Page 197 of Magic of the Damned

“We are more than okay. I’d rather deal with obstacles with you than not have you in my life. I want you.”

He kissed me softly. “It goes without saying that I want you. All of you.”

EPILOGUE

Emoni and I waved at Cameron, the personal items that we’d accumulated over the years packed up in a large Books and Brew promotional logo bag. Cameron’s lips downturned into a deep frown made the departure feel worse.

“I’ll miss you both,” she admitted. Before we could respond, she gathered Emoni into a quick hug, who ended it abruptly when she pulled away. The hug between me and Cameron lingered. When she tightened her hold on me, I sank deeper into the warmth and comfort of it.

“I’ll miss you, too,” I told her.

“Me too,” Emoni tacked on. “But if you start to miss our absence too much, just drive the twenty-five miles to the new location and wave at us,” she added dryly, shaking her head at the maudlin display. “You two are being far too dramatic.”

Cameron scrunched her nose at Emoni, who had been the voice of reason and clinical objectivity since Books and Brew had expanded to a new location. I was given an assistant managing position and Emoni was the manager of the café. My promotion was unexpected since it had been just a few days shy of a year since I’d gone MIA and Cameron graciously had given me my job back.

When I returned to work, I set my focus on earning her trust and for her not to regret employing me again. I booked local authors for readings and signings, hosted book clubs, game nights, and events that brought more attention to the store. It was easier to handle by successfully extracting myself from the supernatural world—well, everything except Dominic.

Dominic’s response to when Forest and I were abducted ensured that we were left alone. I wasn’t invisible to members or the Conventicle or the supernaturals who knew of my existence. When our paths crossed, we ignored each other. Visits from members of the Conventicle were steady. I hadn’t determined if they were making sure no one bothered me or if it was to gawk at the woman responsible for Dominic issuing the threat that if any harm came to me, no matter how small, it would be met with terminally severe consequences. I’d accused him of being over the top and extreme, but I’d welcomed a return to a simpler world.

There was a notable uptick of people who made an effort to not be on the same side if I was walking on the sidewalk. I suspected that they were part of the supernatural community, and I was fine with their commitment to keeping their distance.

It still surprised me that the Awakeners had abandoned their plans to make their presence known and the Conventicle and the New Conventicle managed to work together without a civil war. They were a functioning unit. Dominic only had to intervene twice for a shifter and a witch sentenced to the Perils.

Emoni and I slipped out of Books and Brew after giving Cameron another quick hug.

Emoni lingered at my car, one that I now needed since for the past six months I’d been living with Dominic in the apartment he once shared with Helena. She had freely relinquished it to prevent running the risk of interacting or having to see me. Something she had no qualms expressing to me. Somehow, she’d contorted the situation so much that I was now the blame for Dominic’s response to her betrayal.

Although her time in the Vita was posed as time for her to reevaluate her life, she grumbled that she’d been imprisoned—her own version of the Perils—which I was confident was an exaggeration. Contrary to what Ileana had led me to believe, she wasn’t as accepting of Helena’s betrayal against Dominic and had addressed it.

Helena remained a beautifully dressed, self-centered, unnecessary source of violence and chaos, but she reined it in enough to abide by the agreement made with the Conventicle.

I peeled my focus from Emoni to eye the driver of the luxury sedan driving past us.

“That’s not him,” Emoni said.

It was an unreasonable practice that I couldn’t manage to stop. Every expensive car with an older man in it who looked even remotely like Areleus drew my attention. After settling in his home, he left within a month. Dominic hadn’t heard from him in over seven months and didn’t seem concerned, confident that his time was being spent looking for a way to return his magic. He’d never accept the fall from power.

“I know this is ridiculous, but I’m worried about him.”

“You’re worried about the handsome, absurdly rich man who’s having an identity crisis because he doesn’t have magic?” She scoffed, shaking her head. “I’m sure there are more people deserving of that.”

“He was the most powerful supernatural in the world and now he’s a man whose magic was ripped from him. He no longer has immortality and must live as a human.”

“A man who’s probably wreaking havoc looking for a way to get his magic and status back,” she acknowledged.

I nodded. “A waste of his time.”

“In his position, wouldn’t you?” she asked, quickly waving off her query because she knew the answer. I wouldn’t. My magic had been stolen and I had no desire to seek a way to retrieve it. Being free from magic allowed me to escape that world and move on, all while keeping Dominic. It was an absolute victory in my eyes.

Emoni eased away from me. “I have to go to rehearsal and then I have plans later. Call me tomorrow.”

Since our return we’d spent more time together. Emoni’s discovery of the supernatural world instilled a wariness that caused her to check on me more often than she had in the past. We weren’t scheduled to work for the next few days, so she’d definitely visit or call.

It was better, but she lived with the anticipation of another upheaval of our lives and worse discoveries. For a while, it was the root of her apprehension about my relationship with Dominic. She wasn’t convinced that it would be possible to have just fragments of that world. Having Dominic in my life meant having the supernatural world and all its violence, political unrest, and issues as well. I didn’t blame her—at times I worried about the same. It had been a year since Dominic strolled into Books and Brew and questioned me about the Discovery of Magic that I carried, and my life devolving into something new and unsettling.

Dominic and I had managed what seemed like the impossible. Creating our own world together.

Emoni’s level of alertness had diminished in the last four months as a result of Anand teaching her how to protect herself and becoming an exceptional source of information for any questions she had about supernaturals and their world. Emoni found comfort in knowing even the most minute details, despite her claims of wanting to be blissfully ignorant.

---