“Is that so? What about our friends?”
“To hell with all of them. Watching the woman I love get beat by a psychopath has a way of changing my priorities.”
My brow raised. “The woman you love, huh?”
His lips pressed softly to my forehead. “If you didn’t know that by now, Flower, you’re not as smart as I’ve given you credit for.”
“I think I kinda love you, too.”
He squeezed a little tighter. “Just kinda?”
“Well, it depends on if you really plan on taking me away from all these people you’ve forced into my life. I kinda love them all.”
“Do you now? The girl who didn’t need anyone when I first met her kinda loves them all?”
“But I kinda love you even more.” I pulled myself up to steal a kiss. “Please take us somewhere we can shower and sleep.”
He shook his head. “There will be no sleeping for you. Not after how many times that head of yours was punched today. Nope, we’ll be pulling an all-nighter.”
I feigned shock. “However will we find a way to stay awake?”
“Don’t you worry about the details. I’ll take good care of you.”
Even though I hurt everywhere, my skin heated from his promises. Never again would I worry about my worth or being safe.
Epilogue
One Year Later
Waves crashed against the beach as I tilted my head toward the beaming sun. We were on day three of living the dream in Australia, and I never wanted to leave.
The last twelve months had been a whirlwind of chaos that began with hunting down all three-hundred-forty-six prisoners that had been set free from Mandora before we fought the Luccovinos. The task should have taken months, but with the help of Gino and Greggor, we’d scared half of them back to their new cells at various prisons—since Blake had indeed burned down Mandora—with the promises that their cases would be reviewed again pending their cooperation.
Gino and I had taken a lot of time to get to know each other, and I learned so much about my parents. More than I really wanted to know if I had been honest with myself. At some point, his stories had merely made me angry for a life that had been ripped away from me by the selfishness of others. So, instead, we talked about future plans and enjoyed knowing he would be part of mine.
After we’d finished sorting the prisoners out, our small group was offered jobs by the council and did a trial run with them, but it wasn’t what I wanted out of life. So, I’d convinced the others to quit, and we ended up traveling around doing the odd job here and there. We started in the Amazon jungles a couple months ago, because it had been on Spencer’s bucket list, before finally ending up in Australia. On the exact beach Nixie had taken me to many months ago.
She lay next to me, still rocking her silver hair, but she had an extra four-and-a-half feet on her. After Mason had sworn off other women regardless of whether or not they could have a conventional relationship, Nixie finally made her choice, and Greggor took her wings.
“This is the life. In all my centuries on earth, I don’t think I’ve been more relaxed than I am in this moment,” she murmured.
After Nixie had threatened Mason in every way possible if he broke her heart and he still didn’t run from her, she’d asked Greggor to make her as short as possible without being considered a little person. Her spunk was still as on point as ever, but she saved it mostly for Mason nowadays. Watching them together was adorable, because she still seemed so small next to him. They were happy, though, and that was all that mattered.
“Well, of course we’re relaxed. The guys are out attempting to surf and leaving us the hell alone.” I sighed, enjoying the views.
“Gods, I didn’t think I’d ever be able to breathe my own air again,” Jenna complained.
Blake had been a psychotic mess after getting her back. It had taken months for him to let her leave his sight, including any time she needed to use the bathroom. At one point, I’d offered to help her hide his body, but she never took me up on it.
I had worried she would hate us for killing Kristen, but instead, she’d surprised us once again by thanking us instead. The woman we met wasn’t the best friend she grew up with, and it was better that she couldn’t hurt anyone ever again according to Jenna.
“Just don’t speak of the past around them and maybe they’ll continue to give us some space,” I added.
Jaxon had smothered me for a short time as well, but after I threatened to feed his balls to the nearest animal, he got my point. For the time being, we had no enemies, and I wanted to enjoy the freedoms while they lasted.
Life as a supernatural who hunted the bad ones wasn’t always going to be calm—I wasn’t stupid to believe so—but I was smart enough to appreciate the times it was.
“Did Ethan get the new office set up?” Jenna asked.
She’d become our office manager of sorts. Violence never became her thing, but she was overly organized, sometimes annoyingly so. We gave her the task of answering the incoming requests and doing research for us before we went out. Thankfully, she loved and thrived at it.
“Yeah, he and Deacon said they’d be calling tomorrow to head our way,” Nixie answered.
I hadn’t been surprised when those two guys were added to the team, just as I hadn’t been shocked to never hear from Zeke or Owen again after everything had ended. They’d both taken pretty good beatings during the fight and decided to go off-grid. It was their version of a happily-ever-after, and I was glad for them.
Nixie nudged me. “Hey, does that chick look familiar to you?”
I followed her gaze, and there was a woman standing at the edge of the beach within the trees who seemed to be watching the guys out in the water.
“No fucking way. We’re on vacation. I’m not dealing with any drama.”
Jenna turned to stare as well. “No, I recognize her. I saw her when we were in Peru checking out the jungles. Actually, Blake and I saw her more than once when we’d go for walks. We assumed she was a local.”
Shit.
I whistled for Jaxon, and he froze mid-throw with Mason in his arms—guys never grew up—then dropped him uncaringly into the water as he quickly, but not obviously panicked, made his way to the shore. The rest of the guys followed after Mason finished coughing up water.
He stood above me as I smiled adoringly at him, trying not to cause a scene. “There’s a woman in the trees. Jenna has seen her before. I think she’s following us.”
Jaxon laughed and tossed his hair back that he’d grown out several inches, using the move to look for the woman. “I’ve seen her before, too. In New Zealand before we took our flight here.”
Mason, Spencer, and Blake were standing behind him, trying to catch up.
“Seen who?” Spencer asked.
“A chick in the trees,” Nixie answered.
