Roar of the Lion : Celestra Forever After 7

by Addison Moore

  Logan takes a breath and looks irritated enough for the both of us as Chloe Bishop strides in wearing a tight silver sweater, black metallic jeans, and red high heels that make my feet hurt just looking at them.

  She smears a wicked grin once she spots us. “Well, if it isn’t the ho, ho, ho. How’s Paragon’s favorite skank?” She gives a little wink. “I’d better get out there. I’ve got a show to put on. Wish me luck.” She heads off and tackles Brielle with a warm hug just the way I would.

  “Skyla!” Bree squeals. “I thought you’d never get here.”

  “Good Lord.” I knock my head into Logan’s chest. “Honest to God, Chloe has my mannerisms down pat,” I say. “And it’s not a wonder. I practically hardwired it into her brain.”

  Cooper, Laken, and Wes walk through the door along with their adorable brood. Tobie, Mally, and Charlie all have on matching red velvet dresses, complete with matching red velvet bows and black patent leather Mary Janes. Coop holds little Wes, who is dressed snug in a red sweater and looks every bit a twin to Nathan and Barron.

  Tobie runs right over to me.

  “Kyla!” she gives a cheery shout. “It’s Christmases!” She pluralizes it and both Logan and I laugh as we wish them all a merry Christmas. “I needs to find my boyfriends.” She stalks off in her red velvet gown and her hair up in pigtails with matching red velvet bows dotting each one.

  Laken laughs as she bounces Charlie my way. She’s breathtakingly beautiful with her blonde curls and big doe eyes, and every one of her features is near identical to that of her father’s. She is Cooper Flanders’ daughter through and through.

  Laken dots her cheek with a kiss before setting her down. “I thought I’d dress all the girls the same.”

  “You all look fabulous,” I say as I give little Wesley’s foot a quick tug, and just the sight of him melts my heart. He truly is a doppelgänger to my twins at that age.

  “Come here.” I pluck the little nugget out of Coop’s arms. He’s only a few months older than Jaxson, and I know they are going to be the best of friends. “You are far too precious for words.” Tears sting my eyes without warning.

  “Hey.” Coop nods to Logan and me. “Wes and I were talking. This virus that’s going around is hitting hard. We’re thinking this could be the next plague.”

  A heavy groan comes from me. “Boy, you two are fun at parties.”

  Laken chuckles. “Sorry, I’m the one who told them to bring it up asap. I overheard Wes and Coop whispering about creating a vaccine, and I thought it should be brought to your attention.”

  Wes nods. “I’ve already talked to Ezrina. We’re going to roll up our sleeves and get to work in the morning, side by side.”

  Coop wraps an arm around Laken. “We need to help humanity in any way we can. And I think Wes and Ezrina are the sharpest tools in our arsenal.”

  “Absolutely,” I say. “I agree. I haven’t checked the news today, but last I heard it was hitting the Far East pretty hard.”

  “Oh, Skyla.” Laken shakes her head. “It’s already devastated so many countries.”

  Logan sighs. “The death toll has exceeded two hundred thousand worldwide. It’s just a matter of time before it sweeps across the country. I think we need to act fast.”

  Ezrina and Nev walk through the door with baby Alice and our depressing conversation takes a happy turn as we greet them. Alice is dressed in an emerald green gown, and with her red hair she looks like the belle of the Christmas ball. She spots Misty and Ember and takes off in their direction.

  Wesley and Coop quickly corner Ezrina and Nev, and Laken comes in close.

  “I’ve got an idea, and it might just be good news.” Laken gives a wily grin.

  “Speak,” I say. “We can use a good idea or ten. Even though Celestra is technically on top, it still feels as if I’m spinning my wheels. I can’t figure out how to unseat the Fems, I can’t convince Gage he’s living in a delusion, and I can’t even convince my own family, my own people, I’m really me. Not to mention my mother in the sky outright refuses to see me. Nor can I take Chloe to the Justice Alliance because of that all is fair in love and war horseshit. I can use some good news.”

  “Well, it is good news.” Laken gives a little curtsy. “I think you should imprison the imposter—as in Chloe.” She nods my way. “Wes said he could lock her in the basement of his place, but you’d need to have a supervising spirit in play to make sure she doesn’t get away. I’d suggest Tenebrous, but I think we should keep a much closer eye on her.”

