Together.
--- Epilogue ---
“Are you sure you won’t stay?”
Tommie stood on the deck of her ship and watched me with clear eyes for a long moment before she shook her head.
“Yes, I’m sure,” she answered, and then gave an elegant shrug. “It’s better this way.”
We both knew it to be true…
But it still hurt.
On the far edge of the horizon, the gray storm clouds that hovered over us gave way to a tiny slip of blue sky and the rising sun. It was going to rain and storm today, but—just for a handful of heartbeats—there was sunshine.
Which was…not as nice as it sounds. For I understood, now, what Tommie meant when she said that sunshine burned vampires. There was an unpleasant sensation on my skin as the sunlight of the bright new day drifted over it. I crossed my arms in front of me, burying myself deeper into my coat as I watched Tommie, and Tommie watched me.
Kane’s arm came around my waist, and she held me gently against her.
She knew this was hard for all of us.
After Magdalena and the not-Melody had been taken care of (“Banishment,” I learned was pretty wretched. Vampires who were banished must go to the only continent without a vampire court…and that was Antarctica. Horribly enough, I had learned that there was an outpost in Antarctica, a small vampire city somewhere, of vampires barely surviving. It was a nightmare thought, and, in that moment, I’d felt a shred of pity toward Magdalena. Until I remembered, of course, that she’d once killed me.), the rest of the night had continued with the dance in full swing, everyone partying long into the night.
The few townsfolk who were there—and human—had all been massively drunk, and—on top of that—Kane had made a big fuss, hoping they’d enjoyed the “performance.” Bran got up and played on her violin at points, and there were other performances throughout the night, though I’d be hard pressed to remember what they were…
Because I’d gone with Kane to sit down and pillowed my head on her shoulder.
And I slept most of my wedding night, utterly exhausted and spent.
But alive.
Both of us were alive and together.
And there was nothing lovelier.
When I’d woken, Tommie told me that she was “headed out.” I’d asked her what she meant…
And that had led here.
To the dock and her boat.
And Tommie, about to leave us.
For good.
“You don’t have to do this…” murmured Kane, her jaw hard. She lifted her chin, watching Tommie. “If I made you feel that it was…was some sort of competition between you and me, I’m sorry. I—”
Tommie sighed for a long moment, putting her foot up on the side of the boat and leaning into her knee. She stared down at the little bit of water between us with a frown.
Finally she looked up.
“It’s always been between you and me, Kane. It’s not what either of us wanted, but…it’s what ended up happening. It’s not your fault. It’s not my fault. It’s just…how it worked out.” Tommie took a long, deep breath. “I’ll always be grateful that you found me where you did back then. That you helped me. There aren’t any ill feelings.”
Kane nodded, and she let go of me, stepping back. “Safe travels, my friend,” she said, and then she put her hands into her pockets, turned and began to walk back toward the shore.
Which left just me and Tommie together.
And it was time to say goodbye.
“I’m happy for you and Kane,” said Tommie, her voice thick with emotion. She couldn’t look at me when she said it, but I knew she was telling me the truth.
And I knew how hard it must have been for her to say it.
“Just…be happy. Whatever you do, wherever you go. Be happy. Please?” I asked her, searching her face. “I care about you so much. I’m so sorry if I caused you any pain. I’m so sorry, Tommie—”
“You’ve got nothing to be sorry about,” she said with an elegant shrug. “You and Kane were meant to be. So go, be. Together.”
“I love you,” I told her, and she nodded, jaw tight.
“I know,” she answered softly. “And I love you. I always will. Be happy yourself, Rose. But I know you will be.”
I lifted my hand to her, and across the little divide of the salt water, myself on the pier, Tommie on her boat, we reached out and grasped each other’s hands tightly.
There was nothing more to say.
I turned and made my way back down the wooden dock. I could hear Tommie readying her boat, and then the motor started, carrying her out onto the magnificent blue of the sea.
The sun disappeared behind the clouds, and a lovely gray day began around us as I reached Kane along the end of the pier.
She held out her arm to me, and we said nothing as I looped my arm through hers.
Together, arm in arm, we made our way through the town of Eternal Cove. It was much too early for that little town to be waking up, so all was still and quiet as we walked through it together. As the road began to slope upward, toward the Sullivan Hotel, the woods around us grew more and more resplendent, the farther we moved. The splendor of autumn was in full force, a riot of leaves as bright as gemstones rising over our heads.
By the time we reached the top of the hill, the Sullivan Hotel, the woods and Eternal Cove spread beneath us, as pretty as any painting. We turned and looked at it, arm in arm, as close as two people can be.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” I murmured happily.
“Yes,” said Kane, voice low, gruff.
But she wasn’t looking at the scene before us when she said those words.
She was looking at me, the softest smile on her lovely mouth.
We wandered across the great parking lot to the side of the Sullivan Hotel, and we found ourselves in the little garden. All of the rose bushes were asleep, all of the plants brown and quiet, now that winter was coming.
But I knew that somewhere, slumbering in the earth, was the promise of spring to come.
