It's pretty," I say.

"Do something for me."

"What?"

He steps behind me so that my back is touching his chest and wraps his arms around my waist.

"I told you I had a surprise for you."

"This isn't the surprise?" I ask.

"Nope. Ready?"

"I guess so..."

He jumps, lifting me up in the air with him, but our feet don't return to the ground. We're lifting higher and higher until I realize we're flying over the pond. We go higher still, over treetops. The wind in my hair is cold, but the feeling is exhilarating. I giggle as we soar over forests and rivers.

"Bend your knees," he says.

I do, and he descends. A building appears in a small clearing ahead—a real-life stone castle. We land on the roof, overlooking the hills below.

"Wow," I say. "That was amazing. Why have we never done that before?"

"It's hard to find the right unpopulated areas," he says with a laugh.

"What is this place?"

"An old castle. It's an historic monument now."

"I like it."

I sit down on the stone rooftop and he sits beside me.

"Ava," Zane says with a serious voice. He's shaking slightly and chewing on his lower lip. "I want you to know, I love you more than anything. When I imagine my future, you're the only constant."

"I love you too," I say.

"You and I are... messy and imperfect and yet... we make sense in the most honest way."

He pulls out a small box roughly the size of his palm and my heart nearly skips a beat.

"There is no part of me that doesn't love every part of you. Will you be my wife?"

He opens the box to reveal a gold knot bracelet like the ones other Sirens wear—the marriage knot.

I take a deep breath in, unsure what to say. Does he really want to be with me? Forever?

"Can I ask you something?" I say.

"Su- sure," he says.

"If you knew back then... about my health... and all my baggage... would you have chosen not to love me?"

"I never had a choice," he says with a smile. "I loved you from the start. But would I choose you all over again? Of course. I will always choose you. Every single time I get the chance."

"Yes," I say. And he pulls me in for a kiss.

*****

We walk back to the house hand-in-hand, my new bracelet on my wrist. There are lots of lights on inside and I hear loud chatter and music.

"I guess everyone is still awake," I say.

We open the door and head to the living room, where we are greeted by a loud cheering crowd of our friends and a sign that says 'Congratulations'.

"I hope you said yes," Kieran says, "'cause otherwise this would be really awkward."

"And I would have come all this way for nothing," Jen says, popping out from behind Kami.

"Jen!" I scream, running up and giving her a big bear hug.

"Okay, okay," she says. "Don't squish the goods!"

I laugh and release her.

"She's wearing it!" Kami squeals.

"Congratulations, boo!" Jen says.

Finn and Morgan hand us each a champagne glass.

"Congratulations, Killer," Morgan says with a smile.

"You know, as Demon King, I'm pretty sure I could be your officiant," Kieran says.

"Oi!" Finn says. "We get it, you're Demon King! You have a kingdom of Incubi and Succubi to do your bidding, you're very impressive."

I laugh and Kieran scowls.

Right here, right now—I have everything I ever wanted. Zane was right, we never had a choice.

Zane was a decision my heart made for me, right from the beginning.

There was never a question. Only an answer. Only a line from my heart to his, ever tugging us closer. To our future. To this moment. To us. Forever.