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I sabel prodded at her bowl of pasta, her face drawn downward and her shoulders slumped. Josephine flitted around the kitchen, cleaning up the dinner dishes and setting up to make a new batch of medicinal soap. Neither woman spoke as they went about their activities, each lost in their thoughts.

It was Isabel who broke the silence first. “It has been two days, Josie. Why haven’t we heard from him?

What if he really did go to Vlad, and we’re just waiting for the fallout to reach us?

” She set down her fork and pushed her plate away with just two bites missing.

“What if Vlad puts him to death and I never get to see him again, and he dies not knowing I remember everything?”

Josephine began to giggle and tossed the rag she was using to wipe the counter into the sink. “You sound just like him, Aurora. Every life cycle it’s ‘What if she doesn’t come back?’ ‘What if I can’t find her?’ ‘What if she never remembers me?’ It gets exhausting.”

“Then it’s a good thing you love me, too,” Isabel replied, fidgeting with the fork while resting heavily on her elbow. “But shouldn’t we be worried that Remus isn’t back yet, either?”

“They went all the way to Romania! I don’t think it’s time to worry yet.

Even if Remus flew there, found Sebastian immediately, and then flew right back, we’d still be cutting it close expecting him to return by now.

Why don’t you go with me to the shop today?

Maybe being around humans for a little while will get your mind off all this vampire drama. ”

She didn’t particularly resonate with the idea, but Isabel knew that cooping herself up in Josephine’s room with nothing to do would only make her miserable.

At least some sunshine should do her some good.

“Okay, I guess I can go with you. Not like I have any other plans today.” Isabel dumped her pasta in the trash and rinsed the bowl, ignoring the look of disappointment from Josephine that her cooking had gone to waste.

“Good. I just need to pour this soap into the molds. Why don’t you do the second bowl so we can get up top faster?

All you have to do is pour it in there.” She pointed to a silicone mold, a recent acquisition which had vastly improved Josephine’s soap making efforts.

“Just try not to spill too much. The ingredients for this particular recipe were really expensive.”

Isabel nodded and picked up the bowl of melted soap, turned it so the small spout faced downward, and began to pour. The mixture smelled of lavender and lemongrass, and something earthy. “What does this soap do, anyway?”

“It’s for skin rashes. Nothing too fancy, and it doesn’t even need venom.” Josephine scraped the last of the soap out of her bowl and tapped the mold to release any bubbles. Once both molds were full and set aside to cool, the women headed for Josephine’s room to change.

They didn’t make it there, however. A vampire Isabel didn’t recognize rushed up to the pair and gestured vaguely in the direction of Victor’s quarters. “Victor wants the girl brought to the throne room. His sons have returned,” he announced, and without question Josephine grabbed Isabel’s arm.

“Let’s go!” Josephine exclaimed, and Isabel had no argument.

The two rushed through the winding passageways as Isabel did her best to keep her emotions in check.

Excitement to tell Sebastian she got her memories back.

Anger that he’d been keeping her in the dark.

Relief that he made it back safely. Each one crashed in like a new wave of the rising tide, growing until she stopped outside the throne room.

She paused for a moment to calm her breathing and her heart, knowing that every vampire in the keep could probably hear it pounding. The moment the door opened she rushed inside, eyes scanning the space for the familiar form of her husband.

The moment she saw him, a choked sob escaped her lips and she began running to him. Sebastian turned, saw her running, and opened his arms wide. A grin lit up his already beautiful face, making him even more dangerously handsome.

Isabel launched herself right into his chest and Sebastian’s strong arms enveloped her.

“Don’t you ever run off on me like that again, Sebastian,” she chastised, her voice muffled from her face being smashed into the hollow of his shoulder.

He ran his fingers through her long, black hair and inhaled her scent, and his breath was warm on her cheek. He must have just eaten.

“I can’t make a promise like that because life is too unpredictable,” he replied, and Isabel began to giggle.

