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“Together,” Caleb breathes, his gaze tender. “Always together.”
Hands held tightly, they leave the mansion in the valley where the end of the world…wasn’t.
Epilogue
CALEB
Caleb sips his coffee, grimaces, then puts the panda-shaped cup back down. Although he’s appreciated most flavors since returning back to human, even relished them, coffee is still one he can’t get behind.
He should’ve ordered a milkshake, but he wasn’t sure his churning stomach could manage.
A hand falls on his shoulder. “I wonder if the original Van Helsing didn’t like coffee either.”
Caleb startles, his cup clattering on the table, before a grin climbs up his face. He reaches up to squeeze the warm palm as a thumb brushes his neck, sending a shiver skittering down his spine.
Maddy giggles as she slips in the chair across from him, their joined hands coming to rest on the table. “It takes a while to get used to human hearing, doesn’t it?”
Caleb doesn’t point out the weaker hearing isn’t why he jumped. Not when the sounds and smells of the Busy Bean cafe fade away as he focuses on the girl who has his heart and soul.
The girl who battled vampires, Fae, evolved shifters with unwavering courage.
The girl who fought for him just as ferociously.
The girl who’s happily moved away from the supernatural world as they forge a new future.
“How was your class?” she asks, using her free hand to pull the muffin he’s ordered for her closer.
Caleb grins, trying not to focus on the moving muffin. It’ll stress him out too much. “Delightfully boring.”
Maddy grins back. “I love boring.”
“It’s the best,” Caleb chuckles. He rubs his thumb over the back of her hand. “Not that Cora seems to think so.”
“The Queen of vampires is certainly busy,” Maddy says, her voice dropping as she glances at the patrons around them. “I think the truce she’s negotiated with the Order could actually stick around.”
Caleb nods. “Kenna’s optimistic, too.”
Maddy reaches for her muffin, making him tense, only to draw her hand back. “Are you sure you don’t want to join the Order again?”
“You turned down the offer, too,” he points out.
Maddy shakes her head. “You grew up training to be one of them,” she points out. “Kenna’s your aunt. And you two are finally getting along again.”
Caleb arches a brow. He may be repairing his relationship with Kenna, but he knew long ago he’d never return to the Order. Too much has passed. “I told you this is what I want.”
“I just want you to be sure, Caleb,” Maddy says softly, her gaze falling to their clasped hands. “You’ve gone from being one of the Order, to the vampire king, to a powerful descendant of Van Helsing.”
Caleb stills as he realizes Maddy’s trying to give him an out. That she’s worried he’s chosen college and coffee and ordinary for her. He opens his mouth to tell her that’s the furthest from the truth, but Maddy isn’t finished.
“I never chose any of that. And now Quinn’s returned to Purgatory. Sylvan, Alec and the rest of the Fae have returned to their dimension. Caroline has taken over Merrick Group of Industries, determined to bring Ileana out of the coma she’s been left in as she tries to make the company a power for good.” Maddy shrugs. “Everyone’s returned to where this all started. I was a normal, human girl when you crashed into me outside this cafe.”
Caleb’s heart swells so much it makes his chest tight. This beautiful, wonderful, caring girl, one’s whose a warlock herself, is making sure this is what he wants.
“One who turned out to be a descendant of Dracula,” he says, squeezing her hand.
She rolls her eyes. “You know what I mean. I never wanted this, you did.”
Rather than answer directly, he pushes the muffin toward her, rolling his own eyes. “Just eat your muffin.” Despite the nerves, he’s glad he chose this moment to do this. Maddy needs to know what she means to him.
