A Shade of Vampire 77 A Fate of Time - Bella Forrest Page 0,100
again. The universe had regained its balance, its forces in check and pushing forward. There was something to look forward to, something involving Eira and me, along with my parents, my friends, and every single creature who had resisted the Hermessi’s onslaught.
The future was ahead, and it was beautiful and promising once more.
Amelia
My eyes peeled open, slowly adjusting to the moonlight pouring through the window. The silken curtains shuffled in the midnight breeze, dancing and casting shadows across the treehouse walls. I’d been in a similar state before, I thought. In bed, melting in Raphael’s arms. Only it had been daylight. And it had been a dream.
Smiling, I took a moment to adjust to the much sweeter reality. This was better than Phantom’s dream world, even though I was still bound to the night, as a vampire. Taking deep breaths, I reveled in Raphael’s musky scent. He stirred, his hands moving beneath the soft, satin sheets. A low growl left his throat, as he reacted to my presence.
Outside, the nightingales sang the night away, their trills echoing through the redwood forest like unending melodies of good times gone by and better times to come. A werewolf howled at the full moon, and others were quick to join him. People laughed, somewhere nearby. It had to come from Derek and Sofia’s treehouse.
They’d made a habit of throwing late-night dinners for themselves and their children, their grandchildren, and their great-grandchildren. After basically losing them in the ritual, the entire Novak clan had grown tighter, closer to one another. Vivienne and Xavier were in attendance tonight, as well, along with Lucas and Marion. The rest of the family was scattered across the In-Between and the Supernatural Dimension on various missions.
Lucas’s laughter roared louder than everything else. Someone must have told a very good joke to make him rumble like that. I couldn’t help but giggle, happy to hear such sounds of joy and goodwill sneaking through my treehouse window.
Six months had passed since the Hermessi’s ritual had been stopped. We hadn’t heard from any of the Reapers, or Death. The elementals had gone back to their duties, as well, including the rebels. We did get our chance to say goodbye to Ramin, at least. The others, including Earth’s Hermessi, had vanished already from our collective sight, but we knew they were watching, quietly, all around us.
Every gust of wind. Every flower blossoming in the ceramic pots by my windowsill. Every flame burning in the candleholders on my nightstands. Every drop of summer rain. The Hermessi were there, peaceful and life-giving. Of course, the trauma inflicted by Brendel had yet to fully heal. I doubted it ever would.
Most of the cult members had been apprehended. Those we’d already had in our custody had joined them in a special prison built specifically for them, on Purgaris, in the Eritopian system. They no longer had the Hermessi’s power flowing through them, but many were still dangerous, still convinced that they’d done the right thing. Some had been repentant, asking for leniency, for forgiveness. None of us had found any mercy for them. They’d willingly hurt five million fae and done the Hermessi’s bidding. How could we forgive such actions?
No, examples needed to be set. Derek and Sofia had both been quite specific about it. We could not let their deeds go unpunished, not after at least two dimensions had been within inches of total annihilation because of these people.
I would’ve liked to see Ramin or Herbert one more time, but I also understood that connections between us were unnatural and unhealthy. The Hermessi, the ghouls, and the Reapers belonged to different planes of existence. We’d learned the hard way—though we hadn’t had a choice back on Strava—that mingling with their kind would bring catastrophe into our lives.
I did, however, take comfort in the kind of person I’d become since the ritual. I’d made new friends, great friends in Riza and Herakles, Eva and Varga, Lumi, Nethissis, and Eira and Taeral. We shared a trauma and an outstanding victory together. Most importantly, Raphael and I were a strong and incredibly happy couple—that was, by far, my favorite takeaway. I’d never fallen in love with anyone before, and Raphael had managed to take such firm hold of my heart that I could no longer imagine my existence without him.
“What keeps you awake at night?” he asked, his voice scruffy. “If it’s Lucas’s laughter, tell me, and I’ll go down there and slap some duct tape over his mouth.”