The guys denied it, but we were certain they had gotten together to plan out the gifts.
“They said they would meet us here, right?” Frances asked.
I set my hand on her shoulder. “Relax, they’ll be here.”
“Who will?” Rathik asked behind me.
The three of us spun around and in sync, our mouths dropped.
Rathik had on a dark green suit that reminded me of his scales and had his hair slicked back. I didn’t think I’d ever seen him look so handsome.
“You expecting someone else?” Dante asked. His suit was a burnt orange and the flames of his hair were low and shaped like spikes, glowing a neon blue.
“You look beautiful,” Bogden told Loralie, holding out a black orchid corsage.
“You look really good in a suit,” I whispered and then wished I could take the words back.
Rathik smiled wide and kissed my cheek. “Thank you. You look gorgeous, as always.”
“Care to dance?” Dante asked and held out a bent arm to Frances.
She nodded, gulped, and then slid a shaky hand into the crook of his elbow.
“Milady?” Rathik asked, bowed, and held out a hand, palm up.
I set my hand in it and curtsied. “Milord.”
“Nerds,” Loralie whispered behind us.
Rathik spun me out into the middle of the dance floor and I was certain I didn’t stop smiling the entire night and well into the next morning.
Life wasn’t perfect. There were still a lot of unknowns and uncertainties in our futures, but as long as we had each other, I knew we could make it through anything.
Friendship and love were what united us. No matter what the humans thought, even monsters felt those emotions and we cherished them just as much. We would kill anyone or anything that threatened our family and friends. With teeth, claws, and magic.
Until the end of time.
Epilogue
FRANCES
Baba Yaga glared at Loralie while Loralie's father glared at Bogden. Dad glared at Dante and wouldn’t stop no matter how many times I kicked him beneath the table.
Lucifer sat at the head of the table, smiling wide as he sipped from a wine glass. The liquid was dark, but the consistency made me think it wasn’t actually wine.
"This has to be the most tense dinner I've ever been to," Loralie whispered to me, leaning close so we wouldn’t be overheard.
"Which is saying something because we have been to some crazy dinners," I whispered back.
Loralie chuckled and nodded.
As long as I could get her to relax, everything would be alright.
Sakura glided in wearing a red and gold dress that put everything I owned to shame. "Sorry I am late. Things got a little complicated during a meeting and I had to calm everyone down."
Looking a bit closer, I noticed some of the red on her dress was stained, most likely dried blood.
As soon as she sat, Lucifer set his glass down. "I brought you here to discuss how I would like to proceed with the children."
"What?" Baba Yaga and my mother shrieked.
"What do you mean proceed?" I asked, swallowing past the lump now in my throat.
Loralie reached over, grabbing my hand with hers.
"It is important that you be properly trained in regards to your Cerberus powers," Lucifer said. "As well as with the powers that come from being joined with the males."
"We have been training," Loralie said quickly.
We had. Every weekend, we spent half a day working on our powers and figuring out the proper way to channel the magic through the guys.
"You six are going to be very important to monsterkind," Lucifer continued. "That is why you are now going to spend your holiday and summer breaks with me."
"You?" Sakura spluttered.
Never in my life had I seen her react in such a way.
Lucifer smiled. "Yes. They will be our greatest weapon, and as such, I am personally going to train them."
Personally trained by Lucifer? It was something every monster wished for. Many would even kill for the chance.
"As their parents, you will be permitted to visit them, but they need to focus and you will only cause them stress," he continued.
"We do not cause them stress," Baba Yaga said and folded her arms over her chest.
"This is the most stressful dinner I've been to since the aliens visited," Lucifer scoffed.
Aliens?
"Nonetheless, this is my decision and it will start this summer. Any objections?"
No one spoke.
He beamed. "Wonderful. Now, let's eat."
Monster Academy was hard enough. Could I handle being trained by Lucifer?
Loralie squeezed my hand. "Together"
I nodded. Right. Together we could make it through everything.
"Together," Tsukiko whispered on Loralie's other side.
I nodded, squeezed Loralie's hand, and smiled at Dante.
It had been one hell of a year at Monster Academy, but with my friends at my side, the future would be a piece of chocolate and stardust cake.
Acknowledgments
There are so many that deserve acknowledgments and I am certain I am going to miss some of them. So, I apologize in advance.
Thank you to Crescent Sea Publishing for taking a chance on me.
KM, thank you for being supportive and guiding me with this project.
