She arched a brow and said something I’d said to Cole many times before. “Too soon to joke?”

“Forever will be too soon,” I muttered.

Cole came up behind me, wrapped his arm around my waist. “Girls still here?”

“You can’t see them?” I asked.

“Nope.”

“Why can’t he?” I asked the girls. “He’s always seen Emma in the past.”

“Helen taught us how to cloak ourselves,” Emma said, clearly proud of herself. Then, in a whisper, she added, “We only have permission to speak with you.”

I kissed Cole on the cheek. “Give us a minute, all right?”

He squeezed my hand and strode to the car. He didn’t climb inside, but leaned against the side, waiting for me, ever the protector.

Kat’s eyes twinkled up at me, only to quickly lose their sparkle. “I’m worried about Frosty.”

Honestly? “I am, too.”

“Take care of him,” she said.

“I will.”

“And take care of yourself.” Her smile was sad, but also hopeful. “As much as I want to throw a welcome-to-forever party for you up there, I want you to live a long, long time. I want you to do what you were born to do. To let go of the past, the pain and the sorrow, because they’ll only slow you down, and push forward. You, Miss Ali-Kat Bell, have the ability to do great things. And I’m not just talking about your slayer skills. You’re going to change the world and lead zombies to the light. Don’t let anything stand in your way.”

Tears burned the backs of my eyes. “I’ll try.”

“Don’t try,” Emma said. “Do.”

I nodded, because I’d suddenly lost the capacity to speak. These girls knew how to cut through the crap and strike where it mattered.

They smiled at me one last time before disappearing from view.

I stood in place for a long while, missing both already. Again. More. But Kat was right. It was time to let go of the past and push forward. I had a lot to do—a lot to look forward to. And with Cole and the other slayers at my side, I could do anything.

Would do everything I’d been born to do. I still didn’t believe in fate, that everything that happened was meant to be. But I did believe we each had a purpose, and it was up to us to get off our butts and do whatever was necessary to fulfill it.

I was ready.

I was smiling as I walked to Cole, and he smiled at me in turn. This wasn’t the end for us, I knew, but merely the beginning.

A NOTE FROM COLE

Let me guess. You skipped ahead. You’re reading this before you glance at a single word of Ali’s tale because you’re too impatient, have to know if there’s a happily ever after for everyone.

Too bad.

I’ll tell you nothing. I’m evil like that.

Or I was. Can you hear me grumbling? Ali’s had a strange effect on me. She took a heart as hard as stone and wrapped in barbwire, and chipped away until she found some kind of gooey candy center.

I’ll never be the same.

Don’t want to be the same.

So, all right. Okay. You want answers. Here they are.

Did everyone get a happily ever after? Sorry, but no.

Welcome to life.

It’s been four weeks since Kat’s celebration of life, as Ali calls it, and Frosty is still a mess. Worse, even. His pain is... There are no words. I’m slain every time I look at him. He’s turned into someone I don’t know, his every action meant to destroy his life in some minute way. I don’t know how to help him, and I’m not sure more time will soothe him. He needs something I cannot give him.

He needs peace.

He thinks Ali can give it to him. Every day he begs her to cover his memories.

Every day she refuses.

He’s even started asking me...and if not me, the others. With her fire, Ali has shared all of her abilities with us. Even the ability to cleanse zombies. And it’s weird, helping creatures we once fought so fiercely to destroy. But it’s also kind of wonderful. They have a future, and so do we.

Ali cutting in here. We do have a future. Like, the greatest one ever.

Cole’s been making plans. He’ll graduate high school, and a year later, I will. We’ll go to college together. He’ll do the cop thing, maybe even go total bad-A crime fighter and become an FBI agent, and I’ll do the counseling thing. We’ll get married—he says he may lock me down before college. Can’t have other guys getting any ideas about his ’gator or he’ll have to give up his dream of being a crime fighter and become a felon. Bones will have to be broken. Blood will have to be spilled. I wouldn’t mind the carnage, though. I know the beast I’m paired with and love him anyway.

Cole cutting in, reclaiming my letter.

You didn’t want to write it in the first place.

Are you whining? That sounds like whining.

Fine. Take the pen while I show you my favorite finger.

Telling me I’m number one in your heart? Love, I already knew that.

Anyway. Smith didn’t get a happily ever after, either. Ali covered her memory and sent her on her way. My girl admitted just how badly she wanted to kill the woman responsible for so much loss, but she knew she had to let go of the hate before it drove her into becoming someone she isn’t. Someone like Smith herself. Cold, callous. Collateral damage something to be shrugged over.

I’m proud of her. Hate would have been easy.

I’m still struggling with mine. But that’s okay. I’ve realized hate...and even love...are more than emotions, more than words. They are choices. I decide—what to say, what I do. And I’ve decided to bet on love. On Ali. She’s always been, and will always be, the moral of my story.