I wiggle my brows at him. “Helps that you fucked me so good that I felt nothing but peace and happiness as I went unconscious.”
“You didn’t have any pain?”
“None. And that’s all thanks to you.” I take a sip of the thick liquid and let it roll over my tongue before I swallow it down. “Not bad. Would you like some?”
“Sure,” Arran breathes out and sips from my chalice.
“Looking like a badass queen,” I say with a wink.
Arran rubs a finger over my bottom lip. “I think that smart mouth needs to be taught a lesson.”
“Only if you can catch me,” I shout as I bolt out of the bed.
And so the first day of the rest of my life starts, adventure after adventure waiting to be had with my Arran, Starry Hill, and whoever else we’ll be fortunate enough to call our friends.
Epilogue
Calliope
Twenty Years Later
Walking up to the castle, I rehearse what I want to say in my head. Out of all of my mom’s friends, I know Audrey will be the most realistic with her advice.
Tonight, all eight of us nieces and nephews are having a big sleepover in the castle to kick off summer vacation, an annual tradition that Audrey and Arran started as soon as we were old enough.
They invite all their friends’ kids over while the adults, both the parents plus those who decided not to have children, have their own party on Pack Morgan’s island—the details of which I’ve never been bold enough to ask about.
All the kids usually arrive around sunset, but I came a little earlier, hoping to catch Audrey alone before there are too many inquisitive ears everywhere.
Hand raised to knock on the cherry-red door, it opens before I’ve even made contact.
“There’s my favorite niece,” Audrey says as I bend down to hug her.
“I bet you say that to every one of us tonight,” I reply as I straighten up again.
“Maybe. But you were the first,” Audrey adds with a wink and leads me into the kitchen. “Tea, coffee, juice, beer?” Giving me a look over her shoulder she adds, “Fresh blood?”
“Good on the blood, but maybe a glass of wine?” I ask, giving her my most innocent look.
Audrey waves a dismissive hand and reaches for two wine glasses. “No need to pull that face. You’re on break from university and I’m under no false pretenses that you haven’t been living it up in the big city.”
“Scottsfort isn’t really considered a big city and it’s much nicer than Cape Easton. And everyone drinks there,” I say, feeling like I need to explain myself a little.
“Don’t worry. I remember well from when Arran and I visited a few years ago.” Holding out two bottles, Audrey asks. “Red or white?”
“White, please.”
Audrey sighs. “And here I thought I’d raised you well.”
“Can’t be perfect all the time, unlike Orion.” Only once the words are out of my mouth, do I realize I said them out loud. I cringe, getting ready for whatever speech Audrey is bound to give me.
As if moving in slow motion, Audrey turns around, her brows halfway up her forehead. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Shrugging, I stammer my way through an explanation. “You know, he’s the good son. The one who was happy to stay in Starry Hill and do his education degree online so he can help out at the school at the same time.”
Audrey tilts her head to the side, not a trace of a smile to be found on her face. “And moving away from everyone andeverything you know and love to go to university in a different city to become a doctor isn’t somehow equally impressive?”
“Not if you consider the situation I’m in,” I mutter under my breath, forgetting how sensitive Audrey’s vampire hearing is.
