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I was glad Warner changed the subject. While Asami made it perfectly clear that it was destiny for me to have a child, I wasn’t ready. Not yet.

“We’ll have people go look,” Viggo said.” I’m sure PARA still has warehouses full of it that we haven’t found yet.”

We were giving the option of hawthorn tattoos to any human who wanted one. It was another way to keep peace. Making sure they had the freedom of their mind while living among Shadows and vampires. Some humans decided to use the lotion that PARA created to mask their blood scent, especially those who lived with Shadows.

“Is that all?” Zan asked, his arm tightening around me.

Pax rolled his eyes. “You and Kali can go back to living in lonely bliss tomorrow. We only see you once a month. We’re staying for the day.”

Viggo nodded in agreement. “Tell us all about where you’ve been all month.”

“We’ve been helping Shadows acclimate to living with humans,” I answered, giving him a long look. “You know this. We’re working too, even though it’s in secret.”

Zan snuck me a look, a grin on his lips. We had been working hard. But the last six months had also been the best time of my life. No matter what we were doing, Zan always made sure to make me smile. We were living in a way I’d only dreamed about. And I never wanted it to end.

“There’s blood in the cooler.” Zan nodded toward the cabin. “We’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“We can take a hint.” Viggo slipped his hands in his pockets before strolling away.

Warner backed up, giving me a smile. “It’s good to see you, Kali.”

Zan waited until they were off the beach before pulling me closer. He rested his knuckles under my chin, tilting up my face until I met his questioning gaze.

“I want to know that you’ll tell me if anything changes. If you’re ever not happy.” His eyes searched mine. “Because I want you to spend the rest of your life living how you always wanted.”

I smiled, grabbing his shirt and pulling him closer. “I have you. That won’t ever change.”

He chuckled. “What a far cry from when we first met. Back when you were doing everything to get away from me.”

“True,” I mused. “Good thing you were obsessed with me even back then.”

“Obsessed. In love. Same thing.” He kissed me softly. “All it means is that you’re mine. You always will be.”

I melted into his arms. He was what I always wanted even if it was before I knew who he was. Someone who loved me so fiercely that he would burn the world down for me.

Or save it because it was what I wanted.

I would do the same for him.

Always.