My Summer Girl

Epilogue One

Dulce

Primera Cita – Carin Leon

For hours upon hours, we writhed together. At one point, I didn’t know whose body parts were whose.

Vex rushed for water on several occasions. Their body heaved as they force fed us.

That was three weeks ago and now, it’s summer’s end.

In the human world, at least.

I’ve been avoiding this for a while.

Every single day, we’ve spent time together, planning the future. Our queen is with child. Pollination worked, and apparently the healers here can tell if you’re pregnant quite early.

Similarly to Cupids and Draegyns, Solerans give birth rapidly. While Cupids are closer to five months of gestation, Solerans can birth in as early as three.

Ver’s glowing, her eyes bright. It’s beautiful to witness.

“Planned on leaving without me, little dove?” Vex tentatively asks, staring at my nostalgic face. This place is my home. My happiness. Along with the three people who’ve surprised me.

“I already said goodbye to Raev and Ver. I was hoping you’d come back with me. Meet my parents.”

“Really?” they ask, surprise and a smidgen of excitement in their expression. “I’d be honored.”

“Then come on,” I urge, reaching for their hand while gripping the Amantes port-path Raev made for me yesterday in preparation.

Their fingers tangle with mine and I smile dumbly at them, feeling so high on everything. Between them and my other mates, I don’t know if I’ve ever felt like I belonged more. We’re meant to be. All of us.

Gripping the port, I squeeze their hands with nerves. “Here goes nothing.”

They grip me a little tighter, pulling my back flush with their front. “Wherever you go, I follow, dove. We’ll figure this out.”

“I believe you,” I sigh, my shoulders relaxing for the first time in days. They always know how to settle me.

We land in Amantes at the lake, and I wonder how Raev knew about this spot. Then my brain is hit with the image of the sunflower on my dress when I swam that last time before landing in Solera.

That little shit.

He watched me swim naked.

“You can chastise him when we’re home,” Vex jests, barely restraining their chuckle. When I glare at them, they tip their head back, laughing hard.

“What a little stalker,” I mutter, thinking of that day.

“Yeah, and now he’s your little stalker.”

“I’m going to tease him,” I promise, raising an eyebrow.

“Wouldn’t be you without it, dove.”

They hold my hand as I lead them through the streets of my home. It’s always so vibrant here. Not just the flowers and the buildings, being full of saturation and brightness, but the sky, the roads, everything.

“It’s so beautiful here,” Vex muses. “I didn’t get to admire it at the wedding.”

“That’s because you were avoiding me.”

They turn to me, their lips twitching as they lean forward and nip at my lips. “So you caught that?”

“I wanted you for so long,” I admit. “I wanted to climb into your arms and stay there.”

“I think I would’ve let you.” They pull me into their chest. “When we’d have our pain scenes, where you’d bruise, cry, and sometimes bleed... It was so hard for me.”

“How come?”

“Sometimes, I think I knew then that you were mine.” I bite my bottom lip, watching the sincerity in their eyes. “I’d hold you during the down time, after you came back from subspace, offering you aftercare, and I would just inhale your scent. Even then it brought comfort.”

“Vex,” I cry, my chin wobbling.

“I think when you left, part of me withered. So, the night you asked for me, I had already made the decision. I just needed to be certain you were ready too.”

Leaning forward, I kiss them. It’s slow and sensual, a meeting of lovers as if we’ve been separated for decades, rather than moments.

They grip my face, and I hold their waist, needing more, but knowing this is definitely not the place. PDA is frowned upon. I’m sure my mamá and papá are already aware I’m here.

We walk the streets and the vendors, along with the normal Cupids, wave and chat with me.

By the time we get to my family home, it’s been at least a half hour.

“Ready?” they ask, gripping my jaw with reverence.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I sigh.

I open the door, not knocking due to the chance of Mamá yelling at me and slapping me with a chancla or spoon.

“Who’s there?” Mamá calls out, knowing anyone in this town would enter without warning. It’s not us, it’s just where we live.

“Me, Mamá!” I holler, and she comes out of the kitchen. She’s not cooking, or the air would smell divine. It still smells like home, the cinnamon and nutmeg scent she makes sure is always here greeting me.

“My dulce hija,” she croons, her eyes brighter than the last time I saw them. Since Xó’s wedding, her and Papá have been on the outs. They never really got along. Forced marriages can do that to people.

It’s not a shock that he isn’t here, but I miss him. Even if none of us have close or overly affectionate relationships with our parents.

“I fell, not just in love, but from the sky, you know? Like a Cupid does when they abandon their post. I can’t say I regret it,” I rush, my words faster than when I speak our language.

When her eye twitches but she doesn’t say anything, I grip Vex’s hand harder than ever before. “This is my mate, mi amor eterno.”

Her eyes widen. “You too?” When I nod, her eyebrows relax. “First Xó, then Valentine, now you...”

