And Dawns Endure (Evermere #3)

Chapter 1 To Feel Useful

Serafina “Seri” Cimmerian

I woke up cocooned between Koa and Zane, my face tucked against Koa’s bare chest, his heartbeat a soothing rhythm in my ear.

For a moment, everything was perfect. Two solid bodies pressed against mine, Casimir’s heavy arm draped over all of us.

With a smile, I lay there, content in my mates’ presence.

Then I shifted and went completely still, heart hammering.

Carefully, I eased out from beneath everyone’s arms, biting my lip when Zane murmured in his sleep. My pulse pounded as I sat up, lifting the covers just enough to see that the sheets were red.

Instinctual panic surged through me before logic could catch up. It took several deep breaths to stop the memories clawing at the edges of my mind. This wasn’t Arabesque. I wasn’t hurt. There was only one explanation for this, and it had nothing to do with violence.

My cycle had simply returned.

Koa made a sleepy noise, reached for me, and then—

“Oh, shit!”

He launched upright so fast, he nearly cracked his skull against mine. His espresso eyes went wide as he took in the sheets.

“What’s going on?” Zane mumbled from my other side.

“Beloved?” Koa ignored him. His hands were checking for wounds. “What happened? Where does it hurt?”

“I’m fine!” I rushed out, my cheeks going nuclear. “Mother Nature just restarted something overnight.”

“Ah.” He nodded, and his wide shoulders relaxed.

Unfortunately, Zane chose that moment to open his eyes. They tracked Koa’s face, then mine, then the sheets.

And that’s when the screaming started.

“CASIMIR!” He fell out of bed, hitting the floor with a thud before scrambling to his feet. “WAKE THE FUCK UP!”

“Make him stop, Koko. It’s embarrassing enough as it is.”

“SERI’S BLEEDING OUT! DO SOMETHING, KO!”

“I am doing something, menace,” Koa snapped, crawling out of bed and lifting me from the mess to stand next to him. “She’s not dying, you idiot. It’s just her period.”

“CAS? WHERE ARE—” Zane froze mid-hyperventilation. “Wait. Wait, wait, wait. Like, the period? Satan’s Waterfall? The Red Wedding? The Monthly Massacre?”

Koa shot him a flat look, already stripping the bed with an efficiency that suggested this was the only problem in the world he could deal with right now.

“Would you like to keep going, or—”

“No, I would not like to keep going!” Zane clutched his head like he’d just been told the world was ending. “That means— Oh, hell, no. We— Condoms. So many condoms. Where’s my phone? I need to order—”

“It’s just my period, Zoodle.” I dropped my hot face into my palms, and he gasped as if I’d punched him in the throat.

“Just your— Do you not understand the implications here?!”

“Calm down, fireweed. It— ”

“Calm down? Calm down?!” Zane shrieked. “Do you know what this means? It means we are now officially entering dangerous territory! Before, it was safe. Now? One mistake, one moment of weakness, and bam! Miniature versions of us running around destroying everything in their moon-damned path!”

“Oh, for the love of—”

“I already have everything we need,” Casimir said calmly as he walked over to stand next to me. At least he wasn’t fazed. “I took the liberty of stocking your closet with all the necessary feminine hygiene products. Let me show you.”

Next thing I knew, he had me in his arms, ignoring my stained nightie, and carried me toward my new walk-in closet.

Cradling me against his bare chest, apparently unconcerned about what I was smearing on it, he used his toe to open a cabinet door, revealing what could only be described as a shrine to period preparedness.

Neatly arranged rows of every conceivable product greeted me: Pads, tampons, menstrual cups, wipes, pain relief, and heating pads.

A small section was dedicated entirely to chocolates—the good Belgian kind, too—and a variety of herbal teas.

“Simmy?” I squeaked as I stared.

“I read a book.”

“You read a book?”

“Several, actually. I acquired every option available as far as product. I assume you’ll have a preference, but in case you wish to explore alternatives, you have them. As for Toxic Shock Syndrome, it’s a rare, but serious condition caused by—”

“We had an agreement, Serafina!” Zane paced behind us. “Operation: No Oopsy Babies was clear! Cas, how do we stop this?”

“You want to stop the natural biological function of the female body?” Casimir raised a single brow.

“Yes! No! I don’t know! Night’s teeth!” Zane threw his hands in the air. “I just know I am not ready for kids!”

“I’m heading down to wash—” Koa paused at the closet doorway, arms full of stained sheets, and took one look at Zane spiraling and the blood sliding down Casimir’s chest. “Pest! Stop overwhelming her! And you, Doctor Cimmerian, take the poor girl to her moon-damned bathroom! You can talk her ear off while she showers! And send her nightie down with Zane so I can wash it, too.”

