“What?!”
“I made myself perfectly clear. Don’t worry, with your physical prowess, that shouldn’t be an issue.” She waved her hand. “And don’t worry about being caught or arrested. I can clear any charges or suspicion that arises against you for kidnapping or rape. Murder might be tricky, given your past, but I think I can manage should it be necessary.”
“I’m not going to go out and… and…” He couldn’t even bring himself to say it.
“Why not?” She sighed. “You can try the willing approach, if you’d like. Getting her here will be tricky, but pity sex is a possibility.”
“No…” He straightened. “I’m a Christian. I’m saving myself for marriage.”
Miss Senguine stared at him for a second before breaking into laughter. “Surely you jest! After what you have learned about yourself and the world around you, surely you cannot still believe…” She trailed off as she looked into his face.
Her face darkened. “If you do not do as I say, consider my protective services over. I will not be affiliated with such a target as yourself. I suggest you crush your little feelings and move on.”
He opened his mouth to protest, but she help up a hand. “Dismissed.”
“But I-”
“I said,” she glared. “Dismissed.”
He clenched his jaw and stood. He turned on his heel and left without another word.
*****************
After an uneventful drive home, Jared slumped down at the kitchen table. He needed to talk to Quinn. He dialed her number and leaned back, pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers.
Ring ring. Ring ring. On the fifth ring, she picked up. “Sorry,” she whispered. “I’m grounded right now. They didn’t really like me staying out last night. What’s up?”
“Quinn, I’m in trouble.” Jared took a deep breath. “I got a lot of information, and I’m now completely sure this isn’t a hoax or a cult.” He went on to explain the details of the last conversation with Miss Senguine.
Quinn remained silent the entire time. “What are you going to do?” she asked when he finished.
“I don’t know!” He lowered his voice. “I don’t know, Quinn. Should I just… give up?” He closed his eyes. “I don’t want to lose myself, even if I am a demon. I want to be a good person. I can’t just pick and choose what rules to follow.”
“Everything else I can come up with some kind of excuse for. Most of it happened when I was just a kid, and the priest said I was forgiven for all that crap. Killing someone? It was to defend y- Other people. My mom…” He trailed off before steeling his nerves. “It was self-defense.”
“She’s not asking you to kill someone…”
Jared bowed his head. “It doesn’t matter. I think the law about fornication is pretty clear. And that’s not even addressing rape or kidnapping!”
He racked his brain. Basically, give up his morals or die a horrible death. If it were just him, he would’ve chosen death in a heartbeat. Better to die for a cause he believed in than live without it. But Quinn… If they were right, the apocalypse was coming, and coming soon. The way they discussed humans was like livestock. She needed him.
“This is… really important to you, isn’t it?” she asked slowly.
Jared sighed. “Yeah.” He swallowed. “What do you think I should do?”
Silence. The phone crackled. “Quinn?”
“I’m here. Just… thinking.” She paused for a long moment. “What if you got married first? Then you’d be keeping your little law, right?”
Jared blinked. “I mean, I guess so. But where could I find a girl willing to marry me?”
“If that was your means of proposing, we’ve got a lot of work ahead of you,” Quinn remarked dryly.
Jared jumped from his seat, clutching his phone to his ear. “Quinn… What are you-”
“Don’t. Don’t make this harder than it has to be.” She took a deep breath. “You saved my life, Jared. I don’t think marrying you is asking too much of me.”
“But… Quinn. I can’t make you-”
“You aren’t making me. Isn’t this what you wanted?” She sighed. “About that thing you were going to tell me this morning…”
“Is now really the time for this?”
“Isn’t it? We’re talking about lifelong commitments.” She sounded tired. “I’ve thought it over. You don’t know everything about me, Jared. I’m not very Saintlike. If you knew what I was really like…”
“I wouldn’t care,” he blurted. “You’re all I’ve got, Quinn.” He winced. “I feel kind of stupid for asking, but, uh, I’ve only got until tomorrow evening… Quinn, will you marry me?”
“Yes.” No pause, no excitement, no hesitation either. Just a matter-of-fact statement. “Pick me up tomorrow at eight, okay? At the front door?”
“Sure.” He paused. “And Quinn? Thank you.”
She hung up the line. Jared rubbed his face.
Getting to sleep was going to be a nightmare.
*******************
He awoke to sunlight streaming in the windows. He shot up in bed and looked at his phone. 7:51.
No time to get dressed or anything. He just couldn’t wake up on time, could he? Getting off the consistent schedule of school was really messing up his body clock.
Of all the things to be late for, picking up his new fiancé was probably on the very bottom of the list. Fortunately, her house wasn’t too far away.
She raced out the front door with a backpack over her shoulder. She was dressed casually, her dirty-blonde hair ruffled in messy waves. She ran over to the passenger seat and hopped in. “Alright, let’s go.”
Jared didn’t wait for further instruction and sped off. It was then that he realized that he didn’t know where he was going. “Uh, Quinn? What’s the plan?” He glanced over to her.
With a start, he realized her eyes were puffy. “Hey, are you okay?”
She sniffed. “I’ll be fine.” She managed a smile. “Don’t look at me like that. It’s not your fault. My parents…” She sighed. “They’re not happy, as you can imagine.”
“You told them?”
“Not everything, of course, but I told them the basics. I needed their signature to get married, afterall.”
Jared winced. “Right. You’re not *nineteen yet.” That didn’t make him feel any better about this.
“It’s only a few months.” She stared out the window. “But it’s enough for the law. They didn’t exactly see things my way.”
“You didn’t convince them?”
“No. Don’t worry, I’m sure we can figure something out.” She didn’t sound so convinced. “Let me see your phone.”
He thought she was going to look something up, but she just turned on Google Maps. The instructions led to a courthouse.
Jared hesitated. “We’ve got all day.” He smiled. “And we’re rich. Can’t we do something… I don’t know. Something to enjoy ourselves?”
Quinn looked at him for a long moment. “I guess so. But I think it would be smarter to get the certificate first.”
“Please?” He felt awful. He just pulled a minor away from her parents to marry him. “I’d feel better even if we just got breakfast or something.”
She gave a small smile. “Okay. Let’s see what’s open.”
After a few minutes of navigation, they ended up at a local Denny’s. Jared gestured for her to wait as he got out so that he could quickly run to the other side and open her door. He bowed and gestured her onward. “Milady.”
Quinn rolled her eyes and took his hand to step out of his junk car.
They went in and ordered a single large meal to split. They ate leisurely, taking their time. They probably looked like two ordinary kids, going on a date together. How he wished that were the case.