  Logan shakes his head. “I don’t know.” He gives me the side-eye. “Chloe is a time bomb no matter where she’s located. And if she disappears, people might speculate that the lies she’s spouting off are true. Your people love you, Skyla. They’d storm the castle walls to make sure you were brought home safely.”

  “When she let me borrow her body, she made me promise I wouldn’t banish her.”

  Laken rolls her eyes. “Skyla, promises are made to be broken. How many promises has that witch desecrated? She needs to be stopped. I say let Wes put her in a cage where she belongs.”

  I glance to my right, only to find the witch herself looking right back at me. She looks every bit perplexed as she talks to Bree, Em, Michelle, and Lexy. Animated in just the way that I’m prone to be. And deep in the nexus of my existence, I feel sorry for her. Chloe is forever crying out for attention, and this new iteration is simply that. She’s craving, longing to be accepted.

  “I don’t think Chloe needs isolation,” I say. “If anything, she needs more people in her life. I say we storm the castle walls, Laken. You and I need to go all in, trying to form a genuine friendship with her.”

  “Bad news, Logan.” Laken leans forward and checks my head for a fever. “I think the delusion is spreading.”

  No sooner does she say it than the grand delusionary king himself walks in.

  “Merry Christmas,” Gage grunts without so much as looking our way as he sails to the family room, and I hear Nathan and Barron screaming with delight.

  Laken presses her hand to her chest. “I’m sorry,” she mouths. “I think the buffet is open.” She offers an apologetic smile. “Anyone care to join me?”

  “You go ahead,” I say and watch as she takes off.

  Revelyn Booth walks in and Mia tackles him with an aggressive thrust of a kiss.

  “Look at that.” Logan pulls me in close. “That’s exactly how you kiss me.”

  “If she loves him half as much as I love you, Rev is a lucky, lucky guy.”

  Kresley Fisher edges her way in behind them and in her arms is little Eli, looking every bit like the rest of the Oliver, Edinger boys—sans Jaxson, of course. He’s two years old, just like Charlie, considering they were born on the very same day. Fun fact: little Wesley Cooper was born on the same date one year later.

  Kres looks stunning in a navy dress that hugs her figure. The proverbial girls are out and about, and poor little Eli is picking at them, hoping to get a sip of the good stuff. Kresley’s lips are fuller, and her cheeks are, too. Ezrina let me know she’s been coming to her to get a little work done to smooth out the extensive plastic surgery she underwent. Now she looks unfairly beautiful, and oddly, she looks a little more like her old self. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she were here hocking her wares—her wares being herself. She definitely looks dressed to impress tonight.

  “Skyla, Logan.” She nods our way. “Merry Christmas.”

  We echo the holiday greeting as she makes a face at the crowd.

  “I wasn’t going to come, but Emma begged me.”

  “I’m glad you came,” I say. “You’re practically a part of the family.”

  Her mouth opens wide as she looks my way. “Oh, never mind. It’s probably you, Chloe. Skyla isn’t my biggest fan, and I wouldn’t put it past you to mess with my head.”

  “Kresley, it’s me, Skyla, Skyla. And besides, Chloe didn’t possess me. My dead sister Rory possessed me. And she—”

>   Before I can finish with my unfortunate soliloquy, Emma clip-clops her way into our circle and takes baby Eli from Kres.

  “You are right on time,” Emma sings to Kresley. Emma’s hair is spun in a honey blonde bun, freshly dyed and it’s a good color on her. She looks prim and proper in a cranberry suit with a little green kerchief that Eli just plucked out of her pocket. “Oh, you’re just a big boy.” She lands a kiss over his cheek. “I bet you want to get down and walk.” She sets him on the floor before looking back up at Kres. “Your Christmas present is heading this way as we speak.” She brushes Kresley’s hair from her eyes and straightens her dress at the shoulders. “Remember he’s gone through a bit of a dry spell.” She shoots me the side-eye. “He’s more than primed for what you have to offer.”

  “Who’s more than primed?” I asked with morbid curiosity.

  Emma reaches back and pulls Gage into our midst and my stomach does a revolution.