“I can’t wait to show you what this place looks like when everything is in bloom and glorious,” Kane murmured. “Again.”
I smiled up at her, leaning my cheek against her shoulder. I closed my eyes, inhaled the sweet, intoxicating scent of her.
I felt her warmth against me, and it filled me with love.
We walked along the paths until we came to an uncharacteristic bare spot in the tumult of rose bushes. Kane put her head to the side and gestured to it.
“One of my prize roses died here…and I’ve been meaning to choose a rose to plant again in this spot. Maybe you could help me pick one out?”
I nodded, glancing down at the cool earth, the dirt freshly turned, waiting and expectant for something new to grow here.
“When do you want me to help you choose one?” I asked her.
And Kane paused, putting her arms about me, drawing me close, her face bright and joyful as she leaned down, as her mouth found mine.
“We have time enough,” she whispered to me before that perfect, sweet kiss began.
And she was right, of course.
We had eternity together.
The End
--- A Love Letter to My Readers ---
To you, my dear reader:
If you’ve come this far, then you know the end of the story. You know that Rose and Kane have finally found their happily ever after, and I hope you enjoyed following along with them on their adventure.
I am so grateful that you’ve come this far. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for reading.
The Sullivans were born one dark day, a long time ago.
They were born out of my beautiful wife’s request: write anything that will help make you happy.
I will spare you the sad, hard details, dear reader, but I will tell you the summary of the story: I have had a lifelong battle with depression, and on that one dark day, a long time ago, I almost lost to it. My wife, who has b
een with me through every trial, every dark day—and every lovely day, too—knew that a path to healing lay in a story.
Since that day, many years ago, I have lived in the world of my Sullivans, and I have been so grateful that you went there with me, too. Rose starts the story as someone essentially broken, and progresses through the three books to someone who lives with her brokenness, and flourishes not in spite of it…but because of it.
I think that all of us have our broken places inside of us. We all live with hearts that have been bruised or broken or torn in half and patched back together. And yet, we are still here. We still live, even with the scars, and that shows such tremendous strength.
I am so grateful that you came with me on this journey. I am so grateful that you read this story, that you allowed it into your life if even for a little while. My heart is in this tale, and if you resonated with even a little of it, then I am grateful.
This story helped me survive.
This story helped me out of the darkness.
This story was a soft, warm place when—in my head and heart—there was nothing but sharpness and sadness.
If, like me, you have experienced that sharpness and sadness, I hope you know you’re not alone. Depression lies. It tells you that you are worthless, that you are not worthy of love. That you should not exist.
None of these things are true.
No matter who you are, if you are questioning this truth, then I will tell you: the world is an infinitely better place because you exist. You have touched the lives of people, you have changed them for the better.
You do not have to pay a rent of value to live in this body.
You have value—you do not need to create it.
You are valued.
Please know that you are not alone. That you have worth. That the universe is better because you are here in it. Even if you’re in a dark day, you are surviving, and I’m so proud of you.
Thank you for being.
To my beloved readers who have been with me from the beginning: what can I say to adequately profess my love and gratitude? Your kindness, your love, your words and messages and emails and letters and packages and comments and everything that you are makes my life lovely. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for being.
And, especially, to my wife, who has loved me through the darkest of days, who has cherished me when I thought there was nothing in me to cherish…you are my lighthouse in the storm. You are my light in the dark.
You are my everything.
Thank you for loving me. Until the end of time, I will cherish and adore you.
My darling, you are my eternity.
All my love,
Bridget Essex
March 2018
PS. And to my Tommie fans, please don’t be too sad for her…she’s gone on a pretty amazing adventure, and you’ll be able to read all about it sometime in the future.❤
More from Bridget Essex:
If you enjoyed the Sullivan Vampires, you'll love The Protector! Elizabeth Grayson doesn’t want a bodyguard, but changes her tune when she meets brooding, mysterious, sexy-as-hell Layne…who harbors a secret... A passionate romance, The Protector is available to read for free in Kindle Unlimited!
Also by Bridget Essex:
- Protect Her: All Maggie wants is to be left alone. All Catherine wants is to disappear. When these two women come together, a passionate thrilling romance begins…
- A Knight to Remember: Holly, a librarian, is starting to believe that love is impossible to find...until, during an unusually vicious storm, magic and romance appear in her backyard in the form of that mysterious, gorgeous knight...
- Date Knight: The sequel to the much-loved novel A Knight to Remember, Holly and Virago are on another adventure—this time, in another world.
- Forever and a Knight: Follow along on the adventures of Josie, a shock jock DJ from Boston, as she falls through a portal into another world...and on top of the woman of her dreams...who just happens to be wielding a sword.
- A Dark and Stormy Knight: Mara is a painter who has always felt alone...Charaxus is a lady knight who's always felt alone, too. Together the women meet, one magical night, and a love story begins to unfold that will change them both forever.
