“I hate this time of year,” I whispered as we passed yet another store full of orange and black garbage. If I stumbled over another pumpkin, I would throw it through a window.

Gentry only chuckled as he took my hand to lead me across the street. “Come on. They enjoy it.”

“They’re ridiculous. They understand nothing about our traditions.”

“Are you going to get this way around Halloween every year? Because I’ll make it a point to take you away for the entire month of October from now on, if that’s the case.”

“Hmm. Tempting.”

We both knew that couldn’t happen—especially since I had someone to celebrate the festival with.

It had only taken nearly a year to be sure nobody was watching my movements, to find her and convince her to meet up with me.

I would never have sought her out if I thought there was a remote chance of hurting either of them.

We walked up the endless flights of stairs, and I knew it wasn’t exertion that made my heart race. It wasn’t until I heard her voice again on the phone that I realized how much I had missed her.

And seeing her was better than hearing her. She looked better than I had ever seen her. Happy, radiant, healthy. I knew we made the right choice that night at her old apartment, after she and Elias saved me.

My sister Mariya threw her arms around me, then gasped when she felt what was between us.

“Vanessa?” She stepped back, eyes round and teary. “You’re…”

“Five months,” I announced with a grin, rubbing my growing belly. “Surprise.”

“Get in here!” She pulled me into the apartment hugged me more gently than before. “I can’t believe it. I’m so happy for you.” When she released me, she bear-hugged Gentry. “I don’t even know you, but I’m happy for you!”

He laughed in surprise and hugged her back—meanwhile, the sound of footsteps made me turn my head in time to see Elias enter the cramped living room. He looked just the same, but then, he always would.

“Hey there,” I grinned, but I was unsure. When I thought of everything that had passed between us, I wasn’t sure what to do. How he would react to me.

“Hey yourself,” he said before cracking a grin of his own. “You look great.”

I was surprised when he came to me with his arms open for a hug. We had never exactly been friends. Mariya had softened him up a lot.

I sat with her and we looked at each other for a while without saying a word. She was so different from before. No more permanent frown. She even looked younger.

“I’m so glad you’re happy,” I managed to whisper through the tears threatening to choke me.

“Me? What about you? When I think about you, all I remember is trying to talk you down from throwing a tantrum. No offense.” She glanced at my belly, then back up at me with one eyebrow cocked.

“Yeah. I know. And now I’ll be the one begging somebody to quit it with the tantrums.”

“You’re in for it. You know that, right? And you have it coming to you.”

Elias’s snort of laughter told me he agreed.

Gentry chuckled behind me. “I hate to think that I’ll end up hearing the tantrums when I didn’t earn them.”

I only rolled my eyes. He knew I knew he was no angel, either.

We laughed over the way we both used our powers to help us land and hold onto our office jobs. Not that we went over-the-top, but it helped when starting off with no marketable skills.

“Imagine not being able to do that,” Gentry grinned wryly, shaking his head at himself.

“You’re not doing so badly,” I reminded him before turning to the others. “He’s writing his story, but turning it into fiction. He already had publishers interested in it.”

“The only catch is remembering to turn real-life characters into fictitious ones,” he chuckled. “And don’t be surprised if you find me knocking at your door in the future—this could become a series, and I’ll need more material.”

Mariya elbowed Elias. “This one has material enough for a series.”

They smiled fondly at each other.

It did my heart good to see them thriving in Philadelphia. The apartment was tiny and clogged with books, but cozy. Filled with warmth and the scent of cinnamon tea. There would’ve been a time when jealousy would’ve torn me to shreds, but now I was too busy living a happy life of my own. Only after I found happiness did I understand how unhappy I was before.

“How’s Mom?” she asked in a soft voice.

Elias touched her shoulder.

“Are you kidding? She’s living it up. Somebody had to lead the coven while I was gone, and she was more than happy to step up and make the sacrifice.”

We both chuckled.

“And she had to tell me all about it, of course. How exhausting it was. How the coven needed her. You know how she is. But things have calmed down now, and she’s back to only thinking she could do a better job.”

“It’s good to know some things never change,” she smiled, leaning against Elias.

It was surreal, seeing them together, relating to my sister as an equal. I had missed so much time with her.

She looked down at my belly again, and worry touched her face. “You know, it’s one thing when this little one can’t speak, and there’s no danger in seeing them. What happens when it turns into a chatty toddler, and there’s a chance of it blabbing about visiting Auntie Mariya?”

“Let’s not worry about that right now. I just found you—I don’t want to think about the future yet.”

Although in my heart of hearts, I knew we would find a way. We were both navigating uncharted waters but had managed well up to that point.

With the help of our men.

Gentry sat on the arm of the couch, and I leaned against him.

The slight pressure of his warm, gentle kiss on the top of my head was like a silent affirmation.

We would make it work, the way we made everything else work.

Together, always.