by Melissa Haag
Oanen waited for me on the sidewalk.
“Ready?” I asked.
Chapter Eighteen
“I’ve been ready for a long time,” Oanen said, his eyes golden. “I think you can get us home faster.”
My stomach did a happy twist, and I reached for his hand. Traveling through the void was almost instantaneous now that I knew how to focus.
As soon as we appeared in the condo, I released him. Every nerve ending was tingling, and it had nothing to do with our trip through hell’s gate and everything to do with how Oanen was looking at me now.
“I love you, Oanen Quill,” I said.
His gaze heated further.
“I don’t know about you, but I could use a shower,” he said.
Images of the last time we took a shower together flitted through my head.
“Are you sure you’re not hungry first?” I asked.
“Oh, I’m hungry,” he said.
I knew what he meant, and a moment’s nervousness claimed me before I realized how pointless it was. All the time I’d hesitated and held myself back from him had almost cost us a life together.
I gave Oanen a soft smile and removed my jacket. He echoed the move and tossed his on the couch.
“Interested in a movie?” I asked, kicking off my shoes.
“Only if you are,” he said, doing the same thing.
My pulse started to pick up speed.
“Maybe. It’s hard to decide what I want to do now that we’re back and I’m not tired, or hurt, or distracted.”
I walked toward him and was thrilled at the sight of his pupils dilating.
“I heard there are some impressive views in New York. Maybe we should go sightseeing,” I said.
Setting my hands on his shoulders, I stood on my toes to brush my lips against his. He groaned and started encircling me in his arms. I quickly twisted out of his grasp.
He didn’t move to chase me but watched me hungrily as I backed toward the bedroom.
“Although, it is early. And not all the attractions might be ready for viewing. I think you were right the first time,” I turned so I could watch where I was walking.
“I’m going to go take a shower,” I said over my shoulder. “Know any best friends who might want to join me?”
I squealed when I was picked up and tossed over his shoulder.
“I love teasing-Megan,” he said, stroking a hand over my butt.
“Then you’re really going to love today.”
* * * *
Wrapped in Oanen’s arms, I idly trailed my fingers over his pectorals and circled his nipple. Images of what we’d done repeatedly over the past few hours, flitted through my mind and rekindled the fire that burned inside of me only for Oanen.
“If you keep thinking like that, we’re never going to leave this place. And, you need to eat.”
I grinned and let the images keep playing in my mind until I found myself on my back, pinned under a very eager Oanen.
He kissed me hard then stared down at me.
“Thank you for finally saying yes,” he said.
“Thank you for breaking the world’s record for fastest trip to the store.”
He grinned at me. “I promised no babies, and I meant it. You’re all I want, Megan. Now and forever.”
His love for me filled my mind.
“And if I want babies later?” I asked, growing more comfortable with the plural form of the hypothetical.
“Then, I’ll want them, too.”
“And you’re okay practicing until then?” I wriggled under him enticingly. He groaned and playfully dropped down on me, his weight enough to smother a human but not me.
“Feed me.” His words were muffled by the mattress.
I laughed and poked him in the ribs.
“I know you’re only saying that because you heard my stomach growl.”
He lifted himself and grinned down at me. A real smile, full and true. Not only did I see his humor, I felt it all the way down to my toes.
“You’re right,” he said. “And, I can’t help it. This need to care for you is…”
“Awful? Stifling? Nauseating?”
“Too new and thrilling,” he said. “You’re mine, Megan. Finally. And I’m doing everything I can to make sure you never regret that.”
He kissed me again then rolled off me and stood beside the bed.
I couldn’t help but openly stare.
“Sightseeing?” he asked.
“Yep. New York sure has a lot to boast about.”
He held out a hand.
“Let’s shower and decide where we want to eat. We can go anywhere now, thanks to my amazing, slightly ornery, but completely adorable mate.”
“Honestly, I’m ready to get home,” I said. “I want to find out what’s going on with Fenris and Eliana.” I sat up quickly. “Crap. I forgot to call Eliana.”
Ignoring the naked golden god at my side, I grabbed my phone from the nightstand and dialed Eliana.
“Hey, Megan,” she answered.
“Hey. Sorry I didn’t call sooner. It’s been crazy.”
Oanen trailed a finger down my arm, a reminder of how that “crazy” had ended.
“I heard,” Eliana said with a light laugh. “You ruffled some feathers with your Oanen-is-mine speech.”
I grinned. “Good. They need to stop toying with people.”
“Agreed.”
“Good news, though. Oanen and I are heading back to Uttira today.” I bit my lip as I remembered something. “As soon as we find his car,” I asked.
