Chapter 23
Esme
I run my fingers across my new bonding mark, tracing the intricate design etched into my shoulder.
The pumpkin and scythe are intertwined in a way that's both playful and permanent, a physical reminder of the men who chose me.
The skin is still slightly raised, tender to the touch, but not painful.
Just present, always there, always reminding me that I belong to them and they belong to me.
Milo presses a kiss to it, his lips gentle against the sensitive skin.
The touch sends a pleasant shiver down my spine, warmth spreading through my chest. We're still packing up the house a few days later, and I'm sad to say goodbye to this place despite everything that happened here.
But at least now I get to make sure that all the things I wanted to keep are coming with me.
Mom's china that Liora tried to throw away, the photo albums from our childhood, the little knick-knacks that hold memories I'm not ready to let go of yet. Even the living room furniture is coming with us, and I couldn’t be happier.
Vesper leans against my bedroom door, watching us with those hazel eyes that always seem to see right through me. I look up at him and can't help but smile. He's been different since the bonding, softer somehow, like he's finally allowed himself to relax now that I'm truly theirs.
I step up to him and wrap my arms around his waist, burying my face in his chest. He smells like sweet darkness, that intoxicating scent that's become as familiar as my own. I tilt my head back to kiss him, pouring everything I feel into the gesture.
"I love you. I love you so goddamn much."
Vesper's arms tighten around me, one hand coming up to cradle the back of my head. "I love you too, princess. And while I hate how we got here, I'm glad that it's made you ours and us yours."
I sigh, leaning into his touch and letting him support my weight.
It's been almost two weeks since my death, two weeks of adjusting to this new existence, but a whole week of knowing that I’m theirs.
And it's been nothing but sweetness. Well, aside from dealing with Liora and the funeral and all the complicated logistics of leaving my old life behind.
But the time with them has been pure bliss, learning about their demon forms, understanding the bond that ties us together, exploring what it means to be theirs.
But it's time to leave now, time to move on to the next place and start the forever they promised me.
I chose the cottage out of all of Duske's properties, much to Vesper's dismay.
He'd wanted something more modern, more urban, but the cottage looked the coziest. It's tucked away in the woods with a lake behind it, though Duske warned me multiple times not to touch the water.
Something about it being a gateway to another realm, demons using it as a portal, the usual supernatural complications.
The warning only made me laugh, which seemed to amuse him.
Milo comes up behind me, his arms wrapping around both Vesper and me, creating a sandwich of warmth. "I found something I like more than pumpkin."
I twist in their arms to look at him. "Oh yeah? What's that?"
His green eyes are bright with affection. "You. Your smile, your happiness."
My throat tightens with emotion, and I pull away from Vesper just enough to hug Milo properly.
He lifts me off my feet, spinning me around in a circle, laughter bubbling up my throat.
When he sets me down, I kiss him thoroughly, tasting the pumpkin spice that seems to permanently linger on his tongue.
"I bought the house for you," he says when we pull apart.
My eyes widen. "What?"
Milo grins. "This house. I bought it from the city since Liora wouldn’t be able to have it. It's ours now. Well, yours technically. But ours. You can’t live here or anything but you can rent it out and come back to visit at least."
Tears prick my eyes, and I hug him again, burying my face in his chest. "You didn't have to do that."
"I wanted to," he says simply. "You deserve to be able to keep your memories."
Vesper pulls me back into his arms, and I watch with fond amusement as he leans in to kiss Milo over my shoulder. Their lips meet in a slow, heated kiss that makes my stomach flip. I never get tired of watching them together, seeing the love they have for each other that now includes me.
Duske appears in the doorway, and I turn to him with a smile.
He opens his arms, and I step into his embrace as well, all three of them jealous at times when I don’t share the love.
Not that I’m complaining because fuck, it’s wonderful to be wanted.
His rum and night air scent wraps around me, grounding me in a way only he can. "Ready to say goodbye?" he asks softly.
I nod against his chest. "Yeah. I think so."
We do one last walk through the house together, all four of us.
I pause in each room, taking in the memories—good and bad—that live in these walls.
The kitchen where my parents used to cook dinner, the living room where we decorated for Halloween just days ago, the stairs where I died.
That one makes me pause the longest, staring at the spot that changed everything.
Duske's hand finds mine, squeezing gently. "You okay?"
"Yeah," I say, and I mean it. "I'm okay."
Duske ushers me toward the car, mumbling something about letting the big strong men load the rest of the boxes into the truck.
I don’t argue because the likelihood of something slipping through my hands is low but not zero.
My tether to the earthly plane has strengthened but it’s not absolute, much to my dismay when I was trying to eat a sandwich earlier.
As we pull away from the house, I watch it disappear in the rearview mirror. Goodbye to my old life, to the girl I used to be. Hello to whatever comes next. I turn to Milo, who's playing with my hair in that absentminded way he does. "She's still scared, right? My sister is still…"
Milo's expression shifts to something darker, more satisfied. "Yes, she's still screaming."
"Great. Excellent."
Vesper snorts from the front seat, but I can see the approval in his eyes when he glances back at me.
"Also," I continue, crossing my arms over my chest, "I just want to say for the record that it's bullshit I didn't get any ghost powers.
" They all laugh but I just narrow my gaze at them, making sure they can all see how playfully pissed off I am.
"I'm serious!" I protest, trying to keep a straight face.
"I spent all that time as a ghost, and what did I get?
The ability to accidentally teleport to wherever you guys are and pass through objects.
That's not cool ghost powers. Where's my ability to move things with my mind or possess people or haunt my enemies? "
Duske's eyes meet mine in the rearview mirror, amusement dancing in their dark depths. "I'll teach you how to shift between transition states."
My eyes widen, all pretense of complaint forgotten. "I can do that?"
Duske nods. "Yes, it's something all demons and their mates can do. You'll be able to move between the physical plane and the spirit plane at will. It takes practice, but you'll get there."
"Fuck yes!" I pump my fist in the air. "Being dead isn't a dud after all!"
Vesper grunts. "What are we, chopped liver?"
Milo's voice is completely deadpan. "No, I'm a pumpkin."
More laughter erupts through the car as I lean into Milo’s side, feeling content and happy for the first time since this all began.
My mind starts wandering to what my daily life will look like especially since my mates, my ‘men’ do have jobs in otherworldly ways.
“Maybe I can help you guys guide souls and shit at some point.” Being able to help people cross over, to ease their transition from life to death.
It seems fitting somehow, given my own complicated relationship with mortality.
"I think I'd like that," I say softly. "Helping people. Making their last moments less scary."
Milo hugs me tighter. "I never really thought about it that way, but you’d be great at it.”
Vesper turns in his seat to look at me properly. "Just don't let Duske's seriousness rub off on you too much. We need you to keep things light."
I grin. "Don't worry. I plan on being the most cheerful Death adjacent person ever."
"Death adjacent," Duske repeats, shaking his head but I catch his smile through the rear-view mirror. "I suppose that's accurate. Just wait until we get to the cottage, it’s pretty isolated. No neighbors for miles. You’ll be able to pick up anything you like. Maybe some online teaching for a while?”
That sounds perfect because as much as I enjoy the idea of being a taken care of Omega, being at home all the time would make me stir crazy.
Milo's hand finds mine, our fingers interlacing. "We'll make it a home. Plant a garden, maybe. Milo can fill it with pumpkins."
"Obviously," Milo agrees readily. "It's not a proper home without pumpkins."
Vesper groans. "We're going to be drowning in pumpkins, aren't we?"
"Absolutely," Milo says cheerfully.
And I can't wait to begin.