Amaliya pulled herself out of the earth, briefly reflecting on the first time she had emerged from a grave in the woods. Sweeping her gaze from Cian to the others gathered around, she smiled. Unlike the first time, she was no longer alone. She had a purpose. She had love. She had friendship.
And she had saved the world.
Epilogue
December 24, 2012
The chill wind buffeted Bianca as her scooter zipped down Congress Avenue toward downtown Austin. Ahead, the pink granite state capitol building glowed white in the lights. Bundled in a new white leather jacket and a matching pink knit cap and scarf, Bianca giggled as her passenger, Alexia, sang along, badly, to Mariah Carey singing about what she wanted for Christmas. It was hard to hear the music emanating from the phone clutched in Alexia’s hand over the wind, but Bianca relished the gloriousness of the moment.
She was free.
She had a friend.
She was alive.
Bianca had volunteered to take her brand new scooter (courtesy of Cian) out to grab some last minute items for their Christmas Eve celebration. Alexia had also opted to go along. They’d found a Walmart that was still open and had taken the side roads to get there, giggling and singing the whole way.
Bianca still couldn’t believe she was alive. During the dark, terrible days of her possession and imprisonment, she’d been convinced she was doomed. She had known that in the end The Summoner had truly wanted Amaliya at his side, not her. That knowledge had prepared her to die.
Instead, she was alive.
Cian had used so much of his blood to bring her back from the verge of death that he had become her new creator. It had surprised Cian and Bianca when they had realized they now shared the bond of a creator and fledging, but he had quickly stepped in to guide her through the dark life. He was kind to her in a way The Summoner never could have been. She understood why Amaliya loved him so much. Cian made her feel safe and strong. It was odd to go from being an orphan to a slave to a part of a family of vampires.
Though the vampires were presently sleeping in Jeff’s attic, they would soon be moving into a new house that Cian was having modified to suit their needs. Bianca would even have her own room decorated to her taste, but Amaliya had made it clear she could sleep with them whenever she wanted. After being alone most of her life, Bianca found comfort in sleeping with the other two vampires through the hours of the day. Surprisingly, she no longer awoke during the day and her necromancy powers were waning. Cian suspected they might disappear altogether as his blood continued to alter her vampire nature.
That thought thrilled Bianca.
All her life she had dealt with the spirits of the dead and now she was free of them. If she had to live as an undead creature, she preferred the simplicity of just being a regular vampire.
Alexia continued to sing along to yet another song.
Bianca zoomed her scooter around a corner and toward Jeff’s Victorian. Her scarf fluttered behind her and the cool air kissed her cheeks red. It was Christmas Eve. She had a family, a home, and a future.
She had tried so hard to save Amaliya, but in the end Amaliya had saved her.
“You are mutilating that poor bird!” Samantha stomped her foot and frowned at Jeff.
“Excuse me, but my turkey cutting skills are excellent,” Jeff responded, holding the carving knife over the golden roasted bird.
“Doing it all wrong. So wrong.”
Jeff kissed her nose. “Well, deal with it. We’re getting hitched. You’re signing on for the whole package. Besides, I have to put up with the cat and the ghost.” Jeff gestured to Beatrice sitting at his feet waiting for more turkey skin and then Roberto.
The ghost was washing dishes and looking decidedly grumpy about it.
Samantha grinned, lifting her eyes to the ceiling. “True.”
“Why haven’t you sent him on to his just reward?” Jeff asked, leaning toward her. He adored her cute face and twinkling eyes.
“He’s afraid it’s in the burning place.”
“I’d rather go to hell than do your dishes,” Roberto groused.
“Oh, shut your face,” Samantha shot back.
Jeff returned to carving the turkey. “I have the craziest life.”
“And you love it.” Samantha plucked a bit of turkey from the pan and fed it to her cat.
With a grin, Jeff had to admit she was right.
“Did I do that right?” Galina frowned at the setting on the dining room table.
Cassandra craned her head to check. “Yep. Everything is right. Fork, knife, spoon all in the proper places.”
Setting crystal goblets at each setting, Aimee bestowed a sweet look on Galina. “You’re doing very, very well.”
“Do I set a place for Cian, Bianca, and Amaliya?” Galina pursed her lips, her eyes filling with tears.
Cassandra slipped behind her mother and gave her a little hug. “The vampires are going to join us, but not eat. Don’t set anything for them. They’re here for conversation.”
“It’s been a very long time,” Galina said, her eyes settling on the notebook open on the table. “Cian moved on.”
Kissing her mother’s cheek, Cassandra wished her mother didn’t hurt so much over Cian, but it was safer for her in Austin than anywhere else. Until they were sure that all of The Summoner’s forces were wiped out, they all had to be very careful. It was awkward to have her mother and father in close proximity, but they were both trying very hard to be cordial.
“It’s all good, Mom.”
“It is good,” Galina nodded her head. “It is. You and Aimee are here with me. Your friends are very nice. The house is beautiful. And your father loves you. Plus, I’m going to make you cookies tonight.”
“See! Life is perfect!” Cassandra gave her mother one more squeeze.
