Page 99 of The Child of Rue Royale

“Do you see what happens when you let go?” Bastian whispers, taking in the moment, and I look through my lashes up at him. At the mouth carved for my lips to kiss, the eyes glittering to look upon me with a love I never thought possible.

Who would have thought?

“Now what?” I whisper into Bastian’s ear, my fingers sliding up his back to curl around his hair.

He stares at my mouth, leaning in so close, his breath warms my cheeks, eyes roving up to my nose, and then aventurines fuse to mine. “Vacation.”

Epilogue

Five Months Later

THERE’S A SERENITY ABOUT MORNINGSin the French Quarter. The street glimmers, wet from the remnants of a wild night on Bourbon having been washed away in the wee hours of the morning. There’s the smell of freshly brewed coffee, as shop owners sweep the sidewalks, and bands set up their instruments for a day full of music. I walk past them all, something ticking in my heart. Something like peace.

My phone rings, and that name alights across the screen. “Husband?”

“Little witch?” he sings through the other end.

“Speaking,” I say, and close my eyes when he chuckles. Peace.

“Are you almost here?”

“Yes,” I say just as I turn the corner to see Bastian down the street, standing in front of Wildes Crystal and Jewelry. “Look to your left.”

He turns, phone to his ear, smile so wide it beams down Royal Street. He’s back, my sunshine boy.

“I’m sorry, I can’t speak. I’m muted by this vision walking toward me. Oh wait, it’s my wife.”

I approach just as he finishes speaking, his teeth scraping across his bottom lip.

“Your wife. I don’t think that will ever get old.” I can’t suppress the smile such a word induces.

Sliding his phone in his back pocket, he grabs the belt loop of my jeans and pulls my hips against his. “My wife,” he whispers, and mybody goes white hot, his breath on my ear, shooting waves across my flesh.

His, all his. He pulls me into his arms as my chin juts up to meet those eyes. Aventurines for the win.

Placing soft kisses up my neck, he inhales my skin, sending shivers down my back. “Mmm, mint and obstinacy.”

I laugh, pulling back with an arched eyebrow.

“Bags all packed?” he asks before placing a quick kiss on my lips.

“Yep, we’ll pick Aven up from your mom’s on the way to the airport. You’re sure you want to do this?” I say, my tone turning serious, looking up to the room where Bastian died. “We can do it when we get back. This can wait. Cherry blossom season in Japan can’t.”

“I’m not letting the nightmares win another second. From now on, it’s forward. You, me, Aven.”

I nod, biting my lip as we both turn, looking up to my apartment on Royal Street—the start of me, the start of us. He grabs my hand, filling the space between our bodies.

I look up to him, his eyes focused on the building before us. The waves in his brown hair look like they were placed perfectly for a photo shoot, his mouth slightly open, fangless teeth. I nudge, goading him on, and he looks down at me. The piercing green eyes that are linked to my past and present and are a part of my future, and he lifts his mouth ever so slightly.

“Nightmares and death have nothing on us. You and me. Through love and infinity, through sorrow and rapture. We are eternal.” His warm breath coats my ear, his mouth wet, pleading to be kissed.

“Eternal.” I kiss him then, clinging to the hand that sits in mine. The heartless witch grew a heart. The careless vampire had to start caring.

And we walk inside, facing our future and any obstacle it desires to throw at us. Because we are eternal.

The End