Epilogue

One year later…

Simon knelt on the small red and gold pillow in front of the large portrait of his parents at the beach, a blown-up copy of the photo on the second page of the leather-bound photo album his mother had made for him years ago. In the image, Simon’s father had his arms around Simon’s mother, whose belly swelled under her buttercup yellow sundress with Simon’s older sister, Jessica. Lilis had helped him choose the image.

Below the image, a small table with a chair on either side held four bowls containing whole in-shell walnuts, Chinese dates, fresh longans, and candied lotus seeds. In the middle of the bowls sat a vase filled with pink peonies and tall white orchids, giving the whole room a fresh, sweet smell.

The pillow and his black dress pants did little to cushion his knees from the industrial floor.

And Simon couldn’t have cared less.

He shuddered, the weight of the moment settling on him all at once.

“There’s no rush.” Lilis placed a warm hand on his shoulder.

She knelt beside him on a similar pillow, radiant in her long, bright-red sheath dress. The soft silk with a golden dragon embroidered along one side clung to her curves and strong body. The crimson stood out against her fawn skin and emphasized the vibrant green of her eyes and the berry of her lips. Her deep black hair had been swept into an elegant twist, held in place by a gold brooch, though a few gentle curls caressed her face. Two gold peonies studded her ears.

She slid her hand down his arm, and Simon caught it, drawing her forward to capture her sweet lips in a deep kiss. She sighed, and Simon thanked and cursed any deities that might be listening. His grandparents waited on the other side of the door for their turn to be served tea, but for now, he and Lilis were alone.

Not enough time to test Lilis’ flexibility in the slender gown, though.

Lilis gave a throaty laugh against his lips. As she pulled back, she blew in his ear and whispered, “Later.”

Simon smiled.

He had a hell of a lot more tolerance and stamina now than he’d possessed a year ago. He could communicate his thoughts, wants, and needs to Lilis through their bond much more quickly. Sometimes without conscious thought.

Together, they turned to face the portrait.

A small red teapot decorated with white flowers and the Chinese characters for double happiness sat on a table underneath the photo, with four matching mugs. Simon filled the first mug with sweet amber tea and looked at the image of his father. “Baba, please have some tea.” His hand shook as he offered up the steaming beverage. “I miss you, Dad.”

As he returned it to the tray in front of him, Lilis filled another mug and held it up to the picture of Simon’s father. “Baba, please have some tea,” she repeated.

Simon poured a third serving and held it up to his mother’s picture. “Mama, please have some tea.” He touched the jade pendant that hung over his bright red Mandarin shirt. “I love you, Mom.”

Lilis filled the last mug and held it up. “Mama, please have some tea.” She paused, and her eyes roamed back and forth between his parents. “I am sorry I never got to meet either of you. You took a beautiful spirit I have known many times and molded him into an incredible person who has done so much for me. He found me when I was lost to myself. And he helped me grow. I can’t thank you enough.”

Simon’s chest tightened as Lilis bowed her head and replaced the mug on the table. She leaned over and kissed his cheek, offering him a small smile that reached all the way to his heart.

They remained together for as long as Simon dared stretch the boundaries of politeness. Then he rose and opened the door to let in his grandparents while Lilis replaced the untouched mugs of tea with empty cups.

His grandmother and grandfather moved stiffly into the room and sat gingerly on the seats on either side of the table, waiting while Simon and Lilis knelt again.

His grandmother nodded curtly at Simon. “Kai Wei Qi.” She turned to Lilis, and her gaze turned frosty. “Lilis. I’m sure you will find a way to learn our Chinese culture and heritage, though not as well as?—”

“One more word, and you won’t be served a drop.” Simon was impressed he’d spoken so calmly with so much rage boiling within him. “Your cup will remain empty, and you will be barred from the rest of the festivities.”

She wisely shut her mouth and only opened it again to sip primly from the cup he offered her. A tiny part of him worried she would refuse the cup Lilis offered, but she accepted it and swallowed a small amount, even offering Simon and Lilis small red hongbao envelopes.

