“Olivia talked to me, the most she had since finding out everything.”
“Nothing will keep her from you. She loves you too much.”
I let out a soft laugh. “I think she’s finally coming around. My mother, however, I’m just glad she’s still around.”
“Now that was a surprise,” he stated bluntly.
I elbowed him in the ribs, and he chuckled.
He led me over to the bed, sitting against the headboard, guiding me up onto his lap until I was straddling him. I rested my hands on his shoulders, his settled warm on my waist.
“We got every last newborn to Dreigo. The ones who refused to go were executed. The king wants every vampire gone. Which means us, mannyenska.”
I let out a breath. I knew this was coming. Father exposed Sebastian as a vampire, and Sebastian informed the king that he was not just a vampire but the Prince of Svealin, threatening him with an army more than triple the size of his if he didn’t work with him to solve the issue. Sebastian agreed to remove all vampires from our world, but there was one problem. The portal was still open.
Alaric told me how to close it, but he was right, the sacrifice was picking a side. I didn’t have any more time to deliberate. Upon Alaric’s death, power hungry vampires across Dreigo flocked to the portal attempting to get through, though the guards in Svealin thwarted every attempt. It was too risky to leave the portal open.
My heart ached to even consider leaving my family. I had tried to convince Pari to come to Dreigo. The queen was more than ecstatic to add her to any position she wanted within her army, but the king had offered her a position in his, pleased with her work during the attack on the manor and assisting Sebastian in the transfer of the newborns. She would be the first woman in the Kilthorne Army.
I avoided the reality of leaving everyone I loved for as long as I could. But this world was not my home. I was never meant for this world. And just as it had since my birth, this world wouldn’t have me.
But I couldn’t be happier with where I was going.
“So, we’ll go home.” I smiled.
His usual rigid exterior softened, his muscles melted beneath my hands. His darkened eyes warmed just a touch. He raised his hands to cup the sides of my face, holding me there, afraid I’d fade away if he didn’t hold on tight enough.
Our lips met in a kiss that ignited my core, sending shivers across my body. I wrapped my arms around his neck, tangling my hands in his hair. We held each other so tightly, but it wasn’t close enough. He sat up, bringing me down to the bed, pressing his weight into me. One of his hands left to untie his pants. I was already in my nightdress. He shoved my panties aside and sank into me slowly. He wrapped his arms around me. I wrapped mine around him, along with my legs around his waist. Our kiss was slow and languid as we held on to each other, him deep inside me. It still wasn’t close enough, but it was as close as we could get.
After a moment of stillness, our skin warmed, heat spreading through us until we finally had to move. He pulled out and drove back in. My gasp choked off into a moan. He trailed kisses up my neck as he pumped into me, nibbling my ear before he whispered, “We’ll go home, mannyenska.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Elsie’s eyes once as green as the first touch of spring rain over grass, had lost their vibrancy. The news of James’ passing was devastating. I could hardly speak through the tears. I had encouraged her to take some time off, but she insisted that she needed to work. She had to keep busy. Once she stopped, all the thoughts would pile up. I understood.
Saying goodbye to her was harder than saying goodbye to my mother, because she was the mother I never had. She showed me true, unconditional love. She never once believed I was haunted. And even if I was, that would have never swayed her love for me. When she found out everything, she grinned.
“Told you it was no demon, just a deranged man clueless about women.”
I had laughed, though it was lackluster.
She paused, examining me, seeing grief mirrored back to her.
“Well, I’ll be damned, child. You loved him.” A pang of guilt shot through me. This was the man that had indirectly killed her son, my brother, though he was certainly at fault for it all.
“Not exactly—though—maybe, in an odd way,” I whispered.
She let out a light laugh. “You were always an odd duck, but I love you all the same.” She pulled me into a hug. “I’m sorry you lost him.”
I took in a sharp breath, careful to keep the pieces together. I pulled away, clutching on to her hands. “The vampires won’t take anyone else from this world.”
She squeezed my hands, releasing one to cup my cheek. “Except for one last soul.”
My mother and sister had come into the room then. I gave Elsie one last hug before turning to them. Tears already stained my sister’sface. She had been crying for a while. I wiped them away, holding on to her face.
“I will find a way to see you again.”
Those words opened the floodgates as she sobbed. I held her in my arms until she could breathe again.
