Epilogue
Two Months Later - Callum
The buzzer pierced the air, a loud, shrill sound that had cheers of excitement coursing across the pilaeria pitch. Hands slapped against my back, grins and whoops shouting from the idiotic males standing beside me.
Cries of outrage rang out from fans, intermingled with celebratory cheers from the other team. A grumbled curse slipped from my lips as Axel stood on his chair, his drink sloshing in his hand as he joined the chorus of cheers.
Fireworks went off in the distance, the blue hues coating the sky as they declared the winner of the match—the Water Wings.
I shook my head as Axel threw an arm around me, a shit-eating grin splitting his lips. The ambrosia from his drink spilled as he joined in with the crowds chanting, proudly supporting his team.
“Would you look at that?” His voice rang out over the roar of the crowd. “The Water Wings won . . . and I do believe you said it wasn’t possible.”
“No, no, you’ve got it all wrong.” Finn’s voice echoed from behind my second as my eyes narrowed in on the male who’d joined us. “I do believe his exact words were ‘I look forward to you buying the next round once the Aurelite Guards beat the Water Wings.’”
I grunted, still in shock that the Aurelite Guards had lost the match.
It had been close—far too close, seeing as the match had gone into overtime, with the Water Wings barely managing to score in the last seven seconds on the clock.
“I do believe no one asked your opinion,” I tossed back, shaking my head.
“Fair’s fair,” Finn retorted. “And we all know you would have forced us to buy drinks had your precious Aurelite Guards won.”
“Which means drinks are on the elusive team lead of the Shade tonight,” Axel chimed in.
“I don’t even understand why you’re so happy,” I replied as I stared at Finn. “You’ve only lived in Aurum for two months, yet you had to choose the wrong team to support.”
“Not the wrong team.” He took a drink of ambrosia before leveling me a pointed look. “The winning team.”
A soft chuckle sounded from my other side, causing my head to turn as I stared at the female beside me.
“What are you laughing at?” I demanded, even as a slight smile tugged at the corner of my lips.
“Oh. Nothing . . . Sergeant,” Raelyna mocked as she stood by my side, wearing a cropped Aurelite Guards shirt, her curls bobbing as her hair was pulled back in two ribbons atop her head. “I’m simply looking forward to a night of free drinks.”
“You do realize your drinks are free every night, do you not?” I stated, smirking down at her. “Not to mention that it was technically your team that lost as well.”
“Well . . .” Raelyna’s voice was a teasing drawl as she grinned at me. “It just means so much more when it’s because your—”
“I’d recommend you don’t finish that sentence, starlight.” My voice was a low purr as my eyes narrowed in on my starbound.
Sea-glass hazel eyes narrowed on me in return before a flap of wings, followed by a gust of wind, had me turning to find the imbeciles we’d come to the match with darting through the air, blue and white flags in hand as they proclaimed their team’s victory.
Axel whooped loudly into the air, Finn following after him as they drunkenly flew through the pitch.
I let out a low groan as I watched the two males, nearly crashing into other fans.
I shook my head as I called my own wings to the surface, casting a glance to the side to ensure my starbound was coming with.
I paused, watching Rae as she spoke in excited tones with Eleana and Emberly.
Her head bobbed, brown curls moving with the action as she stood among her friends.
I’d learned within days of her moving to Aurum Quarter that the three females together were a lethal combination. Eleana laughed at something Rae was saying as golden wings burst forth, before the trio pushed off into the night sky.
“You coming?” Rae asked as her wings caught the wind.
“Or are you still pouting over the loss?” Eleana added. “Because your card’s on file at the Silver Lantern, so drinks are on you whether you’re there or not.”
I shook my head, rubbing a hand through my hair as I replied to both of them. “You do realize it’s also your team that lost, right?”
“Yes, we’re not stupid,” Rae replied. “And we are obviously devastated by the loss, which is why we’re going to the Silver Lantern to cope.” The female had the audacity to shoot me a salacious grin as we flew higher into the night sky.
“Plus, it just makes the loss a bit more tolerable, knowing you’re picking up the tab tonight,” Eleana added with a grin.
“Because we will need many drinks to recover from the terrible tragedy of the Aurelite Guards losing for the first time in—” Her finger tapped against her lip as she pretended to think.
“How many years has it been?” They took off toward the Silver Lantern before I could answer, and a low growl tore from me, before I was chasing after my starbound.
Music thrummed in the low lighting of the bar as I leaned back in the private booth we had on constant reservation in the far corner of the Silver Lantern—seeing as we frequented this club far too often in our evenings.
Lights flickered as I tapped against the glass in my hand, listening to Axel go on about the final play of the match, running through the details of how our pitchkeeper had let the ball through at the very last moment, leading to the Water Wings winning a finals match for the first time in four decades.
