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  “Why?”

  “Because everyone you’ve ever loved will be dead.”

  She expected some sort of a reaction to her blunt statement, but he doesn’t even blink this time. It’s never easy to truly convey the scale and breadth of all that immortality has to offer, but it is a fact that both Gabriel and Sadie will be faced with soon enough.

  It took nearly fifty years for her to stop mourning the loss of her family, and they were all killed the night she was turned. There was no chance for her to lurk outside their bedroom and watch as they slept. To perch in a windowsill at birthdays and Christmas as siblings grew old and their grandchildren soon toddled about, a new generation that would never know who she was.

  Her entire family line was wiped out in a single night, but Gabriel still has a home and a family living in America. They will have to go back at some point to see his parents, but it will be his choice if he wants them to know he is still alive. The burden of wondering if he still lives is one she does not wish upon his mother and stepfather, but the burden of knowing the truth about his transformation would certainly not be any easier to accept.

  “Not everyone will be dead,” he whispers. His lips are warm and inviting as he leans in to kiss her. They tremble slightly as she sinks into his embrace, needing his touch more than the breath that fills her lungs. He shifts so she is beneath him, hovering just over her.

  “You are so beautiful,” he finally whispers, his voice cracking with emotion. His gaze flits over her face, his eyes wide with awe, as if terrified that she might slip away and be left only with a memory. “I wish we could stay like this forever.”

  Roseline smiles before turning to look toward the castle. A few lights still flicker in the windows, but most have long since been snuffed out. “I’m pretty sure Sadie would eventually come looking for us and that might be a tad awkward.”

  “For you,” he scoffs and shifts to lean onto his elbow, propped on his side. “I look totally hot and I’m not ashamed of it.”

  Roseline chuckles and shoves him back down. She throws her leg over him and pins him to the soft bed of grass growing around the roots of the willow tree. The air is moist and cool, soothing against the rising flush along her bare skin. “I don’t share,” she says as she leans in and nips at his neck.

  A rumbling growl rises in his throat as he tries to wrap his arms around her and flip her onto her back, placing himself in a position of control. She smirks and unwinds his arms, placing his hands on her waist. His grip tightens, digging into her hips as she sinks down.

  He draws her hair back over her shoulder, exposing her fully to the cool night air. His gaze feels as loving as his earlier caresses, but there is more urgency to his touch now. She leans down and seizes his lip between her teeth, savoring the rumble in his chest as he arches his back.

  This time she wants to be in control.

  FOUR

  Roseline grins at the high-pitch squeal and stomping of boots that greets her and Gabriel as they walk hand in hand through the castle entrance the next morning. Their clothes are damp and rumpled, their hair beyond repair, but they are happy. They are together.

  Sadie slams into the middle of them just after they emerge from under the arched stone entry, an arm slung around both of their shoulders as she bounces on her toes. “I am so happy right now. You guys are just so, so…” She squeals again and leaps back, beaming from ear to ear.

  Gabriel grins as he rubs his neck where Sadie hung off him. “Nice to know I have been missed.”

  “Oh my gosh.” Sadie gasps. “You have no freakin’ clue how depressed Roseline has been. She didn’t eat, wouldn’t speak to me, and she wore the same outfit for four days in a row!”

  Roseline laughs as Gabriel glances down at her clothes. “Not these clothes.”

  “You know, I thought I smelled something funny.” He squeezes her hand and then looks back at Sadie. “So she was a wreck without me?”

  “We’re talking a one hundred car train derail right in the middle of New York City during rush hour kind of bad. Fires. Screaming. Oh, the horror!” Sadie throws her arm dramatically over her face.

  “I wasn’t that bad.” Roseline protests, but she knows no one believes her.

  Gabriel raises her hand to his lips. His gaze is tender as he smiles against the back of her hand. “I love you too.”

  A warm flush races up from her hand and she blushes, feeling Sadie’s rapt gaze.

