The Reign of Darkness

by Britney Jackson

  Kara waited for a few moments for Rose to finish her question, but when only silence followed, her icy blue gaze shifted toward Rose. Her eyebrows lifted, as she caught Rose staring at her. “You’re supposed to stare at the water, not me.”

  “You’re more beautiful,” Rose said—before she could stop herself.

  Kara’s lips parted in surprise, and a smile curved slowly at each corner of her mouth. She watched the blush spread over Rose’s cheeks, as Rose opened her mouth to defend the sappiness, try to correct herself, or just frantically ramble, as she often did. But before Rose could speak a word, Kara sat up, curled her fingers along Rose’s jaw, and kissed her. Her mouth met Rose’s slowly, her lips soft and warm. Kara slipped her tongue into Rose’s open mouth, tasting the sweetness of her tongue. “To answer the question you were going to ask,” Kara said, between kisses, “your colony is fine. Erik, Elise, and Tom can handle it, while we’re away.”

  “Our colony,” Rose corrected. She pulled back. “It’s your home, too.”

  “But you’re the Commander,” Kara said. She kissed the corner of Rose’s mouth. “The very…” She kissed the other corner. “Sexy…” She returned to the center of Rose’s mouth. She lingered there, kissing Rose deeply. “Commander.”

  Rose’s soft laughter spilled out between their lips. “Stop calling me that.”

  Kara trailed her mouth lower, pressing a few kisses along Rose’s throat—before moving to the side. She bit Rose’s neck lightly, smiling, as she heard Rose’s moan. She climbed onto her knees, tugging Rose’s hoodie and shirt over her soft stomach and unbuttoning Rose’s jeans. She felt Rose’s fingers dig into the leather pants that covered her thighs, and just that slight pressure made her heart race.

  “Kara,” Rose said, sinking her fingers into Kara’s hair, “we’re outside.”

  “No one’s out here,” Kara whispered. “It’s just you and I. And the stars.”

  Rose frowned, as the wind began to pick up speed. “And the other gods.”

  Kara pulled back, smiling curiously at that. “Well, tell them to go away.”

  “They’re…less person than I am,” Rose mumbled. “That’d be weird.”

  Kara chuckled. “Then, tell them to watch,” she murmured. She returned her attention to Rose’s neck, kissing, then sucking, until Rose melted against her.

  “Again,” Rose said, even as she moaned in pleasure. “Not how it works.”

  Kara smiled, amused by Rose’s rambling. “Marry me,” she murmured.

  Rose blinked in shock. “Uhh,” she said, as Kara continued to kiss her, as if she hadn’t said anything. “What did you say? Carry you? Parry you? Scary you?”

  Kara buried her face in the curve of Rose’s neck, as she dissolved into a fit of laughter. She laughed for a good thirty seconds, before she rocked back on her knees and gazed into Rose’s wide, bright blue eyes. “Sorry. I got too excited.”

  “Excited about,” Rose said, nodding slowly, “me…carrying you, right?”

  Kara snorted. She slipped her hand into her back pocket and pulled out a small, golden ring with a strange red stone. “Princess Uptight made it for me.”

  Rose stared blankly at the piece of jewelry. “That…helps me carry you?”

  Kara laughed. “In the Viking age, we used swords for this. Well…we did in my village, anyway. But Elise says I should use rings—like modern people do,” she explained. “She was probably right. Can’t hide a sword in my back pocket.”

  Rose looked up at her, both eyebrows arched. “Can I still have a sword?”

  “Well, obviously,” Kara said. Her smile widened. “In what reality would I not give my girlfriend a sword?” She squinted curiously. “Or fiancée? Maybe?”

  “You’re really doing this,” Rose realized. She tried to keep her expression neutral, but she couldn’t help the smile that broke across her face. “Are you sure?”

  “I wouldn’t ask you, if I weren’t,” Kara told her. “I’m absolutely sure.”

  “Because you don’t have to do this to make me happy, you know,” Rose rambled. Again. “I’m happy with you, no matter what kind of relationship it is.”

  Kara’s light blue eyes sparkled with amusement. “I want this, Rose,” she promised. “In case you haven’t noticed, I happen to enjoy swearing oaths to you.”

  “Apparently,” Rose muttered. She glanced at the ring. “You’re sure?”

  Kara’s entire body shook with laughter. “For the third time…yes!”

  Rose’s brows furrowed. “Are vampires even able to get married?”

  “In Skotalia, we can,” Kara said, “which is where we’re going after this.”

  Rose nodded thoughtfully. She picked up the ring, studying it curiously. “Did Princess Myrinne happen to tell you what kind of stone this is?” she asked.

  “It’s a type of stone in Skotalia,” Kara said. “It represents the Eklektos.”

  “They call it the Love Stone,” Rose said, “or in Skotalian: agala pet.” Her gaze shifted up to meet Kara’s. “The intersection of Light and Darkness is Love.”

  Kara smiled. “Will you marry me, Rose Foster?”

  Rose couldn’t help it. She said it again. “Are you sure?”

  Kara tilted her head to the side, blue hair falling over her shoulder, as she grinned at Rose. “Who wouldn’t want to fuck a goddess for the rest of eternity?”

  Rose laughed, “You were so romantic and sweet. For like three minutes.”

  “The Northern Lights are dancing in the sky. The water is rushing below us. It’s still romantic,” Kara said, tilting her face closer, “and I still taste sweet.”

  “Are you trying to seduce me,” Rose said playfully, “or propose to me?”

  “Both, preferably,” Kara told her, “but with an emphasis on the latter.”

  “You have to stop calling me a goddess,” Rose laughed. “I’m just Rose.”

  Kara slid her fingers beneath Rose’s chin, tilting Rose’s head back. “But technically, you are a goddess,” she told her. “And you’ve always been one to me.”

