Allie was silent a moment as she dressed, but as she did up the light summer dress she’d donned, she said, “Then I think I would like Erik.”

When Magnus turned to her with surprise, she pointed out, “He was your friend, and if he hadn’t convinced you to go a’viking, you never would have been turned and I never would have met you.”

Magnus nodded solemnly and walked over to slip his arms around her. “Then Erik, it is.”

Allie smiled, but then asked anxiously, “Are you sorry we’re having a child right away like this?”

“No, of course not. As I said when you told me about Drina’s plan the night we killed Abaddon, I have always wanted a family.”

“Yes. But I’ve been worrying that you just agreed to make me happy. Most newly married couples want a little time to enjoy each other before—”

“Allie, my love,” he interrupted. “We have hundreds of years to enjoy each other. Besides, with Drina, Leonora, and Edward’s Dawn all having babies too, our child will be as lucky as their brother, and have friends and playmates to grow up with. That is a rare and wonderful thing.”

Allie relaxed, and then rose up on her tiptoes to kiss him lightly on the chin, “You are rare and wonderful, Magnus. I love you.”

“Allie, I have lived more than twelve hundred years and can tell you without any doubt at all that you are the most rare and wonderful find in this world.” He kissed her softly on the lips and then took her hand to lead her to the door to the hall, adding, “And I have lived everywhere in this world.”

“Everywhere?” she asked with interest. Magnus had told her some of his history, but he had a lot of history. Twelve hundred years’ worth, and they were both too easily distracted by each other and ended up making love before he could tell more than one story. Fortunately, they had a long future in front of them; she’d hear it all eventually.

“Everywhere,” Magnus assured her now, and then added wryly, “But never did I imagine I would end up living in Baby Central and so happily.”

Allie burst out laughing at that comment. She always found it amusing that the men had taken to calling Port Henry Baby Central, and was still smiling over the name as Magnus ushered her out of the house. Pausing on the back deck of their new home, she glanced over the large backyard. It was actually the combined backyards of Casey Cottage, Mabel and DJ’s house, and now Allie and Magnus’s own home beside Casey Cottage as well as the house backing theirs.