Chapter 15

The late afternoon sun cast a golden blush over the snow-covered landscape, turning the forest into a shimmering sea of white and peach. Holly sat by the fire, absently running her fingers through Hexi’s soft fur as she stared into the crackling flames. Demetrius was on the couch with Moonshadow and his book. Miracle on 34thStreet played on the television, but the sound was down low, and neither of them was really watching it.

Otherwise, the cabin was quiet, the tension from the past few days finally beginning to ebb away. But even in the stillness, her mind wouldn’t stop.

Neeva had spent the day helping Holly reinforce the protection spells around the cabin, carefully layering the magic they would need to ensure the dark forces remained at bay. The two witches had worked in silence for the most part, the weight of everything that had occurred still heavy on their shoulders.

Neeva had even helped Holly recast the barrier. But now, as the day drew to a close, Holly sensed that Neeva was going to move on. Call it intuition or a witch’s sixth sense, but that’s what Holly had begun to anticipate.

Neeva had helped repair the damage she had caused, but Holly had the feeling the woman no longer wanted to be where the reminder of her mistake was so present. Holly wasn’t sure where Neeva would go, but she perceived the older witch, who was still apologizing for what had happened, needed space to heal from her own mistakes.

At the moment, she was in Holly’s bathroom, freshening up before she went home.

Neeva came out and stood near the door, her coat draped over her arm, her expression thoughtful. She had been quiet all afternoon, but Holly could see the change in her—the guilt and fear that had once clouded her eyes had finally given way to something else. Something lighter.

“Thank you for being so understanding about everything, but it’s time for me to go,” Neeva said softly, breaking the silence. Her voice, though hesitant, held a note of resolution. “Not just home, but … somewhere else. I’ve done what I can here.”

Holly stood, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear, not surprised her premonition had come true. “You’ve done a lot. We wouldn’t have been able to stop the magic without you. That’s not even a question.”

Neeva gave a small, wistful smile, her hands wringing the edges of her coat. “I just wish I hadn’t been the one to set it free in the first place.”

“We all make mistakes,” Holly said gently, crossing the room to stand beside her. “What matters is that you stayed and helped fix it. You faced it. Please promise me you’ll forgive yourself? We all have.”

Demetrius nodded. “She’s right. No one has any hard feelings toward you. It could have happened to anyone.”

“Thanks,” Neeva said, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “I will try. I don’t know what’s next for me, but … I need to figure it out. Maybe a fresh start somewhere else would be just the thing.”

Holly reached out, placing her hand on Neeva’s arm. “You’re welcome in Nocturne Falls anytime. I mean that. You don’t have to leave for good.”

Neeva hesitated, then nodded, though her smile remained distant. “Thank you both. I’ll remember that.”

With a final glance at Demetrius, who now had Moonshadow on his lap, Neeva pulled her coat on and reached for the door handle. Holly walked her out, the cold air nipping at her face as they stepped onto the porch.

The snow had stopped falling, and the world around them was quiet, as if holding its breath. Neeva turned to Holly, her eyes full of gratitude and something that looked very much like hope.

“Take care of yourself,” Holly said, offering a warm smile. “And if you ever need help, you know where to find me. Us,” she quickly added.

Neeva gave her a little smile. “That’s kind of you. Thanks, Holly. For everything. And Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas, Neeva.”

And with that, Neeva turned and walked down the steps toward her car. Holly watched her, the stillness of the evening settling over the world like a blanket. She took a deep breath, feeling a sense of closure, as Neeva got into her car and drove off, disappearing down the road.

When Holly finally turned back toward the cabin, she found Demetrius standing in the doorway, his hands in his pockets, his gaze fixed on her. The enormity of everything they had been through hung in the air between them, but for the first time in days, they had space to breathe. Like the storm had passed and now they could move forward under blue skies.

“Neeva’s gone,” Holly said, stepping back inside and closing the door behind her. The warmth of the fire wrapped around her like an embrace, and she couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of relief. Not just because the darkness had receded and things had been put right again but because Demetrius was still there.

She couldn’t deny his presence gave her a sense of peace and protection she’d never felt alone.

Demetrius nodded, his gray eyes soft as he watched her. “She needed to leave, and she knew that. She has her own path to follow. I give her a lot of respect for being brave enough to understand that and act on it.”

Holly nodded, moving to sit in her armchair by the fire again. Hexi had already curled back up on the hearthrug, purring contentedly, while Moonshadow stretched luxuriously on the couch, seemingly unbothered by the events of the past few days.

