Epilogue - Olivia
“You both realize you don’t actually need to come with me, right?”
I stopped walking long enough to look between them.
Glancing up at Calix on my left and Rack on my right, and a frustrated breath slipped out of me. Ever since the tunnels, my mates had turned into shadows attached to my heels.
Mates.
Even now that word still hits me strangely. Every time I thought about it, something warm unfurled inside my chest.
“You promised I could have a girls night with Lark.”
Calix’s grin widened, like he saw an opening and caught my hand before I could pull away and slowly lifted it to his mouth. His lips brushed my knuckles lingeringly, sunset-pink eyes glittering up at me while that combed-back white hair made him look unfairly handsome.
His voice dropped low and sultry. “And why,” he murmured against my skin, “can’t you have a girls night while your mates sit nearby looking pretty?”
His thumb traced lazily across my wrist. “We promise not to interfere.”
My shoulders sagged instantly. God. Being irritated and turned on at the same time should’ve been illegal. Especially when he looked at me like that.
No. Stay strong, Olivia.
“It’s called a girls night,” I stressed slowly. “Girls.”
Rack finally spoke beside me, his deep voice rumbling softly enough to vibrate through my chest. “We just want to stay close.”
His eyes lifted to mine fully then, those deep amethyst irises shadowed with concern that hadn’t really left since the tunnels. “To make sure you’re safe.”
A strand of dark hair had fallen across his forehead again and without thinking, I reached over and tucked it back. My fingertips skimmed his warm skin and his gaze softened instantly, leaning almost imperceptibly into the touch. These two were making it impossible to stay firm.
I shook my head quickly before I gave in. “You can walk me to the restaurant.” I pointed between them firmly. “That’s it.” Calix groaned dramatically.
They both tried different tactics, but I was firm in my decision, even if it pained me to do it.
Honestly, part of the reason I was digging my heels in so hard was because I missed parts of my old life.
A few days ago, I’d finally seen Alto again. The second he opened the door and saw my eyes, his entire face had gone white. He’d stared at my fangs like he was looking at a ghost. Then the second I explained why I’d been turned, his expression shattered completely and he cried.
His shoulders shook while he apologized over and over for not protecting me better, for not doing more. I ended up hugging him, telling him none of it was his fault.
When I brought up Manshu, something sharp flashed across Alto’s face so fast it startled me.
“If those two hadn’t killed him,” he’d snarled quietly, “I would have.”
Then, because apparently every protective person in my life had collectively lost their minds, he sat Calix and Rack down separately and interviewed them like an overprotective father.
Thinking about it now still made me smile. Which was exactly why I needed one normal girls night.
When we got to the restaurant, I kissed both of them goodbye at the entrance.
Calix stole one extra kiss before I escaped. Rack brushed his nose lightly against mine before letting me go. Then I walked backward through the doorway just long enough to wave at them while they stood outside watching me like concerned bodyguards disguised as heartbreakingly attractive men.
The restaurant itself sat at the bottom floor of a luxury hotel, all open walls and warm evening air drifting through the open concept seating. String lights glowed overhead while soft music floated between conversations.
And despite their promise? I could still see both of them immediately.
They’d taken a table in the far corner trying, and failing, to look subtle. Calix literally waved at me when I noticed them.
I ordered a drink anyway. When I was about a quarter of the way through it when both of them suddenly shot to their feet. Calix reached me first. Rack was already pulling his phone from his pocket again.
“I think,” Calix said quickly, “you’re about to get your girls night completely alone.” Something in his expression had changed. The teasing ease was gone now.
“Syndicate emergency,” Rack added sharply while scanning something on his screen.
I immediately pushed up from the booth I was in. “Do you need me?”
Rack looked up instantly and shook his head once. “No.” His eyes flicked over me carefully before softening slightly. “Nothing for you to worry about.”
He placed his car keys gently onto the table in front of me. “Have dinner with Lark.” His tone turned firmer. “Then go straight home.”
I stared at the keys for a second, then snatched them up quietly, whispering to the keys, “You don't know how long I’ve wanted to get my hands on you.”
Calix leaned down beside my ear lazily.
“Well now,” he drawled, “if keys are all it takes to excite you, sweetheart, I can buy you an entire—”
“Calix.” Rack grabbed the back of his jacket and physically started dragging him away. “The faster we handle this,” he called over his shoulder, “the faster we get back to her.”
