The Night Before Dead

by Kelly Meding

  “I know.” I looked in the general direction of his voice. “I’m here to take responsibility for the actions of the three Lupa under my protection.”

  “They are under the protection of the half-breed Wyatt Truman.”

  Anger fluttered under my breast bone. “Wyatt Truman is currently recovering from life-threatening wounds sustained in the course of stopping the sprite Amalie from unleashing chaos upon this world. And as Wyatt’s chosen mate, I am able to speak for him.”

  A soft murmur went through the room.

  “You continue to surprise me, Ms. Stone,” Deep Throat said. “Never before has a human come to this Assembly to ask us to spare the lives of Therians.”

  “I’ve surprised a lot of people recently, Elder, including myself.” I looked around the room at faces I couldn’t see. “A month ago, I never would have imagined myself the protector of three—if you’ll pardon the expression—werewolf teenagers. But they are not the monsters of your history. They have names. John, Mark and Peter.

  “Yes, they have made mistakes. Yes, their slain brothers are responsible for many deaths. But these boys were given to a madman to raise. They were sheltered from the world and from real love. They were programmed to do Walter Thackery’s bidding without question. All they want is a chance to have a real life.”

  “They were given that chance once,” Elder Rojay said. “And one of them chose to bite a human. Your friend, if I’m not mistaken.”

  “Yes, Mark bit my friend. Yes, my friend Milo got sick, but he did not transform as Wyatt did. An elf ally was able to isolate and contain the Lupa virus. Milo does not wish to see the Lupa boys punished. He’s already submitted a video statement saying so.”

  “This is not a human court of law.” A familiar female voice this time. “Your friend cannot simply refuse to press charges. The safety of other innocent lives is our greatest concern.”

  “The safety of innocent lives has been my greatest concern for the last four-plus years of my life. And the last few months of my afterlife.” The tiny attempt at humor fell flat, so I went on. “These three boys’ greatest strength is their love for each other. And it’s also their greatest weakness. Amalie exploited that weakness two days ago. She convinced Peter and Mark that John’s life was in imminent danger. She deceived them into believing a false outcome, and they reacted out of fear. They reacted out of instinct. They reacted to save their brother. That is an instinct that is alive in every person in this room, be it Therian or human. Am I wrong?”

  Utter silence was my answer.

  “We all act impulsively when those we love are threatened,” I said. “So I am asking for your mercy. Spare their lives, and I will ensure they are no longer a threat to anyone in this city.”

  “And how will you do that?” Elder Dane asked, speaking up for the first time.

  “By leaving the city with them.”

  Another soft murmur rose. Guess I surprised them with that one.

  “You’re leaving the city?” Elder Dane said. “For how long?”

  “Forever, if it’s up to me. Wyatt and I had already discussed it. We’ve both shed enough blood for this city and its people. We want to take the boys and go. Far away from here.”

  “You have been a great asset to the Watchtower, Ms. Stone. Your contributions will be missed.”

  “Everyone retires at some point, Elder. I may be leaving with a lot of nightmares instead of a 401k, but that’s fine. This is what I want, and quite frankly? I think it’s the least I deserve.”

  Someone spoke in that weird secret language of theirs.

  “Have you anything else to say to the Assembly?” Deep Throat asked.

  “I’ve said what I came here to say.” And for once, I found my inner snark failing me. I truly respected the men and women in this room. They made difficult decisions in order to protect the anonymity of their Clans. To help them successfully live their lives among humans and vampires year after year, generation after generation. “Thank you for hearing me out. It’s been an honor working with the Assembly these last few months.”

  “Good journey to you, Evangeline Stone,” Elder Rojay said.

  “And to you all.”

  “We will inform you of our decision by tomorrow evening.”

  Oslo followed me out of the room. I paused long enough to let my vision adjust to the dim light of the hallway.

  “That went well, I guess,” I said.

  “You are a passionate speaker.” Olso led the way back toward the showroom. “It works well in your favor that you plan to leave the city with the Lupa. As long as that was true.”

  “Trust me, it’s true. I’m ready for a permanent vacation.”

  I spent the rest of the day alternating my time between Wyatt’s room and our apartment—to which the boys had been allowed to return. The holding cell hadn’t been good for their nerves or their overall mental state. I wasn’t a fan of the exterior deadbolt on our door, but hey, house arrest beat jail.

  I also didn’t go anywhere near Ops. Whatever was going on, I didn’t care. We had people doing repair work on damage sustained by the earthquake. We had people in the field. No emergency klaxons were blaring. Nothing serious had happened in two days, which was kind of a record, and I didn’t want to jinx anything by getting involved.

  Around nine o’clock that night, after I closed and put down the book I’d been reading to Wyatt, I looked up and into the silver-flecked black eyes I knew and loved so much. Time stopped for a moment, until he blinked and broke the spell.

  “Hey,” I said. My throat tightened and nothing else came out.

  He blinked again, his dry lips quirking into a half-smile. I moved from my chair to perch on the bed next to him. Held one of his bandaged hands in mine.