  “Gabriel.” Nicolae nods in greeting as he approaches, not even bothering to hide his own smile as he stops at Sadie’s side. His posture is relaxed, without any hint of the tension that used to reside heavily on his shoulders. Much has changed in the past couple of weeks. Hunters have become not just her allies, but friends as well. “It’s good to see you up and walking again. You sure gave us a scare for a few days.”

  Sadie punches him on the shoulder. He winces, rubbing his wounded arm, but she hardly notices. “He’s been claiming that he knew you were coming back all along. Such a hypocrite!”

  Gabriel grins as he gives Sadie a once over. “I like the new look. Red really suits you, Sadie.”

  Her pale cheeks darken as she casts a furtive glance at Nicolae, who in turn winks back. “He’s got a thing for redheads apparently. Can’t keep his hands off me.”

  “I did not need to hear that,” a voice calls from behind. Roseline looks over Sadie’s shoulder to see William heading their way. She stifles a laugh behind her hand. He walks with a bit of an awkward swagger now, like he’s trying to appear confident but is failing miserably. Maybe being around so many immortals hasn’t fully helped him to come to terms with Sadie’s transformation yet. “Hands off my sister, Nicolae. She’s still mine.”

  Sadie rolls her eyes and makes no move to part from Nicolae’s side. Gabriel grins. “Learn to pick your battles, dude. That ship has already sailed way out of your reach.”

  William tries to feign a grimace, but everyone knows he’s not really upset. In fact, Roseline has a sneaking suspicion he has gained a great amount of respect for Nicolae over the past couple of weeks, despite the fact that Nicolae is fooling around with his sister. At least William doesn’t have to listen to their giggles in the middle of the night from across the castle. If there is one thing she would love to change about immortality, it would be her ability to hear through walls as if they were as thin as paper. Sometimes it’s just better not to hear some things.

  “So…” Sadie draws out, a wicked grin on her face as she glances between her friends. “Looks like you two had a good night.”

  “Sadie!” William pales at his sister’s statement. She giggles and loops her arm through Nicolae’s. He shifts and slides his arm farther around her waist, tucking his hand deep into her back pocket.

  William shakes his head. “I’m sorry for my sister. She was repeatedly dropped on her head as a baby.”

  Roseline smiles. “It’s fine, William. It’s not like I’ve never done this before.”

  “Speak for yourself.” Gabriel grins, wrapping his arm around her waist and tugging her close. “Best night of my life, man.”

  A hint of heat stains William’s cheeks and Roseline instantly feels sorry for him. Although things may be somewhat cozy between him and Claudia since their return from Canada, she has yet to hear any giggling come from either of their rooms in the middle of the night.

  She bumps Gabriel with her hip and his smile falters. He clears his throat and turns to Nicolae. “Is there anything to eat? I’m famished!”

  William is the first to answer. “Dude, you have missed everything! Turns out Claudia is like the master chef of the house. Just wait until you try her chocolate chip and maple pancakes. They are to die for!”

  “The trick is getting to them before Will.” Sadie snickers. She reaches out and flicks her brother on the nose.

  “Ow!” He grumbles, rubbing his nose.

  “Oh, stop being such a baby.” She rolls her eyes and pulls Nicolae along with her as they head back towa
rd the castle. “I didn’t leave a mark.”

  “This time,” Roseline hears him mutter under his breath as he shrugs his shoulders and turns to follow.

  Lowering his hand from her waist, Gabriel grasps her hand in his and leads her into the castle courtyard behind her friends. She watches Sadie and Nicolae walk in step together, heads lowered in conversation. William’s mood improves considerably as he lifts his nose to sniff the scent of bacon on the grill. Grinning from ear to ear, he happily begins to rattle off a full spread buffet menu that Claudia is preparing for the fifty or so men currently staying in the castle.

  “And her cinnamon rolls are beyond addicting,” he calls over his shoulder. “I’m serious. I could die a happy man if that was the last thing I ate.”

  “An obese man, but still happy.” Sadie snickers from up ahead. She lets Nicolae tug her into a darkened passageway and Roseline can hear her laughter echoing off the walls.

