All Hail the King (Celestra Forever After Book 6)

by Addison Moore

  Logan and I weren’t sure if we were going to use it, and after this fiasco, I’m definitely shelving it. Maybe.

  I hug my belly. She’ll always be Angel to me. Thankfully, she’s gone back to sleep and isn’t kicking and screaming from inside of my womb to get her out of this debacle. Little does she know I can’t figure out how to get myself out of it.

  “Angel?” Chloe lifts her chin my way as if reading my mind. And she might be. She was carrying Gage’s baby, although she didn’t seem to exhibit any runaway powers like I did with the boys.

  “No,” Logan, Gage, and I say it in unison. It’s the only thing we’ve agreed upon in a year. Nice to know miracles still happen. I shoot Laken a wry smile.

  “Come on, Skyla.” Chloe flicks her wrist my way as if to say get on with it. “We don’t have all night. I need some sleep.”

  Laken chuckles. “Chloe, you have a newborn. If she’s anything like Charlie or Eli, you won’t be getting sleep anytime soon.”

  Ezrina gives a husky chuckle herself. “You’ll be lucky to get a nap around Christmas.” She flicks her fingers at Wes and pulls the baby to her chest. Ezrina is smitten, and she should be—that baby holds her DNA.

  I clear my throat. Why does it feel as if I need to think my way out of this paper bag? A paper bag filled with Chloe’s afterbirth that’s been set on fire.

  “Seeing that she’s a little princess, let’s go with fairytales. Who’s your favorite princess, Chloe? Think Brothers Grimm.”

  “Ooh.” Chloe tips her head from side to side. Clearly, her vagina is cooled down because she’s getting cheeky. “Since I’ve been cursed with no sleep, let’s go with that princess who can’t seem to wake up. Maybe that will counterbalance the curse Witch Laken put on her.” She makes a face her way.

  “Aurora,” I say as I pull Logan close. “That’s a great name. So glad the baby is healthy. Goodnight,” I say as I turn to the door. It happens to be my sister Rory’s full name, but at the moment I don’t really care.

  “No,” Chloe flatlines. “It’s too—I don’t know. Pure?”

  She’s got that right. But could that sweet peanut squirming quietly in Ezrina’s arms be anything but pure? My heart breaks just thinking about her in any capacity. I really do need to get the hell out of here.

  “What’s the villain’s name in that story?” Chloe is suddenly interested in dissecting ancient literature just as Heathcliff heads in with a cooler.

  “Pardon me,” he says, grunting his way over with the heavy box. “I’ve packed it with ice just the way you instructed, Rina.”

  “Maleficent,” Laken answers Chloe’s question and Heathcliff nods as if she said magnificent.

  “Maleficent?” Chloe’s ears pique as she says it. “I love it.” An eerie grin pulls at her lips as she nods to Gage. “We can call her Mally or Mal. Maleficent sounds like the name of a powerful angel.”

  “Or a powerful witch,” Laken says under her breath.

  Wes wraps his arms around his pregnant wife. “Chloe likes it. Mally is cute.” He shrugs.

  “Hello, Mally,” Ezrina is the first to greet the babe by name.

  The room floods suddenly. First with Liam and Michelle, who are hardly speaking, followed by Lex and Emily, and finally a screaming Emma, Barron, and Demetri.

  Emma practically falls over herself as she lunges for the child.

  “A girl! Oh Chloe, you’ve given Gage the most precious jewel in his crown.”

  I lean against Logan. “It’s nice to know the boys have been booted from their pedestal so soon.” And I’m not sad about it either. I dream of Emma forgetting about the boys and me. How I would thrive in an Emma-free world.

  I watch with a numb heart as Dr. Oliver and Emma fawn over their new grandchild, one that did not come from my body. Silent, hot tears run down my face as I watch Chloe and Gage surrounded by family and friends. Ellis and Giselle amble in. Giselle flies straight to her new little niece, but Ellis offers me a firm embrace, the slight stench of weed clinging to his hair.

  “Hey, get out of here. Okay?” Ellis insists. “You’re a good person, Skyla. And you have Logan and the boys. And you have me, too. I love you. Ezrina’s about to crest that final peak with her formula and we’re going to get you back on top. This is the bottom. There is only one way to go, and I promise you will be rocketed to the top. I’ll make sure of it myself.”

