CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY SEVEN – RETURN TO THE MANSE

She shuddered, eyelids fluttering as she surrendered completely to the maelstrom of emotional catharsis crashing over her. Words failed, every eloquent utterance drying to dust on her tongue as she simply clung to him, drawing his intoxicating scents down into the core of her being. Alive. He was alive. Eventually, Alistair cleared his throat with gentle discretion, reminding the pair of his lingering presence only after cradling Becky into Karina's longing arms once more. He kept a healthy distance, allowing them their moment of reunion without intrusion. "I know not what manner of depravities those twisted souls at the Sanctus visited upon you," the old druid murmured, the gravity in his voice belying deep wells of simmering outrage. "But know that I shall move Heaven and Earth itself to see them scoured from existence before they can threaten our world further." Disentangling herself just enough to look upon her husband's ravaged features, Karina felt traitorous tears spill unhe