Spencer muttered something under his breath that I couldn’t hear. “What’s that?” I asked.
“She’s not following us. She’s following me.”
My brows raised. “Uh, what now? Why would she be doing that?”
“Because she’s kind of… we’re sort of… she’s with me,” he finally stuttered out.
Nixie spit her water. “Why the fuck wouldn’t you tell us, and how did you meet her?”
“Maybe I value my privacy a little more than the rest of you lovesick psychos. You’re a bit much to take in, and she’s not used to people.” He glanced at the woman and waved awkwardly.
“What do you mean ‘not used to people’?” Mason asked.
“She lived in the jungle for a while.” He shrugged, refusing to give us any more details.
I stood up. “Well, if you won’t introduce us to her, then we’ll do it ourselves. She can’t just creep around. That’s weird. Plus, she’s obviously special to you. So, keep the details to yourself, but at least let us welcome her and if she still wants to be on her own, we’ll respect that. Right, everyone?”
Nods and agreements wen
t around the group.
“You’re all full of shit and I’m going to regret this, but just know, if you scare her away, I will make the rest of your lives a living hell. The Luccovinos will seem like child’s play by the time I’m done.”
Oh, damn. He was serious. I reached a hand to him, grabbing his forearm. “We’ll be on our best behavior.”
“Like that helps,” he grumbled before walking away.
“Do you actually think he’s going to bring her over here?” Mason joked.
“He will if he wants to do this the easy way,” Nixie answered.
Even if the woman didn’t want to interact with us, I was still happy for Spencer. He’d been a seventh wheel to our main group for much too long, and I knew he struggled with it some days.
Sure enough, he was coming back, holding the hand of the woman he’d met in the jungle, of all places. It was actually quite fitting.
She was extremely tall, something I hadn’t noticed from so far away, with caramel skin, wild chestnut hair, and the brightest green eyes I’d ever seen. All that together made her the most stunning woman I’d ever laid eyes on.
I nudged Jaxon. “I’d do her. She’s sexy as hell.”
He choked on air. “Say that in front of her and Spencer will murder you.”
He wasn’t lying.
“Everyone, this is Kamani,” Spencer grumbled, then pointed to each of us. “That’s Jaxon, Cara, Mason, Blake, Nixie, and Jenna.”
She tilted her head forward, the untamed strands of her hair hiding most of her face as she murmured a hello.
“Satisfied?” Spencer asked.
I took a step forward. “Hi, Kamani. We won’t bother you, but we just wanted to make sure you knew you’re welcome to join us anytime. Even if it’s just to sit quietly.”
She nodded, and I saw a glimpse of a smile, so I added, “Thanks for coming over.”
Spencer pulled her away then, and we all watched them walk back to the trees and disappear.
“Ace got himself a jungle girl. I bet she’s wild—” Mason was cut off with a mouth full of fairy dust.
“Don’t you dare finish that sentence or there will be nothing wild in your future except your imagination,” Nixie threatened, and we all laughed at his expense. Up until the point Jaxon picked me up and threw me over his shoulder.
“You’re looking a little hot, babe. How about we cool you down?”
I kicked and screamed but enjoyed every minute of it as everyone else joined in and we finished the day out on the secluded beach.
Later that evening, we ate dinner outside and then went to our separate beach huts that Nixie had created for each of us. Even though they were made with mostly sticks and palm tree leaves, she had added sound barriers to them as well, and I’d never loved her more.
As I undressed, Jaxon watched me from the bed with smoldering stormy eyes. “I love you so fucking much.”
With an extra wiggle in my hips, I shimmied the rest of the way out of my clothes and grinned. “I love you, too.”
“Come here.”
“You know, I’m feeling a little hot. I think I’m going to go take an evening swim,” I teased.
“Like hell you are.” His naked form jumped from the bed, and his arms wrapped around my waist before I’d even taken my second step. “Let me love you.”
My head shook. “No, I don’t think so. I think it’s my turn.” I twisted around in his arms, pushing him back toward the bed until his knees buckled and he sat up so I could straddle him.
Lifting my hips up, he slid tightly and slowly into me until he was fully seated. Rocking back and forth, I found the perfect spot that had me ready for the first of many orgasms I expected him to provide. Even if I was in control, my demon still managed to direct the show.
His hands brushed the golden locks from my face, and his lips closed down on my neck until I exploded into tiny pieces. He continued the light kisses until I came back together, then flipped us over. “My turn.”
One of his hands held a fistful of my hair while propping him up, and the other caressed every inch of my heated skin as he pounded into me and never let his eyes leave mine.
For so long, I had thought I was better off on my own. I’d pushed everyone away and became selfish in the process, but as I stared into the storm that was my Jaxon, I knew that no matter the risk, giving my heart to him had been the best decision I would ever make.
He was my forever, and I was his.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to everyone who loved Cara, Nixie, and the Fabled Four nearly as much as I did. These books took me out of my comfort zone on multiple occasions—especially in this book—but I enjoyed the hell out of it anyway. I’m sad to say goodbye to this world, but all good things must come to an end, and promise more awesomeness is coming soon! Make sure to sign up for my newsletter or join my reader group to hear about more new books, info on the next page.
Thank you to my team for continuing to support my crazy. You know who you are and I have all the love for you all!
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About the Author
Heather Renee is a USA Today bestselling author who lives in Oregon. She writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance novels with a mixture of adventure, humor, and sass. Her love of reading eventually led to her passion for writing and giving the gift of escapism.
When Heather’s not writing, she is spending time with her loving husband and beautiful daughter, going on their own adventures. For more ways to connect with her, visit www.HeatherReneeAuthor.com.
Escape (Elite Supernatural Trackers Book 3) Page 18