  I pull him in and nod. My lips are swollen with grief, and my eyes won’t stop their incessant, embarrassing river.

  Logan thanks him as we head for the door. I glance back, just once, not sure why or what I was hoping to see, but I spot Gage watching me. His luminescent eyes are focused on mine and he’s trying to speak to me, but I quickly glance away, denying his right to apologize, or more to the point, gloat.

  “Thank you, Skyla!” Chloe calls from the bed, my bed that I picked out, lying under the comforter I bought because I loved how luxurious it felt. I remember thinking I’ll feel like a queen on this mattress, and here the abomination of desolation has settled in the holy of holies and now she mocks me from my own throne.

  The din of voices in the room hushes to nothing as if waiting for my response, but I don’t give it. I just duck out the door.

  Laken dives over me and pulls me into a hard embrace. Logan and Cooper start up a conversation down the hall, and Ezrina and Nev come out and join them.

  “I’m so sorry you had to go through that.” Laken pulls me in. “But you delivered the baby? It just goes to show what a good person you are, Skyla. I would have shut the door on her and let her rot in agony.” She shrugs at the thought. “What can I say? I’m a monster.”

  “Yes, well. Believe me, I’m a monster, too.” A glimmer of light catches my eye from the attic space just above the stairs that lead that way. “Would you excuse me?”

  “Sure.” She heads for Coop while I follow that spray of iridescent light up the small stairwell that leads to the butterfly room.

  A swirl of electric blue light, a pulse of energy comes from it, and I slowly open the door to see the butterflies fluttering around the cavernous space, and it looks so very peaceful, so very magical. My heart aches at the sight and my tears only fall faster.

  “Oh, come now,” a female voice calls from the navy sofa to the left and I find Rory springing to her feet. “What has you so blue?” She offers a brief hug, and I take in her floral scent. Rory looks like a far more resplendent version of me, and it’s both eerie and alarming. “Chloe had her baby.” She gives a cheeky wink and I nod, acknowledging the source of my pain. “And you, my love, delivered it.”

  “What?” I gasp as I put two and supernatural two together. “Oh my God!” I smack her on the arm. “You did not!”

  “I did, too,” she hisses back. “I had to. You let your emotions get the better of you. Chloe was begging for your help.”

  “Newsflash, I knew that and decided to withhold my assistance. And another thing? You are not me. Don’t you dare go around pretending to be so.”

  “I’ve only done it this once.” She holds up her right hand as if she were making an oath. “I promise you that. And you needed to help Chloe whether you realize it or not.”

  “Why on earth would I need to help Chloe of all people?”

  Her lips twitch. I recognize that look in my eye. She’s up to no good. “You will want her on your side.”

  “I don’t want her on my side anymore. I took a blood oath with her and she couldn’t even get that right. I abhor the whore. I think she’s a pig. I will never need Chloe Bishop for anything. And yes, she will forever be Chloe Bishop to me.”

  She takes a deep breath. “Yes, well, you’ll see I’m right.” She dusts my shoulders off with her hands. “Just know I love you, little sis.” She gives a cheeky wink. “And that everything I do is to progress the cause. Celestra will prosper, and I will help it get in its rightful place. Just you wait and see, Skyla. I will be instrumental to this victory. I’m determined to prove Mother wrong.” She pul
ls me in by the front of my dress, my enormous belly wedged between us, and I can feel the baby shift inside of me. “I am worthy to be in this fight.” Her eyes are wild, her jaw tense as she comes undone. “You can’t win this without me because it was my fight to begin with.”

  I step back, cradling Angel in my belly with my right arm as I inspect this psychotic version of myself.

  “Don’t do me any more favors with Chloe. I’m not interested in her help—or yours. This is my battle, Rory. Go back to paradise where you belong.” Tears come to me again. Damn hormones. Damn rotten day. “If you want to do me a favor, go find Sage. Hold her for me. Tell her I love her so much. That she is so deeply missed.” My fingers claw into my stomach as if I could reach in and hold this baby, too. “Maybe you can convince her that I’m not the enemy. That she’ll always be my sweet baby girl.”

  I take off and Logan drives us home in silence.

