Epilogue
Two years and a Samba later
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
NATASHA
The warmth of the sun over my skin, felt like a caress as I lay on the most comfortable lounger known to mankind. A gentle breeze swayed around me, fluttering my hair while the soothing sounds of the rolling waves sang to my soul.
I may be a Wolf Shifter and a Vampir, but I was born to live on the ocean, and nothing was ripping me away from my new home.
“Mmm…” The hum of absolute content left my lips as I stretched a little, sinking father into the comfort. My lounger was perfectly molded to my body in the most delicious way. “We really need to do something about this chair… It’s too dangerous. I never want to leave its sweet embrace.”
“As the chair in question, I can confirm I never want you to leave me either,” Dante answered, wrapping his arms tighter around my waist while I comfortably rested on top of his perfectly toned body. “Though, I must confess. When I told you to use me as you wished, this was not what I had in mind.”
A naughty smile curved my lips. “Don’t worry, I am planning to use you in another way tonight... with a certain Wolf Shifter and a Vampir too… Maybe at the same time?”
His mouth stretched into a full grin over my bond tattoo. “I will be counting the seconds.”
The sexy and throaty tone Dante’s voice took made goosebumps spread over my skin, and it took everything in me not to let it fully arouse me. We were on a public beach after all.
Laughter came from my left, and I tuned toward it, seeing Alyce and Isis chatting as they played cards. I was so happy that Isis was finally back home, after traveling around Scandinavia for a month. I had so much gossip for her.
When my head turned to the right, the handsome sight of a broad back, glistening with tanning oil and making every taut muscle stand out, came into view.
YUM.
Slowly, I lowered my sunglasses, letting my gaze roam over the strong arm adorned with the beautiful bond tattoo that announced to the entire world he was mine, showcasing my wolf at its center.
I drooled over the little finger muscles on his side, where his ribs were, and then the massive thigh visible thanks to the shorts he wore.
Like my other two mates, he was a work of art.
Fixing my glasses, I repressed a smirk. “Here kitty, kitty, kitty.” I made kissing noises. “Here kitty.”
Dangerously slow, Hannes turned toward me, giving me a “no you didn’t” stare.
“Here, kitty. Come!”
Placing down the book he was reading, he stood and walked toward me, blocking the sun with all his glorious might and size as he arched a single brow. “Kitty?”
I shrugged.
“I’m a Wolf Shifter,” he growled, but there was no bite in it. “I am not a kitty.”
“Well, you came, didn’t you?” I grinned when Dante snorted behind me, reaching for his drink on the table next to us.
Hannes’s lips twitched as he leaned down, crouching over me. “Call me kitty one more time, and I will make you pay for it later.”
The warning made my nipples stand at attention.
“If by you, you mean the Beast, and by making me pay, you mean spanking, I’m looking forward to it, kitty.” Lowering my glasses, I wiggled my eyebrows at him until laughter escaped him.
Leaning in, Hannes kissed my lips in the softest, most adoring way, melting my heart. His hand went to my jaw, fingers stroking my bond tattoo tenderly. “I will always come when you call… And the Beast says yes.”
A brilliant grin curved my lips. Oh, how I loved that man.
“Can I get in on that action?” Dante added. “Tell the Beast I’ve been a very bad boy.”
Hannes and I all chuckled while he lifted the Caipirinha cocktail to my lips so I could drink. I didn’t know where this drink had been all my life, but I was glad I’d finally found it. I was never drinking anything else again.
Who needed water?
“You are always a bad boy, Dante,” Hannes teased while I took another sip.
Sitting up, I turned around to look at Dante and cupped his cheek. “Not always… Most of the time you are really, really good.”
His gaze softened, knowing exactly why I was saying that, but I couldn’t help it. He’d given me a real scare, and I still wasn’t over it.
After the Twilight swept him off the battlefield, it took an entire week for him to return to us.
Dante had used not only the power boost his goddess had gifted him for the fight, foreseeing what he’d have to endure.
He’d also used all of his magic, even the natural reserves in his essence, while the demon beat him within an inch of his life.
He’d already known what would come. The Goddess revealed his impending fate in the battle when she gave him the suit connected to the Twilight itself. And yet, Dante still risked his life, fighting the Dark One so Bj?rn could take my mother to safety.
Goddess Hecate herself had brought him back to me, to face the woman who had threatened her with death.
