Free Blood of the Gods (The Vampire from Hell Part 5) by Ally Thomas

itself hard against the bones of my rib cage as if it was reaching out for Blick’s touch.
    “What’s that?” I yelled.
    “My heart beats for you, and yours shall beat again, for me, forever, if you’ll have me?” Blick asked me.
    As my heart restarted itself, I heard his thoughts invade my mind.
    Rebirth for any celestial being begins with the honesty in their heart and soul.  Only through death can you truly have life.  I’d be honored to marry you.
    He caressed the curve of my face and tapped me a time or two on the chin.  Feeling his touch again after so long halted my breath.
    “I’m going to kiss you now in front of all these people…” Blick began.
    “Not just yet,” Demetri called out, instantly appearing at my right side.  “Let us do this properly.  Shall we?” Demetri motioned to Blick.  “Stand here please.”
    Blick took my hands in his and did as Demetri asked.  Out of the corner of my eye, I wondered if I had seen Demetri wink at Blick.  A secret between the two?
    As the crowd grew excited, Grace pulled up to my left side and whispered in my ear.  “Rayea, if I didn’t know better I would say this looks like a makeshift wedding.”
    I forced a laugh out of my clenched teeth.  “They can’t be serious,” I muttered, feeling my fangs want to declare an objection as well.  What about a gown, guests, the usual wedding celebration on Earth things? I thought.
    “It’s Demetri’s plan to flush em out.  Trust me, it will be okay.  We have to get you judged and out of here,” Blick assured me.  “Then we can start our life together.”
    The realization hit me square in the face.  I was about to be married in the same place I had awaken from only moments before.  Flush who out?  I was to be judged too?  I had hoped that by killing Beelzebub, my judgment had been forgotten.  And yet here I was.  Only in death could I achieve stability, I thought. “Wait!”
    Go along.   Blick’s words bounced into my head.
    “Rayea, what’s wrong?”  Blick whirled me around to face him, becoming angry.  “You don’t want to do this?”  He threw up his hands in disgust, adding more drama to the situation than I thought it deserved.  This wasn’t like Blick.
    “Of course, I do.  I asked you!  Remember?  But we can’t get married alone.  I want my mother here and Ra, your loved ones, J and G, Grace and Demetri here, and Lynn.  Everyone I love.  I want them to witness our union.  Is that too much to ask? All these friends of ours.”  I used the word ’friends’ loosely because I didn’t want to call them former walking skeletons.   Was this a resurrection of the dead I had participated in? “All these friends of ours here,” I continued.  “We should invite them to a proper place on Earth or somewhere and make it a banquet, a real celebration.  Don’t you think?”  I held my breath, waiting to see what would happen.  I had always joked with Demetri about my being confident enough one day to propose to my man.  If that had anything to do with whatever he and Blick had cooked up, I dealt my hand and waited for the consequences.
    Blick gathered me up in his arms again, holding me against his chest.  Bravo , his mind whispered to mine.
    Demetri clapped his hands and spoke to Jax, the white fluffy wolfhound I had saved who bounced over to him.  “I think we can come clean now.  Don’t you?” Demetri asked the dog.
    Blick wrapped in his arms around me again, this time protectively.  “It’s all about theatrics with these people.  Don’t worry.  I’ve got you.”
    Sensing danger from his actions and certainly from hearing his words, I let my fangs fall forward, and backing my body into Blick’s tall frame, reached out for Grace.  “Drop your fangs, and get over here,” I ordered Grace as I pulled her by the wrist toward me.
    Demetri announced to Jax.  “You have the floor.  I shall return.”  With a sudden whirl of his body, Demetri slid next