She pressed kisses along his neck, up his jaw, until she finally met his mouth. Perfection. It was perfection. He was perfection.
She leaned away. “What do you want in exchange for your soul, if you sell it to me?”
“Just your love.”
“That, you can have.” She grinned up at him, hardly able to believe the life that lay before her. She threw her arms around Warren and kissed him, every sad or lonely moment from her past banished by the light of their future.
EPILOGUE
Immortal University, Edinburgh
Christmas Eve
“Can you believe it, Chairman?” Esha asked as she all but hopped down the hall of the Praesidium. Of all the buildings on the campus of the Immortal University, the Praesidium was the most decked out for the holidays, and it suited her mood perfectly.
The Chairman meowed his agreement, the low yowl cutting through the sound of Christmas music echoing down the hall from the holiday party in the historian Lea’s office. Garlands of evergreen and strings of lights lined the hall, and Esha sent a zap of magic at one of the glittery red plastic ornaments. It fell off the garland and bounced across the floor. The Chairman chased after it, on the hunt.
Esha laughed, joy as she’d never known filling her being. She swore it radiated out from her skin so that she sparkled like the Christmas lights above. With a bit of help from Aerten, she’d done it. Warren would never know what hit him.
It’d be the best Christmas gift ever.
The Chairman returned, the sparkling ruby ornament dangling from his mouth.
“You’ve got your prize?” she asked.
He made a low noise in his throat, and she grinned. She almost zapped him with a bit of magic to give him a festive green bow tie to match his eyes, but she resisted. He’d hate it, and he was so happy with his ornament right now. He normally only liked his fluffy green snake, but he made an exception for Christmas ornaments.
“Come on. Let’s go to the party. We’re late.”
He followed her down the hall toward the music and smell of food. The door to Lea’s office was open, and Esha slipped into the huge library-esque space. Mytheans from all departments drank and chatted and danced, the Christmas lights sparkling above.
“Esha! Thanks for coming!” Lea, the nearly transparent hostess, gestured her farther into the room.
Esha had always liked Lea, who’d never given her any shit about being a Soulceress. Esha had no idea what Lea was, but she knew the historian hated being called a ghost.
“Thanks for having me. Happy Christmas!” She smiled at Lea and barely resisted dancing about anxiously. She really wanted to see Warren. “I’m going to find Warren. I’ve got something to tell him.”
She ran off before Lea could say goodbye and slipped through the crowd gathered near the punchbowl. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of her sister shooting green sparks at some witches, but ignored her. They’d exchange gifts and celebrate tomorrow.
There! By the towering Christmas tree stood Warren with his friend Cadan and Cadan’s wife, Diana. She hurried over and hugged Warren.
“Hey.” He leaned down and kissed her, then smiled. “You’re late.”
“I had something to do.” She glanced at Cadan and Diana, who were smiling at them. Diana was the reincarnate of the Celtic warrior Boudica, but she looked like the historian she was right now, wearing a red dress that somehow managed to look killer with her red hair and little black glasses. “Happy Christmas, guys!”
“You too!” Diana said.
Esha opened her mouth to make polite conversation, then realized there was no way she’d be able to stand still. She turned to Warren. “We have to go. I have something to tell you.”
“Stay, the party just started. I’ll get you some mulled wine,” he said.
She tugged on his hand and couldn’t stifle the huge grin that stretched across her face. She didn’t even want to try. “Really, Warren. Come on.”
“You’d better listen to her, mate,” Cadan said.
Warren grinned and nodded. “All right. Let’s get out of here.”
Esha tugged him out of the room, catching sight of the Chairman making eyes at Aurora’s familiar in the corner. He still hadn’t dropped his ornament. She grinned and left him to it. He’d follow behind them shortly.