Hey guys! So this is the official end to BR.

Firstly, I want to apologize for the month-long wait. I never intended to keep you hanging like that. It was real life, getting in the way again. So I am SO SO SO SO sorry!

Secondly, thank you so much for the kind reviews. They truly made my day. There were so many in there that boosted my confidence and made writing so much more fun for me. It's always nice to know that I have fans out there, and that I'm not just doing something for nothing.

I WILL be writing another FanFic! I'll try to put up a sneak peak or summary or some kind of idea in a post here, but it may be awhile while I work out whatever kinks before I finalize the plot. I hope to hear from you guys in the future, too!

EPILOGUE PT II

The wedding had to be moved.

Because of Tasha's escapee status, Dimitri's and my wedding was forbidden from being held over in Russia; instead, we were limited to Court.

Hans had instantly patched me through to Tatiana, who had immediately organized a party of guardians to be on "Tasha-lookout" 24/7. Because Dimitri wasn't returning my phone calls, as soon as I had finished with Tatiana I scurried over to the pond, breathless with worry, with Viktoria, who was terrified by my odd behavior, scrambling along in tow.

Dimitri laid eyes on me immediately, and his joyful smile vanished. He was next to me in a second, and Viktoria rushed over to her sister. His eyes darkened as I filled him in, and I could swear his grip on me tightened.

"I won't let her near our family," he growled.

From that day forward, Dimitri and I had become grossly overprotective of the twins, and I had even started pestering Lissa, to the point where she demanded: "Rose! Tasha has a hell of a lot of obstacles to get through before she can even consider getting to me—and don't you think she has her sights on better targets?"

Her words, though spoken out of irritancy and hormones, struck a nerve. Tasha did have plenty of obstacles to break through—the wards around Court, hiding from both human and dhampir authorities, and evading the guardians that had been posted around the wards just to make sure that they weren't weakened—but…

If she did manage to get through all of those, Lissa was right. Tasha had a ripe picking ahead of her, with plenty of choices. The problem was, I couldn't plot whom she would go after first. Was she angry enough with me that she just wanted to kill me? Or would she want to make me suffer, first?

To make me suffer, she had to know that that gave her all of the cards. She had my children to go after, my fiancé, my best friend—and to have escaped Tarasov, that meant she was diabolical enough to pull it all off.

I had spent weeks looking over my shoulder, obsessively trying to plot out Tasha's numerous options, when I should have been finalizing details on my wedding. I had already missed a dress fitting, and the manager threatened to charge me extra if I wasn't in within the next week.

"Rose, this is ridiculous."

I broke my anxious perimeter scan—my fifth within the last two minutes—to glance back at Lissa. She had finally convinced me to go to my fitting, even though I had been prepared to resort to a makeshift wedding dress instead.

Now, with a generous number of guardians from Court assisting as backup, I was panicky as we headed through the small boutique to the back where the fittings were held. My guardian instincts were wound so tightly that I felt like I was missing things; but I was too freaked out to calm down, no matter how hard I tried.

"Breathe. She can only get to you as much as you let her."

Dimitri's Zen lessons had returned ever since my fear became noticeable. He and I had been nearly inseparable, except for the few times that Lissa and Christian were forced to part. We were always frantic over the twins, but we had mastered disguising our worry from them. It was never until we were all separated that the true panic started to settle…

Sadly, my mother wasn't able to fly in until just before the wedding, so we were forced to rely on the good old-fashioned daycare system of the twins' Uncle Addie. I felt slightly better knowing that Angelina was around. Plus, I reminded myself; Christian and Dimitri are still on Court grounds. They're only a minute away if something happens.

We reached the desk, where I supplied my name and information, and then was led back to the room.

I had gone in with Lissa and one other guardian, a strong, testy young woman that reminded me slightly of myself when I was younger. Her name was Mary: jet-black hair that cascaded down her shoulders (however now it was pulled back into a guardian's dutiful bun), bright hazel eyes that were wide and long-, thick-lashed, and a tall, lean body of steel with the small curves in all the right places.

The rest of the guardian fleet was surrounding the boutique, making sure there would be no surprise visits from that certain someone off the "Most Wanted" list.

"What's ridiculous?" I whispered as we followed several steps behind the receptionist.

