by Sara Snow
I watched as a woman with white hair and a blue gem at her forehead walked over to Elinor while the others joined in on the fight against Cain. I had no idea who they were, but I thanked them silently.
One of the women dealing with Cain hit him across the face with her staff, and the sound of his jaw breaking echoed around us.
The other woman held two swords that were maybe the length of my body, and she hacked away at Cain’s second wing. Will intervened by throwing himself at Cain, his claws digging into Cain’s chest like a ravenous beast.
The women backed away as Cain’s form began to return to its humanoid state.
Will, overtaken by fury, kept ripping into his brother. The last of his blows was across Cain’s face, three slashes that left parts of his skin hanging off.
Cain fell to his knees, and Will stood above him, his body drenched in Cain’s black blood.
“You killed her.” Will spoke almost inaudibly, but the anguish in his gaze brought tears to my eyes as I looked at my daughter.
Her heart was still beating, although faintly, as the white-haired woman aided Circe in trying to heal her. But no matter what they did, blood still gushed from her wound.
I closed my eyes and prayed to the Goddess, thinking of all the time Elinor and I had wasted fighting with each other. "Save her. Take my life and make it hers. But please don't let my firstborn die!"
Will grabbed Cain and tore his head from his body. That was the beast I knew him to be, but I no longer had any doubt that he was the right man for my daughter.
Will’s body, too, was mangled. He had chunks of flesh missing or hanging off him.
He staggered over to Elinor and fell to his knees beside her. “Little Wolf,” he said hoarsely, “please don’t die before I do.”
The white-haired woman moved aside, allowing Will to crawl over my daughter's body and lay by her side. My wolf wept as I watched helplessly.
“Will,” I heard Elinor whisper. “It’s over.”
“We did it.” Will took her hand and turned to face her.
Darian came running towards them, screaming at the women to heal them, but Circe snapped her fingers, causing vines to wrap around his body.
“The magic Cain used was potent, old, and poisonous, and several of her organs were crushed,” Circe explained, wiping away tears. “We managed to heal her of that, but her soul is deteriorating from accepting the Goddess. There is nothing more we can do.”
“Heal him,” Elinor whispered. “His wounds c-can be healed.”
“No!” Will growled. “I will die with you. And if anyone heals me, I’ll take my own life!”
“You’re a fool.” Elinor coughed as her eyes closed. “My fool.”
“You gave me a reason to live.” Will reached out and touched her cheek as her eyes closed and the last of her hair turned white. “I told you I’d follow you wherever you go, and I’ll do so, even in death.”
Elinor’s heart went silent, and I wept as Will stuck his hand into his chest, crushing his own heart.
20
Elinor
When my eyes opened, I was no longer in the garden. The Goddess had left, and I was lying on a bed with sheer, white curtains surrounding me. Beyond it was a room unfamiliar to me, one illuminated by several lit torches. An open doorway led to a balcony where the moon lent its light as well. I inhaled fresh crisp air and closed my eyes, touching my chest to find the wound I’d suffered from Cain’s tail, but it was healed.
It’s over. It’s finally over.
Then I smelled him—Will. His scent filled the room, and I smiled as his heartbeat drummed in my ear.
I closed my eyes and remained still as he climbed into the bed beside me. But my wolf growled with delight when he pulled me towards him, and I went willingly.
“How long was I unconscious this time?” I opened my eyes and stared into his blue ones, then smiled, seeing his handsome face above mine.
“A while,” he answered.
“How is everyone? I missed all the celebrations.” Will’s smile disappeared, and I felt a stab of worry. “What is it?”
“We’re not on Earth anymore, Elinor.”
I stared at him for a moment before rolling off the bed. My hair was loose around my shoulders, and I saw that it was raven black once more.
I swatted at the curtains and looked around our room, so beautifully decorated in all white. Ignoring it, I walked over to the balcony. Looking out, I felt my heart tighten with grief.
I stared out, sadness and amazement filling me, at the city beyond the balcony.
Towering white buildings filled the landscape, and the moon hung so low, I felt I could reach out and touch it. Memories that had eluded me so far returned, and with them came a headache.
Will came to stand behind me, and he held me as I remembered everything, right up until the moment we died.
I held my belly that suddenly felt hollow at the realization that I was dead. “My family, my father . . . I left everyone behind.”
I had given the Goddess my body willingly, knowing I’d die. But being here now, knowing I’d left my family to mourn, felt dreadful.
“Elinor, I . . .”
A knock came at the door, silencing Will, and the Goddess walked in.
I was disappointed to find that her face was still hidden under her cloak, but her arms and legs were exposed, her beautiful dark skin dotted with stars.
“Don’t despair. You’ll see your family again.” She held her hand out to me, and I looked up at Will before taking it. “You’ve both earned your place in the God Realm and the right to live eternally.”
My headache fled the moment I touched her hand, and a sudden sense of peace filled me. I looked at Will—his smile was something I never wanted to be without. He looked happier than I’d ever seen him. Even though he was a vampire, he was here with me, blessed as I was, to carry on in the God Realm.
I was happy, but my heart was still torn in half.
I hadn’t been able to say goodbye to anyone.
