Since Urian was supposed to be the sponsor for this godforsaken event, he opened the door to collect his sister-in-law. At the request of his wife and Cassandra, he’d worn his long blond hair down around his shoulders and he was dressed in an elegant black silk tuxedo. He didn’t know what it was about women that they liked his hair down, but … whatever.

If it made Phoebe happy and got him laid, he’d oblige her.

“Are you ready?” he asked Cassandra.

Standing in the bedroom, she was dressed in her wedding gown, with her long strawberry-blond hair down around her shoulders. She wore a silver crown intertwined with fresh flowers.

She fidgeted with her hem. “Is Wulf ready?”

He nodded. “He and Chris are waiting for you in the main complex.”

Kat handed her the single white rose that was wrapped with red and white ribbons.

Cassandra took the rose.

Phoebe and Kat took their places in front and led the way. Urian came into the room to offer Cassandra his arm so that they could walk behind them.

For some odd reason, Cass had wanted the wedding outside, but after much laughter and refusal, they’d finally rented the open merchant area. Shanus and several council members had gone out of their way to bring hydroponic plants and flowers to simulate a garden center. They’d even constructed a small fountain.

Cassandra hesitated as they entered the complex. Urian arched a brow at that. Given how pregnant she was, he hoped she wasn’t getting cold feet.

“I’ll take it from here.”

Urian inclined his head to his father-in-law, whom he had yet to meet, but Phoebe had warned him he’d be here for the event.

Cassandra gasped. “Daddy?”

“You didn’t really think I’d miss my baby getting married, did you?”

“But how?”

He indicated Wulf with a nod. “Wulf came to the house last night and brought me here. He said it wouldn’t be a wedding for you unless I came, and he told me about Phoebe. I spent last night in her apartment with her so that we could catch up and then surprise you.” His eyes teared up as he stared at her stomach. “You look beautiful, baby.”

She threw herself into his arms, or at least as close to that as she could given her distended belly, and held him tight. “Should we call the wedding off before you drown us in tears?” Kat asked.

“No!” Cassandra pulled herself together with a sniff. “I’m fine. Really.”

Her father kissed her cheek, tucked her hand into the crook of his arm, and led her to Wulf. Kat and Phoebe moved to stand behind Chris while Urian took his place by Phoebe’s side. The only other person present was Shanus, who stood back but watched them with a friendly expression that said he was more than happy to bear witness to the event.

Urian kissed Phoebe’s hand as he remembered marrying her, and he hated that she hadn’t had her father present for their wedding. To her credit she didn’t say a word about it as her father wrapped the ribbons around Cassandra’s and Wulf’s hands.

Once he was done, their father began speaking the words to bind them together. “It is through the night that we are—”

“Light,” Urian whispered loudly, interrupting him.

Her father’s face flushed a bit. “I’m sorry. I had to learn this rather hastily.” He cleared his throat and began again. “It is through the light that we are born and through … through …” Her father hesitated.

Amused by the fact that their human father was completely clueless, Urian came forward to whisper in his ear.

“Thank you,” Mr. Peters said. “This ceremony is nothing like ours.” Urian inclined his head and stepped back, but not before he gave Cassandra a wink to let her know he had her back.

“It is through the light that we are born and through the night that we travel. The light is the love of our parents who greet us and welcome us into this world, and it is with the love of our partner that we leave it.

“Wulf and Cassandra have chosen to be with each other, to ease their remaining journey and to comfort one another in the coming nights. And when the final night is upon them …” Her father stopped as he teared up again.

Ah, good grief. If this kept up, Cassandra’s baby would be born and graduate before they got to the end of it.

“I can’t,” he said quietly.

“Daddy?”

Her father stepped back as a tear fell down his cheek.

Phoebe rushed forward and wrapped her arms around him.

Cassandra started for him, but Phoebe stopped her. “Finish it, please, Uri.”

Phoebe escorted their father off to the side.

Great … he’d rather be denutted. Sighing, Urian moved to stand with them and marry his worst enemy to his wife’s sister. Someone kill me now. “When the final night is upon us, we vow to stand together and ease the one who travels first.

“Soul to soul we have breathed. Flesh to flesh we have touched. And it is alone that we must leave this existence, until the night comes that the Fates decree we are reunited in Ouranlie.”

Great, now Cassandra was starting to cry.

Urian stepped to the pedestal that had the same gold cup he’d used to marry Phoebe. He brought it over to Cassandra. “Normally this would be the blood of both of you combined, but since neither one of you is particularly gung ho for that, it’s wine.”

He handed the cup to Cassandra, who took a sip and then gave it to Wulf, who followed suit. Wulf handed the cup to Urian. As was the Apollite custom, Wulf bent down and kissed her so that the taste of wine was mingled with them.

Urian returned the cup to the pedestal and finished the ceremony. “Here stands the bride, Cassandra. She is unique in this world. Her beauty, grace, and charms are the legacy of those who have come before her and will be gifted to those who are born through her.

“This man, Wulf, on the other hand, stands before us a product of …” Frowning, Urian paused. “Well, he’s the product of a bitch who can’t stand the thought of Apollo’s children ruling the earth.”

“Urian, behave!” Phoebe snapped.

He bristled at her command. “Considering the fact that I just bound a member of my family to one of the people I have sworn to annihilate, I think I’m being remarkably good.”

Phoebe cast him a glare that loudly proclaimed he’d be sleeping alone for at least a week.

Maybe longer.

Urian curled his lip at Wulf. You utter Muppet bastard. “Fine. I’m glad I didn’t say what I really thought,” he muttered under his breath.

Louder, Urian returned to the ceremony. “It is your similarities that brought you together and your differences that add variety and spark to your life. May the gods bless and protect your union and may you be …” He paused again. “Well, you already are blessed with fertility so we’ll skip that.”

Phoebe growled low in her throat.

Urian cast another murderous glare at Wulf. “May the two of you enjoy every minute left to you.”

Then Urian tied the ribbons into a double knot, although he would rather have knotted them around Muppet’s throat.

Chris and Kat led the way back to the apartment.

As soon as they could, Urian and Phoebe left with her father in tow.

Which made for an awkward silence as her father treated him more like a bad lab experiment. It didn’t matter that he’d saved both of Jefferson’s daughters. The man just continued to treat him like shit.

“I don’t bite.”

“Sorry. It’s just I’ve heard so much about Daimons from my wife and daughters. But you’re the first one I’ve ever met.”

“It’s okay. I get it. Kind of like human kindness and compassion. I’ve heard of such mythical beasts, but I have yet to encounter them personally. Keep hoping to, though.”

Urian decided to leave Phoebe alone with her father and let them catch up. But as he walked around the underground city, he kept having the strangest premonition.

He saw himself in the past. Alone. And he heard someone weeping, but he didn’t know who.

It was so strange. But not as strange as him being here tonight, the son of Stryker who had been tagged to annihilate Phoebe and her bloodline. Now being the very one who’d married Cassandra to Wulf, his enemy, so that they could safeguard that bloodline for all time.

Apollymi was right. It was the ultimate betrayal. He was his father’s right hand. The only one Stryker trusted.

And tonight, he’d just stabbed his father in the heart.