“You should go home, Abby.” Vicky swung her legs back and forth while sitting on the edge of the back porch swing. It had been a week since the events occurred in the tunnels, and the first time Vicky had brought up the idea of home to her. “The others should meet Brian.”
“They have met him,” Abby reminded her with a nudge of her elbow against Vicky’s side.
“Let them see him as he is with you. It will go a long way to melting the rest of their reservations about him. It has with me.”
“They’ll meet him again, eventually.” Abby’s eyes scanned over the massive bushes of the maze before them. She still hadn’t made it to the center of the maze, something she’d become determined to do. “And they understand that I prefer to stay with you right now.”
“And what does your mate prefer?”
“Do you honestly think Brian is eager to plunge into the Byrne clan?” she asked with a smile. “You know how someone’s not a people person? Well, he’s not exactly a vampire vamp.”
Vicky laughed and swung her feet out again. “He’s really not. I would like to be there when he is engulfed by that horde. I guarantee it will cause some good laughs.”
“It will,” Abby agreed. “But you’re not ready to go home yet.”
“I’m not.”
“The family will understand you didn’t mean to kill her. The Stooges and Mom and Dad won’t even be able to smell it on you.”
“It’s more than that.” Vicky took a deep breath as she lifted her head to study the gardens. “I want Duke dead first, and I can’t go back there when killing him is all I can think about. I’m not ready for family loving when all I feel is hate for him.”
Abby rested her hand on top of Vicky’s. Over the past week, many of the vampires who had been involved in Drake’s operation, including Garth, had been taken out by Ronan, Brian, and the others. Brian had happily been the one to destroy the vampire who had killed Marissa and set Abby up to be captured.
Brian had informed her that, while undergoing questioning, Garth had admitted he’d known Vicky was in the warehouse. When Abby had called him claiming to be Vicky, and then sent her picture, Garth had realized he’d be able to capture her too. They’d been prepared for Abby’s arrival that night. They hadn’t been prepared for all of them.
Though most everyone had been destroyed, Duke was still out there. Brian had offered to help find him when Vicky was ready, but her normally impatient sister had decided to spend more time training here before going after Duke. Abby suspected it was because she was more scared of what was out there than she was letting on, but Vicky would never admit that.
“I understand how you feel and I’m staying with you until you’re ready,” Abby assured her. “We’ll go back together. We can use Brian as a distraction and some entertainment when we do.”
“You two are evil.” Abby turned at Aiden’s words as he stepped beside her and grinned down at them. “But it really is going to be entertaining. You know those kids are going to swamp him just because they’ll find it fun to torment him.”
Vicky and Abby laughed as they pushed back on the swing again. “Looks like you’re going to be stuck with us for a bit,” Abby told him.
He pulled one of the other chairs forward and settled into it. “I’m okay with that. Have you talked to Mom and Dad?” he asked Vicky.
“A few days ago,” she replied, her eyes darting to the side.
It had been a short conversation, consisting mainly of Vicky insisting she was fine and that they should stay with the others. When Vicky had grown tired of the conversation, she’d thrust the phone at Abby and walked away. It had been up to her afterward to keep their parents from jumping into the car and driving around New York in search of the training compound. She’d promised to let them know if anything changed, but she believed it was only a matter of time before she got the call saying they were in New York and insisting on seeing Vicky.
The sun was hanging lower over the maze when Brian stepped onto the porch. “Come with me,” he said and stretched his hand out to her. He helped her to her feet. “Don’t expect her back anytime soon,” he said to Vicky and Aiden over his shoulder.
Vicky gave a small wave while Aiden shook his head and folded his arms over his chest. Brian led her down the steps and toward the maze entrance. “Are you finally going to show me how to get through it?” she inquired.
The wicked smile he sent her melted her heart and curled her toes in her boots. “I’ll show you anything you want.”
“I’m going to hold you to that.”
