A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton, Skulduggery, Gists or anyone else you might recognize.

I woke up, cradled in Anton's strong arms. His skin was silky smooth against mine, and his delicious warmth was lulling me back to sleep. He opened his eyes and smiled sleepily at me, brushing back my hair. "Morning." He purred and I blushed and giggled slightly.

"Morning. It's a lot nicer waking up together, isn't it?" I asked, and he smiled, rising. He dressed in a black robe, but signaled for me to stay in bed. I did, watching him put together a breakfast of orange juice, coffee and eggs for us.

"Whatever became of that daisy?" He asked, toting over first my tray then his.

"Bookmark, my mom taught me how when I was little." I said, pleased that I could mention her and be happy now, not sad. Anton got settled in beside me, his glance curious. "Oh, I guess little boys don't do it. But you can put it between two layers of tape or what have you, just so you seal it in. We always used tape, and there was packing tape in the box I brought over."

"I know, I wondered if you weren't planning on moving out." Anton said dryly. "But it seems to prove useful." He added and I laughed softly.

"I wondered where the sarcastic man I knew and loved had went to. It's OK, Anton, I like that about you. Just so we do it more to our guests than each other I think we'll be fine." I teased and he grinned.

"You don't mind honeymooning on Irish soil?" He asked and I shook my head. Our family and friends had wheedled us into staying. They realized we had to take off sometime, but they wanted to share our happiness. I also smelt a vague adventure in the works, something only Anton knew about but knew it would come after.

And it did, two weeks later. There was no time for Africa or Hawaii. There was a direct trip to our first stop at midnight. When we stopped I looked out one of the common room windows. The full moon was out, reflecting off the silvery mist that played through the black outlines of skeletal trees surrounding the Midnight Hotel.

A wolf howled in the distance and I could feel the damp chill even inside our cozy hotel. "Where are we?" I breathed as Anton joined me.

"Transylvania, here to pick up vampires." Anton said, settling a hand on my shoulder. I wanted to ask Anton if that was his idea of a bad joke but he was off, seemingly aware of our guests' arrival. And he had planted himself behind the front desk just as the front door opened.

A beautiful couple came in, clearly vampires. And clearly just married by the tender way the husband gazed at his bride. She blushed becomingly and I hoped their emotions would remain a long time. I took their bags to their room while Anton checked them in.

It was as nice a room as possible, safe, because they would be locked in, but done in beautiful but vampire proof furnishings and materials. They can't help what they are, after all, and they are decent people. I reminded myself. They asked to be locked up.

I placed the bags down at the foot of the ornate canopied bed then left, nodding as I passed Anton and the couple in the hall. "You are a most beautiful bride." The woman said to me, her eyes sparkling, clearly excited to see another new bride.

"And you as well." I said and she smiled in pleasure. Back at the desk I looked over the hotel ledger, seeing if more guests were arriving. I'd barely registered the names when Anton materialized at my elbow.

"Another newlywed couple." He murmured and the door opened revealing our guests. I smiled a warm greeting, still not able to believe what I was seeing.

Springheeled Jack and Black Annis were nuzzling one another affectionately, clearly newlyweds from the rings they proudly wore. Anton saw them to their room, murmuring for me to get dinner together. So I did, snagging a bag of cheese and spinach tortellini from the cupboard and making us a savory soup. Anton, when he could at last join me, smiled his gratitude.

"This is lovely, Valkyrie, and I appreciate the help and you adjusting to our odd hours, but it happens." He shrugged.

"It's OK, Anton. I understand, really. It was the same way with dad on cases. When he remembered to feed me, that is." I deadpanned and Anton looked startled, then smiled. I retired to our room after, leaving Anton to make his rounds. He was strong enough to kill a vampire with his bare hands, and knowing Darquesse was in residence only added to how well our guests would likely behave.

And it did. Though Anton assured me most guests were naturally quiet, I wasn't just the hotel owner's wife. I was additional muscle and guests knew it. But our newlyweds behaved and I got used to seeing the couples come and go until they checked out.

We would go on shopping outings, or see to the breakfast buffet, but there wasn't a whole lot the hotel didn't do for us. It was self-cleaning, even the closets cleaned clothes. So we didn't have to deal with laundry or running vacuums. Though sometimes there were vermin to clean up. Like the gang that had checked in one by one, clearly intent on taking over the hotel.

The sneering leader and Anton were glaring at each other in the common room and I knew the trap was springing when the rest of his men joined him. In three strides I'd left the desk and was Darquesse, with the fourth I punched a bad guy so hard in the mouth I felt his teeth cave in and grinned in wicked delight.

I delivered a spinning kick to the jaw to one of his companions who came at me with a knife, then vaulted over the couch, using my shadows to slice into the miscreant in front of me. But the leader had a surprise in store. He snarled then ripped off his skin to leap at me.

Unprepared, I fell back in surprise as his claws raked into me, only to see Anton's Gist diving at us from above, screaming in rage. He tore into the vampire's back with his claws, then fastened his razor-sharp teeth at its neck. The vampire howled and tried to dance out from under it, and I took the chance to scoot back, bumping into the back of the couch as I did.

I watched as the Gist rode the vampire to the ground, tearing out chunks of flesh in an utter rage. I closed my eyes to heal myself, wondering why it hadn't happened instantly, and when I opened them the Gist had floated over to me. Anton's dark side looked stricken, as if he'd put me in danger himself.

He wrapped his steely arms around me, then kissed me feverishly. I returned the kiss, with interest, unable to belive he could love me. We parted all too quickly and he willingly let himself be drawn back in. I would have risen to go to Anton, but a blazing pain like I'd never felt before went through me and blackness consumed me.

I came to in bed, feeling like I'd been beaten with hammers. "What happened?" I asked weakly. Anton looked ragged himself, but he smiled gently and adjusted a wet compress on my forehead.

"You Surged, Darquesse. Shh, lay back, that's it. The bad guys are all gone and we're on emergency lockdown. We've traveled far away from them to another location, we're safe, shhh. I told you I love you, so rest. Close your eyes." He said and I obeyed.

"Good, Ill make you something to eat, you rest. I was afraid I'd lost you." He said and I felt his lips brush my cheek gently. I was feeling better, and still surprised he loved me. I was Darquesse, war hero or not, mage who had saved the world or not, I was still Darquesse.

I opened my eyes to watch him cook and as I did I felt my healing energy return to me. I was stronger than before, a fact that frightened me a little, but I reminded myself that I could control myself. I wasn't trying to hurt Anton after all, and I never would. I was in love with him, even as Darquesse.

I let him cook for me and listened when he kept me in bed, smiling in amusement. "Not too many men would be happy to be married to a Necromancer." I pointed out, and he smiled gently.

"You can do a lot more than that, Darquesse. You Surged as yourself, remember? I'm not sure if you will forever be Darquesse, but I do I love you and it doesn't matter if you are yourself or Valkyrie." He said and I sighed in relief. Because I didn't want to change back, not quite yet. Being Valkyrie was nice, but being Darquesse was better. Better still when my meal was over and Anton drew me into his arms for a lingering kiss, my shadows swirling around us.

My, my. It's like two spouses in one.