Reclamation (The Ravening #3)(60)
Author: Erica Stevens

"I think you would have driven us all crazy otherwise," I replied laughingly.

"True!"

He hugged me again and finally lowered me to the ground. I took a staggering step back before I was grabbed by someone else. I was beginning to feel a little dizzy as I was passed from person to person through what remained of our group. Tears of joy and loss slid down my cheeks as I was spun around and hugged by someone else.

My body reacted as if it had been hit by a bolt of electricity. All of my cells felt like they were filled with renewed life as they seemed to surge to the front of my body. A strangled cry escaped me, my head tipped back, but I already knew who I would find holding me. Cade’s beautiful onyx eyes blazed down at me. His singed black hair was standing on end, there were burn marks and blood on his clothes and skin, but he was the most wonderful thing I’d ever seen.

A smile tugged at his lips. "I’m gone for one day and you’re hugging everyone else?"

I couldn’t get any words out as I flung my arms around him. My hands rapidly ran over him as I fervently tried to reassure myself that he was real, that I hadn’t fallen asleep or was having some sort of hallucination. "Please," I whispered.

"I’m real love." His breath was warm against my ear as he kissed me tenderly. "I’m real."

He was real, he was here. I kissed his neck, chin and cheek before his head bent to mine and he took hold of my mouth. My body tightened and my pulse quickened as heat flowed through me. I allowed myself to drift into the pleasure and bliss that only he could give me. My body melded to his and I tried to pull him even closer, but it could never be close enough and no matter how badly I wanted him to, he couldn’t erase the tragedies of yesterday.

He reluctantly pulled away and wiped the tears from my cheeks with the pads of his thumbs. "What happened here?" he asked.

"They found us," I managed to get out. "It was… it was awful. Aiden…"

Words failed me as I shook my head. "Oh Bethy," he breathed as he pulled me against his chest and cradled my head.

My fingers curled into his back, I savored in this miracle I had been granted for a second time as he swayed me soothingly back and forth. So much had been lost yesterday and yet so much had been gained today. The emotions coursing through me were confusing and chaotic but for now I simply wanted to celebrate the freedom we had reclaimed and the feel of his warm, solid body against mine.

Epilogue

One year later,

There was much to celebrate on the one year anniversary of the aliens leaving Earth. Though there was a lot of rebuilding left to do with homes and the human population, progress had been made in reestablishing towns and new centers of government. Cade and Jessica had been elected amongst their people to rule in our small area of the world, and Bishop and Darnell had been elected amongst ours to lead with them.

Though contact had begun to be reestablished with other areas of the United States and foreign countries, the population was still too small to establish any permanent communication that didn’t involve traveling long distances. None of us had been shocked to learn that there had been other joint Tintagelian and human communities established throughout the world even before The Ancients had been taken out.

Cars and boats were up and running again but it would be years before the highways were in good enough condition to travel with any speed or guarantee of safety. Bridges were still mostly in ruins and planes, electricity, the internet or even phone lines were still a long way from being reconnected and brought back into use.

I was surprised to find that I was ok with this. There was something almost peaceful about this simple life that had been established amongst us and I wanted some peace after everything we had gone through. Though I really wouldn’t mind being able to text someone again, or even call. It was a little inconvenient to have to walk or drive somewhere just to ask a simple question, but I also knew almost every person within the surrounding towns now.

We had even managed to find a few Frozen Ones, and though the reawakening process was exceptionally painful for them, the venom did bring them back to life. Bishop was working on recreating and trying to produce medicine and antibiotics in bulk. He was also working on teaching people in the surrounding areas how to create and use that medicine.

What remained of the enemy Tintagelians and Seekers on our planet were steadily being hunted down, but there were still some out there. I wasn’t concerned about them though. Their friends wouldn’t be coming back, Rosemary and Cade were certain of that. They would never take the risk of returning to the planet, and the species, that had managed to destroy their Ancient leaders. We’d find all the straggling Tintagelians one day but we had established ourselves enough so that I didn’t lose sleep over the idea that they would overrun us.

"How do I look?" I lifted my head from the cake I was decorating to look at Jenna. She stepped through the doorway and spun in a circle.

"You look beautiful," I told her honestly as the simple dress drifted down to settle around her ankles again. The white of the dress emphasized her creamy complexion, reddened cheeks, and silky strawberry hair. "Just beautiful."

Her gaze fell to the cake. "That looks amazing Bethy."

I grinned at her, put the pastry bag of icing down and wiped my hands on my apron. "Who would have thought that I would be able to decorate a cake?"

"Most certainly not me," she admitted with a laugh.

"Well thankfully you didn’t bake it," Molly said as she swept into the room. I had to agree with Molly on that one. I had a steady hand, and an unexpected talent for decorating cakes, but my baking skills were as awful as I’d always suspected they would be. Tears bloomed in Molly’s eyes as she took Jenna in. "You look beautiful Jenna."

"Thank you," Jenna replied with a smile that lit the room.

"Bret’s a lucky man," I assured Jenna as I squeezed Molly’s arm comfortingly. "And it’s a perfect day for a wedding."

There had been more than a few weddings over the year. Mine and Cade’s one year anniversary was coming up in a few weeks, but I was truly excited about seeing two of my best friends get married today. It was also a bittersweet day as Cade was standing in as Bret’s best man, a position I knew Aiden would have held.

I pulled the apron off to reveal the lilac cotton dress that was identical to the one Molly was wearing. Molly smiled at me, but sadness lingered in her eyes as she turned toward the window. Molly was moving on, I was aware that she’d been spending a lot more time with Lloyd, but yesterday had been the one year anniversary of the attack on the compound, and Aiden’s death. The scars of that anniversary were still fresh in all of our minds as we prepared for the celebration of the world’s Reclamation day, and for Bret and Jenna’s wedding.