Page 35 of Dead End

The vampire groaned. “No, that would definitely be the worse option.”

Kane gave her shoulders a squeeze. “We’ll get through another transition. We always do.” He accepted a glass from Alessandro. “Why don’t we have a toast?”

Josie rolled to the side to look up at him. “To what? Abandonment?”

“To new beginnings.” He looked at Alessandro. “Lorelei and I have decided to move in together.”

The incubus whooped. “That’s fantastic news. Good for you two for making it official.”

Josie banged her forehead on the bar. “Worst. Day. Ever.”

I placed a hand on Kane’s shoulder. “Maybe you should’ve waited a day or two,” I whispered.

Alessandro slid a bottle of beer toward the vampire. Josie’s fingers found the bottle and curled around it. “Thanks, buddy. You’re not planning to leave, are you? I can’t handle the search for another bartender.”

“They’ll have to pry me away from this bar with a supernatural wrench,” the incubus said.

“Glad to hear it.” She forced herself into an upright position and took a long drink from the bottle.

Alessandro looked at me. “Drink?”

“Beer, please.”

He popped off the lid and handed me a bottle, then opened one for himself. He raised his beer bottle at us. “Yamas.”

I tapped his bottle with mine. “Cheers.”

“Keep the bar closed for now, Josephine. Send an email to the newsletter list that we’ll reopen in a few days.”

Alessandro’s brown eyes widened. “A few days? Why the delay? The demons are gone.”

“I think we all need time to recover.”

“Amen to that,” Josie said, swilling her beer.

I debated whether to mention The Corporation’s likely return but quickly decided against it. There’d been enough unwelcome announcements for one day.

I sat on the balcony that overlooked the twinkling lights of downtown Fairhaven and let the tears of gratitude flow. I was home. Kane was safe, currently sound asleep in my bed only a few feet away. Never mind that tomorrow could bring a heap of trouble sponsored by The Corporation. Right now, in this moment, all was right with the world.

Kane appeared beside me, yawning. “Do you intend to sleep out here?”

“I wanted to give you time to settle.”

“I’d settle better with you next to me.”

I glanced up at him. “We’re not out of the woods yet.”

“I assumed as much. Want to tell me about it now?”

“Not yet. I just want to enjoy the peace and quiet for a bit longer.”

His fingers combed my hair. “Come to bed, Lorelei. Keep the nightmares away.”

The irony of his request wasn’t lost on me. I vacated my spot on the balcony and followed him to bed. The sheets were cozy and inviting. I hadn’t realized how much I missed my bed until this moment.

Kane inched his pillow closer to mine. “I thought about you nonstop. Memories of the past. Hopes for our future. You’re what kept me alive.”

“Lucifer is what kept you alive. You can’t torture a dead demon.”

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