“And every night after.”
“Forever,” he finished.
I stole another kiss, knowing without a doubt that this was where I was meant to be. At his side.
Lucien accelerated the car, then gave my hand another squeeze. I squeezed back.
And together, we drove off into the moonlight.
Epilogue
ISADORA
The curtains were crooked.
Not disastrously so, but just enough that I could feel my left eye twitching every time I looked at them.
“I swear, if you touch those curtains again, I’m staging a walkout,” Thorne said from her spot behind the bar. She looked as cool as a cucumber, whereas I had already changed shirts twice, ruined one manicure, and was currently debating whether or not to fake a small plumbing emergency to delay our grand opening by a few hours.
“They’re uneven,” I muttered.
“They’re charming,” she corrected. “Rustic. Authentic. Like us.”
“I am many things, Thorne, but rustic is not one of them.”
She snorted. “Relax. The bar looks incredible, the drinks are ready, the lighting is sensual without being slutty, and we survived a stalker, an attempted murder, multiple supernatural council hearings, a haunted toilet, and a djinn who charged us three times his original quote. This”—she gestured around the gleaming new interior—“will be perfect.”
And damn her, she was right.
The bar was beautiful. Modern bones dressed up with antique glamour. The restored chandelier cast a soft amber glow across our newly acquired velvet booths and glossy dark wooden floor. The ghosts had added a few personal touches—including Bernard, who had folded all the cocktail napkins in the shape of swans—but the rest was us. Me and Thorne. And all the people who’d shown up when we needed them most.
I smoothed my blouse, took a breath, and walked to the front doors.
Outside, a line had formed—supernaturals of all kinds. At the center of it all stood Lucien, dressed in sinful black, watching me like I was the only thing worth seeing.
“Ready?” Thorne asked, sidling up beside me and slipping her arm through mine.
“Not even remotely.”
She grinned. “Perfect. Then let’s open these doors before that future husband of yours eye-humps you into distraction.”
She threw open the doors, and the crowd surged in like a tide. The energy was electric. Music thrummed low from the speakers, conversation swelled with excitement, and within seconds, people filled every seat at the bar. They ordered drinks, chatted with their friends, and some even shrieked in delight over the wallpaper in the bathroom. I still wasn’t sure who had snuck in to hang glitter-framed portraits of famous vampire mugshots, but Thorne swore it wasn’t her—so naturally, I assumed it was.
Behind the bar, Thorne dove into action with the grace of someone born to serve chaos in a coupe glass. Cassian was on door duty, arms crossed, radiating menace in a way that screamed “no brawling unless I’m invited.” Felix leaned against the far wall, offering flirtatious commentary to anyone who got close enough. Ricky, of course, was already dancing with someone’s date.
And then there was Bernard.
The ghost hovered beside Thorne with a tray of drinks, gliding effortlessly through the crowd. He’d taken to barbacking with such silent determination that I suspected he’d actually been a waiter in life instead of an accountant. He still refused to speak, but he bowed solemnly when someone thanked him and even offered a crisp salute when a vampire in a three-piece suit complimented the blood-orange margarita.
Lucien moved to standing in the entrance. He watched me with a lazy hunger that promised very unholy things. My skin flushed under his gaze, and when I caught his eye, he gave me the smallest, most devastating smile.
“Lucien,” I said through my teeth, still smiling like a gracious hostess. “I promised Thorne I wouldn’t let you distract me tonight.”
He pointed at his chest as though to say, “Who me?” Then he grinned, stepped into the bar amongst the many other patrons, and kissed me. After a moment, a round of hooting applause broke out from the bar, and Lucien and I stepped apart, my cheeks burning.
“Go on, now,” Lucien said. “Go be the hostess. I’ll have you all to myself later tonight.”
I grinned, then jumped when he swatted my backside.
