Epilogue

EPILOGUE

Two months later

Jaron stood back and looked around the living room. The space felt warm and inviting, with plush furniture, vibrant artwork, and personal touches that made it uniquely theirs—like the artsy deck of tarot cards on the coffee table and the decorative midnight blue pillows that had the constellations printed on them.

His gaze lingered on the painting of Keegan and himself. The one they'd purchased in Aquavaris when they'd tried to make their escape from reality.

It hadn't worked out the way they'd planned, but they'd still won in the end.

As if sensing his thoughts, Keegan approached from behind, slipping an arm around Jaron's waist. "Everything ready?"

Jaron leaned into the embrace, a smile playing on his lips. "Everything is perfect," he agreed. His eyes caught on a stack of letters in Keegan's hand. "What are those?"

"Just something I've been working on. Gifts for our guests."

Before Jaron could press further, a knock sounded at the door, signaling the arrival of their first guests. Keegan gave Jaron's waist a gentle squeeze before stepping away to answer the door.

Jaron took a deep breath. Time to get this housewarming party started.

Their guests arrived one after the other as Jaron prepared a snack table in the living room. Only with 'normal' food, though.

Mordyn couldn't help commenting on that when he entered the room with Apollo. "I see you've got plenty of food for the non-bloodsuckers, but what about us vampires? Don't tell me you forgot about your undead pals."

Jaron rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Even if I'd offered you blood, you couldn't drink it."

"True," Mordyn conceded. "Good thing I brought my own food." He grinned at Apollo.

Apollo shook his head, but didn't fight the kiss Mordyn pressed to his lips. He looked good, all things considered, and Jaron was glad to see him. Apollo had cut back on his working hours after the kidnapping. Jaron had wondered if that was due to trauma, but when Jaron had gone to him to apologize for his involvement in everything, Apollo had assured him that he was fine.

He just wanted to spend more time with Mordyn.

Jaron glanced at the vampire and remembered the way he'd sliced off Malkira's head. The memory made his stomach want to turn, though he understood why Mordyn had done it.

Jaron didn't blame him for it.

"You've had enough to eat today," Apollo said, giving his mate a playful shove.

"I'll never have enough." Mordyn went in for another kiss and Jaron turned away from them to greet Ceska and Ianair who walked into the living room with raised eyebrows.

"Hey, Jaron," Ceska gave him a quick hug before going for the snacks.

Ianair gave Jaron a pat on the back. "Nice place."

"Thanks," Jaron replied with a grin. "I'm glad you two could make it."

"Wouldn't miss it."

Altair and Sven arrived after that, almost at the same time as Rhyme and Iskander. Jaron pointed out the vegan food platter to Rhyme who thanked him with a bright smile before grabbing one of the wraps.

"What's it like, living with Keegan?" he asked.

"I'm grateful to have him with me every day," Jaron said, surprised by his own honesty. He would never take his mate for granted.

Rhyme nodded solemnly.

And then Keegan stepped into the middle of the room, holding up the envelopes Jaron had seen him with earlier and Jaron wondered if the vampire was about to do something to challenge the feeling of gratitude Jaron had just expressed.

Keegan surveyed the room, taking in the faces of those he held dearest. Mordyn and Apollo shared a private laugh. Sven leaned against Altair on the couch, and Iskander stood back and watched with a smile as Rhyme talked to Ceska about the best recipe for salad dressing.

For a moment, Keegan felt a pang of guilt. These vampires were his friends, his family. And he had manipulated them all at one point or another, bending their actions to fit the future he envisioned. Seeing Malkira's twisted control over Jaron and himself had been a harsh lesson.

A long overdue wake-up call.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the center of the room, catching everyone's attention. "I want to say something."

All eyes turned to him.

"I've been given a gift—or maybe a curse—of seeing into the future," Keegan continued. "And I've used that gift to manipulate many of you. I used to tell myself I had the best intentions, but that's not enough." He locked eyes with Altair as he said this, the vampire he'd hurt more than anyone in his quest for vengeance for his sister.

He'd manipulated Altair into killing his own brother.

Sure, Nephariel had deserved it, but Altair would never have done it if Keegan hadn't worked to bring about the perfect set of circumstances by allowing Sven to be taken from Altair.

Altair nodded now, but said nothing.

Keegan turned to Mordyn. "I meddled in your life more times than I can count."

Mordyn's expression softened. "I'll continue to pay you back every chance I get," he promised.

Keegan allowed himself a smile, then he addressed Iskander. "I hope one day I can be as honest with you as you've always been to me."

Keegan reached into his pocket and pulled out three envelopes, each marked with a name. "These letters contain detailed descriptions of visions I've had about each of your futures and any advice I can offer to help you find the best path forward. No cryptic remarks, no riddles to solve."

