When she became the thread, Lily saw Jiyama’s death. She told the Mori leader that Lucan killed her and where he had deposited the body. Any assistance Lucan got from the Mori was done. Apparently, there had been suspicion, but there was proof now. One of their own saw it. Lucan was hauled into their prison while Lucas and the rest of us were treated as guests. Tracey laughed. The Mori were never going to harm any of us, but they were following what Lucan had promised—that they still needed to complete what they had originally set to do, which is to destroy the thread. They weren’t aware of Lucan’s secret plan of putting the thread into himself. They were ashamed once they found out the truth. Kates was set free, as well. It was realized that Lucan forced her to turn on us. When the others discovered the torture she endured from Lucan, she was welcomed back, but I knew it would be a long time till she was trusted.
I was in bed waiting for Lucas to come back. He went to see his brother, one last time, and we were leaving for home the next day. Lucan was going to be executed at the same time, but Lucas didn’t want to stay for it. He knew it would ha
ppen. That was good enough for him. All the killing had been too much. He had kissed me and told me, “I just want to get home. I want to get you home. Finally.”
Home.
I never thought I would be going home again. That night, the first night that I woke as a vampire, Lucas made love to me. I cried the whole time because I never thought I would be in his arms again. I never thought I would have a second chance at life.
The opening to our tent lifted, and Roane slipped inside. I sat up and smiled. “Goddess.” I shook my head. “I will never get used to seeing you. I’ll never take it for granted. I will never,” I paused as he came over, a grin teasing the corners of his lips and I laid back. He started to fall on top of me, but switched to rest beside me. One of his elbows propped him up and his eyes traced all over me, from my eyes, forehead, cheeks, and to my lips. He lingered there. “I will never take it for granted myself.” He
leaned down and touched his lips to mine.
I sighed, happily. It was like coming home. I caught the side of his face and whispered, “Have I told you how much I love you?”
He nodded, moving his lips over mine. “Say it again. I like hearing it.”
“I love you.”
His eyes darkened, and he shifted so he was lying on top of me. “And again.” His mouth dipped to my throat.
An ache was forming between my legs. I knew he would soon be there, filling me, making me feel whole again, and I sighed as his lips moved up my jawline to find my mouth again. “I love you.”
“And again.” He kissed me. Long. Lingering. And so damn lovingly.
“I love you.” I would never stop telling him, just like he had done the same to me the night before.
After he was inside of me, after we were moving together, after we reminded each other that we could still touch one another, he lifted his head and gazed down. “You mentioned last night that you wanted a new name?”
I laughed, arching my back and pressing against him. “Is now the right time for this?”
He smiled down at me. “I want to know what name to call you when I make you scream tonight.”
“Oh my God.” I laughed, but then sobered up. “Davina.”
“Davina?”
I nodded. It was my full name, one that I hated, but I was different. I was changed. I was no longer the happy and giddy college girl, only hoping to deal with being empathic. I would find that girl again, but it would be a while. It might be a long while, but it felt right. My hands splayed out over the side of his face. I looked up into his depths as he gazed down to mine. I murmured, “It’s a new life for me. I’m no longer Davy. She died when The Immortal took hold of me, but I can still be Davina. That’s my name.”
“Okay.” He leaned down, and his lips lovingly moved over mine. “Have I told you how much I love you today, Davina?”
I laughed and then relished as he proceeded to, over and over again. We were still showing our love for each other as the sun dipped down, the moon came out, and still when the early morning started to peek out again.
When it was morning, I fell asleep, but there were no more worries anymore. I was in Roane’s arms again and I knew if I stayed there, all could be handled. When we woke, we packed up. The rest of our group was waiting for us. The goodbyes were spoken. Lily hugged me tightly and I barely managed to hold back tears. She was such a little girl, but I was reassured that she was protected by an entire village. Tracey and Wren said goodbye. Wren decided to stay with the Mori. She would help protect the newest thread-holder and she wouldn’t have to leave her lover again. There was a special goodbye between Lucas and Wren. She had been one of his best warriors for centuries. She would be missed, but it was a good goodbye, not a sad one. He was holding back some of his own tears as he stepped next to me and took my hand. After the last goodbye, the Mori headed for the center of their village. The bells began to toll. Lucan’s execution was near. As the Mori headed past us, we walked the other way.
We left.
We were outside of the village, and the bells had almost faded when a sudden cheer filled the air.
We all stopped. Gavin, Bastion, and Brown. Gregory found his daughter, so she came with us. We glanced back, and then to Lucas.
His brother was dead.
We traveled another mile when we heard a bush rustling. Both Gavin and Bastion drew their swords, but then we heard, “Hey, man. Shit. What’s with the swords? I thought we were all friends.”
“Yeah,” a second voice crawled out. “You told us to stay put and we did. We’ve been chilling for a week and holy cripes,” a pair of eyes found me and widened, “the psycho bitch is back.”
It was Cal and Spencer.