by Anna Santos
“I was afraid that you wouldn’t be able to find me.”
Eric kissed her cheek and rubbed her back. “You are safe now and your wounds are fully healed.”
Beth smirked. “It took less time to heal this time.” Then she grabbed her hand to his t-shirt. “It’s still sad, though. Marie sacrificed her life to rid the world of that monster.”
“And to keep her daughter and you safe.”
Beth sighed.
“You look tired. Between what happened and taking care of the baby, you need to take some time to rest.”
“Jessica will take care of Ruth tomorrow, so we can have time for ourselves. She’s excited about having a baby in the palace.”
“Everybody is. Anna comes here every day to look at her. I’ve never seen my dad this smitten by a child.”
Beth nodded. “I love this baby to pieces. But I worry.”
“We’ll do great. Don’t worry. I’m here to help you.”
“It’s not that, honey.” She rested her head back against his shoulder.
Eric placed his arms around her waist and kissed the top of her head. “Tell me what’s troubling you.”
“We were lucky. He could have taken me.”
“It’s in the past.”
“You had no way to find me and … we aren’t linked because I didn’t want you to bite me. If Olivia hadn’t told Dulce, I could be…”
Eric tightened the hug. “He’s dead, and he’s not coming back. No what ifs, okay?”
Beth nodded. “But Ruth lost her parents, and I have no idea how we are going to tell her what happened when she’s older and wants to know more about Marie and Alaric.”
Eric grabbed her chin and raised her head. “We are Ruth’s parents now.” Beth leaned back to look at him. “She’ll be our daughter. There’s no use in telling her how her mom died because her father didn’t want her. What will that do to her, can you imagine?”
“But lying?”
“Maybe when she’s old enough to understand. Some truths are too painful and can destroy her life before she gets a chance to live it. When she realizes that her parents and her past don’t define her as a person, we can tell her.”
“Do you think the others will be okay with this?”
“Do they love her less because of who her father is?”
Beth shook her head. “She’s innocent.”
“Exactly. It’s not her fault. Her mother died to protect her. We need to honor that and give all our love to this child.”
“I love you.”
Eric looked at her and noticed the tears escaping her eyes. “I love you too. Why are you crying?”
“It’s just all so sad.”
“Tomorrow, we’ll cremate their bodies and give them a proper burial. Then it’s time to move on and live our lives. The baby is our top priority now.”
“You’re right,” Beth agreed, entwining her fingers with his.
Eric kissed her neck. “Now, what was that about you wanting me to mark you?”
Beth giggled and moved in his arms. Turning around, she looked for his mouth and kissed him.
She breathed against his lips, “We have two hours before I have to feed the baby again. Do you want to use that time to play?”
“I’m always in the mood to play with you. Especially the games that involve me taking off your clothes and make you moan against my mouth.”
Beth giggled and kissed him passionately.
Chapter Nineteen
Three days before
Olivia’s eyes opened, and she noticed the light streaming through the window. It was day, and she had no idea for how many hours or days she had been out. Either way, the blood she stole from Alaric’s veins had worked, and she was alive. The fact that she was a vampire now was still to be confirmed. For the time being, her head hurt and there was an incessant white noise buzzing in her ears.
Moving her arms, she achieved a sitting position and looked to see if her murderer and sire was anywhere to be found. So far, so good. No signs of the bastard who killed her father.
Her throat felt dry and her body weak. Maybe she needed blood. Luckily there were bags of it in the fridge. Dragging her body to the kitchen, she opened the refrigerator and took a few minutes to look at the bag of blood and wonder if she had it in her to drink it. Her stomach hurt, and she felt brave and hungry.
A few minutes later and two bags of blood after, she was sure that she was a vampire since the blood felt like the sweetest nectar down her throat and her fangs had shown inside her mouth. Her plan was working. Better than that, Alaric was nowhere to be found, and the fool had left the money Seth paid him behind.
He must be putting in action his silly plan of kidnapping Beth. He was going for a rude awakening if he believed that he could get away with killing Olivia. Not just her. The bastard had murdered her father. The only person who loved her for who she was. It was time for her to move on and use her new powers to truly be free.
