"Well, yeah, but don't be too fucking excited about it," I don't want her to want to leave.
"Where would we go?" she asks, putting a balm over every worry I had about her desire to escape this place.
"Wherever you want," I shrug. "I mean we can't be reckless because they're still probably going to be looking for Al and some revenge. We need fake ID's, but I can get those fairly easily. But for the most part, we can just... live. If the Sanctum comes knocking, they're going to be very disappointed, but they can't kill you, can't breed you, can't bleed you. You were already more of a threat to them than they were to you, now it's not even close."
Her eyes water, so hungry for this freedom that she can't contain it.
"Why didn't you tell me all this before?" she asks, carding her fingers through my hair. "That bonding us together would fix all my problems?"
Insecurity makes my skin crawl, and I sigh, running a hand down my face, "Well, partially because I didn't think the magic would like it very much if you bonded with me only to protect yourself. We don't know enough about the bonding to know about the loopholes and dangers of skirting around consent."
"And the other part?"
"I just wanted you to want me, for no other reason. And if you knew everything, I would have wondered forever if you only chose me because it would keep you safe from your enemies. It sounds stupid, I-"
She stops my rambling with her lips on mine, wrapping her arms around my neck and plastering herbodyto me. "It's not stupid," she kisses me again. "But let's be clear. I would choose you no matter the risks. Even if it changed nothing, even if it put me more at risk, I wouldalwayschoose you."
I'm not sure I'll ever be worthy of her, of her love and her devotion. But I'm gonna take it all for as long as I walk this earth.
"So where are we going?" I break the kiss apart, wondering where she wants to go first.
"The bedroom," she sinks her teeth into my lower lip, pulling on it as she straddles me, making her intentions perfectly clear. "Then the shower. Then probably the kitchen again."
"Yeah?" I stand, my hands firmly gripping her ass to take her exactly where she wants to be.
"Yeah," she beams, "And then we can take it from there. I'm thinking Greece."
"Greece, it is."
"Eamon," she worries her lip with her teeth.
I stop walking, worried by the change of tone, "What's wrong, babe?"
"I don't know. Doesn't this all just feel a little... unfinished?" she continues, "I mean, the Sanctum is still out there. We may have freed some people, but in the long run, the bad guys are still being bad."
I wish I had a better answer for her, but this feeling of unfinished business is one I've had with the Sanctus Sculitis for a century now.
"Some stories have no end. No big climactic fight. Just a series of tiny victories and defeats, slowly working towards balance." I kiss her again. "You've done what you can. You've done more good than most people will ever be able to accomplish. And now, all we can really do is wait it out until their weapons stop working, thanks to Alastor."
What I don't tell her is that while her story concerning the Sanctum is over, I fear Alastor's is just beginning. Not because I need to hide it from her; I won't hide anything from her anymore. But she'll hear about it from him soon enough, I'm sure.
He's become a vital part of my team, as much of a pain in the ass as he is. He's hungry for the fight, almost brutally committed to it. As much as Isla hates him and hates what he did to Bel, there's no denying that he's doing everything possible to pay for his sins. They were both destroyed by the same people since childhood, and in deconstructing the brainwashing, they're going to need each other, going to need someone else who understands.
But Al and the Sanctum, and quite frankly, the whole world, can wait.
For now, I just want to indulge in my girl, make all her dreams come true.
Do-Over (The Epilogue)
Isla
"You almost ready?" Bel bounces on her toes, watching me through the reflection in the mirror, her violet dress flowing with her movements.
I've never been more ready.
I grin widely, excitement and champagne buzzing through my veins. "So fucking ready."
I've wondered over the last few weeks if,when we got to this point, I might feel nervous.But worry isn't something I'm letting live inside me anymore. There's no room for the kind of love this life can give us if our hearts are too full of fear. I have so much love surrounding me, from Bel, Cas, Fritz, Mike and Charlie, and even their little bundle of joy, Angeline.