Such was a cat’s life.

For a long moment, neither Holly nor Demetrius spoke, the crackle of the fire and the movie dialogue the only sounds in the room. The emotional whirlwind of the past few days had worn her out, but sitting here with Demetrius, she felt safe and newly energized.

More than that. She felt something she hadn’t thought possible. She felt loved by someone outside her family. Which wasn’t to say she thought Demetrius was on the point of proposing. She just knew he cared, and that meant a lot.

“I’m glad it’s over,” Holly said quietly, her eyes fixed on the flickering flames. “But I can’t help thinking … what now?”

Demetrius took the other armchair, sitting on the edge of the seat as if he wanted to be as close to her as possible, his gaze thoughtful. “Whatever comes next, we’ll handle it.”

Holly imagined there was a vulnerability in her eyes she couldn’t hide, but she didn’t care. She wanted him to know how she felt. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you, Demetrius. You’ve been … more than I could have asked for.”

Demetrius glanced at his hands. “You didn’t need me—you handled the magic on your own. You were a force to be reckoned with.”

Holly shook her head, her pulse ticking up as he lifted his head, and she met his gaze. “Maybe I could’ve handled the magic. But it wasn’t just the magic. You were there for me, Demetrius. You’ve kept me grounded. You’ve been … my anchor. My support. My protector. And I got the sense that you weren’t just doing it out of duty.”

For a moment, there was silence. Demetrius’s eyes searched hers, and Holly felt her body go warm under the intensity of his gaze. She had never allowed herself to think too deeply about the connection between them, but now, in the quiet of the cabin, with the storm behind them, she couldn’t ignore it anymore.

“I didn’t expect any of this,” Holly whispered, her voice trembling slightly. “Not the storm, not the magic, certainly not … you.”

Demetrius’s eyes filled with a look that made Holly’s heart skip a beat. He leaned in just a little, his voice a low murmur. “I didn’t expect any of this either. But I like it. I like you. A lot .”

Holly’s breath caught in her throat as she looked at him, her heart thumping so loudly, she knew he had to hear it. There was something that had been simmering beneath the surface since the moment they had met. And now, with nothing standing in their way, it was impossible to ignore.

“Demetrius…” Holly began, but her words trailed off as Demetrius reached out, his hand gently brushing against hers. His touch was cool but steady, and Holly felt a rush of warmth spread through her at the contact.

“I’m not going anywhere, Holly,” Demetrius said softly, his eyes never leaving hers. “I’ve told you that, and I’ll make it a promise now. I will be here until you don’t want me to be.”

She couldn’t imagine that happening. Her heart swelled at his words, and for the first time in a long time, she allowed herself to feel what she had been trying to deny. She had grown to care about Demetrius more than she had ever expected. And now, she didn’t want to lose him.

“I don’t want you to go,” Holly whispered, her voice barely audible. “I can’t imagine wanting that.”

Demetrius’s mouth curved into a small smile, and in that moment, Holly saw something she hadn’t seen in him before—vulnerability. He wasn’t just the stoic, brooding vampire who had been her protector. He was someone who had come to mean more to her than she had ever thought possible.

Without thinking, Holly leaned forward, closing the distance between them. Her heart raced as she initiated the kiss this time, pressing her lips to his, the warmth of the fire and the softness of the moment wrapping around them like a cocoon.

Demetrius’s hand came up to caress her cheek, his touch gentle, and emotion flooded through her. The weight of the darkness lifted, replaced by something lighter, something promising. Something that felt like the future.

When they finally pulled apart, Holly’s breath was shaky, but her heart was full. Demetrius held on to her hand, and she knew that the walls he had built around himself had begun to crumble.

“You should probably know I won’t be easy to get rid of. I will fight to keep you, I promise you that,” Demetrius said, his voice a low murmur. “But have patience with me. This whole relationship thing is not something I’m great at. Hard to admit that, but it’s true.”

Holly smiled, her heart swelling with affection. “I think honesty is a great way to start being great at it. It’s kind of new for me, too. So we’ll be patient with each other, okay?”

“I like that.”

As they sat together by the fire, the cabin warm and filled with a quiet sense of peace, Holly knew that whatever came next—whether it was dark magic, supernatural chaos, or just the everyday challenges of life—they would figure it out together.

It was crazy, but Holly felt like she had finally found where she was meant to be. Not just in Nocturne Falls but with Demetrius. What an amazing Christmas Eve this was.

They had faced the darkness, and now they had the chance to build something new.

Together. Which was probably the best Christmas gift she’d had in a long time.