Epilogue
Nic
A month later
I turned the wheel, steering my white, windowless van down the dirt road to my house. I often joked that my van looked like a perfect vehicle for a serial killer to kidnap his victims. But it was also perfect for delivering custom cakes for weddings and other events.
Except that lately, our delivery area grew way beyond the limits that I could reach on my van.
I might still get severe heartburn at the mere mention of Shaun, but the asshole turned out to be absolutely right about one thing. Before the show had even ended, Jess started getting offers.
The camera loved her, and so did the audience. She ended up hiring a lawyer to help her go over the tall stack of contract offers from modeling, to hosting, to pastry chef positions in fancy restaurants, and to reality TV.
After a long and careful consideration that included detailed consultations with Geoff and me, she decided on a baking show that was going to be filmed in our bakery.
The first episode had been filmed last week. But even without this new show, our business blew up beyond our wildest imagination.
In addition to a personal assistant to help her handle all her TV appearances, Jess hired more people to help in the bakery, which made her one of the top three employers in our tiny town, prompting Geoff to quip during an interview that the town should at least name a park or a street after her.
Jess offered me to be in charge of opening the second location in the city that we had planned to open after winning the challenge. But I saw a better opportunity. Since our win on national TV, our online sales had grown tenfold and kept growing.
People from all over the country and even from around the world wanted a custom cake from our bakery. My dream of designing cakes for a living had finally come true. I’d just completed two super fancy custom cakes for a local delivery this week. Today, I dropped by the bakery to catch up with Geoff and Jess and picked up a few more orders to design within the next few days.
Shortly after winning the TV challenge, I finally got to meet Madison and her purple boyfriend Avar, the Sin of Greed. I made a deal with Avar. In exchange for the transcendence potion, whenever I visited Invi and baked stuffed croissants, I sent a duck with a bucket of them for Avar and Maddy to Avar’s mountain.
With the steady supply of the potion now, I often designed and created my cakes at Invi’s house in Purgatory.
As I pulled into my long driveway shaded by the century-old oak trees, I spotted a flash of green up ahead. My mortal sin rushed out of the front door to meet me. It’d been only a few hours since we parted, but I couldn’t wait to see him again.
The moment I stepped out of the van, he looped his tail around me and pulled me into his arms.
“What took you so long?” he murmured, nuzzling my hair.
It was a good thing I lived literally in the middle of nowhere, with no one but birds and squirrels to witness my boyfriend’s tail curl around me in the tightest of hugs.
“I have a job, baby,” I said patiently. “It takes me away from you occasionally, but I couldn’t possibly quit everything and just breeze through life as a mortal sin’s girlfriend.”
“Why not? You absolutely could. There is literally no reason for you to work other than that you enjoy it.”
“But it is a very good reason, isn’t it?”
“Whatever brings you joy, dearest.” He kissed me. “Are you ready to leave this world now?”
I smiled at the way he put it. From anyone else, it would almost sound like a threat. When Invi said it, he merely invited me back to his hometown.
“Let me just put the car keys in the house, get rid of this winter jacket, and lock the front door,” I said. “Then, I’m all yours?—”
Holding out the car keys, I stopped in my tracks, my mouth still hanging open with the last word I said. A large green dragonfly descended on my wrist out of nowhere. Its delicate wings shimmered with iridescence like faucets of a prism.
It was December, with a thin but solid layer of snow already covering the ground. Thick icicles had formed in the corners of the roof of my old house, and any body of water for miles around must be frozen by now.
Yet there it was, a fragile dragonfly sat on my wrist in the dead of winter.
“Invi?” I whispered, not taking my eyes from the marvelous insect. “Could it be? Is it…really from dad?”
“What do you think, sweetheart? How do you feel?”
Animals didn’t need a Higher Judgment. They weren’t assigned to any one world. Instead, they traveled freely between the worlds, like Invi’s duck did when he came from Purgatory with me the morning before the final round of the cake decorating challenge, then returned to Invi’s creek with the horologe around his neck.
What I thought? I thought it was absolutely possible for the dragonfly to come see me as a greeting from my dad who was no longer with me.
And what I felt?
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, freeing my mind from as many thoughts as I could to give place to feelings instead.
“I feel love, Invi,” I said softly. “So, so much love. And peace…” I opened my eyes and smiled. “Love is truly immortal, isn’t it?”
Invi
“So, what kind of cakes do you have to make this time?” I asked, lying on my side on the second level of my house in Purgatory.
“Both are wedding cakes,” Nic said, licking her spoon.
A warm breeze played with her thick auburn curls, with one falling over her forehead. She sat on the very edge with her feet dangling over the green lawn below and held a crystal cup of yogurt in her hand. I had my tail wrapped around her waist, just in case. Not that she would leap off the second floor, but it made me feel better that I could catch her if she fell.
Tree canopies broke the afternoon sunlight into a myriad of dancing spotlights that bounced over the grass and the white calla lilies. The ducks dozed in the creek, floating lazily in the water. White-and-green butterflies fluttered around. This was my home, with everything being comforting and familiar. And with Nicole here, it was absolutely perfect.
