by A. B. Marie
Vick stayed for five days, then one of my dads took him back to his house before I woke up. He left me a note that said, “See you in a few months, my Luna girl. I’ll miss you.” I groan out loud and take a long, hot shower, while I think about my messed-up life.
Five days went by way too quickly. We spent a lot of time together walking along the white, sandy shores along the beach every night, went out on the jet skis, and Gerard took us out on the yacht for an overnight trip, south of the island. We didn’t do any more than kiss, though, unfortunately.
We spent the summer on the island, and when we were a week into our last leg of our vacation in the U.S. in Seattle, mom’s water broke. We teleported home and had, hopefully, my last sibling. Kimberly is gorgeous with her bright red-purple hair, blue-violet eyes, and looks just like Laura did when she was born. Graham is ecstatic about having another baby and all the other dads scowl, but still congratulate him.
All of us look just like our dads with a perfect mix of mom. We have at least a little bit of purple strands in our hair, and our eyes are mixed with violet swirls. I lead all of the rest of the kids out to the backyard to play, and Malek sets out dinner in the lounge on the deck when the dads come down. Dad G stayed upstairs with mom and Kimberly, to help her and let her sleep.
I don’t think I’ll ever have kids.
The next few weeks fly by, and I’m packing up everything I need to move into the dorms at the academy.
Dad M is scowling at me. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay here for the rest of your schooling? I don’t like that you’ll be so far away.”
I roll my eyes at him and look into his emerald eyes. “I’ll be fine, and Aunt Penny lives there on the top floor! She’s a professor there, after all. Margaret is there and lives with Penny. Vick is a few doors down. And I have my damn pendant!” He groans and helps me pack everything up and sets me up with a box from our magic room down the hall.
“This should be everything you need. All you need to do is call and we will pop in and bring you anything you forgot. Or to come home.” The rest of the dads have tried the same thing, the only one on my side is mom. She understands my need for silence and independence.
We have a family night and watch movies in the living room. It’s a running joke that the dads want to build another building on the grounds for a movie theatre – I’m sure they will make it happen eventually, Brant has been by the house a lot more lately, but they think they’re being sneaky when they go into their adult room down the hall. I grimace thinking about it. They never talk about Brant being a part of the family, and I don’t have it in me to bring it up.
The next morning, mom, dad M, and Maggie all teleport me to my dorm room and help me unpack and organize. A few hours later, Graham pops in with Kimberly and mom sits down to feed her.
Mom starts to tear up, “You let me know if anyone gives you a hard time, Luna. Do you have your weapons safe? Your knives? You’re still going to continue with combat training, right? Oh, and be sure to call me when you get your familiar. We have everything stocked up at the magic shop in London. Will you come home on the weekends? You know, you and Vick should just work at our magic shop on the weekends. We would love to see you.” She keeps rattling off and mumbling about murdering little fuckwits who try to touch her daughter, and I just sigh and sit down in my sitting room. “Where’s Vick’s room?”
“A few doors down. He’s going to bring me up dinner and we’ll watch a movie.”
She takes a deep breath. “Okay, well, all of your uniforms are in your closet. Is there anything else you need?” I shake my head and give everyone a hug.
My dad pulls me aside. “Seriously, Luna, call any of us for anything. I love you.” He kisses me on my head, and they all leave.
Holy shit. I have my own dorm, away from my family! I spin in a slow circle in my sitting room and jump up onto my bed after running into the bedroom.
This is amazing. I scowl down at my pendant and pull out my phone to see when Vick will be on his way. I get dressed down into pajamas and sit on the couch to watch TV while I wait.
He arrives when I’m halfway done with my show and he gives me a long kiss and cuddles next to me. “How was moving in?”
I smile at him and look into his pale green eyes. “It was nice. Mom freaked out for about half an hour. Pretty sure if I ever let them know about being teased about my looks and magic, she would go on a murder spree.” I roll my eyes while he laughs his ass off.