They headed for the door, pausing to glance back at Simon and Lilis. His grandmother opened her mouth, but a knock at the door kept her from speaking.

An interruption. Thank god.

“Come in!” He shouldn’t sound so cheerful, but damn, he was grateful for the reprieve.

Longwei strode into the room, wearing a tuxedo and smiling broadly. He nodded at Simon’s grandmother. “ Nainai hao. ”

Both of Simon’s grandparents visibly paled and quickly shuffled out the door.

Simon chuckled. “Since when is hi a Chinese password to get grandmas off your back?”

“I’ve just got a way with the older ladies.” Longwei flashed another bright smile. “Now, follow me. I got you two a wedding present.”

When Simon arched a questioning brow at Lilis, her eyes widened. He didn’t need her shrug to know she had no clue either. Her confusion met his through their bond.

Longwei led them from the small side room of the wedding venue into the storage room, where they kept all their decorations and tea ceremony items. Several boxes had been moved against the walls, and in the middle of the room, a large boxy shape sat under a bright red blanket with gold Chinese characters embroidered on it. With a flourish, Longwei tugged off the blanket.

Simon’s heart nearly stopped.

There on the floor, in the middle of a storage room in his wedding venue, sat the wooden chest Simon’s father had made for him.

His mouth opened and closed, but he couldn’t make any sound come out.

Lilis gasped, her shock flooding him. Or maybe that was still his. Simon was so overwhelmed he couldn’t tell his own emotions from hers.

“Simon?” she asked quietly. “Is that your father’s chest?”

He could only nod.

“How…” He cleared his throat and tried again. “How did you know?”

Longwei carefully folded the red fabric. “Lilis mentioned she might need to fly out to China to recover something for you. I annoyed the shit outta her until she told me about it and her ridiculous plan to retrieve it. This was easier. And a lot more fun.”

Simon looked at Lilis, who shrugged again and lifted one eyebrow. “What? I wasn’t about to let your chest live halfway across the earth. Since Longwei brags constantly about how Chinese he is, I told him to prove it or shove it. I just wanted a map and some pointers. I didn’t think he’d actually get it himself.”

Simon turned back to Longwei. “You flew to China ?”

“Didn’t have to.” Longwei’s golden eyes twinkled mischievously, and his voice deepened as he spoke. “Old Nainai and Yeye back there got a visit from a vengeful dragon resurrection spirit coming on behalf of dear old dad to express his disappointment in their life choices. Turns out they hadn’t sent it yet and were happy to appease the dead by turning it over to me.” He coughed and tapped his chest with a fist, acting as though the different voice had been unintentional. “They might need some recovery time.”

Simon ran his hands over the wood, tracing the patterns his father had lovingly carved years ago. Bamboo shoots lined the corners with lotus flowers blossoming along the lid and sides. And in the front, a large dragon coiled around the characters for Simon’s Chinese name.

Words couldn’t express Simon’s gratitude. He held out a hand to Longwei, who shook it, and Simon pulled him into a hug. “ Xie xie , Longwei.”

“Hey, us Greats gotta stick together, right?” Longwei reached out and drew Lilis into the hug. “Congratulations, you two. Don’t take too long in here. You got another ceremony to get through, and there are a lot of hungry guests out there, some of whom are literal demons about their food.”

And with that, he slipped back through the door.

Tears gathered behind Simon’s eyes as he held Lilis. “Thank you.”

Lilis kissed his neck. “Don’t thank me. Your boyfriend got it.”

“Yeah, but you were planning on flying to China to get it. You’re the reason he knew to get something so meaningful for me.” His hands went to the zipper at the back of her dress and slowly slid the pull down. “Now, let me do something nice for you.”

“Just what do you think you’re doing? We don’t have time for that.”

“Such a dirty mind.” Simon chuckled darkly. “I was just offering to help you change for the wedding ceremony.”

Lilis faced Simon under the flowered canopy of white peonies, bundles of pine and pine cones, and red roses, struggling to control her racing heartbeat. His deep brown eyes smoldered with love and joy, and a small smile played at his full lips.