  I swallowed hard against so much rising emotion and finally found words. “We did it. We won.”

  His gaze moved all over, taking in my body.

  “I’m fine,” I said. “No additional damage for once.”

  He grunted.

  “Marcus and Phineas are doing well. Both still healing from the ordeal, but they’re alive and so are you. And so are the pups. I went to the Assembly and asked for leniency. We’ll know their decision by tomorrow night.”

  His eyebrows rose.

  “Don’t look so surprised, Truman. I care about those boys, too. Mark reacted out of love for his brother. I won’t let him be punished for that.”

  He licked his lips, and I could have slapped myself. I grabbed the glass of soda I’d brought in with me and dug out a piece of ice. I smoothed it over his lips, allowing him to suck in some of its moisture, not caring that my fingertips were going numb.

  “Thanks,” he said, his voice raspy and worn. But it was Wyatt’s voice, no longer dark and threatening from the Tainted’s control. My Wyatt.

  “I’d ask how you feel, but you’re obviously in pain. Do you need anything? Should I call Dr. Vansis?”

  “Just need you.” He tried squeezing my hands. “Love you so much.”

  “Me too. I knew you’d come back to me.”

  “I didn’t know. Tainted was so strong, Evy.”

  “But you were stronger.”

  His eyes flashed with so many different emotions I couldn’t count them all. “Can still feel him. His hate and rage. Scares me.”

  “It’s okay.” I pressed a kiss to his forehead. “We’ll get through it. Together. Know why?”

  “Because you’re stuck with me?”

  I laughed. “Because we got our happy ending. It’s you and me and three werewolf puppies against the world.”

  He rasped a sound that might have been a chuckle. “Wouldn’t want it any other way.”

  “Good.”

  This time I kissed his lips, a gentle press that was also a promise. We were in this together, no matter what.

  Aurora and most of the other Coni left at midnight. We hugged for a long time on the Watchtower roof.

  “Come visit us if you can,” she said. “Ava
would love to see you.”

  “I’d love to see her.” Ava was probably the size of a toddler by now. I pulled back, my eyes stinging. “We came a long way from stashing you and Joseph in Chalice’s apartment.”

  “We have. You did yourself proud in protecting us, Evangeline. Don’t ever doubt that.”

  “You did yourself proud, too, Aurora. You fought for your people. You did me proud.”

  She grinned. “Thank you. I’ll see you again.”

  “Yes, you will.”

  I stood there with Astrid and Phineas as the clutch of Coni warriors rose into the sky on a rush of wind and the gentle beating of their massive wings. So beautiful against inky blue and a faint scattering of visible stars. We stood there until they disappeared, and I knew a little bit of Phineas’s heart went with them. He still hadn’t decided on his next step—go to Greece to be with his kin, or stay here and continue to help the Watchtower.

  I had a funny feeling the reason for his indecision had red hair and a killer left hook.

  Astrid descended the ladder first, leaving me and Phin alone.

  “She was right, you know,” he said after a few minutes of companionable silence.

  I didn’t have to clarify that he meant Aurora. “Right about what?”

  “You did yourself proud. You did the Coni and Stri people proud.”

  “Yeah, well, you did trick me into helping you.”

  He laughed, a musical sound that I’d almost never heard again. “That I did. And yet we still became friends.”

  “Very good friends.” I wrapped a loose around his waist without leaning in too hard. He was still healing and in moderate amounts of pain—even if he’d never admit it. “I’m going to miss you.”

  “And I’ll miss you. But we’ll see each other again in the future. In some place or another.”

  “Definitely. You have a standing invitation to visit wherever it is Wyatt and I end up settling.”

  “Thank you.”

  “As long as you bring Gina with you.”

  He sighed. “You are relentless.”

  “Yes I am. Can’t help it. After all of the shit we’ve survived, we all deserve happiness and someone to share it with.”

  “Yes, we do. And whatever Gina and I are, or are not, to each other, that is for us to define.”

  I laughed out loud. “Is that your way of telling me to mind my own business?”

  “In so many words.”

  Never change, Phineas el Chimal. Never change.

  Milo was waiting for us at the bottom of the ladder, looking happier and healthier than he had in weeks. Whatever the elves did to isolate the Lupa virus had also healed everything that had ailed him. “You aren’t answering your phone.”

  “I turned it off,” I replied. “What’s up?”

  “I was hoping you’d be up for a sparring match. I haven’t worked out in forever.”

  Hearing those words made my heart leap for joy. “Definitely. It’s been a while since I kicked your ass on the mat.”

  “Bring it, Stone.”

  “Gladly. You gonna have your kitty cat there to protect you?”

  Milo growled. I knuckled his shoulder, then led the way down the service corridor.

  This was going to be fun.

  Later

  Numerous peals of joyous laughter rouse me from a dreamless nap. I blink the scene into focus behind the shade of my sunglasses. And the sight makes me smile.

