AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I can send a guard to escort you and Kendric to the dungeon area. Ten minutes?
We’ll be ready.
Epilogue
Nearly one year later
Lauren looked around the rooftop terrace one last time to make sure everything was ready.
Homewood had hosted all the holidays over the past year — Labor day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Chinese New Year. Her mother had been in Alfheim for Halloween, and Lauren had opted to celebrate New Year’s Eve with her family and friends in Vegas.
She’d gone to Alfheim with her mother for a few of their festivals, too.
But it was time for her to host her extended family, and what better time to do it than the Fourth of July, where they could watch the fireworks of Vegas from the roof.
Zander, Spence, Kendra, Eric, and Fawn were here, in the underground since the sun was still up. This was about bringingallof their families together, which meant Nick’s parents would arrive soon, too.
The swimming pool was crystal clear, and she knew the staff was ready to serve lemonade to those not imbibing, and they had the ingredients for everyone’s favorite mixed drinks at the elaborate bar set up between the seating area and the pool area.
“C’mon, Dandy. Let’s head down to greet our guests.”
Dandy had been a little puffball of fur when she’d first seen him. His father a Newfoundland, his mother a border collie, and the owners of the free-range chicken farm pleasantly surprised when their border collie came up pregnant. They were keeping three of the puppies, but wanted to be certain the other four went to good homes.
When Lauren had arrived at the farm and first seen the six-week-old puppy she’d intended to call Prince, solid black except for one white paw, so he looked like he was wearing a single sock, the fur framing his face had looked like a puffy dandelion, so she’d named him Prince Dandelion, and somehow, he’d become Dandy. He’d stayed on the farm another five weeks, until he was naturally weaned, and Lauren had visited him every couple of days until it was time to bring him home.
He wasn’t a replacement for Smokey. That wasn’t possible.
But Dandy was his own unique being, playful and silly, cuddly and loving, and smarter than most people.
The two rode the elevator to the underground and made their way to the poker room, where the vampires would soon begin a high stakes poker game. They had to find something interesting to do while the daywalkers played in the sun.
Dandy saw Nick and Gavin, and he raced to them and snuggled to say hello to both before he made the rounds of the others in the room, sniffing and welcoming them — but only because they’d already been introduced.
“You look well, Lauren,” Zander said, and Lauren gave him a welcoming smile. He was important to Gavin, so she’d accepted him as a friend. Not one she trusted, but that was okay because she only saw him a few times a year.
“Welcome to our home. I know Gavin’s likely already told you, but if you need anything, please let one of us know.” She looked at Kendra, started to welcome her as well, but decided against it, and walked to her with her arms open. Kendra stepped to her and hugged her, and Lauren gave an extra squeeze before letting go. “I’m so glad you’re here. I know mom’s excited to see you, too.”
“Can I say how shocked we all are at Dandy and Gavin together?”
* * * *
Gavin had known he’d get some good-natured ribbing from the vampires who’d been his family for so long, and that was fine. He’d been as surprised as anyone by the depths of feelings he had for the crazy dog.
At first, he’d convinced himself he cared for Dandy so much because he was so important to Lauren, but then Dandy had faced off against a juvenile werewolf who lost control andchangedunexpectedly, and the terror Gavin had felt at that moment had shown him he cared for the dog as a sentient being who was part of his little family, and not merely someone to protect because Lauren loved him.
Gavin had grabbed the werewolf’s mind almost the instant the fight had started, and Dandy’s fur had protected him, so he only had a few shallow bites, thank goodness.
“No one’s more shocked than me,” he told Kendra. “I understand you’re headed to Homewood with Kirsten when you leave here?”
“Yes, and I’m looking forward to spending time with Kirsten and Cora. It’s been too long since the three of us could get together, and Marco’s given leave for me to stay a whole week.”
“And then they’re going to Alfheim for a week,” Zander said, “for the midsummer festival.”
“When will Eric rise?” Gavin asked.
“About an hour before the sun retires,” Kendra said. “He gained self-control much faster than most baby vampires, and he has the beginnings of some power, but he’s too young to rise and spend the evening with me.”
“I understand no one’s made headway on the being Lauren saw when she touched the old Alpha wolf? A possible offspring of Striker?” Gavin asked.