  Rose couldn’t suppress her smile. “You’re being sweet again.”

  Kara watched her with an amused smile. “Where’s my answer?”

  Rose bit her lip thoughtfully. “Close your eyes,” she whispered, “please?”

  Kara frowned at that, but then, she did as Rose asked, her dark eyelashes resting against her cheeks. Her frown deepened, as she sensed a change in the air.

  “Keep your eyes closed,” Rose snapped, when Kara tried to sneak a peek.

  Kara smiled and closed them. “I love it when you get all heated like that.”

  “Shut up!” Rose laughed, as she tried to concentrate. “Okay. Now, look.”

  Kara opened her eyes hesitantly. Her mouth fell open, as she noticed the flowers around them—multicolored flowers that looked identical to the one on her tattoo. Her light blue gaze shifted toward Rose—who was blushing profusely.

  “Is it romantic?” Rose asked nervously. “I was shooting for romantic.”

  “You,” Kara stammered, too stunned to finish her sentence, “created…”

  “Your flower. Yeah,” Rose said. She winced. “It was dorky, wasn’t it?”

  Kara stared at Rose for one more moment, too stunned to speak. Finally, she leapt forward, grasping Rose’s face and kissing her. She kissed her so hard, in fact, that Rose fell back. Kara climbed on top of her, covering every inch of Rose’s skin in kisses. “Marry me,” she murmured, her voice muffled against Rose’s skin.

  Rose moaned softly. “Yes.”

  Kara kissed her again. “Marry me.”

  “Yes,” Rose said again.

  Kara pulled back, breathing heavily, as she stared at the beautiful woman beneath her. Rose’s red hair was disheveled, and her skin was flushed from all of the kisses. And her eyes were red. Bright, glowing red. Her own hair—dark, silky, and blue—had fallen between them. “You’re breathtaking. Do you know that?”

  Rose’s
lips curved, slowly, into an affectionate smile. “I know I love you,” she said. She brushed her fingertips over Kara’s face. “I know you’re wonderful.”

  Kara leaned into Rose’s touch. “You’ll really stay with me? Forever?”

  “Well,” Rose said with a sassy smile, “until the next apocalypse, at least.”

  THE END

  Author’s Note

  I can’t believe we’re finally at the end of this journey. Part of me is so, so happy we made it here, and part of me is heartbroken that it’s over.

  If you follow me on social media—Twitter, especially—you might know this already, but writing this series has been life-changing for me. It’s saved my life in so many ways. It helped me cope with my own trauma and mental illnesses. It helped me accept things about myself that I once hated. It even gave me the courage to come out. And you—you’ve been here with me through all of this. I don’t know how to express just how grateful I am.

  Like many women (and other genders, for that matter), I was once a victim of the same types of trauma that Rose and Alana experienced, and like Rose, I have PTSD because of it. I have depression, like Rose, as well.

  I started writing this series as a way to work through the things that happened to me—and the fears and insecurities it created. I wanted to heal.

  I also wanted to create characters, who would help others, as well.

  I wanted to create characters who would remind you that you’re so much more than what happened to you—that you’re strong and powerful, that you’re wonderful and impressive, that you’re worthy of so much love.

  I hope I succeeded in that, in some way. I hope you’ve enjoyed this journey as much as I have. And I hope you know how wonderful you are.

  If you’ve experienced abuse or sexual assault, I hope you know that you’re not less than because of it. It wasn’t your fault, and you didn’t deserve to suffer like that. I hope you can reach out to someone, if you need to.

  If you suffer from mental illness of any kind, I hope you know how strong you are. It’s not easy fighting your own mind. I hope you know it’s okay to ask for help. I hope you know it’s okay to take medication or need therapy. I hope you know that you’re worthy of love—just as you are.

  If you’re a queer person, like I am, I hope you know you’re perfect, just as you are. You deserve as much love, acceptance, and kindness, as the rest of the world, and no one’s hateful opinion of you defines you. It took me most of my life to learn that about myself. Hopefully, you already have, but if you haven’t, please know: you’re amazing and worthy of happiness.

  You deserve love. You deserve happy endings.

  You deserve stories about people who are like you.

  It was so hard to say goodbye to Rose and Kara. They hold such a significant place in my heart. I hope they’ve held a significant one in yours, as well. I haven’t ruled out revisiting them in the future, but for now, their story has come to an end. I hope you’ll join me on the next journey I take.

  I have several queer fantasy books planned for the future. If you’d like to stay updated on future books, you can follow me on social media (I update Twitter the most), check my website, or sign up for my newsletter.

  Thank you so much for reading. You all mean the world to me.

  Love,

  Britney

  Links:

  www.britneyjackson.com

  www.twitter.com/britneynjackson

  www.goodreads.com/britneyjackson

  www.amazon.com/author/britneyjackson

  About The Author

  BRITNEY JACKSON

  Britney Jackson is an author of LGBTQ fantasy and paranormal fiction. She is the mother of two awesome kids that she loves with all her heart, and she resides in Tuscumbia, Alabama. She has a Bachelor of Science in Fine Arts and Religion and has completed graduate studies in English.

  Britney has been passionate about writing for as long as she can remember. Literature, creative writing, and music helped her through the darkest periods of her life, and she hopes that her books can be there for others who need a literary escape.

  She has a passion for creating the kind of heroes that she needed when she was younger: heroes with mental illnesses, insecurities, fears, and dark pasts. Her books are centered around strong, queer women who overcome insurmountable odds in order to protect the ones they love.

  When she is not writing, she can be found drinking massive cups of coffee, playing music, obsessing over some awesome fictional characters, or embarking on the wild and dangerous adventure known as motherhood.

  Learn more at www.britneyjackson.com.