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“Explain.”
“We had the curse all wrong. There was only one family meant to survive, but that one family would have the blood of all three Praeditus families, plus mortal blood, combined. And we qualify. The Aelius queen foresaw us. We really are meant to be together.”
He yanked on my shirt and pulled me down onto him, our lips crashing together. Eric was just beginning to part mine when we heard a voice from outside that struck a chord of fear in my heart. We both jumped up.
“I’m bloody free! I’m bloody free!” Portia whooped in her English accent.
Eric pushed me behind him, waiting for his mother to come inside. We waited tensely for several minutes, until we thought we should go out and see where she’d gone. After all, she was a liability and a knife-wielding psycho. Before we walked out, Eric took one last look at his father and grandfather, who looked as if they were sleeping on each other. “Goodbye, you bastards.” Eric took my hand and never looked back.
We walked out the door and into the bright sunlight with my book in hand. The grounds didn’t look any different, yet it didn’t feel as creepy.
“Where do think she went?”
Eric shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine, but stay alert.”
I stuck to Eric like glue as we walked back toward the RV, keeping an eye out for his mother. She couldn’t have gotten too far, though she was nowhere to be seen.
When we made it to the RV and didn’t see her, I asked, “Should we search for her some more?”
Eric looked around and called out her name, “Portia.”
No response.
“Will you think ill of me if I say I don’t care if we never find her?”
“Not at all. I’m sorry for all the pain your family caused you.”
Eric tugged me to him, the book was the only thing between us. “They’re not my family.” He kissed my head. “I can’t believe this is all over. And we survived.”
I breathed the hugest sigh of relief. “It seems surreal. But we’re together. We were always meant to be together. I think I knew that from the moment we first met.”
“I wish I would have given you a better first impression.” He chuckled.
“I can’t imagine you were very happy reporting about a wedding cake shop.”
“Not at all, but that day changed my life.” He leaned back and tilted my chin with his finger. “You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, daughter of the earth and sun.”
My eyes misted. “I feel the same way about you, son of the moon.”
He leaned his forehead against mine. “Well, since we both agree, and we aren’t cursed anymore, I think we have some business to take care of.”
“And what business would that be?” I played coy.
“I’d like to bind myself to you . . . in every possible way,” he groaned.
My cheeks flushed. “We are duty bound to combine all the bloodlines.”
“It’s probably best not to delay.” He swept me up into his arms.
I brushed his lips with my own. “We have all the time in the world now.”
A serene look washed over his face. “Do you mind if I want to spend every second with you?”
“I’m counting on it.” A small glimpse of the future filled my mind. The person front and center was Eric. Always Eric.Epilogue“I can’t believe you talked me into this,” Eric whispered. “Mortals are dangerous and unstable creatures.”
I pressed a kiss to his lips. “We can’t talk like that. I’m part mortal, you’re part mortal, and our babies will be part mortal.”
Eric groaned and rubbed my belly that wasn’t burgeoning yet but I knew would be soon. Just like I knew I carried twins. I’d seen them in a vision. A boy and a girl. The girl, olive skinned like her father; the boy, fair skinned like me. Both with dark hair and my blue eyes. They were beautiful, and I couldn’t wait to meet them in eight months.
“Okay,” he murmured. “But if Josie and Mateo do anything to call attention to us or try to call the authorities, I will use my powers.”
“Ooh. Don’t get me excited.”
He nuzzled my ear. “I’ll excite you all right.”
“Later,” I said breathily. “I want to say goodbye and make sure the bakery is taken care of before we leave for Lisbon tomorrow.” It had already killed me to see Love Bites with an “Out of Business” sign on it. Thankfully, by magic or something like that, a secret will would soon be found, giving the bakery to Mateo and Josie. Mateo and Josie who were now a couple. At least my supposed death had brought about some good.
“So are we still good with the plan?” I asked. “I’ll knock on the door, tell them not to scream and that I have something to show them. You’ll come out of the shadows so they’re stunned, and then we’ll tell them the truth about us.”
