Chapter 156: Epilogue- Part 2

“How’s Reuben doing? The last I heard, he was in Mythweald taking part in the church choir with his wife,” Alexander inquired on the ex-councilman who had retired a decade ago.

Nicholas laughed at the detail, “He sent me a letter not to long ago asking me to join him. He seems to be having his vacation just like he had planned. Though it is a little ironic for him taking part in it.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“Indeed it is. Wallace has been doing well handling the job Reuben passed on to him. It gives him a good break without being bothered,” their footsteps carried out of the hall and Alexander spared a look towards his family before leaving the hall.

“I heard the council found a nest of witches in the North. Things are finally coming to settle down,” the lord of Valeria than halted his footsteps, “How are you doing?”

“The same as ever. I didn’t peg for you to worry about me,” Nicholas raised his brow in humor.

“It is not I but Katie who worries about you. She hopes for you to visit us,” Alexander scoffed before a small smile appeared on his lips.

“She has always been a sweet girl,” Nicholas exhaled, looking up at the snowflakes fall. He took a few steps forward and stretched his hand for one of the flake fell on the palm of his hand.

As the snowflake melted in his hand, he heard Alexander say, “You know… something strange happened three days ago.”

“Strange things always happen in our world.”

“True but this one is stranger. I met this girl recently in my town, not far from Valeria. She claimed to be having dreams about her past life which began a week ago,” Nicholas could hear Alexander talk to him but his voice had begun to be distant as a dark figure appeared from a far distance, “That she was promised to a truce, not once but twice. She also happens to have this ribbon like mark around her neck…” Nicholas felt his eyes widen when the person appeared clearer now.

He began to walk forward on the snow as if time had stopped. With every step forward, he heard her heartbeat increase with his. Pausing his footsteps when he stood in front of her unbelievingly, he stared at her. The sky continued to snow, the flakes falling down one after the other around them. Unable to resist and see if he was dreaming, he placed his hand on her cheek to see tears form in her eyes. Her cheeks felt warm against his hand and color splashed on them due to the weather and him. Not waiting a second longer, Nicholas pulled her by her waist to engulf her in his arms at the thought that his hallucination had become strong but she was real.

“I missed you,” clutching her tightly he whispered into her hair. He didn’t want to let go of her right now and this made him tighten his hold on her that much more.

Since Heidi’s memory of her past life had begun to resurface, she had been wanting to see him. She sniffed in the cold weather, finally happy that she had got to see him. She smiled at the confused expression he had given to her. It was a rare sight to see him this confused and lost yet emotions bursting out with happiness and they didn’t know how long they stood in each others embrace, assuring each other silently of their existence.

“Nick, you’re crushing me!” she whispered into his chest when Nicholas tightened his arms around her and he pulled back. His eyes had lit up again at her presence. A grin broke down his lips was as if Christmas had already arrived, “I missed you more,” she said with glassy eyes.

Holding her in his arms, he turned to look at Alexander standing with his arms folded across his chest, “You didn’t think I was going to repay my debt that easily by removing a mere mark, did you?” giving them a satisfied smile, he turned to walk towards the hall.

Taking out his coat, Nicholas draped it around her, “What were you doing out there?” he asked her.

“Timothy thought it would be a good surprise by standing out than inside and be called as ‘Back from the Dead’,” both of them laughed. Nicholas pushed her hair behind her ear as they stared at each other.

It was clear that Alexander had something to do with it but hadn’t told to him they couldn’t do anything, “How did it happen?” Nicholas asked, holding her hand and taking her towards the entrance of the mansion but not taking her inside yet as he wanted to spend the time he had lost with her.

“I think Lord Alexander did something other than remove my mark that day. He told something about his magic that was spilt on his wife had awakened the dead then this must work as I was still alive back then. He wasn’t sure though if it would work and how it would work. I didn’t know about anything until a week ago. Everything just started rushing in, in pieces and the final piece was this,” Heidi touched her neck before looking up at him, “After remembering everything I went to meet Lord Alexander and he brought me here.”

Truth was that when Lord Alexander had sensed her damaged soul, he had put his dark witch blood into use by diffusing few unspoken spells and using binding magic. Unsure if it would work, he had never mentioned it to Nicholas as false hope was never a good thing. Nonetheless the magic had worked and Heidi was reborn, resurrected back in Valeria once she had passed away in Bonelake.

She had only heard from Nicholas in the past that Lord Alexander was a dark witch. Rarest of all kinds and for him to be able to give her life back, thought Heidi, he must be a powerful one at that.

With her rebirth as a human and lack of her past memories until a week ago, she had been blessed with a family. A family who loved and treated her well as she grew up again with the same physcial features. To be the person she had been.

“I am glad you’re back,” Nicholas squeezed her hands.

“I’m glad too,” she whispered in his chest and he who had been standing behind a pillar switched their positions in a flick of an eye. Her back was pushed against the wall as he hovered above her, slowly descending down to her lips, Heidi moved her head to close the gap that had been hindering them. Nicholas was in no word gentle, his lips seemed to have grown hungry, deprived of her as his fangs bit right down on her bottom lip before sucking in the blood and pushing his tongue into her mouth. With both his hands, he used them to pull her waist into him, continuing to kiss her with the heat that warmed their bodies. She tasted devine on his lips and he couldn’t get enough of it.

Their forehead rested against each other and Nicholas confessed, “I have missed you in so many million possible ways that now you are here, it scares me that you will disappear. I love you too much.”

Sensing the pain behind his words, Heidi hugged him, “I won’t go anywhere. I don’t think I can compare the pain you went through during my absence. It wasn’t our time then but it is now. Alexander said my soul is good as a new one and this time I am going nowhere.”

“That’s a fantastic news. I can’t wait to get the guests out of the mansion now.”

“Your humor is intact,” Heidi shivered, feeling him pet her head.

“Let’s get you inside,” he said bringing her hand up to kiss the back of it and tugged her hand, “I cannot wait to see this,” he chuckled.

“See?” Heidi’s eyebrows furrowed.

She didn’t realize what Nicholas was talking about until he took her into the hall where all the guests were present. People who were talking suddenly stopped when they saw the woman standing next to Lord Nicholas. People had gone still and some had their eyes as wide as it could get in a lifetime. She caught sight of some and smiled at them, Venetia who stood not far from her looked like someone had stolen her house.

“Good evening,” she greeted the woman who formed direct eye contact to see her faint and fall on the floor. Leaning towards Nicholas, Heidi whispered worried, “I am a ghost,” and then heard Nicholas whisper back to her, “A very beautiful one at that, darling.” With his hand holding her waist, he spoke to everyone with a mischievous smile that deepened the dimple on his cheek,

“Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to reintroduce you to my lovely wife, Heidi Rune.”

THE END