Page 101 of King of Midnight

He grunted, nodding. “As well as kind-hearted, honest and wise, and infinitely patient when he’s being an arrogant, insufferable ass.”

Gabrielle slowly turned in his embrace so she was facing him. Her expression was serious despite his attempt at humor. “I would stand with you through anything.”

“And you have,” he said, tilting her head up for his kiss. “Thank God, you have. You didn’t give up on me, even when it would’ve been easier, better for you, if you had.”

She held him tighter, her tender brown eyes reaching into his soul. “Living without you will never be the easier or better thing for me. I can bear anything but that. We’ve been through all the storms life can send our way now.” She glanced up at the sun-filled, blue sky above their heads before her solemn gaze returned to him. “We’ve weathered the worst and emerged on the other side . . . together.”

He nodded, so filled with gratitude and renewed appreciation for his life that he could hardly find his breath to speak. He could only draw Gabrielle close and kiss her while he marveled that he was standing there with her safe in his arms. No more Bloodlust. No more pain for either of them, not ever again.

He was more than alive, thanks to Selene’s astonishing gift.

He was immortal.

Indestructible.

And through their blood bond, so was Gabrielle.

“I’m not sure what this crystal makes me now,” he said, touching the center of his chest where the power of it vibrated against his fingertips. “Am I still Breed? Am I Atlantean? Something in between?”

“Does it matter?” Gabrielle stroked his cheek. “Most importantly, you’re still my mate.”

He growled in happy agreement and kissed her again, unable to keep himself from touching her, from needing to feel her lips on his.

She tipped her head back, looking at him in question. “What will you do now that there are no more enemies left for you and the Order to fight?”

It was such a new reality, he hadn’t actually paused to consider it. He shrugged. “I suppose we’ll start by cleaning up all the wreckage Opus and the Rogues left in the cities. We’ll have to work on regaining the trust of the human population too. God knows, after the havoc of the past weeks, they’ve got plenty of cause to mistrust all of the Breed again. There is corruption to be dealt with inside JUSTIS and the GNC as well.”

“Those are all important things,” Gabrielle agreed.

He nodded, still thinking aloud. “There will always be a need for peacekeepers, and the Order has trained for that for centuries.”

Gabrielle tilted her head. “Okay, so after you’ve handled all of that, then what?”

He grinned. “I’m also looking forward to chasing you around our bedroom for a while.”

She laughed, pressing her soft curves against his hardness. “I like the sound of that plan very much.” She traced her finger along one of his silver-edgedglyphs. “Do you suppose all of these new changes in you would pass down to a baby?”

He stared at her. “I have no idea.”

“Hmm,” she hummed, then kissed him. “Would you like to find out?”

There was a time when a question like that would make him think about all the reasons why bringing a baby into the world was a terrible idea.

The specter of war always looming on the horizon.

Enemies eager to make him suffer by hurting those he loved.

Myriad dangers on top of the endless risks of his work with the Order.

Now, he couldn’t think of a single reason to object.

He smiled at his beautiful, amazing Breedmate. “I think we should go below deck to the cabin and discuss this intriguing idea of yours in explicit detail.”

She beamed at him. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

They kissed under the sunlight, then linked hands and walked together to start the next chapter of a future filled with new friends and family, a shining and eternal sense of hope, and enough love to last a thousand lifetimes.