"You!" She exclaimed, waddling slowly, holding her bloated stomach. Her hormones had been crazy lately, and the added stress from Tasha wasn't helping at all. "You already have most of the guardians from Court here. You have backup—" She gestured impatiently back towards Mary, "—and you're still freaking out!"

I thanked the receptionist as she opened the door for me, pausing before entering. To Lissa I whispered, "I have a lot to lose from Tasha. I won't stop freaking out until she's locked up again."

"Or dead this time," Mary growled from behind us.

Lissa spared her one irritated glance and then looked back at me, with conflict on her face. "I get it. Just…enjoy this, Rose. Don't let this milestone pass you by. You'll never forgive yourself."

I went into the dressing room, and the woman presented my dress to me. I felt my breathing hitch again; just as it had the first time I'd tried it on. I let her help me slide into it, relishing the snug fit of the fabric against my skin. I gently ran my hand over the bodice, strapless and adorned with intricate beading patterns, which led into a ball-gown skirt—also sporting delicate beaded flowers—and a chapel train.

I grinned as I went out, my face lit like a Christmas tree. I could see in Lissa's eyes how proud she was—and also, by the sparkling of her tears, how emotional this was for her.

"You look beautiful," she choked, wiping hastily at her eyes. "I'm so happy for you."

I did a twirl, enjoying my moment as a girly-girl that had no other worry in the world other than her upcoming wedding.

The receptionist grinned. "Congratulations," she said. "You do, truly, look fantastic."

I took it off, feeling like I was floating on Cloud-9 as it went back into its protective cover. I redressed and exited, for a moment forgetting all about Tasha and the threat she posed.

Lissa linked arms with me as we strode from the boutique, wedding dress in hand. Mary kept up on the other side of Lissa to maintain the appearance that we were all friends, but was not listening in on our conversation at all; instead, she was conducting serious surveillance as we made our way back to the car.

Once we were safely tucked inside the SUV, Mary radioed the other guardians the all-clear, and we left to head back to Court.

The trip was uneventful, enough so that I found myself letting up. Dimitri noticed my lax attitude and tried to readjust his accordingly. The twins relaxed a bit and Lissa's temper wasn't stretched as taut, so things calmed down.

Tatiana kept in frequent touch with updates about Tasha and inquiries about how Dimitri and I were holding up. It was an unnervingly friendly side of her that I had never even known existed. She kept me updated on the decrees she was lining up, asking for my help and rarely attacking me like she used to. For a while I thought maybe she was considering me too frail to treat me like in the past.

Time went by. A few minutes turned into hours. An hour or two turned into days. And then my days turned into weeks. And before I knew it, my wedding was the next day.

Lissa was the one who ushered Dimtiri out of the house the night before.

"You get to stay with Christian," she said. As an afterthought, she added in, "Don't worry, he and Adrian were in charge of your bachelor party—"

Dimitri looked at me with a questioning eyebrow, and I gave him a glare in response. With a heart-stopping grin, he gave me one last kiss before disappearing for twenty-four hours.

As the door shut behind him, I asked Lissa, "Please tell me they didn't schedule something kinky,"

Lissa scowled. "If they did, Christian's going to be dead meat. He'd better not be enjoying any—"

I held up my hands in mock surrender. "I didn't mean to aggravate you!" I said. "I was kidding!"

Her scowl remained. "I'm not."

Lissa's emotions had been insane throughout her entire pregnancy. Whatever darkness she summoned plus her out-of-whack hormones equaled psycho Liss. It wasn't fun.

But I had learned how to deal with it.

"Lissa," I said calmly, "What did you plan for my bachelorette party?"

Her cheeks turned pink, all anger vanishing. "Oh, um," she stammered. "Well, see—"

"Lissa," I said slowly, "Relax." I explored the bond, wondering what I could pick out of there. I felt it just as she said it.

"I didn't plan a bachelorette party."

I won't lie. I was a little disappointed. When Lissa and I were younger, we were party girls; this only cemented the fact that we were getting older and had outgrown our fun days.

"It's okay," I said.

"I was thinking," she hurried, "You and me, you know, like how it used to be. We could lay all our secrets out and gossip, and talk—"

I put my hand over hers and smiled. "That sounds wonderful, Liss."

She finally breathed again. A smile stretched over her face. "Oh thank God. I was panicky about it—"

"Don't be," I interjected. "I love that you and I will get to spend time together."

