I decided to be nice and post the epilogue now too. :)

Epilogue

I kicked a rock along the stone path as August and I slowly made our way through the garden. August had called the police after I'd passed they'd rushed right over. Colton was taken in and we directed them to where Isis was still tied up in her house. They were both imprisoned for at least twenty years now. According to the cops.

I had a large bruise on my stomach that was finally starting to fade from when Colton had kicked me. My head had required several stitches and the doctors had wanted me to take some therapy for post-traumatic stress. I'd promptly refused. I was trying hard to forget everything that had happened. I didn't need some random guy reminding me all the time.

We'd found Dixie a few weeks ago. Apparently she'd been living only a few towns over from us. How weird is that? Together the three of us pitched in to rent a small apartment on the other side of town. In a place where no one knew me or Colton. A place where we could start fresh.

Alfie's death still haunted me in my nightmares. I wished desperately that there was a way to bring him back, but I knew there wasn't. He was gone for good. He'd given his life so we could come here and start over. Begin a new life and I wasn't about to disappoint him.

"So what are your plans now?" August asked, his fingers entwined with mine as we walked through my favorite garden. We'd come here every now and then to get away. We cherished our times spent alone together. "We've been back for nearly a month now. I doubt you want to keep working at the diner forever."

"I don't know. I'm guessing you still want to find your mom?" I looked up to see shock written across his features. "I listened to the recording on the mp3." I answered his unspoken question.

He shrugged then. "I suppose. Someday."

"I'll help you." I told him. "You helped me through so much. It's my turn to return the favor. Let me help you?" I pleaded.

He smiled down at me. "I'd love that."

"I'm not sure what Dixie will do. If she'll come with us or if she'll want to stay in one place for a while. I know it's taken some getting used to being here after being gone for so long. So many things have changed in the years that she was in the curse."

August nodded. "We'll let her decide."

"I hope you have the recording memorized. I lost the thing somewhere back inside the curse. I couldn't go back in to find it even if I wanted to." I teased.

"No worries. I've had that thing memorized since I was really young." He smiled at me. "I love you, Taryn."

"I love you too, August." I pressed my lips against his then. I was so thankful to be home. Thankful to have him here with me, to know that we were both alive and well. It was also nice to know that Isis and Colton were behind bars where they couldn't hurt anyone for a very long time. Things were finally starting to look up. I had future to look forward and I knew, without a doubt that August would be there with me, every step of the way. It was the start of a new adventure. But it was one that I was looking forward. One that I was completely willing to dive into, headfirst.

So that's the story of how I defeated my family's curse, found some amazing friends, made a new family and finally found true love. It may not have ended the way I had wanted it to, but you can never decide how your story ends. You can only take it, chapter by chapter, making the best decisions you can make. You'll slip up occasionally, make a decision you'll later regret, but in the end, as long as you've stayed true to yourself and done the absolute best you can, that's all that matters.

I don't know about you, but I'm ready to go out and find another adventure. Life's too short to sit around and wait for one to find you. Until next time!

And that's a wrap! Hopefully you all enjoyed it as much as I have! There may or may not be sequel coming in the near future. I haven't completely decided on that though . . . your thoughts? Would a sequel only drag out the story too much or do you think I should do it?

Thank you, thank you, thank you! You all have been so supportive and simply amazing! Love you and I can't wait to see what the future holds!

Until we meet again! Bye!