“She would. Your mom is a badass.” He gives me a wink when I scowl at him.
“You do know that she taught me everything I know, right? I can be crazy!” We both laugh because we know that’s a lie. My mom has zero patience and protects those she loves with a fierce attitude and her knives. Me? I see the best in everyone, and I kill with kindness. Everyone says I’m a lot like my dad, Mark.
Vick and I are exhausted from staying up all night watching movies and are dragging ourselves through our first day of classes. Thankfully we have several together, and per my mom’s insistence, I am in combat training. Ever since they added courses on the different supernaturals, the academy has been pushing for the students to continue combat training through Master’s courses, since magic isn’t always going to save us. I agree. I haven’t met any demons or shifters, aside from a handful of minutes staring at Lucifer every year on my birthday, but it’s still good to know how to protect ourselves.
Weeks go by and it’s almost time for fall break and Penny’s wedding. On my third week in Familiar Training, I finally got my familiar. I wasn’t the first like mom was, but I wasn’t the last! Vick got his familiar the same week I did, his is an eagle, Bob, but he’s still so tiny that he fits in his big hand. I laughed at the name he chose for days.
My familiar is a gorgeous little turtle, Tula, and I can’t wait to learn everything about her. My mom popped into my dorm with a massive basket of everything I would need for her when I called; we spent hours talking, eating, and showing me everything a familiar can do.
On my nineteenth birthday, my dad teleports me home with my bags and I take a nap before we have our family party. Vick is coming, but that’s all that I personally invited. I’ve made acquaintances over the years, but I’ve noticed that people only want to be my friend to try cheat on their exams, meet my parents, or to bully me. Vick’s really my only friend at school, the only one that doesn’t call me a freak. I don’t do my magic like my mom, but I never study and get everything the first try. Sometimes I don’t need incantations, but that’ll probably change when I get my pendant removed after I graduate. Fingers crossed.
I come downstairs and everyone gives me hugs and we head to the backyard. There are balloons everywhere and gifts on one table. We spend the night drinking some beer, eating, dancing, and Vick keeps winking at me hoping to get lucky tonight. I wince inwardly and start looking around after dinner. This is usually around the time that the vampire man, Lucifer, comes to leave me a gift. I take a seat and stare out towards the buildings on the back of the property and wait.
I feel his magic before I see him, and he lands right in front of me and squats down to where I’m sitting. He gives me the most beautiful smile that lights up his deep, black eyes. I hold my breath and wait. The longer he stares, the bluer his eyes get and start to glow. Jesus, this man is everything.
“Luna, my moon. Happy birthday.” He hands me a gift box that’s wrapped in gold speckled, pink paper, and snaps his fingers and takes a seat on a chair he conjured. He’s wearing his usual black-on-black tuxedo suit and crosses his leg over the other at his knee.
Usually he just hands the gift over and leaves, but he’s actually sitting with me? “I know you’re not ready yet, but I just wanted to let you know that I have everything done that I promised your mother.” I look around and I see that no one is paying attention to me. He waves his hand around, “Only your mom can see and hear me, she knows I’m here.” I just continue to stare at him with wide eyes. “I think it’s tim
e for you to know everything. Open your gift tonight, and you can contact me with the phone I put in there. You don’t have to keep anything to yourself.” He stands up and gives me a lingering kiss on my forehead. “Goodbye for now, my moon.” He vanishes and my mom walks over to me.
I look into her twinkling violet eyes and grimace. “Let’s talk tonight when everyone leaves, okay?” I nod at her and she rounds up all the kids to get ready for bed. Vick comes up to me and whispers in my ear asking if he can spend the night.
“Of course, I just have to talk over some things with my mom. Do you mind taking a guest room and I’ll grab you when we’re done? Or you can wait down here with my dads?” I give him a hug and a small smile, and head over to my dads and grandparents with him in tow.
The party winds down and everyone is off to bed or leaving for their own houses. My mom is waiting for me on my bed and pats next to her for me to sit. She starts from when she was a child, to her own prophesy, my birth, the book, my prophesy, and how Lucifer is my mate.