Four. Decades.
Four.
The club was filled with jerseys in contrasting colors as fans came in waves after the match. The music blaring loudly cut off as the Water Wings’ chant began to blast through the space, and drunken fans began proudly shouting their victory.
Tonight was going to be a long, expensive night.
I shook my head as another round was ordered and I knew my bar tab was being taken advantage of to its fullest extent as another round of shots was consumed by my friends, and then the group was moving, heading to the dance floor as a new song filtered through the speakers.
Thank the stars someone had the sense to cut the Water Wings’ chant.
“Dance with me,” Raelyna said as she leaned into my vision, and my eyes traced over her features. “I won’t take no for an answer.” She grinned as the music floated through the bar.
I pretended to think about the answer, contemplating for a second too long as her manicured nails tapped impatiently against the tabletop. “One,” I conceded as I looked at her.
Her smile grew as I set my glass of ambrosia down, the drink sloshing as it settled, before I stood, wrapping my hand around her waist and tugging her into me.
“Just one dance.” My voice was a low whisper against the column of her neck as her body pressed against mine, before she withdrew, leading me toward the crowd already dancing.
“We’ll see about that, Sergeant,” she teased, her voice floating over the music. “I can be very persuasive.”
My eyes scanned the perimeter of the Silver Lantern, catching on Eleana and Emberly dancing with a few other females, then flickering over toward where Finn and Axel danced by the alcove, a few females eagerly moving with them to the beat, and my head shook in amusement.
“What’s so funny?” Raelyna glanced around as our bodies swayed, my hands resting on her hips as I tugged her closer to me.
“Those two idiots.” I gestured toward Finn and Axel, watching as Raelyna’s gaze tracked toward the two males.
“Well . . .” Her voice was soft, a chuckle falling from her as she studied them, a grin spreading across her lips. “It’s about time Finn found someone to give him some competition at the club.”
A low rumble came from me as I shook my head, watching the two males as they were surrounded by females, passing them back and forth between themselves, before I returned my attention to the female in my arms.
Raelyna moved against me, the neon lights of the club flashing in various hues across her skin as she swayed in my arms, her lips moving while she sang the words to the song . . . and then the next one . . . and the next one.
Three stars-damned songs, and yet I could think of nothing better to do than dance with her in my arms.
“Let’s get out of here,” Rae said as she grinned up at me, her body pressing against mine as she moved to the beat, and a low groan slipped from my lips as I felt her move against me.
My hands roamed over the bare skin of her stomach, tugging her closer as I shot her a dark look, letting her feel every emotion coursing through me. “Now.”
The song began to fade as her body pressed up against mine, her hips still moving in time to the beat. Her lashes fluttered, breath hitching as she stared up at me, and I shot her a rakish grin. “Where to, starlight?” I asked as I stared at the only female I ever wanted to hold in my arms.
“Home, Cal.” Her reply was a breathy lilt. “Take me home.”
And those were the only words I needed to hear fall from her lips before I was moving through the crowd toward the exit.
I didn’t let her out of my grasp. Not as I entered the gate code to let us into the building.
Not as the doorman greeted us when we walked into the entrance, the soft lighting of the entryway casting shadows across her skin.
Not as we walked through the carpeted foyer, toward the elevator.
And certainly not as the elevator dinged on its arrival.
And then I was tugging Raelyna through the gold-coated doors, barely paying attention as I repeatedly pressed the button to the hundred and fifty-third floor, before I was pressing her against the wall, claiming her lips.
She easily complied, her body molding into mine as I tilted her chin up, capturing her face while I devoured her.
The elevator sped through the building, climbing higher and higher as I licked against her bottom lip, toying with her before biting against her lip in a demand. Raelyna’s mouth parted, my tongue sweeping inside as I explored her.
Her soft moan filled the elevator as we continued to speed toward the top floor, my lips never leaving hers as my fingers trailed over her skin, my hands tugging her further against me.
I growled darkly as her fingers twined through the strands of my hair, her grip tightening as I pushed her against the elevator wall.
“Cal.” My name dropped from her lips in a reverent plea as the elevator buzzed, alerting us to our arrival. A dark groan fell from my lips as I spun her around in my arms, my fingers haphazardly pressing against the sensor, waiting for the system to scan my fingerprints and grant us access.
“Fuck, starlight.” I breathed the words against her lips before devouring her once more, unable to get enough as our tongues danced together in an all-consuming clash.
The buzz sounded in the distance, the metal doors sliding open as I lifted her up, her legs wrapping tightly around my waist, lips never leaving mine.
I didn’t know if I would ever get enough of her—my starbound—as I walked out the doors, into our home, focusing solely on her .
. . on the future we were building, together.