Chapter Thirty- Eight
Selene
The battle ended and boy was it a stinky way to conclude the night.
The souls within the corpses were dragged to the gates via Jude’s immense power, but their bodies stayed behind. I didn’t want to think about what needed to be done with the piles of rotting flesh strewn over the grass.
“Now that they aren’t trying to kill us, I think I may throw up.” Esme covered her lips while her face turned green. She moved swiftly toward the mansion without another word.
“I motion we head back inside where that strange light is coming from.” Lilith pointed toward the mansion, where indeed a bright light beamed from the roof into the clouds. My powers stirred, and a sweet inner peace surround me like when I was near the afterlife that resembled heaven.
“Oh! We’re free! We can finally leave!” The four hitchhiking ghosts hauled ass toward the light, and soon there was an exodus of ghosts heading toward the open gates that would lead them to their peaceful afterlife.
I’m sure some souls would choose to stay here, but many were tired of being trapped. They wasted no time, and no goodbyes heading onward.
One by one, we entered the mansion to the ballroom where the crowd laying on the floor slept blissfully unaware of everything that happened around them. Performers from Jude’s circus surrounded a lone man who stood in front of the bright light with a confidence only a ringleader could have.
“We’ll never forget you.” The trapeze artists walked into the bright beam after waving to him, then floated up like the light was an elevator to heaven. Many ghosts stopped to talk to Jude before they left this Earth, in which he’d embrace them, then urge them to be free of this place.
Joslyn and her tiger and the little boy and his pet elephant walked together into the light with big smiles. The sight was beautiful, and even though I assumed I had no more tears to cry, little tears fell while I watched these souls find peace.
“Never seen a sight like this before,” Draco murmured in awe. I looked at my friends, who were enraptured by the scene before them. It wasn’t every day you saw the dead rise and the dead find peace, wherever that was to them. There were still some ghosts in the house, standing to the side without the desire to move onward. They watched their friends go with happy expressions, waving goodbye. Their time to go would come, but they had unfinished business they wanted to complete. I understood, so I kept my power away from them.
One last figure walked toward Jude. The only soul left who wished to leave. Lucy.
Despite everything she’d said before this night, Lucy risked her soul for us.
“Thank you for trusting me.” She spoke to Jude but then turned her head toward me as well. She meant her words for the both of us.
“Thank you for saving us.” I drifted from the Hero Society group and walked toward the single ghost and Jude. Jude’s power pulsed in response to my movements. Oh boy. This was going to be an interesting wedding night.
“I wish you guys a happy marriage. Maybe you should name your firstborn Lucy.” She winked and gently touched Jude on the shoulder before giving me a knowing look. With a performer’s flair, she twisted her body into a flip and landed perfectly for a tightrope act into the light.
We watched her disappear, then Jude bellowed words for the gates to close. It took only seconds, and the light disappeared, too.
“My wife,” Jude growled as his hands gripped my shoulders, pulling me toward his hard, warm-blooded body with a heart that thumped beneath his chest.
“Husband,” I teased innocently, which brought about my favorite smirk on his face.
“I think your plan won tonight.” He tucked me into his side as our friends came closer, wanting to get in on the hugs and celebrations.
“Now that we’ve saved mankind and they have no clue, again, I think I’ll wake them up and we end this party.” Asher slapped his hands together, ready to work his wild magic.
“I hope tonight ends with sleep.”
“I vote it ends with a cup of tea.”
“We’re having sex tonight.”
Of course Lilith made everyone laugh as the crowd began to rise, unaware of what had just happened around them. The smell outside the mansion would probably chase them back to their cars quickly, but besides that, they had no clue we’d just battled an army of the dead.
“I think I’m gonna celebrate November first with my wife. Everyone can see themselves out,” Jude announced loud enough so the crowd heard. People grumbled about being suddenly exhausted and walked toward the exit.
“I think we’re gonna head out, too.” Esme peered at Dorian, who watched the crowd leave in all their finery.
“Us, too.” Rose hugged Draco tightly, then they waved us goodbye and departed.
All our friends were safe. My husband swept me off my feet and walked swiftly toward his room.
