Not to mention he didn't really want anyone to know about Nick. At least not until Nick was ready to deal with the world. Right now the man was too hurt and too angry.

Not that Ash blamed him in the slightest.

After the priest finished, Amanda and Tabitha placed the roses they held in their hands at the door of Cherise's tomb while the priest and the Peltiers left.

Amanda paused beside Ash. "We're having a memorial service later for Nick at our house. Just the Dark-Hunters and Squires. We'd like for you to be there."

Ash nodded, but refused to meet her eyes. If he did, he was sure she'd know the truth.

He didn't move until he was alone. Sighing, he glanced at the stone monuments around him that made up the cemetery. There were so many people here whom he'd personally known. So many he'd seen live and die.

He could hear the sound of their voices on the wind, remember their faces, their lives.

Just like Cherise, they were now nothing more than memories to haunt him.

"I'm sorry, Cherise," he whispered.

Stepping forward, he created a mavyllo, a sacred black rose that had been created by his mother, and laid it beside the red ones. Unlike the red ones, it would take root here and grow in memory of her.

It was the highest honor his kind could bestow on anyone.

"Don't worry, Cherise. I won't let anything else bad happen to your son… I promise."

This scene is the one I'd thought to put in the back of Dream

Chaser, but again, it didn't really fit. For those who've fol

lowed the Dark-Hunter and Dream-Hunter series, you'll re

call that in Talon's book, Night Embrace, the Charonte

escape from Kalosis and vanish.

They're all assumed dead.

In Dream Chaser, we find out that they did survive. In fact,

a large group of them have taken refuge in New Orleans.

And for those of you curious, the demons will return in

Fang and Aimee's book which will be out summer 2009.

In the meantime, here's the reunion scene between Simi and

her brother.

DREAM CHASER OUT-TAKE

"Why we coming to an old stupid club, akri? The Simi wants to shop."

Ash looked hid his smile as she led Simi and Xirena toward the building at the corner of the block. "Well, it's a special club."

"Special how?" Xirena asked irritably. Like Simi, she wanted to shop and eat. "Is there food there?"

Ash nodded. "Pretty sure since the name of it's Club Charonte."

Simi stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. "Did akri buy his Simi a club?"

"No, I didn't."

"Then how did it get named that?"

"You'll see." Ash tugged her gently forward.

The demons picked up their pace as they neared the club that wasn't open for business yet. A screaming pink neon sign flashed above it.

Ash used his powers to unlock the door before he led them inside. The moment he did, Xirena let out an ear-piercing shriek. "Xedrix!" She ran across the room to tackle her brother to the floor.

Simi scowled. "Is that the Simi's Xedrix, akri?"

"Yes, Sim, it's your brother."

Simi bit her lip, but was more cautious as she went toward her siblings. Xedrix was trying to push Xirena off, but the moment he saw Simi, he froze.

"Xiamara?" he breathed. There was no way to mistake Simi since she was the exact image of the mother she'd been named after.

"Rik-rik?"

His human body changed immediately to his demon form as he shot out from under Xirena to embrace the little sister he hadn't seen in centuries. "You're alive!"

Simi wrapped her arms around him and squealed. "Rik-rik! I've missed you so much."

Ash stepped back, his heart pounding at the sight of her happiness. He knew he made the other Charonte demons in the bar nervous, including Xedrix. Since they were in thrall to the Atlantean gods, he technically owned them, and they still had a hard time believing that he wasn't interested in putting them back into chains.

"That was very decent of you."

He turned to find Xedrix's wife, Kerryna behind him. Tiny and blond, she was beautiful. The Dimme demon was also on the run from those who would harm her if they had a chance. But Ash didn't have a problem with demons.

Hell, he owed his sanity to one. And as he watched Simi he was grateful that he hadn't sent her packing when his mother had given her to him.

"Simi's my family. What makes her happy, makes me happy."

"I keep telling Xedrix that you're not like the other gods. He doesn't believe me yet. But I think he will eventually."

Ash offered her a smile. "Thanks. In the meantime, I'm going to wait outside. If Simi realizes I'm gone, tell her not to worry and to take her time."

Kerryna laughed. "Yeah, it's not like we don't have all the time in the world, right?"

"True." He looked down at her belly. She and Xedrix were expecting their own baby. "Congratulations."

"Thank you."

He started away.

"Acheron?"

He paused to look back at her. "Yes?"

"To answer your unasked question; yes, we are deliriously happy. The most beautiful thing about love is that it's blind to who and what we are. One day I hope you find it too."

Ash inclined his head to her before he left. How he wished he could believe that, but he knew better.

Happy endings were for other people. Never for him. But that was okay. He could take pleasure from other people's happiness. And looking back at Simi's, he was thrilled. He could live his life through her and that would always be enough for him.