Epilogue

Manrick

"You did what?" Manrick shook his head and glanced at Claudia. She shrugged, clearly as surprised by the news as he was.

Archer and Trixie beamed at him.

"Eloped."

"You." Manrick looked around the patio of the restaurant. Dinner by moonlight had become their favorite double date night with Archer and Trixie. Something delicious to eat, a glass of wine, and then the couples went their separate ways. Who knew what Archer and Trixie were up to when they parted company. Claudia and Manrick always strolled through the cemetery a few blocks from her house. Now and then they grabbed a snack on the way home—occasionally a bit of decaying human flesh, but more often than not, a bite of scavenged carrion, mostly in the form of roadkill. "You. You two. Eloped."

"Yes." Archer nodded. "Did I stutter?"

"When?" Claudia asked. She peeked at the waiter as he topped off her wine glass and gave him a nod.

"Where?" Manrick waved the waiter away. He'd had enough, and he wanted a clear head for this story.

"Last weekend."

Manrick narrowed his eyes at Trixie and then turned to Archer. "You were in Vegas last weekend. At a conference."

"I was."

"You went, too?" Claudia asked Trixie. "I thought you and your grandma went to New Orleans to visit relatives."

"We did." Trixie aimed a small smile at Archer. "We were having a great time. And then Archer called me, he was so sweet. Asked me to come out and spend a few days in Vegas with him. He had a gorgeous suite at The Mausoleum."

Manrick noticed the flicker of excitement in Claudia's eyes.

"We did some gambling," Trixie continued. "And Archer took down a few creeps."

Manrick cut a questioning look to his master.

"Coupla losers bothering some young girl."

"Nice." Claudia nodded her approval.

"And we had a nightcap. And the next thing I know, Archer was down on his knee with this gorgeous ring."

She held her hand out to Claudia to show off the diamond, even though the Martians could probably see it from their home planet. Manrick had noticed it immediately, when he and Claudia were walking to the table on the patio to join Archer and Trixie. He'd been surprised at what he thought was an engagement. But he had never suspected his master would elope.

"Sounds romantic."

Manrick would have to be blind not to see the stars in Claudia's eyes.

Two months had passed since that first kiss, that night he had recognized Zilla from Claudia's profile picture on the dating app—the one both of them had deleted. Julian had asked them to come in and do a video testimonial for the dating agency, as Archer and Trixie had done. Both of them had politely declined. After all, they might prove to be the real thing, but had they really hooked up via the app?

Because Manrick had to admit he was smitten with Claudia the night they saw the scary ghoul movie together.

"It was so romantic," Trixie whispered and closed her eyes. "He?—"

"Maybe we don't need to share all the details," Archer suggested.

"I'll second that." Manrick nodded and tapped his glass to Archer's.

He and Claudia had made love often in those two months. Maybe she and Trixie talked openly about such things, but Manrick had no desire to swap details with his master. Double dating was fun; now that he and Claudia were falling hard in love, he was glad Archer had pushed him to get the phone and even download the dating app.

But he drew the line at the whole kiss and tell thing.

"So," Trixie, cheeks flushed now, continued. "We went to the Monster Matrimony chapel and got married."

"Wow." Claudia wiggled in her seat with excitement. "That's perfect! We're happy for you, aren't we, Manrick?"

"Of course we are," he said and nodded with enthusiasm. "Congratulations!"

"Thank you." Trixie beamed at Archer, clearly very much in love.

"We should throw a party for you," Claudia suggested. "A reception!"

Manrick waited for Archer to bat down the idea, but once again, Archer shocked him.

"That sounds like a great idea." He nodded. "It would be a good place for someone else to…maybe propose marriage."

Manrick felt his cheeks flame as all three of them stared at him.

"Me?" he asked with a laugh.

Claudia wore a small smile, but she looked embarrassed, too. "I'm sure Manrick has no desire to be husband number twenty."

Maybe that number might scare other men or creatures off. But not Manrick.

Archer and Trixie chuckled and tapped their glasses together. Manrick reached for Claudia's hand.

"Ya never know," he said softly.

Most likely, Archer and Trixie didn't hear him. But Claudia quirked an eyebrow at him and lifted her lips in a beautiful smile.

And nodded.