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"Blood of my blood, breath of my breath." He took her hand in his. "Until the end of time."
"Blood of my blood, breath of my breath. Until the end of time."
A new bond clicked into place--a stronger bond. Freely chosen, nothing but truth between them. Connection! She reveled.
"You are my wife," he said, tracing his thumbs over her cheeks.
"And you are my husband."
Pride glittered in his dark eyes. Dark, but so bright. The stars were aglow. "We are going to have a beautiful life together."
"Always and forever." Gillian would fight for him, and make his happiness a priority.
And she would succeed. She could do anything! After all, the frightened mouse had blossomed into a warrior. The teenager afraid of men had grown into a woman who'd fallen in love with the most savage immortal ever to live. An ordinary girl had risen from the ashes of her own destruction to become queen of an entire realm.
Well, she would be queen of the entire realm soon enough.
Best of all? A beast with a frozen heart had melted, becoming the sexiest incarnation of Prince Charming ever to live.
My Prince Charming, anyway.
Smiling, Gillian said, "Introduce me to our people. I'm ready to begin our happily-ever-after."
Epilogue
Puck and Gillian had been bonded--again--for a little over a month. Not long in the scheme of things, but blissful nonetheless. They had introduced the Shawazons to the Connachts, and only fifty-three fights had broken out, with only eighteen near-deaths.
Puck considered it a raging success.
Cameron and Winter had returned to the mortal world to help Galen for reasons they hadn't shared with Puck. The girl Galen desired--Legion--had disappeared for the third--fourth?--time, and Galen was frantic to find her.
Rumors also suggested William was on a rampage about his book of prophecies and codes, and the "geek" he might or might not have found. A friend of the Lords of the Underworld--a demon-possessed woman named Viola--was now missing, and so was the fallen Sent One who'd been chasing her for whatever reason.
But, while things outside of Amaranthia were chaotic, things inside could not have been better.
Today Puck and Gillian had been officially crowned as king and queen of the Connachts and Shawazons. Soon to be High King and Queen of Amaranthia. He'd watched his wife dazzle their people with her beauty, wit, charm and strength, and nearly burst with pride.
She'd worn a fitted black dress with an open back, silver beads hanging from a high neck collar, draping over her shoulders in varying lengths, with blades tied to the ends. He'd wanted to rip each layer away with his teeth...and had, only hours ago.
Now she was curled up in his arms, drawing little hearts over his chest.
There would be resistance when they united the other clans, but they would overcome. They always did.
As for Sin, Puck had scheduled a meeting with the Sent Ones to negotiate his brother's punishment and return.
Could life be any more perfect?
He and Gillian had made the decision to start their family. One day soon, little dark-haired princes and princesses with whiskey-colored eyes would be running around their fortress.
Puck would be forever grateful that Gillian had trusted him with her new beginning, and honored to ensure she remained happy for the rest of eternity.
"I'm cold," she said as she shivered against him. "I need your fur."
He shifted into his beastly form, and she uttered a sigh of contentment. "Better?" he asked.
"Much."
He kissed her temple and combed his fingers through her hair, content, satisfied and, because of this woman, anticipatory. Every day with Gillian was sweeter than the last. Had he known what awaited him, he would have borne his sufferings with a smile.
Some fairy tales do not have a happily-ever-after...but this one did.
*
Dear Readers, If you are interested in reading the first handful of chapters (in The Darkest Warrior) from Gillian's point of view, check out The Darkest Torment (Baden's story). For those who have already read it, you might have noticed a few differences. I did my best to tighten everything for better flow and impact.
Wishing you all the best!
Gena Showalter
Glossary of Terms
and Players
Aeron--Lord of the Underworld; former keeper of Wrath; husband to Olivia.
All-seeing Eye--Godly artifact with the power to see into heaven and hell; aka Danika Ford.
Amaranthia--Desert realm, home to Puck the Undefeated.