  “I really don’t know how we are related.” William shakes his head, pausing for a moment, and then follows his nose to the kitchen.

  Gabriel makes as if to follow, but Roseline pulls him back. “Is everything okay?”

  “Yeah.” She smiles, jerking her head toward a different door. “There’s someone I think you should see first.”

  Without waiting for him to question further, Roseline pulls him toward a closed door near the far end of the courtyard. Its frame still boasts splatters of blood from the battle against Vladimir. The wood is deeply scored from sharp sword blades and partially charred from the front gate explosion but is still somehow miraculously intact. Was it really only such a short time ago? In many ways it feels as if a lifetime has passed.

  “Where are you taking me?”

  She can hear his burning curiosity but doesn’t relent. Instead, she pushes open the door and steps aside. “After you.”

  He gives her an odd look and then crosses the threshold. She closes her eyes at his sharp intake of breath and then slowly releases it as she hears his cry. “Katia!”

  Roseline reaches out and slowly closes the door behind him, allowing Gabriel to have a private moment to catch up with his sister.

  She’s still not really sure how she feels about this new development. Having a flesh and blood sister must be a great feeling for Gabriel, especially one that can know his secret and embrace this new life, but on the other hand, it makes him vulnerable. He proved that on the battlefield in Canada.

  She doesn’t blame him for going after Katia. In fact, she would have been furious if he hadn’t. Being a human, albeit only partially human, meant that she was still fragile, vulnerable in ways that would make Gabriel risk everything to protect her.

  Roseline leans back against the wall, lifting a leg to press against the stone as she tries to focus on the blunt cut of her nails instead of the voices within. She is happy for Gabriel, truly, but terrified at the same time.

  Katia was used as bait for him once. What’s to say she won’t be used again?

  In the long, lonely nights after Gabriel’s funeral, Roseline heard Katia speaking with her friends in hushed tones about her own transition. She does not possess the same abilities that Gabriel developed not long after Roseline first met him. No glowing cross tattoo on her wrists, super strength, or hearing. Her mother’s genes must have been more dominant than Lucien’s.

  Still, she wants to be turned. Roseline isn’t sure if this was for personal gain or in attempt to honor Gabriel’s memory. Either way, Nicolae decided that Roseline would ultimately decide the girl’s fate. Thankfully, she is off the hook. Now, that decision will rest firmly in Gabriel’s hands.

  After nearly a quarter of an hour, the door cracks open and Gabriel emerges alone. Roseline looks beyond him to see Katia perched on the edge of her bed, her head buried in her hands. Her sobs are loud, riddled with relief.

  “She didn’t know?” Roseline asks, taken aback.

  He shakes his head. “Elias thought it might be too hard for her to see him after…” He lets his words fall away, but she knows he is thinking of his fallen guardian angel, Seneh. Katia and Seneh held a special bond. Elias no doubt didn’t want to open wounds that have barely had time to begin to heal over.

  “Why didn’t the others tell her?” she asks as the door latch locks into place.

  He takes her hand in his and brings it swiftly up to his lips. She smiles, knowing this is a habit she could easily get used to.

  “They felt it would be best to see the truth for herself. She thought I was a ghost at first. A walker of the woods. I guess there are myths of ghosts from where she lived. I sure gave her a start.” His chuckle spreads warmth in her abdomen as she twines her fingers through his.

  Their shoulders bump against each other as they walk. Their footsteps echo off the wall beside them. Roseline breathes deep and feels a familiar rumbling in her stomach. She can’t remember the last time she actually ate a full meal.

  Gabriel pulls her back just before they reach the corridor that leads directly into the kitchens. He dips his head in greeting as two black-clad hunters mutter their apologies and slip past them, making a beeline straight for breakfast.

  “What’s wrong?” she asks.

  His lips soften into a smile as he reaches up with his free hand to cup her face, his thumb brushing along her cheekbone. “I’ve made a decision.”

