Chapter 4
Four
TALULLA
Luggage is secured in the car. The last boxes of books and things we wanted to keep have been shipped and will be arriving the day after tomorrow.
The things that matter.
The things I chose.
It’s actually happening.
And I can’t wipe the smile off my face—even if I tried. Which I don’t. I’ve spent enough years swallowing my joy whole. I deserve to let it exist out loud.
“Ready?” Flynn asks, brushing his hand on the small of my back.
The touch is grounding, familiar. A reminder that this isn’t just a fantasy I built in my head during sleepless nights—it’s real. He’s real. London is real.
I nod and take a deep breath in. “Never been more ready in my entire life.”
He turns to look at the entire Drusus coven and Kaden, who are all here to say bye to us. Seeing us all together like this—vampires, hunters, werewolves, witches, something in between—it feels oddly poetic. Or maybe ironic. Or maybe just very me.
“I guess it’s a goodbye for now,” he says, nodding toward the group of people.
“I can’t believe I’m going to miss a vampire,” Asmodeus says, shaking Flynn’s hand.
“I wish the feeling was mutual, Asmodeus, but it absolutely is not.”
“You’re a bad liar, Flynn,” my friend adds, and I can’t help but laugh. It bubbles out of me before I can stop it, bright and a little cracked around the edges.
“Bye, friend,” Set says, attempting a quick hug, which my vampire reciprocates to my surprise.
Kaden gives a simple nod, and with that, Flynn leaves me to have a moment with my friends.
My people. My family.
“Well, I guess it’s my turn,” I say, trying really hard not to tear up. I can’t cry. Not with them. Not like this. If I start, I won’t stop—and I refuse to let this goodbye be soaked in regret instead of hope.
Cassandra brings me into a tight hug, and with that, Kaden and Asmodeus join the sandwich. Arms everywhere. Warmth. Familiar scents. A knot forms in my throat, sharp and sudden.
“This is just an excuse to leave this place and come see you as much as possible,” Cass says, sniffling.
“And I’ll come back too, as much as I can.”
Even if we know it will be emotionally draining for me to do so.
But I say it anyway.
Even if I’m escaping my family.
Even if I’m escaping my father and all that he represents.
Which is silly, because it’s only a matter of time before he finds out where I am. He always does. But I also have a feeling he won’t bother us.
He’s too proud. Like I am. He wants me to crawl back to him.
And I won’t ever do that.
What hurts—the part I don’t joke about—is having to leave my mother with him. That weight sits heavy in my chest, constant and dull. But I can’t keep myself tied to a life that was killing me just to spare someone else the pain.
I have to live my life.
And I hope one day I’ll be able to save her from hers.
But as the saying goes, I gotta save myself to be able to save her.
“Here.” Cassandra’s voice brings me back to reality. “I want you to have this.”
I look down at what she’s holding. A deck of cards. “Tarot?” I question, raising an eyebrow at her. “Really?”
“Yes, really.”
“I don’t know how to read them though.”
She smiles. “It’s my excuse to have a reason to talk to you every day.”
I hug her once again, tighter this time. “Sounds perfect to me.”
“Try not to get that obnoxious accent,” Asmo says.
“You find it terribly sexy.”
“I do. This is why you absolutely should not get a British accent,” Asmo adds, and I can’t help but laugh.
“Asmodeus?” Flynn yells from the car.
“Yes?”
“Don’t ever forget I can hear you loud and clear.”
“I know, handsome,” my friend replies, the corner of his lips lifting.
“You have a death wish.”
“I have a vision,” he corrects.
“A threesome?” My eyebrow perks up.
“I didn’t say it was an innocent vision.”
I laugh out loud this time, the sound echoing a little too freely. “Bye, weirdo. Keep our friend in check,” I say, locking eyes with Cass.
“You know it.” Because we both know his eyes are only for one woman, even if he flirts any chance he gets. It’s his coping mechanism. His way of showing the world he’s perfectly fine even if the person he loves still doesn’t see that she loves him back.
Then it’s Kaden’s turn.
He envelops me in his warm embrace, and for just a moment, I close my eyes, feeling completely and totally at ease. Like I don’t have to perform. Like I don’t have to be sharp, or sarcastic, or strong.
“Don’t be a stranger,” he says, releasing me.
A strand of his dark curls falls over his left eye as I look up at him.
“You know you’re stuck with me forever, pup.”
He shakes his head, but he can’t hide a bright smile. “And stop calling me pup.”
“Bye, Kaden.”
And with that, I open the car door and sit in the back seat right beside my vampire. After I put on my seat belt, Flynn tells the driver to go, and I force myself to look ahead—at the road in front of me.
Not behind.
My past slowly disappears in the distance.
