Diana gave up the fight, letting her body relax, accepting his touch. And the moment she did, every single nerve end he was teasing exploded in a blinding, maddening climax.

She couldn’t move. She stayed right there, legs parted against the cold marble breakfast bar, head thrown back, looking at the ceiling like she half expected all of this to have been nothing more than a dream.

Maybe she’d died last night. Maybe this was heaven.

Catching movement over her, Diana lifted her head.

Now she knew she’d died.

Mikar had opened his jeans, freeing a gorgeously thick, curved cock pointing right at her. His dark eyes turned red, and he was the picture of an avenging angel, just like the first time they’d met.

“Are you wet, darling?”

“Soaked.” She didn’t even recognize her own voice.

“Not wet enough for me, I think.” He pumped his cock once, then twice. “Maybe I shouldn’t take you. Your little pussy looks like it could break if I did everything I want to do to it.”

He was teasing her, she knew, but the threat of not immediately getting to feel him inside her enraged her. Diana lifted her torso and reached out to him, grabbing his white t-shirt. She pulled him toward her till he was close enough she could clutch his cock in her grip.

She had him now. Never letting go, Diana shifted to her knees, and bent down to take him in her mouth. Her hand pumped him. Up, down, up, down. All the while, she sucked at his tip, teasing it with her tongue. She felt him tense in her hands and twisted both grasps around his length.

His legs started to convulse.

Then she let go, grinning. She’d never felt this cocky. “This is what you get for teasing me.”

Mikar grunted, his face twisted in pain and need.

“Oh, I’m done with playing,” she said, hopping off the counter. “If you want more of me, you’re going to have to take it.”

She wasn’t done teasing at all: she turned to face toward the counter, spread her legs apart, and wiggled her hips in the air.

He sucked in a gulp of air, and the next moment, his thick cock filled her, sliding in so hard her chest fell forward. He pulled back slowly, and rammed himself in again, and again. His hips clapped against her ass increasingly faster. It felt like every single one of her nerves ended inside her pussy, and Mikar’s cock somehow managed to thunder against the very spot where they all converged. The pleasure was borderline painful. She could hear her moans, and his grunts. She’d never been so loud, but she couldn’t help it. Her entire body had a will of its own. He was pushing her to the edge of sanity and enjoying it.

Her climax came without warning, hitting her like a punch. She went limp under him, as waves of pleasure flew through her. And all the while, he kept fucking her hard, fast, and deep. She didn’t even move. She couldn’t. Suddenly, impossibly, her loose ends and her relaxed body, exploded again, shocking her. She screamed at each of his thrusts inside her, nerves awakening again. She was so sensitive, and Mikar knew it. He touched everywhere. Her clit, her taut stomach, her nipples, and the undersides of her breasts. His thumb pressed on her ass, and even that screamed in pleasure.

Mikar lifted her up and flipped her over. To her astonishment, she saw cum dripping out of her. How could he have orgasmed? He’d never stopped.

He hooked her legs over his shoulders and resumed the insane rhythm, his right index and middle finger spreading her folds apart, revealing her inner walls. His other hand pressed on her clit.

She yelled harder.

Mikar bent forward and blew on her folds. Cool air attacked her nerves. She clamped around his cock, yelping. He grinned at her, one hand reaching to her chin. Then he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her. His cock had slowed, but it was still hitting deeper than anything ever had. Each time their bodies met, he hit against her exposed clit. She moaned in his mouth, responding to their kiss. Her core, exhausted as it had been, tightened again. This time, she could spot the edge of the cliff.

She fell along with him.

Helsing

They all wore white at the pyre, even the huntsmen. The bodies on top of the heap of wood were wrapped in cloth and covered in sage, eyes closed with a gold coin for the boatman, as had always been the way in Oldcrest.

Greer held the torch high in the air, before lowering it in front of Ruby’s pyre. “We honor you.”

They echoed her farewell, and she passed the torch to Levi, who lowered it to set Luke’s alight. His voice caught, but he got the words out. “We honor you.”

Mikar squeezed Diana’s hand, echoing it again.

Levi handed the torch to Jack.

Huntsmen had different customs, but he’d chosen to join them. Probably because Ward had died defending Oldcrest and should be honored by all of them.

They watched the flames reach high in silence. Then Diana started to sing her wordless siren song, saying goodbye in her own way.

That probably didn’t help; everyone burst into tears. Yet by the end of the song, Mikar’s soul felt a little lighter, his grief acknowledged and sated.

They’d lost too much, but they were still here, whole.

