Everyone cheered and drank some more.
"That's Phineas," Howard explained. "Rhett bit him, and now he's part werewolf."
"Oh, how sad," Elsa murmured.
Howard smiled. "Not really. He's married to a werewolf girl, so it all worked out."
Shanna joined her husband on the dais, and he handed her the microphone. "I wanted to say a few words. As some of you know, I had a little trouble adjusting to being Undead. But after seeing Howard and Elsa struggle to be together, it reconfirmed in my heart how blessed we all are to have found each other. I couldn't be happier."
The crowd cheered for her, and Shanna's face glistened with pink-tinted tears. Her husband kissed her cheek.
"I have some good news, too," Shanna continued. "It nearly broke my heart to put our house for sale, but guess what? We're selling it to Austin and Darcy!"
Everyone clapped. Austin and Darcy grinned and waved at Shanna.
"Austin will be the new head of security at Romatech," Shanna explained. "And Darcy is working at the Digital Vampire Network in Brooklyn. They're moving into the house next week with their little boy and another baby on the way. And yes, Tino, they have invited you over to play."
"Yay!" Tino levitated in the air, and everyone laughed.
Shanna smiled at Howard and Elsa. "You have to admit, I made a great matchmaker."
Elsa leaned close to Howard and whispered, "Did you really have DVDs of me hidden under your bed?"
He nodded.
"And were you intending to admire me in secret forever?"
He smiled and took her hand. "I had already contacted your station to see where you would be working next. I just didn't realize it would be down the road."
She squeezed his hand. "I'm so glad you were going to hunt me down."
"And finally, let me congratulate the happy couple." Shanna lifted her glass to Howard and Elsa. "May you have a long and happy life together."
Everyone drank one last toast. Elsa joined them, although her heart sank. This was the only problem she could see in their future. Howard would live for hundreds of years, and she wouldn't.
"Ja, a long and happy life." Ula looked at her and smiled.
"That's true," Greta said. "Now that you're no longer in danger, you can live as long as the other guardians."
Elsa blinked. "What do you mean?"
Greta sipped some champagne. "Your mother was my younger sister, but I never told you that she was thirty years younger than me."
Ula waved a hand. "You are still very young, Greta."
Elsa turned to her great-aunt. "How old are you?"
"Four hundred and eighty-two. Or three?" Ula shrugged. "I lose count."
Elsa's mouth fell open.
Howard leaned toward her aunts. "Are you telling me Elsa could live for hundreds of years?"
Greta nodded. "It's part of being a guardian."
"Oh my gosh." Elsa pressed a hand to her chest. "You never told me that."
Ula shrugged. "We weren't sure you would live very long. Not with the curse."
"But the curse is gone now," Greta added. "You can have a long and happy life."
Elsa looked at Howard. "We can be together for centuries."
His mouth twitched. "I guess I'd better treat you right."
"I guess so."
He leaned close. "How about a tour? I could show you my room."
She snorted. "You're an animal."
"I'm wild about you."
She glanced around the gym. Everyone was busy partying. "Let's go."