She gets this distant look in her eyes, and I don’t know what to make of it.

“I’m Vex,” Vex offers and I nearly smack my head for not actually introducing them.

“You were at the wedding?” she asks, her gaze softening at them.

“I was. Your son is married to my oldest friend.”

She nods repeatedly, but touches her lips, almost worrisome.

“What is it?” I dare to ask, wanting to know why she appears this way. No one in our family is bubbly like Xó, or overly jesting like me. But Mamá never looks this rattled.

Her eyes meet mine, more similar to mine than any of our siblings. “Your father left.”

“Left? That’s not possible.”

She shakes her head. “It is and he’s gone. He left two weeks ago, and no one has heard from him.”

“Are you okay?”

She shakes her head. “No one knows. I told them he went off-realm.” Vex grips my hips now, respecting this moment and staying silent.

Not uncomfortably, but as if they’re allowing us to experience this.

“What will you do?”

Her lips twitch, and it almost seems chagrined and happy at the same time, if that is at all possible.

“I’m going to find my own damn happiness,” she admits. I choke on air, blinking rapidly. Vex taps my upper shoulders but I’m in shock.

“Pardon?”

“You heard me. He was weighing me down for years. Can you imagine how long it”s been since I’ve gotten laid?”

I plug my ears. “Lalalalala,” I nearly yell. She pulls my fingers out and laughs.

“You and my other two found love. What’s to say I can’t? He never loved me, and there’s nothing more appealing to me than retiring.”

“What is happening?” I gasp. She leans forward, kissing my forehead and then both cheeks before walking backwards.

“Don’t go back, princesa. Live your life, enjoy your life, and give me more nietos. Then she literally snaps her fingers and vanishes.

“What in the ever-loving Hades just happened?” I yell, and peer at my mate. They’re holding back a laugh while kissing my nose.

“That was approval if I’ve ever seen it. Oh, and it’s time for us to go back. Raev wants to finally bond with you.”

“Really?” I swoon, gripping my chest.

“Saved the best for last,” Vex teases, gripping my hand before reaching for my port-path. “Let’s go home, love.”

“Home,” I whisper.

We arrive in Solera soon after, recounting the entire scene with Mamá. While it was lost on my two other mates, Vex realizes the gravity of the entire exchange and that’s enough for me.

Vex drags me around the kingdom the rest of the day. Visiting with Dormir, who is apparently leaving to go protect another timeline. They shuffle me around the farms, introducing me to monsters I’ve never met.

It’s like they’re keeping me away from the kingdom for as long as possible. By the time night comes, I’m escorted to dinner.

The anticipation has been slowly killing me. Raev has mated with everyone but me. We eat at the table in the main hall. It’s been shortened for just the four of us.

Raev sits next to me, Vex on my other side, and Ver across. Her eyes are full of love and peace, and I’ve not witnessed a better and more settled version of her.

She mouths I love you as the zuju wine is passed around to everyone but her. She’s already feeling butterflies—as she calls them—in her stomach.

I’m so excited to feel the little kicks, the movements as they get bigger, and watch them as they grow.

“We’ve wanted to have this dinner for ages,” Raev admits, his eyes glittering, and I can’t tell if he’s amused or excited. Either way, he sports a boyish expression and I want to kiss him all over and store that look forever.

“Dulce Amor,” Vex starts, forcing my gaze in their direction.

“We’d love,” Ver adds.

“If you’d marry us.”

“Really?” I shout. “Shut up!”

Ver and Raev raise their eyebrows. Vex throws their head back, laughing in kind. “It means she’s shocked.”

“Is that a yes?” Raev asks hesitantly. I shoot out of my chair, knocking him over in his. I’m straddling his lap while his outstretched hand holds a ring. I’m shocked.

“I’ve never done this earth custom,” Ver muses, smiling widely. “But I can’t say it isn’t amusing. Dulce, my love, we want you forever. Will you be ours?”

“Already am,” I gasp, kissing Raev all over. I only stop to get up, rushing over to Ver and repeating the actions.

She returns them, petting my head when I sit for a moment, needing air. Everyone treats me in their own way. Raev like I’m a ruler, Vex like I’m a sassy brat, and Ver as if I’m the most precious thing to her.

“I love you,” I direct to them all, tears flowing in kind. Standing up, I make my way to my Dom—my security blanket—and they hold me against their chest, returning all the kisses I gave away.

“Let’s have the ceremony soon, so we can have a honeymoon before our baby is here,” Vera says, her voice full of love.

“I love you, little dove.”

“I love you, princess peach,” Ver adds.

“I love you, my little sweet.”

“Forever?”

“Forever,” they say in unison, and for once in my life, I feel complete. Full of life, and excited for where it takes us next.

This is my happily ever after. Might as well make it count.