  Mom has already fed the boys, bathed them, and they lie sound asleep by the time Logan and I get into the room.

  Logan holds me in bed, whispers sweet nothings to me straight to my mind, to my heart. He strokes my arms tenderly and tells me how our lives are the ones we need to focus on. How our new family is where all of our energy should lie and I agree. He warms my belly with his hand, with his love. Logan has always felt like my other half. No pressure, we just fit.

  Ezrina is going to solve this marker situation soon, I say. If not with what Chloe gave her to work with today, then with what Laken gives her, or what I give her.

  Logan takes a breath. It will be you, Skyla. Vegas would side with you and so do I.

  That means it will be us, I say, placing my palm over his hand as we hold my enormous belly together.

  It was always us, Skyla. We have always been the answer.

  A dull laugh rumbles from me as I pull back to see his gorgeous face streaked with moonlight. I guess I’m lucky I love you.

  I’m the lucky one, Skyla. He lands a kiss to my lips.

  Logan? Where do you think we’ll be in a year?

  His head dips to his pillow as he looks to the ceiling for answers.

  In a year, we’ll be doing exactly this at Whitehorse. The boys will be in their room, the baby next to us in her crib. Hopefully, Celestra will be vindicated and rightfully on top.

  I nod. Or we will be locked in the battle of a lifetime. As soon as the government starts looking for our markers, there will never be a generation of Nephilim that will live as we did.

  They will fly under the radar, Skyla, just the way we do. But it will be different, he says.

  I nod. Forever after that we’ll have to rely on serums, vaccinations, potions, and lotions, whatever the hell Ezrina dreams up.

  Yes, well, welcome to the new us. It’s doable, Skyla. And we will do it. He pulls back and examines me, his eyes glowing like fire. I’m going to go out on a limb and make another prediction. A year from today, Gage Oliver will see the light. The scales will drop from his eyes and he will return to us just the way he was before. He will kiss your feet with tears in his eyes, begging your forgiveness, and he will work side by side with us to restore all that was lost.

  Now you’re just spinning tales. A dull laugh pumps through me, and the baby wakes up and gives Logan’s hand a kick. See? You’ve upset her.

  His lips purse. I’m sorry. He pats my belly. I was hoping it was true.

  Logan and I close our eyes and hold my belly, feeling our love moving inside of me, alive and full of vigor.

  I wish it were true, too.

  Oh, how I wish it were true.

  But Logan and I don’t have a crystal ball.

  Right now, and forever, all we have is each other.

  22

  Gage

  The skies above Paragon heave over the island. It’s been nonstop weeping fits, one torrential downpour after the other. It’s been a week and Chloe and the baby still haven’t left the room. She’s forbidden the boys from coming over in the event they get the baby sick—her wording was laced with a bit more toxicity.

  Logan called and said they’d be at Wesley’s today. I make my way to my brother’s house to find the boys playing with Tobie while Skyla and Laken chitchat on the sofa.

  Skyla casually glances my way before getting right back to her conversation with Laken. I’ve become the invisible man to her. I thought I could take it. I thought I wanted it. A little hell on earth is nothing compared to eternity. But it turns out, it feels just as damning.

  The boys crash into my legs and I pick them up one at a time, turn them upside down, and blow elephant kisses over their bellies.

  Laken laughs. “The big boys are in the game room. You’re welcome to grab a drink in the kitchen on your way there. I’d get up, but I’m officially two tons as of this morning.”

  “Two tons?” I raise a playful eyebrow Skyla’s way and she’s quick to turn her head. Skyla’s skin glows luminescent, and her lips are full and cherry red. My God, she is beautiful. How I miss those lips, every last luscious bit of her, and it drives a very strong urge in me to go back in time and make love to her in the butterfly room, in every room. The only thing stopping me is, well, me. I eviscerated my brother when I found out he was doing that with Laken. I thought he was a monster for doing it. A predator. If I did it, I would be no better. Hell, I’m already a monster, a predator. And if I had to guess—Wes is a hell of a lot better than me.

  I thank Laken for the offer and head to the game room with the boys and Tobie hot on my heels, screaming and laughing up a storm.

  “Daddy!” Nathan clamps onto my leg and takes a bite out of my kneecap. “Where’s Chloe’s baby dinosaur?”

