EPILOGUE #2
“Good,” she replied. “Are we okay, you think? Or do we need to stay and keep an eye on him?”
“I think we’re okay. He’s been running the company for fifteen years now, but he’s going to have to move on soon to something a little less high-profile, given his agelessness.
He knows that, and he’s been relatively calm since we talked to him last time.
It’s only because he doesn’t want to leave where he is now that he was thinking about doing something stupid like revealing vampires to the world. ”
Arwen sighed and asked, “When will we be done?”
“I know it’s exhausting, sweetheart,” Iro replied and sat down next to her on the bench. “Are you ready, though? We can stay as long as you want. I’m sorry I had to take that call. I just know if I didn’t, he would’ve overreacted.”
“No, I get it. You’re basically in charge of about a hundred vampires who once agreed with Cassia to try to take over the world and kill a bunch of people. It’s time-consuming.”
“This is the most important thing to me,” Iro said and kissed her temple. “You. Us.”
“I know,” she said, and her hand went to Iro’s thigh. “We can go. I know we need to get to Florence. I just needed to say goodbye.”
“We can stay here for another year or two, if you need; maybe longer. I–”
“No, it’s okay. They’re gone.” Arwen looked at the two headstones in front of her. “And it’s not like Zara is still here. Besides, I already quit my job because people started asking questions. It’s time.”
“I’m sorry you lost her, too,” Iro said as she shifted so that Arwen could lay her head on her shoulder.
“She was miserable after he died. I know they said it was a heart attack, but I’m convinced it was a broken heart.”
“They loved each other very much.”
“Yes, they did. I’m just happy they got to see us happy together, walk me down the aisle, and that they got to know you.”
“Me too, my love,” Iro said.
Arwen looked down at the ring Iro had placed on her finger eight years ago.
It was made of black gold, with a ruby in the center, smaller emeralds at the sides that Iro had said brought out the green in her hazel eyes, and accented small diamonds.
Arwen had fallen in love with it the first time she’d laid eyes on it.
Iro had chosen a black gold band for herself, not wanting a stone, and they’d married in Virginia, with Zara acting as Arwen’s maid of honor.
It had been a small group of people, and Iro had worn a suit.
After they had said their vows and danced for hours, they’d gone back to their hotel, where Arwen had torn that suit off her body, and they’d made love for days.
“Are you okay?” Iro asked her.
“I’m okay. It’s just sad to be leaving the only places I’ve ever really called home, Virginia and DC. I don’t really count college.”
“I’ve lived all over the world, you know? Everywhere practically. Ten years here. Five there. It’s something you get used to. But you know what makes it different this time?”
“What?”
She met Iro’s eyes.
“I’m finally moving somewhere new with the woman I love.
Part of me can’t wait to live in Scotland with you.
Harsh, stormy weather that makes us hold on to each other tightly; long walks overlooking the water with us holding hands; no one around, so we can make love under the stars at night. I can chop wood for a fire.”
“With a tight T-shirt on?”
“If that’s what you want.” Iro laughed.
“Yes,” Arwen confirmed.
“Then, I’ll chop wood for the fire in a tight T-shirt.”
“Or, maybe no shirt at all if we’re really alone.”
“No shirt at all, then,” Iro said with a smile.
“But only from downed trees, right? I don’t want to–”
“I will not chop down any live trees, my love,” Iro said and leaned in to kiss her. Then, she turned to the headstones and added, “Your daughter is very dedicated. I have never, in more than three hundred years, met a vegan vampire.”
“I’m not really vegan anymore, am I?”
“You have to drink animal blood to survive, sweetheart, but you’re still vegan in every other way. I’ve lost count of the amount of money we’ve donated to animal shelters, rescues, nature preserves, and–”
“You love me. Got it.”
Iro laughed and said, “More every day.”
“I know things are calming down, with the vampires on her list actually listening to you, but do you think we’ll have to kill again?” Arwen asked.
“Five out of a hundred and three isn’t a bad percentage when you think about it. I was able to convince ten others, and it seems to have stuck this time. I think we’re okay. I’ll still be keeping an eye on everyone, and we will address things as we have to in order to protect ourselves and humans.”
“We should go. It’s getting late, and the cemetery is technically closed now, so we could get in trouble.
” Arwen stood up and looked down at her parents.
“I love you both, and I’ll be back for a visit as soon as I can.
I hope you know that I’m happy; that I’m still madly in love with the woman I’m going to spend eternity with.
” When Iro stood as well and took her hand, Arwen asked, “Do you think there’s a heaven for real?
Not just some fairy tale to make us all feel better about what happens when we die? ”
“I don’t know,” Iro replied.
“I hope so. And I hope they’re there, but it also makes me sad sometimes that I’ll never see them again if I live forever. If it’s real, maybe you reunite with the people you love.”
“I like to think that my own mother is up there, watching over me,” Iro said. “She’s been disappointed in me and angry with me at times, but her love was unconditional. She’s been proud of me, too. My sisters are up there, watching me. Mary is, too, I think.”
“She is.” Arwen turned to her wife. “She is, babe.”
“I don’t care where my father is, but the rest of them are okay. I can feel it; they’re still with me. Your parents are with you now, too, and they always will be.”
“We should go. We have to stop by Florence to have a wedding. Then, it’s off to our new home.”
They walked down the concrete path toward the waiting car.
“How did Zara, the woman who wouldn’t even tell you how she felt after years of pining, end up snagging not one but two beautiful women?” Iro said with a chuckle.
Arwen laughed and replied, “No idea. But she’s happy, so that’s all we care about.”
