We watch as he develops fangs and his eyes turn red. His eyes lock with mine. He grabs my wrist, which doesn’t have Alec’s mark. It leaves a slight burn leaving his vampire mark. He pulls me in, smashing our lips together. My hands tug at his hair, and I caress his face as his hand trace my body and wraps around my waist. As soon as our lip’s part, his teeth extend, and with a flash, his fangs sink into my neck and he drinks. His head flings back the moment he stops drinking.
Magnus looks at me confused, ‘What has happened to me?’ he asks.
I look at Alec to explain.
‘You died. I couldn’t bear the thought of Nina living for eternity with your loss without you by her side. The only chance we had of saving you was for me to turn you into a vampire. So, I did.’
‘Wait! Am I not a werewolf anymore? I’m a vampire?’ he asks.
‘Well, technically, you’re a Vaewolf now. Half wolf, half vampire. You have the ability of both,’ Alex explains.
Magnus looks down at my wrist and rubs the symbol he just left. It creates sparks to flow up my arm throughout my body and then takes in my large magnificent wings.
‘It suits you,’ smiles.
‘Thanks,’ I smile back and sob happily.
Magnus laughs, making me and Alec give each other a worried look.
‘Are you okay, Magnus?’ I ask him.
‘Our fates have changed, Nina, but I guess for the better. You are now a Goddess, and I am now a Vaewolf,’ he smirks and then looks at Alec. ‘And you, Alec, you’re such a liar,’ he says and sits up, moving from my lap.
Suddenly the children in the cages begin to yawn and wake up. They look around in confusion as to why they are in cages. A swirl of light wraps around Ember before a puff of smoke explodes, revealing Ember back in her witch form. She jumps up and down and hugs all the witches and even the nearby tree with excitement. We all laugh.
Queen Maia heals Damon and then Quinn. Then they approach us, along with the rest of the guardians.
Quinn jumps onto my lap and wraps her arms around my neck,
‘Nina!’ she says.
Quinn!’ I say, wrapping my arms tightly around her.
We smile at each other.
The other vampires and werewolves release everyone from the cages. Everyone gathers and hugs each other. Nadia, Boomer and Krug run up to Quinn. They all tumble over together from the impact, laugh, and cry happily.
Alec stares at Magnus, ‘Why would you call me a liar?’ he says, unhappy with the accusation.
‘You said you saved me because you didn’t want Nina to live for eternity without me, but I have a feeling it is you who would miss me just as much,’ Magnus smirks.
Alec looks away and bites his lip. The look on Alec’s face makes me realise that Magnus was right. That Alec would actually miss Magnus.
‘Fine,’ he huffs. ‘I’ll admit I would miss you just a little bit, and that’s all, and it would be boring not having you around to argue and fight with,’ he confesses.
I can’t believe what I’m hearing, and my mouth drops open. Then suddenly, Magnus lunges at Alec. They fall onto the ground, and Magnus hugs him.
‘Get off me, Magnus! What are you doing!’ Alec shouts.
‘Clearly, I’m hugging you,’ he laughs.
‘But why?’ Alec asks.
‘You could have let me die. You could have had Nina all to yourself for all of eternity, but instead, you made a selfless decision and brought me back even though it meant sharing Nina,’ he says.
Magnus gets off Alec and holds his hand out to help Alec up, ‘We are officially brothers now,’ Magnus says.
Alec stares at Magnus’s hand for a moment. He then takes it and stands up, ‘Brothers!’ he smiles.
My heart flutters at witnessing the brotherly love and truce between my two soul mates.
‘What happens now,’ Yiselda asks, placing her hand on my shoulder.
I smile at her and walk over to the trinket box. As an extra precaution, I pull the key from my pocket and lock the box. Although it’s not necessary, it adds to my peace of mind. I return to Yiselda and place the box and key in her hands.
‘You shall return to your fate, Yiselda. Living in Pandora’s box once more, where you shall guard the evils of this world and keep them at bay in the dungeons of your Covenstead,’ I smile.
Yiselda’s face lights up, and she nods, ‘Thank you, Nina. Nothing could make me happier than to live the life I once had and have always known,’ she says.
The children laugh and giggle as they chase the dragons and ride on their backs. We all watch with smiles to see that peace has once again been restored to Mysteria, even if it meant at the cost of some of us having to change our fates.
Magnus taps my shoulder and points behind me. My smile widens to see Pipsqueak and Zak approaching gingerly as they hold hands.
‘Nina!’ Zak says.
‘You’ve grown wings!’ Pipsqueak exclaims with delight.
‘That I have,’ I smile at them.
‘So,’ Zak says nonchalantly. ‘What have we missed,’ he asks.
We all look at one another and burst into laughter.
‘Nothing much,’ I smirk. ‘Nothing much at all.’
Epilogue
With Moon Crest Castle destroyed, Queen Maia and King Damon decided to live in West Wallow Keep, the castle her parents once ruled and once resided in. Six months later, Queen Maia gave birth to a baby princess named Lilly. Ember, Vivian and her family decided to stay with Queen Maia along with Sir Hugo, who was excited to return to training the young orcs.
Magnus, Alec and I returned to Emerald Island to live. I created a portal from West Wallow Keep to Emerald Island so Queen Maia and I could port through to see each other daily.
I decided that each year at each midsummer solstice, I would enter through the veil to the celestial world, where I would spend that time with my fellow deities Selene, Ogrun, Cerridwen and Valkrim. To Selene’s sadness, Atlanta had the same fate as Thypon, sealed forever in the crystal ball.
Lilac, Ela, Ria and Fern, along with their familiars, decided to return to Pandora’s box to live with Yiselda.
Kadva’s partner asked him to move in with him into his cottage in Wolfwell, where Flynn remained Alpha with his sister Josie and parents Astrid and Ryker by his side.
Each year, Mysteria’s guardians reunite and celebrate over a great feast.
It’s been two years since we sealed Thypon. I’m currently at our second reunion of the guardians, with Alec next to me on one side and Magnus on the other.
I look over at Lilly, who’s now a toddler and runs about the room and return my smile to everyone at the table,
Quinn approaches me. She has grown so much in the last two years. She hugs me gently, and Alec peers over my shoulder as we part.
‘You never told me what fairy dust is made of,’ he says.
I smile, lean toward him and whisper in his ear, ‘The main ingredient is the fumes of a fairy,’ I smirk.
‘Fumes of a fairy?’ he says loudly, gaining everyone’s attention. Suddenly he pales and stares at Quinn, who blushes and laughs.
I burst into laughter and live happily ever after.