I didn't mention that it also made me feel better; fewer distractions equaled better surveillance for Tasha.

Despite the fact that my bachelorette party was…well, bachelorette-less, it was actually quite enjoyable. It felt nice to reconnect with Lissa—especially knowing that tomorrow everything would change. I would always be her guardian, and I would always be her best friend, but now I would have my permanent other half. I would have my family, complete and happy, aside from the joint family I shared with Lissa. Even the fact that she hadn't splurged for a classic party like she and I would have enjoyed (digging the knife deeper that my youth was ended) didn't hinder the night.

In my opinion, it was perfect.

I had flashbacks to Lissa's big day the next morning, when I woke up as a ball of nerves. My hair was a bird's nest, my face looked splotchy, and I could swear I put on an extra couple of pounds. Everything seemed to be going wrong—even my several-day-old manicure was chipping, making me look cheap.

With my psychosis on top of Lissa's hormones, I would have expected that morning to be insanity. Instead, Lissa kept a leash on her feelings and spent all morning as the levelheaded one who told me to stop freaking out, because I looked beautiful.

"Your hair always looks crazy in the morning," she said. "After we wash and style it, I'm sure you'll be happy. Your complexion is flushed because you're nervous. You haven't added any weight—if anything, you've lost it—and I can easily touch up your manicure." As an afterthought, she added, "Or I can call Ambrose."

In hindsight, I admit that I was hardly the picturesque bride-to-be and instead assumed the role of Bridezilla. Kudos to Liss, she barely blinked an eye.

After my hair had been brushed through, blown dry, and styled beautifully in gentle waves down my back, Lissa touched up my manicure. She let that dry as she tastefully applied makeup, which was subtle yet enhancing. A simple coat of mascara, gentle liner, a brush of shadow—foundation plus a light blush over my dark cheeks—a light gloss that added a tint of pink and just the right suppleness to my lips—

Then came my dress. My heart was racing as I watched Lissa remove it from the garment bag. I couldn't put into words how excited I was; I was afraid that if I released any air that I was holding in that I would pass out.

Lissa hummed the wedding march under her breath, a wide smile stretched over her lips, as she helped me step into the fabric. She fastened it and then handed me a pair of white shoes to match.

It wasn't until I had slipped on the second foot that I truly felt like Cinderella.

I had never been the little girl who believed in fairy tales and dreamt of dream weddings. I was a fighter; I always had been. I was spunky and tomboyish, but I loved shopping and partying. I hadn't ever realized what I was missing until I met Dimitri…my Comrade…yet now I had it all.

I had two beautiful children—defying nature—and was now about to act like a Princess as I walked down the aisle to meet my Prince.

Lissa squeaked as a tear rolled down my cheek.

"Can it!" She demanded. "I swear to God, if you mess up your makeup—!"

I swiped at the tear, saving the rest of my face from destruction. Lissa seemed pleased.

"It's time!" She announced excitedly after a glance at the clock. "Are you ready?"

I couldn't wipe the grin off my face. "Yes."

"I can't believe you're getting married," she said, suddenly misty-eyed.

"Hey!" I snapped playfully. "Can it! I swear to God, if you mess up your makeup—!"

Lissa laughed at my teasing.

"To the cabin we go," she said, sniffling.

"Yes," I agreed softly. In just a few moments, I would meet my fiancé…and then my family would be whole again.

DPOV

My heart was racing. I had never before been so self-conscious, constantly double-checking myself, wondering if I had forgotten something or if I looked ridiculous. Was my hair okay? I knew that it was long and hard to keep tidy; but I had tied it back formally and hoped that nothing was wrong to make Rose laugh at me.

Christian, my best man, stepped forward to straighten my bowtie. "Relax, Dimitri," he said with a smile.

I let out a breath that I hadn't known I'd been holding and smiled. "Relax," I repeated. "Right."

The wedding was arranged around a pond and cabin that had been meant to create the feel of the cabin back at St. Vladimir's, where Rose's and my lives had changed forever five years ago. The frozen pond sat behind where Rose and I would stand, which Lissa had so thoughtfully decorated with twinkling lights and tossed flower petals. The cabin was also decorated with the stringed lights, but the door had been left open. I could see inside where the numerous candles glowed around the small heaters and the gifts.

