First Epilogue
A Few Weeks Later
“Tell me that’s not the dress you’re wearing tonight,” Nikhail rasped from behind River.
River turned around, dropping the necklace she’d been adjusting, as her lips quirked up. She met Nikhail’s smoldering gaze. The handsome air fae was tying a black tie around his neck, and he looked like he wanted to devour her whole.
Honestly, she wasn’t against that at all.
“I could... but then I'd be lying to you.”
Nikhail groaned.
River ran a hand down the dusty pink tulle skirt of her ballgown and peered up at him through her lashes. “I take that to mean you like my dress?”
“Like it?” Finishing with his tie, Nikhail closed the distance between them. His lips hovered over hers. “There are many things in this world that I like, little storm, but this isn't one of them.” He kissed her. “I love this dress, but also, I abhor it.”
Her brows knit together. “What? Why?”
He drew back, drinking her in, before his gaze met hers once again. Promises floated in those amber orbs, and her core heated. “Because this dress makes me want to throw you onto that bed and spend all night between your legs, making you scream my name until it's the only word you know.”
Her breath caught in her throat, and her cheeks burned.
“Oh,” she breathed. “I guess I didn’t realize you’d feel so strongly about it.”
She’d picked up the dress a few days ago in Lakewater, when she'd been shopping with Ember after a shift. Even though she and Nikhail had moved in together last week, River had kept the gown in a garment bag, wanting to surprise her air fae on the night of the Foundation’s fundraising ball.
As soon as she’d tried it on in the store, she knew it was meant to be hers.
It was sleeveless, with a low-cut back, and a pink tulle skirt that sparkled and made her feel like a princess.
It was perfect for the ball, especially since this was the first official function she and Nikhail were attending as a soon-to-be-bonded couple.
“Well, now you know.” He trailed a hand down her bare back, leaving a trail of shivers in his wake. “You should know that watching you in this gown all night and not devouring you is going to take all my restraint."
River arched her back and pressed her lips against Nikhail’s. “Is that so?”
“It is,” he practically growled. “Are you sure we need to attend tonight?” He swayed closer to her, pressing his hips against hers, grinding his erection against her backside. “We could always send Brynleigh our regrets.”
For one fleeting moment, River allowed herself to think about doing just that. She could take Nikhail up on his promise and let him ravish her. She was certain she would enjoy it.
But this was her sister-in-law’s night. Brynleigh had worked so hard on this, and River wanted to support her.
“We can’t,” she said. “But how about this? We have a safe word, and once I say it, we can leave immediately.”
The Foundation’s fundraising ball was taking place on the third floor of the hotel. Thankfully, River had thought ahead and reserved them a room in the same building so they wouldn’t have to travel far once it was over.
“I like the sound of that.” Nikhail nipped her ear. “What word were you thinking?”
She rolled her bottom lip through her teeth. “How about ‘stars?’”
Even as she said the word, she couldn’t help but smile.
“That’s perfect.” Nikhail picked up his suit jacket, which was resting on the back of the chair, and pulled it on. “Then you have a deal. Say the word, and we’ll leave immediately. No questions asked.”
Maybe River should’ve taken Nikhail up on his offer to stay in the hotel room.
He found her dress distracting, but that was fair, because she found all of him distracting.
From the way he’d styled his raven-black hair to the midnight suit he’d donned for the occasion, Nikhail had never looked more handsome.
They’d been down in the ballroom for thirty minutes, listening to the introductory speeches, which had begun shortly after their arrival. Many of the faces were familiar, though several were missing. Tertia, for one. The Chancellor, for another.
River didn’t miss either of them.
Brynleigh was currently standing on the stage, her wings extended.
Ryker was next to his wife, gazing adoringly at her as she welcomed everyone to the ball and thanked them for coming.
This was the Foundation’s biggest event to date, she explained, and they hoped to do great things with the money raised that night.
With one hand, River held the glass of Faerie wine she’d been handed when she walked in. The other was holding Nikhail’s fingers. Clinging to him, really.
The show of possession wasn’t as much for her as for all the other women in this room.
From the moment she and Nikhail entered the ballroom hand-in-hand, dozens of eyes had been trained on them.
River had watched, jealousy bubbling up inside her, as several women and even a few men blatantly admired Nikhail.
The first one, she let pass, but by the fifth time she caught someone looking over her air fae, she’d wanted to scream at them to look away. He was hers, not theirs. Didn’t they know that?