  “Merry Christmas, Kresley,” Emma trills as she presents her son to her like a prize.

  “Gage!” Kresley beams as she gives her chest a wiggle and the girls dance a little happy jig.

  I suck in a quick breath. “Gage is your gift to her?” I squawk so loud half the party turns my way. “Of course. How could I forget our lively conversation about the great setup back at my rehearsal dinner? You really are trying to set Gage up with Kresley.”

  Kresley huffs as she pulls Gage in close by way of his tie, and for a moment I’m thrown because when he so rudely strode in past us I didn’t even notice he was wearing a tie. But he is. Gage is wearing a dress shirt, powder blue to offset his eyes, a silver tie, and jeans. It looks slightly mismatched, and the fact he’s void one female partner who could help dress him is pretty evident, but he gets marks for trying.

  “What’s the matter with Gage and me?” Kresley purrs as she runs her finger along the side of his cheek and dares to dip it into a one of his dimples.

  Logan chuckles. “Interesting.”

  Emma tosses her hands up. “Now don’t you start with me. It’s bad enough I have Skyla to contend with.” She turns to her son. “You do realize she won’t be content with whomever you chose. But you’re single and Kresley is single. Your children already look like siblings. Plus, you’re adorable together. Gage, you know I’ve always seen Kresley as family. Please do put in an honest effort. It can be your gift to me.”

  Barron calls her from the family room and she excuses herself.

  A silent laugh thumps through me. “Gee, Gage, and here I thought your gift to her was world domination.”

  Kresley rolls her eyes. “I’m so embarrassed.” She shakes her head at him. “When your mom said to come dressed for success, I assumed she had someone else in mind.” She blows a breath my way. “I guess it doesn’t matter if you’re Skyla, Chloe, or whoever. You’ll have a laugh at my expense regardless.”

  She takes off, and as much as I want to dislike her, I simply can’t. Why did Kresley have to do a personality one-eighty just when Emma felt the need to play stupid Cupid?

  Logan wraps his arms around me from behind and rests his head on my shoulder.

  He nods to Gage. “Have you thought over what we talked about?”

  “About the delusion?” Gage inches back. “Sorry. But you’re the delusional ones.”

  Mia comes at me with a screaming Jaxson, and Logan insists on taking him.

  “Come here, big guy.” Logan winces. “Whoa. Someone’s got a full diaper. I’ll get this one.” He takes off upstairs, and it’s just Gage and me standing awkwardly in the foyer. For so long Gage felt like home, and now he feels more like a lost child who wandered away within his own skin. It’s painful to witness, and my entire body feels grieved, not the way it did just a few weeks ago, but in an entirely new way.

  His dimples flex as he frowns in Kresley’s direction. “I guess I’d better brush up on my dating skills.”

  “What?” A laugh flutters through me. “Please. She was putting on an act just now. You and I both know she’s a man-eater. And the only man she has an appetite for is Wesley. He’s single. She’s single. They’ve hooked up a time or two in the past. You’re good at math. You can figure it out.”

  Gage tips his head back as if he were considering this. “No. Wes isn’t going back there. He’s all or nothing with Laken, and it looks as if he’s content with nothing.”

  “And you?” My heart aches at what he might say, and I feel foolish because I know what I want to hear.

  “I’m not Wes.” Those cobalt peepers of his dust over my features. “And why the hell should you care? You’re where you’re supposed to be. Logan and you are ordained for one another. We were cursed. You’re happily married, and I don’t see why I can’t have the same thing.”

  My entire chest bucks at the prospect.

  “Oh, I get it.” A wave of relief hits me with the epiphany. “This is another make-Skyla-full-of-rage initiative on your part. Don’t bother. If it didn’t work with Chloe, then there’s no hope for Kres.”

  “I don’t care about making you angry, Skyla. I care about making me happy. Why should I dwell on this earth alone? Kresley is a beautiful girl.”

  My body slaps with shock when he says it. Instinctively, I know it’s true, but not one part of me appreciated the fact he just verbalized the obvious.

  “And what? You’re going to bed her a few times a week? She’s not your type.”

  His lips curl because I’m afraid he knows he’s getting a rise out of me.