“Both couples requested floral designs,” she said between spoonfuls of yogurt. “But they couldn’t be more different. One bride wants field flowers—sweet, early-spring vibes, pastels, with just one tier. The other couple ordered a giant seven-tier one, with a gothic theme, and I’m really excited about making it.”
“What kind of flowers are you thinking about?”
“Withered white roses and…” she glanced at me mischievously with her spoon in her mouth, “black calla lilies.”
“Will there be a spot for a zombie duck?”
She dropped her spoon into the cup and laughed, which was exactly why I mentioned the zombie duck. She always laughed when I brought it up, and I loved the sound of her laughter so much, I wished I could bottle it to keep and listen to it on those rare occasions when she wasn’t with me.
“You know what? Maybe I could fit a zombie duck on this one?” she mused. “Or maybe at least some feathers? We can make them from colored pulled sugar. You know those green feathers with the iridescent sheen that male ducks have on their heads? I’ll try to recreate the colors by experimenting with different ingredients. Want to help?”
“I would love to, very much. I got some pearly food coloring from Gul. It may work.”
A wrinkle formed between her eyebrows as she cleared the bowl with her spoon, gathering the last remnants of her blueberry yogurt.
“How is Gul doing?” she asked somberly.
Gul was extremely lucky that Nic had never voiced a single word of complaint about her stay at his place. I still felt that I should’ve at least punched him once or twice for taking Nic away from me, however briefly. But my sweet, kind woman talked me into letting him be. She harbored no ill feelings toward my brother. And since I would do anything for her, she easily convinced me not to retaliate against him.
“Well, you know…” I scratched behind my ear. “Gul is Gul.”
“Has he had any parties recently?”
“No.” I couldn’t deny it. Gul hadn’t been himself lately. He hadn’t had a single party at his house ever since Nicole left. “Honestly, I’m not even sure he sleeps in his house or if he sleeps at all. Last time, I found him wandering aimlessly in his sunflower field.”
“I should go talk to him.” She set aside her empty bowl, but I tightened my tail around her, holding her in place.
“Don’t Nic. You did nothing wrong and have nothing to fix here.”
“Even if losing his ‘prize’ isn’t the cause of his sour mood, Invi, something is eating at him. Do you think he’s missing Ira? Were they close?”
I shrugged. “Not more or less close than any of us are. We all miss Ira. But we didn’t lose him forever. He just got stuck in hell and is working for the demons, for now.”
The sinners dragged Ira into hell, like they had almost dragged me in, too, if it hadn’t been for my brave, stubborn Nicole who held on and refused to let go.
Since Ira didn’t have Nicole to save him, he was stuck in hell now for possibly a few centuries or longer. But he was able to call Sup and let him know what happened, so that we wouldn’t worry too much. Yes, the demons had phones in hell, and they let Ira use one.
Mother left Purgatory the day after the race, finding something better to do elsewhere, which didn’t surprise anyone.
And Gul was roaming the sunflower field, looking for something he never had.
“What if Gul needs help?” Nic worried.
“If he does, he’ll ask for it.” I adjusted my grip on her. “Nic, darling, he’s a big sin. He’s been around for a long time. One can’t possibly live for as long as we have and not have an existential crisis on occasion. He said he wants to be alone. Let’s honor his wish and let him be, at least for a little while.”
She drew circles with her finger on my tail absentmindedly. “Well, you know him better than I do. I hope you’re right.”
I reached over to brush the curl dancing in the breeze away from her face. The wrinkle between her eyebrows didn’t leave her forehead, and it pained me to see her upset. Whatever bothered her, my instinct was to make it better. And I knew exactly how to distract her from the gloomy thoughts about the matters that she couldn’t change and shouldn’t be wasting her time worrying about.
“Well. I should probably start on those cakes.” She adjusted a strap of the thin white camisole she wore in Purgatory when we were alone. The light material allowed her skin to breathe in the warm air of my wetlands. But it also allowed me to see every curve of her body through it.
Propped on my elbow, I slid a finger down her shoulder, catching the strap to drag it back down.
“Invi?” She glanced at me, caught the heated expression in my eyes, and blushed.
“Mhm?” I hummed, dragging the strap further down her arm.
The embroidered edge of her neckline slid down, too, exposing the voluptuous swell of her breast. I swallowed hard as heat throbbed through my entire length, pooling in my groin.
She angled her head, and repeated my name in a scolding voice now, “Invi.”
The hard bud of her nipple poked against the flimsy fabric of her camisole as I pulled it lower still.
“We have time, don’t we?” I asked innocently.
She licked her lips. “Time for what?”
I shifted the tip of my tail to slide the rattle under her skirt.
“For a little snack for me,” I murmured, leaning over to kiss her bare shoulder.
Her cleavage teased me with the view of the partially exposed areola. My mouth watered, but I couldn’t kiss her breasts in this position.
“May I reposition you, my sweet darling?” I lifted her with my tail.
“Invi!” She squeaked, grabbing onto the coil of my tail around her middle and kicking her feet up in the air.
“No need to fear, dearest. I’ve got you. I just need you a little closer,” I murmured, bringing her to me.
I peeled the fabric away from her breast and finally sucked the tip into my mouth. She gasped, then released a breath with a moan.
