by Cege Smith
She had chosen differently, but the rules set forth by the Immortal Ones didn’t agree with that choice. She wanted to tell Malin that, but couldn’t bring herself to be that deliberately cruel. He was her husband. A husband she intended to ignore for the rest of their lives.
“May I sit?” he asked.
“I was just getting ready to go in,” Angeline said. “The heat is a bit much for me this afternoon.”
“Just for a few minutes.” There was a plea in Malin’s voice. “There are a few things I’d like to tell you.”
Angeline cursed herself for softening toward the plea. “A few minutes,” she conceded. She still refused to look at him.
Malin sat down on the bench next to her. “When I died, I thought that I was gone forever.”
“You should have been gone forever,” Angeline said.
“I know,” Malin said. “I remember being there on the other side. I felt at peace. But then something called me back, and when I opened my eyes, I saw your face again. It made me unbelievably happy.”
Unable to listen to anymore, Angeline stood, but Malin caught her hand.
“Angeline,” he said urgently. “Please. Look at me.”
She felt her body tremble. She didn’t want to look at him. She didn’t understand why he was forcing his affections on her even after she made it so clear that she didn’t want him. The man was insufferable. Even death hadn’t changed that.
“I need to go,” she said.
“Do you remember the first time I told you that I was yours?”
Feeling her anger starting to build, Angeline tried to pull her hand away. “No. I don’t want you to be mine, Malin. I’ve told you time and time again that I don’t care about you that way.”
“I remember it clearly,” he continued. “That day I was so scared that I wouldn’t be able to protect you from the evils that wanted to steal you away from me. The sun had us trapped in that cellar in the Mangalore bogs. Do you remember?”
She tried to wrap her mind around his words. They didn’t make sense. “I never told you about that.”
“I know,” he replied softly. “But you didn’t need to tell me because I was there. That was where I kissed you for the first time.”
Finally, she twisted her gaze to meet his eyes. She gasped. A pair of brilliant emerald eyes stared back at her. As the name slipped from her lips, she thought she was crazy for even considering it.
“Connor?”
He smiled weakly and shrugged. “I realize that this would be difficult for you to accept. It’s difficult for me to accept, and I’ve had four days to try to get used to it.”
“How?” she asked. “Why?”
His brow furrowed. “I told you that I heard something calling out to me on the other side. It was you. I followed your voice. You brought me back to life.”
Angeline’s heart beat painfully in her chest. “The Immortal One told me that I couldn’t save you.”
He massaged her hand as he tugged her closer to him. “She said that my body couldn’t be saved. Apparently that didn’t apply to my soul. We can talk more about it later. Right now, I want to know if you are all right?”
She was still in shock, but she tried to focus on his question. “I feel normal. There’s no more bloodlust or special abilities, but perhaps it is for the best. I don’t know if I’ve been completely healed or not, but for now, I am just me.”
He smiled. “It will take time to get used to all of this. I understand that. But I’m not leaving you ever again. We have all the time in the world now. I won’t push you or rush you, but please, don’t send me away from you.”
His words swept her away. It didn’t matter what he looked like, as long as the man that she loved was still with her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her nose deep into his jacket. His arms tightened around her, and she felt the poke of his chin on the top of her head. The familiar gesture brought tears to her eyes.
“I could never send you away. You are my everything,” she said. “Welcome home, Connor.”
THE END
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Note from the Author
It feels bittersweet to know that this is the end of the Bloodtruth series. I have enjoyed sharing Angeline and Connor’s journey with you, and hopefully the story’s end fulfills your expectations. If you enjoyed A Heart’s Deceit (Bloodtruth #4), please consider leaving a review and sharing your thoughts. I'd also love to hear what you liked (and what you didn't!) if you'd like to drop me a line at [email protected]. As always, thank you for your support.
About Cege Smith
Cege Smith is a Minnesota based writer who is addicted to lattes and B-rated horror films. She had been crafting spooky stories since she was twelve years old. She lives with her husband, two adorable stepsons, and mini long-hair dachshund, Juliet in the suburbs of Minneapolis.
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Cege's blog: http://www.cegesmith.com