“And so are we,” Iro added and brought Arwen’s hand up to her lips to kiss.
Iro
“I can’t believe they’re moving to Chile,” Arwen said when they arrived at their new home, a cottage that was just large enough for the two of them and maybe a dog, should they decide to get one. “The list of Cassia’s properties was extensive. They had options.”
“It’s a massive home in the mountains, isolated. I’d say it’s a good decision for the next fifteen years or so. Every so often, we just have to disappear, which is what we’re doing.”
She moved behind Arwen, wrapping her up in her arms.
“You didn’t want to stay in one of Cassia’s homes that she left you?”
“No. I never want to stay in one of those houses. Zara, Alexia, and Sarah can have them as long as they want them, and I gave them the villa in Florence as a wedding gift. Why would I want any of those places?”
“She left them to you.”
“In a will that she had a vampire friend write up one day decades ago, when I was trying to leave again. She wanted me to stay. That time, we were arguing about her hubris and how she took risks she shouldn’t have taken because she wasn’t afraid of dying.
She responded by writing a will, saying that if she really thought she couldn’t die, why would she do that?
It meant nothing. I’d sell them all, but they’re good for Zara and her wives to have.
If they ever want to own them all, I’ll sign them over to them right away. ”
“I kind of think they like that they’re Cassia’s houses; or, at least, that’s still how they see them. They’re getting revenge on her or something by using them.” Arwen laughed.
“We have our own homes around the world, including this one. I’d like to maybe christen it if my wife is interested.”
“Oh, yeah?” Arwen teased. “We just got here. I haven’t even seen the place in person. You’re not going to give me a tour first?”
Iro walked her over to the small eat-in kitchen while still behind her and said, “This is the kitchen and dining room. Over there is the living room with the fireplace that I will be lighting soon to read you poetry by the firelight. Our bedroom is through there.” She pointed and kissed Arwen’s neck.
“There’s also a surprise for you, if you want to see that first.”
“Is it the tight T-shirt I was promised?”
“No.” She laughed. “Come on.” She pulled Arwen by the hand toward a closed door next to the bedroom.
“Open it.” Arwen pulled open the door, and Iro added, “I told you that this was a one-bedroom, but it’s actually two.
I thought you could use this as your office and continue running your own law practice from here, if you wanted.
Completely remote, but still making an impact. ”
“Iro, thank you,” Arwen replied as she took in the room that Iro had left empty for her, wanting Arwen to be able to pick her own furniture.
“It’s smaller than it could have been; sorry.
I wanted us to still have a hidden room, so I asked a contractor I trust to build us one in the closet and then told him to forget all about it.
It seemed inconsequential to tell him to forget that he built it, after paying him a lot of money for it, but I have to keep practicing with my ability in case we really need it later. ”
“What does he think he got paid for?”
“Chimney repairs. Very expensive chimney repairs.”
“It’s perfect, Iro. The whole house. I don’t need much,” Arwen said and turned around to face her. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“How can I repay you for this gift?” Arwen asked with a lifted eyebrow as she unbuttoned and unzipped Iro’s jeans.
“Oh, I think you know what I like by now.”
“Yeah, I definitely know what you like.” Arwen leaned in, connected their lips for a second, and pulled back. “Me on our bed on all fours.”
“Oh, God,” Iro let out.
“You…” Arwen slid her hand inside her jeans. “Behind me. Taking what you want.”
“I thought we would go slow first, but I’m not going to argue with you,” Iro said.
Arwen smiled into their kiss.
◆◆◆
Weeks later, they were walking along the cliffs, holding hands. The weather had been cooperating as much as it ever did in Scotland, and Iro nodded toward another cottage that had smoke billowing from the chimney.
“I have another surprise for you.”
“You do?” Arwen asked.
“Do you remember how a long time ago, you asked me if I had any relatives still alive? Descendants?”
“Yes. You avoided the question, so I thought it might be a bad one to bring back up. Then, we got busy hunting vampires who wanted to be the next Cassia. Why?”
“Over there.” Iro nodded again. “That house.”
“What about it?”
A man walked out with a young girl and a boy.
“It’s owned by a family that comes here every year for a few weeks at a time.”
A woman walked out behind them, carrying a big bag, and the man hefted his small daughter before helping her into the car that they had in the gravel driveway.
“That family is my family.”
“What?” Arwen asked.
“My sisters had children. Some of them survived to have children of their own and so on. The woman is my great great great great great–”
“Yeah, I got the idea,” Arwen said, laughing.
“Niece,” Iro finished. “So are her kids, obviously. They are the only ones left of my direct family line, but they are my blood. It’s one of the reasons I bought the cottage.
I check in on them every so often, and I knew that they come here this time of year.
I thought maybe we could introduce ourselves one day while they’re here and have them over for dinner or something.
” She turned to Arwen. “You could meet my family.”
“Oh, baby,” Arwen said and cupped her cheek. “Yes. Absolutely.” She leaned in and added, “I love you so much.”
Iro nodded, kissed her on the nose, and said, “Want to head back now? I can start a fire.”
“I think we’re out of wood. You’ll have to chop some.”
“You have got to stop throwing what I do chop back into the woods to make me chop more.” Iro laughed.
“No, I don’t,” Arwen replied with a smirk and took off in the direction of their cottage.
“Oh, you’re in trouble!” Iro laughed some more and ran after her, seeing the most beautiful sight she’d ever seen: her Arwen, completely free and happy.
And in her over three hundred years on this planet, Iro knew she had never been happier or felt freer than she had since she saw the beautiful woman with hazel eyes walk into a bar over ten years ago.