Epilogue
A year later, about an hour after the events in the prologue…
The soft drifting snow enhanced the glowing Christmas lights strung all around the property. I’d kept my promise and gotten home before midnight. Apparently, Cillian had a surprise for me.
I entered the house singing, “I’m home!”
Cillian emerged from the living room and leaned against the wall as I stripped my outer clothing. “How did your evening go?”
“Very well, thank you. The world has one less perv today.” The sound of my voice brought at full speed two furry terrors. I braced as Nut and Meg used their tiny sharp claws to climb my pants and say hello. The pair might no longer be tiny kittens but that didn’t stop them from being psychos.
“Bloodnog?” Cillian offered. “I’ve got a fresh batch waiting in by the fire.”
“Ooh. Yes.” I extricated myself from hooked claws before I joined Cillian in the living room where our mangled tree partially leaned.
The poor twelve-foot pine had been through a feline war that had yet to end.
The cats raced through my legs almost putting me on my ass.
They’d spotted their nemesis and went to see if they could find an ornament to destroy.
I collapsed on the couch and snagged the mug of nog Cillian handed over before he joined me.
“Merry Christmas, my love, and happy anniversary,” Cillian murmured as we cuddled in front of the crackling fire.
“The happiest of Christmas’ to you too, stud muffin,” the name I’d given him because it actually turned his cheeks red the first time I said it in front of Randy and Gwen.
Cillian snorted. “It’s a wonder we made it a year with you calling me that.”
“Admit it, you love it.”
“I love you. That’s the only reason I tolerate it.”
I laughed. “Fair enough.” I sipped my Bloodnog and watched our little furry terrors as they poked their heads in and out of the tree.
“It’s after midnight. Ready for your present?”
“Is it long and hard?” I teased.
His chuckle vibrated against the top of my head. “Always. But I’m talking about a real present. I think you’ll really like this.”
“Where is it?” A glance at the tree showed nothing under its mangled boughs. I’d hidden Cillian’s gift in our bedroom so the cats wouldn’t destroy it. It took me months, but I’d gotten my hands on some vintage plasma recently excavated from an ancient Egyptian tomb.
“My gift is not something you can technically unwrap.”
“Ooh. Now I’m intrigued.”
“Good. Hope you’re not too tired because we need to take a little road trip.”
How mysterious. I guzzled my nog and popped to my feet. “Lead the way, stud.”
Randy drove us to a seedy part of the city rife with ramshackle apartment buildings and storefronts sporting metal bars in the windows. The only thing open at this hour appeared to be a nudie bar that screamed Free disease to everyone who steps inside.
The car stopped at the curb and Cillian announced, “We’ve arrived at our destination. Your gift is inside.” He pointed to a sign missing a few letters so it only spelled, Ts and Be instead of Tits and Beer.
I snorted. “Aren’t we too old and wealthy to be slumming in a shitty bar?”
“What if I told you that the basement and tunnels under that bar hold lots and lots of bad guys. The kind involved in sex trafficking.”
“Seriously?”
“Very, and my sources say the main boss is inside at this very moment. What do you say to clearing out the villains together, my fanged vigilante queen?”
I glanced at Cillian and smiled. “I love you so much.”
His cocky grin said he knew. “Just making sure you don’t get bored.” As if that were possible. He then added, “Ready?”
“Oh, hell yeah.” But first, I threw myself at Cillian for a big smooch and a grope. It might have turned into more if Randy didn’t grumble, “I’d say get a room, but pretty sure in this part of town you’d need some kind of shot afterwards.”
“Spoilsport,” Cillian muttered as we exited the car.
Together, we entered the bar and spent the next few hours kicking butt, drinking until we were ready to burst, and freeing some poor souls.
When the fire we lit caused sirens to start blaring in the distance, we headed home for some epic sex before dawn arrived.
Or at least we tried to. Nut lived up to his name.
he saw a dangling ball sac and well… let’s just say it’s a good thing vampires heal quick.
All in all, the best Christmas ever—until the following year.
And the year after…
I loved my new life so much I even wrote a song about it.
O crappy night! The streetlights are brightly shining
It is the anniversary of my midlife rebirth.
Long suffered the world with sin and depravity climbing
'Til I appeared and the criminals departed Earth.
A thrill of hope as a weary victim rejoices
For a vigilante brings justice to a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees;
And hear this cougar's warning!
Oh, night sublime…
At night, I hunt for blood.
Nothing like a twisted holiday story to get you in the spirit, eh? Merry Christmas.