I was lost in thought, picturing my beautiful Roza and our beautiful twins when the first notes of the wedding march resounded, and my eyes snapped to the end of the aisle.

First, the twins came down in cute blue dresses that their Aunt Lissa had picked out for them. Sashen'ka tossed her flower petals gently, smiling angelically, while Vika danced around wildly, throwing her petals in a more violent fashion. I couldn't choke on my laugh quickly enough, drawing my daughters' attentions.

When they reached me (they acted as ring-bearers, as well), Vika's grin couldn't have been wider.

"How'd I do, Daddy?" she asked excitedly.

"Perfect, Vika," I whispered as I kissed her forehead. "And you, Sasha, were as regal as royalty." The girls dutifully stepped aside as Lissa appeared at the head of the aisle, looking lovely in a nicely fitting lavender gown that complimented her bright green eyes.

My heartbeat sped up again as I waited to see Roza. She had agreed to walk down the aisle by herself since her strange familial circumstances—Janine was sitting in the front row, alight with happiness, but she still hadn't tried to offer herself in place of Rose's father.

A moment passed, and nerves were practically eating me alive. I looked over at Lissa, wondering if I was missing out on some information. Why was it taking Rose so long?

Just as I was about to leave the altar to go in search of my fiancée, there she was, glowing radiantly in her magnificent dress and glory. Despite the makeup and primping she had gone through, all I could see was my Roza, bare and simple—and she looked absolutely stunning. Her long hair cascaded down her back, and I couldn't wait to run my fingers through the silky strands. Her smile was bright, her eyes wide, and I saw oceans of memories within her dark irises.

My breathing hitched. I am the luckiest man on Earth, I told myself, feeling my two daughters stir in awe at my side.

In the front row, both Lissa and Janine were teary-eyed. Lissa's wide stomach had prevented her from doing more for Rose, but I knew that no matter what the Princess's limitations were, Rose admired everything nonetheless.

She reached the altar and then put her hands in mine.

"Can you believe it?" she whispered. "We've overcome all our odds. St. Vlad's, the attack, fertility, and now the law. We are finally free to be together."

A smile swept across my face so freely that I barely felt my facial expression change. "It's about time," I joked, barely refraining from crushing my lips to hers right then and there. The priest would have been furious, however, if I had ruined the ceremony.

Lissa nodded at the priest, motioning him forward with the ceremony. Since Court was on lockdown, my family couldn't be flown in from Russia, and Rose and I couldn't be flown out. Instead, we had to settle for the beauty of video messaging by cell phone. Thank goodness my sister Viktoria kept up-to-date with the new technology. Of course, she had to now, considering she was a promised guardian, at the beck-and-call of whichever Royal needed her until she found a steady charge.

I saw my family crammed in the small frame, watching with teary-eyes and big grins, and it took a lot for me to pull my attention away. There was so much I had wanted to share with them, this moment especially, that it was hard to sacrifice it.

But the minute I looked back at my Roza, my worries melted away like snowflakes on a hot burner. I was in the here and now, and I couldn't have been any more lost in her goddess-like beauty.

The priest seemed to have gone through the entire first portion of the ceremony while my mind wandered. He jerked me back into place, out of my own little world of Roza's beauty, to ask me to read my vows.

I kept mine simple, knowing that anything too elaborate would be tiresome. The crowd didn't need to know our intimate secrets, and Rose didn't need a recap of everything our relationship meant to me. Instead, I opted for a simple vow that would cement our already-strong devotion to each other.

"Rosemarie Hathaway," I said quietly, not really caring whether the guests heard me or not. All that mattered was that Roza understood my words. With a smile, I amended, "Roza."

A delicate flush rose in her cheeks, and she grinned at me.

"It's obvious to say that we've had our trials, from the very first day we met." Considering that our relationship started out very hateful. "And it's never been truly easy. But every day of trials and obstacles is worth fighting over as long as I get to stay with you. It's taken us so far already, and I can't even begin to imagine giving up now. You are the light of my life, you and our daughters, and I have been waiting all of my life for this kind of happiness. I have a family, and love, and…it doesn't matter what obstacles are thrown at us now, because we have each other, and that makes all the difference in the world." I paused, and then added with a quiet fierceness that I rarely used, "I will never let you go again."