That was so Sebastian! She pulled her face away from his chest and looked up into his face, studying every line and freckle.

He did the same, staring as if he’d rediscovered the world’s most valuable treasure.

“Then at least promise you’ll stop keeping secrets from me. We’ve been married for centuries, after all. I’d think you would trust me by now with anything on your mind.”

Sebastian opened his mouth to speak, then froze with it hanging open like a fish.

“Do you remember?!” he finally asked, once his brain had managed to formulate a complete sentence.

Isabel nodded and he lifted her into his arms, spinning in a joyful circle before setting her back down and kissing her deeply.

At first she was startled by this development because they’d not kissed yet in this life, much less with the fervor and passion which now poured from his lips into hers.

But it took only a moment for memory and instinct to kick in.

She kissed him back desperately, attempting to make up for lost time.

The sound of a clearing throat broke the moment. Both Isabel and Sebastian looked over to Remus, who stood next to Victor with a look of disgust on his face. “Yes, very nice, she remembers you for the fifteenth time or whatever. Very touching. Can we get back to the important issue now?”

Sebastian glared at Remus, but Isabel blushed and pulled away.

“I suppose there is time for happy reunions later, when the sourpusses aren’t around to be jealous,” Sebastian said, his gaze full of daggers.

“There are some things I need to tell you, Isabel. And…I’m pretty sure you’re going to be angry at me. ”

“She bloody well should be,” Remus interrupted, earning himself another eye-dagger attack.

Sebastian ignored him, dropping to a knee and gazing up at Isabel. “I need you to forgive me, Isabel, because I’ve been unknowingly doing something horrible to you for centuries. And I didn’t immediately jump to correcting my mistake when I learned about it, because I was being selfish.”

“Your paintings have been stealing my soul,” Isabel interjected.

When Sebastian blinked at her with shock on his face, she sighed while chewing on her bottom lip.

“The shadow tried to tell me, while I was stuck inside the painting. And then Victor explained everything. That I’ve forgiven you for because you didn’t know.

But I’m still angry that you kept the truth from me.

I still don’t even know what this ‘solution’ is. ”

Sebastian’s head fell and he stared at the floor.

“I have to burn every single painting of you. But the thought of destroying my paintings was impossible! I was so sure that I could find another way to clean up this mess that I didn’t think you’d ever need to know.

But after running away from the truth, now I know there’s no avoiding the consequences of my actions. For either of us.”

“So you left me to suffer alone for days for nothing. Sounds about right.” Isabel’s lips pursed and she looked down at Sebastian like a disgraced knight. “Did you at least learn anything while you were running around forbidden territory?”

“I didn’t go anywhere specifically forbidden,” he insisted, “but I did learn more about my magic. Unfortunately…all it did was give us more bad news. At least we’re a little more prepared?”

Isabel knew he was trying to sound upbeat, but deep inside, she knew he was masking hard. “And what is this bad news, Sebastian? Having to destroy your paintings is awful, and I can only imagine how that feels. But you’re acting like there’s something even worse that you’re still keeping from me.”

Remus, Victor, and Josephine all stared at Sebastian, each with varying expectant looks on their faces.

He gritted his teeth, the shame practically dripping off of him.

“It’s going to be painful,” he admitted.

“For both of us. You were unconscious for the first one, but you still writhed and screamed as if you were on fire, and not the painting. And that was just one of them.”

“And you have hundreds,” Isabel whispered, suddenly terrified. Instead of the tongue-lashing she’d intended to give Sebastian for keeping secrets, she found herself unable to speak. He nodded and her knees buckled. She started to fall and he shot to his feet to catch her before she injured herself.

“I don’t know how this is going to go, Isabel. I don’t even know how our bodies will handle it. But I do know that we…well, I have to gather up all of my paintings and burn them. It might be wise for you to go back to your family while I do, just in case.”

Isabel looked at him with wide eyes. “In case what? I die?”

“Yes. In case you die.”