“Selma, are you sure?”
“Yes. We have a masquerade ball every New Year’s Eve. I thought you could wear it there.”
“Yes! This will be perfect.”
“I’ve held onto to this for years, Paige, waiting for you to come claim it. I can’t wait to see it on you.”
“You keep saying that. If you don’t mind me asking, how old are you?”
Selma walked over to her, she lowered her voiced and whispered in her ear, “Roughly a thousand years old.”
Selma removed the dress as Cal caught Paige’s limp body.
Paige clung to Cal before daring to turn her head and look at Selma, “Well, you look beautiful for an old fossil.”
Selma’s laughter could be heard through the house as Paige led Cal over to the tree and pulled out a beautifully wrapped gift.
Handing it to him, a tiny tear rolled down Paige’s cheek. She couldn’t believe her life. It was the Christmas morning she’d always dreamed about and she was surrounded with family and friends…and best of all, she was loved and cherished by the male of her dreams.
Epilogue
Victor stood on his balcony wrapped in shadows as he watched Cal and Paige play in the snow.
“You’ll have to tell them eventually.”
“I know, but I want them to be young and carefree for as long as possible.”
“Now that Cal’s soul bond is complete, he needs to know. You cannot continue to carry the burden alone.”
Victor chose to ignore him. “Cal told me about the old man they met at the trials. I must admit I almost laughed myself to tears over that one.”
“Are you saying I don’t make a convincing older gentleman?”
He snickered, “Of course not.”
Victor turned to look at his friend, the slash on his cheek proclaimed who he was to the world. Fortunately, the world had no idea what it meant.
“Dante, you carry more responsibility on your shoulders than I do.”
“That’s why I can tell you to share the burden. Bring Cal in on the secret, it’s his birthright.”
Victor sighed looking at Cal with sad eyes. “Soon, Dante. Soon.”