“Mate. Like you and dads?”
She smiles at me and nods. “Just like your dads and me. Now some of your powers are already bound because Collins and I did that when you were born. And that pendant you wear is also spelled on top of it, but mostly, that’s what Lucifer gave you when you were a baby. Any demon that has ever been around you, knows that you are to be protected and never harmed.” I look down to the black diamond on my shirt and grimace. “From what we know, Lucifer’s first mate, who was a mortal, was killed by a god. I don’t know the full story since my parents don’t even remember – it was millennia ago – but in order to end the wars, I was born to give birth to you, my sweet girl. Lucifer would know you were his mate, end the wars, and clean up whatever messes he’s made. It sounds like he has.”
“Wow.” Is all that I can think of to say.
“This doesn’t mean you will be moving to Hell or anything if you don’t want to, or anytime soon, since we agreed to let you finish your schooling and figure out what you want to do. But it sounds like he wants to start spending time with you.”
I nod. “I’m really drawn to him.”
She gives me a wide smile. “He’s fucking hot, Luna. God damn vampire man with those black eyes and that hair. Those suits.”
I gag and she just chuckles.
“Nothing crazy will happen. You’re mates and he cleaned up the council, stopped the wars, and he will finally be happy again after all of these millennia grieving his mate. Sounds like fate knew he was redeemable, especially for giving him you.” I smile at her. “Any questions?”
I shake my head. “I’m just going to head to bed.” She nods and gives me a kiss and leaves my room.
Wow. Mates. No wonder I’m so drawn to him and want to jump his bones. Poor Vick, I really need to talk to him now. I love him, but I worry since we obviously aren’t mates. I don’t want to hurt anyone.
I sneak up to the library and pull out everything I can find on the Hell realm. I look into the guest room that Vick took over and he’s sleeping soundly, so I head back into my room.
I skim through the books and flip through the pictures, but I have already learned most of this at the academy. There isn’t much on Lucifer aside from the fact that he started the wars, is the King of the Hell realm, is a shapeshifter, and has the same magic as the gods. The only demon that does.
I wake up in the morning to Vick crawling into my bed. “Hey, I thought you were going to come get me?”
I groan, wanting to go back to sleep, “I walked into the guest room and you were already asleep, I stayed up late reading.” I decide not to tell him about Lucifer just yet. I look into his gorgeous, pale green eyes and melt for him and ruffle up his messy blonde hair. I give him a long, lingering kiss and we cuddle in bed, napping on and off for a few hours.
The weeks pass slowly as I think about my supposed mate. The gift he handed me was a copy of the prophesy in my mom’s handwriting, a cell phone, and a new necklace that has the biggest black diamond I’ve ever seen. I don’t feel his magic coming off of it, so it might just be a normal necklace; I wear it every day. I haven’t worked up the courage to call him yet, but if he’s been waiting all these years, he can wait a while longer.
Vick comes with me to Penny’s wedding, and we finally get a chance to talk after the reception. It was a gorgeous wedding held at a hotel in town, in their outdoor gardens. Of course, everything was bright pink and yellow, from the flowers, to the table wear, and even our dresses. Penny and Margaret were gorgeous in their matching gowns and my mom abd I stood up with them. We spent the night eating and dancing and Vick and I decide to leave eatly.
We’re walking back to our rooms when he squeezes my hand and gives me a seductive smile. “You looked gorgeous up there today, Luna.”
I hold back a grimace and give him a small smile. “Thank you.” When we get into our two-bedroom suite, he walks me to my door and leans down to kiss me. I kiss him back and hold onto his shoulders, digging my nails in, but stop him before he starts to push me into my room. “Can we talk?”
He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. “Of course.” He leads me to the couch by the TV and takes a seat.
“I have a mate.”
He gives me a funny look. “Where? What?” I explain my birth, the prophesies, and let him read them.
