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I couldn’t tell if she was messing with me, but that was what was so amusing about Lynn. Even after all these years she still kept me guessing, kept me smiling and baffled as I tried to figure her out.

“Okay,” I said slowly, waiting for anymore punchlines. When she was quiet, I continued, “Well, because the slayer weapons were impaled inside of me for so long, for close to three days I think, I’m healing human slow, and I had some gnarly wounds.”

“I think I can help a bit with that.”

“That would be nice. Oh yeah, I meant to tell you we were nearly missing eyeball twins.”

“That sounds heinous.”

“You would know. At the time, though, it gave me a weird sort of comfort.”

“Glad I could help,” she said wryly. “Well, I got mine back, and you still have yours so I guess things are looking up all around.”

I opened my mouth to respond with something pessimistic I think, but I slipped back into the darkness before any words came out.

When I came back this time, my body felt markedly better. A glance at my hands showed me that my skin was a normal, human color again.

Dom was there. It was dark out and he was sleeping beside me. He wasn’t even wearing a suit. He was letting himself rest at night again like a normal person. Things were looking up.

For the first time in months, I was able to turn onto my side. Yes, the wounds were finally healing faster, I was positive of it now.

I touched his hand and he woke instantly, turning to face me. “I’m healing faster,” I said. “Was it Lynn?”

“Lynn and Drake. He did something strange that made this entire wing of the casino fill up with red smoke and then black smoke and freaked a lot of people out, myself included, but if it helped it was worth it. He also claims he has a way to make you more resistant to the power of a slayer weapon, but that the price will be steep if he’s to share it. We’re in negotiations now.”

“I bet Lynn can talk him into giving it to her as a wedding present.”

“Perhaps. They’re an interesting match, but somehow it makes sense to me. They remind me of ornery cats circling each other.”

I thought about it. “I can see it. I heard you found us a compound to live in.”

“I did. We’re just waiting until you’re well enough to be moved.”

I gripped his hand. “I think I’ll be there soon,” I said, and let the darkness take me again.

When I came back from the darkness that time, I kept absolutely nothing with me that I didn’t need. No extra burdens to shoulder in terms of pain. The river had washed me clean.

I met Dom’s grave, tender eyes squarely for the first time since I was taken. “I’m better. Can you bring me the egg? I think my mind is clean enough that I won’t hurt his with it now.”

EPILOGUE

EPILOGUE

The compound was completely ridiculous. It was more like a mini resort complete with an exterior of mirrored, blue, bullet-proof glass and an inner courtyard with a pool circled by a lazy river.

Christian, ever the kid at heart, would be stoked.

It was less than a mile off the strip, an oasis of privacy in the thick of things, except that we had so much extra security that I wasn’t sure how the druids were sparing the manpower.

I didn’t fight it, I wasn’t up to it yet, but I would muster the energy to someday, I was sure. For now I let Dom be as insanely overprotective as his obsessive heart desired. It seemed to make him feel better.

The entire place was furnished and ready to move in the second Dom pronounced me fit enough to be moved.

I was able to walk the short distance from Dom’s rooms in the casino down to the valet without assistance, but Dom was close at my side, watching me with anxious eyes the entire time.

He had Conan in an unobtrusive backpack held to his chest with one arm and a small troop of druid soldiers following us every step.

“It’s just because we’re moving the egg between secured vaults,” Dom told me when we were alone in the back of a limo and driving to our new home. “It won’t always be like this. I know I can’t send a contingent of soldiers to follow you everywhere indefinitely. Perhaps just a small detail.”