Amun--Lord of the Underworld; keeper of Secrets; husband to Haidee.
Anya--(Minor) goddess of Anarchy, eternally engaged to Lucien.
Ashlyn Darrow--Has supernatural ability to listen to past conversations; wife to Maddox; mother of Urban and Ever.
Axel--Sent One with a secret. Resembles William the Ever Randy.
Baden--Lord of the Underworld; former keeper of Distrust; husband to Katarina.
Bianka Skyhawk--Harpy; sister of Gwen, Kaia and Taliyah; married to Lysander.
Bjorn--Sent One.
Cage of Compulsion--Godly artifact with the power to enslave anyone trapped inside.
Cameo--Lord of the Underworld; keeper of the demon Misery.
Cameron--Keeper of Obsession, brother to Winter.
Cloak of Invisibility--Godly artifact with the power to shield its wearer from prying eyes.
Cronus--Former king of the Titans; former keeper of Greed; husband to Rhea.
Danika Ford--Human female; wife to Reyes; known as the All-seeing Eye.
dimOuniak--Pandora's box.
Downfall--Nightclub for immortals; owned by Thane, Bjorn and Xerxes.
Elin--Phoenix/human hybrid; mate to Thane.
Ever--Daughter to Maddox and Ashlyn, sister to Urban.
Fae--Race of immortals descended from Titans.
Flashing--Transporting oneself with just a thought.
Galen--Lord of the Underworld; keeper of Jealousy and False Hope.
Gideon--Lord of the Underworld; keeper of Lies.
Gillian Shaw--Also known as Gilly Bradshaw; human female recently made immortal. Wife to Puck.
Greeks--Former rulers of Olympus.
Gwen Skyhawk--Harpy; consort of Sabin; daughter of Galen; sister to Kaia, Bianka and Taliyah.
Hades--One of the nine kings of the underworld.
Haidee Alexander--Former Hunter; keeper of Love; mated to Amun.
Hera--Queen of the Greeks; wife to Zeus.
Hunters--Mortal enemies of the Lords of the Underworld; disbanded.
Josephina Aisling--Queen of the Fae; wife to Kane.
Juliette Eagleshield--Also known as the Eradicator; Harpy; self-appointed consort of Lazarus.
Kadence--Goddess of Oppression; deceased yet in spirit form.
Kaia Skyhawk--Part Harpy, part Phoenix; sister of Gwen, Taliyah and Bianka; consort of Strider.
Kane--Lord of the Underworld; keeper of Disaster; husband to Josephina.
Katarina Joelle--Formerly human; Alpha of the Hellhounds; consort of Baden.
Keeleycael--A Curator; the Red Queen; engaged to Torin.
Kings of the Underworld--Nine rulers at war with Lucifer.
Lazarus (the Cruel and Unusual)--An immortal warrior; only son of Typhon and Echidna.
Legion--Demon minion in a human body; adopted daughter of Aeron and Olivia; aka Honey.
Lords of the Underworld--Exiled immortal warriors now hosting the demons once locked inside Pandora's box.
Lucien--Coleader of the Lords of the Underworld; keeper of Death; engaged to Anya.
Lucifer--One of the nine kings of the underworld; son to Hades; brother to William.
Lysander--Elite Sent One; consort to Bianka.
Maddox--Lord of the Underworld; keeper of Violence; father to Urban and Ever; husband to Ashlyn.
Morning Star--Thought to be hidden in Pandora's box; with it anything is possible.
Most High--Also known as One True Deity; leader of the Sent Ones.
Olivia--Sent One; mated to Aeron.
Pandora--Immortal warrior; once guardian of dimOuniak (newly resurrected).
Pandora's box--Also known as dimOuniak; made of bones from the goddess of Oppression; now shaped as a small apple charm; once housed demon high lords.
Paring Rod--Godly artifact with ability to rend soul from body.
Paris--Lord of the Underworld; keeper of Promiscuity; husband to Sienna.
