“It’s all rather convoluted,” Sean said. “Since this past has already occurred—and then was traveled back to—it still falls in the realm of my lifetime. The Underworld exists out of and throughout all time. You’ll understand later when you make this journey.”

  “But you’re corporeal,” I point out like an idiot. “Shouldn’t you be a spirit?”

  He nods. “Yes, but Hades gave me the ability to appear in my true form today. Once I go back, all will be as before.”

  “No!” Portia said, hugging Sean even tighter. “I can’t lose you already. I just got you back!”

  Sean smiled, squeezing both her and Milly in a giant hug. “I’m always nearby, Pumpkin. I know what’s going on in your lives. I’m watching over you. You might not always be able to see me, but you’re just as important to me as you’ve always been.” He gave her another light squeeze. “I’d love to officially meet my granddaughter, though.”

  “Oh my gosh!” Portia said, turning and motioning for Kenna to join them. “Kenna, this is your grandpa, Sean Mullins.”

  Kenna smiled widely and stepped forward. Sean released Milly and Portia and enveloped Kenna in his embrace. “I’m so happy to meet you, Kenna. Not getting to be a part of your life has been my greatest regret, but you’ve been an amazing kid.”

  Her eyes lower for a second. “Not too amazing. It’s my fault all this mess happened.”

  “Not true,” he corrected, releasing her. “Damien and Dearg-Due made this happen, not you. Maybe you weren’t as forthcoming as you should’ve been, but how could you have known without being able to see the future? It’s important that you continue your life and not blame yourself for it.”

  “But Seth,” Kenna said, her eyes filling with tears. “I killed him.”

  “No,” Sean corrected her. “Your body was used as a weapon. He was killed by Dearg-Due.”

  “Can you bring him and Rowan back to life?” she asked, and I felt sorry for her. Her heart was breaking, and I couldn’t do anything to protect her.

  Sean shook his head. “Seth gave his life bravely.” He glanced down at Kenna’s stomach. “May I touch your belly?” he asked.

  Kenna’s brows furrowed, but she nodded.

  Sean placed his hand against her, and it started to glow. Immediately, Kenna’s expression relaxed, wonder filling her eyes. “How’d you do that?”

  “I’ve placed a small part of Seth’s soul with your unborn child. This will relieve the strain you’re feeling through your bond. Rowan previously chose to keep this bond from you so it wouldn’t cause you more pain. He did it out of love.”

  Kenna glanced back to where his body had been on the altar, shock settling over her features. I followed her gaze and saw that the altar was now empty.

  “Where is he?” she asked.

  “His people have taken him. They have immediate rituals that must be performed,” Brigid explains. It was then I noticed others had begun quietly gathering the dead and removing them from the field.

  “What happens now?” I ask, feeling suddenly weary.

  “You go on,” Sean said. “You keep doing what you were doing. Keep leading your family in the amazing way you have been.”

  A feeling of pride burst through my chest, and I realized it wasn’t coming from me but from Sean.

  “You’ve been a wonderful husband and provider. I couldn’t be prouder of you than if you were born as my own flesh and blood.”

  I shook my head. “I’m honored, sir. I don’t know what to say.”

  “Call me Dad. You know I love you like my own kid.” He pulled me into his arms. For the first time in my life, I experienced a moment of absolute peace, which made me believe everything would be okay somehow.

  “We miss you, Sean,” I said, emotion filtering into my voice. He was the best father figure I’d ever had. “Life hasn’t been the same without you.”

  “It’s not meant to be. That’s how we learn to cherish one another.” He released me and stepped away, his scythe suddenly reappearing in his hand. “I love you all, but it’s time for everyone to go home, back to where they belong. Including me.”

  “Thank you, again, for coming,” Brigid added. “I will remember the bargain I made.”

  “What bargain?” I asked, glancing between the two.

  Brigid smiled. “Nothing of value comes without a price. It is one I am happy to pay. Do not fear for me, Vance Mangum of the Land of Sedona. All will be set right this day. I give you my word.”

  Sean glanced around at all of us. “When you get home, can someone please tell my beautiful wife, Stacey, how much I love her?”

  “I will,” Milly said. “I’ll make sure she knows everything.”

  “Thanks. I guess this is it, then.” He smiled, glancing at each of us in turn. “I love you all so much. Until we meet again.”

  And just like that, he was gone in a flash of light.

  EPILOGUE

  KENNA-

  One year later

  * * *

  Life never felt quite the same since our return to our proper time. It was impossible for it to ever feel normal without Seth. We made the jump home once we were ready to leave, bringing his body back to his family. They were devastated, just as we were, but thankfully understood what we’d been through and didn’t condemn us.

  I’d grown close to his parents over the last year, mainly because I was carrying their grandchild. Both came for the delivery, and it was lovely and memorable. I named my sweet baby boy Seth, also. It just seemed like the right thing to do and made him feel closer.

  This child had been such a healing balm to Jett and me. That spark of Seth’s spirit that resided in him helped ease our pain of separation a lot. In fact, we rarely suffered from pain through our bond at all. The worst of our sorrow lived on in our hearts.

  Jett stood by me through everything, being a quiet strength but never forcing his will or opinion on me. He gave me space to grieve, heal, and mourn—things I hadn’t been able to do when I thought he died. In fact, he hadn’t even kissed me until after the baby was born. He said it was disrespectful to Seth. It was surprising because I was sure he would’ve been the one to not care about such things. But he was different now, and he wanted to honor his friend. I wanted that, too.