  “About?” Her eyebrow arches. Although his tone doesn’t suggest anything worrisome or terrifying, her stomach clenches as a kneejerk reaction.

  He leans in close and whispers in her ear. “No more fighting. No more bloodshed and stupid prophecies. I want to spend time together, just you and me. We’ve spent far too much time fighting just to get back to each other, and I refuse to let anything come between us ever again.”

  She inhales, rocked by the depth of his statement. Not just the words, but the emotion behind them. It is true. From the moment they first met they have been torn apart over and over again. Fate has never been kind to them, but maybe, just maybe things are starting to come together.

  Roseline looks around her at the extensive evidence of an early morning training session left abandoned. Swords line tables along the walls. Feathered arrows, shot from high-powered crossbows, protrude from makeshift targets. She can see leather gauntlets, vests, and the like scattered about near the newly assigned armory, housing an array of old-school and modern-day weapons. “We can’t just walk away from all of this.” She protests, pulling her gaze away to look at him. “They need us.”

  He squeezes her hands and smiles. “I’m not saying walk away completely. I’m saying we need to take a break for a while. Then we can come back here and help out. You know, take up a leadership role. Train the new recruits.”

  Roseline bites on her lower lip, thinking of the new teams that have recently been sent out into the field to establish more bases like the Senthe base in Canada. Lucien’s army fled to the corners of the globe and she is not about to let them get away.

  “Where should we go?” she asks, knowing a break would be nice, but she could never allow it to be permanent. Her responsibilities lie here. This is her home.

  A small smile stretches along her lips as she realizes for the first time, amidst the mass chaos and influx of hunters and immortals arriving daily, Bran castle finally feels like home to her. It is more than a brick-and-mortar building. It is a gathering place of friends and family.

  Maybe one day she and Gabriel can move out of the castle, build a small home of their own where they can have some privacy. The castle grounds certainly have enough room for them to use, or perhaps they could tear down the old lakeside shack and make their own cottage.

  Gabriel tilts his head to the side, contemplating. “I think I’d like to go to Chicago first.”

  “To see your family?”

  “To say good-bye to my past.” His hand drifts down to her waist and pulls her to him. Her body molds against his as he presses her against the wall. His gaze is intense as he stares down at her. “You
are all the family I will ever need.”

  As she lifts up onto her tiptoes to kiss him, Roseline realizes that for the first time in a very long time, she feels happy. Truly, unabashedly happy.

  FIVE

  Six months later…

  Roseline stares out over the frozen tundra spread before her, gripping Gabriel’s hands tight enough to shatter bone. The winds are no less vicious than the last time she stood here. The cold bites at her cheeks and nose. “You can do this,” he whispers against the gusting winds, his breath warm against her ear.

  A part of her wishes she never had a need to return to the Senthe Base, to the place where she lost so much, but duty demands it. No, not just duty, a gut feeling. Something has been calling her to this place for the past two weeks. She can’t explain it. It’s not something as explicit as a message in a dream or a vision, but the reality of the need is no less urgent.

  After their time spent abroad, they returned to Romania as planned. The past three months have been consumed with training. The halls of Bran Castle now echo with the near constant clash of steel swords and the thud of arrows hitting their targets. Immortals train alongside hunters each day, learning from each other. It is a sight that Roseline never dreamed could be possible, but Nicolae’s vision of a new world finally came true with the official signing of the truce between these two groups of warriors. Roseline and Gabriel remained at Bran Castle long enough to take part in this momentous ceremony before leaving for their own journey.

  Now, instead of attacking each other, hunters and immortals band together to track down the remaining pockets of Lucien’s army that scattered across the globe. Many of them have dug in deep, forcing the warriors to be gone for months on end. Others give in to their thirst and come into the light of day and are easily squashed out.

  No matter how many of her enemy are found, Roseline can’t shake the feeling that something more is coming. Something big.

  She releases her vise-like grip and offers Gabriel a tight smile. “It was right to come here.”