Crescent Moon Page 26

  “Partners?” He held out his hand.

  In his palm lay a circlet of interlinked silver fleurs-de-lis with a moonstone center. The ring was so beautiful, I ached to put it on. But not yet. “When you say partners …?”

  “I’ll understand if you don’t want to marry me. Who knows when I might change under the crescent moon?”

  “I’d still love you, even then.”

  He just shook his head.

  “The only way I’ll do this is if we’re married. I adopt Luc. I’ll protect him if you can’t. Once that’s settled, we take the jobs, help save the world. Together, we’ll face whatever comes.”

  He hesitated so long, I feared he’d take back the offer and the ring. At last he slipped the silver circlet onto my finger, sealing the deal without saying a word.

  There was one thing that still bugged me.

  “Did you really believe everything that was between us was the result of magic?”

  “I still believe that.” Reaching out, he touched my cheek. “Don’t it feel like magic to you, cher?”

  I couldn’t speak, could only nod, as he took my hand, then led me away from my past and into a bright new future.

  The End

  Read Priestess Cassandra's story in MIDNIGHT MOON

  MIDNIGHT MOON

  About the Author:

  Lori Handeland sold her first novel in 1993. Since then she has written many novels, novellas and short stories in several genres—historical, contemporary, series, paranormal romance, urban fantasy and historical fantasy—for such publishers as Dorchester, Kensington, Harlequin, St. Martin’s, HarperCollins, Simon and Schuster and Penguin.

  She has been nominated five times for the RITA Award from Romance Writers of America, winning twice, for Best Paranormal and Best Long Series Contemporary. She is a Waldenbooks, Bookscan, USA Today and New York Times best-selling author.

  As well as writing The Nightcreature Novels, The Phoenix Chronicles, The Shakespeare Undead series, The Luchetti Brothers and several stand alone novels, Lori also writes gritty, sensual western historical romance under the name Lori Austin.

  Lori lives in Southern Wisconsin with her husband enjoying occasional visits from her grown sons.

  She can be reached through her website at:

  www.lorihandeland.com or

  www.loriaustin.net

  For a list of Nightcreature Novels, please go to:

  http://www.lorihandeland.com/night_creature.php