“No.”Her voice was sharp.“I don’t want her to know how I ended up. She’ll feel responsible. That’s just the way Kara is. If she loves you, it’s with all of her being.”
Finn phased to his human form. He collapsed to the floor as her grief flooded him.“I know you have no reason to trust me or believe me. But that is how I love you. There’s nothing that will keep me from you. Nothing in your past, present, or future could change that.”
“You can’t love me, Finn, especially not like that.”She scoffed.“You don’t even know me.”
“Precious Lizzy, I was created for you and you alone. Everything inside of me is designed to love you, protect you, provide for you, and desire you. There is nothing I won’t do for you. One day, you will understand that. Even if I have to die trying to convince you.”
He heard a sob through their bond. Finn’s hand was still on her face, and he felt tears fall on it.“Don’t do that. If you die, you won’t keep your promise to never leave me. Maybe I’m a fool for believing a voice in my head, but I am so tired of doing this life thing on my own. I don’t think I can anymore.”
Finn saw Lizzy’s memories from a time in her life not long before she met Cain. He could hear the poisonous thoughts that had dominated her mind. His wolf snarled at the ideas of suicide she had entertained. His poor Lizzy had been days away from taking her own life when the vampire king found her. Damn it all! Finn couldn’t even be angry that Cain had taken his mate; it had saved her life. Finn pictured his arms wrapping around her small form, pulling her tightly into his body. He imagined burying his face against her neck. He could still smell her scent, which had saturated the room when Cain had bitten her.“This is the best I can do right now,”he whispered into her mind.“One day, I will hold you. And once I get my hands on you, I will never let you go.”
To his surprise, relief flooded through her.“This is enough for now. I truly hope you’re real, Finn. If you’re not, I hope I never wake up.”
“I’m real, Lizzy St. James, and I’m yours.”
“That’s not my last name.”
He allowed himself a small smile, a tiny sliver of hope.“It will be.”
Epilogue
“Wine is the new hot chocolate. Don’t judge. I still have my knives, and I’m feeling extra stabby.” ~Jen
“How did you manage to get away from your man?” Sally handed Jen a cup. There was no steam coming out of it this time. This elixir was a little stronger than chocolate. Jen and Jacque were imbibing. Sally, of course, could not. Jen wished she, too, couldn’t consume alcohol. But she refused to be jealous. She would not let herself feel anything but joy for her friend. Jen lost her child, but she would still get to be the most awesome aunt to Sally and Costin’s little crumb catcher.
“I didn’t get away from him.” Jen inclined her head toward the door. “He’s sleeping in the hall.”
Jacque sat on the floor, her shoulder resting against the couch just beside Jen’s knees. She laid her head against Jen’s leg, and Jen felt her redheaded friend’s love flowing into her. From the moment Jen had stepped into the room, Jacque hadn’t stopped touching her. Humans might have found that weird. Jen didn’t give a pixie’s ass. She needed her two best friends. Their touch, be it Sally’s hand on her shoulder or Jacque’s head resting against her knee, brought so much comfort and peace to her tattered soul. Decebel hadn’t taken offense when she’d told him she needed to see her girls. He’d simply picked her up and carried her to the room. She knew he wouldn’t leave, though, and that was just fine with her. Having him close was also something she needed. Jen had learned over the years that it wasokay to needher mate and her friends. She didn’t have to pick one over the other, and they never asked her to.
“Cookies don’t go with wine, Jen.” Jacque looked at the cookie she held and then sat it on the coffee table.
Peri had popped in for a split second and dropped the package of chocolate and cream goodness in front of them. She had said, “You’re the only three people on the planet that I would not only bury a body for but bring you those nasty crap cookies. You’re welcome. I love you.” Then she was gone.
“Bite your tongue, Red,” Jen said. “Cookies go with everything. To suggest otherwise will get you put on my list.”
“You still have a list?”
“Why wouldn’t I, Sally?”
“I thought maybe you’d kind of grown out of that phase,” Sally said carefully.
Jen shook her head and took a sip of her wine. “Having a murder list is not a phase. It’s like a bucket list. Things just waiting to be checked off before you kick it.”
“You realize that things on a bucket list aren’t names of people, right?” Jacque sounded like she was trying not to laugh.
“That depends.” Jen gave a sly grin. “A bucket list is a to-do list. So, there could be a name … if it’s someone you want todo.”
“And there’s the Jen we know and love, folks.” Sally laughed, holding out her cup of hot chocolate for Jen to tap with her cup.
“Well played, Jennifer, well played.” Jacque patted Jen’s thigh.
“We’re going to be okay, right?” Sally’s smile was gone, and worry filled her big, brown eyes.
Jen reached out and grabbed her hand. She swallowed before she spoke, ensuring she could keep herself together. “As long as I have you two, I will always be okay. It may take time to get there, but yes, Thelma, we’re going to be okay.”
A throat cleared from the hallway, and Jen rolled her eyes. “Okay, as long as I have you two and B.”
Two more throats cleared.
