Death of a Nightingale

EPILOGUE: A NEW LIFE - LUKE

The music is lively. It's almost impossible not to move at least your shoulders or tap a foot along. It was a great idea to have my friend's jazz quartet play at our engagement party. I'm not usually into these sorts of things. A wedding, a rehearsal dinner, a bachelor party, and an engagement party. That's so many parties. Usually, there's stress associated with one or several of them. I've been a groomsman before and once, for my brother, a best man. Something always goes wrong and causes drama.

But not today. This barn-style warehouse in the middle of the city is gorgeous. It smells of cedar and the red-velvet cookies that keep being passed around. Instead of champagne giving me a headache, I stick to beer and love it. It's so refreshing in the humid summer heat. Even at night, it's hot outside and an army of talkative cicadas share their story without invitation. Somehow they fit in time with the music. It makes me smile. I'm wearing a suit today, but not the stuffy kind. I found myself a light blue linen set with a white shirt and the most comfortable shoes. I never thought I would like this, but it's breezy and perfect. It was my bride's idea. To not stuff me into something that looks like a costume and makes me feel stiff. I think of her and smirk. Then I see her standing in the crowd, laughing with my parents. Her hair is swept up for the occasion, but a stubborn curl still bounces along with her exuberant happiness. Ally is a light.

I never thought I could love again after Ness. First, she broke my heart, then her own, and when I saw her again after, she was something else entirely. Otherworldly and entirely alone. Of course, I still loved her. I will always love her. But it's different now. For the past six months, I was her only friend. I kept my boundaries clear. So did she. But we agreed on a few important things. We can help each other. She is the best thing I could ever hope to study to push my immortality research forward, and I am the only person she can be entirely honest with.

We realized quickly that we can't repeat Grace's mistakes and have to learn as much as possible about her...condition. She also can't be just a sitting duck. If Grace's uncle knew where to find her, others are out there. Somewhere. That's when we started looking for a trainer and met Ally. This gorgeous, radiating woman I soon get to call my wife is an Army vet who did two combat tours and now teaches self-defense classes for women. She built her own business and runs a martial arts gym next door. When we first met, she knew something was different about Ness, but never asked. She just taught her the basics. Slow and steady. Now the two of them train three times a week and have advanced to a wild array of fighting techniques. She knows Ness isn't human. But neither of us ever told her the specifics. For Ally, it didn't matter. She saw someone so deeply traumatized and hurt that she wanted to help build her strength back up through physical control. It's apparently also fun for her to have an opponent who can at any time entirely outmatch her and keep her on her toes.

Ally likes Ness and trusts me. She knows her heart belongs to a dead woman and that mine has been reborn with Ally. We even invited Ness to join the festivities, but it was a little too much for her. So as per usual, when there are too many people, she sits on the roof, feet dangling off the side, sulking into the starry night. I can see her through the skylight. She's not hiding.

Ally follows my gaze and jerks her head for me to go check on her. I smirk. Her kindness baffles me.

The sky is beautiful tonight. The stars glimmer above and are clearly visible even in the middle of the city.

"The blue looks good on you." Ness muses, her voice a little sad. I get it. This could easily have been our engagement party. I sit next to her and hand her a small cocktail glass. Her eyebrows rise sky-high.

"You're a scientist. The human food aversion should be in the vampire 101 category." I smile at her and push the little cup closer, pulling out a flask for myself.

She sniffs carefully, ready for the usual gag reflex to alert her of just how vile any mortal cuisine is. Her eyes widen.

"Blood?" I wink.

"My uncle has a farm. He brought the burgers so I asked him for a small favor." I raise my flask, my favorite, aged scotch in it and we clink.

"To a long and happy marriage." She says and I know she means it, underlying sadness notwithstanding.

"Thank you." I tell her and squeeze her shoulders.

"You don't have to be here, you know? I get it." I continue but she shrugs it off.

"Of course, I'll be here. I want you both to be happy. You know that. It's just...not today." She stops herself and I gently nudge her.

"It's selfish." She chastises herself and I spot the tiniest glimpse of her razor-sharp canines.

"Now that you two are getting married, I'll be all alone. It's been over six months and we haven't found any others."

Ah. Of course. I understand that one. We've been searching the Internet, even the deepest corners of the dark web. Between the two of us, we've read every book and created an extensive database of clues that could compete with my thesis.

"Despite your best efforts, I'm still in your life and I still love you." I smirk at her and she smiles back lopsidedly.

"We will find them. I promise. We will find more stubborn, strange immortals that will ignore every piece of good advice." She huffs at me. Teasing her like this has become my favorite pastime. I hope my promise won't be empty and that I can deliver on it. We've been exploring what feels like every available source for any signs of someone like her. Nothing. I understand how she is losing hope. I put my arm around her shoulder again and look into her silver eyes.

"Don't fret, little monster. You're not alone."