“You okay, darling?”
A tear trails down my cheek. It dries up in an instant, but the corners of my mouth still lift.
Because I am okay.
I’m driving toward my future. A future I worked so hard to get to, with the love of my life right beside me—cheering me, supporting me, believing in me even when I don’t.
“I’m perfect,” I reply in a soft whisper.
“That, you certainly are, my red ruby.”
“Stop complimenting me, fangs. You already have me.”
He snorts. “I won’t ever stop reminding you what you are to me.”
His hand squeezes my thigh and stays there. Grounding me.
“And I certainly will never take you for granted.”
That makes me turn toward him. The sun hits his porcelain skin, making it look almost translucent. Otherworldly. Beautiful. Dangerous.
He says things like that every day. Like it’s easy. Like loving me isn’t something he has to think about.
And somehow, that still makes my jaw drop.
How is this even possible?
How is this predator—this creature I was raised to kill—right here with me, wanting to spend the rest of my life with me?
“You’re incredible, you know that?”
“Well, thank you.”
“No seriously, Flynn.”
“And I’m seriously thankful.”
“You say how perfect I am to you all the time, but the reality is that I can be myself with you because you accept me for who I am, flaws and all.”
“Because I don’t see them as flaws.”
“I’m pretty sure my brattiness is kinda annoying to you.”
“But without it, it wouldn’t be you.”
“Okay, this crazy nice side of you is starting to freak me out.”
“Hey, I can be nice.”
“Yeah, but like this is overly nice.”
“It’s an emotional day. I’ll be evil again tomorrow, don’t worry.”
That makes me snort.
Yeah. This is exactly where I’m supposed to be.
Wherever he is.
Kinda nice that it happens to be where my dream job resides.
Perfect, actually.
“I was given an envelope for you, Ms. Popescu,” the driver says, breaking the trance we’re both in.
I turn toward the front seat. The man keeps his eyes on the road, his hand lifted with a piece of paper between his fingers. “Oh?”
Flynn grabs it and hands it to me.
It’s plain white. Square. Simple.
At the touch, it feels porous—rough, thick drawing paper. Elegant. Official. Wax seal included. The kind of envelope that feels like an invitation.
Or a warning.
“Who gave you this letter, Darren?” Flynn asks.
“A man wearing a nice suit. In his fifties maybe? He looked like a businessman.”
“Were you expecting anything?” my vampire asks, turning to me. His tone is casual, but I catch the tension beneath it. He always tries to hide it.
I shake my head. “No.”
Then I sigh. “I have a feeling it’s from my father. Serious man in his fifties in a suit? Screams Emil Popescu to me.”
Flynn’s lips press into a thin line. “Want me to open it?”
I shake my head again and remain silent as I break the seal and read.
You’ll learn about his true nature sooner or later, little hunter.
Nothing else. No signature. Just one simple line.
I snort. “Well, at least I know where I got my sense of humor.” I show him the paper. “A little unoriginal if you ask me.”
Flynn sighs. “I’m pretty sure you already know my true nature.”
I smirk. “You know mine.”
“Stabbing me for pleasure—it’s one of the qualities I seem to enjoy the most.”
I shake my head. “You’re such a masochist.”
“Only if it’s you inflicting the pain, red ruby.”
After a short chuckle, his eyes darken. He asks to see the paper again. I hand it to him, surprised when he brings it to his nose and inhales.
“Weird.”
“What is?”
“I can’t smell his scent. I can’t smell anything, really.”
“Yeah, he was playing with some potions to do that, actually. Guess he perfected the recipe.”
Flynn snaps toward me. “And you’re telling me this now?”
I shrug. “What were you going to do? Tell him to stop so you could be one step ahead of him?”
“This puts you in grave danger, Talulla. It makes me useless.”
My eyes widen. “Useless? Flynn, you’re one of the strongest vampires I know. And he knows that too. I haven’t been safer in my entire life.”
“He can—”
“Do nothing.” I squeeze his hand. “We’re on our way to the airport. He’s too proud, and he truly thinks I’ll wake up one day and crawl back home.”
“I’m still going to find a way to make sure we find a counter potion.”
I nod. “If that makes you feel better.”
“It would.”
“Then we find a counter potion in London.”
He exhales heavily, like his heart just remembered how to beat. “And I’ll think about some extra security measures.”
“Flynn—”
“Just let me do this thing, please.”
I smile. “Fine. Put all the cameras and sensors you want.”
He brushes his lips against mine. “Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome, extra apprehensive, crazy-hot vampire.”
“I’m not apprehensive.”
I raise an eyebrow.
“Hot, yes—clearly—but I’m not apprehensive.”
I shake my head. “And so modest.”
The corners of his mouth lift. “Always.”