Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-seven

Izabella sat on the bench in their little jungle foyer. She and Bram had been married for nearly three weeks. He’d left to try to talk to Gabe, but that wasn’t going well. Gabe wanted nothing to do with him and started to snub Jen because he was angry that she was backing Bram. She wwent back to Bran castle, but almost attacked Izabella one night while she waited for Eudom. At the same time, Vlad had shown up, emerging from the shadows like the devil. She had never been so terrified. When Jen went in for the attack, Vlad ambushed her, giving Izabella enough time to escape to the shadow room. If Izabella were honest, Vlad was the last person she’d expected to come to her rescue. Bram had a hard time believing that he had too, but it had eased the vehemence of their relationship, if even just a little.

Bram had felt the shift and had met her there. She was balling trying to explain that happened. That was the same time that Bram collected the kids and Tom and brought them back home. Eudom had created a doorway from their house to the shadow room for the kids, though only Devon was given the passcode to enter for now. That way, if anything happened, they had someplace to run. Tom had started to run through everything in the book and though he hadn’t been granted a way into the room, Izabella had allowed him and stayed with him while he ran through the inventory her father left behind.

Though Scarlet was forbidden from coming to the house, because it was where Eudom spent most of his time now, she did call them every night. Izabella talked to her for bit before she would get passed between her and the kids. She spent the most time talking to Devon and Sarah. Jen was still there with Vlad and Scarlet. Gavin and Tyler had gone off to start pulling vampires into conversations about the change. They were collecting the weaker vampires, trying to pull them into the politics of it. They were being met with rebellion though.

Izabella and Bram had been talking about it, and he needed to take action. His concern for Gabe kept growing now that he was chasing him. Gabe was making a spectacle of vampires. As if screaming into the night that the dark horrors of the past were rising again. A war was on the horizon if this all continued. Europe was getting worse by the day and vampires were coming out of the shadows. His regrets for letting this all happen were palpable, but it wouldn’t change what was done.

Her hand rested on her belly. She had a small bulge and couldn’t wait until she could feel Rosie move. Gavin kept sending her paperwork. She had found tutors that the kids were working with. School wasn’t going to be an option anymore. Not for them. Not now. The world was full of chaos as she wasn’t about to send the children off to a school that would be completely incapable of making sure they were safe. So, she would do what she had to. It hadn’t been hard to find people to work with the kids over their laptops. Devon and Sarah were fine, but Mable, Alex, and Missy weren’t fond of schooling. Not that they were going to be able to avoid it, but she knew she would have to find a way to get them into it.

Though outside these walls, the world felt like it was falling apart, they were fine here and now. Izabella was keeping up with what everyone else was doing and felt confident that they were at least able to keep things quiet enough that nothing had made the news. At least nothing that tied them to it or vampires.

Demolition on the church had started, and a group of ‘historical professionals’ were overseeing the demolition. Izabella knew what they were looking for, and worried that when they didn’t find it, she was the next best shot of finding the shadow room. Worry consumed her that they would soon start trying to find her. Bram had promised to be back before that could happen. She saw him every few nights, they would meet up in the shadow room before heading home for a while. He was anxious over Gabe though. His focus couldn’t be swayed away from the boy, and she would need to convince him soon that the other things they needed to focus on were becoming more and more important. Gabe would come in time. At least Bram had tried.

Her husband wasn’t one to leave loose strings. To be fair, he looked at it like Gabe was the one who could tie it all together or smash it all apart. Gavin agreed Gabe was like a dirty little secret. With Bram putting himself in the limelight as he had, other vampires would start looking into the skeletons hidden in his closet. And they would use it to sway the tide. Izabella was shocked by the politics of it all. Even in the vampire underworld, those skeletons could come back to bite them.

Izabella felt the shift in the shadows and smiled into the darkness. She was expecting Eudom, but it was Bram’s smiling face that came into view. Standing, she opened her arms to him, and he pulled her close. “I’ve missed you, my love.”

“Me too, babe.” She folded her arms around him, squeezing. His side was fully healed now. Bram had grumbled that he’d never expected to have any scars, but then sheepishly realized his father’s would be far worse. He promised himself, he would be more careful with items in the room. “Did you bring good news?” She asked into his chest.

“Eh, I suppose. I at least got him to stop and scream at me for a while. He didn’t attack, but he had some brutally honest input. Like he thinks I did this to him on purpose. That if I had taken my time and done it properly before he was on the brink of death, it would have made a difference. Basically, everything is my fault, and he wants nothing to do with me. He did say that he wanted Jen back and for me to leave him alone.” Bram’s jaw twitched when she looked up at him.

