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  “For right now, they’re stuck in the Underworld. They can’t leave without either of them having a coin.”

  “Give me that little guy,” Stephen said, referring to the coin. “It’ll be safer with me than any of you dweebs.”

  “Man, stop talking about your little guy in front of us,” Jeremiah joked.

  “That’s not what your mom called it,” Stephen retorted.

  “Can we please not fight for like, one day?” I croaked, finally able to open my eyes.

  “She’s awake!” Showing a relieved smile, Nicolai helped me sit up.

  “Welcome back,” Ctephanyi said, smiling.

  I was weak, but I used what strength I had to hug Nicolai. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

  “Once he crossed the portal, his physical body returned to his soul immediately,” Ctephanyi answered.

  “Like magic,” Jeremiah said.

  There were happy faces around me. “I have one heck of a headache, that’s for sure.”

  Bethani pushed her hand towards me. “I think this is yours.”

  Smiling at the sight of my locket, I hugged her and said, “Thank you.”

  She smiled sheepishly. “The clasp is broken, but we can fix that, and…I’m sorry.”

  “No, thank you,” I said. “You kind of saved me, in a way.”

  “I did?”

  “Of course you did,” I said. “You made me believe in something that was worth fighting for.”

  “Would you look at that?” Elias pointed at the moon. It was returning to its milky white color.

  I looked up at Nicolai and sighed. “I made the right choice, didn’t I?”

  He pushed back my hair and kissed my forehead lovingly. “You saved me.”

  “No.” I put his hand on my stomach. “I saved us.”

  Chapter 54

  Not So Happy Endings

  It had been three weeks since I had last visited the Crimson Forest. I couldn’t bring myself to return since they had brought me back from the Underworld. Things had quieted down in our small town of Buffalo. Of course, a hazmat team was sent to the area to examine why the deer had acted so insane by running into town. After a short investigation, the deer were returned to the forest.

  We had returned to our quaint little bed and breakfast where I spent the first few days in bed recovering from the wound to my chest. It healed quickly but left a small scar. Nicolai spent the next few weeks creating plans for the twins’ room while my grandmother decided she was going to stay and help decorate it. Of course, she had to change her appearance so people wouldn’t recognize her. I knew she wouldn’t be able to stay long, but any time with her was good enough for me.

  Bethani rarely left her room. She was still dealing with the fact that she had killed me while in the Underworld. I tried to explain to her a million times that it had to be done, but she just couldn’t let it go. Eventually she would come to terms with it At least I hoped so.

  Jeremiah and Daniel ended up becoming good buddies and visited often, while Stephen returned to his wily ways of wooing women. Ctephanyi and Elias returned to the forest to rebuild their home for the few of their species that had been found alive. We buried my father and what was left of Mathias next to my mother. I planned to visit them as often as I could manage.

  I curled up next to Snow and lay my head across her soft stomach. She was full size now and carried herself with stubborn grace—just like me. Life had finally calmed down and I was beginning to feel normal again. Deep down, I knew that Tristan would find a way to come back, and I would need to be ready for him. It scared me, being pregnant, and having to worry about such things. My family was my world and they were worth fighting for, every step of the way.

  Nicolai walked into the room and sat down on the bed next to me. “I love you.”

  I looked up at him and smiled. “Well, I love you too, sir.”

  He kissed me tenderly. “You know…you’re worth dying for.”

  Frowning, I gave him a look of disapproval. “That’s not funny.”

  He ran his hands through my hair. “I want this forever, you and I.”

  I felt my eyes well up with tears. “I want this forever, too.”

  “You’ll always be worth it.” He kissed me again, this time more passionately.

  I felt a warm tear slide down my cheek. “And you’ll always be worth it to me.”

  He sat back and looked at me in horror. “Angelina, you’re bleeding!”

  “What?” I reached up and touched my face. I wiped the wetness away from my face and stared at the rusty color on my fingertips. That rusty wetness was blood.

  “No,” Nicolai whispered. “It can’t be.”

  “What?” I cried out, wiping the blood from my eyes.

  He looked down at me, his eyes filling with anger and despair. “They’re crimson tears.”

  Epilogue

  Crimson Moon

  Tristan’s emerald-green eyes glowed with envy. “How could you just let her go that easy?!” he demanded.

  His father looked up at him, a blank stare on his stern face. “I do not meddle with things that are bigger than me, and you would be wise not to either.”

  “Bigger than you?” he cried out, “You’re Hades, for Christ’s sake!”

  He stared at the many souls filtering into the Ocean of the Dead. “I may be Hades, but you, son, have no idea what you’re messing with.”

  “So, you won’t help me.”

  “No, I won’t.”

  “Then I shall do this on my own,” he seethed. “You will see just how unstoppable we truly are.”

  Hades looked back up at him, his dark eyes brooding. “Son.”

  Tristan ignored him and began to walk away. “I’ve got no time for anyone who doesn’t have time for me.”

  “Do yourself a favor.”

  Tristan stopped briefly to hear his father out. “What?” he asked bluntly.

  “The crimson tears have fallen.”

  His heart stopped. “What did you just say?”

  “You heard me.”

  He shook his head in disbelief. “Impossible. How?”

  “She crossed back into the land of the living with the pendant.”

  “That means…”

  “She doesn’t have much time,” his father said.

  Tristan’s heart began to beat a little faster. He knew what the first crimson tear falling meant. Death.

  “You can save her.”

  “How? I can’t even get back without the coin?”

  His father turned his eyes away from the empty souls that stared back at him and walked over to his son. “Do you truly care for this human?”

