Epilogue

Gertrude

T he bell to my shop rings while I'm packing an order for a customer.

"Be right with you!" I call over my shoulder, before turning and handing over the box of potions to the customer at the counter.

"Thanks, Gertrude," says Lenny, a lake monster regular of mine. "You're the best."

"You're welcome," I smile. "Enjoy your party!"

He turns to leave and I look around him to see who my next customer is.

"Vlad!" I say, "What a surprise." I'm teasing him. I see him almost everyday for lunch, where we usually sneak in a little afternoon delight. It's been a little over a month and a half and we still can't take our hands off of each other.

Vlad comes forward and leans over the counter, giving me a deeper kiss than is strictly proper for being practically in public, but I don't care. I want to kiss him all the time, no matter who is watching.

"You'd think," the vampire says, pulling apart, "that since I'm sleeping with the owner, I'd get priority service around here."

"Nope," I tease back. "You have to wait your turn, just like everyone else."

"You wound me," he feigns, before smiling. "Ready for lunch?"

"Yep, let me just get Gretchen," I say, untying my apron and coming out from around the corner.

"Oh? Isn't she busy with candy orders?"

"It's fine," I tell Vlad. "It was part of our deal when she started her business in my backroom that she'd watch the shop occasionally."

"Occasionally isn't every day," Vlad points out. "I don't want your twin to hate me."

"She doesn't hate you," I assure him. "She's fine. Be back in a bit."

I go back and ask Gretchen to mind the store, and she does seem a little shorter with me than usual. Oops. Maybe Vlad is right. I guess I have been leaving her to mind the store more than usual. I'll think of a way to make it up to her, though.

Taking Vlad's hand, we head out of the shop and, like usual, I put my arms around his neck so he can fly us home. We take turns staying at each other's houses now that I put a cloaking spell on his bedroom so the house can't watch us at night. I could just bring my broom, I suppose, but I enjoy flying in Vlad's arms and he enjoys carrying me, so it's a win-win.

Vlad surprises me though by flying to Hallow's Eve Park in the middle of the neighborhood. There's a large hill in the park with a giant tree on top, one that forever has the perfect orange autumn foliage on it, even now in December. Vlad flies us there and, to my delight, I see a picnic laid out waiting for us.

"Vlad," I say as he puts me down, "you shouldn't have."

"It's nice to surprise you every once in a while," the vampire says. "You deserve nice things."

We sit down and I dig into the delicious sandwiches Vlad prepared and the slice of pumpkin pie waiting for me in the picnic basket. Vlad pours himself a glass of Type AB blood, his favorite, but only sips on it, looking a little nervous.

"What's up?" I ask once I'm done with my sandwich. "You're not really drinking your blood."

He chuckles a little, putting down his glass. "Guess I can't put anything past you. You know me too well."

"Well, you are my boyfriend," I point out.

Vlad's face turns serious and he says, "Gertrude, I want to be more than that. You know that."

"I do know that," I say, cocking my head curiously. Where is this going?

Then Vlad gets on one knee and my heart stops. He pulls out a small black box and pops it open to reveal a ring with an enormous purple diamond.

"Gertrude Nightshade, love of my life, witch of my dreams," he says, "Will you marry me?"

My eyes fill with tears, even as love floods my heart. Unable to speak, I just nod and then he's kissing me, passion and relief in his lips.

"I'll make you happy," he says, pulling back from me and then sliding the ring on my finger. "Every day. I promise."

"Oh, Vlad," I respond, pulling him back for another kiss. "You already do."

The End