AllFreeNovel
Share Us
How to put it delicately… “Um, yes.”
“I expected as much. It was not enough for you to disrupt the balance of the universe to saveonesoul, is it, Soteria?”
I grinned. “This is the last time, I promise. But how come you didn’taccuse Cole? He was with me.”
She loosed a beleaguered sigh. “Becausehewould only go for you. You’re the only one crazy enough to keep going back there.”
“Very true,” Cole agreed. “Let’s go address our new subjects.”
Cole brought us with his magic to the top of the massive gates that surrounded the city, or what had been left of them. From our position, we could see for miles. And every inch was filled with newly returned creatures. Some, I had no doubt, would cause trouble. Others were just unfortunate victims.
No matter. I would find a place for all of them.
But perhaps the most surprising part of the view wasn’t the people on the ground, but instead, the sky. The sky that had been stained bloodred for as long as I’d remembered, even in my last lifetime. Now, it appeared just as it had in my dreams—the same soothing night sky as appeared in the land of the living. There was no moon or stars, but it filled the space all the same.
Cole and I exchanged a look, a thought passing between us in an instant.We hadn’t destroyed the natural order of the world. We had finally set it right.
“Welcome back to the underworld.” Cole’s voice was loud, his magic projecting the words so all could hear. “You will find, for many of you, this is not the same place you remember. This is no longer Hell. Instead, you are in the underworld. Neither good nor bad. This place is what you make of it. No longer will the threat of eternal torture loom over you.” He lifted a hand, gesturing to the sky. “These are new times.”
He quieted, and I took that as my cue. “Thank you for coming with us.” The same magic Cole used to amplify his voice took hold of mine. “I know it’s scary to leave what you know, however terrible. I’m glad you did. Things are different now. If you’ve come here, it may take time to find your place. I will help you. If you decide you want to leave, to reincarnate and return to the world of the living for a fresh chance, I will help you with that as well.”
My magic took hold of the crowd, the spark of life and possibility, touching each of them, the same way it had in Tartarus.
“Should you decide instead you are ready for eternal peace, then I will take that as my duty to guide you there as well.” Cole’s death magic replaced mine, following his words.
Wary, yet hopeful looks were exchanged throughout the crowd.
My heart was full when I spoke next. “This place has been my home, and now, I hope you will find your own home here as well.”
Ahome. I had wanted it for myself, and I wanted it for them. The wariness faded.
“If you have any questions this evening,” Cole added, “seek out the witch, Hecate. Because though your queen would spend the entire night helping you, she has fought hard for you, and my wife has earned an evening of rest.”
I spun to argue with Cole, but he flashed me an unabashed grin and teleported us back to our bedroom. Before I could get a word out, his lips were on me with bruising intensity.
“Hecate’s not going to like that.”
He snorted. “She’ll handle it.”
He dragged me into another kiss, lifting me onto the vanity where he wedged himself between my thighs.
“Rest, huh?”
“I thought that sounded more polite than ‘I plan to fuck my wifeuntil she’s too tired to give me a godsdamn heart attack with her next plan.’ But don’t worry, little wolf, I’ll make you scream loudly enough that no one in the city will haveanyquestions.”
I flushed at his words. “We have a lot of work to do.”
His expression softened without losing any of the intensity that lit his amber eyes. “We’ll figure it out. We always do.” He adjusted his grip. “But right now… now is forus.”
I wasn’t arguing anymore.
This time, Cole didn’t stop at kissing. Our clothes fell to the ground in tatters, shifted claws shredding them without restraint. This was the man I had fought for, killed for. I would love him no less fiercely than I would fight for him.
Across realms. Across lifetimes.
For eternity.
Cole buried himself in me, and I reveled at the closeness. It was more than a physical sensation. I wanted to feel him in every part of me. True to his word, I screamed. I moaned, I pleaded, and Cole forced out every emotion I’d locked away to get through our final fights.
