Hours passed with Neeman and Selene in bed together. They made love several times and spent the moments in between talking. For the first time Selene knew where she belonged. In his arms, with the two of them together, the pain of her past washed away.
The time passed too quickly and they soon had to come back to the reality of their situation. They dressed and headed down to collaborate with Danika, Mason, and William.
“We need to find the portal, that is the first and foremost plan of attack,” said Danika.
“I can handle that.” Selene looked between Mason and Danika.
“I’ll go, too,” said Neeman.
“No,” said Danika. “We need you to call all the trackers. Mason can go with her.”
Neeman glanced at Selene and took her hand in his.
“I’ll be fine,” she said.
It was a strange feeling, no longer having Seraphine chattering away in the background narrating all of her actions. Instead now it was more impressions. Something would suddenly come over her and Selene would have the impulse to do something crazy or spontaneous and totally out of character. Now instead of being two separate people in the same body, they were more like conjoined twins.
Seraphine no longer needed to be caged either, but was content to feel through Selene.
“All right,” said Danika. “We also need a game plan in case the demons return.”
“They will,” said Mason. “Now that they’ve located both Seraphine and me, they won’t stop till they have us.”
“Till they have this world,” said Selene. “They only want us to lead the way.”
“We’re no match for them,” said William. “There aren’t enough of us. Even with you and Mason, there have to be thousands of demons.”
“More,” said Selene. “Which is why we have to close the portal.”
“What about the humans?” asked William.
“What about them?” said Danika.
“They can help. We can find out which ones have military experience.”
Mason shook his head. “There aren’t enough of them.”
“True, but if this comes down to a war, we’re going to need all the help we can get,” said William. “I have heard rumors that there may be a huge enclave with nuclear weapons as well as advanced technology.”
“How’s that possible?” asked Danika. “We still haven’t been able to get into those military bunkers.”
“At this point, it’s only a rumor, but I have a feeling there’s one person who knows for sure. And if we can convince her, we may be able to convince them all.”
Danika stared at William for a moment. “No.”
“Danika, with all due respect, if there are humans out there with nukes, we need to reach out. They could be crucial. Not just in fighting the demons, but for our own survival as well.”
“She’s nothing but a problem, William.”
“Then let her be my problem. I’ll deal with it.”
Danika sighed and rubbed her temples. Several tense minutes went by. Finally she waved her hand. “Fine. But I don’t want any trouble from Evan or I swear, she won’t be given another chance.”
William nodded. “I understand.”
“I know no one wants to think of this,” said Selene. “But you might consider asking if there are any humans who’d like to be turned.”
“No,” said Neeman.
“They’d be stronger and faster. I know you Vampires like to keep the blood pure but this could very well mean the difference between humans living and dying. It’s an option they should be given.”
Everyone was silent. Being a vampyr was not the end of the world. Though she knew Neeman disagreed with her, it was something they needed to consider in the upcoming war.
Danika looked at them in turn. “This is it, people. What we do or don’t do in the next few days could very well mean the difference between our existence and our extinction. Is there anything else?”
“Just one thing,” said Neeman. He squeezed Selene’s hand. “When you get a free minute, I’d like to take Selene as my mate.”
Danika smiled and nodded. “We will make it an affair worth celebrating.”
“Thank you,” Selene said. “But I think just a small intimate ceremony would be more to my liking.”
“Are you sure?” asked Mason. “That’s unlike you.”
Selene looked at Neeman. He gave her the winning smile she’d become so accustomed to in the past hours.
“Yes,” she said. “We’re sure.”
Danika nodded. “Then let’s finish up what we need to do tonight, and tomorrow we will stand in the light of the moon and you two shall be mated.”
* * * *
Mason and Selene had tracked the portal to the south side of town, but they’d been unable to pinpoint exactly where the rift was. A tear in the fabric of the world wasn’t easily found. Their magick had drawn them to a general area, but after hours of searching they’d come up empty.
Mason met with Neeman to organize a patrol to stand guard in a one-mile radius until the portal could be located.
Over the following evening, a dozen new trackers had arrived at Coven House and two dozen more were expected to arrive within the next two days. Word of the attacks was spreading like rapid fire. Danika’s phone had been ringing so much that Selene had even taken to helping answer the calls and taking messages. The consensus was the same. Everyone was scared.
Danika had sent word to the High Council, but she had yet to hear back from them. All they could do now was prepare and wait.
Selene looked in the mirror at her green-purple eyes. Never in her wildest dreams had she thought she could be made whole. But Neeman had done that for her.
She fiddled with the cream silk, which draped over her shoulder.
“You look beautiful, my dear,” said Sherman.
Selene smiled. The older Vampire had returned to help out, after healing.
“Thank you,” she replied.
“I must tell you. Had I known what you truly were, I would have had a harder time letting you go.”
She laughed. “Oh trust me, as soon as you’d met my other half, you would have begged Neeman to take me back.”
He snapped his fingers. “I almost forgot. You left this at the hotel.” Sherman pulled her suitcase from behind the door and set it on her bed.
“Thank you. I was beginning to think I’d never wear the same outfit more than once.”
Sherman looked at his watch. “We should go down.”
She nodded, her gut clenching. She stepped up to Sherman and took his arm. Together they proceeded down to the landing where Mason stood in a pair of pinstriped suit pants, a white shirt, and a black vest. He looked dashing, and uncomfortable.
Sherman handed her off to Mason and then bowed and headed down to the atrium.
“You look amazing,” Mason said.
“I bet you never thought you’d see this day.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Me neither.”
He held out his arm for her to take.
“You clean up pretty good yourself, bro.”
“That’s all Danika’s doing.”
“Amazing how this new race really is trying to better this world,” she said as they descended the stairs.
“I just hope we don’t end up destroying it.”
She squeezed his arm. “Me, too.”
Mason stopped at the bottom of the stairs. “Do you love him?”
“What?”
“I want to make sure you love him.”
“Come on, Mason. I have these beautiful runes now because of him, what do you think that means?”
“I think it means he loves you.”
She tried to keep her voice level. “Yes, Mason. I love him.”
“Good,” he said. “Because above all else, I want you to be happy.”
Her heart squeezed. “I am happy. For the first time…I am truly happy.”
“Then let’s go get you hitched.” He kissed her on the forehead. “Oh and Maelstrom wants you to know that if he breaks your heart, we’re going to kill him.”
Selene laughed. Brothers.
* * * *
Selene stood in the middle of the atrium, her hands in Neeman’s. Once again, he wore a dark suit, which made her knees feel like gelatin. He’d slicked back his hair and trimmed his scruff into a sexy goatee.
Sherman presided over the ceremony as the rest of the coven looked on. Danika, William, and Mason stood alongside the blond Vampire pair who proudly held their beautiful new bundle of joy.
For a moment, Selene looked around and wished her mother was there. But the feeling left her as quickly as it had come. Being there with Neeman and Mason, Danika and William, she realized she’d finally found what she’d been searching for her whole life. Family. And she’d be damned if she’d let anyone take that away from her.
“You are now mated as husband and wife,” pronounced Sherman. “You may kiss your bride.”
Happiness she’d never felt burst through her and Selene jumped into Neeman’s arms, tackling him with her lips. All around chuckles and applause rang out. Neeman laughed and when they broke apart, she saw a sight that warmed her entire being. He smiled at her so broadly it revealed a dimple on his left cheek.
He pulled her close. “You’re mine,” he whispered.
“Now and forever,” she replied.