Pretty When She Dies (Pretty When She Dies #1)(109)

“We meet up at your place then?” Sergio asked as Jeff shifted gears.

“Yeah,” Cian answered. “Sounds good...err...uh...”

“My cousin Sergio and my Grandmama, Innocente,” Amaliya said quickly.

“Nice to meet you,” Cian said a little awkwardly.

“We'll talk later,” Innocente said in a firm tone. “We need to talk about your plans with my granddaughter.”

Amaliya couldn't help, but roll her eyes.

“Do you realize the amazing reputation you're going to have in the vampire hunter circles,” Jeff said to Innocente as he began to roll up his window. “You took down The Summoner.”



“It was nothing,” Innocente said with a big smile.

Amaliya touched Sergio's cheek lightly as he began to roll up the window. “Thank you.”

He grinned at her and blew her a kiss. “It was nothing.”

Amaliya and Cian watched the truck drive off slowly.

“Your grandmother took down The Summoner with a statue of the Virgin,” Cian said after a long, thoughtful pause.

“And I had the dead tear him apart,” Amaliya added.

Cian shook his head in disbelief. “I can't believe it's over.”

“I'm not complaining.” Amaliya's gaze swept over the night sky. “It already feels so much better without him.”

“Very true.” Cian cocked his head to gaze at her. “You okay?”

Covered in blood, wounded, and a little dazed, she smiled. “I'm more than okay. For the first time in my life, I know who I am and what I am. I know exactly what I am capable of and it’s the most amazing feeling in the whole damn world.”

Hooking his arm around her neck, he drew her close to him and pressed his lips to her forehead. She wrapped her arms around him and leaned into him. Together they walked across the same field they had fled across to escape the sun and The Summoner.

“Sorry about Roberto.”

“He made his own choices,” Cian said sadly. “We all do.”

Amaliya nodded as she sighed. “It still must have hurt you.”

“Yes,” he answered, and lapsed into silence.

They walked slowly back to the car.

“We're free now,” Cian said as the cool night breeze flowed over them.



“We can do whatever we want,” Amaliya agreed.

“Will you leave?”

“Yes. No. I'm not sure,” Amaliya answered.

He stopped and held her against him. “Stay.”

Resting her cheek against his, she gazed toward the cemetery and thought of The Summoner laying in pieces beneath the soil. If she stayed as part of Cian's cabal, they would be a mighty force to be reckoned with.

“Why?”

His fingers caressed her torn neck and his beautiful hazel eyes gazed into hers. “Because you love me.”

“Do not!”

“Oh, yes, you do!” He laughed and his lips brushed over hers in a tantalizing kiss.

“Do not,” she argued in a soft voice. She couldn't help but smile even though she was terrified out of her wits.

“You love me as much as I love you,” he assured her.

Tears slipped down her face and she thought of the dreams Pete had shared with her. This was no three-bedroom house with a pink canopy. It was much more and she knew it.

“Are you sure you want me?”

Cian laughed at this. “Yes. I'm sure. You have made me a better man. Or should I say vampire. For the first time in my very long life, I feel I have a distinct purpose. A reason to be strong and a reason to be.”

Amaliya tilted her head. “Really?”

“Samantha made me want to be a better human. You allowed me to be a better vampire. I think it's time I truly became master of Austin.

And I want you at my side.” His hands smoothed her hair back from her face and he kissed her brow. “Stay.”

“Okay,” she said at last as she fully took in his words and believed him. “I'll stay.”

“And you love me,” Cian said softly.

“Yes,” she answered very softly. “Dammit.”

When, they reached the Lexus, Amaliya looked toward the passenger window. It was devoid of a reflection. “You said that you could teach me to see myself through someone else's eyes.”

Cian slid his hands into her hair and kissed her again. “Yes. When you're emotionally close to someone, you can see yourself through their eyes.”

“Close how?” She stroked his back lightly with her fingertips.

“Like this,” he answered, and kissed her deeply.

She clung to him as his mouth worshiped hers in a sacred kiss, then he drew back and held her close. Together, they looked into the glass once more and tears came to Amaliya's eyes as slowly a reflection of a man and woman intertwined in a sweet embrace came into view.

Nothing had ever been more beautiful to her eyes.

And for once, she knew, her luck wasn't really all that bad at all.

In fact, she thought, as she looked at her expression as Cian kissed her brow once more, she had never been so lucky in her life.





Epilogue


Standing on the balcony of his apartment, Cian leaned against the railing and looked toward the glowing pale pink countenance of the Capitol. The night was muggy as a light summer rain fell over the city.