“Oh.” Casimir blinked. “Yes. Of course.”

Once I was standing under the spray of hot water, I tuned out Casimir as he cleaned himself up at the sink while lecturing me on tampon safety. Dropping my forehead against the tile, I let out a giggly sort of sigh.

Three powerful, terrifying monster hunters absolutely undone by my period.

I was used to their chaos now. Maybe I should be concerned more often than I was, but mostly, I just felt loved.

Then a cramp twisted low in my abdomen, making me wince. It had been nearly a year since my last cycle. I’d almost forgotten what it felt like. The discomfort, the mess, the inconvenient timing… Although, to be fair, I supposed there was never a convenient time.

Still, I wasn’t upset. If anything, it was just another sign of how far I’d come. Three months ago, I’d been frail, exhausted, my magic barely a whisper inside me.

Three months.

Three months of unexpected, but nearly perfect happiness with my husbands.

Casimir still had bad days. Times where doubt clouded his sharp eyes, where he woke in cold sweats, fingers trembling as he reached for me, for Koa, for Zane, just to make sure we were still there.

But he cracked a joke every once in a while.

Twice now, he’d let Koa take the lead on short day hunts.

He didn’t step in front of Zane as often, didn’t stiffen every time I left his line of sight.

Small things, quiet things, but they were proof that the wounds Amabel had left on him were no longer fresh.

Brumous and I had healed a lot, too. Both of us were at healthy weights again.

In addition to five or six zoomies a day, Brummy was now up to morning walkies, afternoon walkies, and evening walkies as well as playtime with Addison, wrestling with Zane and sometimes Koa, and daily training with Casimir.

As for me, my mental fog had lifted and, while I still had a few gaps in my memory, I didn’t lose time anymore. With the constant exhaustion gone, I could focus and concentrate again.

I had asked my mates to train me, and they were.

Zane focused on rebuilding my strength with physical therapy and exercises.

Casimir taught me how to handle firearms with infinite patience.

Although they weren’t my favorite, I wanted to know how to use a gun in case of an emergency.

Koa walked me through technology until I could navigate devices a lot more confidently than before.

Best of all, my magic had returned. My reservoir was brimming over, power humming beneath my skin in a way it hadn’t for far too long.

I hadn’t forgotten Arabesque. How could I? My stepmother had left an indelible mark on me, and we all knew her evil was only escalating in her attempt to seize a crown, but I was stronger now than I had ever been. I had my magic back.

And I had three husbands, monsters who’d fight fang and claw for me, standing by my side.

#

The night was crisp and clear, the sky an endless stretch of velvet black, the perfect backdrop for July’s buck moon. I stood in the center of the lawn, Koa watching me with curiosity, Casimir with caution, and Zane with excitement.

Casimir had only just relented, finally acknowledging that my magic was fully restored. That meant tonight was my first real chance to show them what I could do.

I exhaled slowly, centering myself. Magic leapt at my call, eager, waiting. I reached out, searching for the moon’s light, feeling the cool, distant pulse of its energy. And then, with a small flick of my fingers, I called it to me.

A soft, silvery glow coalesced in my palms, forming a perfect sphere. It shimmered like captured starlight, shifting with the faintest movements of my fingers. I turned my hands slightly, shaping it, molding it. The light obeyed me effortlessly, bending to my will.

Koa let out a sharp breath. Casimir’s arms crossed, his eyes narrowing in thought. Zane, of course, immediately started yammering for me to do tricks, but Brumous came to my rescue, plowing into Zane’s chest and flattening him to the grass.

Alpha Fun play! Zane shared the wolf’s thought-speech with us via telepathy.

“Traitor! I feed you five times a day, and this is the thanks— Ow! Those are attached!”

I giggled as Brumous nipped at Zane’s earlobes.

Casimir intervened with a sigh that didn’t quite hide his smile and pulled a dried venison strip from his pocket. Brumous froze mid-shake, nose twitching.

“Guard stance, Brumous.”

The wolf spun, haunches quivering. When Casimir feinted left, the pup mirrored perfectly. Casimir tossed the treat, and Brumous snapped it midair, but immediately resumed position, waiting for praise.

“Good boy.” Casimir’s nod held more tenderness than his tone.

“So our dear commander’s plotting to turn the fluff monster into a four-legged broadsword,” Zane chuckled.

“You tried teaching him to steal cupcakes,” I accused, making the moonlight sphere orbit my hands.

“Strategic reconnaissance! Bakeries are—”

“You know, Seri, with training, you could…” Casimir broke off and looked toward the lake.