Page 97 of Twisted Gift

Allison nods. “If that’s what you want.”

A muscle in my jaw twitches from clenching it so tight. “I don’t want any of this, Al. I don’t want to lose my friends. What if something happens to one of you during this whole battle, and we never get to see you again?”

“Freedom comes at a price,” Skylar says. “We’ve all had to make sacrifices—some bigger than others.”

Nikolai frowns at her before turning to me. “We’re not going to force this on the two of you, but you need to seriously consider it. You’re human. You no longer have any obligation to fight for the fae, though we all know the two of you would.”

“Of course we would,” Tristan says.

Nikolai nods. “You’ve helped just by bringing the two sides together. We couldn’t fight this battle without that union.”

I bite the inside of my cheek, cringing when I taste copper. “This seems extreme. Can’t we just go into hiding and keep our memories?”

Nikolai arches a brow at me. “You’re telling me, if you kept your memories of the fae and The Experiment, you wouldn’t try to rush into battle with us?”

I stare at him, but he doesn’t blink. Finally, I roll my eyes, scowling. “Whatever,” I mutter.

“What exactly would you have us forget?” Tristan asks.

“Not so much forget, but we’d implant false memories. You’d believe you were different people, that the life you’ll be living is the one you always had.”

I frown. “Tristan wasn’t able to erase my memories when I found out about the fae, and the only reason Jules could mess with me was probably because we were related. What makes you sure you can alter mine now?”

“We’re not sure,” Allison comments. “It’s something we’d have to try.”

“With everything The Experiment did to make you human, maybe you’re susceptible to fae influence now,” Nikolai adds.

My stomach drops; he could be right.

Tristan places his hands on my shoulders, turning me to face him. “It has to be our choice. We’re not going to do this if it’s not what you want.”

I nod slowly, wishing I could read his emotions right now. “What do you want?” I ask in a quiet tone.

He focuses on me. “I want you. Us. Safe and happy for as long as we have.”

Tristan took a huge risk and became human for me, to live a life withme, because he knew I was no longer immortal, and the idea of us not being together wasn’t an option. He took a chance to be with me. It’s time I take a chance to be with him.

“Okay,” I say, after what feels like an eternity of silence, and turn to face my husband. “Let’s start our life together.”

Epilogue

Two Years Later...

Sunday mornings are my favorite.

I wake to the sound of cartoons on the television and the smell of French toast wafting through the house.

We’ve lived here for almost two years now. It’s a quaint country farmhouse about an hour outside the city center, Rockdale. It’s quiet and safe—the perfect environment for a family.

I get out of bed and slide my feet into my slippers, pulling on my robe as I head down the hall into the kitchen.

“Morning,” I murmur in a sleepy voice.

He glances up from the stove and grins at me. “Morning, sweetheart.”

I walk around the kitchen island and slide my arms around him from behind, pressing my cheek into his back. “Breakfast smells amazing.” I shift around and lean against his side, stealing a strawberry out of the basket and biting into it.

He leans down and kisses me. “It’ll be ready soon.”

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