He handed them out one by one, feeling a weight lift from his shoulders.

"Your futures are yours to do with as you will," Keegan said as they took the envelopes from his hand. "I'm sorry."

The room was silent for a moment, the gravity of his words sinking in. And then Altair stepped forward, placing a hand on Keegan's shoulder.

"None of us are perfect," Altair said, "but we're coven."

Keegan nodded, pressing his lips together so as not to get too emotional.

Jaron appeared by his side, taking his hand and leaning in. "I'm proud of you," he whispered into Keegan's ear, and for the first time, Keegan felt like he might truly be worthy of his dragon's love.

He drew him into an embrace and then into a kiss. Someone cheered. Someone else laughed and someone toasted 'to new beginnings.'

Keegan smiled into the kiss.

He didn't need new beginnings. He was already heading down his perfect path.

The door clicked shut behind the last guest, and the house settled into a comfortable silence. Keegan glanced around the living room, taking in the aftermath of the party. Empty glasses and crumpled napkins littered the tables, but the warmth from earlier still lingered in the air.

Jaron stretched, his shirt lifting slightly to reveal a sliver of toned abdomen. He'd gone back to wearing clothes rather than jewelry, but his sense of fashion didn't lean toward 'baggy' quite so heavily anymore.

"Well, that was something," the dragon said, his voice tinged with exhaustion but satisfaction.

"Yeah," Keegan replied, stepping closer to him. "It went better than I expected."

Jaron turned to face him, eyes softening as they locked onto Keegan's. "You did good tonight."

Keegan shrugged. "Had to make things right."

Jaron reached out, gently tugging Keegan closer by the waistband of his jeans. "You did," he whispered before leaning in for a slow, lingering kiss. Keegan felt Jaron's fingers slide under his shirt, grazing the skin of his lower back and sending shivers up his spine.

"Let's take this to the bedroom," Jaron murmured against Keegan's lips.

Keegan nodded, allowing himself to be led down the hallway to their room. Once inside, Jaron closed the door before turning back to him. Jaron's eyes sparkled as he reached for Keegan's shirt, pulling it over his head in one swift motion.

Keegan couldn't undress Jaron quite so easily because of his wings, but he managed to pop the buttons on the back of his shirt after a little fiddling and got it off his mate. Their hands roamed each other's bodies with both familiarity and hunger as they moved towards the bed.

Jaron gently pushed Keegan onto the mattress before climbing on top of him. The weight of Jaron's body pressed down on him in a way that felt grounding and exhilarating all at once.

"I love you," Jaron said softly, brushing a strand of hair away from Keegan's face.

"I love you too," Keegan replied, pulling Jaron down for another kiss.

The heat between them intensified, and Keegan's fingers traced the muscles of Jaron's back, lingering on the base of his wings.

Jaron pulled back slightly, his eyes glinting with mischief. "You know, I was thinking I'd be on top tonight," he said, voice low and teasing.

Keegan raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "Oh really? And what if I have other plans?"

Jaron leaned in, nuzzling Keegan's neck and planting soft kisses along his jawline. "My plans are better," he murmured against Keegan's skin, the words sending shivers down Keegan's spine.

Keegan chuckled softly. "That's debatable."

Jaron shifted to meet Keegan's gaze, a challenging look in his eyes. "I guess we'll just have to see who's more convincing."

Keegan grinned. "You're on."

Jaron's hands roamed over Keegan's body, fingers brushing over sensitive spots that made Keegan arch into his touch. "See, you like me on top," Jaron declared confidently.

But Keegan wasn't beaten yet. With a swift motion, he wrapped his arms around Jaron's neck and pulled him down for a deep kiss and as they broke apart, both breathing heavily, Keegan knew he had his mate exactly where he wanted him. "Let's see how you handle this," he whispered before sinking his fangs into Jaron's neck.

The reaction was immediate. Jaron moaned loudly, the sound vibrating through both their bodies as his muscles relaxed under Keegan's bite. The taste of Jaron's blood—sweet and intoxicating—flooded Keegan's senses.

Taking advantage of Jaron's momentary weakness, Keegan rolled them over until he was straddling Jaron, looking down at him with a feeling of triumph.

"Looks like I win," Keegan said smugly, licking the remaining blood from his lips.

Jaron looked up at him through half-lidded eyes, a dazed but satisfied expression on his face. "You play dirty," he muttered with a lazy grin.

"You enjoyed it." Keegan ran his fingers through Jaron's hair. The strands felt like silk against his skin, and he marveled at how much comfort he found in these small, intimate moments.

Jaron's hands rested on Keegan's hips. "I'll allow you your win this time."

