He swallowed thickly. “Did I hear you right?”

She laid her hand on his chest. Beneath her palm, his heart was speeding up. “I was thinking about you before I slept. Wanting you. Knowing I could never have you after that night.”

“Can you forgive me? My actions were idiotic, my words to you hateful. I flinch to recall them. But I will atone if you give me the chance.”

Could she? “What do you want from me?”

“Eternity. Everything. I want to start with marrying you. If you’ll have me.”

She was opening her mouth to say yes, then she recalled another obstacle. “You should know something before you commit to me. You’d talked about a promising lead on a dark fey female. She’s here in the city. I think she’s even an assassin—”

“I’ve met her.”

If it took the rest of his immortal life, he’d erase that doubt from Josephine’s eyes. “She came by to see Thaddeus. I thought her presence might upset you, so I intercepted her. Once I made it clear I was lost for you, we had a nice conversation.”

Josephine nibbled her bottom lip. “Lost for me?”

“I told her you are everything.” He rubbed his hands from Josephine’s shoulders to her neck and back. How much he’d missed the luxury of simply touching her. “I also put in a few good words for Thaddeus.”

Her hazel eyes widened. “Get the hell out.”

“You don’t have any reason to trust me, but I need to convince you I’ve changed. I know a way you can feel confident in me.” He gazed down at her beloved face, solemnly saying, “Josephine, I vow to the Lore I’ll never—”

She slapped her palm over his mouth. “Ah-ah, Rune. When you’re faithful to me, it won’t be because a vow compels you to be. No more vows to the Lore for either of us, okay?”

She released him when he nodded. But he needed to make her know, as he knew. “You trust I’ll be true to you?”

“Maybe you’re not a complete idiot.”

He grinned. “Then I vow to you I’ll never be with another. I love you, Josie.”

She sucked in a breath. “I love you too. Even when you’re a dickwad.”

“You said if we had sex, I’d be telling you things. That I wanted a commitment and a bond between only us, and I would never want another female as long as I lived. I was telling you that”—he ran his knuckles along her cheek—“I just didn’t know it yet.”

When she leaned into his caress, he knew she had truly forgiven him.

“And didn’t I tell you that you loved me?” She reached up to twine her hands behind his neck. “I completely called that! When are you gonna realize I’m always right?”

“First step of matehood.” The empty aching in his chest faded, warmed by a fire that would never die.

“You need to meet Thad.”

He nodded. “I plan to apologize to him for our terse interaction.”

She raised her brows, pleased. “What do we do about his Vertas preference?”

Rune tucked her hair behind her ear. “We do nothing.”

“Huh?”

“He’s a smart kid. If he’s around us enough—and them enough—he’ll make the right decision.” Rune could tell she liked that answer.

“You gotta meet MizB and Gram too. Hey, you could actually eat all the food they insist on cooking.”

“If I must,” he said. “Over the last week, I might have contemplated sacking that kitchen for leftovers.”

“I want to live with you, somewhere close to them.”

With a thoughtful expression, he said, “I’ve got my eye on a condo in Trollton.”

Dazzling smile. “I’m supposed to do breakfast in a couple of hours. I could tee up everybody, and you could show.”

“I’ll bring the ladies flowers. I’m smooth like that. Speaking of breakfast . . .”

Her gaze focused on his neck, on the pulse point that must be fluttering like mad. Her demeanor turned from cheery—to lusty. “My blood is red again. Black’s more my color.” She leaned up to graze his neck.

Just when he’d been thinking this day couldn’t get better . . .

“Have me back in time—for now take me somewhere so I can bite you till you scream.”

Like flipping a switch.

EPILOGUE

Jo’s reading lessons had started today, and they’d just finished her first session.

Rune took this as seriously as her continuing rune studies. Their new place was covered with spelling Post-it notes. He’d rewarded each stride she made with kisses, making her a highly motivated student.

After Rune had deemed her brilliant, those kisses had landed him in bed. Well, what had he expected? When the first sentence he’d had her put together was Rune loves Josie, and he’d held her gaze? She’d been all over him.

Now they were lazing between the sheets, about to get ready for dinner at the Braydens’. Though their new crib (a badass ranch) was in Australia, Rune had used a spell to connect their side entrance to a closet in the carriage house. A knock on the door there was a knock here. They lived a nanosecond away.

He’d also tricked out their new bedroom. Directly above their bed was a barrier spell to prevent sleep-ghosting. It matched the one on the floor. Nobody was going anywhere with Rune on watch. Not that she could when he held her tight, even as he slept. . . .