::Epilogue::

[Three months later]

It was good being on my feet again, but I had no love for sunlight. I'd had enough UV rays to last an immortal lifetime. It didn't matter that the island's cloaking devices made it possible for immortals to be outdoors in the day time. I wanted no part of it at the moment.

I slowly made my way to the private clinic in the east wing of my new house. The walking cane eased the dull ache of attempting to move around on my own. I'd been advised against it, but being wheeled around everywhere felt grating on my nerves. I was not used to being helpless. It was far slower, but my dignity was intact.

When I finally got there, I met with the doctor that Loki had sent to me. The woman eyed the cane with that thin lipped disapproval she often wore when she saw me on my feet. "See you're still prematurely up and about, Master Alejo," she said getting the machines ready for me. I said nothing. I never spoke unless I found it necessary. The vibrations in my torso when I spoke were painful to say the least.

"It's because he's a stubborn asshole and won't listen to good sense," Ria said from the doorway. I smiled as she walked past me to plop onto the chair she always sat at whenever I went to get detoxified. The residual UV in my bloodstream was potentially fatal and Ria never let me forget that it was my own fault that I was in this mess.

"Where's my hero?" I croaked and winced. Her features tightened. "Ahh. With the therapist," I guessed. Ana was no soldier no matter how much she'd disguised herself as one that day. I had a newfound respect for her now. Not only because she'd saved my life and taken Samuel out of the equation − effectively returning me to my old position of unquestioned power.

She'd found a uniform, mask and had her hair pinned up like one of my soldiers to infiltrate a war she had no business being in simply to keep an eye on her sister.

Anyone who would risk their life to save Ria was good in my book. Granted, Ria had been safe in a submarine far from the fight all along. Ana didn't know that though. All she knew was that she'd overheard Loki talking about how Ria was being allowed to go with me on what she thought was a suicide mission. She was brave, I gave her that.

Unfortunately, she was not dealing with the aftermath of killing for the first time very well. She was talking to someone and she was getting better about the situation, but things were still shaky. I was not deluded into thinking she did this out of any love for me. It was a split second decision made to save the life of her sister. She was very much aware of the backlash her sister would face if I'd died. Pets and Masters were a package deal like that. Still, Ana was no killer. It would take her time to heal from that.

"Have you gotten any sleep?" Ria asked running her fingers under my eyes when I sat on the bed. I nodded. I'd been doing nearly nothing but sleeping for months. It was out of pure will that kept me from curling up on this bed and going right back to sleep. "You look like a raccoon," she sniffed but she still placed a tender kiss under each eye, "Maybe you should get some more rest. You're worrying me."

"Don't. My body's simply not used to being ill. It's not exactly pleased about it," I sighed and settled into the pillows, "I'll be fine. Never fear, Little Red. Soon I'll be up for more than just a simple feeding" She blushed and glanced at the doctor who was studiously ignoring my insinuations. She cleared her throat all the same. "You are a menace," Ria whispered with a grin, "I don't know why I put up with you."

I shot her my most devil may care grin in return. I was aware how weak it must have looked, but she still rolled her eyes and pushed my hair back.

It had become pretty evident that Ria was not shallow. I'd seen my reflection lately. Pallid complexion, dark circles, lips chapped and a definite dullness in the color of my eyes and hair. The poison in my system could only be siphoned out in small amounts at a time.

I looked far better than I had in the first two months after the incident. I expected to be up and running within the next four months or so.

Until then, Nico and Ria were working together to rebuild and improve on my army. The two had become fast friends. Nico seemed to like her company, looking at her with the same awe that he often turned on me. Just last week, he'd taken her to the movie night they had on the island every Thursday. She'd had a blast as she got the opportunity to get to know some of the soldiers who'd gone to see the show.

She was happier here. Before, she'd been purposely separated from the soldiers. They were too unpredictable, hostile and posed a constant threat. Now she was free to roam as she wished. No one here would cause her harm. Even if I couldn't keep an eye on her, Nico had taken up the role. He was as fiercely protective of both Ana and Ria. Ana had proven herself to him and Ria was noticeably important to me.

The detoxifying process was a pain in the ass, but it had to be done. I grit my teeth and sat through it. The toxins were making it difficult to heal the wounds as quickly as they should have. My face was still scarred because of it.