There was a slight possibility, River conceded as she sipped her Faerie wine, that she was feeling possessive over Nikhail.
It was a natural fae reaction, or so she assumed. She felt as though she was acting rather reasonably, if she was being honest. Instead of screaming at everyone to stop looking at her air fae, she simply glared at them like a lady.
It helped that Nikhail was standing here with her, not them. She wore his necklace, and she was the one who was going to bond with him in a month’s time.
Still, if she let out a slight growl as a woman in a slinky navy-blue dress bumped into Nikhail’s hip with a sheepish “sorry,” who could blame her?
She was still a fae, after all, and a Waterborn at that. A little jealousy never hurt anyone.
River listened with half an ear as Brynleigh wrapped up her speech, urging everyone to enjoy the ball. As the vampire stepped off the stage, an orchestra began to play, signaling the beginning of the dancing portion of the evening.
River and Nikhail made their way over to Ryker and Brynleigh, expressing their heartfelt congratulations on the evident success of the evening, before the couple was pulled into another conversation.
Having been to several of these types of events in the past, River knew that it was unlikely they’d get another chance to speak with Ryker and Brynleigh tonight. They were in high demand.
Nikhail drew River towards the dance floor. “Will you do me the honor of dancing with me?”
She downed the rest of her wine, a pleasant buzz filling her, and placed her empty glass on the tray of a passing server.
“I’d be delighted,” she said, beaming up at the man who had stolen her heart.
Nikhail grinned and swept her into his arms. Just like the first time they’d danced, River was struck by how gracefully Nikhail moved. He was one with the music as he swept her across the dance floor.
One song melded into another, and before River knew it, they’d been dancing for over an hour.
Nikhail led her towards a table laden with refreshments.
She sipped a fruity punch, the cool liquid soothing the dryness of her throat.
While they were there, they were approached by an elf with silvery white hair.
She wore a long white sequined dress that rustled as she moved.
If she were a human, River would’ve put her in her fifth or sixth decade of life.
For an elf, though… she must’ve been centuries old.
“Nikhail Galebringer,” she said with an air of warmth that had River wondering if the older woman knew Nikhail.
“Yes?” Nikhail turned around, his brows furrowed. “I’m sorry, do I know you?”
“Not yet,” the elf said cryptically. “But I’m hopeful that we will get to know each other very soon. My name’s Yvonne Barlowe.”
The name was vaguely familiar.
River blinked. “As in the Barlowes who own half of the Northern Region?”
“The very same.” Yvonne’s smile was dazzling. “Now, young man, I’ve heard that you’re recently retired from the military, is that right?”
Nikhail slowly inclined his head. “Yes, that’s true.”
“Wonderful. I’m funding a new tech start-up, and I’ve been looking for a partner. Someone younger than me, who knows far more than I do about these things. I’ve spoken with a few of your former colleagues, and they all recommended you for the position. Would you be open to discussing this with me?”
“I suppose,” Nikhail said.
“Perfect.” Yvonne pulled a card out of her purse and handed it to Nikhail. “That’s my personal number. Call me tomorrow, and we’ll get you all sorted out.”
Then, she was off in a flurry of sparkling sequins.
Nikhail slid the card into his pocket and blinked. “Did I just get a job?”
“I think so.” River grinned up at him. “Look at you, getting job offers out of the blue. I’m so proud of you.” She rose onto her toes to peck Nikhail on the cheek, but he tilted his head, and all of a sudden, his lips were on hers.
And this kiss.
This kiss. It was everything.
More than just a meeting of their mouths, it was an expression of every emotion that they felt for each other. It was love and affection and tenderness and desire all wrapped up in one.
It lasted for a minute, maybe two, but when River pulled away, she felt as though lifetimes had passed.
She gazed up at her air fae, and the corners of her lips kicked up. “Hey, Nik?”
“Yes, little storm?”
“I can see the stars.”
He laughed, the deep sound resonating all around them, as he wrapped her hand in his and tugged her out of the ballroom.
His mouth was back on hers as they waited for the elevator, and they kissed as the silver box brought them to their room. They barely separated long enough to unlock the hotel room door, then Nikhail made quick work of River’s dress.
Soon, she was lying on the bed, and just like Nikhail had promised, she was screaming his name.
And though her magic remained in her veins, a strong, steady force, River was grounded. She wasn’t cursed, nor was she too much. Nikhail balanced her in every way, and she was happy.
She’d spoken the truth earlier.
She could see the stars, thanks to Nikhail, and they were beautiful.