“I’ll start now!” Galina smiled at her lovingly, picked up her notebook, then hurried to the kitchen already forgetting she had been helping to set the table.
Aimee sidled around the table and wrapped her arms around Cassandra. Her kiss was sweet and loving. It always made everything much better when Aimee held her.
“It’s all going to work out, you know. It always does,” Aimee assured her.
“As long as we’re together, I’m not worried,” Cassandra answered.
“I’ll never leave you. Ever. You’re stuck with me.” Aimee kissed her again.
Cassandra couldn’t imagine anything more wonderful.
Cian tangled his hands in Amaliya’s hair as he came hard inside her. Gasping, she bit his bottom lip and rolled them over so she was on top. Her wild black hair in her face, she was gorgeous. Every time he thought he couldn’t love her any more than he already did, he discovered he was wrong.
“What time is it?” she gasped.
Keeping himself firmly inside her, he shifted his legs, edging toward the end of the bed where the bed stand sat. He’d had the king size bed and bedroom furniture delivered weeks before. The attic was now much more comfortable, a welcome departure from the one day he had spent alone in it. Grabbing his cellphone, he checked the time.
“We have thirty minutes before the dinner,” Cian answered, then read the message from Bianca. “Bianca will be back by then with Alexia.”
“Then we have time for one more roll in the fuckin’ hay.” Amaliya rotated her hips over his, a seductive grin on her face.
Already aroused, Cian grunted, cupped her full breasts, and rubbed her pierced nipples with his thumbs. “We have to shower and dress still.”
Sliding up and down his cock, Amaliya smirked. “We’ll just attend naked.”
Flipping her over, Cian answered, “I’m fine with that.”
“Fuck me,” she ordered.
He did.
Dinner was far removed from Samantha’s usual Christmas Eve celebrations with her family. She sat next to Jeff at the end of the table sneaking bites of turkey to Beatrice while the conversation around the table was increasingly loud and bawdy.<
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The three vampires sat at the opposite end of the long table with glasses of wine in front of them. Amaliya wore her usual black tank top and jeans, while Cian looked handsome in a dark red shirt. Bianca’s slim form was tucked into combat boots, rolled up jeans, and a plaid shirt over a tank top. She looked young and cute. The twin buns on either side of her head had delighted Benchley. He had called her a “blonde Princess Leia.” Samantha sensed there was a bit of flirting going on between Benchley and Bianca, but she wasn’t quite sure how that was going to fare considering that the three vampires slept together.
Samantha strongly suspected that they were not just sleeping together, and watched their interactions like a hawk. Amaliya teased Samantha if she even dared broach the subject. Samantha knew she’d never get a clear answer, so it drove her a bit nuts. She’s come a long way from being her old judgmental self, and it wasn’t her sex life, but she couldn’t imagine sharing her bed with anyone else but Jeff. Jeff was her everything.
Amaliya caught her eye and winked.
Samantha stuck out her tongue.
Bianca laughed and chatted with Baptiste about Louisiana, the state they were both born in. Baptiste, still angry with Rachoń for her betrayal, had surprised everyone by staying in Austin. It was uncertain if he would return to his home. Samantha hoped he stuck around. He was a part of them now and it was hard to imagine him not being with them.
Benchley and Alexia yanked the wishbone apart. Benchley ended up with the bigger piece which resulted in a tug of war. Aimee intervened, granting them both a wish, or so she claimed.
At Cassandra’s side, Galina just smiled and looked confused most of the time. Cian appeared uncomfortable whenever Galina looked at him, but Samantha supposed it was Cian’s fault in the end. She loved the bastard, but he had messed up more than one woman during his long life. It was obvious from how he interacted with Amaliya that he had learned his lesson and found his happiness, but he was going to have to deal with the fallout of his past.
Meanwhile, Samantha had a wedding to plan in the spring and a life to look forward to. Stealing a look at Jeff as he chatted with Cassandra, she felt utterly content. She finally had her happy ending.
Roberto appeared in the doorway carrying the Christmas cake Samantha had toiled over for hours. With his head held high, he strolled to the table and dropped the cake with a thunderous clap onto the surface. Frosting and bits of cake splattered everyone.
“Cake is served,” he intoned.
“Food fight!” Benchley hollered.
The following madness was nothing like the dignified gatherings of her family.
Samantha loved it.
“Oh, my gawd! You went the wrong way again!” Bianca exclaimed, waving her hands at Benchley.
“I know! I know! I got confused!” Benchley mashed the buttons on the controller and Bianca laughed with delight.
Curled up on the sofa next to Cian, Amaliya watched Benchley playing a video game while Bianca sat on the arm of his chair trying to give him directions. Amaliya was glad not to have to watch television. The cabal had been obsessed with watching all the news footage on the devastation in San Antonio. The media theories as to what had actually had happened were surprisingly tame considering that a Mayan temple had been discovered at the base of the massive sink hole that had destroyed the area. Amaliya suspected the authorities were trying to keep everyone calm. Rebuilding was going to be hell and the traffic in San Antonio was going to be heinous for years to come. The destruction of the major thoroughfare was going to affect the city for some time to come.