Calix let himself be dragged backward dramatically, still pointing at me.
“This conversation about luxury cars is NOT over!”
Despite myself, I laughed while watching them disappear out the restaurant doors together. Ridiculous man.
I barely had enough time to settle back into my chair before my phone buzzed. Lark. Finally.
I unlocked it quickly, expecting some excuse about traffic or her outfit or one of the million dramatic things she usually texted me about.
Lark: Can’t make it tonight. You’ll understand later.
That was it. I stared at the message.
“…What the hell does that mean?”
I immediately hit call and it went straight to voicemail. My brows pulled together harder as I called again. Voicemail, again.
Okay. Now I was annoyed.
My thumbs flew across the screen preparing a very aggressive text demanding answers when the entire street outside erupted with the scream of engines.
Every conversation around me stopped. Glasses paused midair. Heads turned toward the road all at once as two vehicles shot down the street side by side at impossible speed.
A bubblegum pink McLaren 720 screamed around the corner so fast the tires shrieked against the pavement while a massive olive-green Hummer barreled beside it like a tank refusing to lose.
People at nearby tables gasped and leaned back as both vehicles tore directly toward the restaurant entrance. Neither slowed down.
Then at the last second, the McLaren spun sharply sideways in a perfect drift, tires smoking while it slid to a stop inches from the curb and the Hummer thundered in right after it.
I blinked slowly. What the fuck was happening?
The McLaren door lifted upward smoothly and a stunning fairy woman unfolded out of the driver’s seat like she’d stepped directly off a magazine cover.
Long moonlight-white hair spilled over bare shoulders. A bodycon dress hugged every curve like the fabric had been poured onto her skin. Cherry-red lips stretched into a dazzling grin while she crossed her arms beneath her chest, pushing everything up even higher without a hint of shame.
Every person nearby stared openly. Men. Women. Probably the waiter too. Honestly? I did the same.
Still trapped in my stunned silence, I heard the heavy thunk of the Hummer door opening.
Black combat boots hit the pavement first. Then came lean taught muscles. The woman that climbed out looked like she could throw me over her shoulder and punch through concrete immediately afterward.
Toned arms flexed beneath a cropped top while a jacket hung open over powerful shoulders. Her white hair was wilder than the fairy’s, thick and mane-like with one braid hanging down the side.
She slammed the Hummer door shut hard enough to rattle nearby tables.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” she barked immediately.
The fairy leaned lazily against her car, grinning wider.
“That was bullshit. I almost had you and you know it!” the muscular woman growled.
The fairy slowly dragged her tongue across her lower lip in the most obscene way possible before knocking lightly on the McLaren’s passenger window.
It rolled down revealing a giant green-skinned troll inside gripping the steering wheel with both hands while his entire face turned bright red.
The fairy pouted dramatically at him. “Looks like somebody didn’t offer enough incentive, huh, Alic?”
Then she made a very explicit motion with her hands and mouth, acting like a dick was right in front of her.
“Aniyah!”
The fighter woman crossed both arms instantly while glaring.
Behind her, another massive man with long dark hair sat inside the Hummer watching her with a sweet smile, like every other living being around him simply ceased to exist.
“Aniyah, quit traumatizing people.”
The fairy burst out laughing so hard she doubled over against the car before suddenly grabbing the troll’s face and kissing him deeply enough half the restaurant forgot how breathing worked.
The muscular woman rolled her eyes skyward like this happened hourly.
Wait. Aniyah? Nova? My brain screeched to a halt.
I stared harder at both women now that I actually looked at them. The white hair. The pink eyes. The overwhelming presence.
Oh my god. These were Calix’s sisters.
Before I could fully process that, a figure suddenly appeared directly behind Aniyah without a sound, leaning close to her ear.
“Using every trick available to you, I see.”
I physically jolted in my chair. Riot. That was Riot.
Aniyah shrieked loud enough that several people nearby jumped. She practically launched into the air clutching her chest dramatically.
“Fucking hell, Riot!” she gasped while glaring at her. “We need to put a bell on you!”
Nova laughed under her breath and walked over to drape an arm across Riot’s shoulder.
“Don’t let her ruin your vibe, Ri.” She smirked. “You’re perfectly terrifying already.”