19. Pietro

19

PIETRO

T hree months later

D iavolo stands by my side on the training field at the Protector Academy in Hearth HQ. He wears an elegant charcoal-gray suit, long white hair pulled into a disheveled bun on top of his head. He leans in, brushing his lips along the edge of my ear as we stare at the giant renovated building the new Grand Portal Station haven was built inside of. “She looks fucking stunning, so full of joy and pride.”

Alé joins us, handing us both a glass of champagne. “She’s going to want us later.” He rubs at his chest. “She’s so hyped with excitement for today.”

Nodding, I turn and nip at the dark elf hovering by my side. Turns out we thoroughly enjoyed him. So much so that we’ve invited him to join us on many occasions. I think he’s Valentina’s favorite plaything, and he adores being used by her.

Glancing around, I take in the huge crowd standing in front of the former empty building. Now it’s dark but shiny and new. A huge, elegant white-lettered sign announces it as Grand Portal Station. Rows of armed gargoyles and minotaurs stand in front of the building with Evenia, Valentina and her team.

A giant red ribbon is stretched across vaulted double doors into the new haven.

Evenia clears her throat into a microphone, and the gathered beings fall silent.

The haven system’s original designer stands tall and haughty at the front of the crowd. “Welcome, monsterhood.” Her voice is powerful, carrying a strength that belies just how ancient she is.

She opens her arms wide. “Welcome to Grand Portal Station. Monsters have long asked for an easier way to travel between havens. But safety came first, and we never had a good solution that would keep safety in mind. But—” she turns to Valentina, “—my Chief Haven Designer, Valentina, came up with a brilliant idea. The culmination of that idea is what we’ve invited you to see today.”

I’m a little surprised at her kind words. Evenia’s never been known for that. Alé, Valentina and I even joked this morning that Evenia would likely demand to cut the red ribbon.

I’m further surprised when Evenia drones on for a few minutes but hands a pair of giant scissors to Valentina. My mate’s beautiful ruby eyes find us in the crowd, our bond full of love, pride, and shock.

“You’ve got this,” I whisper, knowing she can feel my adoration through the bond.

Alé sends his wonder and awe of her along our connection, and I smile.

We’re here. Finally. After centuries of painful longing, after centuries of never being able to sleep in the same bed for more than a few days at a time.

Valentina takes the scissors and turns to the carved black wood doors. Monsters of every species are represented. It’s a beautiful testament to the new world this project opens up for us.

I hold my breath as she cuts the ribbon and it flutters down onto the ground. A gargoyle female steps forward and takes the scissors. Valentina grasps the door handles and pulls them wide, revealing a protective ward surface.

The crowd erupts into murmurs and whispers as she turns and smiles broadly at us. “Come on in, please!” With that, she turns and disappears through the portal’s surface and into the building.

It takes a few minutes for the entire crowd to traverse the portal into the enormous, cavernous room on the other side.

“Holy fuck,” Alé gasps out. “A million mockups couldn’t do this justice.”

I reach for his hand as I stare around the room. A glass ceiling above gives the impression of sunny, beautiful skies. I know from talking with Valentina that the sky’s weather will change all the time. It’ll be beautiful to be inside this building at sunset.

White stone walls are carved with frescos representing the havens that helped provide feedback for the portal station. All along the oval outline, green portal doors gleam and shine.

Evenia climbs on top of a small stage and grabs a microphone. “Welcome to Grand Portal Station! If you’d like to take a short trip to any other haven, they are all represented by the portals in this room. We encourage you to take a quick visit.”

The room grows loud with excited monsters. Many disappear through portal doors with visible excitement. Between every portal door are small shops—cafés, restaurants, newsstands, gift shops, and more.

Valentina appears at my side and slips her hand through the crook of my elbow. “Wanna see it?”

Excitement fills me.

“Absolutely,” I say on a growl. Tugging a smiling Alé with us, I follow my mate to the far end of Grand Portal Station. The far end isn’t completely finished, but Evenia didn’t want to delay the grand opening.

We pause in front of an unopened café. A sign at the top reads “Higher Grounds.”

“It’s beautiful,” Diavolo whispers, having followed us.

Valentina beams at him, then looks at Alé and me. “I know you’ll want to be here a lot as you get close to opening, but I wanted to show you how much progress we’ve made on your plans.”

Evenia got strict the closer to opening day they got. Alé and I weren’t even allowed to visit our second location for fear of something being leaked to the public. So, Valentina has been managing our build for the last few weeks.

“Want to see inside?” she asks, tickling Alé on the side.

“Hells yes,” I bark out.

Laughing, she sashays behind a giant curtain that covers the front of the café. We follow, pushing and shoving to see who can get there first. Well, Diavolo trails Alé and me, always cautious not to intervene between us.

Inside, I halt, and Alé nearly stumbles over top of me. The interior is all black and gold, elegant beyond belief. A granite floor gleams with shiny stones, red rubies inlaid in trailing patterns over the surface. The walls are carved wood like the rest of the station, but they feature an elegant design that mimics vampiric house tattoos. The walls are painted dark, and, similar to Grind, there are spots to bind obliging monsters to the wall. We’ve put a unique spin on it though. The platforms can retreat up into the ceiling for more privacy.