  Tristan stared up at his father, pleading in his eyes. “Since the day she was born.”

  “Why do you love her?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It’s a simple question, really.”

  Tristan shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants and felt his face get hot with embarrassment. “I don’t know,” he replied, rocking back and forth on his heels.

  “Then you do not deserve to go back and try to save her,” his father said as he began to walk back to the sea of souls.

  “Wait.”

  His father stopped and turned back to face him. “Tell me the truth, son, why do you love this being?”

  “Fine,” Tristan sighed. “The first time I saw her she had such innocence about her. It was like everything she touched came to life.”

  A sadness Tristan had never seen washed over his father’s face. “She’s so much like her mother.”

  “You loved her mother, didn’t you?”

  His father gave a little cough, and the stern look returned to his face. “This isn’t about me Tristan.”

  Tristan knew not to say another word about Angelina’s mother by the tone of his voice. “Okay, so what do I do? Was my answer good enough for you?”

  His father sighed. “Love is such a curious thing. All creatures feel love, did you know th
at?”

  He stared in disbelief at his father’s sentiment. “What does that have to do with anything?”

  “Well, for you to save her, she must learn to love you. Truly love you.”

  “Impossible.”

  His father shook his head. “It is possible.”

  “How?”

  “Love has so many different meanings.”

  “You’re not helping me much with these riddles about love.”

  His father looked at him, and with a small pat on the back he smiled. “Those riddles, son, are the answer to your question. You must figure them out before it’s too late.”

  “But how do I do that?” he asked, begging his father to tell him.

  Hades looked at the dark, swirling Ocean of the Dead before him. “It’s time, son.”

  “Time for what?”

  “Time for you to learn about yourself and the one you think you love,” he answered, pushing his son into the many souls that crowded the water beside them.

  “What are you doing?!” Tristan cried out.

  “I’ve decided to help you, son. Good luck.”

  Tristan felt the life being sucked out of his body. He couldn’t breathe and gasped for air. How could his father betray him like this? How could he throw him into the Ocean of the Dead and let him wither away into nothing?

  The darkness clouded his thoughts and he could feel his soul slowly starting to slip away. He thrust his hand into the air and hoped his father would reach in and pull him out, but the darkness took hold of him and he closed his eyes. His time had come—or had it?

  Suddenly he opened his eyes and gasped for air. He looked around and saw he had washed up on the bank of the river that skirted the village of Buffalo.

  He rolled over and spit out the water that had settled in his lungs. He wiped the water from his eyes and noticed something strange. He looked down at his hands. His usual pale skin tone had changed to a dark olive color.

  “What the…?” he questioned.

  He stood up and noticed he his body shape was also different. “He changed my appearance!” he said out loud, a frown on his face. For a moment, he couldn’t understand why his father would do such a thing to him and then, slowly, a smile began to form on his new face. “This is perfect. She’ll never see me coming.” He laughed and silently thanked his father.

  Now he would make Angelina his. He would make her fall in love with him and save her before the last crimson tear fell from her beautiful chestnut-colored eyes.

  The End

  Acknowledgements

  JD—I want to thank you as you were my strength throughout this entire process and I will never be able to thank you enough for everything. I love you, husband! F Trees Baby!

  Zara & Allan—You are my family. You’ve believed in me since the beginning and have taken me in like I am one of your own. I will forever be eternally grateful for everything you’ve done for me.

  Matt Kramer—My brother from my surrogate mother! You always have that hug when I need it and know just what to say to make me smile. You are one of the most amazing people I have ever met, and I want to thank you for well…everything.

  Tom Suder—Bossman, I still haven’t quit and have no intentions on quitting. Now read this book series!

  Andrew—My #1 biggest fan in the whole entire world! When I saw the excitement in your eyes after you read Crimson Forest, it let me know that this was indeed the path that was created for me to follow. Thank you!

  Arlette & Sarah—You have both taken me in as a sister and part of your family. I am so incredibly honored to be considered as such. I love you both very much and thank you for allowing me to be a part of something so loving and so amazing.

  Claudette & John—You welcomed me and my children into your amazing family and have treated us with dignity and shown us nothing but love and respect. I want to thank you for allowing my children and me to be a part of such an amazing family. You should be very proud of yourselves for raising such admirable children. It’s something that we will cherish in our hearts forever.

  Stephanie Gerold, Christopher Bolen, Missy Fowler, Daniel Harvey, Elyse Ross, and Kim Amburgey—I f’n’ love you guys. You guys always listen to me when I have a rough day and have pushed me every step of the way to become the person I was meant to become. I hold each one of you close to my heart and will forever.

  And finally, I want to thank all my fans around the world for making Crimson Forest such an incredible success. I hope you love Crimson Moon just as much and can’t wait to release Crimson Tears. You are all so amazing and I love each and every single one of you!

  P.S. Send me an email at [email protected] and one lucky person will get to be a character in my next book series! Good luck!

  About the Author

  Christine Gabriel is a caffeine-fueled dream weaver who lives in the Lake Erie harbor town of Vermilion, Ohio, with her husband JD, four children, and two furbabies. Blessed with an overactive imagination, she enjoys creating fictional characters and worlds that make you question where the line between fantasy and reality exists. Christine adores interacting with her fans in real life and on social media. Seeing her readers smile is what motivates her to continue sharing her creative stories with the world.

  Thank you for reading this copy of Crimson Moon, Book 2 in The Crimson Chronicles. If you enjoyed this book, please let the author know by posting a review.

  Growing good ideas into great reads…one book at a time.

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