“You're one hell of a something,” Jeff the vampire hunter said in an awed voice from the driver's seat.
“I'm just a girl,” Amaliya said with a shrug, but she knew that wasn't really true.
Samantha leaned over Innocente to peer out at Cian intently. “Hey, Cian, I'm glad you're alive and sane and stuff, but the engagement is off. ”
Cian blinked slowly, then nodded. “I understand. ”
Samantha nodded solemnly, then sat, her hand resting on the back of Jeff's seat. It did not escape Amaliya's notice when Jeff took the blond's hand and squeezed it.
“We need to
get Sergio to the hospital,” Jeff said from out of the darkness in the truck's cab. “We'll see you tomorrow. ”
“We meet up at your place then?” Sergio asked as Jeff shifted gears.
“Yeah,” Cian answered. “Sounds good. . . err. . . uh. . . ”
“My cousin Sergio and my Grandmama, Innocente,” Amaliya said quickly.
“Nice to meet you,” Cian said a little awkwardly.
“We'll talk later,” Innocente said in a firm tone. “We need to talk about your plans with my granddaughter. ”
Amaliya couldn't help, but roll her eyes.
“Do you realize the amazing reputation you're going to have in the vampire hunter circles,” Jeff said to Innocente as he began to roll up his window. “You took down The Summoner. ”
“It was nothing,” Innocente said with a big smile.
Amaliya touched Sergio's cheek lightly as he began to roll up the window. “Thank you. ”
He grinned at her and blew her a kiss. “It was nothing. ”
Amaliya and Cian watched the truck drive off slowly.
“Your grandmother took down The Summoner with a statue of the Virgin,” Cian said after a long, thoughtful pause.
“And I had the dead tear him apart,” Amaliya added.
Cian shook his head in disbelief. “I can't believe it's over. ”
“I'm not complaining. ” Amaliya's gaze swept over the night sky. “It already feels so much better without him. ”
“Very true. ” Cian cocked his head to gaze at her. “You okay?”
Covered in blood, wounded, and a little dazed, she smiled. “I'm more than okay. For the first time in my life, I know who I am and what I am. I know exactly what I am capable of and it’s the most amazing feeling in the whole damn world. ”
Hooking his arm around her neck, he drew her close to him and pressed his lips to her forehead. She wrapped her arms around him and leaned into him. Together they walked across the same field they had fled across to escape the sun and The Summoner.
“Sorry about Roberto. ”
“He made his own choices,” Cian said sadly. “We all do. ”
Amaliya nodded as she sighed. “It still must have hurt you. ”
“Yes,” he answered, and lapsed into silence.
They walked slowly back to the car.