The way his eyes hungrily ran over her caused her voice to come out huskier as they stepped into the entranceway carved between the ten-foot-tall, thick, green hedges. He led her unerringly forward, taking turns that left her confused and uncertain of where they were. By now, she would have come across at least ten dead ends, but he never encountered a wall.
“Did you use your ability to get to the center?” she inquired suspiciously.
He tugged her against his side. “Nope, I’m naturally good at everything I do.”
“You’re not very good at being humble.”
“I’ve never tried it before, but I’m sure if I did, I’d be fucking fantastic at it.”
Abby laughed as she leaned against his side. “I’m sure you would too.”
She searched the hedges as they strolled through the maze together. She couldn’t tell if she’d already been in this area before or not. After ten minutes, the pathway widened and they stepped into a large clearing in the center of the maze. Abby’s mouth fell open when she finally discovered the secret the maze had been hiding.
She didn’t know where to look first as her gaze flitted over the large glass building before them. There was a fountain inside the building with vines twisting over the sides of it. Roses climbed a trellis, their thick red and yellow blooms dangling over the top of it. Stepping forward, Brian pulled open the door to the large greenhouse and gestured for her to enter with a small bow.
Her gaze continued to run over the assorted plants and flowers blooming within the building. All around her were hundreds of roses, orchids, hydrangeas, and lilies. Spongy plants sank beneath the weight of her hiking boots when she stepped onto them. The setting sun lit the glass surrounding them with pinks, yellows, and oranges as it dipped toward the horizon.
“This is amazing,” she breathed.
“Not as amazing as you,” Brian replied as he watched the delight dance across her face while she moved through the greenhouse.
The warmth of the humid air within the building felt good against her chilled skin. She turned as she gazed at everything, trying to take it all in. Brian stood by the fountain; his eyes locked on her while she inspected the plants and inhaled their sweet scents. He didn’t move as he watched her with a predatory hunger. She smiled as she walked back toward him; her fingers itching with the impulse to touch him. Her skin became electrified with her need for him.
When she was only a foot away from him, he pulled something from his pocket and went down onto one knee before her. Abby froze, and her hand flew to her mouth as he opened the box to reveal the large diamond within. Tears burned in her eyes as the fading sun lit his hair and eyes and caressed his chiseled body.
“I don’t know how long I’ll have to work with Ronan, but I can promise you that when it’s done, I will take you everywhere you ask to go and live out every one of your dreams with you. I will love you every second of every day for the rest of our lives, and I will protect and cherish our children with everything I am.”
Her head shot up at those words. They’d yet to discuss the idea of children since the first time. She hadn’t been able to bring herself to risk ruining the bubble of bliss that had been surrounding them this past week by bringing it up again. He’d still been pulling out of her when they made love, so she had no reason to suspect he’d changed his mind.
“You want children… with me?” she asked in a hitching voice.
“I want everything with you. As soon as my time with Ronan is over, and you’ve done everything you want to do, I would love to see our babe growing within you.”
A sob escaped her at his words, and he took hold of her hand. “I never thought I’d meet someone like you, Abigail Byrne. You’ve turned a desolate life into one of promise and love when I never believed there would be again. Will you marry me?”
Unable to speak, Abby could only manage a nod as tears spilled down her cheeks. The radiant smile on his face caused her heart to swell to near bursting when he slid the ring onto her finger. She didn’t get a chance to look at it before he was rising to his feet and wrapping his arms around her. She cried out in joy when he spun her around before claiming her mouth with his.
Abby’s hands slid into his hair, and she pulled him closer as the swelling evidence of his arousal pressed against her belly. She’d once wondered which side of him was more dominant, the brutal one or the tender one. She knew now they were both intricately woven together to create this enticing, frustrating, amazing vampire who was completely hers, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
She’d never been happier in her life than when he laid her down on the spongy plants and took possession of her. With him was where she would always belong.
THE END
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