Roza's eyes were bright with tears and joy. "I don't want you to!" she whispered back. With a frantic glance at the priest, she cried, "I love him and he loves me, and yes we do!" and then pulled me to her, crushing her lips to mine with such passion that I forgot about the people watching.

Behind me, Christian burst out in laughter, and then Lissa joined in. Soon the whole crowd was enjoying our spontaneity. We pulled apart, grinning at each other, knowing that, despite the deviation from tradition, we had completed our wedding—we were now husband and wife.

And then Rose's face went pale.

"Roza?" I whispered in concern, wondering what could possibly ruin this moment for us.

"Dimitri," she choked, "It's Mason."

And then the screaming started.

RPOV

I remember kissing him, feeling like I was floating on Cloud-9, believing that everything was going to be perfect—

And then I opened my eyes. And for a moment, it was still okay.

But then I saw the shimmer in my peripheral vision, and there was the ghost that had led to my self-destruction five years ago.

Mason, looking forlorn and dull, had materialized just beyond Dimitri. While my mind processed his presence, I could see Eddie's wraith taking shape.

"Dimitri," I somehow managed to control my voice. "It's Mason."

Dimitri didn't even have time to react before screams erupted from the audience. I already knew what was happening before I'd laid eyes on her. Tasha was here. She'd breached the wards. She was going to kill everyone she could.

I placed the twins first. They were huddled around my mother, who was already in action. Good, I thought, they'll stay safe with her.

I placed Lissa next, just as Dimitri turned to Christian. As soon as we secured our charges, Dimitri and I turned on each other.

"Get them to safety!" We both said to each other. Rather than having the time to laugh, I insisted, "Dimitri, this is my fight. We know it won't end until she finds me."

Dimitri wanted to fight. I saw the confliction in his eyes. He was dying to stay, but he also knew it would be the worst choice he could make in this situation.

I knew I had won. "Take the twins. Go somewhere safe. I'll be there soon."

The look on his face was something between venomous, fearful, and awed. Lissa choked on a sob as my husband herded the Moroi to safety.

I gathered my dress and searched Tasha out. I saw her at the base of the aisle where I had approached the altar. Instead of attacking the frenzied Moroi trying desperately to scatter away from her, she stood still, watching me with a calculated, pleased look on her face.

"Rose," I heard her cold voice over the panic. "I'm so glad I've found you."

"Get out of here, Tasha."

She strode forward confidently, as though there wasn't a care in the world. I wanted to know where the hell all the guardians were. This was the Royal Court for God's sake!

And then I saw Dimitri behind her, lurking up with a stake.

I choked on panic. The last time Tasha had been in the same vicinity as Dimitri and me she had nearly killed him. I had to keep her attention on me.

"How did you break through the wards?" I asked. "There are guards everywhere."

Tasha frowned, and I just now realized what the problem was.

"I didn't break through the wards, Rose."

I battled through confusion. Mason…Eddie…I saw them. I knew that the wards were compromised. Something had happened to—

That's where the guardians were.

"I walked right through the gates," she said with a cruel grin.

Tasha wasn't a Strigoi. She was Moroi, and her only current crime was breaking out of Tarasov.

But she had brought along a posse of Strigoi. She had somehow managed to disable the wards, and she let the Strigoi loose around Court. That was where the guardians had disappeared to. The guardians at my wedding had scattered to save their charges, not realizing that the true threat was where they were about to—

Dimitri heard this exchange, and with a pained expression, he reluctantly turned and ran the other way to help those in more danger. He knew that I could handle her—especially in Moroi form.

Tasha didn't even look back. "It's just us, Rose. It's time to finish this. Here. Now."

"You said that last time," I said, rage filling me like a tidal wave. My fear was gone, and was now replaced with uncontrollable anger. How dare Tasha lash out against the innocent people here! Her problem was with me, not them—

"But this time you won't have my nephew to protect you," she sneered, and by the sudden change in her voice, I saw just how deeply that had scarred her. "You won't have Dimitri to jump in front of a fireball to save you."

"I don't need them," I snapped. "I beat you at Julian's, and I can beat you now."

"My traitorous niece isn't here to help you either."

I blinked. Where was Angelina? She should have stayed—knowing her connection to Tasha, and the history—

"I don't need help," I repeated, silencing my erratic thoughts. I had to focus.

