Slay Alive

Epilogue

epilogue

ONE MONTH LATER…

The sun is warm on my shoulders and I wiggle my toes in the sand of Playa del Carmen. Waves crash and seagulls caw as they fly by. Everything is so beautiful here. It feels like a dream come true but I could be standing anywhere and I’d feel the same way because it’s not where I am, but who I’m here with, and why.

“I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Gio bursts into tears with my mother while Tamsin cheers at the top of her lungs. “That’s my best friend!”

It’s with a smile on my face that I get my first kiss from my husband. Cade cups my face and kisses me with enough hunger that my dad starts to cough loudly in the universally and multi-dimensionally understood signal for ‘unhand my daughter, you fiend.’ When we break apart, Cade picks me up and swings me into his arms to face our small group of friends and loved ones. Gio and Donnie are there, Tamsin, my parents, but there’s also a woman I know all too well and haven’t seen since I was in Briarwood Hollow.

Rhiannon.

She stands behind everyone, at the end of the beach, where it meets a stone pathway leading towards the main thoroughfare. I don’t go to her because I know Rhiannon will find me in her own time. Instead, I focus on the party and my friends and family. We rented a villa here with beach access, complete with a private chef and mixologist. It’s our little slice of paradise and fun, pure bliss on a beautiful wedding day.

I’m drinking a margarita with Tamsin who is double fisting drinks like the champion I know her to be. Hunter metabolism is faster, meaning she’s going to need to drink at least three more to feel anything. My mom’s had half of a margarita and she’s already tipsy. I love that for her.

My mother hugs me tight once we’re back, “I love the two of you together. You’re so happy. I’m so happy. I couldn’t have asked for a better son-in-law,” she gushes. It’s true. Cade is a perfect gentleman and model son-in-law. He’s had my parents wrapped around his little finger since they saw him opening my car door for me when we came over for our first family dinner.

“He looks at you like he sees you. I approve, Bonnie-bear,” my dad told me when we were alone in the kitchen getting beers for a round of scrabble. “That man is hopelessly in love with you.”

Cade and my dad have turned into besties. They’re always fixing something on my dad’s old Chevy, or debating the merit of high risk stocks. I don’t really know what they do when the bourbon comes out on Sundays but it’s definitely of the financial bro variety minus the douchiness. Turns out Cade is a natural at playing the Wall Street game on account of his not needing to sleep and his ability to process information faster than any human. It’s how we paid for today, plus the weeklong honeymoon we have waiting for us after tonight. We might stay gone longer, though. Cade can work from anywhere and I can’t wait to study silversmithing in Guanajuato. It’s my grandmother’s home but I’ve never seen it. It’d be nice to spend the rest of the fall there before we go back to the house we share with Gio, Donnie and Tamsin. It’s a nice five bedroom on the river and we already have plans to go tubing every day next summer.

Cade gives me a bow when he comes our way. “Hello, Mrs. Graves.” My mom practically swoons and Tamsin bows back to him.

“Hello, Mr. Graves,” I return and take the hand he holds out to me.

“May I have this dance?”

“You can have all the dances.”

Cade and I dance the night away with our friends. I kiss my husband more times than I can count, which goes the same for the number of ‘I love you’s’ Cade and I say. There’s speeches and toasts. We all get drunk and too full off good food, and I laugh so hard that my belly aches.

The night is everything I wanted and so much more.

It’s past midnight when I see a flash of white by the bar telling me Rhia’s ready to talk. “I’ll go talk to her,” I tell Cade. She’s ordering a drink from the bar and he eyeballs her.

“I’ll go with you,” he says and starts to get up.

“No, I got it.” It feels right to talk to Rhia on my own. A real full circle moment. “It won’t take but a minute. I promise I’ll be back before my dad can tell you more embarrassing stories about me from when I was twelve.”

For a second, I don’t think Cade will listen but then he sighs and nods. “Don’t take anything from her. Nothing. She’s not sending you on another quest and if she gets squirrely, scream bloody murder and I’ll come.”

“It’s Rhia. Don’t worry.” I kiss him once, twice, and then because I can’t get enough of my vampire husband, I kiss him again. “I’ll be right back.

“Five minutes and I’m coming for you, hunter,” Cade warns me.

I salute him. “Wouldn’t be you if you didn’t, Nightstalker.”

I make my way over to Rhia. She’s got her drink in hand and staring off at the dark ocean.

I stand beside her and clear my throat. “Hey, you made it.”

Rhia gives me a tender smile. “You make a beautiful bride.” She’s wearing her Bride sash.

I raise my margarita to her. “Thank you. I take it you’re on duty tonight?”

She smooths her hands over her sash. “You know it. I’ve got a broken heart to mend at a bar down the street from here.”

“Go easy on them,” I advise.

Rhia snorts. “Not my style. Worked out for you, didn’t it?” she asks.

Behind me I hear Cade’s laughter. I don’t have to look to know my dad is regaling him with another embarrassing story while my mom dabs at her eyes to stop from crying over how I’m all grown up. Gio will be dancing with Donnie and showing Tamsin how to nail the perfect 80’s dance moves.

Everyone is happy. I’m happy.

“Yeah,” I smile at the witch, “it worked out perfectly.”