“I recognized you the moment I saw you, Lilis. Knew you as if my soul had known you forever.” Simon’s smile grew, and pink dusted his cheeks. “But I didn’t truly know me. Because of you, I’m growing into someone I could only have dreamed of becoming. Someone it should have taken me lifetimes to discover. I love you. And I will love and protect you forever.”

Simon swam before her as hot tears filled her vision and slipped down her cheeks. He brushed them away with one thumb before sliding a deep black wedding band onto her left hand. It shone in the evening light with iridescent blues, purples, and greens, an identical copy of the larger one she’d placed on him moments before.

His lips met hers in a full kiss that was at once so familiar and so new. The kiss of her husband. Her mate. Her soulmate .

A round of applause went up behind them, and Simon slowly withdrew. But he never let go of her, never stopped smiling as they walked up the aisle, passing through the assembled crowd of demons and blissfully ignorant humans to dance and celebrate as day turned to night.

Several hours later, Lilis sipped her flute of champagne while Simon chatted with Anya and Layla, still unable to stop sneaking peaks at the man at her side. Simon was always model gorgeous, but the fitted black tuxedo emphasized his strong physique and drew her eye to the ring on his left hand, sending butterflies through her stomach that she didn’t bother to squash.

“Simon, your wedding ring is exquisite.” Anya nudged her glasses up her nose as she held up his hand to the light. “What kind of metal did you say this is?”

“The vendor called it ‘dragon’s scale.’” Simon shrugged at the lie in a “ who knows how things get names? ” manner. “It’s supposed to be tougher than tungsten.”

“But still very comfortable,” Lilis added.

Excluding her unfortunate first encounter with Kas, dragon scales didn’t often fall off. And when they did, their owners guarded them more carefully than their hoards because of their value. As an added benefit, their tie to the physical realm was tenuous, as they disappeared and reappeared with each shift in form.

Her wedding band was the only piece of jewelry—or clothing—Lilis could wear without breaking or losing it when she shifted into her dragon. And when she returned to her human form, it remained on her finger.

Layla draped an arm around Anya. “So, where are you two thinking of moving? You can’t possibly keep living in Simon’s studio apartment.”

“We make it work.” Simon hugged Lilis to his side. “Lilis has a large storage unit, so she didn’t have much to move in.”

Lilis elbowed him in the ribs. No one, not even her husband and mate, joked about her lair and got away with it.

Simon grunted, then grinned. “We’ll probably stay there for another few months while I finish classes.”

In one piece , Lilis mentally added. Thank heavens and hells, Simon had finally accepted her financial help to get through school without working horrendously long shifts at the hospital. Now that he was sleeping enough, she found plenty of other ways to wear him out.

He sucked in a breath at the thought she’d “accidentally” let slip through their bond while she continued the conversation with Anya and Layla.

“And who knows? Maybe we’ll stay in there after Simon finishes.” She smiled, letting the double entendre hang in the air for him. “It fits us perfectly when I’m not out with the Flame Jumpers.” She glanced at the dance floor where nearly every member of her firefighting team was cutting loose, along with several of the Furies.

The Furies had been working more closely with the Flame Jumpers on this season’s fires, and more than one had Lucky Lilis to thank for a close escape. Stupid nickname. But she’d take it if it offered a layer of superstition around her abilities that the humans wouldn’t bother to examine too closely.

The only Flame Jumper not currently dancing was Ben Hoyt, who was sitting and vainly trying to comfort his fussing daughter at a table with his wife Chloe, Shelby, and Finn. Finn held out his hands for Mia and Ben gratefully passed over the little girl, who quieted immediately and settled into the bigfoot’s calm hold.

Anya smiled and gave Simon a quick hug. “I’m happy to see everything working out so well for you.” She pulled back and grasped Lilis’ hands. “And I’m glad not to see you anymore in the hospital. Stay safe, okay? Congratulations again to you both.”

Don’t worry. Now that Simon is cured of his chronic case of Death Affinity, neither of us will need to go to the hospital.