  Mark, John and Peter are splashing in the surf caused by low tide, taking turns seeing who can create the largest wave by stomping their feet in the swirling water. All three are soaked, their pinking skin glistening from their romp in the sea. Until yesterday, they’d never been out of the state, much less seen the ocean. Now they can’t get enough. And our house is secluded enough that last night all three went for a midnight swim in their true forms.

  I don’t know how Wyatt found or afforded our little slice of tropical island, but here we are. A single-story beach house that is almost entirely windows. A quarter-mile of private beach with crystal-clear water. A golf cart for trips into the village for food and supplies. And the most beautiful weather I can ask for.

  Paradise.

  A hard-earned, well-deserved paradise.

  Bonus points for having a very tiny Break on the other side of the island that hasn’t seemed to attract much in the way of magical beings. Other than our quintet, of course.

  I sent Milo photos this morning, and he’s already threatening to visit. All of our friends know they’re welcome at any time.

  Except for Rufus. One day the fractured relationship between him and Wyatt may heal, but not anytime soon.

  Two days before our scheduled departure, Rufus asked to speak with Wyatt in private. They were in the War Room, doors shut, for close to an hour. No one shouted. No furniture was thrown. Wyatt walked out in a oddly calm state, and Rufus wheeled out with a blackening right eye. Wyatt never told me exactly what was said, but in keeping that secret for so long, Rufus had violated ten years worth of built trust.

  That sort of betrayal won’t be fixed in a day. Maybe not even a year.

  And forgiveness or not is up to Wyatt.

  A gentle breeze stirs the air and brings the tang of salt with it. It tickles across my bare skin, which is already tanning under the midday sun. The first time I’ve ever worn a bathing suit, much less laid out in the sun for hours on end. I probably would have gone for a more modest one-piece, but Wyatt bought this royal blue bikini and I love it. Matches the blue swim trunks he bought for himself.

  A tall, frosty glass full of pink liquid and topped with a paper umbrella appears in front of me. I take it with a smile, thirsty for my second Hurricane of the day. Wyatt isn’t a master bartender, but he does a decent job with premade mixes. The fact that he tries makes them taste that much better.

  He settles in the lounge chair next to mine with a matching pink drink, his sunglasses still perched on top of his head. His smile is unlike any smile I’ve seen on his face in the four and half years that I’ve known him. It’s lazy and content and worry-free. The kind of smile I will never, ever take for granted.

  I clink the rim of my glass against his, then take a sip. Fruity syrup and rum burst on my tongue, and I savor the warmth it spreads in my stomach.

  John tackles Mark into the water, and Peter simply laughs at them.

  So much laughter.

  “I’ve never seen three teenage boys so happy in my life,” Wyatt says.

  “And just think. A year from now those teenagers are going to look as old us.”

  He chuckles, despite the oddly sobering thought. The boys are Therian, which means they will age rapidly. They have a lifespan of roughly twenty years total, three of which have been spent surviving, rather than experiencing. They won’t want to stay on the island forever. And we won’t keep them here if they choose to explore. Not once they’re mature enough to do so.

  It’s also sobering for myself and Wyatt. No one knows if his half-Lupa state will increase how rapidly he ages. No one knows if my healing ability will slow down mine. All we know is that we won’t take a single moment for granted. Not anymore.

  I study his profile a moment. Black hair glimmering almost blue in the sunshine. Black eyes flecked with silver. Rugged features and a strong jaw that I know so well. The man I’ve been through hell and back with, and not once has he given up on me. Or on our happily ever after.

  “Have I told you today how much I love you?” I ask him.

  Wyatt turns his head, smiling. “Only once. This morning after we made love.”

  “In that case, I love you, Wyatt Truman.”

  “I love you too. For always.”

  For always.

  My name is Evangeline Stone.

  Six months ago I died and rose again. I vividly remember those first few moments, waking up in a morgue in someone else’s body to the sounds of a woman screaming. I remember the names and faces of all the friends I’ve gained and lost since
then. I honor them each day by living and loving as much as possible, and by never forgetting their loyalty and sacrifices.

  The tension and bloodshed between the paranormal species of the world are far from over, but for now, my part in that story is over.

  Today the sun rose on the first day of my third life—a life of peace and patience and love—and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

  The End…Kinda

  Author’s Note

  From almost the very first page of Three Days to Dead I knew what the final scene of Evy and Wyatt’s story would look like, and as I wrote it, the tears came. It’s hard to say goodbye to characters that have lived in my head for more than seven years, but it’s time. Evy has more than earned her happily ever after, and I hope you enjoyed her journey toward it.

  Thank you for sticking with me all of these years and for supporting my books.

  And if you’re wondering about my “The End…Kinda”, the Dreg City world is too vast for me to say it’s over with. I’ll come back and play in this sandbox again, believe me. Phineas, Kismet, Milo, Marcus, Astrid, and many other characters are still out there fighting the good fight. There will always be a need for the Watchtower Initiative.

  As someone very famous once said, “I’ll be back.”

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Author’s Note