He chuckled at that, pressing his lips to her temple. “I’m a king,” he corrected, “and you --Jane Squire-- are my queen. My partner. My soul. You always have been.”
She smiled at that and leaned up to kiss him.
“And that’s a white pegasus, not a horse.” Roland put in, interrupting Slade and Jane’s beautiful moment. “White Pegasus. Hang on! Hold everything!” He lurched to his feet with an excited grin. “Wouldn’t that be an awesome name for a band?”
Epilogue
EXT. CHICAGO- NIGHT
AMALIE THE WITCH is pleased with the results of her latest matchmaking efforts. SLADE and JANE are finally together, Infinia is saved, and it’s a happy ending for everyone. All in all, it’s been another successful story. She’s getting really good at this writing stuff! Time for a pat on the back and some hot cocoa.
She’s just about to head off to bed with her favorite mug full of chocolate and marshmallows, when something outside draws her attention. Frowning, AMALIE heads onto the balcony and looks out over the skyline. It is a clear night, except for an unexpected swirl of dark clouds in the sky. They seem to be moving like a cyclone. Only it’s not a cyclone. It’s a…
AMALIE
(Horrified)
Portal
…portal. ALLANDRINA’S vortex connects Infinia to Earth for a few precious seconds. Just long enough for the whirlpool of power to drag in some supernatural…
AMALIE
(More horrified)
Hitchhikers.
…hitchhikers and deposit them in this new land. Who knows who they are or how they will adapt to modern day Chicago? Will any Vespas be safe? Only one thing is clear: AMALIE has a big problem on her hands.
AMALIE
(Squeezing her eyes shut in frustration)
Shit.
End of the credits teaser- “From Here to Infinia”
“There must be other Witches in Infinia.” Slade leaned against the headboard and watched Jane brush her hair. “I will find them and they will be able to send us back to Chicago. Or maybe I can contact Amalie and she can help us return. No matter what I must do, I promise you, I will fix this, my One.”
The two of them had appropriated one the Obsidian Fortresses many bedrooms. Jane had nixed the idea of claiming Fang’s creepy chamber, even though it was the largest. She planned to forget that the Werewolf ever existed and that meant not sleeping on his pillow. Instead, Jane and Slade settled on a room in one of the castle’s turrets, with rounded walls and Once-Upon-A-Time décor. Jane thought it was perfect.
Except for the lack of a connected bath.
First thing tomorrow, they were starting a task force on “running water.” Showers needed to get invented, pronto. Someone in Infinia had to be able to figure out how to get them to work. If they weren’t all too hung over, anyway.
A party was raging in Infinia, the likes of which the land had never seen. With Fang gone, the whole kingdom was celebrating as if it was the end of Return of the Jedi. The rebels filled the courtyard and spilled out into the streets. Tegan was giving out free ale from the Drunken Dragon. Roland’s band (newly christened “White Pegasus”) was squealing music at octaves only monstrous bats could hear, triggering another dance number. Symon had programmed his wooden robots to walk in a conga line, which added a whole new layer of lunacy to the scene. Even the Goblins seemed pleased, if their God awful karaoke was any indication.
Everyone was in a festive mood, except Infinia’s new king.
“Slade, would you please stop worrying. I don’t want to go back to Chicago. I told you that.” She frowned at him at him in the vanity mirror. “This is where you belong.”
“No. You are where I belong, Jane. I wish to be where you are.”
“Well, I’m here, dummy. Besides, you hate Chicago.”
“And you hate Infinia.”
“No, I don’t.”
“You say you do. Constantly. And I want you to be happy.”
“I am happy. Honestly, being in this ridiculous place is the happiest I’ve ever been. I like to complain about all the stupid things that happen here. It’s half the fun.” She shrugged. “Besides, I’m pretty sure most of the egregious movie bullshit will clear up now that the screenplay is gone. The film is over, so things will probably be just sort of crazy, instead of completely crazy.”
“And if they’re still completely crazy?”
“Then, I’m staying anyway. I’m a professional actress, so I’m trained for this sort of situation. From Here to Infinia wound up being way better than Dracula, Ph.D.” She arched a brow at him. “And there are worse happily-ever-afters than being queen of an enchanted realm, with my very own handsome prince. I’ll suffer through the rest.” She paused. “People aren’t going to keep calling me ‘milady’ all the time, are they?”
