The Wiccan Diaries

Epilogue – Halsey




It felt like I was floating. It was morning. And I was in a bed. I didn’t recognize the people staring down at me. How much time had passed? Where was Marek, now? What was that thing that had saved me from him?

None of it mattered anymore, because when my eyes finally adjusted to the light, my friends were gathered there. I saw Lia and Gaven. They smiled at me fiercely. I think Lia even gave me a wink. Gaven said, “It’s about time you woke up, Halsey. You had us worried for a moment.”

I nodded; it felt good to be liked.

Gaven was still too good-looking to endure; it made my heart do funny things. Next came Ballard, all curly headed and nonchalant. But I could tell he cared.

Lia and Gaven gave us space. They wanted to be alone together. “When you get better,” said Lia, “we’re going shopping.” She waved good-bye.

I heard the motorcycles down in the street. I must’ve been at their house.

“Did we do it? Did we win?” I asked Ballard, smelling his lemon-scented skin.

He nodded.

“And did you, you know––? No one died, did they?” I asked, in a matter-of-fact tone.

“We made it. All of us,” said Ballard. “Except for Marek, of course. He escaped. Got away. You’re the only one he bit.”

I remembered suddenly. “Oh no,” I said. “The Suck. Marek had it. Did it spread to me?”

I felt callous and self-centered, but I couldn’t help it. Ballard waved my fears aside.

“It takes forty-eight hours before someone who is bitten can spread it to another living person,” he said. “Though, if you really want to call a vampire living....”

“Don’t,” I said. “Where is Marek now?”

“I don’t know, and I don’t care. He can’t harm you anymore. That’s all I care about,” said Ballard.

I chided him. “You know that radar in your head isn’t very good. I thought you knew when––” I didn’t want to criticize Marek too much “––something was after us,” I said.

“I’ve been thinking about that,” said Ballard. “I think when Marek helped rescue us––” He didn’t like the word, but persevered anyway “––it may have crossed a wire or something in my head. We were surrounded by vampires, after all. How was I supposed to know you had to look out for the ones who only pretended to be nice?”

I wanted to tell him that I loved him. That I would never forget that it had been he and I together, in the beginning. Instead I just said, “I know who you are now, Ballard.” I motioned for him to lean closer. “Your secret’s safe with me.”

He didn’t say anything for a while. When he finally did speak, he said, “There’s someone else here who wants to see you.”

Ballard left me and I closed my eyes.

“Hello beautiful.” When I opened them, Lennox was standing there.

He couldn’t come any closer because the room was bathed in light, but he smiled from the corner. It was more glorious, that smile, than the fact that we were all whole and alive. We were together and we were safe. All of us.

I felt a little jolt go through me about the one that got away.

“It was him, Lennox. Marek. He was the one who was killing all of those girls. He told me so,” I said.

Lennox nodded. Silent. He had some flowers that he’d brought.

I didn’t want him to be quiet guy again. “You don’t have to stalk me, you know?” I said. “I want you to use those supernatural powers you’ve got to visit me often. Because I’m not going back––To New England. My place is here now. I have a lot to figure out, and I could use a vampire to help me.”

My speech had worn me out. Lennox just sighed, and said, “I never expected this. I never thought that I could ever have someone affect me the way you do.”

It was like magic to my ears.

One thing was worrying me, beyond the fact that my landlady was probably going to kick me out when I got back. In the night, it finally dawned on me.

I reached out for Lennox. He was there, waiting for me. I think the spell was only broken by our kiss. Whatever was out there, was out there. It could never truly get to us, I told him, unless we let it into our souls.

“And you live in mine, alone,” I said.


Lennox pressed his lips to mine, and I felt his warmth, gentle and complete. It washed over me, that I had a vampire and a friend. I had a life.