Epilogue
Audrey
Scooting into the booth next to Calixta and Beryl, I keep one eye on The Singing Seahorse’s crowd, wondering if there are any single creatures here tonight who might tickle my fancy. Or other body parts. Hopefully other body parts.
“Is everyone on this island happily coupled up?” I sigh out, then take a long sip of my cocktail.
Calixta’s topaz eyes brighten. “Not everyone. What’s your poison? I’ll tell you if they’re worth the hunt.”
My upper lip curls back. “Girl, I don’t hunt. I’m a prey worthy of pursuit,” I say, flipping my short hair off my shoulder.
Beryl chuckles and pulls her wife into her side.
“It’s good that you know what you like and don’t like.
It makes finding a good partner a very rewarding experience.
” There’s heavy innuendo in the statement, and it makes Calixta’s tail curl tighter around Beryl’s thigh, almost disappearing underneath her skirt.
I shift my gaze away from the happy couple and back toward the stage where Marisol is wrapping up her romantic serenade for her three partners. Seriously, I get no one and she gets to have three? It sucks that the siren is so nice and so pretty and totally deserves all the orgasms.
My brain finally registers what Beryl said. “Uhm, I don’t do partners. I’m perfectly happy on my own. I’m just looking for… entertainment. Of the sexual kind. Maybe some light, short-term companionship. Preferably not lasting more than a single night. Two tops.”
Calixta smirks. “Weirdly, that narrows down your options.”
“What? How?”
Scooting closer to me, Calixta lowers her voice just enough for my human ears to hear.
“Well, take Aurelius there, for example,” she says, angling her adorned horns toward the guy with large white wings and a golden shirt unbuttoned past his chest. “The mothman is single, but he’s a little hung up on Peregrine.
If you were to catch his eye instead, get ready for total obsession. He’s like a dog with a bone.”
A shudder rolls through me. “Nope. Too intense. Next.”
Beryl pauses with her beer halfway to her mouth. “There’s Pierre, the gargoyle. He’s really grumpy and I’ve not known him to take any partners since… well, ever.”
Calixta shakes her head, making the draped beads around her horns clink with motion. “I don’t think he’s your cup of tea. Pierre is the one complaining whenever we can’t wait to get home and head into an alley to…”
Beryl places a green finger against Calixta’s black lips. “She gets the point, my heart.”
I shoot them a finger gun. “So, no alley sex. Got it.”
Calixta and Beryl proceed to tell me about other singles in town and what’s wrong with them, dashing my hopes for some fun, one creature at a time.
“There’s always Arran,” Beryl suggests cautiously. “We haven’t mentioned him yet.”
That gets my attention because I’m pretty sure we made eye contact at The Dancing Daisy’s opening this morning. “I think I saw him earlier. Is he the hottie with the vintage shirt and cropped hair?”
Beryl almost spits out her drink as she starts to laugh. “That’s him, yes. And what you call a vintage shirt is what Arran simply calls a shirt. He doesn’t get out of his castle much. He’s a bit of a homebody.”
I lean forward on my elbow and rest my chin in my hand. “Castle, you say? Go on.”
“Founder of Starry Hill, about four hundred years old—” Calixta ticks off the attributes on her fingers, but I don’t let her finish.
“Ouch,” I hiss. “Talk about an age gap.” Seeing an opportunity for something I haven’t tried before, I cock a brow at them. “Do you think he’d like it if I called him daddy?”
Beryl’s denial is quick. “Definitely not.”
Her wife, though, has a different opinion. “Maybe you should try it.”
I sigh and flop back in the booth. “Would if I could. But it’s not like I can simply waltz over to his place, knock on his castle door, and shout ‘Daddy, come ravish me.’” It would definitely make for a good introduction, if he was into it.
But would I be? Always good to try something at least once.
Snickering, Beryl says, “I’d pay big money to see that.”
“Maybe—” My words cut off as the crowd cheers and Eleanor heads to the stage.
I’ve attended a couple of karaoke nights and ladies’ night since Tilly moved to Starry Hill, but never have I seen Eleanor do anything that draws attention to herself.
This morning at The Dancing Daisy’s reopening, it must’ve taken a lot of courage from Eleanor to give a speech in front of a crowd that size, so seeing her on stage here with even more people makes me excited for her, and very curious.
Eleanor taps the microphone once to check that it’s on. “Hi, everyone. I, uhm… This song is dedicated to the love of my life, Shinsu Beck. I’ve known him since I was seven, and even though we didn’t see each other for more than two decades, I can promise you that I never forgot him. Nor this song.”
Marisol cues a familiar tune that I recognize as the same one Shinsu always performs and gives Eleanor two thumbs-up. All eyes turn to him as he watches Eleanor with rapt attention, his jaw agape and eyes wide.
Eleanor starts what seems to be a choreographed dance then begins singing, shyly at first, but her confidence grows as the crowd cheers her on. Even though she’s nervous, she’s smiling and having the time of her life.
Less than a minute into the song, Shinsu rushes to the stage and picks up the second microphone. The goofy grins that beam out of them as they fall into rhythm with each other, harmonizing and dancing in perfect tune with each other, makes me oddly emotional.
I knew they had a strong connection, but witnessing it in action like this almost makes me wish for my own someone to share my life with. Almost. But not quite.
Ew. Where did that thought come from?
The song finishes and everyone cheers, wild applause resounding from the entire pub as we realize Shinsu had always performed that song as an ode to their friendship and now Eleanor has finally made it come full circle.
