Episode Sixty Epilogue

M onths Later …

Lylah

It's funny how things have changed in so many ways since the day we attacked Tower One. There have been many struggles and a surprising amount of growth. And surprises. There have been so many things we didn't anticipate. Through it all, our family remained strong.

No. The word "remained" doesn't belong in that sentence. It suggests things stayed the same, and that's not true. We've grown so much closer and are much more deeply in love with each other.

Although we knew many women would leave their lives in the Tower and thought we'd prepared for the migration, there were hundreds more women than we anticipated. The days following the battle were filled with trips to the Tower to bring bedding, food, and sundries.

Although the guards in the Punishment Tower had been warned and were ready for us, between Drixxa, our secret weapon, and our battle-hardened fighting force, we won the conflict with no loss of life on our side.

Almost all the women we freed were in need of medical care. They'd been beaten and starved. Most were dehydrated and covered in sores and bug bites. Horrified at the sight of these precious females suffering, males of every species were quick to surround them with gentle care.

It was gratifying to have about a hundred human men asked to join us Down Below. They hated what had been happening in the Tower. We heard sad tales of how they cared for their wives and children, which caused them to live in poverty because they refused to sell their daughters.

We had hoped to convert the Punishment Tower to housing for those who didn't want to live a more primitive life Down Below, but it had been so poorly maintained, along with the bugs and vermin, we decided to demolish it.

A few human men were only too happy to show us how to set the explosives in the Punishment Tower. Once they were all placed, Drixxa shifted to his largest form and used his fire to detonate the charges. The resulting explosion was almost drowned out by the cheers from every male and female in our compound.

Many of the women still have to wear human men's clothing they've modified to fit while we all work around the fire at night, making clothing better suited to living Down Below.

There have been a few matings in just the short months the women have been here. It seems being treated with love and respect, even by males you've been told all your life are monsters, is enough for many women's hearts to soften with affection.

Some matings are simple pairings, some have two males to one female, and some have more. The tinkling sound of laughter can be heard at all times of the day or night as women find joy for the first time in their lives. And yes, the sounds of sex drifting to my ears are a constant in the camp.

There are thousands here. The environment won't support so many for long. Groups will need to migrate to other areas. That will be addressed in a few weeks' time, though. We just want to bask in our joy right now.

Two of the happiest people in camp are Thallose, the starflyer, and his sister, Kasseda. She wasn't liberated from the Works or the Tower. She'd somehow escaped years ago and had been hiding on an abandoned farm far away.

It was only after some small avians informed her of our victories that she snuck here over many nights, then watched us for many more to ensure she'd be safe. Her reunion with Thallose made me cry big, fat, happy tears.

It's a lovely day. The end of spring and on the cusp of summer. It's one of my favorite times of year, although every day seems to be the best day of my life since I met my mates.

"Hurry!" Haz urges as we follow him through the forest.

He told us he has a secret and is shepherding us through the trees on a mission to somewhere. It's so unlike him. He's seldom grumpy or worried, and I don't know if I've ever seen him bossy like this. I guess I'll just have to wait to see what he's been hiding.

"Jump on my back, you two," Zoron offers to Eldar and me. "We don't want Haz to pierce us with the arrows he's grown so good at shooting."

Eldar bends his leg so I can step onto his thigh and then jump onto the centaur's back. He then swings up behind me. Now Zoron is trotting to catch up with Haz. I love riding him like this, my chest pressed against his back. Although there's no sex on the agenda until we're back in our furs tonight, my nipples pebble as they slide across his naked skin.

Knowing Eldar's right behind me, tucked close, his hard cock pressed against the small of my back makes me feel like a human sandwich. Frankly, few things on Earth feel better than this—except when the four of us join together.

While we're making our way through the trees, the sun dappling through the leaves, the fresh smell of the foliage tickling my nostrils, I catalog all the changes I've made in the last few months.

I've learned to sew, as have all the human women. We're all learning to read. Well, most of us. All those who are interested attend our daily lessons.

A few of the human men who were happy to leave their old way of life and join us down here teach classes every morning—English, math, history, and science. It fills my heart with joy to know not every human male enjoyed the role of oppressing women and treating them like property.

My mates put their differences aside long ago and created the most interesting power structure in our little family.

When it comes to all things having to do with food, Eldar is in charge. He was the cook all the years he traveled with the centaur and makes the most delicious dishes. We all agreed. Oh, and besides food, he's often in charge of sex. He comes up with the best ideas for the four of us.

Yum. On both counts.

When there's a dispute, Zoron's word is law, even when he's part of the disagreement. He carries deep inside him an innate sense of fairness that is beyond reproach.

Haz is in charge of anything mechanical, like building and putting things together. His mind just comes up with the most innovative solutions for engineering and seeing the big picture.

And me? I just pitch in wherever I'm needed, but really, I'm the glue that holds us together. When I feel strongly about something, no matter whose domain it is, if I weigh in, they all defer to me.

"Okay," Haz says when we arrive at the stream. "Ready?"

"Of course we're ready," Eldar grouses. "We were ready back at the Village and didn't need this little trek. I'll be picking spurweed off both of your legs and all four of Zoron's for hours after we return home."

I twist to look at him and snatch a kiss from his lips. It's guaranteed to make him stop bitching, although we all know this is simply his idea of entertainment.

"Ass!" Haz accuses Eldar before he says, "Here goes."

Eldar

"Look. At. That," I say as Hazlan leans forward, flaps his wings, and takes to the sky. "Look at that motherfucker fly."

Zoron paws the ground as Lylah sucks in a breath.

"Did you know he could do that?" Zoron asks, never removing his gaze from the proudborn as the male flies farther, following the water upstream.

"I guess he's better at keeping secrets than I thought," Lylah breathes, her head tipped back, resting on my pec as she watches our mate.

He's flapping those wide golden wings with ease, then he pauses, wings fully extended as he coasts on an air current. After a moment, he lazily flaps again. When he begins his return trip, I can see the gigantic smile on his feline face from here. His fangs flashing in the morning sun.

The roar surprises me. I thought he only roared when angry, or during a particularly powerful orgasm, but this one seems to be from the sheer pleasure of flying.

"I'd noticed his wings were growing back now that those fuckers weren't clipping him every month," Zoron says. "I didn't think he'd be able to fly, though. Didn't want to ask him about it and make him feel worse about his condition."

"He must have been practicing in secret for a while," Lylah says. "I would imagine his muscles wouldn't have been strong enough to fly without some serious workouts."

"Aye," I say.

Look at my mate. I love that male. I love them all, but perhaps since loving the proudborn was the hardest thing for me to do, I cherish our bond the most. No. I shake my head to eject that thought. I love them all equally.

When he touches down, I jump off Zoron's back and run to him to throw my arms around him. He hugs me tight with two arms and his wings.

"I'm happy for you, mate," I tell him.

Now the four of us are in a clutch, hugging and laughing, and the most emotional of us is weeping.

"Happy tears!" she insists as she jumps up and down, giving Haz pecks on his lips each time.

"I've been practicing. Wanted to show off the first time you saw me."

"Well done," Zoron says with a pat on the back.

We form a circle again, this time without Lylah's exuberant jumping. The excitement fades as our deeper feelings come to the fore—love.

"We have a home," I begin.

"And a family," Haz says, his fangs blindingly white as they flash in the sun.

"We have hope," Zoron adds, his swishing tail adding emphasis.

"And we have love," our Lylah says, "the best gift of all."