  In the beginning, after our return, we’d stayed a few weeks in Sedona with my mom’s family. It would’ve been weird for me to show up at home nearly ready to pop. I hadn’t been pregnant when we left. It could’ve caused a lot of issues to suddenly be nine months pregnant after the general public believed they’d seen me the day prior appearing normal.

  Grandma Milly, my mom, and Grandma Stacey helped deliver baby Seth. After some downtime, we returned to Salem, telling people we’d adopted the baby from a family member who had died. It was partially true. Seth had died, and Jett had adopted baby Seth legally. Now, we were living together and planning an actual wedding in our future.

  Jett’s parents had been introduced to mine and had worked out any issues between them regarding demonism. They’d also been given tattoos of the Fae blood that Brigid had sent with us, helping them better control their magick.

  Dad and Kyle had been working hard to replicate the serum to help others suffering from their demonic condition. Well, they were when Kyle wasn’t off making out with his girlfriend, Julie, or filling her head with all the wild tales of how he subdued and escaped Queen Luna all on his own. Julie seemed to hang onto Kyle’s every word. They were so fun to watch together. They were truly a beautiful couple in love. Kyle was right when he said she would be his soul mate. He’d been planning a secret proposal for weeks now. I was so happy for them both.

  Funnily enough, seeing Kyle and Julie so happy seemed to send my parents right back into their own marital bliss. Ever since we’d returned from the past, they resumed acting like love-starved teenagers. It was one of the major things that inspired Jett and me to finally get a place of our own. The two of them were worse than we were, and that was saying something. If we’d had to hear my mom calling out my dad’s name one more time, we were going to puncture our own eardrums. The move had been very necessary.

  Our place wasn’t big, but it was cozy. I liked it. It was a cute little seaside cottage, not too far from the Blackstone family restaurant. Jett had been helping at the restaurant while waiting to start college in Boston where he’d be playing football. His parents would often drop by after their shift to play with their newly adopted grandson. I really was growing to love Jett’s family as I continued to meet more of them.

  My phone beeped, and I glanced down to see a text from my dad’s mom, Krista.

  Send me more pictures of my cute grandbaby, it read. I grinned and raised the phone to snap a quick photo before sending it.

  Here you go, I replied. Tell Grandpa Hex, Grandma Milly, and Grandma Stacey hi for me.

  I hadn’t seen them in a few months, but great-Grandma Milly still ran the coven there, and they kept a close eye on everyone.

  My gaze returned to where Jett was carrying baby Seth around the garden, naming the varieties of plant life as if the toddler could understand him. Seth babbled something incoherent and grinned. Jett glanced up, catching me staring. He smiled and shrugged, coming to the porch swing, and sitting beside me.

  “You never know,” he said. “He could have plant magick like his dad.”

  “I hope he does,” I replied, reaching to tousle the white-blond hair on my child’s head. He looked so much like his father. “But, you’re his dad, too. I don’t want you to forget that. You’re the one choosing to be his daddy. That’s as important as his DNA.”

  Jett nodded. “I know. I just want him to really feel like he understands what a great guy his real dad is.”

  I loved that Jett still spoke of Seth in the present tense. “He will know Seth because he knows you.” I smiled. “You’re the perfect person to raise him. No one knew Seth better than you.”

  “I hope I can do you both justice for him.”

  “You will.” I rested my hand on his knee and leaned my head against his shoulder. “I have faith.”

  “Good to know.” He stared at the baby in his arms before glancing at me. “I think we should give this kid a sibling, though, don’t you?”

  I laughed and bumped my shoulder against his. “Now you’re just trying to have your way with me,” I teased, even though I didn’t hate the idea.

  “I’m always trying to do that, Darlin’.”

  Eyes sparkling with delight, he leaned over and kissed me.

  Rowan-

  I stood in the tree line, watching Kenna and Jett from the shadows as they played with her baby. She probably felt like it hadn’t been that long since she last saw me. For me, it has felt like eons. Kenna thought I died on the battlefield, but my people saved me with their rituals. When I woke, she was already gone—lost to me forever, but I still carried the pain of her bond. I couldn’t leave her to suffer for eternity. Besides, holding this bond helps me feel close to her.

  I have lived all this time, hoping for one more glimpse of her.

  And now I have it.

  She is happy. She is at peace.

  Now I can try to be, too.

  Turning, I slipped back into the woods, never to see her again.

  * * *

  THE END.

  FREE EBOOKS

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  * * *

  (*Trigger warning: This story starts with the discovery of a family member/best friend who’s committed suicide.)

  BOOKS BY LACEY WEATHERFORD

  Young love is threatened by evil in this multi-time #1 Bestselling Young Adult Paranormal Romance series. Get the first ebook for free!

  Of Witches and Warlocks series:

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  The Of Witches and Warlocks story continues in this sequel series that follows the Mangum family into the next generation.

  Of Witches and Demons series:

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  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Lacey Weatherford is the #1 International and USA TODAY bestselling author of the popular young adult paranormal romance series, Of Witches and Warlocks, Amazon Top 100 Teen Book of the Year 2012, Chasing Nikki, as well as her #1 chart-topping blockbuster series, Crush, and New Adult mega-hit, Allure, to name a few. She’s always loved books and wanted to become a writer ever since reading her first Nancy Drew novel at the age of eight.

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  Lacey resides in the fairytale-like forests of the Pacific Northwest on the Oregon coast with her family. When she’s not writing, you can find her chasing waterfalls, wandering the beach, floating down a river, or swimming in a lake with her husband while she dreams up her next storyline.

  http://www.laceyweatherford.com

 

 

  Lacey Weatherford, Crypt

 

 

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