Tasha laughed wickedly. I hadn't known she was so evil. Truly, she had the part down pat now. "Keep telling yourself that, hon. Those will be your last words."

I glared at her, easily finding the stake that I sought. As much as I dreaded killing a Moroi, it was worth it to watch Tasha's wrath come to a conclusion. "You keep telling yourself that," I countered. "Because that arrogance? That's going to screw you over."

"You'd know," she snapped back.

"I matured," I said condescendingly. "Some people never learn."

Fire glowed in Tasha's eyes. Her black hair was pulled back harshly, and it made the scars on her face look broader. "I could burn you to ash right now, and no one could stop me. I could make your skin sizzle right off your bones. I could make you feel like you are living in hell, with flames licking at your skin. Don't tempt me."

I made a face. "Wow, you clearly had plenty of time on your hands at Tarasov. That's some wicked imagination you've got there."

Tasha roared and a burst of flames ignited from her outstretched palm. "Push just a little harder, Rose, and it truly will end now. Everything about you makes my skin crawl…so why don't I make yours?"

"I don't like the sound of that," I said. "How about this, Tasha. You disarm your firepower, and I'll drop my stake. We can fight hand-to-hand, the classic way. My kickboxing against yours."

The flames sizzled out of Tasha's hand. "A fight to the death? By punching you senseless? Hmm, I have to admit, I would get great satisfaction out of that."

I didn't mention that I was sure my skills far surpassed hers. It would technically be her disadvantage to fight against me without power—although that was assuming I could trust her. For all I knew, she could easily distract me by setting me on fire and then pummel me while simultaneously putting the fire out.

Sheesh, my imagination was as crazy as hers.

I suddenly considered. "Problem," I said. "I'm in a wedding dress. I can't fight in this." I studied Tasha's convenient loose shirt and yoga pant combo, jealous of her advantage.

"I'm not that interested." The fireball reappeared. "It will be just as beneficial to watch you burn to death."

I ground my teeth. Shit, that doesn't sound pleasant.

I glanced around, wondering if anyone would be back soon. As much as I hated to admit it, I needed help. I hadn't really thought it through before sending Dimitri packing.

"I was looking forward to killing you before, with Julian's scheme, you know. I would get Dimitri, and I was just oh-so-close to becoming the mother of those two little girls." She paused, reconsidering. "Well, one of them. Whichever one Julian didn't want." With a reminiscent look in her eyes, she continued, "But I'm going to have so much more fun killing you right now."

I was seeing red. She had to know that talking about my children was damn near pushing me over the edge. I was too irrational to consider that this tactic was part of a grand scheme, but in hindsight, I should have expected that kind of calculation from her. She had gone through all the trouble to get here and set it up so that she had plenty of time to make me suffer—she must have known what plugs to pull.

"You disgusting bitch," I spat, not really hearing anything other than her reference to my family. Just their names on her lips made me want to gag.

Tasha seemed to find my anger amusing. She laughed as she tossed the fireball up and down calmly. "Rose, Rose. My dear Rosemarie, respect."

"You want to talk about respect?"

Tasha spun sharply, her fireball at the ready, surprised by the new voice. I, too, had somehow missed his entrance.

"Dimitri," she choked. Apparently some feelings still hadn't faded.

His face was stony. I wondered if it bothered him that we were in this situation right now, or if he was as angry and bloodthirsty as I was.

"You know the penalty for running away from Tarasov. Especially combined with your new tricks, and on the Royal Court, at that. You set yourself up terribly, Natka."

I couldn't see her face, but by the way her posture suffered ever so slightly, I knew that she was crestfallen. In a way, I was shocked. After everything she had done, did she honestly expect to be in the same place with Dimitri that they had once been? The place where she had offered to bear his children, and he had nearly taken her up on it?

I picked up a rock next to the frozen pond and then slowly began to close the distance between Tasha and me. I was prepared to bash her over the head to knock her out if Dimitri wasn't forced to stake her.

Her voice was thick with tears. "I never wanted it to get this insane."

"You thought it would end after you orchestrated Roza's kidnapping? You thought everything would be perfect after you gave away one of my children?" Dimitri's voice rose with anger. "You knew they were mine, Tasha! You knew that I could have had the family I always wanted, the family that I was convinced I couldn't have, and instead of trying to help bring me happiness, you wanted to kill everyone that meant anything to me!"

