Cruz's Salvation

Her father leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “Your mother would be proud of what you’ve become, Kiara.” Kiara sobbed in response. “And I’m proud of you.”

“I love you,” Kiara cried against his chest.

Adric leaned back and smiled. “I know you do.” He kissed both of her cheeks. A deep sigh came from Adric’s mouth as he glanced back to Kiara. His eyes filled with tears. “I hope this life brings you happiness.” Her father smiled, a grin for her to hold in her memory forever. “If an allegiance is formed between our species, promise me you’ll return home and visit.”

“I promise.”

Adric stepped away, and Cruz gathered Kiara up in his arms. He strode toward the open front door, and once there, he stopped, glancing over his shoulder to Cruz. “Protect her.”

“I’ll do better, I’ll keep her safe, heart and soul, and I’ll cherish her until I’m no longer given the right to.”

A tear fell down her father’s cheek. Kiara wanted to run to him, force him to end the unforgiving fight between the species, but knew she held no power to do so. The world couldn’t change by him, or her. The truth was, her father had raised her, had given her a lifetime of happiness, but now, she had Cruz. Her father wiped the tear along his cheek, left the cabin, and shut the door.

Kiara’s breath gasped out as her heart clenched with sadness. Her father, a man she cherished, one no one compared to…until Cruz. She loved her father, would love him every day she longed to see him again, but she had a life to live. And that life was with Cruz.

“One day,” Cruz said in a soft tone, drawing Kiara’s teary gaze to him, “you’ll see him again.”

Kiara had a hard time believing his words were possible, yet she never believed she’d have Cruz either, or that her father would accept them. Accept the love she’d found, fought against, but now rejoiced in. Still, though, it didn’t make his departure any easier. Only one thought remained on her mind and in her heart. “I hope so.”

Cruz brushed his fingers across her cheek and waited a full minute before he spoke next. “Are you ready, my wolf?”

Ready to die is what he should have said. “I’m ready to be with you forever.”

Cruz’s fangs released from his gums and he angled her head to the side. “And I’ll love you forever.” He sank his fangs into her neck, creating a large gash, and Kiara said goodbye to her old life as Cruz backed away for a moment, letting her blood gush down her neck to drip to the floor just as her father asked. She willing let death take her to accept the new her, because her new life held Cruz, and her happiness laid in the dreams of their future.

Epilogue

The rush of blood pooled in Kiara’s throat before she swallowed with a groan. Bloodlust had hit hard for the first month after Cruz had turned her. Now, it’d been more manageable. Traveling through Ireland and most of Europe kept them busy, but they’d become fond of Belfast and made a home here, though Kiara’s

father still stayed on her mind. Worries over what had happened the night with Milo had been a constant strain.

Kiara angled the man’s head farther, opening the wound on his neck to offer more blood to flow into her mouth. She heard Cruz talking on the phone behind her to Devon, but paid him no attention, too involved in her feast. After a few more deep gulps, Kiara felt sedated and drew away, licking the wounds on the man’s neck to close them.

Glancing back to him, she stepped away from the shadows created by the dark alleyway. “You may go now,” she told him, still holding him entranced. “And you remember none of what took place.”

The man, a middle-aged drunk on his way home from the night at the pub, stumbled away toward the road and said nothing more.

Her gaze focused on Cruz as he ended the call with warm goodbyes, turned toward Kiara, and smiled. “Feeling better?”

“Much.” Kiara tried to feed from strong men, drunks, or something of the sort—still adjusting to her new fangs and the lack of werewolf in her now. She missed her shift, the wolf inside of her, but having Cruz meant more than her werewolf culture. As her mind swept away with romantic thoughts, she forced herself to remember the phone call. More pressing matters captivated her thoughts, and now with the feeding over, she couldn’t wait to hear what Devon said. “What did he tell you?”

Cruz smiled and cupped her cheeks in his hands. “No troubles came from the incident with Milo. Devon said he heard through the channels that your father did as he told us and the matter had been put to rest.”

The news was so good she had a hard time believing it. “So, he’s fine?”

“Yes,” Cruz whispered. “Don’t worry, Kiara. Your father is perfectly well.”

Relief settled Kiara’s worries. Who knew if her father’s plan worked or just erupted a war between the packs since Milo had been an Alpha and in her father’s territory? Even as it sat now, the killing would only spin more hate between the species since Milo’s pack would harbor rage against the loss of their leader. Kiara realized, no matter what they did, the fight would always continue. “It’s never going to end, is it?”

Cruz’s eyes saddened and he frowned. “I wish I could tell you soon the prejudices will end and you’ll see your father again.” He sighed, so deep. “But I’d be lying.”

Kiara wished she had the power to end the longstanding battle. The longer it took for whatever the supernatural beings needed to work out, the longer it’d be for her to see her father again. She planned to. No matter what she’d become now. He’d still love her, accept her, even though she denied her wolf roots to be with Cruz and now needed blood to survive. Because he would always remain her father and loved her regardless. His actions had proven that. He’d given her his acceptance to become a vampire, knowing the hate he held for them. The acknowledgment gave Kiara a sense of happiness she never thought she’d find.

Kiara might know what Cruz said was true—the animosity forged through the centuries had no end in sight—but she held a more optimistic approach because she’d seen it happen with herself. She’d loved a vampire and had gotten her father to accept one too. Closing her body against his, Cruz trailed his thumb across her cheek. “There will be more, you know.”

Cruz arched an eyebrow. “More of what?”

“More, just like us—who will fight for what’s right, and for love. Maybe one day, there’ll be enough of us who want to stop the prejudices, to form an allegiance, and to live in a new world.”