The Struggles of Marrying a Demon {Completed}

Honey, Honey

The 'human wedding' was one thing. At least with that, Mabel had known what to expect.

But now?

Now . . . she wasn't so sure.

"Is this going to hurt at all?" she asked warily, her eyes wide as she watched Colby scribble on a piece of parchment.

Packer spoke up from his spot in the corner of the castle's throne room. "Do not worry, Mabel. Do you honestly think Aleron would ever harm you on purpose? Or at all, really."

It only took a half-second of thought for Mabel to come up with an answer. "No, he would never." 

"Exactly," Packer agreed, treading closer and peering over Colby's shoulder. "So, do not worry. This will merely solidify your bond, until it is unbreakable."

Well, that doesn't sound so bad, Mabel decided, her shoulders relaxing. At the very least, a stronger bond would hopefully allow her to avoid another near-death experience. "Okay, but if we're going to do this, don't we need Aleron? Where is he?"

She hadn't seen her new husband all day; Thora had been the one to pick Mabel up after work, and had taken her down to Hell with nothing more than a cheery, "It's going to happen tonight!"

"It," being the bonding ceremony Aleron had mentioned when he'd first proposed. Now that they had satisfied Mabel's needs (double-chocolate cake, matching rings, and all), it was time for them to be bonded the Hellish way.

"I am here, Little One," Mabel squeaked with shock as her guardian's voice rumbled directly into her ear. Spinning to the side so fast he barely caught her before she toppled over, Mabel grinned up at him.

"Hey, Al."

He returned her smile with one that was so soft and full of love that Mabel was sure everyone could see her heart melting. "Hello." He dropped a kiss on the top of her head, the obsidian band he'd crafted to match her own glinting as he tugged at one of her curls. "Are you ready?"

Eyeing Packer and taking comfort in the former warlock's nod of encouragement, she placed a kiss on Aleron's cheek. "With you, Al? Absolutely."

Her husband's lips dusted over her brow as he murmured, "That is my brave Little One." His attention moving over her shoulder, he nodded at the other men. "Let us proceed."

They stood in front of Colby and Packer a moment later, their hands clasped as Colby started chanting, reading the words off the parchment he'd been fiddling with earlier. A soft red glow appeared on the spot above Aleron's heart, starting as a dot before growing into a line as it traced a path down his arm. It spread through his palm and fingers before crawling up Mabel's arm and settling over her own heart, truly connecting the pair.

Mabel had never felt so close to another being before that moment; she could feel Aleron's heartbeat and see his emotions as if they were her own.

Excitement. Adoration. Love.

A beat later, and it was over. The line faded, but they were still connected, and Mabel grinned stupidly at her demonic husband. "I know you don't like human expressions, but I love you." She declared. "Like, a whole bunch. As much as anyone can love anything."

Aleron laughed brightly, tucking her into his chest and pressing his face into her hair. "And I love you, Little One. Always."

***

When Mabel had told Aleron about the human tradition of going on a honeymoon after a wedding, her precious demon had been befuddled.

"You escape with your partner?" he'd asked, his brow furrowed. "Into the wild? For what purpose?"