Braeden was smiling at her, smug and happy. He wrapped his arms around her as he turned them around until she could snuggle up against him, her head on his shoulder.
Lazily, she raised a hand. A string of ruby-studded gold slipped down her arm. Another chain was draped across her hips. But they no longer held her down. They were just jewelry once more.
“Where did you learn that?” she asked, snuggling even closer. She had no intention of ever letting go again.
At least not for the next hour.
Braeden grinned at her. “Netflix.”
“You're kidding me.”
“Nope.” Braeden shook his head, his grin intensifying. “It was Ginny, actually. She told me if I wanted to learn about human women, I should work my way through this category called Steamy Vampire Movies.”
“Uh-huh,” Alyx said weakly, her body still pleasantly exhausted and satisfied. “Do I need to have words with her?”
“Why, didn't you like the results?” Braeden was still grinning, obviously pleased with himself.
“I liked them too much.”
“So where's the problem?”
“The problem,” Alyx said, feeling giddy, “is that after this I have no intention of letting you leave this bedroom for the next week. Say goodbye to the beach for this vacation.”
“Goodbye, beach,” Braeden said obediently—and then he smirked and rolled them over once more, his mouth kissing a hot trail down her throat.
Epilogue: Alyx
The house was beautiful. It was situated on a small, rocky outcrop, giving them a beautiful view across the mountain valley below.
There was a garden filled with roses that had just began to bloom and an old cherry tree that would explode with blossoms in spring. At the back of the house, a small brook ran downward, the musical sound of water filling the air on a normal day.
Today, the water couldn't be heard. Instead, excited voices echoed through the house.
“I still can't believe this is real,” Sarah said. She shook her head, but she was smiling as she hugged Alyx.
“I'm so sorry,” Alyx said for the hundredth time. “I didn't want to worry you, but—”
“It's not like you lied to me,” Sarah said. “You told me the truth. It was just hard to believe.” She shook her head again. “I'm so glad you're safe. Safe and free and happy!”
“Best thing that ever happened to me,” Alyx said, fighting to hold back tears. “Although I could have done without the captivity part.”
“What matters is that you're alive.” Sarah pulled back a little. “And you look great. That dress is gorgeous! Where did you get it? Paris?”
They'd just come back from a weekend in Paris, where Alyx got to fulfill her childhood dream of spending an entire day walking from shop to shop on the glamorous Champs Elysées. They’d returned home with two additional suitcases full of new dresses, skirts, and shirts, a dragon’s hoard of bright silks, cashmere, and summery linen.
Braeden, meanwhile, had been able to put his newfound MasterChef knowledge to use as they explored cozy little restaurants together.
Snails, it turned out, weren't that bad because they came drenched in garlic butter. And in Alyx's experience, there was very little that wasn't improved by garlic butter.
Frogs, on the other hand, were where she'd drawn the line.
In the end, their favorite evening of the trip had been spent in a tiny restaurant with exposed wooden beams and cheap wine. They’d been served a small cauldron over fire full of melted cheese into which they'd dipped bread.
And Braeden had promised her that one day soon, they’d have a lazy evening at home where they’d experiment with cheese and dragon fire.
Alyx nodded towards a group of people clustering around where Braeden was manning the barbecue.
“Do you see the woman with the long, platinum-blond hair?”