Page 177 of Demise

“The fear you spread from a self-appointed throne, now under the light of the Snow Moon you shall atone. We bring light to your actions, we will be free. Together, we end the persecution of thee. When the moonlight fades, and the sun comes through, our ancestors will come for you. We say this spell of karma tonight, we are witches. We will fight.”

As one, we all lift our knives to our family’s throats and Asher takes the last opportunity to speak into his father’s ear.

“Burn in fucking hell.”

With a fluid motion, throats are slit around the room. One by one, bodies slump forward onto the table, blood seeping out of their wounds and creating a collective pool in the center. A few gargle and choke on their blood, the sounds echoing throughout the room. I’m the last person to slice, making sure to go extra shallow so Henry suffers for as long as possible. He deserves it, and more.

My gaze moves to Liam, a vengeful look in his eyes that matches Wesley’s and Vincent’s. Dane seems to feel no sorrow, nor does Jeremy. Andrew is shaking, tears sliding down his face, but when he meets my eyes, he nods shakily. Like he knows he did the right thing.

Looking over my shoulder, I see Ronan watching me with an assured nod. I can’t help but let the dagger slip from my hands, the iron clattering against the blood soaked table.

It’s done. They’re gone.

A wrong from over three hundred years ago has been righted and repaid.

We’re free.

Epilogue

Skyla

The Brethren was not wiped from existence. How could it be? The society far outreached Salem. It was just a…managerial shift. Each of the guys took position as an Elder, but that means something very different now. Instead of all submitting to one power hungry leader, it’s more like a board of directors in a sense.

The businesses are still underway, at least, the ethical ones that everyone deemed were worth salvaging, everyone is still wealthy and well connected as ever. Instead of leading out of fear and violence, it is led with loyalty.

For a minute, I thought Ronan was going to step into place and take charge. That’s never been what he’s wanted, though. It was always supposed to be Asher’s destiny. He’s come into his own well. He’s harsh, but fair, and with the cooperation of the other Elders, they’ve all doubled their net worth in a matter of months. Sure, some of that comes from inheritance most of them earned when their family members were….so regretfully taken from this world. Still, it’s impressive.

As for the rest of the members, at least the ones in Salem, the Elders are doing a good job to keep an eye on everyone. Asher didn’t want things turning into an all-out war, instead giving people the choice. Adapt to this much more fair and morally true way of operating, or leave.

A few people have expressed their upsets on the matter, Bridgette’s father being the loudest of them all, and Vincent is ready if and when he’s needed. He’s still an eliminator for the Brethren, just for the right reasons, and he only goes after people who deserve it. He’s still waiting for the day that Zayden Graves will call on his favor for sparing his life…after he almost took it. Can’t say I’m exactly thrilled of what all that will take when the day comes.

Liam has taken over the Walcott family business in pharmaceuticals. He isn’t passionate about it by any means, but all he has to do is occasionally sign some papers, go to board meetings and build more drift cars in his spare time. He’s definitely not complaining.

Wesley has teamed up with Andrew, running his family’s tech company together. Andrew still has a lot to learn about it all, and Wesley has been amazing at teaching him. Andrew has made more than a few obvious hints of having feelings for me, to which the guys swiftly reminded me no more spots were available in our little harem. I couldn’t help but laugh at them because although he’s sweet, I just don’t feel that way about Andrew.

Ronan is focusing on what he loves, swimming. He’s still a swim coach at the university, and I was able to even talk him into adding a women’s team. To which I made the team, of course. He said it was a close one, to which I punished him for the remark by not allowing him to touch himself or us as Wesley and I fucked on his desk. That’s the last time he will tease me, I’ll bet.

As soon as we left the tunnels that night, I was on the phone, demanding that Steph got on a plane immediately. I felt badbecause she was terrified the entire time, but she did it, and when she showed up to my house and saw my mother in the living room, she fell to her knees, sobbing hysterically as they held each other. My dad wrapped his arm around me in comfort as he watched his wife finally get her sister back. There wasn’t a single dry eye in the room that day.

Steph has since moved back to Salem, along with her now fiancé. He’s incredible and treats her like the queen she is. He’s also very accepting and understanding given our family’s…unique situation. I mean, how often do you marry into a family where your sister-in-law is a practicing witch who lives in a commune with her Coven and your niece-in-law has a husband and four boyfriends? Wouldn’t blame the guy for needing a moment to adjust. He didn’t, though. He fit perfectly into our weird, unorthodox family.

We go visit my parents almost weekly, or they come and visit us. Now that witches are no longer forced into hiding, a lot of them actually moved back to Salem. Astrid and Sariah bought a house just down the road from us, and we get together for dinners often.

When the Brethren…gained new leadership, everything promised under it had been voided. Or at least we made it so, meaning Liam and Maryia were no longer engaged. Everyone was pleased with it, except for Liam’s mom and Maryia’s parents of course. Liam’s mom was actually heartbroken to hear that her husband had died, despite how abusive he was to her. It didn’t take away the love she thought they had, and no matter how awful she’s been to me in the past, my heart hurt for her.

Maryia and Maggie are now together, out in the open for the world to see, and they are fairly happy. They fight a little bit more than I’d like for my best friend, but I’m by her side for whatever she thinks is best. Bridgette has all but disappeared from society. Gone is the cliquey, mean girl who thinks she rulesthis town. She’s meek, quiet, and I can’t help but wonder what her story is. What changed?

I banish all the thoughts currently rattling around in my brain because today is my wedding day. Technically, Asher and I are married under the Brethren’s old ways, as well as the forged document that made our marriage very legally binding. We never got a wedding, though, and the guys wanted to give me one. To all of them.

Like the sweet, gooey hearted loves they are, they all drove us up to the cabin in New Hampshire for two weeks after everything was done, just like Asher promised. Our first night there, they lit hundreds of candles and spread thousands of rose petals before all getting down on one knee. It was corny and cliché and absolutely perfect.

The only thing that made it better was that Ronan informed us all that he had bought the cabin, and it was now officially ours. We are planning to spend every Christmas there along with any other free time we can manage.

I look down at my ring. It’s giant, as it goes almost all the way up to my knuckle. That’s what happens when you have five rings soldered together. Asher’s original ring, Liam’s family ring, Wesley and Vincent’s mother’s rings, and a brand new one from Ronan. My finger is literally dripping with diamonds, sapphires and emeralds, and although it’s gorgeous in an eclectic way, it’s not as perfect as the sight of my five grooms standing at the end of the aisle.

No matter how powerful the Brethren may be, we can’t change the laws and allow me to legally marry them all. So, legally, I’ll only be married to Asher, but this wedding isn’t for anyone but ourselves.

My father’s arm is hooked around my own as my mother takes my other. They both smile down at me proudly as I move down the aisle. Nearly every Brethren member is here today, though Iwouldn’t have cared if Maggie and Steph were the only ones to show up. Maggie, Steph, Rachel, and Maryia are standing up at the altar as my bridesmaids, and they are all giving me proud smiles. I don’t miss Maggie’s eyes as they move from mine to the crowd. Curiously, I find Bridgette staring at her, so much pain and regret in her eyes. I’ll never understand those two.

---