Epilogue

EPILOGUE

IZZY

" T his is dumb," I pout from the passenger seat of Luka's Tesla X model.

"Don't start, Izzy," he warns me.

Folding my arms across my chest, I huff out a childish sigh. "Your brother's bi—" Luka cuts me off with a dark warning look. I roll my eyes, "His mate hates me. I don't know why you think this meeting is going to change anything."

Luka stays silent as he expertly takes the turns and curves leading to Jarik and Mercy's estate, but I can hear him in my head. He's desperate to mend the rift between his family and me. I wish fixing this is as simple as he seems to think it is.

"Your brother hates me too, in case you missed that fact," I add.

"No one hates you, Izzy."

I roll my eyes at his obvious ignorance. Or maybe it's just blindness. It hasn't been that long since Jarik's human tried to take my head. If Luka thinks that I've somehow forgotten, he's an even bigger idiot than he's making himself out to be right now.

The closer we get to the grand house located at the very top of the mountain, the more I start to fidget in my seat. Ok, so maybe it's me that's nervous about this meeting. In my defense, it's not like I've done anything to make these people like me.

A twelve-foot-tall gate opens automatically for us; either because of surveillance or maybe Luka has a chip or something in his car. My fidgets turn to nervous squirms, and I wipe my suddenly sweaty palms down my pants. I paired the black Niemen Marcus wide leg slacks with a cream silk sleeveless top and crimson cardigan. A simple pair of strappy sandals adorn my feet, where I've painted my toenails a matching shade of red.

"Just… be nice, Izzy." Luka suggests as we turn into the long drive that will lead us up to the house.

I snap a narrowed look at him. "What makes you think that I'll be the one not being nice?"

He returns my look and arches one of his sandy eyebrows.

" Fucker ," I mutter under my breath, folding my arms across my chest again and glaring out the window at the massive mansion coming into view.

It's a three-story stone monstrosity that looks like something stolen from an English Moore and plunked down in the middle of the forest. There are even flickering electric candles in each of the windows.

Luka turns off the car and hurries around to get my door. Taking hold of his outstretched hand, I let out one last sigh before letting him help me from the low riding car. "It'll be fine," he assures me as he tucks my hand into the crook of his elbow and leads me up the stone steps to the massive wood doors.

Before we get close enough to knock, they swing open wide and a grinning Jarik appears.

"Brother!" he bellows, just before his eyes land on me. His grin vanishes, "I thought you were joking when you said you were bringing… her ."

"See! I told you," I hiss. When I try to snatch my arm back, Luka only tightens his grip on me.

"Jarik, don't," he warns his brother.

"Luka! Why are you still standing out there? Come in—" Mercy pushes herself around Jarik and freezes. "Oh." She also deadpans when she sees me.

"I knew this was a stupid idea," I snap, yanking my arm free and taking a step back. "I'll just go back?—"

Before I can turn around, Luka snakes his arm around me and pulls me back to his side. "That's enough. All of you. I told you that I was bringing my mate, and I told Izzy that if she could be civil, then so could you. Are you going to make me a liar?"

Jarik pinches the bridge of his nose and Mercy glares at her mate.

"You didn't tell me she was coming here," she growls under her breath.

"I didn't think she would actually—" Mercy holds up a hand cutting her mate off. I can see her conflict easily enough, but I'm not expecting what she does next.

"Okay. Enough of that," she lets out a heavy sigh and turns to face me, "Welcome to our home."

There is no smile and she's clenching her jaw, but her words are soft and polite.

Alright. If she can play nice then so can I.

"Thank you," I simply say.

"Great. Let's all come inside, dinner should be ready any time." With a clap of her hands, she turns on her heel and strides back inside, leaving all of us to follow.

We follow them into a cozy den where Luka pulls me down beside him onto an antique velvet couch across from where Jarik and Mercy curl up in a matching oversized loveseat. The silence between us stretches into awkwardness.

"So," Jarik begins as he strokes a hand up and down the back of his mate's arm. "How are you two getting along?"

Glaring across the room at him, I lean forward to give him a sassy response, but Luka clears his throat and pulls me back into his side.

"We're getting along fine," he answers.

The surprise on Jarik's face when I let Luka tuck me against him and rest my head on his shoulder is almost worth the trip.

"Not that we need to explain anything to either of you, but don't forget that Izzy was being threatened by her family," Luka growls at his brother. Then he shifts to Mercy, "And don't forget that it was Izzy who saved you and Noa when they separated you from Jarik."

At least Mercy has the decency to look ashamed. Jarik…not so much.

"It makes no sense!" he suddenly exclaims. "You were fated mates. Luka is my brother; they should have been thrilled to shove you off on him." Jarik nods to me, "No offense."

"None taken," I reply, folding my arms across my chest before adding, "Luka wasn't good enough in their delusion. No one was."

"How awful!" Mercy exclaims. "So, you really never wanted to take Jarik from me?"

"Never." I look beside me at my mate and smile at the way my heart still kicks in my chest whenever I look at him, knowing that he's mine. "I've only ever wanted one male."

"In that case," Mercy shifts beside her mate. "I'm sorry that I tried to decapitate you."

I narrow my eyes at the blonde across from me.

Luka nudges me through our connection, and I barely catch myself before rolling my eyes. "You don't owe me an apology. And I'm sorry that I…well, for everything I did."

Just then a tiny bell rings.

"That's dinner," Mercy says as she climbs to her feet.

We follow her into the elegant dining room that is set up with a large circular table, rather than the long rectangular ones I'm used to.

"This way we can all see each other while we eat," Mercy explains, stepping up beside me.