"No!" Tasha screamed, full-blown sobs racking through her body. I was close enough that with a forceful lunge I could attack her, so I stopped and waited. Dimitri needed this, as awful as it was. It was his closure.

"No?" Dimitri mocked. "You're going to lie straight to my face and say that you weren't trying to kill Rose and my daughters?"

"I meant something to you!" she wailed. "At least I should have!" Met with Dimitri's silence, she went on, "For five years, I tried everything to get your attention. I wanted you, Dimka, and you never once even spared me a glance!" A sob. "With Rose out of the picture, you would have been left with your newly discovered children, and we would have been a family! We could have gone back home and raised them together—"

"You were ready to pawn one of them off." The scorn in Dimitri's voice was clear.

"That was Julian's price but I would have—"

"There was never a future for us to start with, Tasha." Dimitri said quietly. "And you should know that after all of this, there will never be a future for us. It's time for you to forget about revenge and about murder, and to just accept what is."

New sobs coursed through Tasha's body, and I could nearly feel her pain. If I didn't hate her so absolutely much to my core, I would have sympathized with her. Instead, I just wanted her to shut the fuck up.

Her tears ceased as she clung to some nonexistent hope. "No," she gasped. "This isn't the end. I've lost everything. I can't lose you too, Dimka."

Dimitri looked as disgusted as I felt. "You lost everything because of yourself. Christian loved you. He would have stood by you no matter what, and so would I. But after what you pulled, no one can stand you, Tasha, least of all us. So just stop—"

"No!" she roared, spinning around to face me, a new fireball glowing in hand.

I began to lunge with the rock firmly in my palm, but Dimitri was faster—as usual—and reached her from behind with the stake. I processed it quickly, but it seemed surreal as the stake slid effortlessly between her ribs, piercing her heart. Tasha's blue eyes went wide, and then blank. She crumpled to the ground, her fireball vanishing instantly.

I had never staked a Moroi before. I wondered how different it was than staking a Strigoi. As I raised my eyes to Dimitri's, I wasn't sure what to expect. Would he be devastated?

Instead, I saw peace. His face was pale as the reality struck him, but in those deep eyes of his, I saw his ability to breathe and trust again. He didn't have to worry about looking over his shoulder every other minute to soothe his fears that his family was in danger.

I understood, because I felt the same peace within me.

A moment of silence passed, where neither of us moved. We were still clad in our wedding attire, standing in the wreckage of a beautiful ceremony from only a while ago. The entire thing seemed dreamlike.

Then we connected, clinging to each other like we were the only things left, the only people in the world, breathing each other, kissing each other, loving each other. It was all I could do not to rip his clothes off and take him right here just to embrace life and the beauty of love.

Nothing like death threats on your wedding day to bring the bride and groom closer.

I wasn't sure how long we stayed like that. After a while, the crowd started to return. Guardians—among them my mother and Angelina, and apparently Lissa, Christian, and Adrian had fought their way back, too—moved forward, shocked by the scene before them.

Luckily, considering Tasha's dangerous convict-escapee status, neither of us was in any sort of trouble for our parts in her decease.

In fact, our wedding night continued as though there hadn't been a Strigoi attack on Court and as though Tasha hadn't actually tried—yet again—to slaughter me. People went out of their way to make us feel as comfortable as possible.

Dimitri closed the door to our home and then shed his jacket. He let out a weary sigh, but then looked at me with bedroom eyes. That was all it took to get me hot and bothered enough to forget about what I had wanted to talk about.

We closed the distance between us instantly, and our lips locked passionately. My fingers entwined in his hair, and his warm hands roamed the curves of my body. The feel of his body against mine made me rethink the events of today, and I put more emotion into my kiss. I didn't want to lose him. I couldn't lose him. And I would fight for him until my death, just as I knew he would for me.

I let out a squeal as he swung me off my feet, carrying me upstairs without letting our lips part for more than a second. I was amazed that he made it to the bed without even looking; he tossed me down gently, hoisting his body over mine, and the kissing and touching resumed full-scale.

We were wild and rowdy and fun, yet slow and sensual and loving. It was perfect.

And what was perfect yet?

This time, the twins didn't interrupt.

THE END