“Bench! No! Not that way!” Bianca howled with laughter.
Bianca looked far removed from the shell-shocked vampire that had woken up on the way home to Austin after The Summoner had been defeated. Amaliya had been a little disappointed with Bianca’s fading necromancy, but she was pleased that Cian was being such a gentle guide to the young woman.
Baptiste sprawled on the loveseat favoring his still healing arm and eating the popcorn Aimee was attempting to string for the Christmas tree. Cassandra sat on the floor with her arm slung over Aimee’s lap. Galina was in the kitchen with Alexia making cookies. Jeff sat in a chair sipping eggnog while Samantha sat on his lap and texted her parents on her phone.
Cian’s fingers gently stroked Amaliya’s leg. She was tempted to drag him back upstairs, but reminded herself it was a special occasion and she was a guest in Jeff’s house.
Happily, the vampires would soon be moving out to their new place. Cian had also purchased a house a few blocks away for Cassandra, Aimee and Galina. Amaliya couldn’t wait to be in their own place again so she could play her drums as loud as she damned well pleased and smoke without having Samantha giving her the evil eye.
Wrapping her arms around Cian, Amaliya nestled her lips against his cheek. He grinned at her and kissed the tip of her nose. The pride and love she saw in his eyes every time he looked at her made her glow with happiness. She had spent every night since the big battle showing him how much she loved him. He had returned the favor in spades.
Alexia wandered into the room with a plate of cookies, one firmly tucked between her teeth. Setting it down on the coffee table, she observed the mad scramble by the non-vampires to grab the tasty treats.
“So, now that we’ve saved the world, celebrated Christmas, and are looking forward to a non-apocalyptic 2013, what the hell are we going to do with ourselves?” she asked.
“I don’t know about y’all, but I’m going to do a little bit of traveling,” Amaliya answered.
“Oh? Where to?” Baptiste munched on his cookie, his maroon eyes watching her curiously.
“Yes, where to?” Cian twisted about to gaze at her.
“Houston and Dallas,” Samantha said looking up from her phone.
“Huh?” Benchley shoved a cookie in his mouth. “Why?”
Bianca handed him a napkin for his mouth, pointing to the crumbs.
“To kill some bitches,” Samantha answered for Amaliya.
With a wide grin, Amaliya said, “Right on, little bitch. You in?”
“Fuck yeah, bitch-face.” Samantha gave her two thumbs up.
“Who are we killing exactly?” Aimee lifted her eyes from the string of popcorn she was diligently working on between cookie bites.
“Courtney and Nicole,” Cassandra declared, nodding her head as she figured it out. “Those two bitches.”
“And all their asshole servants.” Amaliya crossed her legs and folded her arms over the swell of her breasts.
“Exactly why?” Cian tilted his head. “All the vampires abandoned us. Why them specifically?”
“Because I promised those bitches I’d come for them for betraying humanity. I’m going to keep my word,” Amaliya responded, flipping her hair back from her face and giving him a defiant look.
“I’m in,” Bianca volunteered, holding up her hand.
“I’ve got nothing else to do. I’m in.” Baptiste raised his good hand.
“I like a good fight.” Cassandra lifted hers high over her head.
“I go where the hot dhamphir goes.” Aimee added her vote, raising hers, too.
“C’mon, you guys. We just saved the world. Can’t we chill for a bit?” Benchley gave them all a surly look.
“We’ll go after the New Year.” Alexia raised two hands.
“Fine.” Benchley grudgingly raised his.
Jeff looked at Samantha for guidance. “So?”
“Well, duh. They were total asshats. We’re so in,” Samantha retorted, waving her arm over her head.
“The hot blonde and I are game,” Jeff said, lifting a hand.
Tilting his head, Cian gave Amaliya a slightly exasperated look. “So...are we taking over Texas now?”
“Sure.” Amaliya shrugged. “Why not?”
“Raise that hand, Cian!” Samantha urged. “Do it!”
With a chuckle, Cian raised his hand. “Okay. Fine. Let’s do it.” Leaning toward Amaliya, he whispered, “
You have corrupted us all.”
“Oh, I’m just starting,” Amaliya promised him with a grin.
Rhiannon Frater is the award-winning author of the As the World Dies trilogy(The First Days, Fighting to Survive, Siege,) and the author of three other books: the vampire novels Pretty When She Dies and The Tale of the Vampire Bride and the young-adult zombie novel The Living Dead Boy and the Zombie Hunters. Inspired to independently produce her work from the urging of her fans, she publishedThe First Days in late 2008 and quickly gathered a cult following. She won the Dead Letter Award back-to-back for both The First Days and Fighting to Survive, the former of which the Harrisburg Book Examiner called ‘one of the best zombie books of the decade.’ Rhiannon is currently represented by Hannah Gordon of the Foundry + Literary Media agency. You may contact her by sending an email to [email protected].
Visit her online at rhiannonfrater.com
Subscribe to her mailing list at tinyletter.com/RhiannonFrater
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