A large lake of perfectly clear water consumed half the land. Tristan leaned against a gleaming silver boulder, his eyes closed as water cascaded down his naked torso and pant-clad legs.
With a joyous cry, she shouted his name, “Tristan!”
His eyelids snapped open. He shook his head, as if he didn’t quite believe his eyes. Then he leapt into motion. He ran to her and swept her into his arms. “Are you here? Are you truly here?”
“I’m here, I’m here.” Tears burned her eyes, such happy tears.
He squeezed her so tightly she almost lost her breath. “Welcome to Imperia, draga,” he breathed into her neck.
Cool droplets of water soaked her clothing, but she didn’t care. She wound her arms around his neck and held him closer. “I’ve missed you so much. My house is empty without you.”
He pulled back from her ever so slightly. “I cannot go back with you, Julia. Not ever. But you can stay here. If you’d like.” His tone said: Please like.
Julia thought of Faith, her only true tie to Earth. She would miss her sister with every fiber of her being, but she knew Faith would be all right. And, with Faith’s blooming romance with Peter, Julia wouldn’t be leaving her sister alone. “I would like to stay with you. If you’ll have me.”
“If I will have you?” With another shout of delight, he smothered her face with kisses and nips. “I would die without you. I love you so much I ache.”
The men around them cheered loud and long. And Julia caught one man’s smile. He was tall, as tall as Tristan, with a scar that slashed down the left side of his face. She couldn’t help but grin back.
“I want to make you my wife. My life-mate,” he said. “I want to give you my children. You can open a shop at the market and all of Imperia will come to purchase your wares.”
“There is only one thing I need, Tristan, and that’s you.” Her contented smile grew as she stared into his eyes. She had never felt so whole and complete. “You’re a part of me I don’t want to live without. With you, I’m content.”
“We were always meant to find one another, I think.” Tristan cupped her chin in his hands. “You are willing to give up everything for me,” he said, awed by that fact.
“No, I am willing to chase what mattered most.”
“What matters most, Julia? Like you, I need the words. So tell me. What matters most to you?”
“My final lesson, of course.”
He stilled. Not what he had expected, but then, she had always done the unexpected. He grinned back at her. “Best you tell me what you would have this last lesson be.”
She gazed up at him through half-lowered lids. “Why, happily-ever-after, of course.”
“I will do better than that.” His gaze never strayed from hers. “I will give you forever, my beauty, my dragon. I give you my love, all my heart and my soul. I give you my name and my children.”
“I love you, Tristan.”
“By Elliea, I could live on those words alone. I love you, too.” Julia strengthened him, completed him in a way unknown to him until he’d first seen her. He could not breathe without her, could not function without her at his side. “Will you life-join with me, and have my children?” he asked, raining soft butterfly kisses upon her face.
“Oh, that will be my pleasure.” Happy tears gathered at the corners of her eyes and her chin wobbled slightly.
“And my pleasure, as well. I will always be your pleasure slave. Always.”
“Hmm…” She pulled his lips to hers. “That’s all a girl can ask for.”
EPILOGUE
IT WAS SOON to become the loudest birth ever recorded in Imperian history.
“Tristan,” Julia said, panting, a sheen of sweat and pain dampening her brow. “How could you do this to me?”
He stilled, concerned for her, and quite baffled by her question. “Do what, draga?”
“Impregnate me, you bastard!”
At that, he chuckled, though the sound was strained. He hated that she was in so much pain and wanted to take it all into himself. He wiped her brow with a gentle hand. “Just imagine, my love. We will soon welcome our son into the world.”
Those words caused peace to settle over her features. “Yes. We will welcome our son.” The one who would rule all of Imperia, and the reason Tristan had been so confident she was having a boy.
Another pain hit her and she screamed. “If he doesn’t hurry I will personally drag him out.” As the pain faded, she drew in a breath, then another, then settled back on the bed.
“Does the pain leave you?” he asked hopefully.
“A little.” Closing her eyes, she uttered a tired sigh. “I can’t believe it. I’m about to become a mother.”
“Life is good. I can easily picture our boy sitting atop the royal throne. He will be known as a kind, giving king with a capacity for fairness that rivals even his mother’s.”
Except fifteen minutes later, Tristan welcomed his daughter into the world—a girl who would one day rule Imperia.
Julia and Tristan locked eyes—and laughed.
Holding the beautiful squalling infant in her arms, Julia nuzzled the baby’s neck, cooing soft words. “Finally,” she said, “a ruler of uncommon intelligence.”
Tristan remained unmoving. His laugher faded, and he just appeared shell-shocked. “A female sovereign,” he whispered.
Julia looked up at him through the spiky shield of her lashes. “You’re not disappointed, are you?”
“Nay, sweet.” He smiled down at her with love shining in his eyes. “I have never been happier.”
* * * * *
New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter returns with a brand-new dark and sexy addition to her top-selling Lords of the Underworld series featuring William, the story her fans have been