They’d live for Luke’s and Ruby’s sakes, as well as their own.

The Helsings, Stormhales, and most of their witch friends headed back to the hill together, silently following Chloe and Levi.

Skyhall was comfortably housing those who’d lost their houses in the fire for now, and Bill, who needed some time to recover.

In a drawing room, they poured wine, whiskey, and brandy, and toasted to the lives they still had, without exchanging words for a time.

Chloe was the first to speak. “We should open the borders to those who want to come here.”

“What?” Levi’s fangs came out.

“We can’t rely on the shields and stay hidden here. It’s not living. And it’s half the reason why Aveka has so many followers. So, let them come. Not all at once, of course. They can clear it ahead of time.”

Mikar nodded. “Every time. Every time, we think we’re safe at the borders, and something threatens that. We’ve grown complacent.”

Levi’s jaw remained tight.

Before he could voice his protest, Chloe lifted a hand, silencing him. “Let me finish. We should let people come visit if they want to, because the bulk of the vampire community isn’t our enemy until we make them that way. I’m an easy villain to paint, and Aveka’s offering a seductive vision. But that’s not all.” She leaned forward. “I want to hunt her down. On her turf. I want to find a way onto her island and destroy it.”

He eyes were sky blue, bright with bloodlust.

“She killed me once last night. I would have died a second time if it wasn’t for Diana and Belial. I’m done. She wants a fight, let’s fight.”

“What does Eirikr think about it?” Cat asked.

The ancient was back on Cosnoc, in his cave, now Greer had come to.

“I haven’t said anything yet, but let’s face it, he’s going to cheer.” Chloe knew her ancestor more than anyone here, but after last night, Mikar was fairly certain she was right. The man was all for attacking first, mercilessly.

Levi closed his eyes. “I’m not saying we shouldn’t move to the offensive. But we’re talking about hunting down a powerful ancient immortal witch with a huge following.” He paused. “We’ll have to take precautions, and plan accordingly.”

That didn’t sound like a refusal at all. Mikar shrugged. “Hell, yeah. Let’s burn her place next time.”

Diana nodded. “I’m in.”

They were all in.

“While I’m at it, there’s something else I should tell all of you. We’re all in this together. We’re family.” Chloe’s eyes caught Diana’s. Mikar had no clue what she was about to say, but it was clear Diana did. “I’m pregnant.”

Oh.

Well, fuck.

Levi was still shouting at Chloe for daring to fight "in her condition"—his words—and Chloe, shouting right back about being pregnant, not paralyzed, when Diana wisely decided to make herself scarce, before anyone brought up that she'd been the first to know. "Shall we head home?"

Home was a wood and red stone lodge on the wilder flank of the hill, overlooking the lake, from now on. Mikar nipped her earlobe in response, getting to his feet.

"Hey." They'd almost reached the door when Alexius caught up with her. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

She smiled at her brother. "Sure. Walk with us?"

They walked out of Skyhall in a silence that wasn't entirely uncomfortable. To squash whatever bit of awkwardness was left between them, Diana asked, "So, how would you feel if your little sister hung around for a while?"

Mikar growled. "A lot longer than that."

Alexius sighed dramatically. "I suppose I'd have to get used to seeing your snotty mug around the place again."

She stuck her tongue out, unabashedly childish.

"I wanted to ask about the songs. I never knew you had that power. I thought it died with Father Dearest."

Oh. She should have seen that question coming, but in the light of everything that had occurred over the last day, Death's summons seemed like a thousand years ago.

"Yeah, it didn't. Father made me sing myself to sleep each night—to cultivate my voice, he said. To ensure my ability grew with my transition. And he had me memorize the spells." She bit her lip. "I was dying at the end. You didn't know—that's when you were..." She didn't want to say going crazy, so she focused on the important bit. "I’d caught malaria, and there was no hope for me. So he said he'd perform the ritual, and Mother volunteered to take my place."

Alexius looked shocked; no one must have explained it to him. "How did you think she'd died?"

He shook his head. "Father said I drove her to suicide. He said my losing it was too much for her to bear, that I'd damned her soul."

What an utter dick. "Well, you didn't. She sacrificed herself. I begged her not to, when I could speak, but she did it anyway. And I had to live with the guilt. I promised myself I'd never submit anyone else to bearing the weight of someone else's sacrifice. But Chloe..." She bit her lip. "There's something about that woman. And I knew she was pregnant, too. So I did what I could. We had a very lucky break, having a born vampire who wasn't yet turned here. It won't happen again for some time."