Epilogue
EPILOGUE
SERAPHINA
8 months later…
“Come on, everyone! Dinner’s on the table!”
I look toward Orion, matching shit-eating grins on our faces as we spring up from the sofa. The heavenly smells wafting in from the kitchen for the past few hours have nearly driven me mad, but now, it’s finally time— it’s time for Thanksgiving motherfucking dinner.
Sloane lets out a squeal, jumping off the back of the couch. She rushes over, wrapping her tiny hand in mine as she jumps about. “Dinners ready! Dinners ready!”
“So it is.” I give her a bright smile, then turn my gaze toward the little black-haired boy still sitting on the sofa. “You coming, Hadrian?”
Bright silver eyes blink at me and Sloane, and a flush creeps up his neck as he takes in the bright smile on the little girl's face. Hadrian is Kain and Lillith’s son, and he’s a few months older than Sloane—and also, I’m fairly certain, in love with her. But he’s only nine, so he doesn’t know quite what to do with the spunky little hellion. I’ve been trying to push the two of them together, but try as I might, Sloane keeps overpowering the poor boy.
“Come on, Hadrian!” She turns to him with her hands on her hips and a scowl on her face. “Get up ! You’re gonna make my mom mad!”
At her order, the little boy jumps from the couch, silent as he creeps over to Sloane’s side. She sighs, rolling her eyes as she grabs his hand as well and pulls us both toward the kitchen. Orion chuckles behind us, following at our heels as we all make our way to the table.
“Ah! There you are!” Hadrian’s mother, Lillith, gives us a big smile. Lillith is easily one of the most gorgeous women I’ve ever seen, with her bright blue eyes and shocking black hair. She has a timeless sort of beauty about her, and her sweet little face has only seems to grow more attractive as she ages.
Lillith pushes her hair behind her ear and turns to grab the tall stack of plates lying on the counter. She steps toward us, her arms straining with the weight of the porcelain. “Hadrian, Sloane, I need you to set the table, please.”
“I thought dinner was ready!” Sloane drops my hand with a pout, but it doesn’t escape me how she keeps Hadrian’s clenched tightly in her. Maybe there is hope for them…
Lillith’s laugh tinkles across the room. “Don’t worry, I’m just heating up the gravy. By the time you put those plates out, it’ll be ready to be served!”
Sloane lets out a sigh, finally dropping Hadrian’s hand to grab the plates Lillith holds out. Just before she can grab them, Hadrian’s face scrunches in a frown, and he nudges Sloane with his shoulder, pushing her out of the way so he can grab the plates.
Once the stack is in his arms, he turns and gives her a gap-toothed grin. “Let me. You’re too pretty to carry things.”
Lillith covers her mouth to hold in her laugh as Sloane scrunches up her nose, trying to seem unimpressed despite the bright red of her cheeks. “I’m strong! I can do it!”
She reaches for the plates, but Hadrian jumps back out of the way, shaking his head. “No. I’ll carry them.”
Sloane bares her teeth, looking like she’s ready to take a swing when Brett swoops into the room. “And what do we have here? Sloane, you should thank Hadrian for being so courteous! Not all young men are that kind.”
Hadrian blushes, dropping his eyes and looking anywhere but at Sloane. “It—it’s no big deal…”
Sloane stamps her foot. “He won’t let me carry the plates! He thinks I’m too weak to do it!”
Hadrian starts to shake his head, eyes wide with mortification, but luckily, Brett steps in. She crouches by Sloane, resting a gentle hand on her shoulder. “He doesn’t think you’re too weak, sweetheart. I’m sure Hadrian knows you can carry them, but he wants to help you anyway, because he’s your friend. Isn’t that right, Hadrian?”
The little boy nods, relief flashing in his silver eyes. “Yes! I just wanted to help you Sloane! Because… because…” His brows furrow. “Because I just do!”
I bite my lip to suppress my smile. “I think that’s as good a reason as any.”
Sloane jerks her eyes to mine, lips pressed together in an angry little pout. Her eyes seem to scream whose side are you on, lady?
Before she can say anything, Brett presses her hand against Sloane’s back, pushing her toward the dining room. “Go on, sweetie. Go help Hadrian set out the plates.”
Hadrian gives us all a big grin, waiting for Sloane to step to his side before he turns for the dining room. They devolve into hushed whispers, and I can only presume they’re figuring out the best way to split up the work.