“No. They’d call you ‘your highness.’” He ignored the face she made at that irritating news. “And that is not the point. Infinia is far too dangerous for you.”
“Really? Because, I think I’m kicking its ass. Did you see me take down that scrawny Fairy?”
“I did and it was impressive.” He paused to appreciate the memory. “Very impressive. But you would still be far safer in Chicago.”
“You clearly don’t read the front page of the Tribune. Bad things happen everywhere.”
“Very few Werewolves and Shadowmen and Mages happen anywhere but here.”
“I wouldn’t be too sure of that. I think a lot of supernatural stuff got sucked through that portal at the end and crash-landed in the Windy City.”
Slade reluctantly nodded. “I sensed the same thing. But, Amalie is a Witch and she has Damien as a brother. She knows how to deal with disasters. You are the one I am presently worried about.”
“I’m a Vampire, sweetie. I could always take care of myself, but now I’m --like-- superpowered and immortal. I have it all under control. Trust me.”
“I do trust you.” He said instantly. “I know you can do anything, Jane. But, you are still so small.”
“It’s adorable you think that.” Jane scoffed.
He kept talking. “If anything happened to you, I could not recover. I would not even want to. I will gladly live in your world if it means keeping you safe and happy…”
Enough was enough. “Look,” Jane spun around, cutting off his concerns. “I’ve spent my whole life looking for a home, Slade. I’m not about to walk away now that I’ve found you. I’m staying right here and surviving for every single installment of this film franchise. You’re never getting rid of me.”
He was quiet for a long moment. “Promise?” He finally whispered.
“Yes. We’re partners in this weirdness. Forever. That means mutual ‘I dos,’ and big white dress, and a cute little house in the country.” She looked around. “Or I guess we’re stuck renovating this ugly castle, actually. But, I don’t even care, just so we’re both living here.” She glowered at him. “Translation: We’re living in Infinia and getting married. Deal with it.”
Slade stopped arguing so fast it was almost funny. “Alright.”
Jane blinked, a little surprised by his quick agreement. “Alright, then. Good. Wow, that was easy. I guess you do love me, because that was a fairly hostile marriage proposal.”
“I guess you do love me, if you are willing to endure Infinia and wearing a big wedding dress, and tolerating the existence of my idiot sibling.”
“Is that kid going to be living with us, by the way?”
“Probably. He’s seems to have imprinted on me like an orphaned duckling. I’ve been unable to shake him.”
Jane rolled her eyes, because she had the feeling Slade wasn’t trying real hard to get rid of Roland. He liked having a little brother. “Fine. We can keep him. And I’m okay with the Infinia part. Really. But, a wedding dress…? I spoke without thinking on that one. We might have to negotiate.”
He slowly grinned. “I do not wish to negotiate. I love it when you wear dresses. And you’ll be happy to
know that I look quite striking in a tuxedo.”
“Oh, you would look ‘quite striking’ in a cardboard box.” She headed over to the bed and arched a brow. “I hate to play the ‘handsome prince’ card again, but you are just so. damn. handsome.”
“Handsome king.” He reminded her. “They just took a vote downstairs and I was the unanimous choice for ruler. Well, nearly unanimous. That James the Orc fellow is really an ass.”
“I voted for you, sweetie. And not just because of the handsomeness.” Jane shook her head. “For a lot of girls, that would probably be enough. But me,” she shrugged, “I’m a reformed pragmatist. I want the whole fairytale. Kind, smart, brave, funny…”
“I will be anything you ask.”
“Good, because I’m really picky about my kings and husbands. You might have noticed that I don’t get swept off my feet by just any Vampire who wanders into the supermarket.”
“I did notice that.” Slade tugged her down on top of him. “I had to work very hard to win you over. I was quite disheartened at times. I thought you would never want me, as I want you.”
“It was really a tough fight for you.” She settled against him. “I resisted you for at least half-an-hour. I’m surprised you didn’t give up in despair at that kind of rejection.”
Being Slade, he took that seriously, convinced that she really had tortured him by playing hard to get. “It was difficult, but I would fight for you forever, Jane.” He let out a contented sigh, brushing a hand against her cheek. “From the beginning, I knew there was no one else for me. Every doubt in my head goes quiet when you’re near. You have faith in me and it gives me faith in myself. It’s a gift.”
“Yeah, because you really need to work on your confidence.”