“This is stunning,” Diavolo whispers, walking around the space with his big arms held aloft. He gives Valentina a saucy look. “Come here and kiss me.”

She laughs and crosses the floor, sinking easily into his arms as Alé and I exchange smirks.

We’re going to christen the new location.

“We’re not,” Valentina barks as she separates herself from Diavolo. “I can feel what you’re thinking, and we are absolutely not doing that today. But soon.” She slaps Diavolo on the stomach. “Maybe we’ll strap you to the wall and tease you.”

“I am willing and ready.” He reaches for her as she dances out of his grip.

Alé and I stride forward, pressing her against the dark elf as he beams. “Tease her,” I command my mate.

Alé reaches down and slides his hand up her skirt, stroking as she moans and looks at us, eyes hooded with desire. “We really cannot do this right now,” she manages, but pink travels across her cheeks as Diavolo starts licking soft circles down her neck.

“We can,” he encourages, always ready to ignore the world in order to pleasure her.

She laughs and slips away from us and across the room.

We stand together and stare at her.

“You need to be chased,” I growl, balling my fists.

She doesn’t wait to see if I make good on that comment. Instead, she dives out of the space with a laugh and disappears into the main room. Our bond is flush with pleasure. I’m guessing she’s got plenty to do today before we can take her home.

Diavolo presses his big body to Alé’s back and slides both hands down the front of Alé’s pants, stroking an obvious erection. “Let me do something about this,” he offers.

Alé lets his head fall back against Diavolo’s shoulder and reaches for me. “Yes,” he murmurs. “Definitely do something about this so I don’t have to go back out there with a raging hard-on.”

Twenty minutes later, my mate has come twice, head lolling against Diavolo’s shoulder as he groans softly. My hands are covered in sticky cum.

Diavolo purrs and spins Alé to face him, licking him clean. I watch, fascinated, as his dark gray tongue dips behind Alé’s sack.

“Got to get home,” Alé moans. “I can’t take more of this. Grab Valentina, and let’s go.”

I watch until Diavolo’s ministrations have Alé hardening again. Laughing, I flick the tip of his pointy ear. “Come on, let’s find Valentina and see how much longer she needs to stay.”

We manage to make it out of the coffee shop and find her, but it’s clear she’s going to be busy for a while. We venture all the way around Grand Portal Station, admiring every detail, details we’ve only been able to see on paper since so much of it came together in the last few weeks. Even after all of that, she’s still surrounded by monsters who want to interview to her.

The crowds have begun to dissipate, but she’ll be here a while.

We wait until there’s a break in the crowd, then Alé paces to her side, rubbing her elbow.

She turns with a bright smile, rising to her tiptoes to kiss his lips. When she drops back down, he threads a hand through her hair. “We’re going to head home, amore, so you can do this without worrying about us. You were marvelous today.”

She beams and rubs both hands up his chest. “I’ll be home as soon as this is done. You’re going to use the Ever portal, right?”

I laugh, surprised. Traveling through the Grand Portal Station hadn’t even occurred to me. “I’d forgotten,” I admit.

“Give it a try.” Ruby eyes flick to Diavolo. “I’d like you there, if you’re free tonight.” She laughs and gestures around us. “You can always come home tomorrow!”

Diavolo croons and slips a muscular arm around my waist, pulling me close. “I’d love to, darling. Pietro will have dinner on the stove when you get home, and I’ll be teasing Alé to get him ready for your teeth.”

“Perfect,” she says breathlessly. She kisses each of us in turn, but when I open my mouth to say goodbye, someone grabs her and drags her to a group of monsters waiting to speak with her.

Alé, Diavolo and I turn and head for the Ever portal. It’s at the far end near our new location.

“There’s so much to do,” Alé says as we come close to the portal. “Now that we’re allowed back in, we need to figure out how to bring everything through, and?—”

I grab his hand and thread my fingers through it. “And it’ll be easy, because we can step right through the portal and go back and forth.”

Alé’s expression goes thoughtful as he stares at the green portal next to our new location. A beautifully hand-painted sign above the portal door reads “Ever.” Looking up, I smile, because I hadn’t noticed until now that security is placed all around the cavernous station.

A dark purple gargoyle crouches quietly on a small platform far above the door, near the ceiling. He barely moves. When I listen, there’s no heartbeat.

So he’s unmated.

Tipping my head to him, I follow Diavolo and Alé through the portal.

It’s different from Ever’s portal, which is a long green tube. This is more of a short hallway. We emerge on the opposite side, stepping into Shifter Hollow’s portal station, which bustles with monsters I don’t recognize.

That means tourists.

And tourists mean money.

All the sleepless nights, all the tears, it all feels worth it, knowing our beautiful mate will come home to us tonight. And tomorrow? Well, tomorrow she’ll come right back here to work with a far shorter commute.

I push love through our bond, smiling when she shoves it right back like a hug for my soul.

Ahead, Diavolo and Alé rib each other as they walk toward the portal station’s exit. And I smile watching them. We are so, so, so lucky.