She and Demeter make their way to the altar and stop a few steps away. Hermes clears her throat, looking delighted by this whole experience. “Who gives this woman’s hand in marriage?”
“I do.” Demeter moves forward and places Psyche’s hand in mine. She smiles sweetly as if delighted to be here, but her low words drip poison. “If you do anything to bring my daughter harm in any way, I will gut you and leave you for my pigs.”
I’ve heard rumors about Demeter and her pigs, but I’ve never been able to substantiate any of them. “I’ll take that into consideration.”
“See that you do.” She presses a kiss to Psyche’s cheek and then moves to sit next to Persephone in the front row.
We stand before the altar, and all I can do is stare at Psyche. This woman, this brilliant and fierce creature, will be mine in truth the moment I slip my ring on her finger, the moment we both say “I do.” This was only meant to be a way to keep Psyche among the living, but sometime in the last twelve hours, it’s turned into something else altogether. I will keep this woman safe.
Fuck, I’m just going to flat out keep her.
I barely listen to Hermes, barely manage to repeat the proper words to get this thing done. My hands actually shake as I slip the giant diamond onto Psyche’s ring finger. I’m undone.
For her part, my new wife doesn’t seem to have the same problem. Her voice is perfectly even as she repeats the same vows. Her fingers are cool against my skin as she slips the ring on. She smiles sweetly at me, and I surprise myself with how badly I want it to be real.
“You may kiss the bride.”
I don’t hesitate. I step forward, closing the distance between us, and cup her face. If I were a better man, I’d never touch this woman with hands that have committed such violence, but I’m selfish right down to my core. I kiss her, filling that one moment with so much promise, she’s melting against me.
Someone—I think Eris—clears her throat, and I manage to lift my head, though I don’t drop my hands. I smile down at Psyche. “Hey.”
“Hey,” she whispers.
“We did it.”
She wraps her hands around my wrists and gives me a little squeeze. “We’re not done yet.”
With that in mind, I lace my fingers through hers and we turn to face the room. Helen and Eris have careful expressions in place, as if they still can’t quite believe this happened. I expect I’m going to hear it from both of them later when they have more time. Demeter has an excellent poker face, but I’ve seen her use that same serene smile before systematically cutting her opponents off at the knees. Hades glowers, but he always seems to glower. Persephone beams, but I don’t miss the promise of violence in her hazel eyes.
This marriage is going to set off all sorts of chaos.
Strangely enough, I can’t wait.
Hermes makes a happy sound. “I now present to you, Mr. Eros Ambrosia and Ms. Psyche Dimitriou.”
Demeter stands and crosses to us. “Congratulations.” She takes my hands, her nails digging into my skin even as her expression remains happy. “Welcome to the family.”
This was the plan, but I can’t help a shiver of unease. There’s no going back now. We can only live with the consequences. “Thanks.”
“Family dinners are Sundays. No exceptions. See you next week.” She presses a quick kiss to Psyche’s cheek. “We’ll talk later.”
“Of course.” My wife doesn’t look shaken in the least.
Wife.
Mine.
I wrap that possessiveness surging through me in chains of silver and shove it deep. There’s no space for feeling this right here, right now. Behind us, Hermes gives a giggle that raises the small hairs on the back of my neck. “Now you’ve really done it. Aphrodite is going to be so pissed.” She nudges my shoulder as she walks around me and grins at Psyche. “Good luck with that. Hope you survive to your first anniversary. I left a gift for you up in the kitchen. Enjoy!” She skips down the aisle, moving with the bouncing joy of a child despite the fact that she’s at least as old as I am, if not older.
Persephone and Hades are next, though he stands a few feet back and glares at me while she gives her sister a hug. “Call if you need anything.” Persephone looks at me. “If you fuck with my sister, my mother’s pigs will be the least of your worries.”
We watch them leave the room and I chuckle. “Charming family you have.”
“You’re lucky Callisto didn’t show up. She probably would have beaten you over the head with the closest blunt instrument.”
I glance at her. “Everyone in Olympus thinks you’re such nice girls.”
“Everyone in Olympus sees what they want to see.” She narrows her gaze as Helen and Eris approach. “Case in point.”
Both women have the Kasios family features. High cheekbones, Roman noses, full lips. Helen is built a little more petite than Eris, and her hair is a lighter brown with red undertones, but no one would look at these two and assume they’re anything but related. Eris is gorgeous, but Helen is… There are no words for what Helen is. She’s got the kind of flawless beauty that brings cities to their knees and sends entire armies to war. She doesn’t play it up—if anything, she downplays it—but she still commands the attention of any room she walks into.
Eris raises a dark brow. “Congrats, I guess. Though, since Aphrodite was conspicuously absent, I don’t like your odds at experiencing a blissful honeymoon period. She’ll be meddling the first chance she gets, and she plays dirty.” She gives a wicked grin. “How long do you give them, Helen?”
Helen smacks her sister on the shoulder, her smile strained. “Can you save the doomsday talk for the day after the wedding, at least?”
“Where would be the fun in that? Things are finally getting interesting.”
I open my mouth, but Psyche beats me to the punch. She leans against me and smiles at the two Kasios sisters. “You’re underestimating Eros if you think Aphrodite can get the best of him.”
Eris opens her mouth, but Helen elbows her and glares. “That’s enough.” She turns a brighter smile on Psyche. “We haven’t gotten to know each other, and I’d like to. I’m having a party next Friday. Both of you should be there.”
“A party.” I feel the way Psyche tenses, but she doesn’t show it outwardly. Still, I can’t help giving her a little squeeze as I say, “I was under the impression you’re under house arrest.”
“And yet I’m standing right here, my house nowhere in sight.” Helen’s smile takes on a mean edge, her amber eyes lighting up. “My brother is getting a little too high and mighty since he became Zeus. We might be related, but he doesn’t own me. If I want to have a reasonable sized group of friends over for some light revelry, I’m going to do it.”
Eris laughs, the sound promising all sorts of trouble. “If it pisses him off, all the better.”
“Don’t act like you’re above doing exactly that!” Helen nudges her sister. “He told you to behave, too, and you spent all yesterday day drinking with Dionysus.”
“I like Dionysus.” Eris shrugs. “He knows how to have a good time, he keeps his hands to himself, and he has the sexiest friends. It’s a win-win.”
As much as I normally enjoy their bickering, I am ready for this part of the event to be over. “We’ll see you next Friday.”
“Good.” Helen loops her arm through Eris’s and tows her sister down the aisle and out the door.
Now all that’s left is the photographer.
Psyche smiles at him, some of the tension bleeding out of her body. Here, she’s in her element. “Thank you so much for attending. I’d like a few staged shots in addition to what you already have.”
He smiles. “Sure.”
I zone out a little as they discuss options. It takes ten minutes before they settle on four shots and then another thirty to get pictures both Psyche and the photographer are satisfied with. He looks up from his camera. “These are great. I can have them cleaned up and to you by tomorrow.”