Epilogue 2
~Cassius~
Three Months Later
It was truly remarkable.
I was holding innocence in my hands.
A fresh new lifeforce.
One of a kind.
A product of our love and adoration.
A little baby.
Our son.
Three months and six days it had been now and every time I held him was still like the first time.
Inexplicably wonderful.
Utterly miraculous.
I stared down at him, still awed by the sight of him.
He was so impossibly small, barely filling my arms, his head fitting in the crook of my elbow, the soft wisps of his dark hair brushing my skin every time he moved slightly. He was swaddled in a purple blanket with scattered black stars. His eyes were a stunning amethyst, just like Velra’s.
One hand had escaped the blanket and he reached out, grasping my finger, something he often did with all of us.
Winter Nox.
Our little bundle of joy and hope.
I looked up at the rumble across the floor, just as Ketheron walked into the nursery.
It was a beautiful space, glowing with moonlit blue, gothic arches framing tall windows.
A canopy of ivory gauze drifted over the crib with a crystal light shaped like starlight above.
A cozy forest-green chair sat opposite the crib alongside a purple one.
There was a rocking horse in the corner that was actually a unicorn.
The stone floor was covered with a pastel-blue shag rug.
Ketheron crossed to us and held up his bear that Lazriel had fixed so very well, the eyes now on sturdily. “I thought Maximus might be able to help this little bundle of joy sleep better tonight.”
“You are offering to give up your most beloved bear, Ketheron?”
He pursed his lips, then gave a nod. “For a few nights. I still love him. But I thought the baby might need him more than I do right now. He has been very restless and upset throughout this week during the night.”
He certainly had.
According to the books I’d been devouring on the subject, it was a form of sleep regression, nothing to be concerned about, nor reel over.
“Thank you, Ketheron. That’s incredibly thoughtful. I’m sure Winter will adore it and take great comfort in him.”
His eyes lit up and he dipped his head to take in Winter in my arms. “I’ll see you again in two days, little baby. I’m staying with Ariana for a sleepover. She’s my kindred. I’ll tell you all about her and her boyfriends when you’re older.”
I chuckled. “If you need anything, let me know.”
“I will.” He nuzzled against me, then teleported out.
Winter’s eyes flamed.
We had seen it before, him registering expulsions of power.
It had even ceased long crying episodes before and calmed his upset.
It was uncanny.
To be expected, given that he was one of a kind.
“Ding dong, baby boy, other Daddy is home!” Lazriel’s voice rang out a moment before he appeared in a burst and strode into the nursery, swaggering as usual in his jeans and leather biker jacket.
He’d returned earlier than expected from his work at Vyrn Hollow. He’d left early this morning, an hour before the sun had come up, to spend some time with his dad too.
I shook my head in dismay as I saw his soiled boots tracking in mud everywhere across the marble floor.
He lifted a shoulder. “A little magic will fix it right up,” he said, eyeing me knowingly.
Before I could even move to do that, he reached out for Winter.
I jerked back with him. “Did you wash your hands?”
“Of course. I got the memo from you and Velra over the last few months, believe me.”
“Good. I don’t want mud or whatever else all over him.”
“He can’t get infections,” he chuckled. “Supernatural powerhouse baby, remember?”
“Still. Look at him, he’s so perfect, unblemished.”
“You know that’s not gonna hold for long with him having a wolf-vampire as a dad, right?”
He was much more used to being around babies, having grown up in a wolf pack where there were frequent births and everybody pitched in. So that was why he was able to accept that much more easily than I, that sort of transition, the growing up aspect.
“I suppose,” I murmured, stroking Winter’s tiny fingers, before handing him over to Lazriel, who nuzzled against him and scented him, breathing him in.
“Aww, this is the cutest thing ever,” Velra’s voice came as she walked on in looking breathtaking in a purple leather wrap dress, her ombre hair cascading about her face.
She had been in the Dark Fae Realm today working with King Darethor and his new council that they were terming, Advisory Court, dropping the off-putting regal air that had become synonymous with the totalitarian rule that the Dark Fae Realm was trying hard to recover from.
She had two days off ahead, and then she’d be at the CRS facilities working with Nyx.
She had a busy schedule, but she always made time for Winter and for us. She was very good at balancing it. Sylas was the one having trouble.
Launching Requital was an incredible undertaking, so we were all hoping that was all it was, and that he would settle into a better balance soon.
Either way, Sylas was very open these days to us, so if he could not manage that on his own, a few words from us would assist to ease him from his tunnel vision.
He had made allowances already that boded well.
Like when he needed to research something for Arcanum Order, he often did it in our home lab that Kai and Lazriel had built for him, instead of going to Arcanum Conclave to do so—all so he could spend time with Winter and us.
He even took Winter into the lab with him. Although, when Velra had first found out, she hadn’t exactly been pleased and she’d insisted that going forward, Sylas and I had to erect a joint shield over Winter all the while he was in there with Sylas.
In her rush to reach the baby, she stepped in the mud that Lazriel had tracked in.
“Oops,” he said, wincing. “Sorry, love.”
She shook her head, then ruffled his hair when she reached us.
Then she conjured a baby bottle full of formula to her right hand. Her frost traveled up the bottle, cooling it to near-frozen temperature.
Winter wouldn’t drink warm formula. He spat it out every time.
It was a preference connected to his Wraith side.
Lazriel eased him into Velra’s arms, sensing her eagerness and need to hold him.
As she settled him against her, propping his head up, he cooed at her, his arms flailing happily.
She nuzzled against him, then started feeding him the bottle.
“Mommy missed you so much, baby boy,” she said, gazing at him lovingly, making Lazriel and I exchange a smile.
A flare of potent power drew my attention and I saw Lazriel scent the air.
A moment later, Sylas rushed on in. “Sorry I’m late,” he breathed.
I arched an eyebrow as I took in him carrying a massive gold treasure chest.
“What on earth?” I queried.
He grinned out at us as he put it down in front of Winter’s crib, then opened the lid with a flick of his magic.
Lazriel burst over there, then started lifting out toys.
Toys upon toys.
Teddy bears, soft unicorns, building blocks, activity mats, puzzles, a mixture of comfort and educational objects.
“Sylas… wow,” Velra spoke, walking over there with Winter.
“He needs it. All of it. It’s educational play. Perfect for his age. And something we can all sit down and do with him as a family,” he explained.
“I see that, yeah,” Velra said. “It’s really sweet.” She held out her hand and drew him to her, then brushed her lips over his. “You’re doing great, you know?”
He tensed. “What?”
“You don’t need to worry so much. You’re an amazing dad, Sylas.” She looked out at Lazriel and me. “You all are. Truly.”
“Well, then that works out perfectly, doesn’t it?” Lazriel spoke, stroking her hair. “Because you’re a fantastic mom to this little boy.”
Sylas relaxed, even releasing a weighty breath, then reached out to Winter, who even though feeding, grasped his finger with an almighty grip. Sylas’ eyes lit up.
I snatched up Ketheron’s bear and joined them, explaining that Ketheron was lending it to Winter.
Lazriel started making Maximus speak, earning hearty laughter from us all, and a little spit up from Winter, before he settled back into drinking from his bottle again, his eyes darting to each of us inquisitively.
Such joviality.
Such warmth.
Such love.
None of this had seemed possible to me, nor to any of us.
Yet, here we were.
Happy.
Cherished.
I’d found my family.
We’d built this very special unit that would stand the test of time.
That would stand strong through everything.
That gave us all what we’d always needed.
Belonging.
And it truly was everything.
Forevermore.
THE END