Page 74 of The Heart of Moonlight Falls

“No, you can’t take it down. I like it,” Sebastian whined, tightening his grip on James. “I won’t let mine be put up if you get rid of yours.”

Parker nodded approvingly. “Good call.”

James laughed. “Fine. If everyone likes the damn photo so much, I’ll stop complaining.”

“Really?” Eli gave him a weird look. “You’ve complained for ten years. You’re really going to give in now?”

James gazed adoringly at Sebastian. “Yes. How could I complain about something that makes this man smile?”

Sebastian kissed him. A quick, hard peck. “Careful.” He felt his smile turn devious. “You know I’m going take advantage of that.”

“I can’t wait,” James whispered.

Sebastian loved him so much he didn’t know if he’d ever stop being amazed by it.

They went outside, and Eli took a picture of Sebastian and James in front of the stone and the signs. He even snapped a few extra as James dipped Sebastian into a kiss, one of Sebastian’s legs flinging into the air in surprise.

Eventually, they returned to the diner to eat.

“What happened with you all that night?” Sebastian asked Eli after Parker disappeared into the kitchen.

“We pretty much hunkered down.” A frown pulled at Eli’s lips. “Hazel and Eleanor were with us at Parker’s. I tried to call you guys, but it must have been after you went to Storm House. When the tremors stopped, we were so relieved, but you still didn’t turn up or answer your phones. I wanted to go look for you both, but so many shades were flying around town that we couldn’t leave the house. We were lucky they didn’t attack any of the buildings.”

“I’m glad you were safe.” Sebastian was immensely relieved. He’d have hated for everyone to have been stuck fighting shades while he and James figured out how to fix the veins. Digging up those graves took a hell of a long time. Sebastian was thankful it was all a blur in his mind now.

Eventually, Eli left them to eat and went back to his work.

A dull ache started behind Sebastian’s eyes. He must have made a face because James caught on.

“Headache?”

Sebastian nodded. “It’s not bad, but after this, I might be done with being in public for the day.”

The doctors had told Sebastian his headaches might be a permanent side effect of using the veins’ power. They couldn’t be totally sure since no one had harnessed power like that before, and they didn’t know exactly what it might do to someone’s body.

Sebastian hadn’t had any pain as severe as he’d had that night or even the days in between first using the veins and when it was all over. He was taking that as a good sign, hoping that now that the veins were repaired and he wasn’t a piece of them, the headaches wouldn’t be as bad.

The bell above the door sounded, and Hazel and Eleanor walked in.

Sebastian smiled. It seemed he could take a bit more socializing after all.

The two women joined him and James in their booth and asked how he was.

“I cannot thank you enough,” Eleanor said once the catching-up was out of the way. “This town owes you.”

“Don’t worry about it. Really,” Sebastian insisted. “No one owes me. It’s not a debt that needs to be repaid.”

Eleanor smiled. “You’ll have to take our eternal gratitude anyway.”

“I suppose I can deal with that,” Sebastian relented, that pleasurable embarrassment returning, making his cheeks hot.

“I hope it goes some way to making up for William’s behavior,” Eleanor continued, her familiar, serious demeanor making an appearance.

Sebastian scrunched his nose. “What happened with him?”

Eleanor and Hazel exchanged a glance. “He’s been arrested for inciting a riot and assault, along with breaking and entering. The people who went along with him have been arrested too.”

Sebastian was relieved to hear it. “I’m glad no one’s getting away with it.”

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