  Tobie extends her hands like claws and stomps around doing her best imitation of a T-Rex.

  “Little dude.” I pick him up and kiss his cheek before swinging him and setting him back down, both boys are getting so heavy. “The dinosaur is sleeping. And the dinosaur’s name is Mally. If you call her a dinosaur, Chloe might eat you.” And that’s the honest to God truth.

  Tobie growls at Barron, “Mommy’s mean!”

  Good Lord. At least she’s perceptive.

  “No, she’s not.” I give a sly glance behind me as we head into the game room. Because we all know she is.

  Wesley’s game room, aka the man cave, is fully equipped. Two pool tables, one for each of his balls. A ping pong table, air hockey, foosball, a jukebox in the corner that glows blue and green, and skee-ball for the kids and they head right over. The skee-ball setup is new, and I’m thinking this is going to be the kids’ hangout in the future. The future. Just the thought sends a chill up my spine.

  I find Wes, Logan, Coop, and Ellis are busy shooting it up at one of the pool tables.

  “Wes, my man.” I slap him on the shoulder. “You’ve got this place on lockdown. When’s the bowling alley coming in?” I flash a quick grin at Logan as I nod to the rest of them.

  “We’ll put that in your house.” Wes has a sourpuss on his face as he gets back to the game.

  Ellis slaps me five. “He’s just mad because Coop and I are whipping his ass.”

  “And mine.” Logan blinks a smile my way.

  I nod him over and we start up a game of our own at the next table.

  “Why don’t you put one of these in at Whitehorse? We’ll have something to do when you invite me and the missus over.” I couldn’t help it. A little dry humor never hurt anyone. More like humor from the gallows. My entire life has evolved into a visit to the gallows.

  Logan doesn’t look amused as he crouches over and breaks the balls. “You’re not getting an invite. Skyla and I are adhering to a no assholes policy. And since the two of you qualify, it’s a no-go. Solids,” he calls out as he hits one into the pocket.

  “My kids will be there.” I’m up and my ball flops hard.

  “And we will take excellent care of them. Isn’t it ironic that Skyla likes Wes far better than you now?”

  “That says something.” I scowl at the ball and bea
m it right into the hole. Chloe and the baby come to mind. “Thanks for coming by the other night. Thank Skyla for me, too. She didn’t have to do that. And why did she do that?”

  “She’s a good person. Unlike the witch you married, Skyla has a heart. Why did you marry the witch, anyway? What the hell happened to your heart?” He tosses it back to me with a short-lived smile.

  “Why are you calling my wife a witch? I’ve forgiven Chloe for her sins, and I’m in love with her. She’s my family now, and make no mistake about it, she is fiercely loyal.” Lies, all of them, but for the sake of my eternal standing I go with it.

  “Skyla was loyal, and look where that landed her. I’d hate to think where it will get Chloe. God forbid she ever turn on you.”

  “Chloe is incapable of turning on me.”

  “Why? Because the spell Candace cast is still going strong?”

  “Because the spell I cast nightly is even stronger than that.” Another lie I’ve shed, and a smile curves on my lips because I don’t mind yanking Logan’s balls.

  Logan thumps me on the side of the head with the pool stick in his hand, good and strong. “That’s from me.” He spears me in the chest with the tip and it feels as if he’s about to pluck my heart on it like a skewer. “That’s from Skyla.”

  “Geez.” I grasp it with my hand and thrash it his way. “I might be in my new body, but I can still feel pain.”

  “How about emotional pain? Because you sure as hell can dole it out.”

  “Yes, well. Life is a bitch, isn’t it, Logan? A long time ago you did what you had to do for what you believed in. I’m just taking a page out of your book.”

  “You took the wrong page.” He shakes his head as he sinks another ball into the pocket. “And yes, I did it for what I believed in, but I did it for love, Gage. For the love of my people—and for Skyla.” He steps in close, his angry eyes pinned to mine. “I love Skyla. I didn’t want to see the Fems putting her in an early grave. I thought with you she’d be safe.” His chest bounces with a dull laugh. “Boy, was I ever wrong. I fed her to the wolves. To the very Fem that was destined to destroy her and her people forever.”