"CanI ask one more question?"
Shenodded.
"Whathappens when a god dies?"
"That,I do not know. I would like to think there is something more beyond death foreven us, but that is a mystery only two know the answer to, and they are nothere to give us the answer."
"Waitand see?"
"Waitand see, Sister."
Epilogue
"I don't think I've ever been morenervous in my life," Josie whined and lowered the veil over her face.
"Well,just think of it this way, Sister. Even if you weren't getting married today,you're still going to spend an eternity with her. So, there is absolutelynothing to be nervous about. You're just making it official." I smiled atJosie over her head, into the mirror we'd hung on the wall of the tent.
"Aneternity, huh? With Candace. That does sound like heaven." She grinnedback at me. "I still can't believe–"
Ishut her up with a hand over her mouth, trying hard not to smear her lipstick.That was one thing I refused to talk about. "Remember the rule."
"Nogod talk," she muttered behind my hand, but it came out more like, "Vogov tavk."
"Yougot it. The less you talk about it, the more normal things stay. And I'm veryfond of my normal," I said and took my hand away.
"You'venever been normal, weirdo. You ready to hitch us up?"
"Youbetcha." I offered her my hand and helped her up off the stool that hadsettled in the grass of the grove.
"Haveyou seen Candy? Is she beautiful?"
"Evenif she weren't dressed in a gown of pure white silk, she would be beautiful,but yes. She is."
"Oh,my goddess. The butterflies in my stomach!"
"Itold you, you have nothing to be nervous about!"
"Imeant from seeing her!" She grinned and practically ran to the flap of thetent, peering outside.
"Stayhere. You know the drill and no peeking! Come out when the music starts."
"Iknow. We did it like three times yesterday."
"Iknow you know, but this is you we're talking about." I kissed her cheekand ducked through the opening, smiling at Chief and Jimmy standing by the hugeoak next to the red runner leading into the grove and altar on the far side.
"Sheready?" Chief motioned toward the tent I'd just come from with the beer inhis hand.
"Asshe'll ever be. You're not supposed to start drinking until after the wedding."
"Well,I was getting nervous. We only have an hour left."
Ishaded my eyes with my hand and stared up at the sky. He wasn't joking. Themoon and the sun were still in the sky, but the sun wouldn't be for much longer.We'd thought it fitting for the ceremony but had a narrowed window ofexecution. "Tell Shea to start the music."
Jimmylifted a radio and keyed up the mic. "Perv One to Shadow Boy, come in."
"ShadowBoy here. Over."
"Cuethe gather music."
"Roger."
Theelven quartet inside the grove started playing the cue music to let the guestsknow to gather and that the wedding was about to start. People from the tentedarea and the parking area started heading into the grove.
"Afternoon,Lady," David Stevens said as he and his wife Connie passed. She lookedbeautiful, even three months pregnant.
"Hi,Dave. You look radiant, Connie!" I smiled as she grimaced. Since I'd takenover the coven, they'd been so busy and things had been so crazy, we hadn't hadmuch time to socialize. It was nice to see faces I hadn't seen in a while. Itadded to the normal.
Ifelt the coolness that was Yuki in my mind a moment before she slid up to myside. "The vampires are all set. My mother is so happy!" She grinnedup at me.
Ilooked over at the special section of the grove we'd set up for them. I'd wovenshadows over the seated area, not a single ounce of sunshine could touch them.It would be dark by the time the ceremony was over and they would be free tojoin the reception. It had all worked out nicely for once. "I'm glad theycould all come."
"Theyare, too."
"Theyshould be. You're their new Lord, after all." I ruffled her spiked hair.
"Stillcan't believe you did that to me." She stuck her tongue out. "And Iprefer Lady to Lord."
"Hmm.That sounds kind of familiar. And you know, my role is to guide, not to rule."
"Yeah.Yeah. You still make a better scarier vampire than I do."
"Oh,shush. You're very scary, Sweetie."
Yukigiggled and wandered off to join the other vampires, even though she didn'tneed to sit in the dark. I just wanted to pinch her cheeks. She looked adorablein her red dress. It wasn't often that she let me doll her up, and I fully took advantage of the situation.
"Youlook beautiful, Master," Dar said as he snuck up behind me and planted akiss on my cheek.
"Youreally do, Dot." Dennis reiterated as he stepped up beside Jimmy.
"Youdo," Derek said as he walked past our little group, Sherry grinning like afool as she hung from his arm. "Why thank you, Mr. Flynn. Looking mightybeautiful yourself, too, Mrs. Flynn."
"Thanks,Dot!" Sherry grinned even more.
Nanaand Mother walked by, both affording me with a nod. Miranda, Josie's mother,was surprisingly practically clinging to my mother. The three of them would besitting with each other in the front row, too. I'd made sure of it. I chuckledsoftly to myself.
"Youglad to be back home?" I asked Chief.
"Alittle. Not that I minded sleeping in your bed every night. Even when it was alittle crowded." He winked and pulled me into a hug. "Thank you, Dot."
Ithad been a little over a week since I'd finallylaid the ghost of his wife to rest. It had taken me almost two weeks to figure outhow to do it. She'd smiled as I did,too. No ghost wants to be a ghost. I still had a sinking feeling that it hadbeen my fault she'd been brought back to begin with. After she was laid to rest,I found the little girl in the park and sent her on her way, too. I was lookinginto purchasing a proton pack for the more unruly ones that had popped upwandering around town.
"Well,I'll be at the altar. Don't forget the brides, guys." I gave Jimmy andChief a stern look. They were walking
