Page 130 of The Darkness is Calling

I smile, though she cannot see my face.

“I don’t believe you. By the way, give me your engagement ring.”

I extend my hand, and she stares at me, shocked.

„Why?”

„You really think we’re getting married with that idiot’s ring still on your finger?”

She clenches her teeth and, thankfully, says nothing else, because that would only drag the moment out even longer. And time is not on our side. Soon, we will be surrounded by police.

She hands me the ring with a near-violent motion – that make me fall harder for her – which I slip into my pocket. Then I pull another one from inside my jacket – the one I had made especially for her, with a diamond in the center and sapphires all around it, just like her beautiful eyes.

I turn my attention back to the priest and gesture for him to hurry with the hand holding the gun.

“As short as possible, Father. And skip the part about ‘freely and willingly,’ please.”

He clears his throat and presses his lips together, but after making the sign of the cross, he begins. “We are gathered here today...”

Yar makes a sound close to a growl, reminding me that he warned me from the beginning that my wedding idea would cost us precious minutes.

I don’t like it when someone else is right and I am not.

“Go straight to the vows,” I say the sharp order to the priest.

“Yes,” he quickly agrees, swallowing with difficulty. “Ekaterina Borislova, do you take...”

He looks at me. With this mask on my face, I don’t think even my father would recognize me. But I cannot know for certain, because he didn’t attend the wedding the way he was supposed to.

“Just an angel,” I answer the priest with a calm and confident voice, making him blink with confusion.

“Do you take this angel to be your husband?”

She doesn’t answer. If her fury could produce smoke, I would see nothing around me, and I would be covered in soot.

“Tick-tock, Ekaterina, or I start removing one person for every second I waste here.”

But in my earpiece, I hear the voice of one of my soldiers positioned outside the building.

“Twenty seconds. One car is arriving even sooner, but we’ll eliminate them before they reach the cathedral doors.”

I tighten my fingers around her waist, causing her a little pain, I’m sure.

“Ekaterina, I will shoot them.” Is time for threatening.

“Yes! Fine!” she snaps, like a spoiled child.

“And I do!” I rush to say with an enthusiasm worthy of Sasha.

But the priest insists on doing it his way.

“Angel... do you take Ekaterina to be your wife?”

“Yes,” I say again, normal this time.

“By the power vested in me by God, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

I turn my head toward Katya just as the priest utters the ordinary words giving me permission to kiss her. I don’t need anyone’s permission to wrap one hand around her throat and pull her toward me. I turn my back to our wonderful audience and lift my mask, pressing my lips to hers.