Dusting her sweatshirt, she went to the bedroom and shoved some clothes in a backpack. Then she grabbed the suitcase with money and said goodbye to the ugly apartment she had been forced to live.
There was just another thing she had to do, and she could leave that town.
Two hours later, she trekked the side of the road that left Affinity with her backpack and the suitcase full of money. A smile crossed her lips as she smelled the air and watched how the bugs buzzed around her. The sun wasn’t hot, and it threatened to rain, but she wasn’t worried about that. Her new powers gave her a new perspective of the world but also made her invulnerable to diseases.
Forever eighteen. That was the living.
A car passed by and braked. She rushed and looked through the open window.
The driver, a young blonde male with a killing smile, asked, “Do you need a ride?”
“Yes.”
“Where are you heading?”
“The next town.”
“It’s still far.”
“Where are you going?”
“Visit a friend. Come on in, I’ll drop you in the next bus station.”
He popped the trunk and Olivia left her backpack and brought the suitcase with her.
Olivia smiled and entered the car. “Thank you.”
He glanced at the suitcase in front of her feet but said nothing about it. “Buckle up.”
Placing her seatbelt, she engaged in a conversation. “Are you coming from Affinity?”
“Yes.”
“Did they find the missing woman?”
“Yes, it was a mess to leave town. They had checkpoints in every corner. How did you leave?”
“I was on foot, and I look rather harmless. I just showed my ID, and they let me pass.”
“Still, you shouldn’t walk on your own. The roads can be dangerous.”
Olivia shrugged. “What happened to the guy that took her?”
“He’s dead.”
Olivia smirked. “All is well when it ends well. No?”
He chuckled. “He got what he deserved. I’m Jeff, by the way. What’s your name, pretty girl?”
“I’m Olivia.”
“Nice to meet you, Olivia.”
“The pleasure is all mine, Jeff,” she mumbled as her fangs itched against her gums.
THE END
Author’s Note: Eric and Beth’s story have come to a conclusion. Being inside Alaric’s mind has been a wild and exhausting ride. Marie and Alaric’s story is also concluded. Still, I’m sure that we’ll just miss Beth and Eric.
Yet, don’t be sad, they will appear in the other books in this series. We’ll get to know more about their lives as we follow the lives of other residents in the Affinity town.
Why don’t you leave a review, so I know that you want me to continue to write these stories? Reviews help writers understand how the stories are being perceived by the readers. Without them, this becomes a lonely work, and I tend to focus on writing more of what people enjoy.
With that said, Claim
ed is the next book in the series. It will follow Dulce’s story. Excited? Read the blurb to the next book here:
After having her heart shattered one too many times, shewolf Dulce, decides to ask her closest friend to end her streak of bad luck and help her find the one. Yet, everything turns upside down when the spell explodes in their faces.
Dulce’s prayer seems to be answered. She meets a delicious hunk of an Alpha shortly after. There are just a few problems—he’s a hybrid, he might be married, and has a daughter.
Derek has had enough of having his heart broken. Looking for a fresh start to focus on his daughter, he relocates his pack to a place where hybrids are welcome. Still, he wasn’t expecting to find a sexy shewolf who made his heart beat faster than ever.
Meeting Dulce sets off an avalanche of emotions that Derek has never felt before. But as a single father, he swore to put his child above all else.
Can he keep his promise and not give in to temptation one last time?
Pre-order it now. Links on my website (last book on the page):
https://www.annasantosauthor.com/copy-of-books
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anna Santos is an International Bestselling Author of Paranormal Romance.
She likes to write steamy and happily ever after romances with magical and complex characters. All her books feature clever, witty, and strong heroines and dominant males who either get what they want or get what they deserve.
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Other works by the same author:
http://www.annasantosauthor.com/
The Immortal Love Series
Soul-Mate
The Witch and the Vampire King
Spellbound
Shattered
Claimed
The Mate Series
His Beloved
His Mate (coming soon)
The Cursed Angels Series
Archangel’s Kiss (Book 1 is Free)
Archangel’s Fire
Archangel’s Redemption
Angel’s Touch
The Chronicles of the Eylones
Enchantress
Punisher
Seduced
