One year later…

Lyric placed her hand on the slight roundness of her belly and smiled. The sea spirit, next to her at the bow of the ship, was singing a song in a language even Dare hadn’t recognized. It was older than any known civilization, Seranth had informed them in a wistful voice.

It had taken no more than the space of an instant for Lyric to love the water elemental as much as Dare did, when they’d finally been able to buy the Luna back from its new owner. Dare had captained a merchant ship for a while, and she’d painted furiously to populate a show at an Atlantean gallery.

Her “rare, human paintings of the world Above,” as the canny gallery owner had labeled them, had sold like hotcakes to the Atlanteans who’d never yet ventured out of Atlantis.

And now they were finally back on the ship Dare loved, making perfectly legitimate supply runs and carrying perfectly legitimate cargo—and the occasional visiting dignitary—to and from Atlantis.

Seranth, who felt like the sister Lyric had always wanted, hummed while she petted Picasso, who was purring loudly in her arms. “We’re going to have a baby on this ship, are we not?”

Lyric nodded. “We are. But Seranth, please don’t tell Dare yet. I want to surprise him.”

A thudding noise behind her signaled that her wicked pirate had finished fixing the lines and dropped back onto the deck. He strode over to her and pulled her back against him, resting his chin on the top of her head.

“Surprise me with what?”

“I’ll be up in the crow’s next,” Seranth said, releasing Picasso to scamper off and sun himself.

Lyric turned in his arms and held her face up for his kiss. “I love you, you know, my wicked pirate.”

“The Painter and the Wicked Pirate. Is Meredith really still planning to write that novel?”

She laughed. “Planning to? She’s already written it and published it. I bet it will be a bestseller. I need to call her and suggest the title for the sequel.”

He tightened his arms around her and kissed her; long, slow, sensuous kisses that promised an evening of deliciously wicked seduction.

“So what is it?”

She blinked, still dazed from his kisses. “What is what?”

“The title of the next romance novel. What is it?”

She felt the smile spread across her face. “The Painter and the Wicked Pirate’s Baby.”

There was a pause, and then his hand slid down to her belly. “Oh, my love. How is it possible to be so completely and entirely happy, and then find that your heart can contain even more joy?”

“It’s the miracle of Christmas,” she said.

Dare’s arms tightened around her. “It’s a good damn day to be a pirate.”

And the painter and her pirate lived happily—and wickedly—ever after.

NOTE FROM ALYSSA DAY:

I have to get a little sentimental here and tell you how much I appreciate you for reading Christmas in Atlantis. This job is a dream come true, and I wouldn’t have it except for readers like you. I adored writing this book—I’ve had the idea in mind for a long time. The Gift of the Magi is one of my favorite stories in the world, and I wanted to pay homage to it in a way that did it justice, especially on this centennial anniversary of its publication.

I’m thrilled to announce that Poseidon’s Warriors will continue with A Year of Atlantis in 2018—a book per month—and you’ll find out how Atlantis’s independent, brave, strong warriors will cope with the matchmaking queen. The next book is and it’s available for preorder now at select retailers and will be available to all on January 1, 2018.

If you want the scoop on all new releases, behind-the-scenes details, and the chance to win prizes, Text ALYSSADAY to 66866 to sign up for my newsletter. I promise never to sell, fold, spindle, or mutilate your information so you will get no spam—ever—from me.

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Thanks again for reading—you rock!

Alyssa