She couldn’t help but run her hand along his jawline. “Then perhaps we should let that happen. Maybe he just needs some space? I think sending Jen to him would do a world of good for both of them. They are mates, aren’t they?”

“Well, we know he’s Jen’s. But I don’t know if it goes the other way or not. But you’re suggesting that I just let Gabe and Jen go?” Bram asked, his body going ridged.

Izabella giggled. “Just a little. I think it would do you some good to stop focusing on Gabe so we can see what Jen is capable of. I wonder, if he wants to trust her and we’re making things difficult by constantly following them. We don’t want to make life harder for her, and right now, I think we are. It’s not like there aren’t other things that we could be focusing on.”

Bram lifted Izabella to his chest and started off toward their room. “We’ve got our work cut out for us. There are too many things that need my attention, and all I want to do is focus it all to you and Rosie.” He was starting to look glum.

Izabella twirled her fingers through his hair, “You just need to trust others to help you with some of this. I was thinking that perhaps your parents could go with Jen to see Gabe. He was so excited about meeting Dracula and staying in the castle. Maybe if Scarlet can get him to come and learn some magic, he’d be willing to stay with your parents for a while and we could focus on transitioning you to take over where the elders had failed. I could stay with you then, and we can see what we can get done together. Point is, as much as I want us to figure out our future, I don’t want that to pull our family apart.”

“We’re not pulling the family apart, don’t be so dramatic, Iz.” Bram’s frown deepened as he kicked open the door leading to their bedroom.

Izabella cleared her throat. “Devon’s been having more issues with his magic. Something is changing for him, and I don’t know how to support him. We’ve had to use the darts to keep his magic at bay nearly every day this last week.”

“Why didn’t anyone tell me?” He asked, laying her on the bed. “Especially with it having to do with Devon and his magic?”

Izabella ran her fingers over the back of Bram’s neck, running along his sides until she found the bottom of his shirt and started to pull it off him. “You have too much going on right now. I think you need to delegate what you can, and you and I need to focus on the bigger picture. We’ll figure that all out later though. I think a nice big family meeting would be for the best. Any kids that want involvement should be with us too. Learning now while they’re still young would be ideal.”

Bram nodded, letting her undress him as he started to work to get her out of her pajamas. “Alright, but shouldn’t we just let the kids be kids?”

“We can. For now. But Devon wants to be part of all this with us. He wants to know how we’re handling all this and why we’re making the decisions we’re making. I think it would be good for him now. At least just to watch. He doesn’t have to be part of any of the actual goings on, but it would be nice if he knew what was happening. Regardless, if you don’t want him to be there, he has the rest of his life to learn about it.”

“Yes,” Bram smiled down at her, “he certainly does, so we don’t need to rush him into anything.”

“You’re right, babe. I love you so much. Let tomorrow come. We’ll be ready for it. No matter what.” Izabella leaned up, kissing his lips as he crawled into bed with her.

“I like that. Let tomorrow come. As long as I have you, I have everything. I love you so much, Izabella Stoker.” He kissed her deeply, rolling so that he was hunkered over her. “My beautiful and loving wife.”

“And I you, my mischievous devil. Only time will tell, but I just know the future will be bright as long as I have you.” The two of them kissed, curling into one another as they made love. No matter what was coming their way, they would face it. Head on. Together.

***

**Hello readers. We’ve come to the end of our story. I’m sorry the last few chapters took so long. Reality kept me busy these last few months. I certainly hope that you’ve enjoyed the story. If you have, I’d love to hear from you. If you would like to support me as an author or the story, I would greatly appreciate anyone to leave a review for me on Kindle Vella, where Last Kiss is also available. (If you go to Amazon and look up my name, Justine Hedman, you’ll find me, and some other stories too)

Also wanted to say, that this is likely not going to be goodbye to these characters. A few of them have been haunting my mind with their own stories for while now, and though Bram and Iz wouldn’t be the center focus of the next story, there are others who would enjoy the Limelight for a bit. But that will come with time. I have a few other stories that are in need of my attention, so I will put my focus elsewhere for now. (While working on the outlines for these other options) I'll update here if any of these characters come back in their own stories.

If you’re interested in my other works, you can find the First Book of The Trials of Rhelia, which is finished, here on Anystories and on Kindle Vella. I’ll be putting my focus on The Tale of the Goonchman (which is going to get a re-boot) and Odessa Song, which will start getting chapter drops soon. These are both side stories that take place in the world of Rhelia. Book Two of Rhelia ended up getting pushed back, but I’m very much looking forward to getting to dive into that one so that I can share it with those who can enjoy.

Most importantly: Thank you for sticking with me through this story. I wish you all a very happy future! Happy Reading!!**