Page 56 of Unholy Night
My stomach does a somersault. WellthatI can oblige.
“And that beautiful girl of yours,” Jessica continues. “Her greatest Wish is that you will be her father.”
My heart fills with pride.
“I don’t think you’re supposed to tell me their wishes, are you?” I glance at my sister and fight my smile.
“If I don’t you’d never figure it out.” She pokes my shoulder. “I’m your big sister. It’s my job to take care of you.”
I roll my eyes, but there is no fighting my smile this time.
She takes my empty glass from me and I walk away from them both. Nicholas chuckles his trademark laugh and I don’t even care anymore. All that matters is Lyla and Mandy.
I find them talking with Mother Earth, who doesn’t often make an appearance at my holiday parties. This year she looks tired, which makes sense given the abusive relationship she’s in with humans.
I greet her and admire her gown of vines twining her strong, mountainous body.
She bows her head, sending golden leaves falling over us. “It is good to be here. I needed a break,” she says, before heading to the group of demons playing a strange kind of game that looks like bobbing for apples but involves rotten sacks of puss.
Once I have the attention of Lyla and Mandy, I guide them to a special spot in a snow-covered garden with glowing winter flowers casting a blue hue over us.
Mandy smiles knowingly as I bend onto my knee and hold up the first box, opening it to reveal an Art Deco ruby and diamond engagement ring. “Lyla my love, this last year with you has been the stuff dreams are made of, and I never want to wake up without you by my side. Will you do me the honor of marrying me and becoming my queen?”
She gasps, one hand going to her heart, her eyes filling with tears. “Really?” The word is a whisper, carried on the wind.
Does she still doubt she is the most desirable woman in the world? I’ll have to work harder.
I stand and move toward her. “Yes, really.”
I can smell her desire to say yes, but she looks to Mandy first, which I fully anticipated. “What do you think, bunny?”
I pivot to the girl about to become my daughter and take a knee again. “I have a gift for you as well.” I open the second box and hold it out to her. A small ruby and diamond ring, much more modest than her mother’s, but magicked to grow with her so she never has to have it sized. “Will you do me the honor of being my daughter?”
This is the part she didn’t know was coming and she shrieks and throws herself into my arms. “Yes, yes, yes!” She says in Demon, making me chuckle.
She quickly pulls away and nudges her mother. “Mommy, say yes.”
Tears stream down Lyla’s face as she nods, and I slide the ring onto her finger and pull her into my arms, kissing her deeply, parting her lips with my tongue and pressing her body into mine. As we kiss, Fuchsia initiates the rest of my plan and fireworks light up the sky, taking the shape of silver hearts.
When our kiss ends, Lyla looks up and smiles, then glances at her ring and sighs. “You have made me the happiest woman alive,” she whispers.
I lean into her, my lips brushing against her ear so only she can hear me. “You’ll be even happier later, I promise.”
She smiles up at me, her face radiant, her eyes glowing as Mandy hollers to all our guests, “My Mommy is going to be Queen of Hell! And I’m going to be Princess of Hell.”
“Long live the queen,” I whisper, kissing my fiancé once more.
THE END