Holy boroughs. We did it. I saved them. My Pride.
Declan is consoling a stunned Noelle. I know she’ll be okay. She can lean on him until she’s ready for a relationship. And since he’s my second, he’ll be around for a very long time.
“With Allister gone,” Dad says, “I’m assuming the interim head of the Slayers Council. We will work with the New York Pride for peace, land, and whatever else you need, Brooklyn.”
I smile.
My protectors flank my sides.
We have survived.
My boys. My family. My friends.
Yes, we’ve lost many over the last few weeks and during the missions the slayers were sent on throughout the years. My heart will always mourn them.
I’ll never forget my friends: Saxon, Reist, and Lexi. The previous dragon leader, Regan, and all the other dragons who have died.
Two months after the battle in Hancock Park.
DAD HELD HIS PROMISE and took over the Slayers Council. By unanimous vote, he now sits at the head of the organization, along with being the President of York Academy until the school can be disbanded.
As his first official act, he terminated all programs that Allister had in production: drones equipped with tranq darts, the making of titanium bullets and arrows, and recalled all weapons from the slayers. It turned out to be kind of like a turn-in-a-gun program. Incentives also worked wonderfully.
The school he put on a one-year suspension. Training on weapons and the slaying of dragons changed to socialization sessions on diversity, living with multi-cultural difference, and classes like that.
I have a seat on their Council, as my dad also has one on mine. We meet on a regular basis to discuss issues that arose over the weeks, lead times on new initiatives and programs, and, of course, the living arrangements for us.
During one of the last Slayers Council meetings, Dad brought out a map and dissected it into quadrants. The islands that McQueen had brought me to were part the dragon’s lands. In fact, all of those islands and some in the Pacific Ocean along Alaska and California were also labeled as Dragon Islands.
We needed more, though.
Apparently when I called the Pride to fight, the couple dozen that answered weren’t all of them. They had heeded Danzel’s warning and mine and kept low, out of sight.
Shortly after Allister’s demise, I called for my own Council meeting to formally introduce myself, Declan as my second, and my protectors.
We held it at the Queen’s residence. About ninety dragons came. It was a nice and informal gathering. We decided to have a BBQ in the backyard, so they could mingle and chat without the pressures of being inside and in a boardroom.
They were able to meet me in my own element, relaxed and happy.
And boy I am ever.
I stayed with McQueen and his family since I needed to be involved with the daily activities in the dragons’ lives. It just didn’t make sense to stay with my parents at the townhouse. Danzel is a great leader, and I named him my primary advisor. He’s patient and lets me decide things on my own.
Declan slipped into his role as my second in command. He’s with me almost as much as my protectors. They still don’t like it, but it is what it is. Declan actually is a wonderful second. Not only is he knowledgeable about technology, but he’s extremely organized. He’s been a god send to me, and I can feel that we’ll become great friends.
He and Noelle have been seeing each other. Neither have put a title on it since it’s still too soon after Sax’s death. But I see that they both like each other, and there’s something brewing between them. It’ll either work or not. And it’s none of my business. I just want to see them both happy, and if that ends up with each other, then great. But if not, they both know that they’ll have to work something out. Noelle isn’t going away, and neither is Declan.
For the short term, Staten moves into the bedroom with his brother, while Manny and Bronx share another room down the hall from mine. Declan stays with the Queens, too, until some more permanent living arrangements can be made. It doesn’t seem to be that he’s in a hurry about leaving, though.
Since I’m officially an adult in the eyes of the state of New York and am the Pride Leader, I need to stay within the borders of the city. But I want more freedom than the bustling city that never sleeps can provide. While I love the lights, Broadway shows, and restaurants, I can’t help but think I need to set up headquarters someplace else and start fresh. Let it symbolize new beginnings.
As a graduation present from my parents, although technically I never graduated, they gave me the residence up north. The cabin my friends stayed at over my birthday weekend will always hold fond memories.
It’s in the process of being remodeled. While I love most of the furnishings my mom picked out, it’s still her style. Plus, some of the bedrooms needed to be gutted and turned into a receiving hall and the living room expanded to allow for a larger dining room.
The junior suite, which was always my room, is still mine. I decided to redecorate the master room and use that as the Council Room.
Each of my protectors has their own room. Oh yes, they will all live with me. They have earned their place in my heart and deserve to be at my side for however long our lives are. I hope it’s a very long time.
And yes, Declan has a room there, too.
So it’s the seven of us until the end.
We do everything together.
They are my family.
The End
Dear Reader,
Like Urban Fantasy stories? Try out the Enlighten Series.
Zoe Jabril needs to devise a kick-ass plan to save the world ASAP. Otherwise, Armageddon starts the day she turns eighteen—and if that happens, everything is going to hell. Literally.
She could be any other 17-year-old attending parties and checking out cute guys—except she discovers her best friend is a Guardian Angel and the boy she crushes on is a Nephilim, both sent to protect her from the demons who want her dead.
Now Zoe has to deal with growing feelings toward the Nephilim, who spreads a strange electrical current through her body every time he touches her. And she’s under constant attack from Demons, trying to stop her from fulfilling the Prophecy: a girl will be born who will unite Angels, Nephilim, Fairies and Werewolves to battle evil. Then she has to control newly found talents if she’s to prevent the devil from escaping Hell.
SWORDS & STILETTOS: Book 1 in the Enlighten Series.
Acknowledgements
There are always so many people to thank. First and foremost is always the beta reader: Hilary. Thank you for speed reading this as fast as I was writing it.
To my wonderful Development and Line Editor, Rebecca Jaycox. You know this story was also vastly different from my other books, yet you were confident in me that I could pull it off. And on such a fast pace.
Rebecca Norrine, you made such beautiful covers for me. I love them so much!! Thank you!!
Six Queens: Rhonda, Sarah, and Hilary ... you girls are my rock!! You helped me keep focused, picked up my slack so I could do a rapid release with this story. Let’s reign together!!
To the Six Queens ARC Team. Thank you for reading and reviewing in time for my release day!
To the Readers of Dragon Slayers. May you continue to love the stories I write.
Lastly, thank you to my wonderful hubby. Who I know doesn’t fully understand all the book lingo. But bears with me until the end of the final product. Without your support, none of these stories would come to life.
USA TODAY bestseller, Amazon bestselling, and award-winning young adult author, Kristin D. Van Risseghem grew up in a small town along the Mississippi River. Currently, she lives in Minnesota with her husband and a Calico cat, named Daizy. Kristin also loves attending book clubs, going shopping, and hanging out with friends. She has come to realize that she absolutely has an addiction to purses and shoes. They are her weakness and probably has way too many of both.
In the summer month
s, Kristin can usually be found lounging on her boat, drinking an ice cold something. Being an avid reader of YA and Women’s Literature stories, she still finds time to read a ton of books in-between writing. And in the winter months, her main goal is to stay warm from the Minnesota cold!
Kristin’s books are published by Kasian Publishing LLC.
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