Page 237 of Gift from the Source
A bright flash of light has us both covering our eyes before we turn to the glimmering portal in front of us. The swirling of rainbow is so hypnotizing all I can do is gawk at it.
“Keeper,” Willow says softly.
The broken tone makes my heart pound even harder and all I want to do is hold her. She made this possible. She technically knew him even before I did, and I hate to see this sadness crossing her face.
“Yes, Adored,” he says as he steps closer to her and pulls her into his chest.
She slowly tugs herself free and holds his hands. “I, Willow Vito, release you, Dericko Keeper, from our vow. You’ve fulfilled your end in totality and now you are free.”
Magic surges between them and he grunts as the vow, I honestly forget she made him make, breaks. Before he can say or do anything, she drags her claw down his palm and slices him open.
Slamming her bloody hand to his, she then presses them both into the portal and he screams.
I’m so fucking confused and shocked, all I can do is gape at her.
“Vows we kept have come to light. One’s blood blesses him the right.”
He stumbles back as the portal releases him and I hurry behind him to steady him. “What in the realm was that, little wanderer?”
“She…” Keeper trails off, shaking his head.
“I have to close the portal back when he passes through. It’s not time for it to be permanently opened. But I’ve given him the right to come and go as he pleases.”
“You…” A laugh mixed with a sob bursts out of me and I lift my dad up and spin him around. “Told you she’d do anything for you.”
As I set him down, he grips me on the back of my neck and his smile matches my own. “I’ve never doubted it. Never doubted any of you.”
A piercing whistle passes his lips as he breaks away from me and Tanith leads the charge of vampires through the cave.
Before she steps through, she bows low to Willow.
My little wanderer sobs as she kisses Tanith’s snout, but she nods along with whatever sweet nothings are being whispered to her.
As the last few vampires pass through, Keeper makes his way to Oakly, her Nexus, Aria, Lyker, his brothers, then my own. Each of them embraces him fully, even Cas, and my throat constricts painfully.
With one last hug to me, he swears, “I’ll see you soon.”
My fists clench repeatedly and I’m creating little holes in my palms from where the sharp tips of my nails have shifted.
I holler just as his hand presses to the ward. “Wait!”
His head turns and he looks over his shoulder at me. There’s so much hope in his eyes.
“I love you, Dad.”
His relief nearly knocks me off my feet.
“I love you too, son.”
Twenty-Eight
Caspian
“Donald, Donald, Donald.”
I cheer as I pull my chair across the room to sit in front of him. The way his eyes shatter as he looks at me makes a sinister smile cross my face.
“I must admit, this past month and a half with you has been amazing. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed our time together. I’m so disappointed it’s coming to an end.”