Still, I couldn't complain. I'd survived. Loki had stayed behind with Ana on the island since she'd wanted to be near Ria for the while. I found that having the three of them here living with me on the island worked. Loki had a workshop on the same floor as his kitchen, living room and bathroom areas. He and Ana shared that floor and they seemed content for now. They'd even taken to going to the beach from time to time with Ria.

Little Red, as usual, stayed through the process and then walked with me back to our room. She'd decided that she didn't want her own room anymore. I preferred it this way. With my limited mobility, it was a lot easier to tease and harass my Pet if she was nearer.

I eased myself into bed, feeling exhausted all over again. She eased in beside me, careful of my bare and bandaged torso. She turned my face to hers. "You'll be better soon," she promised, "And everything will be like it should." She took my hand in hers. Since my near death, she had become far more liberal with her affection − even though she always set a little time aside to remind me how right she was about all of this.

I allowed it, finding that it didn't bother me anymore. It was still disconcerting how she'd look at me like I was the most gorgeous thing she'd ever seen even though I looked on the brink of death. Hell even now she brushed her finger tips under the scars on my cheek and pressed warm lips against my own.

"Don't make me go through that again," she murmured he touch flitting over my mouth.

"I'll do what I can," was all I could promise.

"You're still a stubborn asshole," she huffed even as she combed my sleep rumpled hair behind my ear with feather light strokes, "And you had it coming to you."

"You love me regardless," I closed my eyes under her ministrations.

"Do I?"

"Yes, you do."

"…do you?" she teased.

I didn't respond and she hadn't expected me to. Instead, I pulled her closer against my aching side. Pushing her now red curls out of her face, I took her mouth in another kiss. It was deeper, hotter, far more possessive than the last. Fingers tracing her branding, I give her lower lip a tiny nip. She pulled away and searched my eyes for…something. "Alejo?" her voice was soft. I met her gaze. A small smile flirted on her lips and she laughed to herself. "Who would have thought?"

Again I didn't say anything, fingers combing at her hair. With time I would recover and when I do, I had every intention of properly taking the world by storm. And I had every intension of doing it with this woman at my side even as she insisted to everyone who'd listen that I was a stubborn asshole. It didn't matter. She was stuck with me now and she didn't seem to mind. That one week dating trial was long off the table and I didn't plan to bring it up again.

She was human but she was also my Pet. With small doses of venom always in her system, always altering her body and renewing her cells, we could stretch her life span as long as necessary.

My right hand woman was here to stay even with the brutality and violence that was bound to come when I took the world back into the palm of my hand. We had time. I could wait.

************************************

Man this story was a ride. It was so awesome writing an entire book in the villain's point of view. The saying is right; the villain really is the hero of his own story. And for the first time, the bad side won. It's probably no surprise to anyone that I actually preferred Scar to Mufasa in the Lion King. heheheheee. Plus it was cool writing something with actions scenes and with a bit of gore for once. I usually stick to romance.

So much changed in this story, but it was for the best:

Loki was originally the big bad and not Samuel.

Ana was not supposed to survive to the end of this book.

Nico was never meant to have a name. He was just supposed to be one of the people Alejo took advantage of in his youth.

I wasn't going to show Ares dying. Actually I had finished the entire story (epilogue and all) and Alejo was in my head like "You better go back and kill that fucker." So I did. I completed an entire book and had to go back because Alejo is such a stubborn asshole that he insisted that one more person had to die. Killing people even AFTER the story is over. I swear to God....this man.

Oh and I was just going to have Alejo kill Ares to pacify him and give him his justice (though he doesn't deserve it) but it felt right to have Nico do it. The Most Loyal vs The Traitor. 

Also, Loki was originally going to save Alejo but I liked Ana better for the job. Doing something hard out of sibling love and whatnot. Plus she was the underdog. The character I'd least expect to do something like that. It was cool to give her the hero-type moment instead. Besides, it's not every story you get someone who has a disability doing the saving at the end of the book anyway. So yay Ana ^_^

Anyways that's it for changes as I can remember. Alejo still a sadistic dick, but he's a much nicer sadistic dick now I suppose. At least he's capable of it once his stubborn, red headed pain in the ass makes him. hehe ;)