Epilogue
DEX
Ten years later.
“We have to get going,” Luc called from the front showroom.
“Give me a minute,” Dex shouted back. He threw a plastic tarp loosely over the day’s creations and went to wash his hands at the sink.
He’d been throwing mugs on the pottery wheel earlier that afternoon and had gotten distracted making teaspoon rests to match, with the extra clay. Now they were risking running late.
“The front’s all closed up.” Luc appeared in the doorway to Dex’s pottery studio. “You’re lucky I can fly.”
“You’re lucky I’ve cleaned already, or I’d throw clay at you.”
Luc’s eyes flashed. “The last time you did that, you begged me to spank you for being so naughty. We definitely don’t have time for that.”
Lust zipped down the bond. “There’s always later.”
“Mm.” Luc wrapped his arms around Dex and untied his apron, slipping it over his head. “What a lucky boy you are, mate.”
He was. Working with Luc had gone even better than Dex had imagined. They’d opened the Colt Ceramics brick-and-mortar store three years ago. How had time gone so fast?
Dex had never planned to run his own shop. His online business had taken off, and he’d had to resign from Seaside Coffee to keep up. That had been the dream, and it was six years ago now.
The in-person shop had been Luc’s idea. He’d wanted to build Dex’s brand and give him the opportunity to create and sell one-of-a-kind pieces.
Selling his pottery online and in other people’s shops had been the height of Dex’s ambition, but with his own shop, he could do sculpture alongside his homewares and sell both.
When he’d moved in with Luc, he’d sold his little condo by the river and bought this shop in the Arts District. There was a showroom out front and a studio in the back. He even had his own kiln. Which was awesome, but not as amazing as Luc firing pieces for him with his demon flames.
All of the sculptures were created by him and Luc as a team. Dex did the pottery, and Luc transformed the pieces with fire. No one outside the magic world was aware that they were created that way, but most of the people who ended up buying them were witches or vampires.
Onyx had hosted a magic-inclusive opening for Dex and Luc at Gallery Four. It was one of the highlights of Dex’s life, and he didn’t see that changing, no matter how long he lived.
Other than creating art together, Luc ran the shop while Dex made mugs, bowls, and all his usual fare out back. They didn’t actually see each other often during a typical work day, keeping them from getting on each other’s nerves or falling into each other’s arms too often.
Luc kept busy when he wasn’t working by volunteering at Harper and Ash’s center for witches in need. He seemed determined to spend his life giving back, and Dex loved that about him.
Dex wrapped his arms around Luc’s neck. “Fly me home so I can change, please?”
“Since you asked so nicely…” Luc scooped Dex into his arms and carried him out the back door, pausing to lock it magically.
The flight home was short. There’d been a time when Dex couldn’t have imagined permanently moving out of the Banks, but he loved living in the Arts District.
Ollie and Harper lived with Dante and Ash at the big house in the nature reserve, which had become somewhat of a home base for all eight of them.
They had regular family dinners, and Dex had gotten to know Dante’s gaming room well.
So had Luc. Of all things, he and Dante had re-bonded over video games.
Luc soared toward the tallest building in this section of the city. It was much smaller than the high rises downtown, but it had a perfect view of the Arts District and the northern expanse of the river with the main city skyline off to the west.
Home.
Luc had designed it especially for them—commissioned an architect and everything—and renovated the old building he’d bought.
Dex and Luc lived on the top floor, with offices rented out below, meaning they had the building to themselves on evenings and weekends.
Though Luc had magically soundproofed the penthouse for guaranteed privacy.
They landed on the main balcony, a huge expanse of concrete with glass barriers along the edge and seating and potted plants distributed throughout.
The whole penthouse was like living on a sheltered balcony.
Every room had a view, with smaller outdoor spaces on the other three sides of the building.
Dex could look out at Shearwater Landing no matter what room he was in.
He’d called it their nest when Luc had first flown him here, and the nickname had stuck.
“I’ll be quick,” Dex promised as he hurried into their bedroom, leaving the glass door ajar behind him.
They were meeting everyone at a wine bar Onyx liked—even though he didn’t drink wine—as a surprise for Ollie. He was meeting Dante soon to tell him if he’d gotten the teaching job he’d applied for, and Dante wanted the family ready for the news.
Of course, they’d all wanted to be there. They’d come running to each other’s sides no matter the occasion, big or small.
Luc leaned against the doorframe. “I’ll hold you to that. You’ve got five minutes.”
Dex kicked off his shoes, pulled his shirt over his head, and dropped his clay-stained jeans. “If I’m quick and good for you, do you think I can come tonight?” He let his hand trail down his stomach, Luc’s eyes tracking the motion.
“Put your clothes on, little tease, and I might let you.”
Dex grabbed the first pair of pants he found and shoved them on.
His training to hold back from coming while Luc orgasmed had gone really fucking well.
The process had been hot itself, but Dex had loved the resulting success even more.
Luc could use him as many times as he wanted without Dex coming, and it had been a while since Luc had given him the privilege of an orgasm of his own.
Not his longest period of denial, but getting close.
“Maybe I’ll make you run home, and if I don’t catch you, you can come,” Luc mused.
Dex whirled around to find Luc looking at his fingernails, casual as can be. He’d even managed to keep the bond closed off so Dex couldn’t feel him.
He could imagine Luc as this distant, unimpressed man he hadn’t yet earned the right to please.
Dex’s heart pounded. “Do I get a head start?”
Luc met his gaze, fire in his eyes. “You know what? Today I’m feeling fair. I’ll give you a real chance. Whatever the distance is from the wine bar to here in miles, times your average running speed, minus a minute. But no more than that.”
Dex swallowed, his pulse thumping. “Deal.” He slipped on his running shoes, rather than ones that matched his outfit.
Luc grinned slyly, taunting Dex with a jolt of pleasure down the bond. “Grab a shirt and we’ll go.”
Dex pulled on a clean shirt and followed Luc onto the balcony. Whether he made it home or Luc caught him and fucked him in the street, he would have a fantastic end to the day.
Who knew life could be this fun? Not the Dex of ten years ago, that was for sure.
His grief never disappeared completely, but it had become something he could live with. A part of his story, not the whole thing.
Dex was in no hurry to enter the Eternal Realm. He had Malachi’s pebble next to a photo of him and his parents as a reminder of what awaited him. In a few decades, he’d take the journey the pebble represented, but he needed to live his life first. It was what they would have wanted for him.
Maybe in the centuries to come, Dex would meet his reincarnated parents. Perhaps they’d be friends. It was a wild notion, and reminded Dex how much possibility was truly out there. How much love there could be in the world, in every form.
He’d had his parents’ love, and that would never cease to exist. They would never cease to exist. He had Luc’s love, which would grow and change with him like its own living thing. He had his demon family’s love, and he’d have love and friendships he hadn’t yet imagined.
And that was only his perspective. When Dex considered the love of others, the world was so damn full.
There was Luc, who’d believed no one would ever love him again, and yet Dex loved him every day. Luc’s brothers loved him. Their mates, too. Dex could feel the eight of them becoming closer, drawing together like a solar system forming around a new star.
Luc gathered Dex into his arms and kissed his forehead. “Whatever you’re thinking, it’s giving me full-body shivers, my dear.”
Dex tilted his face and captured Luc’s lips with his. “I’m thinking about you. Us. Our life and family. How much I love you.”
Luc purred. “I love you, too, Dex. More than words could ever say.”
The bond opened up. Luc’s feelings reflected Dex’s, surrounding them both in a fire that would burn for eternity.
Their eternity.
The End.