“Are you claiming I’m arrogant, again?” He nuzzled the side of her neck. “That doesn’t sound like something a besotted fiancée would say. I prefer it when you call me a hero.”
“You are arrogant. And kind, and smart, and brave, and funny. And my very own hero. Even when you drive me nuts, I wouldn’t change a single thing about you.” She paused and fluttered her lashes at him. “…Except you’d be naked, sire.”
Slade laughed at that suggestion. “You first.” He drawled.
She loved it when he teased her. Jane obligingly unbelted her borrowed robe. “I’m going to need new clothes, you know. I hate that dress your grandmother apparently made for me and you ripped my khakis off, back at the lava pits. That leaves me with nothing but my bracelet.” She held up her hand to show him the Werewolf talisman.
Slade kissed the inside of her wrist, his thumb brushing over the silver links. “With Fang gone, it is safe to get rid of this, you know.” He murmured. “I know you do not like it.”
“Get rid of jewelry? Do you know anything about girls? It could be a live snake and I’d never take it off. You gave it to me, dummy.”
His mouth curved, pleased that she wanted to keep his gift. “I love you.” He said simply.
“I know. It’s why you’re going to buy me pretty clothes. Andra from the rebel camp lent me this robe and some other stuff, but her personal style skews towards fur bikinis. You’ll probably like it, but it’s not really my taste.”
“You need and I provide, my One. I will give you whatever clothing you desire.” He peeled the robe from her shoulders, letting out a low sound of pleasure at the sight of her body. “Later. Much, much later.”
“Later, I desire pants, Slade. I mean it. I’ll give in on wearing a wedding dress, but I have to have some jeans or heads will roll.”
“One pair of pants.”
“Twelve.”
“Five.”
“Ten. That’s my final offer.” She narrowed her eyes in mock ferocity. “Remember, I’m about to be your blushing bride. Be nice to me or I’ll decorate the reception hall with orange and pink.”
Slade adopted a noble expression. “All that matters is that you walk down the altar to me. For that privilege, I will give you closets full of scandalous clothes and I will patiently endure any color scheme you wish.”
She smirked at his self-sacrificing tone. “Wow, this really must be love.”
“It is.” He ran a palm over her hair, his heart in his eyes. “You are my soul, Jane Squire. In every possible way. I will follow you anywhere. We really can live anyplace you wish. Decorate in any way you wish. Do anything you wish.”
“Then, I wish to stay right here in bed.” Jane smiled brightly and leaned down to kiss her Prince Charming. “You’re my home, Slade. And if movies have taught me anything it’s that there’s no place like home.”
Author’s Note
This story is a sequel to Not Another Vampire Book. Hopefully, you knew that. When I first conceived Not Another Vampire Book, Slade was supposed to be the bad guy. I pictured him possessing the worst qualities of worst romance novel protagonists, flipping the usual hero/villain dichotomy. I fully intended to have some fun, kill Slade off at the end, and never look back. But, Slade wouldn’t let me.
All my characters do things that surprise me, but few have ever surprised me as much as Slade. I saw pretty quickly that this guy wasn’t going to do anything I expected. Within the first few chapters of Not Another Vampire Book, Slade’s enthusiastic overconfidence and misplaced optimism won me over. I had to redraft the whole book to get him a happy ending.
Did he thank me for it? No. Slade still wouldn’t shut up. If Damien got a book, he should get a book. It only seemed fair. He didn’t like his happily ever after. He wanted something more. I ignored him for a long time. Ungrateful jerk. Besides, I had no idea what kind of story he could possibly have. Who would put up with that guy?
Then, one day, I was watching a particularly cheesy fantasy movie on TV and it suddenly dawned on me that this was Slade’s ideal world. The knights and swords and monsters. This was what he wanted. To be a hero in the literal, King Arthur-y sense of the word.
Slade would need a heroine, too. I’d already given him a fairytale princess, though and he wasn’t very interested. Eventually, Jane Squire came along and I knew I’d found the right girl. Someone cynical enough to see through Slade’s arrogant boasting and softhearted enough to love him anyway. With Jane around, things got done. Slade wanted to talk to her and she was willing to talk back. I never had to wonder what was going to happen next, because --in every scene-- he had some exciting new idea to share with Jane and she had some snarky new way to insult it. Thus, Vampire Charming was born.
I enjoy creating these “story-within-a-story” books and hope to write more. My tentative plan is to do Amalie’s next. Drop me a line to tell me what you think at: [email protected].
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