He woke in their room next, and as he rolled to her side of the bed, she was there, already watching him. She smiled, and he smiled in return. When her lips met his, he shuddered, and the part of his body that had no business waking up yet tightened and demanded to be paid attention to.
“You remember, huh? All of it?” His voice was hoarse in his weakened state.
“Well, I couldn’t possibly know if I remember all of it, could I?” She was being sarcastic. “But it sure feels like all of it.” She watched his eyes for a moment before continuing. “I remember the basement, I remember Todd, I remember the funeral, I remember making love to you for the first time.” Naturally, her eyes flitted from his in her shyness with this admission. “I remember the morning after, and then … well, then you showed up on my first night of class, and I now have an entire summer of absolutely amazing memories. So, unless I’m missing something, yeah, I remember.” She smiled, and he pulsed with need and undying love for his partner. Her gaze drifted away from his, and her face grew serious. “I loved you so much. Even the first time we were together. And then I fell in love with you all over again last summer, and … now. It’s hard to imagine being able to love someone so much.” She shook her head as tears touched her eyes and pooled on her lower lids.
He pulled her to his side, and then leaning to her ear, he spoke. “I always said we were good at falling in love.”
“Yes we are.”
Epilogue
Two weeks later
“For what it’s worth, we were always in support of going after Mason.” Langford’s words sounded pathetic, but Truman didn’t question the council was happy to see Sylvan gone. Sylvan had held a power over them he never should have had.
“The fact of the matter is Sylvan dictated this council with little regard to what was actually best for our race. His intentions may have been noble at one time, but his mode became corrupt. If we’re going to continue the council, it needs to be with true representation from all families, and our goals need to be righteous and pure—trust me, my better half will give me no rest if we fail in this mission.
“So, now that she’s freed from you, she’s decided to stick around? I mean, she can hunt now, her life is no longer attached to your own.”
He smiled in response to this question from Blakely. “I’m thrilled that my own life no longer jeopardizes hers, but she’s chosen not to hunt, and she’s very content taking that need from me.” And under his breath, he continued. “And so am I, quite frankly.”
It had been two weeks since they were both nearly annihilated, and this was the first time the council had convened. With Angus and Dr. Bremmer by his side, there was little convincing needed to understand what Sylvan had done. And when questioned about the events of two weeks before, Angus and Bremmer were more than happy to vouch for him. Ember had touched a number of souls during her time in this building, and Angus and Bremmer aside, she had plenty of support of her own.
He’d asked her to join him at the meeting, but she’d declined, choosing instead to swim. She didn’t want to be pulled into the council affairs any more than their personal pillow talk usually permitted. She wanted him to remain on the council, but she didn’t want their relationship pulled into the mix. She was content to let him lead, knowing full well she held great sway over him. There were nine remaining vampires in his bloodline, and he intended to represent them and give them their home back. On the other hand, he wanted privacy for he and Ember, and he intended to give it to her … today.
She was already interviewing for positions in social work and child psychology, hoping to land a crisis intervention position working second or third shift. Truman’s own antiques business had taken something of a nosedive with his recent inactivity in anything not revolving around the council or Ember’s life, and with both back on track, he intended to devote himself to his own pursuits. He’d withdrawn from teaching when Ember had been turned, but he’d be returning to that as well with the next semester. And with their lives once again on a discernible path, he could finally breathe easy and enjoy her—not that he ever didn’t enjoy her.
Every last memory of their lives together had been recovered, and he spent part of damn near every day quizzing her on their past. Her memories were as sharp as his own, and it was as much an ego stroke as anything else to listen to her talk about their long history together.
Making love to her had taken on a life of its own as well. He couldn’t get enough of her, and she finally didn’t feel as though their long relationship was hiding in her mind. She knew every last touch, kiss, taste they’d ever taken of one another, and she used those memories to cut herself free from her inhibitions—not that he hadn’t been able to push her past most of them already. He made love to her multiple times on most days, and he wondered if their desire would ever slow down; they had an eternity with one another after all, but when he saw her stretched out reading on the chaise or floating in the pool or simply lounging on their bed watching some random sitcom, laughing an incredible verbose laugh for one so small, he thought, Nah, not in a million years will I tire of her.
“So, what are we going to do about electing a new leader? We really should have someone to manage the council. All other regional councils have a head, and we … are … well, currently without one.” It was Bremmer who had spoken. He’d stepped up to take Sylvan’s place as the next in command of their bloodline. It would be a new role for a man who’d devoted his life to research and medicine, but he was already too deep in the mix to make it anything but a perfect fit.
Angus had been sitting quietly watching, listening as Angus was quite good at doing, but at Bremmer’s words, he spoke. “I don’t personally wish to see another leader or head of council. I agree that there needs to be an overseer, but I’d prefer to see that position defined more as a chairman or something of that nature. What I do not want to see is any one vote with a heavier weight than another.” His words were strong and met with a majority of nodding heads.
“Well in that case, what do you say, Angus? Up for the challenge?” Truman wasn’t kidding when he said the words. Angus had proved his command and his morality, and Truman would have no problem standing behind him. He sure as hell didn’t want the job himself. It was hard enough being saddled with the responsibility of the council after centuries of running free and refusing his familial responsibilities. Angus, on the other hand, was level, passionate, honest, and fair. He was controlled and strong, and he would make an outstanding chairman, and as one after another of the councilmen showed their favor, Angus’ gaze found Truman’s, and Truman smirked.
Truman stood to leave, already wanting to return to Ember, but as he did, Langford interrupted. “Uh. We have one issue we need to discuss.” Truman froze, eying the man with a good-natured raise of the brow. “Loose cannon of sorts by the name of Driscoll. He’s from my family line, and he’s attracted the attention of the police after getting a bit sloppy in his hunting. One detective in particular has been spending a good deal of time snooping and asking questions, and I’m not sure we’ll be able to shelter him for much longer. She’s suspicious.”