Blood and Snow 12: Vampire Ever After? by Rashelle Workman

physicality of love. 
    Christopher revealed love could be heartbreaking.
    Dorian showed me that love, true love, was unconditional, far-reaching, and all encompassing.
    “Dorian,” I breathed, touching his face.
    Before our lips could meet, there was a loud clumping, like dozens of feet, on the stairs.
    We looked at each other, and jumped up, prepared for whatever was coming for us. We’d faced the Vampire Queen together. We could face anything.
    “Hey,” Heathcliff said when he came around the corner. “I found her! And , holy crap, she’s with Dorian!”
    Excited hoots, and shouts came from the stairs. The brothers. They sounded like they were fighting each other.
    From behind him came my mother.
    “Mom,” I shouted, and ran to her. “How?” I asked, stunned.
    “It’s a long story.” She hugged me.
    Next came Daniel, then Salvatore, Bart, Sebastian, Gabe, and Cindy. After them was Professor Pops. He looked like he’d aged a lifetime since I last saw him. But when his eyes fell on Dorian, the skin around his eyes crinkled, and he smiled.
    “Son,” he said.
    Cindy came to stand next to me. She smiled wearily, but she seemed more confident too.
    “Merde, Snow. You scared us. I’m mad at you. Just so you know.”
    “Sorry, Cin.” I leaned my head on her shoulder. She batted at my face.
    “You’ve a lot of explaining to do.” She crossed her arms.
    I lifted my head, and nodded toward my mom, who’d been following our exchange with interest. “So do you.”
    “Touché, my friend.”
    We both laughed. And my mom joined in. 
    Dorian was surrounded by his brothers. They were peppering him with questions. Laughing. Dorian did his best to answer. After a few minutes, they stopped, and made room for Pops.
    Tears streaked Professor Pops’ cheeks. “I thought you were gone.” He looked at me, and gave me a brief nod. Then turned back to Dorian. “I had hope, but a part of me thought you’d been lost.”
    They hugged.
    The brothers pounded them both on the back.
    I hugged my mom tighter.
    There was one thing that could make this moment better. And that was my dad. I hoped, wherever he was, he was okay. Safe. Getting the help he needed.
    My mom squeezed me. “You’re one lucky girl,” she whispered longingly , her eyes filled with a combination of happiness and incredulousness.
    I nodded. My emotions too close to the surface to say anything.  

Chapter 13
     
    I was at the castle, getting ready for the official coronation. In the eyes of all magical creatures, I was the new Vampire Queen. Tonight was a formal technicality. Plus there would be food and dancing. This castle was my new home—for now—maybe forever. Sure, I still wanted to attend college. And I would. Someday.
    No one knew what happened to Sharra. Not even Abernathy. He believed that wherever she was, she wasn’t dead.
    “Balance,” he said. “It’s been restored. “Had she died, the balance would still be off kilter.”
    My mom decided to live with me in the castle. She had a room down the hall from mine. We’d stayed up until the early hours of the morning talking. I’d wanted to know how she was rescued. It was an exciting tale. The brothers did little else but talk about it. From what my mom said, Cindy sounded like the hero. Cindy was more demure, and I wondered why. We hadn’t had a chance to talk yet.
    Getting to know my mother again would take time. But, I figured that was what a person did. Made an effort for those important to them. And my mom was a significant part of me.
    Cindy was going to live at the castle too. As was Daniel and Salvatore. I had a feeling Cindy wouldn’t stay for long though. It made me sad. We were growing, and moving on.
    Heathcliff would divide his time between the house in Salem, and the castle, as would Professor Pops. They’d decided to keep the testing facility in Salem open and in tact, but they were going to build one here in Sharra as well.
    Several of the magical creatures, including