Keegan chuckled, feeling a warmth spread through him that had nothing to do with their physical proximity. "How generous of you."

Their playful banter felt like a balm to Keegan's weary soul. They'd had such a rough start, marred by visions of death and tragedy. But here, in this moment, it was just them—no impending disaster, no manipulation of fate. Just two beings who had found solace and love in each other.

Keegan shifted slightly, adjusting his weight on Jaron's lap as he traced the contours of Jaron's chest with his fingertips. The steady rhythm of Jaron's heartbeat under his touch was grounding, reminding him that despite everything they'd been through, they were still here—alive and together.

Keegan leaned down once more, capturing Jaron's lips in a slow kiss that conveyed all the love and gratitude he felt. This was what he'd fought for—this connection, this bond that transcended all the chaos and danger they faced.

With Jaron thoroughly pliant beneath him, Keegan reached for the nightstand, his fingers closing around the bottle of lube they kept there. He slicked up his fingers, never breaking eye contact with Jaron as he prepared him with slow, deliberate strokes.

Jaron's moans filled the room, his body arching off the bed as Keegan's fingers worked their magic. He didn't try to muffle the sounds he made, didn't try to hide his pleasure from Keegan. He never did, and Keegan loved that about him.

As closely bonded as they were, it would have been impossible for Jaron to conceal his feelings from Keegan, but he could have been quieter. He could have tried not to move his hips, to stay still.

But Jaron wasn't like that.

Jaron let it all show, every ounce of desire he felt, every little whimper of need that rose to his lips as Keegan's fingers worked him open.

It was intoxicating to watch him, to listen to him, to drive him higher.

Keegan took his time, drawing out the process until Jaron was a writhing mess beneath him, begging him for his cock.

Only then did Keegan position himself at Jaron's entrance, his gaze locking onto the dragon's as he slowly pushed inside. The tight heat of Jaron's body enveloped him, and a low moan escaped his lips at the sensation.

Jaron's breath caught, his body stretching to accommodate the vampire's length.

His hands found their way to Keegan's back, his nails digging into skin as he adjusted to the intrusion. Keegan stilled, allowing Jaron to become accustomed to the feeling of fullness.

Once Jaron's body relaxed, Keegan began to move, setting a slow, torturous pace. Each thrust brought a new wave of pleasure, the intensity of their connection driving them both closer to the edge.

Jaron's nails raked down Keegan's back, leaving trails of fiery sensation in their wake. Keegan's hips moved with increasing urgency, driven by the heady mix of his own desire and the overwhelming waves of Jaron's pleasure crashing through their bond. He felt Jaron's body tighten around him, each squeeze sending jolts of pleasure straight to his core.

Their breaths mingled in the air, heavy and ragged, as they lost themselves in the rhythm they created together. Keegan's fingers dug into Jaron's hips, grounding himself in the tangible connection between them.

Keegan felt the telltale signs of Jaron's impending climax not only through their link—the tightening muscles, the quickening breaths, the frantic grasping at his back. It mirrored his own rising tide of pleasure, a synchrony that made his heart race even faster.

Jaron's voice broke through the haze, a desperate plea wrapped in a moan. "Keegan… I… I'm close."

Keegan nodded, his thrusts becoming erratic as he chased that ultimate release.

And then it hit—an explosion of pleasure that radiated from where their bodies joined and echoed through every fiber of their being. Keegan cried out Jaron's name as he felt his climax crash over him, amplified by Jaron's simultaneous release. The dual sensations merged into a singular, blinding burst of ecstasy that left them both trembling and gasping for breath.

Their bodies shuddered together in the aftermath, hearts pounding in unison as they clung to each other. Keegan buried his face in the crook of Jaron's neck, breathing in the scent that was uniquely his mate's—a grounding reminder that they were here, together.

Jaron's hands moved soothingly over Keegan's back, tracing gentle patterns on the skin he'd scratched mere moments ago.

Keegan lifted his head to meet Jaron's gaze, finding love and contentment reflected in those familiar eyes. "I love you," he whispered again.

Jaron smiled softly, brushing a kiss against Keegan's forehead. "Are you sure? I couldn't tell."

Keegan laughed, and in that moment, everything else faded away—their past struggles, future uncertainties—all eclipsed by the simple joy he felt right here and now.

He'd never understood people who lived solely in the moment, but now he thought he did.

What was life, after all, but a series of moments?

"What are you thinking?" Jaron asked.

"That I could live for moments like this."

"Silly vampire." Jaron closed his eyes.

Keegan settled next to him, drawing his warm body into his arms. "Not silly," he murmured, playing with the hair on the back of Jaron's neck. "Just happy."