- Just One Knight: Cinda and Talis both need a night out on the town. Cinda’s been a baker for as long as she can remember, and Talis just got some bad news about her lifelong dream. Together, these two women are about to have an adventure that will change their lives forever…
- Alpha: Mel has been running her entire life. Born a werewolf, she escaped to the other side of the country to try to run away from who she was...but it didn't work. Now Mel's returned home...and to the pack. Enter Dani Ingram, the woman Mel never thought she'd face again...the leader of the pack. They fell in love, once upon a time, but Mel left. Now, Dani's still sexy as all hell, but has a chip on her shoulder. When Mel sees Dani after all this time, there are sparks between them hot enough to start an inferno...but an inferno is often too powerful to control…
- Love Spell: In this rich collection of lesbian romantic short stories and novellas, Bridget offers romantic tales of love found and broken hearts mended, magic, werewolves, witches and much more. But, in the end, each story in this collection is bound together by two women who fall deeply and irrevocably in love with one another.
- Beauty and the Wolf: A sexy, romantic take on a tale as old as time… Bella’s having a pretty rotten day. She just got fired from her job at her family’s diner, and now she might not have a place to live. But Bella hasn't gone unnoticed. Every day, a mysterious woman came to that diner for lunch. Mel Grim enchants Bella, and when Grim makes her an offer she can't refuse, Bella goes to work for her…
- Cry Wolf: You should never cry wolf. Haley lies for a living—as a tabloid journalist, it’s her job to make up outrageous stories. She doesn’t think anyone will even notice, until the incredibly gorgeous mayor of a little, backwater town, calls her out on her lies…a funny, sexy werewolf romance.
- The Longing: Elizabeth Grayson doesn’t want a bodyguard, but changes her tune when she meets brooding, mysterious, sexy-as-hell Layne…who harbors a secret.
- The Vampire Next Door: (Co-written with author Natalie Vivien) Courtney's book store is failing, and she thinks her girlfriend might be cheating on her...Courtney doesn't even think she believes in love...that is, until she meets the vampire next door.
- Raised by Wolves: Meet Becca Swift! She's got the most overbearing family in the world—because she was raised by wolves. Literally. Becca is a werewolf, and she is part of a loud and crazy, up-in-your-business pack. In her day-to-day life, she tries to keep the fact that she's a werewolf a secret... But then along comes Loren.
- The Guardian Angel: When Erin's life is saved by a gorgeous woman who swears she's Erin's guardian angel...things begin to get complicated.
- Wolf Queen: When they were teenagers, Amber and Stevie were so deeply in love that nothing could drive them apart. Until the one night, when Amber needed Stevie to be there...and, instead, Stevie disappeared without a trace...
- Wild: An Erotic Lesbian Romance: Six months ago, Lily made the worst mistake of her life and let the woman she loved walk away. Now, at a campground party, she glimpses Cora across the fire, the woman she's not stopped thinking about or wanting, and sparks begin to fly.
- Come Home, I Need You: An Erotic Lesbian Romance: Faith has a passionate, potent relationship with her wife, Marina, one that has stood the test of time. What started as a fiery fling has evolved into a lifelong love affair of two powerful women who love each other intensely. But Marina's job often takes her out of the country, and Faith's been missing her terribly lately…
- Falling for Summer: On the twentieth anniversary of her sister's drowning, Amanda goes back to Lake George to face her past and unexpectedly meets Summer McBride. Summer is a beautiful, vivacious, carefree woman--everything Amanda isn’t--and Amanda begins to fall for her until she lea
rns Summer’s dark secret. Can love heal all wounds?
- Don’t Say Goodbye: Maxine “Max” Hallwell has spent her entire life making the safe, responsible decisions. When her best friend, Jo, introduces her to her new girlfriend Fiona, a stunning, charismatic cake decorator, Max realizes that making safe decisions might have cost her the woman of her dreams...A heartwarming, poignant romance.
- A Wolf for Valentine's Day – Trish Dalton has put her wild, adventurous days behind her. But when she's gifted a weekend stay at a remote lodge in the Rockies, she finds she may have one more adventure left in her. A light-hearted, steamy romance, perfect to read any time of year.
- A Wolf for the Holidays: Mandy’s not having a great December. Her lackluster girlfriend has given her a massive dog--who looks a lot more like a wolf than a dog--as a gift. But all problems seem minor when she wakes up to a gorgeous, naked woman stealing jeans out of her dresser...a woman who swears she’s a werewolf. A warm, holiday romance!
- The Christmas Wolf: When Kat meets potential roommate Jewel, she has high hopes. For one, Jewel's gorgeous as hell. Distracted by that fact, Kat's budgetary concerns fly out the window, and an intoxicating chemistry begins to brew between Jewel and herself. There's just one problem: Jewel just happens to be a werewolf...
- Wolf Town: Amy moves to the strange little New England village, Wolf Town--but she finds more than a fresh start when she begins to fall in love with the daughter of the Wolf Town patriarch...who also just happens to be a werewolf.
- Big, Bad Wolf: During a terrible snowstorm, Megan thinks she sees a wolf. But when beautiful, hungry-eyed Kara comes into Megan’s life, she brings more danger than a pack of wolves.
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