Lillith lets out a big sigh, her eyes shining with emotion as she stares after the two retreating kids. “They’re just too damn cute together.”
“I know it.” Brett nudges Lillith with her shoulder. The two women give each other matching grins, a motherly secret shared between them. “It’ll only be a matter of time, you know.”
“Oh, don’t I know it.” Lillith tilts her eyes to the ceiling. “Poor Hadrian is wrapped around her little finger.”
“To be fair,” Orion pipes up. “I think we’re all wrapped around Sloane’s finger.”
The four of us fall into laughter, matching grins spread around our little circle.
“Well… shall we get the food on the table?” Brett asks.
Lillith nods. “Kain and Ghost should be coming in with the turkey any minute now.”
Brett chuckles. “I still don’t see why it took two whole grown men to fry a turkey.”
“One to work, one to observe,” I say, shrugging with a cheeky smile. “Either that, or they didn’t want to get smacked any more today.”
“If they would stop sticking their big ol fingers in the mashed potatoes, maybe they wouldn’t get hit!” Brett throws her hands up in exasperation. “Animals, I say. Animals.”
We all devolve into laughter again as we move into the kitchen, pulling the sides from the oven and finishing up the last touches. We each grab a dish and move into the dining room, finding all the plates spread neatly around the table. Sloane and Hadrian are sat next to each other, their heads bent low and giggles flowing as they whisper secrets to each other. Noticing our arrival, the pair jump apart, sheepish grins spread across their faces.
“Glad to see you two finally getting along.” Ghost steps into the room, a bright white smile spreading his lips as he looks toward his daughter and Hadrian. “Everyone ready to feast?”
“I am! I am!” Sloane raises her hand high in the air, giving her father a wide, gap-toothed grin. “I want the first piece of turkey!”
Hadrian raises his hand, shooting Sloane a loving glance out of the corner of his eye. “Sloane gets the first piece! She called it!”
Ghost chuckles, shaking his head slightly as he steps up to the table, making way for Kain to drag in the turkey. The sight of the hulking man in a pink, flowery apron shouldn’t be as funny as it is—yet, the sight has me biting down on my lip to hold in my laugh.
“I checked it three times. No salmonella.” Kain places the bird proudly onto the table.
“That’s a lie. He checked it at least thirty times.” Ghost rolls his eyes, but he can’t hide the amused smile on his face. “The man is obsessed .”
“I don’t fuck around with my family’s safety.” Kain glowers at Ghost, his fist clenching at his side. “Salmonella is a major threat to their health.”
“Okay, big guy. Whatever you say.” Ghost pats him on the shoulder. “Enough talking—let’s eat!”
We all take out seats around the table, Orion plopping down next to me and scooting his chair as close as possible. He rests his palm over my thigh, his expression the picture of serenity as he gazes into my eyes.
The background noise fades until there’s just me and him. Until it’s just me, and the man who worships me. The man who saved me—who loved me, when I couldn’t even love myself.
“Oh, wait, I almost forgot!” Ghost pipes up, drawing me and Orion from our trance. “We don’t have the animals here!”
Sloane squeals, grabbing Hadrian’s hand and pulling him from his seat as she rushes from the room. When she returns, there’s a petting zoo at her heels. Sviato and Savyne lead the pack, their bright yellow eyes trained on the steaming turkey as Rupert—Ghost’s Great Pyrenees—lets out an excited woof. Venom, the cat with tiny legs and a massive heart, follows at Rupert's heels, his shocking black fur standing out like a beacon against Rupert’s fluffy white coat. To top it off, Orion’s crow Bacchus and Lillith’s pigeon Herb fly into the room, their wings beating a flurry of air across the table as they perch on the back of one of the chairs. The only ones who aren’t here are the gators—for obvious reasons—but they’re enjoying their very own Thanksgiving dinner in their lake outside Orion’s cabin.
The animals settle into place as Sloane and Hadrian take their seats, a hush falling across the room. I stare at each one of them—the animals, too—and for once, I don’t feel so alone. For once, I feel like I belong somewhere.
I never thought I would have a family. Yet, when I look around at all the smiling faces at the table, it feels like home. It feels like safety. It feels like love.
Orion squeezes my hand, and that hole in my heart closes over.
This time, for good.