Page 144 of Blood So Brutal

After a few minutes, I said, “He’s really gone this time.”

Her hand fell onto my thigh and squeezed. “I know.”

Another beat passed.

“It’s really all over.”

“No.” She pushed herself up and looked at me again. “The shit is over. The violence is over. The war is over. But the rest? The rest of it is just beginning.”

Tears welled in her eyes. I leaned down and gave her a firm kiss, reveling in the feeling of her. We were both alive, both still here, still breathing.

But Huntyr was right. This was just the beginning.

We were interrupted as Jessiah and Rummy joined us on the next log. They handed us both a piece of cooked meat from the fire, and my stomach grumbled from the sight of it. Hells, we really were exhausted.

“Those wings are really something,” Jessiah said. “I suppose you’ll have a hard time blending in around here.”

“What, these old things?” I flexed my wings on either side of me. They were much, much larger than my original wings, but somehow, they were light, weightless. The gold feathers had a silky finish to them, and I let my right wing flutter across Huntyr’s shoulder until she shivered. “I think I could get used to them.”

“I’m glad you got your wings back.” Jessiah’s tone turned serious. “If anyone deserves them, it’s you. Our father had no right to take them in the first place.”

We all focused on our meat, and I swallowed before replying, “Thank you, brother. For everything.”

He shook his head. “No thanks required. I would do it all again tomorrow if I had to.”

“Still. You didn’t ask to be dragged into this mess. You didn’t ask to be thrown into a kingdom with vampyres.”

He shrugged, taking a bite. “I guess vampyres aren’t so bad. Just don’t go drinking my blood when you get hungry, okay? Or Rummy’s. I have to keep my eye on her now.”

Rummy blushed but shared a knowing look with Huntyr.

“I think we’ll all be much, much safer here than we ever were in Midgrave,” Huntyr said. “This is our home now.”

“And you are the blood queen,” Rummy said, simmering with pride. “The way they look at you, it’s incredible. It’s like they know you’re going to change the world.”

Huntyr shrugged. “I did what any of them would do. I’m sick of powerful people taking advantage of everyone else. I spent my entire life without control, and that changes now. It changes for all of us.”

Her words lingered in the air.

“What happens when the others hear about this? What happens when the other fae and angels realize we’ve killed Asmodeus?” Jessiah asked.

“We’ll tell them the truth, and we’ll offer refuge to all vampyres who have been living in hiding, afraid to show themselves. We’ll meet with the fae and the angels to show them that what they’ve been taught is a lie. Vampyres are not blood-hungry monsters with no control. We’re just like them. We deserve a home. We deserve peace, just like they do.”

I placed a kiss on her temple, not giving a fuck that Jessiah and Rummy were here. “I’m so fucking proud of you, Huntress. You have no idea.”

She twisted and looked up at me. “Proud ofme? Hells, look at you, Wolf! You sacrificed yourself to save us all. We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you. Whatever Era planned, she chose you for a reason.”

The memory of Era’s voice flooded my memory again. “Ah, that reminds me. She has a message for you.”

Huntyr straightened beside me, the others snapping their attention in my direction. “Era has a message for me?”

I nodded. “She wants peace. That’s all she has wanted since my father took peace away from these lands. Toexpeditethe process, if you will, she’s told me how to stop the curse of the hungry ones.”

They all stared at me, waiting, but I kept my eyes glued on Huntyr.

“It’s me, isn’t it?” she breathed. “I’m the one who can cure them?”

My smile could not be contained. “Your blood continues to be the one thing that will deliver peace to these lands. Bleed and live, Huntress. Bleed andlive.”

---