Even as my body goes limp and shudders with one of the intense shocks of Damien’s orchestrated masterpieces, they continue moving. They hold my body between them, and I surrender, letting them control it all, while I simply enjoy every single sensation they wring out.
Then…my vision dims.
On the next blink, I wake up with Arion under me, Damien behind me, and the chains binding us all together.
The vampire smirks at me with black eyes, and I feel Damien’s grin spreading at my shoulder.
So much for holding back, having control over my monster, and not rushing in to claim them.
I didn’t even make it a full twenty-four hours before Anna managed to break all my rules.
“You’re all really impatient,” I decide to point out. “Now you’ve gone and done it.”
The vampire only grins broader, as Vance and Emit begin making their way toward us.
“Ready for your new life, Ms. Carmine?” Vance asks me, as he pulls my hand to his lips, kissing the ring.
“Ready or not, here we come,” my monster says, using three distinct voices.
Ignoring it, I simply lean toward the Van Helsing, and he immediately begins kissing me. I know he feels it when Damien uses his pheromones, and the fog presses in my head, making it easier to enjoy instead of overthinking.
My world is never going to slow down.
But now I think I’m at least getting the hang of steering the wheel.
EPILOGUE (Part 1)
VIOLET
3 weeks later…
“I told you it would be a small ceremony, and you were limited to one paragraph apiece. I didn’t want this to turn into a competition of one-upsmanship. I have to actually take measures to prevent stupid fights from breaking out between the four of you when you’re all together,” I tell Damien very seriously.
Three weeks later, he’s still looking for any excuse he can find to punish me, and he’s getting desperate to find at least one thing I’ve done wrong.
“But you cut me short before I finished my paragraph,” he argues, narrowing his eyes like he finally has me right where he wants me.
Blue runs by, chasing after a cat, but I somehow manage to stand firm and not shriek, run, or even flinch. I’m awesome.
Okay, so it’s a fluke. I couldn’t do it again if I tried.
I lift the stack of papers. “You wrote five pages of vows. Back and front. Just because you didn’t start a new paragraph, that doesn’t mean you don’t have more than one freaking paragraph here,” I hiss, as Arion toys with the straps of my black wedding dress.
Vance hands me a glass of something. I’m not sure what it is, but it burns when I quickly drink it.
Lots of monsters here.
Lots of Van Helsing alphas, who are darting lots of suspicious looks at me and all my ghosts.
Lots of wolf alphas giving me the same amount of attention.
It’s the first time I’ve had to face anyone but the Simpletons and my people. Somehow, we’ve kept a lid on my secret, and the information is isolated to alphas and Talbot.
“Nadine is handling the shifter crisis at the edge of town, so there’s no need for me to leave after all,” Vance says as he drops a kiss to my head.
I smile up at him, feeling some of my nervousness leave. There’s a lot of people who turned up for our ceremony, which was supposed to be very private and small.
I had to compromise on that.
“Nadine as Head Alpha. I thought pigs would fly first,” Emit snorts, as he glances over at Idun TV.
It’s been running on every TV, phone, or any other device with internet. No one goes out without checking it. No one goes long without checking it, honestly.
Aside from me.
I have ghosts I have to trust, because I’m not wasting more time on her than I have to. I’ll start feeling bad and grow compassion for her. I know I will.
She doesn’t deserve that. Not yet.
She doesn’t care about anyone or anything, aside from power and personal conquest.
“You really do look beautiful. A man can write five pages about his beloved’s beauty, and she should feel special. Not upset,” Damien tells me in a very serious, solemn tone.
I glare at him, as Arion rolls his eyes.
“I’m not an idiot. Stop treating me like one. You couldn’t beat Arion’s vows in a single paragraph, so you cheated,” I argue.
“It doesn’t matter now. It’s over,” Vance cuts in, eyeing my dress.
“I’m ready for another round of wedding day celebrations,” Emit says, as he gives me a look that promises me I’m getting thrown over a shoulder tonight.
I grin. I can’t help it.
He’s wearing something that resembles a loin cloth, but it comes all the way down to his knees. Bare chest on display, he’s been incredibly distracting throughout the very short ceremony.
“Can we get back on topic?” Damien asks.
I glance over, finding him in the silk shirt that’s mostly unbuttoned, coupled with the very same slacks I saw him in that first day. His suspenders are hanging loose at his sides, which is oddly hot.
I almost forget I’m mad at him because he’s being ridiculously obvious in wanting a reason to punish me.
It’s been this way for three weeks. Vance assures me Damien’s head won’t stay swelled for all eternity, but for now…I just have to deal with it.
Fortunately, Shera struts toward us in her black-leather mini dress that has me fighting a smile. She’s so proudly cliché.
“Okay, so my last act as your beta is fulfilled. If you manage to tear down all the new reinforcement, that Ighan and Bobo engineered specifically for their alpha strength, then you’ll need to hand off your next bedroom assignment to Avery or Talbot. Good luck with that,” she says very primly, avoiding looking at Arion.
Arion moves to my side, and I dart a look at him. He looks like a really hot emo guy who found a gothic suit. It really does suit him really well.
The double-breasted tailcoat is a very dark shade of red that’s trimmed with some black touches here and there. The black ruffled shirt has a V-slit down his chest, showing off the necklace that has what is apparently my monster’s mark on it.
All of their protective eyes are hidden from sight, but for whatever reason, they always want to see them when we’re alone. I’m getting good at summoning the marks without Anna’s help.
Down to his skull-handled cane and ribbon trimmed top-hat, Arion looks every bit a vampire today.
“So that’s it? You’re off to Emily’s?” Arion asks her, as he drapes his arm around my shoulders.
I lean against him, wrapping my arms around his waist, since he’s losing his beta completely today.
I may have had her in Sanctuary, but she’s still been running his House. Just as Avery has started running Emit’s, while living in Sanctuary. Talbot lives with Damien because I don’t trust him, but he has started dipping his toe in the water with Sanctuary duties.
“Can you make the combat trials go away?” Shera asks very tightly, clearly refraining from killing someone over that.
Arion gives her a flat look. “I’d love to, but I’m outvoted,” Arion tells her.
“To be fair, it’s brought about a lot of excitement,” Emit cuts in.