Page 14 of His Atonement

Then he gets to his feet, gives us a barely-there smile, and disappears down the hall.

"What did he say?" I ask as a few tears slide down my cheek.

Allie wipes a couple of her own. "Just that you aren't alone anymore, called you his sister of the heart, said you're going to have everything your heart desires, and a love that lasts a lifetime."

Despite how wrong he is about that last part, I smile because I really like Andrej and am so glad Allie married him.

"Well, let’s get this last box emptied into the chest and do a final sweep to make sure we have everything."

Allie nods, puts everything back into the box, and we head into the almost empty bedroom.

"This is so much harder than it was when they moved from Ohio.” She sighs as she locks the hope chest.

"Because it's more final, Al. It's the end of an era, the end of something that was such a huge part of our lives for as far back as we can remember."

Remember.

Remember.

Remember.

"I know." Allie wraps her arms around me as we look around the bedroom. "But it's also the beginning of something great, a new era where us Masters girls kick some ass and take no shit."

I snort and shake my head. "You're a Dragovihk now, Al. I'm the only Masters left."

"Once a Masters, always a Masters. Marrying the man of my dreams won't change that."

My heart squeezes for a second but I shake it off, shakeheroff. "So when we get to Ashland… "

Allie rolls her eyes. "I am so mad you won't stay in our guest room."

"I know.” I smirk. "But with all the construction on your main house, Cora and her husband frequenting since their new place is only half finished, there is no way I'm going to make things even more cramped by staying in one of your extra bedrooms and getting in the way.” I wag my barely visible brows. "Not to mention, I don't need to be anywhere within accidental listening range of the ridiculous amounts of mind blowing sex you and your man have. I'll just settle for living vicariously through you and the girls while we get drunk this weekend."

Allie blushes as she giggles. "I'm sure once you're settled you'll find your own man to have your own mind blowing sex with."

Not likely.

Not even close.

It's been at least six months since I've had any sex, and it was so vanilla that I was half tempted to leave part way through so I could finish myself off in the shower at home.

So, between that and my symptoms that are becoming more noticeable, an active sex life—hell, a sex life at all—has taken a serious back seat to everything else going on.

But I don't share that with my cousin.

"Nah. I'll just listen to your stories about being madly in love with Slovakian gods, smoke myself stupid, then turn in for the night with my battery operated boyfriend."

Allie laughs for the first time since she got here. "Nothing beats a manmade O, Frank. You just need to find the right man to deliver."

"Maybe, but I'm not worried about that, not now. I have too many other things I want to do, things I need to get done when we get there. I'll be so busy I won't have time for a man.” I arch a brow and fold my arms against my chest. "Which brings me back to when we get to Ashland… "

Allie sighs and lifts her hands. "I know, I know. Kai looked over the deed to their property and compared it to the blueprints and found one cabin tucked way back against the mountain line, one almost as far away as Vok's place, that is totally secluded. It's the only one left vacant on Dragovihk land, and it's in need of a shit ton of work, but he said it's all yours. It's small but has everything you'll need, including a second bedroom you can convert into your darkroom."

“Perfect." I grin, then grab her hand and start walking toward my former bedroom. "Between fixing that place up, setting up my darkroom, and knocking things off my bucket list, I'll be set for life." My incredibly short life that I have no intention of wasting.

"Yeah, and you can walk around naked, smoking your good weed without the risk of anyone seeing you."

I chuckle and squeeze her hand. "Hey now, it's been years since I've been able to walk around my own house naked while I'm ripped out of my skull. Granny sorta frowned on that."