Avery, your support and love are what continues to drive me.
RJ, Erin, and Jennifer L. are always there to help me when I’m stuck, give me advice, talk things out, and provide me the type of support I hope every author has. You three are phenomenal and I don’t know if I can ever express how much you mean to me.
KD, thank you for creating such a gorgeous cover! You are a treasure.
Ericka, your support means the world to me. Your support, feedback, and excitement have gotten me through some dark days.
Pauline, my amazing editor, you are exceptional and I love working with you.
Finally, thank you to every person reading this book. Thank you for giving my writing a chance. I hope you enjoyed it and I hope you try other books I have written.
About the Author
Catherine Banks is a USA Today bestselling fantasy author who writes in several fantasy subgenres and has multiple pseudonyms. She began writing fiction at only four years old and finished her first full-length novel at the age of fifteen. She is married to her soulmate and best friend, Avery, who she has two amazing children with. After her full-time job, she reads books, plays video games, and watches anime shows and movies with her family to relax. Although she has lived in Northern California her entire life, she dreams of traveling around the world. Catherine is also C.E.O. of Turbo Kitten Industries™, a company with many hats including being a book publisher and Etsy store full of nerdy fun.
More Books You’ll Love
If you enjoyed Monster Academy, please consider leaving a review!
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Then check out more books from Catherine Banks and Crescent Sea Publishing!
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War has hovered around the kingdom of Scylla for generations ever since the original sirens left the mer collection generations ago after nearly drowning the human prince. Over the years, select mermaids from the royal bloodline have been trained as spies to work for the reigning kings and queens, keeping the collection safe from sirens and humans.
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Celena and her partner, Merrick, work covertly for the royals—not even her twin brother knows. When they discover the sirens have broken through the barriers the mer set up to keep the sirens out, Celena and her friends must race to the old kingdom of Metten to stop them from starting a war within their borders.
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When she’s dragged to the surface, Celena realizes that the war above the waters is as deadly as the one below the waves—and sacrificing herself may be the only way to protect her family.
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Midnight by Melanie Gilbert
If you were thrown into a war between a Fae clan and a witch coven, would you be able to uncover the truth before the stroke of Midnight?
Nova Kramer blames herself for the death of her mother and sister—so does her father. When he moves them to Danville City to escape the reminders of what they lost, Nova is thrown right back into a world full of anxiety when their new neighbor, Stella, and her twin brothers make it their mission to bring Nova to her knees—after all, they know her secret—and blackmail is just the start.
Kent Danville and his brothers have a secret, too—their clan is working to take down a coven of witches and find the other five clans of Fae, but when Nova walks into his life, the Fae can’t seem to stop thinking about her. He can’t risk falling for the new girl—he has a soulmate out there somewhere, and a mission to complete…if the coven doesn’t kill him first.
A war is brewing between the coven and the clan—each side a little less human than the other—and Nova may get caught in the crossfire if she can’t discover the truth before the clock strikes Midnight.
Now available from Crescent Sea Publishing!
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More From Catherine Banks
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Artemis Lupine Series
Song of the Moon
Kiss of a Star
Healed by the Fire
Battles of the Night
Artemis Lupine, The Complete Series
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Pirate Princess Trilogy
Pirate Princess
Princess Triumvirate
Pirate Queen*
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Little Death Bringer Duology
Mercenary
Protector
Little Death Bringer, The Official Coloring Book
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Her Royal Harem Series
Royally Entangled
Royally Exposed
Royally Elected
Royally Enraged
Her Royal Harem, The Complete Series
The Demon’s Fair
Her Royal Harem, The Coloring Book
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Zodiac Shifters Paranormal Romance Series
Centaur’s Prize
Tiger Tears
Lion About
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The Lioness’s Harem Trilogy
Lonely Lioness
Leery Lioness*
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Anderelle: Minloa Trilogy
Queen of the Stars
Empress of the Galaxy
Goddess of the Universe
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Bonds of Madness Series
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Spilling the Beans*
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Ciara Steele Novella Series
True Faces
Barbaric Tendencies
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Demonic Contract
Anja’s Secret
Daughter of Lions
Dragon’s Blood
The Last Werewolf
Last Ama Princess
Transforming Rose
Lady Serra and the Draconian
Alys of Asgard
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The Pawn
Stone Heart
Of Sky and Sea
*Coming Soon
Monster Academy Page 18
