14. Two Months Later

14 / TWO MONTHS LATER

Sage

I taped up the last box in my apartment and planted my hands on my hips, looking around.

Everything was officially packed. What I wasn’t bringing with me to England was sold.

“Wow,” I whispered.

I was really doing this.

The last two months, Fitz and I had split our time between the cottage and my apartment while I got everything in order. My job was flexible with where I lived, which worked in our favor.

I was so excited to finally be moving. The cottage was absolutely dreamy. Fitz was even more so. I felt so lucky to be loved by him, and to love him.

A soft knock at the door had me lifting my head. I expected to see only Fitz, but was surprised to see Luca and Layla with him too.

“I brought guests,” Fitz said. “And coffee.”

“Oh good,” I said. “Also hello to both of you.”

Layla grinned. “I was finally taught how to make a portal so I can help move everything over.”

That was one of the most convenient parts about having magical monstrous friends. “Perfect,” I said.

Luca gave his sister a dry smile. “Just don’t fuck it up this time.”

Her cheeks turned red. “I won’t, Luca .”

“What happened last time?” I asked warily.

“Nothing,” she said. “I’m just still new to it. Sometimes I get the location wrong, you know?”

Luca gave me a grim smile and I suddenly worried very much about something going wrong. Fitz let out a hum and crossed the empty living room to me.

“We’ll stand over here,” he said lightly.

“There are about twenty boxes,” I said. “Are you sure the two of you are up for helping? It’s late…”

“Yes,” they both answered.

Fitz handed me my coffee as we both stood there, watching as Layla took a wide stance and faced the wall. Luca crossed his arms as he watched, his eyes darkening.

I held my breath as the air started to shimmer. Layla’s muscles tensed as she seemed to fight some invisible force, one that I could hardly imagine. Fitz tugged me a little closer as she spread her hands, ripping a hole into the fabric of reality.

Water immediately spewed out with a force that was horrifying. I yelped as Fitz lifted me, his wings sweeping up and pulling us back.

Layla was steamrolled by a body that came through the portal and Luca shouted, his voice nearly drowned out by the sudden roar of water.

“FUCKING CLOSE IT!”

Layla rolled across the floor and hit her head hard, but managed to wave her hands, closing the portal.

“Fuck,” I rasped.

The entire apartment was flooded.

Layla turned over and coughed up water. Luca rushed to her, hitting her back.

“What is this sorcery?!”

The woman that had come through the portal wasn’t a human at all. My mouth fell open and maybe I shouldn’t have been shocked, but oh my gods.

Mermaids were real.

“I shall call the Barista,” Fitz said immediately.

“No!” Layla yelled, looking up at us. “No, please. Please don’t call him. We’ll handle this.”

“Layla,” Luca growled. “We need to. We have a fucking mermaid out of water, you flooded the apartment, and you ruined all of Sage’s boxes.”

Fuck. I hadn’t even thought about that yet.

Layla gave him a hard shove, her eyes flaring with heat. “I fucking know, asshole. I will handle this myself.”

Luca’s jaw ticked and he shook his head, looking at the mermaid. “I’m sorry. This wasn’t supposed to happen. We’ll get you back to the sea.”

Tits out, tail flapping—she bared her sharp teeth at him. “Damn humans.”

“We aren’t human,” he said flatly. “Otherwise you wouldn’t be here.”

Layla slowly got to her feet and looked at me. “I am so sorry, Sage.”

“It’s okay,” I squeaked.

Fitz tightened his grip around me. “I’m sorry Layla, but we need to call the Barista. If only to draw a proper portal.”

Her expression fell and she nodded, looking around. “Okay. Okay. Damn it. He’s going to kill me.”

“I need water,” the mermaid suddenly squeaked. “And salt.”

All four of us cursed.

“I’ll run the bath,” I said. “Get her to the tub.”

I wiggled out of Fitz's arms and ran to the bathroom, plugging the tub and starting the cold water. I ran back to the kitchen and ripped open a box that had all the seasonings as Fitz and Luca lifted the mermaid. They struggled to carry her, but managed to get her into the tub.

Layla stood there looking lost, tears in her eyes. I felt a snap of anger, but only because we didn’t have time for her to be out of it.

“Layla,” I said as I found the salt. “Call your dad, okay? Don’t just stand there.”

She blinked and nodded. “Okay. I’m sorry, Sage. I ruined everything.”

“None of the boxes here had anything important,” I said. “And I put all my electronics into waterproof totes. It’s okay.”

I ran back to the bathroom and squeezed past Fitz and Luca with the canister of salt. I popped it open and dumped it into the water.

“Thank you,” she rasped.

“No problem,” I said. “Will this be okay for now?”

“Yes. Better than nothing.” She looked up at Fitz. “Is this your mate?”

“Yes,” he immediately answered.

She smirked. “They’re very pretty.”

I blushed, Fitz narrowed his red eyes, and Luca snorted.

“Okay, I’ll get everyone here. We’ll get the mess cleaned up.”

Luca disappeared. Fitz let out a soft sigh. “Well, this was eventful.”

“It was,” I said as I dumped the last of the salt into the water. Her tail hung over the side, entirely too long and thick to fit. I stood up and slid my arms around Fitz. “Are you okay? I know you don’t like water.”

“I’m okay,” he said, kissing the top of my head.

I suddenly let out a little giggle as the absurdity of the situation hit me. A mermaid in my bathtub, my mothman holding me tight. Life was so fucking weird, but I loved it.

The Barista suddenly appeared out of nowhere, making all three of us jump. He let out a string of curses. “I’m sorry for this mess. I’ll get you back to the sea. Sage—we’ll use some magic to fix everything up. I called Inferna’s mates, who are both witches.”

I wasn’t sure who that was but I nodded.

“Are you the infamous matchmaker?” the mermaid asked.

The Barista turned around to look at her. “I am.”

“Well, I suppose you owe me for this situation, do you not?”

He crossed his arms. Did I smell something burning? “Be a little more specific,” he growled.

“I want a mate.”

I snorted and Fitz grinned. “We’ll leave you two to this conversation,” Fitz said.

He tugged me out into the hall and we stood there for a moment, the silence a reprieve from the chaos to either side of us. “I love you,” I said suddenly, grinning at him.

“And I love you,” he purred, cupping my face to kiss me.

There wasn’t another soul in this world that I would rather be with than him. I slipped my arms around him, hugging him as I turned my head, looking at the living room where two men and a very hot succubus stood talking to Layla and Luca.

“I suppose that’s Inferna,” I said.

“I think so,” Fitz said. “Rum has mentioned her before. The Barista matched her fathers.”

Her eyes flickered across the room to us and she smiled. Whoa. “Is everyone in this apartment hot?” I mumbled.

Fitz chuckled. “You’re hot. So yes, I believe so, little flame.”

“At least we have more help for moving now.”

“Indeed. And then we’ll be at our quiet little cottage.”

I grinned. “I can’t wait to be there with you.”

“I can’t wait for you to be there with me,” Fitz murmured, kissing me once more.

We’d live, lamp, and love forevermore.