Lilis waved as Anya and Layla headed out to the dance floor.

As they joined the crowd of revelers, Simon pinched her side. “Since when do you wear me out?”

“Since Thursday,” she whispered huskily in his ear. “On the trail.”

“Oh? You mean the two-hour break we took in the middle of the six-mile hike? The one where I held you up the entire time?”

“Mm, that one,” Lilis purred. “I can’t let you outlast me every time.” She slid her hand into his tuxedo jacket.

Simon moaned and pressed her more tightly to him, kissing her thoroughly. “You have no idea how much I want to demonstrate my stamina to you right now . But we can’t leave our guests. At least half of them are here for you. Maybe more.”

He pointed to the back of the room, where Longwei was hitting on two waiters with “magic tricks,” breathing fire in different colors. Alkmini and Dimitri guarded the open bar next to him and ate everything off the waylaid waiters’ platters as though they were their own personal plates. Behind them, the poor human bartender had one hand on the alcohol and the other on the fire alarm.

Lilis groaned. “Ugh, why can’t my friends behave for one night?”

Simon faked a gasp. “Stop right there, Patient Twelve. Did you just use the f-word? You have actual friends ?”

She rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop the blush creeping up her cheeks. “What? It’s your fault, you know. They’re like diseases. I let my guard down for one week, and the next thing I know, I’m infected with dozens of them.”

Simon chuckled. “Show off.”

“And on top of that,” Lilis continued. “I now have to play gardener to the entire Pine Barrens, making sure that stupid fucking shadow ash doesn’t grow back because the endirim are too lazy to get off their asses and come out to check.”

“Speaking of…” Simon’s hesitation made Lilis wince.

“No.”

“I haven’t said anything yet.”

“You don’t have to. Whatever it is, I don’t want to know.”

“Naleli and Kas sent us a wedding present. It came in while you were still changing, and I think you should see it.”

Lilis’ stomach dropped, but she forced herself to take a steadying breath as Simon led her back down the hall toward the storage room with his father’s chest.

Simon knows me. He wouldn’t make me think about those assholes on our wedding day unless ? —

He opened the door for Lilis, and her mind blanked.

There, on top of Simon’s wooden chest, sat a small black flower pot cradling a single blossoming flower, its scarlet petals lined with orange, gold, and white, like a flickering flame. It grew out of rich soil on a stem so deeply green it appeared black.

Lilis’ stomach dropped out. “They sent us a cosmos orchid? ”

“I’m sorry.” Soothing calm rolled through her from her connection to Simon as he spoke. “I didn’t think it would affect you like this. Naleli’s note said it was a peace offering.”

“I’m fine.” Her trembling belied her words, but Lilis swallowed and tried again. “Cosmos orchids are undying flowers, sacred to earth endirim like Naleli. It literally can’t die.”

Simon’s mouth thinned into a hard line. “Like the shadow ash?”

“Sort of. But as far as I know, it doesn’t hurt anyone. It’s like the yang to the shadow ash’s yin.” She scrunched her features and tried to remember what else she knew about it. “I think it’s an important healing plant for them. Naleli probably meant for you to have it.”

Simon held up the card. “Your name is here, too. They really are offering an olive branch, Lilis. You’re making friends with everyone: human, demon, and endirim.” He gave her a smile filled with pride and wrapped an arm around her, nuzzling her cheek. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

Lilis scoffed. “I’m fine. Now that I’ve got you, I’ll always be fine.”

“I think you should let me check your vitals anyway.” Simon’s nuzzles turned into kisses that set her skin on fire. He slipped a hand down the front of her dress, squeezing her breast and wringing a moan from her. “Heart rate.” He dragged his thumb across her nipple. “Temperature.”

Lilis lifted one of her legs and wrapped it around his waist, unable to get enough of the man in her arms.

Turning his mouth, Simon captured her lips as he continued his examination. “Blood pressure,” he murmured in between kisses. “I’m probably going to have to touch you a lot .”

Lilis framed his face in her hands as she kissed him back with all the love in her heart. “I’m all yours.”