Both my cocks sprung out at once at her moan that promised the most exquisite pleasure.
I dipped my hand into her neckline to cup her other breast. Her nipple hardened under my thumb. I squeezed her breast gently, enjoying her warm, pliable body in my hands, then pinched the tip between my fingers, hard enough for her to suck a breath in through her teeth.
“Oh, Invi…it feels so good,” she moaned again as I released her nipple, rubbing it with my thumb again. “So, so good.”
Slipping my rattle between her legs, I made it vibrate just at the right speed to drive her wild with lust but not enough to reach her completion yet.
She writhed in pleasure, trapped in the loops of my tail. With her camisole shoved down her chest and her skirt all the way up to her waist, she presented a delightful picture. But I promised myself a snack.
I rotated her in the air, bringing her sweet pussy to my face. She was already dripping with arousal, and I plunged my tongue inside her, eager to fill my mouth with her taste. I didn’t mean to make her come yet. But she tasted exquisite, and I couldn’t get enough of her.
I licked, sucked, and nibbled with abandon, until she stilled in my grip then shuddered in climax.
“Oh, you did so good,” I murmured, before curling my long tongue around the hot, tender bud of her clit and milking her orgasm to the last whimper and tremble.
Loosening the coils of my tail from around her, I released her on my chest as I lay down on the warm wooden floor.
“Invi…” she buried her face in my chest. “It’s always like an earthquake with you. Look.” She lifted a hand with her trembling fingers splayed wide. “My whole body is still shaking.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it.” I smiled contently, tracing a line down the delicate groove of her spine.
She stretched with a soft sound of pleasure. Her foot brushed against one of my cocks.
“But how about you and your own joy?”
“I immensely enjoy touching you, always,” I said sincerely.
She rolled over to her stomach on top of my chest and put her chin on her hands. “But do you like fucking me?”
“I enjoy that too,” I grinned, both cocks bobbing in the air with enthusiasm.
“Good. Could you pass me the oil, please?” Pushing away from my chest, she slithered down my torso like a little wanton serpent until her ass bumped against my cocks.
I slung my tail down to the main floor and swiped a vial of fragrant oil from the stand in the sitting room—another advantage of having no walls in my house and of having an enormously long tail.
She straddled my tail, just below my crotch, doused her hands with the oil, then wrapped her deft little fingers around each of my thick shafts.
I tossed back my head with a loud groan of intense pleasure. She ran her hands down the bumpy protrusions along my both lengths, playing them like instruments. My arousal spiked. Heat throbbed in my groin. My cocks strained so hard, I feared they’d burst.
“Make them smaller, baby,” Nic purred, rubbing her tits against the cocks for her and my pleasure.
I rose on my elbows to see her better. I’d be damned if I missed a single detail of my woman enjoying me like that. Grinding my teeth, I forced both appendages to shrink to about half of their size.
“Just a little bit smaller, please,” she asked sweetly, and all I could do was obey. “Good…” she approved, breathless from anticipation.
Facing me, she rose on her knees and positioned one of the cocks between her legs, rubbing herself against it.
“Ready?” She wiggled her eyebrows in jest before sinking onto my cock. Leaning forward and sticking her ass up, she bit her lip, working my second cock into her back opening. Then she brought her hips all the way down and stilled.
“How does it feel?” she asked softly, her eyes open wide in wonder.
I strained every part of my being, afraid to move, for if I did, I knew I wouldn’t stop. Lust rolled through me in waves, forming pink circles that ran from my crotch up my torso and down to the tip of my tail.
“It feels like heaven, dearest. Just like heaven, I swear.” I’d never been to any of the paradises out there and would never be allowed to enter one. But I knew that none of them could possibly be better than being here with her.
She wiggled her butt a little, testing our connection.
“Can you make the one in the front just a little bigger, please? And the one in my ass just a tad smaller?” she asked, commanding my cocks like her own little army, and I couldn’t imagine a better general for that.
“Ride me, sweetheart,” I moaned, complying with her request.
Pressing her hand on my hard belly, she lifted her hips, letting me slide a little out from both of her wonderful holes, then pushed down again, taking me back in. Pleasure spiked higher, blinding and all-consuming. Somehow, I remembered to bring my rattle to her clit. She leaned forward, trapping it between us while she wantonly rode me, my beautiful girl.
“I want you so badly…baby,” she panted, riding me faster. “So…so much.”
Her breath halted, cutting off her words just before her thighs trembled and her inner muscles tightened around me.
And I could no longer hold it. Pure bliss rolled through me in a swell. My usual green color exploded with all the colors of the rainbow as my climax quaked my entire shape from the tip of my horns to the rattle of my tail that was still trapped under Nic’s hot little pussy.
She collapsed on my belly, looking utterly spent. I reached for her and dragged her up to my chest where I could kiss her hair and whisper how much I loved her.
My entire being filled with tenderness so light and warmth, it was a miracle that I didn’t float up into the air.
“I love you too,” she murmured, kissing my chest.
I stroked her hair, smoothing the thick locks down. “There is nowhere else I’d rather be than here with you for the rest of my existence.”