Page 95 of Voyage of Fury and Fate

Several minutes pass before she releases her grip. “Thank you. It’s not often I get a chance to be this close to him.” She wipes a stray tear. “There are only a few vampires who carry his blood. He never forced anyone to become what we are. You are one of only a few.”

“Aye,” Thorne laughs awkwardly. “It took many years to convince him. He was a great man.”

“That, he was. I’m sorry to stop you. Please, go in.”

Entering the foyer, I’m not shocked to find every one of our newfound family waiting for us. Amelia wraps her arms around me the moment we shut the door. “Tell me everything,” she demands, leading us into the living area.

Fran moves toward the girls the moment we enter. “Everly? Autumn? What were you two thinking? Do you know how dangerous…”

“Without them, we wouldn’t have made it,” I interrupt her scolding. “They made things…easier.” We spend the next few minutes describing the death of the man who has terrorized me since I was human. I don’t include information about the fire, and thankfully, no one mentions it.

My words still don’t feel real. I expect to find him looming in the corner with an evil smile and telling me how this was all part of his master plan and surprise—he’s still alive.

“How did you do it?” Everly interrupts my thoughts. The room quiets down as she speaks. “How did you do it?” she repeats, staring at Celeste.

“Do what?” Celeste asks.

“How did you grow? I know what you are. I can feel it. Why don’t you look like us?”

Celeste smiles. “Magic. I researched and sought practitioners who were able to help me. I traveled many miles and spent a lot of money to find the right person.”

“But you found them,” Everly answers.

“I did.” Celeste looks down as she speaks. “It wasn’t withoutdiscomfort.”

“Can we grow up?” Autumn asks.

“My becoming an adult came with a huge sacrifice,” Celeste continues. She looks around the room, making eye contact with Amelia. “Along with causing the death of my father, I am no longer immortal.”

“Like a human?” Everly asks.

Celeste nods. “I can die—Iwilldie. There’s more.” She pauses. “If I take a life, I regain my immortality but will become a child again and remain that way the rest of my existence.”

“Was it worth it?” Everly whispers.

“Yes.” Celeste smiles. “Without question, yes. I’m in love with a lycanthrope, and we’re going to be married soon. We’ll grow old together and die as mortals. I’ve lived a very long and fruitful life and met some amazing people along the way. So, for me, it was worth it.”

Everly stands from the couch. “We’re going to find our brother and do the same.”

“Do what?” I ask, not sure what she’s declaring.

Autumn stands by her sister’s side. “We want to be like Celeste. We want to be grown-ups.”

“I don’t think it’s that easy,” I intercede. “You don’t just declare to be grown, and it happens.”

Celeste moves closer to the girls. “If that’s what you want, I’ll get you in touch with the people who helped me.”

“There was more than one?” Autumn asks.

“Yes. That’s a story for another day.” She turns toward me. “Where is their brother?”

“Eudora has him.”

Celeste looks around the room. “Is Eudora a vampire?”

“Worse,” Amelia answers. “Eudora is the Goddess of the Sea.”

“They’re real?” she answers, excitement covering her face.

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