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Epilogue

H e hadn’t taken that much money from the Duke’s estate, only enough for Hugh to buy a private townhouse on a quiet street not far from the old East End Cemetery. It had once been the place where an undertaker had done his funerary services before transporting the coffins to the cemetery, but the rumors that the house was haunted were enough to keep most away from it. The fact that the caretaker’s cottage at the cemetery, long abandoned, had an underground passage leading to the cellar of the townhouse had nothing to do with Hugh purchasing it for his new residence. None at all.

After they had returned to London, Hugh had gone to the Metropolitan Police station to find Anthony, who had been taken there by the fire brigade as well as examined by Dr. Ledbetter to ensure he was all right. Apart from a few cinder burns on his feet, he was given a clean bill of health. He had left the cape with Constable Depesh, who promised to return it to Hugh when the other constable reappeared.

Jack, after ensuring that Hugh was dropped off at Scotland Yard that night, had immediately gone to the abandoned theatre that had been the gathering point for the aristocrats of Eden, going down into the underground cavern. No one was left there, living or dead. The bodies of the missing and the slaughtered were gone, as was the body of Sergeant Reardon. The aristocrats had obviously redressed and left, for there was no sign of them that he could find except for one dropped mask under the round table in the main chamber. The mask the Duke had been wearing that he must have discarded when he rushed out to take his carriage to the orchard.

The rooms full of horrors were clear of blood and other things, though the tools of their evil games were still there. Jack smashed or burned everything he could find, going meticulously from alcove to alcove until he was sure he had been in every single space. And then he left Eden, sealing it up like a sepulcher. He came back to check it each night for months on end, but no living thing ever broached its walls again.

Hugh met with Anthony a few weeks later, undercover once more so no one would know he was a police officer. Mr. Galloway seemed a little sullen, and Hugh wondered if it was because he had lost his biggest source of income from the monthly parties at Eden. Anthony confirmed that there were no ‘special events’ planned for the foreseeable future, which he and Morris and the other young men at The Bull and Parasol seemed grateful about.

“I wish I could do more to help you,” Hugh said, catching Anthony’s hand in his and giving it a squeeze.

Anthony gave him a sweet smile. “You found who killed Christopher, and you stopped the monsters. I’d say you did a-fucking-lot.”

“But you’re still stuck here,” Hugh said, gesturing to the dreary bedroom.

Anthony shrugged his petite shoulders. “You can’t save everyone from everything, Hugh. If you can make the streets a little safer, that’s doing a lot.”

Hugh smiled and embraced the dark-haired young man. “I’ll always do that for you.”

Anthony hugged him back tightly. “Say hi to Jack for me.”

“Of course, I will,” Hugh replied, pulling his hat on. “I’ll see you around.”

Jack

Jack ascended the incline to the door that led directly into the basement of the townhome. He paused at one of the sheets of paper tacked to the wall, picking up a pen to cross off two of the names listed there. Lord Joseph Arthur and Lady Gwendolyn Arthur. He still had a few more to determine identities for, but Hugh was confident they would find the remaining Garden of Eden members who had escaped. Next to the list was a newspaper clipping, with a rather inaccurate depiction of him with his horns showing in front of the top hat on his head. How silly would he be to wear a top hat and not use them to cover his horns? SPRING-HEELED JACK MURDERS SUSPECTED MUTILATOR OF WOMEN declared the headline. Sometimes he was a hero, and sometimes he was a villain, depending how much evidence Hugh was able to find that could be presented to the public regarding the horrific activities of the aristocrats of Eden. But he was all right with that. It kept the evildoers of London on their toes, watching over their shoulders for Spring-Heeled Jack, the vigilante bringer of justice to those who deserved it.

Hugh was in the kitchen, humming tunelessly as he chopped vegetables to go into a large pot. He looked up as Jack climbed the cellar stairs and came into the kitchen. “I had a good night,” Jack said with a grin.

That was Jack’s way of saying that his hunt had been successful. The only thing Hugh knew about it beyond that was the list of names in the basement that he had provided Jack whenever he found another former member of Eden. He beamed at him. “I am sure you worked up an appetite. The soup will be ready in about an hour.”

“Oh?” Jack said, coming up behind him and wrapping his arms around Hugh’s waist. “What can we do in that hour?”

“I don’t know,” Hugh teased, swaying them lightly as he dumped the vegetables into the pot and placed the lid on it.

“I have a few ideas.” Jack gave Hugh’s ear a nibble, then ran his tongue lightly over the scar just below it where Adam had nearly taken Hugh from him. “Mmm, I love you, Hugh Danbury.”

Hugh chuckled and leaned back into Jack’s arms. “And I love you, Spring-Heeled Jack.”

“That is still such a strange moniker,” Jack said. “There are absolutely no springs in my heels.”

“Well, Bat Man would be a rather silly name,” Hugh replied, grabbing Jack’s cape and wrapping it around them both.

Jack rolled his flame eyes and grinned. “Yes, I suppose it would. Well, no matter what my name is, I’m going to make you scream it.” He scooped Hugh up in his arms to carry him upstairs.

Hugh laughed and rested his head against Jack’s warm chest, his soulmate who had saved his life and countless others, assisted him in solving a series of violent crimes, and delivered justice to those who thought they were untouchable. He was a light amongst shadows. He had crossed time and space to be here, and they would always be together. Love was the strongest force in the universe, and they would always have love, through good times and bad, whatever was to come.

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