Talk about yearning over the decades.
I shudder just to think what that level of love would feel like. I’m sure it comes with a lot of baggage to sort through before you get to have this level of happiness again.
“You going back to Cape Easton tonight?” Beryl asks once the noise has died down.
“Uhm, I don’t think that’s happening.” I point at Shinsu’s ravenous gaze as he steers Eleanor away from the stage and straight to the front door. “Something’s telling me I should avoid the dock tonight. Or being anywhere in those two’s vicinity for the next couple of hours. Good for them though.”
Calixta cracks her neck and shakes her long red limbs as if to rid herself of something.
“Let me tell you, being a succubus in this town was almost boring before I got married. But lately… let’s just say I’m glad I’m well-fed at home, otherwise the sexual energy pumping through this room would have me in a state.
” Calixta points a long black nail at Marisol, Bash, Killian, and Silas and their very obvious eye fucking and not-so-subtle touching behind the counter.
She angles her hand in another direction and points at Tilly sitting on Bodin’s lap and his hand splayed across her ass.
Then, she shifts over to Viggo and Juniper, Maisie and Ren, plus Aurelius and Peregrine—the final two thinking no one can make out where their hands are in the dark corner in the back of the pub.
“I’m fucked,” I say with a pout, realizing my attempt at finding some fun is completely futile.
“I think you’re the opposite of fucked,” Beryl counters and snorts into her beer.
Clinking my glass to hers, I say, “Can’t argue with that fact. At least I always carry a tiny toy for times of extreme need.” I lift the long silver chain around my neck and show them the elegant silver vibrator clipped to it.
Beryl’s gaze darkens as she looks at Calixta. “Now that’s interesting.”
Tail now hidden under Beryl’s skirt and with sexual energy so strong even I can feel it, Calixta rasps, “Do you have somewhere you can stay tonight?” The succubus doesn’t fully glance my way, her eyes trained hungrily on her wife instead.
With my ability to read the room, I’m already scooting out the booth.
“Yeah, I’ll crash at Bodin’s old apartment above The Bandaged Heart.
Won’t be the first time I’ve used the empty space.
I’ll catch a lift with Viggo into the city in the morning once he and Juniper resurface from their nightly love nest.”
They wave goodbye before they’re heading out the door, a sense of urgency driving their feet as I flit between tables and strike up new conversations with my friends.
Very soon, the other couples’ energies change too, hands disappearing under tables as they exchange loaded looks.
Eventually, I say my goodbyes, and my trusty necklace and I head down the darkened hill toward First Street and the little apartment above Tilly’s clinic.
Before Tilly and Bodin’s sunrise wedding, I stayed here for a night to ensure I could help her get ready in plenty of time. I’ve also crashed here a time or two after ladies’ night when I didn’t want to bother someone to ferry me home so late.
Before I can get the door fully open, a particularly hairy man sticks his head around it, and I just manage to muffle my scream.
“What do you want?” he hisses at me.
I look behind me then back at him. “What do I want? Who are you?”
“The new tenant,” he says with a tilt to his chin.
“What? Since when?”
The guy huffs. “That’s none of your business.”
“True.” I blow out a long breath. “Sorry for disturbing you. No one told me there was someone living here. I usually crash here when I’m in town.”
The hairy guy sticks his head out a little further and takes a surreptitious glance down the street. “I’m keeping a low profile,” he whispers. “Not many people know I’m here. Do you have somewhere else to go?”
“Uhm…”
“How about Arran’s place?” he offers enthusiastically. “He’s very nice and I’m sure he wouldn’t mind putting you up.”
I narrow my eyes at the stranger. “You know what? You’re not the first creature to suggest that tonight.”
“Good. We have to follow the signs,” he practically hisses again before shutting the door.
Still in shock and very much confused, I stare at the closed door. “Okayyy… Nice to meet you, dude. Bye.”
So, I find myself walking across Starry Hill in the middle of the night, guided only by the stars above me and my need to find a bed for a couple of hours.
It doesn’t take long before the highest tower of the castle pierces the eastern horizon. Relief fills me at the sight and I quickly check my watch to calculate the timing of my next shot of insulin. The last thing I want to do is stress my soon-to-be host by going hyperglycemic.
I stop in front of the gigantic door, noticing that not one light is turned on in the castle.
Maybe he’s asleep already? In that case, I might just be able to slip in unnoticed, and perhaps even leave by morning light without him realizing I was even here.
Why do I feel nervous about it? No one’s going to know.
My hand lands on the antique knob and I hesitate before I push against the door with my shoulder.
I cringe as an eerie creek rings through the quiet night as the door slowly swings open.
When I look up, Arran is standing in front of me, hands on hips and looking way too good for my hungry pussy.
“Hi,” I say, giving him a cute wave.
Arran scowls at me and I wish I didn’t find grumpy men so attractive. “Why are you here?”
“Uhm, can we have a sleepover?” I ask, giving my best impression of a doe-eyed look.
The scowl deepens, with a little bit of confusion creeping in too. “A what?”
“I’m staying the night and will be gone in the morning,” I say quickly, patting his hard chest as I step into the dark castle.
“I… uhm… you…”
Turning back toward him, I point over my shoulder at the colossal staircase. “Which way is my bedroom?”
Arran blankly lifts his hand and points to the right.
“Thanks, stud.” I blow him a kiss then skip up the stairs, ready for my first night in a castle.
Something tells me this is going to be lots of fun.