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His hand slides into my hair. ‘We choose. Again and again. Fate began this. Choice will keep it.’

My chest aches. ‘That was almost poetic.’

‘Do not tell anyone.’

‘I’m telling Luca first.’

His mouth finds mine before I can keep threatening him. The kiss is slow. Deep. Warm with relief and edged with everything waiting beyond the room. It’s not an ending. It is a vow with fangs.

When he lifts his head, his eyes are silver. ‘Lyra,’ he says.

I breathe the name in.

‘Eira,’ he adds.

I smile.

‘My little hunter.’

‘There he is.’

He touches the mark at my throat, then his own. ‘My mate.’

The word settles into me without chains. I lift onto my toes and kiss him again.

Outside, enemies gather. Inside, the Tower stands.

And for the first time since I ran six years ago, I am exactly where I choose to be.

EPILOGUE

EIRA

Three months later

Two weeks before the clock runs out, I decide immortality is extremely inconvenient.

Beautiful, yes. Powerful, obviously. Useful when jumping from one Tower balcony to another without breaking every bone in my body, absolutely.

But inconvenient.

For one thing, I cannot stand in the sun.

Apparently that particular perk takes a century or two to develop, depending on bloodline strength, feeding habits and how often one’s ancient vampire mate looks at his brand-new immortal bride like he wants to lock her in the dark and worship her until the moon comes down to complain.

So daylight is out.

Which sucks donkey balls.

The first time I said that, Valentin stared at me for a full ten seconds and then informed me that immortal queens of New York do not use language better suited to tavern brawls and demon pit-fights.

Naturally, I have used it six times since.

Immortality has brought a steep learning curve. My senses are sharper. My strength is ridiculous. New reflexes now make knives feel almost slow. I can hear heartbeats through walls, lies under polished voices, desire beneath perfume and expensive wool. I haven’t been brave enough to leap from the top of the Tower, but I’ve jumped from the third-floor balcony to the training courtyard and landed like a cat with murder credentials.

Luca applauded.

Valentin threatened to break both his hands if he encouraged me.