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I turned back to Gideon and walked into his arms. “I guess I’m taking online classes from now on out,” I said, leaning my head against his chest. “I don’t trust my parents not to spirit me away.”
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“I will miss this place though. I suppose we’ll have to leave since they know where it is.”
“Hummmm,” he said. “Alistair’s got some friends”—he looked at me—”er… Professor Killian knows some powerful witches. I bet we could get them to put a ward on this house and land, so you’d be safe here.”
I nodded. Then I looked back to where my parents had stood. “I do hope they come around someday.”
“Me too,” he said and lifted my chin so he could meet my eyes, “I think they will. Once they see how happy you are being my beloved Red.”
I grinned and stood on my tiptoes to plant a kiss on his lips. “I love you too.”
Epilogue - Toni
I moved in with Gideon and his boss for the time being, and started work as ProfessorKillian’s assistant. Most of my professors were more than happy to let me finish my work online, and on the road as we traveled to the Professor’s different speaking engagements. The humans viewed it as an exciting opportunity for me to work with such a distinguished expert—my parents, not so much. But they did answer my calls every Sunday night. We talked of banal things mostly—how I was doing in my classes, if I was eating well. They didn’t say Gideon’s name, but mostly just called him, “the gargoyle”, but they knew I was happier than I’d ever been living near home and abiding by all the coven rules. My parents didn’t talk about the coven much, but I got the sense that they’d distanced themselves from the other witches, especially Jules and his father.
“What are you up to?” Gideon asked, leaning on the island and peering at my computer. “Another paper? I swear Alistair makes you do more work than I do.”
I smiled. “I do like it, you know. This is kind of my major.”
Gideon sighed and looked longingly at the wide windows along the front of the penthouse. “But it's such a beautiful day for flying . . .” He slid my wide-necked shirt over my shoulder so he could kiss along my collarbone. “And other things.”
I swatted him away. “But I have two more pages.”
He pouted. “By then the sun will have gone down and you’ll complain it's too cold.”
“When have I ever done that?”
He chuckled. “All the time.”
“Fine,” I said, closing the laptop. “But you have to explain to the bloodsucker why I’m late with my paper. He might want a blood donation.”
Gideon growled, “Not from my mate.”
I laughed as he lifted me off the bar stool and carried me toward the open door to the balcony. My phone rang in my pocket, and I hit Gideon’s shoulder. “Wait! Let me see who this is.”
He grumbled but paused on the balcony.
I fished my phone out of my pocket and looked at the display showing my best friend and former roommate's name. I couldn't not take this call. I'd been worried about her ever since she'd left mid-semester to go home. Holding a finger up to Gideon, to which he sighed, I clicked the accept button. “Hey Elowen.”
“Toni,” she said, her voice full of urgency. “Is your boss still looking into bad witches?”
Gideon met my eyes. His enhanced hearing picked up everything.
“Yeah, what’s up?”
Gideon set me down so I was standing on the balcony. He didn’t move away though, waiting to see if he was needed.
“You know I came home to find out where my aunt went,” Elowen said. “I’m scared something terrible has happened to her.”
“We’ll help,” Gideon said. “However we can.”
I echoed his sentiments.
“Thank you,” Elowen said. “I’ll send you what I’ve dug up, and you can see if you can make any sense of it.”
“Of course,” I said. “Do be careful, Elowen.”
“I will,” she said. “We’ll talk soon.”
I put the phone back in my jeans pocket, and turned back to Gideon. “I don’t think I’m up for an adventure right now.”
“I understand,” he said, with a hint of disappointment in his voice. “Let’s start checking Alistair’s files.”
I took his hand and led him back toward the apartment. “Thank you.”
***