“Stop…” Dante’s soft lips brushed mine with the order. “You don’t have to worry anymore. I’m not going anywhere, Natasha. I’m immortal now, remember?”
“Yes, I remember…” All too clearly. It was the only way Goddess Hecate could save him, and I remembered it like it was yesterday.
“I forgive your threat, dear child, because I made a desperate threat too in my time. One that no one answered. I have lost the God of Twilight far too many times, and with him, my heart,” Goddess Hecate had confessed, glancing down at Dante as she carried him unconscious in her arms. “I cannot go through that pain again, and I dare not impose it on another. So, I have made him immortal… for you.”
She carefully placed him on the bed in front of André, Hannes, and me.
“Love him as I do… Daughter of Night and Day.”
She disappeared into the night after that, and my mates and I have spent every day since, making sure we fulfilled her heartfelt plea.
“I love you too.” Dante kissed me, holding me tightly. “Now stop this madness or Hannes is going to get jealous.”
Hannes grunted something unintelligible, hiding a smile.
“It’s time to go!” Alyce suddenly called, and we looked her way to see her getting up and reaching for her towel on the sand. “We need to head back now so we can shower and change, or we are going to be late.”
“We can’t be late,” Isis agreed, picking up the card game and placing it with everything else in her bag.
“André, it’s time to go!” Hannes bellowed toward the sea, waving at him to hurry.
Gripping my waist, Dante lifted me off his lap and stood, placing me on my feet. I turned to the shore just in time to see André strut out of the water.
I mean, that was always a treat, but this weekend it was far more special.
I grabbed the extra plush towel from my bag, where I’d kept it so it wouldn’t get sand on it—only the best for my love—and opened it wide, waiting for him to reach my arms.
“There’s the love of my life!” I greeted, wrapping the towel around his little body when André placed him in my arms.
“Aunty Tasha, the sea!” His big brown eyes widened, blond curly strands gleaming like pure gold under the bright sun when he turned to point to the rolling waves.
“I know, my little bear. The sea is so fun, isn’t it?”
He nodded, showing me his wet hand as little droplets fell from his chubby fingers. “Water…” His tongue licked the length of his palm, and he immediately cringed.
“No, little bear. We don’t drink that water.” Placing a kiss on his head, André walked past us to his chair.
“Lift him,” Hannes instructed, wrapping the bathing suit cover around me.
“Okay, let’s go,” Alyce urged, and we all began to walk out of the beach, crossing the street toward our building.
Carrying little bear in my arms, we entered the elevator to the penthouse. My cheek squeezed against his while his little arms wrapped around my neck tightly. He was a hugger, and I was here for it.
“Do you want to be my boyfriend?” I asked.
“No.”
“Do you want to move in with me and we can play in the sea every day?”
“No.”
“Do you love me?”
“No.”
Everyone laughed. No, was currently his favorite word.
“I’m going to trick you one of these days.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’ll see.”
“No.”
André’s brow lifted, challenging me. “I wasn’t aware you were looking for a fourth love?”
My brow arched right back at him. “I don’t see no ring on this finger.”
Alyce and Isis chuckled, looking up at the numbers flashing on the screen.
“Speaking of,” Hannes stepped closer behind me, leaning against my ear. “My mom asked again when she can start planning our royal wedding.”
I turned back to look at him as the elevator dinged. “Wedding? Hannes, I mated with you, your wolf, and your Beast—”
“TMI,” Isis murmured but I ignored her.
“I bit you. I fell in love with you. And I have your crescent moon on my skin for the entire world to see! What else do you want from me, my firstborn?”
I winked at Alyce while the others laughed.
“Well, yeah…” Hannes grumbled.
The moment we stepped off the elevator, little bear wiggled in my arms, eager to go into the house. I placed him down just as Dante opened the door and he ran into the apartment. Walking in after him, I gasped. My parents were sitting in the living room.
“Tesia!” the baby squealed when he saw my mom and lunged toward her. Blinking out of the room, he suddenly blinked back soaring through the air toward her chest and barely giving her time to catch him.
“Oh, my goodness, baby Bj?rn!” My mom gasped, gripping him tightly so he wouldn’t fall.
The baby’s contagious laughter echoed like bells through the living room—he thought it was hilarious to do that.
“Little bear thinks he can fly too.” Dad chuckled, reaching for his little head and kissing it.
Grinning, baby Bj?rn wrapped his arms around her neck and squeezed her for several seconds, finally resting his head on her shoulder so she would give him love.