by Ava Benton
I was just as filthy as she was, I realized, but it didn’t make a difference. “But I can’t think of anybody I’d rather be with. That much I do know.”
A slow smile lit up her face. “It’s a start.”
Epilogue
Daniela
“You have everything you need?” Monika looked at me, biting her lip like a worried mother. “Passports, the whole nine yards?”
I nodded, then patted my backpack. “All packed up.”
She nodded with a smile. “You’ll love it. I promise.”
“It’s so incredibly generous of you two to let us stay at the house when you’re not there.”
“Please.” She waved a dismissive hand, still smiling. “It just sits there empty. I don’t have many chances to get away, with coven business taking up so much of my time. I’ll be happy to know it’s in use, for once.”
“And you just come over whenever you want, and we’ll get out of your way.”
“Please. Where else would you go? There’s enough room for all of us, I’m sure.”
It was a relief to know we’d have somewhere to go, somewhere we could call home—even if it wasn’t really ours. But we might be able to find a home of our own in time
“I don’t know what we would’ve done if we hadn’t found you two,” I said, pulling her into a hug.
We both knew how dangerous it was for her to even know us, with her position in the Cascade Circle Coven. She’d told me she never wanted to be High Sorceress, but the fact that her mother was made Monika a highly-respected member.
She must have seen the apprehension on my face. “Remember, everybody thinks you both died in that collapse. Even the High Council couldn’t clear up all the rock Claudia brought down. She really did a good job.”
“She did. And you’re sure she’s okay?”
“Sure. Under lock and key, but she’s safe and healthy. And getting Ralf out of her system, little by little.”
“I’m so glad.” I didn’t ask about my sister. It was better for me not to know. She wouldn’t have cared what happened to me, that much was for sure.
Konstantin and Alexander approached.
“All the luggage is checked with the skycap,” Alexander said, sliding an arm around my waist. “We’re ready to go.”
“Okay.” I hugged Monika again, then gave Konstantin a tight squeeze. “We owe the two of you everything.”
“Just be happy out there,” he said with a firm hug and a smile when I stepped back.
They stood with their arms around each other, watching the two of us walk into the airport.
“I can’t believe we’re really doing this,” I murmured as we made our way to the security line.
“And you weren’t sure it would be a good idea for me to look for Konstantin.”
Somehow, maybe it was group consciousness he’d plugged into while he was in stasis, Alexander had known there was a Nightwarden who’d been relieved of his duties, living in the human world with his witch mate.
I grimaced when I remembered the fights we’d had over him wanting to find Konstantin, with me certain it was too dangerous to expose himself that way. But he’d gone on without me and found the two of them living in the New York suburbs.
Monika had insisted on finding lodging for us in the short-term—and then had a brilliant idea for the foreseeable future: the home they’d bought in the Serbian village Konstantin had grown up just outside.
It would be a homecoming for Alexander, too, since he’d lived his human life there. Even though he wouldn’t admit it, I could feel his excitement at going home. Finally reconnecting to his old life while building his new one.
Before I knew it, all the weeks of planning culminated in us sitting hand-in-hand in our seats on the airplane which would fly us part way to our new home.
We’d switch planes in London and finish the trip after that. I didn’t relish the thought of spending so much time in the air with someone who’d never flown before, but if it meant us being together, and safe, and happy? I would do anything.
“Are you ready?” I asked as the plane taxied down the runway.
He looked at me with the most loving, most sure smile I’d ever seen.
“For the rest of our life to start? For us to build a life together? To have the pleasure of seeing you wake up every morning, over and over again, and kissing you goodnight every night? Yes. I’m ready for that.” He brushed his lips against the back of my knuckles as the plane left the ground, and his dark stubble was rough against them.
But I loved it, the way I loved all of him.
“What about my temper? You know we butt heads… a lot,” I reminded him with a laugh.
“And we make up pretty well, too, don’t we?” he asked with a wink.
I blushed, biting my lip to hide a giggle.
“Besides, that’s part of everything. The big picture. And it’s what makes everything else so sweet.”
And it was sweet.
The arguing and the making up and the kissing goodnight, the seeing his perfect face every morning and every night before I closed my eyes.
For the rest of my life.
Forever.
Yes. I was ready for all of that, too.
Afterword
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Copyright © 2017 by Ava Benton
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