Page 124 of Blood

“Where’s Cynthia?” I push up onto my tiptoes to see over Vanessa’s shoulder. “Is she still here? I want to say goodbye.”

The three of us have become surprisingly close over the last few months. A bloody battle will do that to some people. And more surprisingly, Memphis has joined our group of friends, though he was forced to stay in Hell to manage Lucifer’s appointments today.

During the battle, Cynthia lost her arm, which she bitched about for days until she ordered a new one from Amazon. However, when it arrived, it was in a damaged box, because the shipping for Amazon is atrocious. So now, she’s forced to wear a limb that’s missing a few fingers until she can receive a replacement.

The struggles of being a first world monster, I tell ya.

“Last I saw, Cynthia had her lips inside her mate’s pants. Literally.” Vanessa rolls her eyes with an exasperated, but genuine, smile. I can’t help but note the wistful tilt to it. I know, at one point, Vanessa had a mysterious girlfriend, but that relationship has long since ended. Over the months, she’s dated a few people—boys and girls alike—but she’s never settled. She once confessed she’s looking for a love like the one I share with her brother.

And I want that for her.

She deserves it.

“Honestly, I don’t even know what we’ll do with this damn diploma,” Vanessa laments, holding hers up with a frown. “It’s not like we can get a real job with it. Mine literally says I got a degree in ‘body disposal.’ Like, how the fuck can I get a job with a degree like that? I can’t even transfer my credits to a human college, because most human schools don’t have classes like ‘how to use acid for cleanup’ and ‘extinct supernatural monsters.’”

I snort. “You could work for me once I become queen. Be my head of security or something.”

She folds her arms over her chest and casts me a savage smirk. “I may take you up on that. The only other job I could possibly get is that of a serial killer.”

“What did I tell you? Stabbing is not a sane coping mechanism.”

“It makes me happy,” she deadpans. “And I like being happy.”

“It’s called murder, my dear sister,” Vin interjects, moving away from Helena and my parents to pull his sister into a hug.

“You’re lucky I’m here, brother,” Vanessa murmurs. “Our family decided today would be a good day to visit.”

Vin rolls his eyes. “And, let me guess? They want us to rejoin the family business of murdering vampires like my mate.”

I wave my hand in the air. “Hello. Remember? Not actually a vampire here.”

“Shush.” Vin smacks my ass as he falls into conversation with Vanessa once more.

I can’t help but glance around at all the men and women present.

My mates, my friends, my family.

I don’t know what to expect now that I’ve graduated Prodigium, but I’ve never been more excited.

Or more hopeful.

EPILOGUE TWO

THREE YEARS LATER

VIOLET

“Stop bitching!” I swat Jack’s hands away as I waddle toward the portal in our living room—a portal that will lead me straight to Mount Olympus, where my mother and fathers are currently waiting for me.

“You shouldn’t be going anywhere in your condition,” Dimitri growls fiercely, flipping his dagger over and over again in his hand. Sometimes, I think he wants to stab that dagger into my eye. Or into my pussy. It’s hard to tell with him.

Ahh. The joys of young love.

“I’ll be fine,” I assure him, brushing a hand down the bright pink maternity shirt Cal picked out for me. “I need to attend this meeting.”

Over the past few years, I’ve been training extensively to take over for Lucifer, Hera, and Dracula, the latter of whom took over the monster council after the White Stag decided to retire, return to the forest, and surround himself with a harem of bushy-tailed doe. They seem to believe that I’ll be the creature capable of bringing peace and harmony between all three of the worlds. I’m not sure if I necessarily believe them, but I’ve been learning what I can, nonetheless.

Honestly, I wonder if the prophecy was wrong. Maybe I was never meant to take the throne. Maybe I was merely the bridge to close the gap between our worlds, creating peace where there was once discord.

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