“The Goddess bore the new beginning,
More goddess than witch, brings new change to the realms.
Lost in the void, blinded by the new light,
The King finds a new path for the realms to unite.”
“It’s Lucifer, the King of Hell. My mom was the goddess that bore me, the child that’s more goddess than witch. And the new change is being Lucifer’s mate. I’m assuming since I’m part goddess, we reunite the realms and he apparently stopped their wars.”
I hold my breath while he takes it all in. He breathes in a deep breath and nods. “I’m in love with you, Luna. I don’t care if we’re not true mates. I still want to be with you.”
I start to tear up, “I won’t officially be with him until I graduate probably, but I don’t want to keep you waiting while I’m confused. You should date other witches. I haven’t even really talked to him, and I don’t want to jeopardize the peace in all of the damn realms.”
He gives me a hug and kisses the top of my head. “I’d wait forever for you.”
Chapter 11
Vick
______
I don’t have a great family life like Luna, but hers became mine when we were babies. They took me in on the weekends and let me come on some family vacations. I’m an only child, and both of my parents aren’t the strongest of supernaturals. They both drink and do drugs, I honestly have no idea how they afford for me to come to the academy.
It’s been a month since Luna told me about Lucifer, and my mind is still reeling. Is this why she’s been pulling away? We used to be a lot closer. She used to let me sleep in her bed, we used to kiss more. Now we act more like best friends. I see the looks her parents give me, mostly sad for me, and I hope that we can make it work.
I’ve been saving my virginity for us to lose it together, but I worry that she will choose Lucifer over me. The fucking King of the Hell realm. From how Luna described him, he sounds like someone anyone would choose over me. I’m average. He’s basically the god of demons.
I groan and check my phone for the millionth time, waiting for her to reply if she wants to go to dinner tonight before our last exams tomorrow. Her family invited me to come with them to their island for winter break, we usually either go to the island or other estates that her family owns all over the world. I look over to my packed suitcase and wonder if I should even go. I decided to not work for winter break and let them know a few weeks ago. Over the breaks I work construction with Brant; Luna’s mom set me up with him after I turned sixteen.
She finally replies and said she will be right over. Thank fuck.
She walks in and gives me her megawatt
smile, “Ready to go?” I nod and lead her down to the first level of the castle and we eat at her favorite restaurant, the Italian bistro.
The castle is massive with light gray stone on the outside, and is six levels high. The first level has the infirmary, restaurants, and the welcoming center. Second floor is where the administration offices and meetings rooms are held. Third floors and up are classrooms and the dorms for the students and staff.
“Have you talked to him yet?”
She gives me a grim smile. “No, not yet.” I nod and we eat in silence and I walk her to her dorm room. “See you in the morning?” I nod and give her a quick hug before I head to my dorm a few doors down and collapse into bed. This is torture.
We finish our exams, and we wait in her dorm for one of her parents to pick us up. “How were your last exams?”
“Easy!” She grins up at me and I grin back. I give her a kiss on her forehead and Mark and Collins pop in. They give us both hugs and we’re at their London estate within seconds.
“Go relax, we’ll be leaving in the morning.” We nod and take everything up into her room.
“Man, I can’t wait until I can teleport.” She huffs while levitating up one of her suitcases upstairs. I’m levitating two more of hers, plus mine. I laugh at her and we sit down on her bed. We lay down and I pull her closer to me and put her head on my chest. “I really do love you, Vick. I’m just confused.”
“I know.” I kiss her head and we fall asleep.
One of her brothers comes barreling in and tells us dinner is ready.
Luna groans. “Thanks, Declan.” We head down and the living room and kitchen are filled with her massive family. We sit on the couch and dig into our cheeseburgers and grilled vegetables.
“You kids excited to spend a month on the island?” Troy asks, and all of the kids cheer. Luna and I nod and smile, and I gather dishes to start cleaning up. “Thanks, Vick.” He claps me on the back and starts corralling all the kids upstairs.