Page 28 of The Stars and the Stage
Serina huffed. “I’m not leaving LA for your cemetery town, no offense. Alakeis not abeach.”
“I wouldn’t dream of asking you to,” Maddox said with a laugh. He turned solemn though, and he seemed to struggle over his words, like he was… nervous? “But Diego and I, we could reach more vampires ifwewent there, ran a second set of events.” He glanced toward Diego, and added, quickly, “That is, if he wanted to help me in that.”
He, Diego—Maddox’s lover. Maddox’sboyfriend.
Maddy looked at Diego, finally, a tiny, hopeful quirk in his lips. “Doeshe want to?”
“He thinks it sounds terrifying and impossible and absolutely outrageous,” Diego replied, and grinned. “So why not?” They tossed a spare hat at Serina, nearly knocking down the stack of them she stood beside. “But you’ll teach us, won’t you, Serina?”
“What the hell am I supposed to teachyou, Diego? You know my business better than I do by now.” Serina smiled. “But I’ll always be here if you need help. And you have to take Valentine. He’ll turn into a sad puppy if you leave him here alone.”
“As though we’d ever abandon him.” Diego snorted. “We’re not running away either. If we’re doing this, we’re doing it togrowthe Celestial Club.” They came up behind Maddox as they said it, running their hand through his hair with the rough grip he always swooned under. “We’re not losing our family, or our home, no matter how much the Paladins wanted to take it from us. We’re just making it bigger.”
Maddy leaned into their touch, the joy and comfort on his face seeming so contrary to the way Diego tugged, yet perfect all the same. “What should we call it?” he asked.
“Something like Starlight, I think.”
“Something like Starlight,” Maddox repeated.
12
EPILOGUE
The first thing they saw as they came over the final hill was the night skyline against the lake. San Salud was one of the few places that was always more gorgeous at night, like it had been built knowing its excess of cemeteries would someday make it a hub for ghost tours. And vampires.
Maddox had already reached out to his fanged friends in the city. The people who’d been in Diego’s life when he’d last lived there might have abandoned him, but he’d have a new home, a new family. The three of them would make one, out of the supplies in the trailer behind their truck and their determination and love. Together, they would build something great, and Maddox would be his vampire’s sword and shield every step of the way.
As though Diego knew Maddox’s thoughts, his boyfriend’s hand slipped across the truck’s center console and wrapped around Maddox’s. Maddox glanced at him, one long look that made his heart swell. Ten years had been far too long, but somehow it had still brought them here. Brought them home again, better and stronger and surer than they’d ever been.
They’d make up for the lost time with every year to come: the prince and his lord, and everyone who loved them.
