“Behave,” I say.
And as we head back inside—me, glowing and immortal and absolutely certain I just made the best decision of my now eternal life—I think about all the versions of Lauren that led me here.
The scared girl in the hospital. The doormat girlfriend who let Michael use her. The “embarrassment” who couldn’t live up to her mother’s expectations. The powerless woman who thought she had to accept whatever life gave her.
They’re all still part of me. But they don’t define me anymore.
Because I’m also the woman who waved at a god. Who demanded to be part of her own story. Who refused to be silenced or sidelined. Who chose impossible, complicated, forever love even when the smart, safe thing would have been to run.
I’m Lauren fucking Martinez.
And I’m just getting started.
THIRTY-FIVE
LAUREN
We’re still glowing—bothliterally and metaphorically—when Remus and I head back inside. Romulus stays awake this time, which is new and slightly disconcerting, but also kind of perfect?
The family swarms us immediately. Abaddon sweeps Remus into a crushing hug that would probably kill a normal person. Hannah’s asking a million questions about what happened up there. Little Raven is trying to fly directly into the glowy light coming from my chest until Kharon gently redirects her.
Remus recounts the whole thing—the Devourers, the sun, the battle. The way he tells it, you’d think he was describing a particularly exciting afternoon instead of, you know, a literal apocalypse.
Romulus rolls his eyes a couple of times from the back of Remus’s head, but he’s also smiling. Actually smiling at his brother’s theatrics instead of looking like he wants to murder everyone in the room.
Progress.
Eventually, the excitement dies down. Ksenia and Kharon take baby Luna (who’s been remarkably chill through all this chaos) upstairs for a feeding. Abaddon stands, stretching his wings.
“Well,” he says. “I think it’s time we took our leave. Thank you, Vlad, for your hospitality. We will never forget your kindness in this time of need and consider you true allies. Should you ever need?—”
“Oh, not quite yet.”
The voice comes from the doorway.
Vlad steps into the room like he’s making an entrance at a ball. His silver hair catches the light. That sharp smile is already in place.
“That one—” He points a claw-tipped finger directly at Remus. “—struck a blood oath with me, the terms of which have not been fulfilled.”
Oh shit.
Everyone freezes.
“What are you talking about?” Remus’s glow flares brighter, his voice hardening. “We struck a bargain.”
“What did you give in exchange?” Abaddon’s voice could freeze lava.
“Hey, go easy on him.” Romulus speaks up—actually defending his twin, which,wow. “He just saved the world, remember?”
“Something my blood may have helped with,” Vlad interjects smoothly. “It may have fortified him beyond his own abilities. Allowed him to take on the Devourers and actually defeat them.”
“Then you already got paid,” Abaddon growls.
Vlad just smiles wider. “That’s not how a blood oath works.”
“I gave you information,” Remus says. “That was the deal.”
Vlad laughs—a sound like breaking glass. “Only a fool would think the eldest living vampire would give his ownbloodformereinformation. No, by imbibing my blood, you made an unbreakable pact. You and all your blood kin are bound to me until the debt is paid.”
