Chapter 685: Life Goes On
And life, as complicated as it was, went on.
And on.
The Steam Union never did uncover Vasyl, so I figured he'd show up again when I least expected. Because, yeah. That was the way things rolled for me.
Piers went to great lengths to keep me up to date on the trial of the Black Souls and the continuing Vasyl hunt, though, so he had lots of opportunities to just show up and make himself available. With lots of suggestive comments and kissing thrown in for good measure.
At least I'd managed to keep him from running into Liam. So far. Wasn't looking forward to that disaster if it ever happened.
I'd seen jealous Liam before, and it wasn't a performance I wanted him to repeat.
The worst part was I knew I could send Piers away at any time. But I didn't want to. And that made me a truly wretched human being and a despicable girlfriend. Though I wasn't much of the latter lately, to my credit. Despite our conversation, his assurance he would never stop trying, I pulled away from Liam completely, at least when it came to a physical relationship. A hasty decision was the last thing I needed. He didn't like it, but, in typical Liam fashion, he didn't complain. Stopped hovering after a few weeks. Gave me my space, though the tragic and hurt looks I caught on his face from time to time nearly drove me into his arms to comfort him.
Which would have been a massive mistake. Comforting would have led to kissing and kissing to... well. As much as the memory of the lovely weekend we spent together made me tingle all over when I let my mind linger on it, I was still so at odds with myself, the stress giving me almost constant heartburn, I actually walked in the opposite direction sometimes when I saw him approaching just so I didn't have to fake a smile and pretend at friendship.
I missed him. I loved him. But I couldn't go there yet.
I felt like now I'd experience what life would be with him I had to reexamine my preconceived notions of what marriage to him would be like.
And I wasn't sure I was in love with that picture.
Yes, it meant I was doing exactly to him what Quaid had done to me. Guilty. Which made me empathize with Quaid.
Damn him.
As for Piers, he was hot, available and he wanted me. I didn't love him-at least, not yet-but did that matter?
Sigh.
On a happier couple note, Isabelle and her wereboy, Maksym, were together at last. She was allowed to handle her father's body, Sunny not caring really what happened to Yure now he was dead. I did hear rumblings of resentment from her werewolves about it. There were a few suggestions floating around about desecrating his body. And while I understood their anger and need for some semblance of revenge, Charlotte firmly put an end to the simmering anger by tromping on toes.
Hard.
And was kind enough to bring me with her to watch the show.
She was so considerate like that.
After Sunny invited the werewolf to live in Austria with his vampire girlfriend, Maksym accepted, a few of his friends choosing to go with him. Though, from what Charlotte told me, Oleksander wasn't exactly happy about the vampire queen poaching some of his people so soon after their liberation.
At least now that the connection to sorcery was broken, the natural animosity between werewolves and vampires had disappeared. Not that it canceled out years of racism. But at least werewolves and vampires could occupy the same room and not try to kill each other.
As often.
I knew it would take a lot for the werewolves to adjust their attitudes. They'd been trained as bullies and such training would be hard to break. But Oleksander ruled with a steel fist and a good heart, Charlotte their idol they adored and worshiped, so I had faith the werewolves would be all right.
My one instance I was invited to be a werewolf/vampire mediator, held on common ground at the old coven site in Wilding Springs, went much better than I expected with only minimal shouting and accusations on both sides, so I counted it a win.
And would never do it again.
It became obvious someone was still running the Russian mafia, so I felt sure the Brotherhood had their hands deeper in Yure's pies than he'd known. I let things ride, not like I could do much, anyway. With Applegate firmly closing her borders to all witches and prodding Mom almost constantly about my continuing visits to Europe, I knew it would be a long time before the Brotherhood would be ousted from her territory.
If ever.
Charlotte and I returned to her home quite frequently, and openly. I refused to cloak my power despite Applegate's boundaries, and knew it had to be burning away at Liander Belaisle he couldn't do a thing about it. But Charlotte had to be available. She was still princess, after all, and doing an excellent job. All the werewolves looked up to her so much I couldn't help but grin like a proud momma.
Like I had something to do with how awesome she'd turned out.
Mom told me Applegate finally gave up trying to stop me from crossing her territory using official channels and to watch my back. Like I didn't already. Between the two of us, we were keeping a close eye on all sorcery. It became commonplace for me to sweep any room I entered just in case.
Nervous times.
I ran into Mia occasionally, my worry for her taking a side seat to everything else. But her growing fanaticism and clear instability made me feel nervous.
And guilty.
Weirdly, Shenka treated the former Dumont with something close to disgust whenever she showed up. I was shocked at first. My second seemed so level headed and acted kindly toward everyone. But there was something rubbing her the wrong way when it came to my old Goth friend.
I let it pass. We had more important things to think about than one damaged witch girl.
Like the fact we only had three months of school left. And then I graduated college. Moved home for good. Had my-gulp-twenty-first birthday.
Got married.
Lived happily ever after.
Yeah. Right.
Because me and happily ever after were best friends.
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