“Thank you, Goddess, for giving us this gift. You said I’d be able to see my family again? How?”
She chuckled. “You’re in the God Realm, yet all you care about is Earth?” She shook her head. “I spoke with the other Gods, and we agreed to let you travel between the realms freely.”
“As a ghost?” I probed, and she shook her head.
“No, as you are, with flesh and bone. You’re not Gods, so you won’t need vessels, but your stay on Earth will be limited to twenty-four hours at a time. Also, neither of you can intervene with earthly matters. You may only visit. Understood?”
I barely stopped myself from running over to hug her. “Um . . .” I cleared my throat and placed my fist over my heart. “Thank you, truly.”
Will held my shoulder and squeezed.
The Goddess bowed and pulled her cloak tighter around her. "Before I go, did you wish to see Skye? I'm afraid traveling to the Demon Realm is forbidden, but you can see her briefly."
I nodded, nervous to discover what had happened after Cyrus had taken her to the Underworld. Was she a vampire now?
The Goddess waved her hand, and a mirror appeared in the air, its surface like still water.
“Skye!” I stepped forward as my best friend’s face appeared in the mirror, her eyes brown and not red.
“She can’t hear you.” The Goddess waved her hand again and the image shifted, showing us more of Skye’s surroundings.
She was dressed in a stunning black dress, and Cyrus was by her side. Her hair was decorated with pearls, and she was wearing a small crown. He, too, was wearing black—a shirt with its front open to showcase his tattoos and trousers.
They were by a river with Theanos, who was drenched from head to toe. My eyes welled up with tears as Skye held her head back and laughed. Cyrus pulled her to his side, his hand around her waist as he laughed with her.
I couldn’t hear them, but seeing them—seeing their happiness—brought me peace.
/> “They’re okay,” I sighed.
“Over time, maybe their circumstances will change and they’ll be able to visit Earth. Then, and only then, can you see them.”
“I understand,” I told her, and she nodded, pleased.
She waved her hand once more, and I saw Scarlet and Saleem sitting in Saleem’s office in the Black Souls Market. The image changed, and I watched as the Nephilim Sisters parted ways and stepped into three separate portals. Tien’s eyes were filled with joy as she stepped into her portal.
They’d all been born in different places—by the sea, in the desert, and in the forest—so I assumed that was where they were now headed since they were free. I knew their bond as sisters wouldn’t allow them to stay apart forever, though, and I believed the same thing would happen for me and Skye.
They’re all okay.
The image changed again, and I held my breath as Jackson, my mother, and my father stood over my grave. Beside it, there was another grave for Will. In front of them, a statue had been erected showing the two of us, holding hands.
“Four weeks have passed on Earth . . .” The mirror vanished, and the Goddess turned to leave. “You both may have your first visit tomorrow. Tonight, there is a celebration here. It’ll be the perfect time to introduce you to everyone.”
I nodded, satisfied with the way things had turned out. “Goddess, a young Enchanted from my pack had a dream of the future . . . or what she thought might have been of the future.” I looked at Will, then back at her before continuing. “She saw humans being attacked by vampires.”
“Hmm, did she now?”
“Do you know if her dreams are true? Will the vampires go to war again?” I couldn’t see her face, but from the way she turned away, I assumed she was looking out the balcony at the city or the moon beyond it.
“Unless they have a vision while an event is happening, Enchanteds can only see possible versions of the future. Nothing is set in stone.” She brushed a finger across her collarbone, and a shooting star ran down her arm to her wrist. “But rest assured, I’ll keep an eye on things. Should they require it in the future, I’ll make sure there is someone there capable of conquering Amythia and the vampires as you did.”
She turned away to leave but looked over her shoulder as she opened the door. My breath hitched as the brightest silver eyes I’d ever seen appeared in the shadow beneath her hood.
“Elinor and Will, you’ve saved your loved ones and the other inhabitants of Earth, and you’ve unlocked a door for interspecies relationships. You should be proud of what you’ve accomplished. Now, rest up before the celebration. I’ll return for you in two hours.”
She left us, and I threw myself at Will, crying uncontrollably. He picked me up, and I wrapped my legs around his waist as he walked out onto the balcony. With my face buried in the crook of his neck, I bawled like a baby.
But I wasn’t crying from sadness. It was joy, all joy.
The war was over, finally. It had been a long, treacherous journey, but we’d made it to the end. Even though Will and I wouldn't be traveling the world as we'd once planned, we had a whole new realm to explore together.
Sniffling, I unwrapped my legs but held onto him until my feet touched the ground. His hold on my waist was just as tight, and we stared at each other.
“We have a brand-new world to explore,” I whispered.
He pressed his lips to my forehead. “We have all eternity to explore this realm and Earth. I’ll go wherever you go.”
“Is it selfish of me to say I’m glad you died with me?”
Will laughed and the sound was soft, yet deep. “I wouldn’t have had it any other way.” He slid his hand down my hair. “I want us to try again.”
I turned so we could both stare at the city, and he cuddled me from behind. When he placed his hand on my belly, my skin dotted with goosebumps, and I knew exactly what he was saying.