  “She’s exactly my type. And now that I think about it, we make sense. I could see us getting serious, very quickly. We could add children to our brood. Build a life, have a complete family.”

  I swallow hard. “Wow, that escalated quickly. So you’re thinking of marrying her just like that?”

  “Why not?” he asks with his gaze locked in her direction. “I don’t think she’d object. I’m more than well aware I’m her type.”

  “You’d be a stand-in for the true love of her life.”

  “I’ve done it before.” He doesn’t miss a beat, and I shake my head in lieu of a laugh.

  “No, Gage, you haven’t. I still love you. Chloe loved you. You have never been a stand-in.” A burst of anger rockets through me, and suddenly I want to grab the wooden snowman my mother has tucked near the door and bonk Gage over the head with it.

  Christmas carols turn up from seemingly nowhere and “Jingle Bells” plays overhead on blast. The lights on the enormous Christmas tree in the living room seem to be blinking on and off in rhythm to the music, and that coupled with the horrifically loud octave of chatty voices all around makes me want to vomit.

  “You can’t just marry Kresley willy-nilly,” I rant. “You’re going to get screwed if you enter into a union with her. She’d just be using you.”

  “Maybe I want to get screwed. Maybe I miss it. I’ve got needs, and I’m betting she does, too.”

  A horrible groan comes from me and puking feels like a very real possibility.

  “Gage.” His name moans from me. “You don’t want this with her. Don’t torment yourself.”

  “You mean don’t torment you. I’m sorry if it pains you to see me moving on with my life. But you’ve moved on with yours.”

  “But I—”

  “Don’t bother,” he cuts me off. “Sorry to break it to you. But it’s not all about you, sweetie. Enjoy the rest of your night.” He makes a beeline for Kresley, and I watch in horror as he slips an arm around her waist and the two of them begin to dance to the peppy Christmas ditty that’s making the walls rattle.

  Logan comes down with a fresh version of baby Jaxson who he’s changed into his white fuzzy pj’s. Jaxson’s little cheeks are rosy, and he’s all smiles as he claps his hands as if he were trying to keep time with the music.

  “Hey, beautiful.” Logan lands a kiss to my lips, and I feel a spark travel all the way to the nexus of my being.

  I give Logan’s sweater a tug, the very real need to ba
wl bubbling below the surface. “Maybe we should ditch this party and head to Whitehorse?”

  “I don’t know, I think we should probably brave it out.” He ticks his head toward the hall where Marshall is holding both Nathan and Barron in each of his arms while they beat and pummel him while laughing with glee.

  “Unky Marchy!” Barron shouts with a laugh as Logan and I head their way.

  “What’s this?” Marshall pretends to scowl at Jaxson. “Another little goat you’re ready to sling my way?”

  Nathan gives Marshall’s nose a pinch.

  “Jaxy is my goat,” Nathan shouts in his face. “Not your goat.”

  Barron pushes Nathan, and a shoving match ensues, which leads Marshall to pretend to drop the boys, catching them just before they touch the ground. The boys love every roller coaster-inspired moment and run away laughing.

  “You’re a good unky.” I give him a little wink.

  “And you’re a wily spirit wife.” He glowers at me as if he were trying to make a point, but I’m not connecting the dots.

  “What did I do now?” I’m almost afraid to ask.

  “It’s what you didn’t do.” He tips his chin up and looks vexingly handsome. It’s clear where Logan gets his good looks.

  Marshall arches an amused brow my way. “You didn’t tell me that the boys have the ability to read my mind.”

  “What?” I squawk in horror.

  Logan winces. “Now there’s a gift that will keep on giving.”

  “Oh no,” I moan.

  “Oh yes.” Marshall sharpens his eyes over mine. “And I have a suspicion that won’t be the only surprise you’ll be getting this evening.”

  Before I can ask him to extrapolate, Lexy comes up with her paparazzi-sized camera in hand.

  “Come on, Messenger, or Messenger’s sister, or whoever the hell you are. We’re doing family shots by the tree in the family room. The lighting is better in there. I’ve already got your boys standing there, picking their noses.” She cranes her neck past me. “Gage?” she barks. “Quit making out with Kresley. It’s time for pictures.”