"What are you, King Arthur?" The tart reply is out of my mouth before I can stop it, and Luka elbows me. I open my mouth to give him a bemused response when Mercy starts to laugh.

"I suppose I am," she admits.

I look around at the table and shrug my shoulders, "I like it. It's…different from what I'm used to, but I'm quickly learning that there are better ways to do things than what I was taught."

Mercy pauses and looks up at me through her soft brown eyes. Her head turns slightly to the side as she takes me in, much the same way I'm taking her in.

"You're different," she says quietly. "I never expected to like you."

"I'm not different," I huff, narrowing my eyes at her. "I just had to hide this part."

She grins at me and then pulls me to sit beside her, with Luka on my other side, and Jarik beside her. The four of us fall into comfortable conversation that mostly consists of the brothers bickering and us girls rolling our eyes.

"I told you it would be okay," Luka leans over to whisper in my ear.

I hate that he's right, but I'm also incredibly thankful that I was wrong.

The first course is brought out along with several bottles of wine.

"Shoot, can vampires even eat food?" Mercy gasps when my plate is set in front of me. "If I'd know you were coming, I could have prepared…uh…"

"What, a virgin from the nearby village?" I can't hold back my laugh at the horrified look that crosses Mercy's face. "Relax, this is fine. Vampires eat food just like anyone else."

Just then, a young woman leans over me to fill my glass with—I breathe deep—a smooth, malbec. Flashing her a toothy grin, I add, "Although we enjoy a blood infused beverage now and then, as well."

The girl nearly drops the bottle before scurrying back to the kitchen while I giggle at her expense.

"Izzy," Luka warns me.

Lifting the glass, I give the dark ruby wine a swirl before lifting it to my nose. The notes of dark cherry and blackberry are pleasant but when I take a sip, I can't hold back the scrunch of my nose. Before I can set the glass back down, Luka takes up the knife beside his plate and pricks the side of his thumb. My mouth waters at the sight of the crimson drop that wells up, then my breath catches when then he holds his finger over my glass and squeezes several drops into my drink. When I sip it this time, Luka's blood melds perfectly with the fruity flavors.

"Better?" he asks, as he holds his thumb out to me, where a small drop is clinging to the side. I lean forward and suck it into my mouth, lapping at the droplet with my tongue before sliding back into my seat with a satisfied purr.

My attention snaps back to our hosts, who are both staring at us with matching looks of shock.

"Um…" Jarik clears his throat and lifts his glass up. "A toast. To new beginnings."

"To family," Luka adds with a soft look at me.

"And changed opinions," Mercy continues.

All eyes focus on me.

"To being put on the spot," I snort into my glass before taking a long drink. When they continue to stare, I roll my eyes, "Fine," I lift my glass and look over at Mercy, "to new friendships."

Mercy beams at me and then takes a tiny sip of her wine, before putting it back. "Oops, I forgot. No more wine for me for a while."

Jarik's head snaps to his mate. "Why is that?"

She grins at him and makes a show of rubbing her belly. "I was going to tell you at dinner. Well…I guess I just did."

Luka and I both groan, when Jarik pushes his chair back and snatches his mate up to spin her around the dining room.

"I want a girl this time," he tells her, and she giggles.

"Jarik, that's not how it works, and you know it."

Before she can say more, he silences her with his mouth and then carries her out of the dining room.

"Huh. Guess it's just going to be us," I say as the kitchen staff quickly remove their plates, probably to keep the food warm. Apparently, this is something that happens often.

The chicken piccata is almost perfect as I savor bites between sips of my blood wine. After we finish that course dessert is served, and Mercy and Jarik still have not reappeared.

"So," Luka says between bites of gelato. "Kids?"

I pause with my spoon halfway to my mouth. "Absolutely not."

"Oh, thank the gods!" Luka says with relief.

"What would you have done if I'd said yes?"

He licks the spoon seductively. "Gotten you pregnant as fast as possible before I changed my mind."

I lean back in my seat with a laugh. "So, you're saying that whatever I want, I get?"

"Shhh, it's supposed to be a secret."

I set my spoon beside my gelato and turn to my mate. "I love you, Luka."

He freezes and stares at me like he can't believe what I just said. Then he pushes his chair back so fast that it nearly topples over. Grabbing my hand, he pulls me out of the room.

"What are you doing?" Looking over my shoulder I shrug at the kitchen staff who are watching us. The girl who served my wine grins at me and waves, then we're out the door and down the steps before Luka nearly throws me into the passenger seat of his car.

The drive back home—huh, when did the cabin become home?—happens so fast I barely track it, and then Luka is whisking me inside.

"Say it again," he orders, pushing me up against the door as soon as it shuts.

"Say what?" I tease, knowing very well what he wants.

His hands work the buttons of his shirt. "Don't, Izzy. Say it. Now!"

I watch his shirt disappear. When his hands drop to his pants I suck my bottom lip between my teeth and bite down. Stepping into him, I still his hands and force him to look up at me. "Luka. I love you."

He groans as he grips the sides of my head and slams is lips down on mine. His kisses are addictive and when he suddenly pulls back, I moan at the loss of him.

He looks deep into my eyes and smooths his thumb across my cheek. "I love you, Izzy. So fucking much."

My heart feels like it's about to burst as I wrap my arms around his neck and crush my lips against his. This is how everything is supposed to work out, even though I was too scared to hope that it would.

"Say it again," I say against his lips.

"I love you, Isabelle," he repeats, pulling back just enough to push my hair back from my face.

"I love you, Luka."

He wraps me in his arms and lifts me off my feet as he turns to stride down into the basement where our bedroom is.

The End