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THE HOWARD KITCHEN had become a temporary bedroom with too many sleepy-eyed dozing people struggling to stay awake and wait for Melinda to awaken.
Annie and Courtney had their ears to the walls and were the first to come to life with smiles on their faces.
"Is it done?" asked Charlie anxiously.
"Is she okay?" Michael asked at the same time.
The two vampires grinned.
Annie nodded.
"She's awake. She's fine. A little disoriented, but fine."
Courtney cocked her head. "She won't be making an appearance today. You know, she's got to get the hunger thing under control." An all too familiar sentiment as she recalled her first weeks roaming the woods and avoiding human contact.
Charlie and Michael hugged their wives, a few tears shed in relief.
Their world was set right once again. Their futures, ready to unfold.
Rae awakened Riley, who'd dozed off heavily about an hour before. Lucas and Mathew rose to take their leave. Now that Melinda was awake and okay, the could rest and recover properly.
Melinda was a vampire now. That, along with many other new things, was going to take some getting used to.
Regardless, today was a bright new day with a whole new path in front of them all. And there was so much to get done between babies coming and a new magic school to open, and Rae and the others leaving to hunt demons.
They wouldn't rush Melinda. Knowing she was all right was enough for now. She'd come down when she was ready.
"And from the sounds of it," smirked Annie, closing off her ears to the dirty sounds in the attic, "that won't be anytime soon."
Courtney took a little longer to tune it out. She was curious about love as a vampire and the two upstairs were putting on quite the show. However, she was not one for listening in and shook it out of her head only to clear her throat, humiliated, when Annie smirked, having caught her in the act.
Charlie and Michael grumbled simultaneously.
"I don't care if they're both vampires now," groaned Charlie. "Still don't need the picture of my little sister—" Michael cut off his brother.
"Do not say it."
Everyone laughed. Some things would never change. No matter how time passed. Big brothers would always see their little sisters as such. No matter how old they grew, how long they lived, or how strong they were either physically or mentally.
The battle against evil would rage on. Because as long as there was free will, both good and evil would be chosen. It was simply the way of things in this world, human, supernatural, magical, or otherwise.
But with this new day, the forces of good outnumbered the forces of evil.
The future never looked so bright.
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