They love Nana, too. She lives with us, and helps us with the kids. Actually, she’s more like a second mom to them. I don’t know what I’d do without her.
As you can see, life is good. We weathered the storms and came out stronger on the other side.
—Because I’m an amazing leader.
Cole has entered the building, everyone.
—What? You know it’s true.
I do. I also know behind every excellent decision you made, there I was, directing you.
—And behind every crappy decision?
You were on your own.
—So that’s how this works?
I thought you knew. But, uh...honey? I think my water just broke.
(I wish you could see my husband right now. He’s chalk white, and there’s panic in his eyes. He can take down a horde of cleanse-resistant zombies with a crossbow, but he flips his lid every time I go into labor.)
I guess this is goodbye. Better now than when I start cursing—labor is the only time I suspend the Kat-rule about a lady never dirtying her mouth with foul words. Please know that we’re happy, and we’re excited to see what the future holds. (Also know that if you turn into a zombie, we’re coming for you. Just saying.)
Let your light shine!
Ali and Cole
Life didn’t turn out the way I once envisioned it.
Milla Martin here. I never get tired of saying my name—my legal tie to Aston. Once, I saw myself as a dedicated surgeon, but the night we cleansed Shady Elms of evil, Frosty and I got a little too excited to be together and didn’t use a condom. Nine months later, we welcomed Ryn into the world.
(We spent months agonizing over our son’s name. In the end, we wanted our firstborn to honor Kat. Kathryn. Without her, we would have been two ships passing in the night, blowing our horns at each other and threatening to war.)
During my pregnancy—when Frosty wasn’t pampering the crap out of me—I began to cook for the slayers.
—Yes. I rock.
He so does! But back to me! I cooked breakfast to start everyone’s day right. Lunch to fuel them for the coming battle, if zombies were spotted. Dinner to recharge them when they returned from patrol. I rediscovered my love of the kitchen. And then, when Ryn arrived, I didn’t want to leave his side.
Ryn has grown into an amazing boy. He’s quiet, but he’s smart. He studies a situation before he comments or acts. Like Ali’s kids, he’s a brand-new breed of slayer. He has abilities, and then some. The things he can do while he’s in the spirit realm... I’m still shocked sometimes. On his first hunt, he somehow stopped time, cleansed all the zombies he could, then restarted time, leaving the rest of us floundering in the seemingly instant change of situation.
Uncle River says Ryn will be the next leader of his crew. My brother hasn’t settled down, or found a nice girl to love (or even a mean one). In fact, he’s wilder than ever. He’s convinced another war is headed our way. Evil isn’t dumb, he says; it waits for the perfect time to strike.
I worry for him sometimes, for all of us, but I know that no matter what happens, we’re in this together, and together we will prevail.
—Also, we’re kind of badass.
This is true.
—And now I would be forever grateful if you’d stop writing your—our—letter so I can start loving you properly. Ryn just left to spend the day with Uncle Riv...
Got to go!
Never look back,
Milla and Frosty
I’m awesome. Just thought you needed the reminder.
My friends are so happy. Their kids are little terrors—but adorable! I love watching their lives unfold. Do I wish I walked among them? Yes. I’d be crazy not to. But I also wouldn’t give up my amazing afterlife. Dude. I’m, like, forever HAWT. Not that I know how hot I am. And the fact that I don’t know just makes me hotter.
When kids die before their time, they enter the holding zone, where they continue to age. Of course, everyone stops aging somewhere around thirty-three. I’m twenty-eight now and I’ve only gotten awesomer. My peers can’t get enough.
That’s right. This little Kitty Kat is playing the field and loving it. Hear me purr! Except...none of the guys up here compare to one I can’t seem to stop watching down there...and no, it’s not Frosty. The horror! He’s totally nuts for Milla, and that’s the way it should be. It’s—ugh, I can’t believe I’m admitting this, but...it’s River.
There. Now you know. The boy is a ten on my bow-chica-wow-wow scale. And you’ve heard the old saying, right? Two hawts can totally make a right.
Anyway. I’ll get to spend real time with River soon enough. I’ll get to spend time with all the slayers. You know they won’t live forever, right? You heard what Frosty once said: death is hereditary. An-e-way. I know my friends will be surprised to find out what, exactly, happens up here. Like, we seriously have our own war going on. I’ve had to learn to fight, and yeah, you guessed it, I’m pretty amazing at it. Probably the best ever. If probably is the new word for definitely. When you got it, you got it. No use denying it.