“This isn’t a perfect world, thank God.”
Anna couldn’t stand it any longer. “Idiot!” She hit Edward’s chest, but then remembered and frantically tore at his bloody sleeve.
“Darling, what—?” Edward sounded nonplussed.
“It’s not enough that you had to fight that awful man,” she panted, her vision half obscured by tears. “You let him hurt you. You’re bleeding all over the floor.” Anna got the sleeve open and felt dizzy when she saw the terrible gash marring his beautiful shoulder. “And now you’re probably going to die.” She sobbed as she pressed her handkerchief, pitifully inadequate, against his wound.
“Anna, sweetheart, hush.” Edward tried to put his arms around her, but she batted them aside.
“And for what? What was worth dueling that horrible man over?”
“You.” Edward spoke softly, and her breath caught midsob. “You are worth anything and everything to me. Even bleeding to death in a brothel.”
Anna choked, unable to speak.
He brushed his hand tenderly along her cheek. “I need you. I told you that, but you didn’t seem to believe me.” He took a breath and his eyes glittered. “Don’t ever leave me again, Anna. I won’t survive the next time. I want you to marry me, but if you can’t do that…” He swallowed.
Her eyes filled with tears anew.
“Just don’t leave me,” he whispered.
“Oh, Edward.” She sighed as he framed her face with bloody hands and kissed her tenderly.
He husked across her lips, “I love you.”
Distantly, she heard a whoop and several catcalls. The viscount cleared his throat nearly in her ear.
Edward lifted his head but kept his eyes on Anna’s face. “Can’t you see I’m busy, Iddesleigh?”
“Oh, indeed. The whole Grotto can see you’re busy, de Raaf,” the viscount said dryly.
Edward looked up and seemed to notice their audience for the first time. He scowled. “Right. I need to take Anna home and get this”—he gestured to his shoulder—“seen to.” He glanced at the unconscious Lillipin, who was now drooling. “Can you take care of that?”
“I suppose I’ll have to.” The viscount pursed his lips in distaste. “There must be a ship sailing somewhere exotic tonight. You don’t mind, do you, Harry?”
The green-eyed man grinned. “Sailoring will do this lout a world of good.” He grabbed Lillipin’s feet. Viscount Iddesleigh took the other end, none too gently, and together they lifted Chilly Lilly.
“Congratulations.” Harry nodded at Anna.
“Yes, felicitations, de Raaf,” the viscount drawled as he walked past. “I do hope I’ll merit an invite to the impending nuptials?”
Edward growled.
Chuckling, the viscount sauntered out, holding half of an unconscious man. Edward immediately clamped a hand around Anna’s arm and began pushing her through the mass of people. For the first time, she noticed that Aphrodite herself watched from the edge of the crowd. Anna’s mouth dropped open. The madam now stood a head shorter than previously and had catlike green eyes behind her golden mask. Her hair was powdered with gold dust.
“I knew he would forgive you,” Aphrodite purred as Anna threaded her way past; then she raised her voice. “Drinks on the house for everyone in celebration of love!”
The crowd roared behind them as Anna and Edward ran down the front steps into the waiting carriage. Edward thumped on the roof and collapsed on the cushions. He hadn’t let go of her for a second, and now he pulled her into his lap and covered her mouth with his own, taking advantage of her parted lips to thrust his tongue in. It was several minutes before she could draw a breath.
He drew back only to deliver a series of little nips along her bottom lip. “Will you marry me?” he breathed so close to her that the air from his body whispered across her face.
More tears blurred Anna’s eyes. “I love you so much, Edward,” she said brokenly. “What if we never have a family?”
He cupped her face in his hands. “You are my family. If we never have children, I will be disappointed, but if I never have you, I will be devastated. I love you. I need you. Please trust me enough to be my wife.”
“Yes.” Edward was already nibbling a row of kisses down her neck, so it was hard for her to get the word out, but she said it again anyway, because saying it was important.
“Yes.”
Epilogue
The West Wind flew with Aurea to a castle in the clouds surrounded by wheeling birds. As she stepped from his back, a giant raven alighted beside her and transformed into Prince Niger.
“You have found me, Aurea, my love!” he said.
As the Raven Prince spoke, the birds drifted down from the sky and turned one by one into men and women again. A great shout of exultation arose from the Raven Prince’s followers. At the same time, the clouds dissolved from around the castle to reveal that it sat at the summit of a great mountain.
Aurea was dazed. “But how is this possible?”
The prince smiled, and his ebony eyes glinted. “Your love, Aurea. Your love has broken the curse….”
—from The Raven Prince
THREE YEARS LATER…
“And Aurea and the Raven Prince lived happily ever after.” Anna closed the red morocco leather book softly. “Is he asleep?”
Edward shifted the silk screen so it would shade the toddler from the afternoon sun. “Mmm. For some time now, I think.”
They both looked at the deceptively cherubic face. Their son lay on ruby-red silk cushions, piled in the center of the walled garden at the Abbey. His short limbs sprawled, as if sleep had overcome him in midmotion. Rosebud lips pursed over the two fingers in his mouth, and a gentle wind stirred his raven curls. Jock lay beside his favorite human, unconcerned by the chubby hand that clutched his ear. Around them, the garden bloomed in full glory: Flowers spilled onto the pathways in multicolored exuberance, and climbing roses nearly covered the walls. The air was filled with the scent of roses and the hum of bees.
Edward reached over and plucked the book from her hand. He set it down next to the remains of their luncheon; then he took a pink rose from the vase in the center of the picnic cloth and shifted closer to his wife.
“What are you doing?” Anna hissed, although she had a very good idea.
“Me?” Edward tried to look innocent as he trailed the rose over the tops of her exposed breasts. He didn’t succeed nearly as well as his son.