“I love you, Clarissa. And I hope to have many, many adventures with you. I hope to always be able to whisk you away and fill you with nothing but the love and happiness you deserve. And no, I’m not compromising anything to be here with you. I want to help you raise the family I know we’ll all create together. I want to protect you, and cherish you, every single day for the rest of my life. Will you let me do that? Will you let me marry you?”
I nod my head silently, and Toshi slips his ring up against Vlad’s. Then, he passes my hand off to Theo.
And it doesn't shock me that his ring is carved from what smells to be cedar.
“The winds of my ancestors call to me, but they settle the second I’m around you. From the moment I warmed your body against mine on my boat until now, all I’ve done is fall more and more in love with you. Creating a family with you, it’s all I want. Being by your side is all I want. Protecting you and making sure you could have everything you need, it’s all I want Clarissa. You, in every form, just as my ancestors call to me in any form they can. Will you marry me?”
My forehead falls to his as he slips the ring up against Toshi’s.
And then, it’s Sebastian’s turn.
I watch him take the copper-red ring from the box. He takes my left hand within his and slips the ring on before he even asks. He presses all of the rings together, and I watch as they morph and twist. Melding together before my eyes and twisting into the most intricate design that somehow fits everything that has transpired between all of us.
I look up into his darkened stare, and his words rattle my bones.
“You are the mother of my child, and there will never be a moment where I will leave your side. I will hunt for you, protect you, and give you anything you need. Wherever you go, I will be there. Wherever you lay your head, I will be n
ext to you. I saved you from that plane, and from the moment you ran your fingers through my hair I knew I was in trouble with you in all the best ways. You are mine, and you are theirs, and I am yours. Forever.”
“Marry me, Clarissa. Please.”
I grab his cheeks and crash our lips together as I nod my head against his lips. I feel him grin as his hands wrap around my back, and we slowly descend to the bed.
THE WEEKS PASS ON AND my stomach grows rounder with my daughter. Sebastian is constantly at my side, and I find myself not minding it. The guys slip in every night, slinking into bed with me so I can bask in their grasp. Vlad’s village is feeling more like home with every passing day, and the longer we stay here, the more all of us feel that it’s right to be here.
To live here.
To raise our daughter here.
“Vlad!”
My head whips around at the sound of Lord Wesley’s voice.
“What is it?” Vlad asks.
“It’s the Council,” he says. “We need to talk.”
“We eliminated the Council,” I say. “How can this be about them?”
“Clarissa? Where are you?” Sebastian calls out.
“Over here!” I exclaim.
I can hear Sebastian running up as fast as he can. Our minds have been more connected than ever, and even when I don’t call out to him, he can sense when I’m in distress. Toshi slips from the restaurant we were all going to meet in, and Theo comes running down the alleyway at the sound of all the commotion.
“What’s going on?” Theo asks. “I heard Sebastian calling for Clarissa.”
“I have information,” Lord Wesley says. “About the Council.”
“That’s not possible,” Toshi says. “The Council no longer exists.”
“They do. Or they did,” Lord Wesley says.
“Father, spit it out,” Vlad says. “What’s happened?”
I watch Lord Wesley’s eyes slowly pan over to mine, and I know what he’s going to say.
“No,” I say, not wanting what he’s going to say to be true.