Raphael gripped her hand tightly as her eyes opened. They were unfocused at first, and her breathing was too fast. He saw panic flash across her face.
“Breathe slowly,” Raphael said. The minute the order came from his lips, Maria stilled and rolled her head to face him. Her eyes quickly cleared as she saw his face. Her fingers tightened in his. And it came flooding back. The warmth in his chest that Raphael only ever felt when Maria was around. Only now it was spreading through his body like wildfire as Maria smiled, her eyes filling with tears. Raphael tried to breathe through the lump that was gathering in his throat.
He had no idea what was happening to his body. But he realized he had always felt cold. Until Maria, he had been devoid of knowing what warmth even felt like.
Now he had it, he wasn’t sure he could live without the addictive feeling.
“Raph—” Maria winced as she tried to speak.
“Shh,” Raphael ordered.
But Maria didn’t obey. Raphael’s body locked still when she clutched his hand tightly. “You . . . came . . .” she managed to whisper. She flinched again and looked down to her chest. The comforter lay over her body, but the top of the upturned cross was visible. Maria squeezed her eyes shut. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed the soft skin. She smiled. Raphael climbed into the bed beside her.
As he lay down, pulling her closer to his body, the door to his room opened. Just as they had done every night after dinner, Raphael’s brothers came in. And they slept, all together, like they had done for so many years as children.
Maria’s eyes widened as Michael sat on the chair he had recently been occupying. Sela and Diel sat on the couch, and Bara and Uriel on the chairs beside her. Gabriel was the last through the door. “Maria,” he said, smiling wide. “You’re awake.”
Raphael watched Maria’s eyes glisten. He tensed at first, thinking she didn’t want his brothers in the room. But then she smiled, and he realized she was crying because she was happy. She was happy with them . . .
“Thank you,” Maria said and met each of their watchful gazes. “Thank you . . . for coming for me.”
They all nodded.
“It was fun.” Bara lounged back in his seat. “It was the most fun we’ve had in a really long time.” He sighed. “I say we make Brethren-hunting a thing. Like an annual event or something.”
Sela lit the fire, and Raphael listened to his brothers talk. Maria curled into Raphael, placing her head on his shoulder, listening too. As she fell asleep, he kissed her forehead, calmed by her rhythmic steady breathing.
When he lifted his head, he saw his brothers watching him strangely. None more so than Gabriel. But Raphael ignored their strange looks, closed his eyes, and went to sleep too. He didn’t know what their stares meant.
In that moment, he didn’t care.
*****
Another week passed. Raphael walked through the rose bushes in the greenhouse, checking the blooms. Hearing the door opening behind him, he turned to see Maria walking toward him. Five days ago she had risen from the bed. The upturned cross on her chest had almost healed, and her strength had almost returned.
He hadn’t fucked her yet. Raphael’s hands itched at his sides. Because he wanted Maria in his bed. He wanted her underneath him . . . and he wanted her hair in his hands. Raphael wanted to wrap it around her throat. He wanted to make true his greatest dream. He wanted to embalm her and keep her in his coffin, then she would never leave him again. He would always be warm.
“I knew you’d be here,” Maria said. The sunrise was bright behind her, the light framing her head. She looked like an angel. Maria ran her hands over the newly flowered blooms. When she stopped at the white rose, Maria plucked off a stem and held it to her chest. Raphael’s lips parted at the sight.
She walked toward him, stopping as she reached his feet. Raphael towered over her. Maria was in his clothes again. He liked her in the white dresses. But seeing her in his clothes did something to his chest. It made it ache. He had no idea why.
Her blue eyes stared up at him. Maria reached for his hand and brought it to her chest. “I told you I would return,” she said. Raphael watched his hand in hers. She took a deep breath. Looking up at his face, Maria offered the white rose to Raphael. “Here,” she whispered. Raphael frowned. Maria swallowed but held her chin high. “For me to hold in the coffin.”
His heart kicked into a sprint, excitement flooding his body. Maria nodded, answering his unspoken question. “I’m giving myself to you, my lord. All of me. I want you to have your dream. I’m going into this willingly.”