Rio growled deep in his throat, a spark of amber lighting in his gaze. "I like the sound of that."
"I hoped you would." She smiled up into his face, a face she would never tire of seeing, especially when he was looking at her with so much tender devotion in his eyes it left her breathless.
She glanced down at the box of Eva's personal effects, then out at the bonfire. "You know you don't have to do this. Not for me."
Rio shook his head. "I'm doing it for both of us. Maybe I'm doing it for her too. It's time to let go of everything that happened before. I'm ready to do that now...because of you. Because of the future I see with you. I'm done looking back."
Dylan nodded gently. "Okay."
Rio picked up the box and looked to her to accompany him to the fire. They walked together, silent as they neared the undulating flames.
With a soft push, Rio sent the box of pictures, art, and clothing into the middle of the bonfire. It roared to life for a brief moment, shooting a spray of sparks and smoke high into the dusky periwinkle sky.
In a thoughtful silence, Dylan and Rio watched the fire burn for a while, until the flames grew less hungry, their fuel spent. When it was just smoke and embers, Rio turned to Dylan and brought her into his arms. He held her close, whispering a quiet prayer of gratitude next to her ear.
And in the rising smoke from the dying bonfire behind him, Dylan watched over his broad shoulder as an ethereal, feminine shape took form between the flurry of floating ash.
Eva.
She smiled a bit sadly as she watched the two of them embrace. But then she gave a slow nod to Dylan and gradually faded away.
Dylan closed her eyes as she wrapped her arms around Rio and buried her face in the solid warmth of his chest. After a little while, her cheek rumbled with the vibration of his voice.
"About that 'having me every way imaginable' promise of yours," he said, clearing his throat. "You want to explain some of what you had in mind?"
Dylan looked up at him and smiled, her heart overflowing with love. "Why don't I show you instead?"
He chuckled, the tips of his fangs already starting to emerge. "I thought you'd never ask."
THE END
>And in the rising smoke from the dying bonfire behind him, Dylan watched over his broad shoulder as an ethereal, feminine shape took form between the flurry of floating ash.
Eva.
She smiled a bit sadly as she watched the two of them embrace. But then she gave a slow nod to Dylan and gradually faded away.
Dylan closed her eyes as she wrapped her arms around Rio and buried her face in the solid warmth of his chest. After a little while, her cheek rumbled with the vibration of his voice.
"About that 'having me every way imaginable' promise of yours," he said, clearing his throat. "You want to explain some of what you had in mind?"
Dylan looked up at him and smiled, her heart overflowing with love. "Why don't I show you instead?"
He chuckled, the tips of his fangs already starting to emerge. "I thought you'd never ask."
THE END