Page 83 of How to Train Your Demon

Finally, Lilith was nothing more than a pile of torn flesh, the demon gone, returned to the ether. Not killed in her true form, but gone for now at least.

I started to go to Allie, but Jared looked at me, a plea in his eyes. I nodded, and he knelt down beside her, holding her.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “It wasn’t Celia. It wasn’t Celia I ripped apart.”

“I know,” he said, then whispered soft words as I turned away to let them grieve together.

And so I could get busy with the demon riot going on in our elegant entry hall. Because all the demons Lilith had invited to her little coming out celebration were still here, and they were looking for a brawl. And all of my students and staff felt pretty much the same. I looked around and saw Fran and Stuart slipping out the back with Timmy, Eddie accompanying them as their escort. I made a mental note to thank Eddie later. Right now, I had other things to do.

“She made a huge mess out of our fabulous new school,” I said to Eric.

“That she did.”

“Feel like kicking some demon ass?”

We shared a grin. “You know what?” he said, “I really, really do.”

EPILOGUE

We stand on the hill overlooking the little cemetery behind the old mansion that’s now my home. Not mother and daughter. Not today. Right now, we’re just Kate and Allie, two Demon Hunters at the end of a battle.

We look down at the newest grave, the one where we’d interred Celia’s ashes. Jared is down there again, sitting by the freshly turned earth, just as he has been every sunset for the last four days.

“He loved her.” The words are quiet. Like a whisper. “He’d spent years looking for her. And he killed her to save me.”

“She was already gone. He knew that.”

“He couldn’t be certain.”

“Maybe. Maybe not. But he chose you. Can you live with that?”

“I don’t know. I don’t even know what it means. Does he love me? Because I think I love him.”

“I know, baby. And it’s going to be hard. And not just because he’s a vampire. It was hard enough with me and your dad. For that matter, it was hard enough with me and Stuart.”

“You’re telling me all relationships are hard. I figured that out a long time ago. I’m pretty sure that’s what YA novels are for. Especially the ones where a girl falls for a vampire.”

“My smart, sarcastic girl.” We share a laugh, and for a moment the heaviness of this moment disappears. “But it’s not just about Jared. It’s not even really about relationships. It’s about this life. Because if you stay on this path, there are going to be other losses. More tragedies. You’re going to lose people you love. You may even lose part of yourself. Are you prepared for that?”

“I don’t know.” The importance of this moment washes over me, and I stand taller as I draw a breath, then turn to face my mom. “But I know I’m not going to back away. This is who I am. And maybe Father Donnelly started something horrible back when Daddy was a baby. But maybe he started something good. Because of him, I can help people. Maybe even save the world. I have to try. Honestly, I want to.”

She wipes away a tear and nods. “I know. It scares the crap out of me, but I know.”

“You have to choose a path, too, you know. Not about Hunting. You already chose that. About Daddy. And Stuart. You have to tell him. You kept too many secrets.”

“I know. I will.” She turns to me with a sad smile. “It’s hard, though. I love them both.”

“Yeah. That’s why I think it’ll be okay.”

“Have I mentioned how proud I am of you? How much I love you?”

“I love you, too, Mom,” I tell her, then slide into her outstretched arms and lean in so I get the full force or her hug.

My name is Alison Elizabeth Crowe, and I’m a Demon Hunter, like my parents before me. And even though it’s scary as hell, I can’t wait to see where I go from here.