29. Epilogue

Epilogue

A FEW WEEKS LATER

"Jade is coming up the path," Meera said quietly from her spot by the window in our new apartment where she was shucking peas into a large bowl.

"Shall I leave?" I asked, already standing up to go. It was well established by now that sometimes these visits were for "girl talk," which I was very much not supposed to be part of.

"Wait and see if she says the code word first," Meera laughed, setting aside the vegetables to open the door.

"You guys need to come with me right now," Jade panted, slumping against the door frame. "Harlow is here."

Meera spilled the bowl of peas in her haste to stand up, but I didn't even think she noticed. We immediately followed Jade down the path that led to our small home, and through the newly cleared walkway around the side of Elverston House to the front of the building where Meera's gardens were.

"Where is she?" I asked, taking one step for Meera and Jade's every three.

"By the portal," Jade replied, out of breath. "She just got here. I came straight to get you. Obviously, there's a crowd there now."

"Sebastian?" Meera asked.

"Yep, he's there too. Big day for him, finding out the big secret," Jade chuckled. She was friendly, albeit slightly terrifying. For the most part, Patrick was the one I spent time with. He'd become a true friend to me—more than even the Shade friends I'd had, who'd distanced themselves at the first hint of a scandal. My parents had been silent since I'd given up my position and Osric had taken over, but I suspected it wouldn't last forever. They were too opinionated to stay quiet for long.

Harlow was bouncing on the balls of her feet when we arrived, standing uncomfortably in front of the portal with an audience of Shades and ex-Hunters around her. Fortunately, Astrid had stationed herself next to her as a bodyguard, which probably somewhat helped with the nerves, but it was still a lot of unfamiliar faces to be surrounded by.

"There you are!" Harlow said, perking up at the sight of Meera. "How've you been? I see you've got yourself a mate. Good for you. Was this your silent buddy when you came to visit? Nice to finally meet you."

"Yes, this is Verner," Meera replied distractedly, grabbing my hand and pulling me in close. "Are you okay? Has something happened?"

"I'm just here to report on some arrests," she said cheerfully. "Randal Jackman, Moriah Nash, Giles Nash, Bradley Gilmour, Vivyan Woodham, Tatyana Sherburn." She paused for a moment. "Oh! And Eddie Harrison. A clean sweep, baby. The charges are all slightly different—lots of variations of conspiracy and fraud, though."

"What?" Sebastian rasped, clutching his chest. "What do you mean? Oh my god, I need to get back to the human realm. What is going on?"

"Might be an idea," Astrid agreed, always happy to see the back of him.

"I need to talk to Iris," Meera said, giving me a panicked look. She'd been hoping that Iris's parents weren't involved so that this conversation wouldn't have to happen, but luck hadn't been on our side in that particular case.

"A lot of conversations need to be had," Ophelia said faintly. "This changes everything."

Harlow looked around awkwardly, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet. "Is it cool if I go? It's just that I was kind of in the middle of a raid—not a real-life one, I mean on my computer—but I wanted to share the news with you guys, so…"

"You can go," Astrid said, clapping her on the shoulder. "I appreciate you keeping us updated. I'll head over in a few hours to see what's going on, okay?"

"I'll break out the pickles. See you in a bit."

"Wow," Meera breathed, leaning heavily against my side. "It really happened."

"You really did it," I corrected quietly.

She bit down on her lip to hide her smile. "I really did."

"Come here."

I nearly stumbled over my feet, knowing exactly what that soft, husky tone meant. My mate had needs, and I was going to fulfill them if it was the last thing I did.

She was sitting in the enormous armchair in the corner of the apartment, her chin propped up on her hand, watching me with faint interest while I'd put away the supplies I'd gotten from the market.

"Where do you want me, my love?"

She spread her legs wide, patting the space between them for me to sit in front of her.

I was panting before I even sat down, my shadows disappearing of their own accord and my cock hard.

"You know where I want you."

I did. I leaned back, angling my body to one side so I didn't crush her, but moving close enough that she could reach around to grab my cock. She was so much smaller than me, but she'd learned exactly how to position me to make me feel vulnerable and her powerful.

"You're so good," Meera whispered in my ear before dragging her teeth along my shoulder, already pumping the base of my cock just the way I liked to stimulate my knot.

"My love, you know I don't last like this," I groaned, thrusting up into her hand instantly.

"You'll last for me."

"I won't. Meera, I won't. You're too good at that—" I sucked in a breath at the perfect twisting gesture she did with her wrist. She knew how helpless I was against that.

"Don't come yet, Verner," she chided. "I have to sit on your face still."

The base of my cock was aching, my knot already desperate to expand. Nothing was sexier to me than the confidence she'd gained in the past few weeks.

She tutted as I rocked my hips, losing the thin hold I had on my self-control.

"Don't be impatient. You'll get what you need."

"You say that, and yet I haven't tasted your cunt in hours," I grumbled. " That is something I need."

"You're right. How cruel of me." She released my cock, tapping my thigh to get me to move forward so she could climb out. I watched as she came around to stand in front of me, lifting her dress to reveal that she wasn't wearing anything underneath it, and her thighs were already glistening with slick.

"Come here," I growled, hooking my forearms beneath her inner thighs and lifting her clear off the ground so she could drape her legs over my shoulders. She grabbed my horns for balance, not fretting and fussing about whether or not she was too heavy for me like she had the first time I'd tried that move.

"I've needed this all day," I said, my voice muffled as I pressed a kiss to her pussy.

"You're getting it now. Less talking, more making me come. No making you come, though. Behave yourself."

I let out a hiss of pleasure as she massaged my horns, the little tease. But it was easy to follow instructions when the instructions were to make her come.

Meera wriggled and squirmed as I roughly tongue fucked her pussy, gripping her ass tightly to hold her in place. The texture of my tongue drove her wild, and I made sure to grind it against her clit just the way she liked, not wasting any time wringing that orgasm out of her. It was difficult to take my time with her when she was climbing all over me like this. It made me want to bury my knot in her instantly.

"Verner!" she gasped, leaning back as she came. I immediately lifted her down, sitting her directly onto my cock while her walls squeezed around me.

"Cheeky," she laughed breathily, rocking her hips a few times before lifting off me and turning around.

I groaned at the view as she braced her hands on my knees, lowering herself onto my dick while shooting me a cocky look over her shoulder.

"I couldn't resist," I said unapologetically, holding her hips and helping her move. This angle . Fuck. "My love…"

"Don't you tell me you can't last. You'll last until I say you do."

Meera leaned back against me, bracing her feet on the edge of the chair, grabbing my forearms to steady herself. From over her shoulder, I watched her perfect breasts bounce with each thrust, though my favorite sight was the faint outline of my bite on her neck. I could stare at that all day.

Could I die of too much pleasure? If Meera wasn't constantly filling me with healing power, then it seemed highly possible.

"Right there," Meera gasped, her nails digging into my wrists. I kept doing exactly what I was doing, whispering words of praise in her ear until she came with a hoarse cry, her walls tightening around me until I couldn't do anything but follow. Meera gasped as my knot swelled, locking into place, and I rested my hand on her lower abdomen so I could feel the bulge under my palm.

"It's so good. How is it always so good?" she panted, pushing her sticky hair off her forehead and lolling back against my shoulder.

"Because it's us, my love. It will always be this good."