“We can.” I spoke softly, imagining us both as parents. “But can we see what this realm is like first?”
“Of course. We can’t assume that just because we’re in the God Realm, we’re safe. I need to know what dangers there are in this world, so I can properly protect you.”
“Ha, ha, very funny. With or without the Goddess inside me, I’m pretty sure I can still hold my own. Besides, you know it’s impossible to die twice, right?”
He nibbled on my shoulder, and I couldn’t stop myself from laughing.
I reached up and my hand slid into his hair, allowing the soft strands to glide through my fingers. “I just meant that I want you to myself a little longer.”
“I’m okay with that. We can always practice creating a child while we travel.”
I slapped his hand, and he chuckled and pressed a kiss to my neck, his fangs grazing my skin. My lips parted to ask him if he wanted to feed, when the world around us started to turn red, and my wolf fell silent within me.
"A blood moon," I said. In the distance, I heard cheering. "My wolf will lie dormant until the eclipse passes. Until then, I'll be as weak as a human."
“A blood moon . . .” Will buried his nose in my hair and tightened his hold on me. “The moon that you worship and the crimson liquid I crave. We should make it our family crest.”
“I’d like that. It’s the perfect symbol of our union.” I laid my head back against his chest. It was also a reminder of our past, of the war we’d fought. “We’ll now be known as Elinor and William of the Bloodmoon Clan. Since we’ll be spending eternity here, we should create a legacy to give to our children, and their children, and . . .”
He turned me around to face him and cupped my cheeks, his eyes as red as the moon above. “It has a nice ring to it.”
I nodded and rose on my toes to rub my nose against his. “It does.”
I kissed him softly, and we both sighed against each other’s lips. The weight of responsibility I’d been carrying for so long had been lifted. I now had a new beginning in a new world with the man I treasured.
Things might not have ended the way I’d planned, but they’d ended the way they were supposed to. Come tomorrow, I'd see my family on Earth. I may not be able to live with them, but they’d know that I wasn’t lost to them forever and that for generations to come, I’d watch over the Blackmoon Pack, my forever family.
21
Immediately After the War
Grisha
“Did you successfully retrieve her body?”
“Yes, Grisha.” The Skin who’d entered the room bowed his head to me, something I’d never experienced before. “Her remains were taken below, as you instructed.”
“Good,” I hissed. “Come with me.”
To many, I was just an Enchanted who rarely saw the future, who didn't serve a purpose . . . who was unworthy of the Queen’s trust. But to Queen Amythia, I’d been invaluable. True, my visions were rare. If they hadn’t been, maybe I’d have been able to stop this all from happening. Still, I couldn't mourn, not when I knew what would be coming next.
I had been born during the time of the white wolves, but I’d been a rogue, an outcast, because I’d practiced black magic—something only the Queen knew, and something she accepted me for when no one else had.
I recalled the way Cain had looked at me not so long ago, when he’d found me in the Queen’s chamber. He was one of the many vampires who hated me. Then again, he hated everyone even remotely close to the Queen.
He wanted her approval so much that it’d morphed into hatred.
Wisely, Amythia had never fully trusted Cain. Blinded by her love, she had always trusted Will, but he’d been gone for a long time. His extended absence left her with no one else around to trust. So only I knew of this cave, deep in the mountains, a second home she had created just in case she ever needed it.
When Cain had led the army to Agomond, I’d moved all the paintings and valuable items from the castle as the Queen had commanded, bringing it all here to preserve our history in case we needed to rebuild.
I desc
ended the stones that had been carved into steps, joining a group of nobles who’d gathered on the first floor.
“Grisha?” A Skin with auburn hair and a crooked nose called out to me, but I kept walking towards the hole at the back of the room. “What can we do? Now that the Queen is gone, we’ll be hunted and killed. The royal bloodline is dead. We need to appoint a new king or queen.”
The remaining nobles parted as I walked by them and the two guards standing before the hole stepped aside.
“We wait,” I answered. “We wait here, and we rebuild.”
I jumped into the hole, and the Skin I’d tasked with retrieving Amythia’s body, Victor, followed.
We fell into a circular room that was lined with torches. At the far end of the room lay the three cocoons of generals Amythia had sired to rule by Will’s side. A general remained in his cocoon for months before being reborn, imbued with power that had been gifted from the Queen.
Inside those giant, egg-like cocoons were vampires, who would now have to play a greater role.
I bowed, as did Victor, because lying on the ground between the three eggs was Amythia’s body. My jaws clenched and I walked forward, not wanting to waste any more time. The Skin in the room above me was right to be worried. Vampires outside this mountain would be hunted and killed. Before long, we'd be the only vampires left.
There were forty of us in total, but that was more than enough.
I stuck my hand into the egg on the left. Black blood and mucus spilled out from it as I killed the vampire inside, ripping his venom-filled heart out. I did the same to the other two, then placed the hearts around Amythia’s body.
Slicing my wrist open, I covered Amythia’s body with my blood, the divinity I still retained a key ingredient for the spell.
I chanted words of old, black magic only remembered by few, and the liquid still inside the generals’ eggs began pouring out, sliding across the ground to Amythia.
