Scarlet Nights (Edilean 3)

“That’s Greg?”

“Yes. We think he divorced his wife so his marriage to you would be legal.”

“Wife?” Sara said. “Does he have children?” She held up her hand before Mike could speak. “No, don’t tell me. I don’t want to hear the extent of my blind stupidity.”

“You aren’t stupid. The Vandlos have been cheating people for centuries.”

“Great. I’m historically dumb.”

Mike’s eyes showed his amusement.

“I take it they planned to do away with me after the marriage.”

“We think so,” Mike said. It was too late to sugarcoat the truth. “And Stefan would inherit whatever you have that only he knows about. We certainly don’t.”

Sara’s face lit up. “That’s why he made the people of Edilean hate him. He planned to use their dislike of him as an excuse to take me away from here so he could … so he could murder me.”

“Yes,” Mike said softly, “that’s just what we think he aimed to do.”

Sara was quiet for a moment, her hand at her throat. “So why did he want Merlin’s Farm?”

“Good question,” Mike said. “But it could be as simple as Vandlo getting angry at Lang about something, then wanting revenge.”

“Greg did kill the dogs, didn’t he?”

“Probably. Sara, there’s more. I’ve spent the last hours doing a lot of planning. I talked with my captain and I also made some arrangements with your parents.”

“My parents?” Again, she waved her hand. “Don’t let me interrupt you. Tell me what your plan is.”

“I need to do whatever is necessary to take the Vandlos’ attention off of you and put it on me.”

“What does that mean? You go in shooting?”

“That was my first choice.” He was watching her intently. “But they have relatives, so if I shoot them, more Vandlos will come after you in their place. Sara,” he said slowly, then stopped.

“You’re frightening me again. What horrible thing do you want me to do?”

“Marry me,” he said simply.

“What?”

“If you marry me, then the Vandlos will have to kill me before they can get to you.”

“Oh,” Sara said. “Oh.”

Mike felt his ego deflate by half, but then he wondered what he’d expected, that she’d run to him and say she wanted to marry him? He got himself back under control.

“I want you to marry me in secret. Now. Tonight. Tomorrow morning I have to return to Fort Lauderdale, and until Vandlo gets back I don’t want anyone here to know we’re married. I’ll return for the fair, then I plan to let everyone know that you’re no longer free to marry someone else.”

When she said nothing, just sat there and stared at him, he continued. “Sara, don’t worry. You don’t have to stay married to me, and in the meantime, we can keep living separately just as we’ve done. We can arrange living any way you want, but I want it legal between us. If Vandlo gets whatever you have, he’ll have to take me out first.”

“I …” She didn’t know what to say.

“It’ll be all right, I promise. As for the marriage ceremony itself, it’s all been set up with your parents.”

“My parents? I think I’m old enough—”

“That’s not what I meant. Your mother is the mayor, and people owe her favors. Tonight she called them in and got a license for us on a Sunday night. Are you ready to go?”