Epilogue - Lex
Nic and I returned from our honeymoon just yesterday. The guys came over to our place for dinner today. Nic wanted to host a dinner for her new family. I smile as I hear her laughing at something Liam says. They're in the kitchen, warming up the appetizers my personal chef has prepared earlier in the day. The rest of us are hanging out on the couch in the living room, drinking beers.
Soon, they come out, carrying one large tray each.
"Let's take this outside. The weather is lovely," Nic says, moving towards the terrace.
It is Saturday evening, and the weather is indeed lovely. I have to pinch myself sometimes when I look at Nic. How did I get so lucky?
As if sensing my gaze, she looks at me from the terrace and smiles her million-dollar smile. After the mating, our bond has grown so much stronger that we can feel each others' feelings. I feel like I have newly acquired a superpower. I am more energetic, more intuitive, and physically a lot stronger than I ever was.
The three of us pick up our beers and head out. Liam is sitting next to Nic on the loveseat, so of course I pluck her up from there and place her in my lap.
"Lex! Let me go," she says on a half-laugh. Now I feel her embarrassment, but more than that, her desire. I kiss her firmly on the mouth, and all I feel from her now is intense desire.
"Enough already!" TJ says, sitting next to Liam.
I wish I were alone with Nic. I wish we didn't have to make her relive the terrifying memory of her kidnapping. I sigh, hugging her close.
"It's alright," she says, cupping my cheek. "I don't mind." Of course she knows what I'm thinking. It is freaky at times to be able to communicate without having to say anything. We're both still getting used to it.
She gets up from my lap and sits on the chair next to mine.
"Ask what you want to ask. I can handle it," she says, looking at the guys. After her kidnapping and rescue, the doctor in LA had given us strict orders not to stress her out. When she had recovered sufficiently, she went away to my parents' place, and then we had our wedding, then the honeymoon, so we haven't really talked about what happened.
"We want to keep looking for the Carnelian," Damon says.
"Yes, I think we should. He is a danger to every unmated dragon shifter, so all of you," Nic says.
Immediately there are protests from the guys saying they will never be mated. Nic only rolls her eyes.
"Tell us everything you remember about him," I say.
"Well, I said he is a danger to unmated dragon shifters, but I never got the sense that he wanted to harm me. In fact, I was pretty sure that he was doing his best to keep me safe. He is unhinged, there is no doubt about it, but he still has enough cunning to make plans and execute them."
"Yeah, this fits with what I learned from the teenaged shifter who helped kidnap you," TJ says.
"I think it's safe to assume that he has moved his base. I don't think he will return to the cave," Pat says. We all agree.
"Do we know his name?" Nic asks.
"No. We only know his dragon name," Damon says.
"Do you think you'll be able to work with a sketch artist and make his portrait? If we know his identity, it might help us track him down," Liam says.
"Sure, let's do it," Nic says. "But half of his face was hidden behind his beard."
"That's alright. Once we have the sketch, we can digitally alter it. So shall I set up a meeting up with the sketch artist for tomorrow? I'll email her now," Damon asks, pulling out his iPhone.
"Sure," Nic shrugs. But he doesn't hear her reply. He is staring fixedly at his iPhone. A vein is throbbing at his temple, which is a sure sign that he is angry.
"Damon! What's the matter?"
"KobiTech screwed us," he says in a dangerously low voice. "They say we are illegally using the maps app they built for us."
"What? But that's ridiculous!" I exclaim.
"Yeah, it is, but they say they have the proof to back up their claims in this email their legal team has sent."
Damon is clutching his iPhone so tightly I'm surprised that it hasn't turned into a mangled, shapeless mass.
"Their lawyer Taylor Montgomery wants to meet me on Monday."
"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck," I say with feeling. But a strange glint has come into Damon's eyes.
"They want to go head-to-head with us? Let them try. By the time I'm done with this Taylor Montgomery, he will be begging for mercy," Damon says grimly.
The guys clap Damon on the back and cheer, but I'm silent. Nic's eyes meet mine, and she understands what my intuition is telling me.
It is going to be a lot more complicated than that.
*****
THE END