Moonlight Prince (Vampire Girl #4)

I hand the baby over to Es and she coos over the infant with big smiles. "What does her name mean?"

"It's a variation of the word peace in ancient Fae," Kayla says, answering for me.

There's a knock on the door and Asher pokes his head in. "It's time, my Queen."

"You look dashing as always," I tell the prince.

He preens and winks. "Of course I do. Would you expect anything less?"

I grin and kiss Aya'zee on the head. "Let's do this."

The throne room is packed with Fae and vampire nobility from Inferna and Avakiri. There was a lot of argument about whether to have the ceremony in High Castle or Avakiri, but the ruined palace of my Fae lineage is still under repair, so we scrapped both ideas and chose Stonehill. The room is lit by magic, with lights of gold and silver shooting over our heads like falling stars. It's standing room only as I walk to the door and wait.

I will not be walked down the aisle by my father, nor my mother. I will not be given away like a prize or possession.

Instead, Fen and I decided we'd walk the aisle together. As one.

And so he joins me, and his eyes light up when he sees me. A grin spreads over his face as he approaches. "My wife. My love. You look beautiful."

"Why thank you, my prince."

As we walk down the aisle, I take note of all the familiar faces here to support us. Kal'Hallen, Fen's Keeper. Baldar, the potion maker. Marco and Roco, who protected me when I first arrived at Stonehill and who now serve as part of my royal guard. Kara with her golden hair and Julian with her green eyes, the Fae girls who tended to my needs in Stonehill and later at Sky Castle, and who now own their own business. My mother, holding our baby. Seri, the healer. Es and Pete. Durk and Madrid. Kayla and Tavian. Asher and Varis. Zeb and Ace.

We reach the altar and face each other, holding hands.

Baron walks down next, carrying our rings on a pillow on his back, Yami and Riku sitting on his shoulders.

Dean officiates, dressed in official black robes. He threatened to come shirtless, but acquiesced when Fen threatened to punch him. Some things never change. He goes through all the necessary political mumbo-jumbo, and then gets personal, as we make our vows much like we did a year ago. There are cheers in the crowd. And tears.

Most of all Dean's. He speaks through heavy emotion. "And so I, as Fen's brother, and Arianna's dearest friend, and as the person responsible for the birth of their child… oh, bloody hell this is so hard." He pulls out a handkerchief, wiping away his tears. "I pronounce you husband and wife. King and Queen. You may kiss each other already you bloody bastards."

And so Fen wraps me in his arms and presses his lips against mine. And together, we become rulers of Inferna and Avakiri. The Midnight Star and the Moonlight Prince. Vampire and Fae. Together at last.

I turn to the cheering crowd, tears in my eyes. There is still much work to be done, but for the first time in a long time, I breathe easy.

Dum Spiro Spero.

While I breathe, I hope





THE END