Her body convulsed with her own weeping as she held him, skin pressed against skin. She knew it was too soon to have a baby, but if there was a way to get one of the boys back, she would do it—not only for herself but for Wes. For Luca.
Unwrapping her arms from around his back, Bray tilted Wes’s chin up to look at her. “We’ll get him back.”
Reaching forward, Wes placed his palm to her chest. “This is what makes you beautiful, Bray… Your heart.” He leaned forward and kissed the delicate area and caressed his way up, until he met her mouth.
Bray brought her hands up and ran them through his hair, lifting herself a little so he could slide his pants down. As their clothes came off, everything became muted—at that moment only the two of them existed in the world.
His lips molded and moved sweetly along with hers. He nipped at her lip, her shoulder, her breast. Then Wes’s mouth found hers again, and she lowered herself down on him, both gasping in pleasure.
Wes leaned forward, and with his fingers digging into her hips, he moved her back and forth. Neither one of them closed their eyes as they watched each other with something that was developing between them, a seed of emotion that was continuing to grow.
When they both found the relief and escape they needed, Bray crashed against Wes’s chest, and he held her tight. No longer drowning at that moment, but flying higher than the kite that was in the park the day when it was Wes, Bray, and Luca. She pretended for a moment they were all back at the park watching the kite, and Brenik was there standing with them with a gentle smile on his face.
Epilogue
Luca – Twenty-Six Years Later
Luca remembered everything as he grew in Bray’s womb. He had taken on traits from both Wes and Bray, and because Bray’s kind knew everything from the time of conception, so had he. Except he remembered his past life as well.
It had been strange for him to start all over, and although biologically they were his parents, they remained Wes and Bray to him.
He never understood what he was meant to do when Bray and Wes had told him what the Stone of Desire had prophesied. And as years went by, he had thought the Stone must have been mistaken about him.
When it came to Brenik, Luca never blamed him for what had happened. He was more upset that he didn’t find a way to save him. In the end, he knew Brenik was happier that he didn’t have to live another day with what he had turned into.
But Luca knew what he had to do now. His world was being destroyed: wars were tearing people apart and natural disasters were quickly destroying Earth.
He had gathered as many people as he could—those who believed him—and they were going to cross into Laith. The place where Bray had run from and where she would be returning to after all these years.
Bray looked up at Luca with a permanent crease in between her eyebrows. Even at forty-six, she was still beautiful. “We’re with you every step of the way,” she said as she squeezed Wes’s hand tightly.
Wes gripped Luca’s shoulder like he was afraid Luca would disappear, but he finally released him.
Luca walked toward the rose-shaped rock and placed his hand on top, while everyone behind them watched on without a word.
Closing his eyes, he spoke to the Stone. “We’re ready to leave this world and escape to the next to save however many lives we can.”
Luca’s wife brushed his fingers with hers while holding their six-month-old daughter propped on her hip, as they waited for the Stone to answer.
Acknowledgments
To the readers, thank you for coming on the journey with Brenik and Bray. These two characters are ones who will stay with me forever, especially Brenik.
First, I’d like to thank Mary Bernsen for believing that this story was good enough to be published with The Parliament House. I’d also like to thank Shayne Leighton for creating such a beautiful cover to go perfectly with the story and for everything else she does. Chantal Gadoury, for all her hard work and making sure everything was on track.
To the people who helped me make this book better when it was still not quite there yet, Danielle Smoot, Gerardo Delgadillo, and Donna Weiss. A special thanks to Patricia Thibodeaux, Kattie Sivley and Luke Taylor for reading this early and giving me your awesome opinions.
Live Knudsen, you were super lovely to work with, and I appreciate all your encouragement in the manuscript comments as you helped me build onto this book.
As always, my husband, Nathan, my daughter, Arwen—I love you both. Mom, you’re always there for me when I need it. Victoria Robinson, you have been with me on this writing journey since day one, and you continue to read each book early—sometimes multiple times.
This story wouldn’t have come to life without my love for the 90s, fantasy, vampires, bats, and Dorian Gray—a combination that I would love to be a part of.
About the Author
Candace Robinson spends her days consumed by words. When she's not writing, she's reading books and traveling to those places where she wants more than anything to truly go. Her life consists of avoiding migraines, admiring Bonsai trees, and living with her husband and daughter in Texas—where it can be forty degrees one day and eighty the next.
http://authorcandacerobinson.wordpress.com/
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