“Um, you might want to rethink that,” she said.
“What? Finding his car?”
“No. Coming back to Uttira.”
“Don’t you love me anymore?” I tried to say it jokingly but couldn’t ignore the insecurity I was feeling.
“Like crazy,” she said. “And that’s why I want you to go somewhere else for a while. Somewhere romantic and amazing where you and Oanen can do all the new couple things you’re probably already doing. When you get it out of your system, you can come back.”
I was quiet for a moment, feeling a little hurt.
“You’re afraid of being around us,” I said.
“Yes and no. I’d be fine with one of you at a time. But, wanting you to stay away has more to do with my mom. New couples are too tempting. You give off too much energy.”
“You mean sexual energy.” I loved finally being with Oanen, but I missed Eliana, too. It felt like I’d unintentionally picked between the two of them.
“Yes,” Eliana said. “That. And with Mom being pregnant, I just don’t want to worry about you.”
I looked at Oanen, who was watching me closely.
“How long do we need to stay away?” I asked.
“Mom’s due in five months, but I don’t think it’ll take that long for your new, um…lust to wear off.”
Five months? I had hated being trapped in Uttira. Yet, now that I was free to come and go, Eliana was telling me I shouldn’t. I couldn’t imagine staying away from her for that long.
Oanen motioned for the phone, and I handed it over.
“Eliana, Megan needs to see you as much as you need to see her. We’ll stay away for two weeks. Then we’re coming home.” His golden eyes pinned me, and he handed back the phone.
I quickly put it to my ear.
“Eliana?” I said.
“Yep, I’m still here. I’m glad the bossy griffin is officially in your hands,” she said. “It’ll be weird not having a male protectively hovering all the time, but I’m sure I’ll manage.”
I tried biting my lip again while fighting not to say something. But, my meddling, happily mated self couldn’t control herself.
“You never know. There might be someone lurking in the shadows, waiting to take up that mantle.”
She snorted.
“I hope not. I’ll see you in two weeks,” she said. “Hopefully, Mom will have lost interest in what Uttira has to offer by then
and go back to New York.”
I smiled, already anticipating the Fenris and Eliana details I would get when I saw her next.
“I’ll see you in two weeks,” I said.
Epilogue
With a critical eye, I considered the house.
“What do you think?” Oanen called from his position on the roof. A pair of shorts hung low around his hips. It didn’t matter how much time had passed, he looked tempting as hell.
“I think you need to get down from there and give me a foot rub.”
He grinned, tossed the paintbrush he held into the can beside him, and jumped from the roof. Landing with his usual grace, he strode toward me so he could set his hands on my rounded belly.
“The baby being a troublemaker again?”
“No. I just wanted you to hold me.”
Oanen kissed me then slipped his arms around me so we stood looking at our newly painted house. I would miss the obnoxious rainbow colors that had decorated it, but it was time to move on and grow up. The soft buttercream color definitely made the house look less crazy and more welcoming.
“Things will be different for this next generation,” he said, tightening his hold just a smidge.
“I know.” We’d talked at length before taking this next step. “If this baby is a girl, she’ll be raised knowing exactly what she is.”
The newly rewritten Book of Fury would be her bedtime story. And when her anger started, she would live with her Auntie Eliana instead of being left alone. Not a day would go by where she would question my love for her. Well, not more than a week.
“And, if it’s a boy,” I said, “I’ll build a coop.”
Oanen chuckled behind me and pressed a kiss to my temple. Despite his outward affection, I could feel the worry that he was trying so hard to hide from me.
“I don’t regret this decision,” I said, twisting in his arms to look up at him. He had barely aged a day. Neither of us had.
It’d taken me a while to understand my Grandma Irene’s words about needing the next generation. Watching all of our friends age, while time stood still for us, had been eye opening. As much as I worried about the gender, I didn’t fear having a baby. Not anymore.
“If this one’s not a girl, we’ll try again,” Oanen said.
“And again? And again? And again?” I asked playfully.
“I’m willing to sacrifice my evenings until we get it right.” The husky note in his voice made me shiver.
“Except tonight,” I said. “Our friends will be here in a few hours. You have paint to clean up, and I have a dinner to make.”
“Get to it, woman,” he said with a playful swat to my butt. “First one done gets a foot rub.”
I bolted for the house. It was probably more of a waddled hustle, but I worked with what I had.
However, instead of going to the kitchen, I went to the study and pulled the new and improved Book of Fury from the shelf. It was much thicker than its predecessor and was filled with not only my handwriting, but Grandma Irene’s, Grandma Grace’s, and my mom’s as well.
I thought of Grandma Irene, who had recently passed away. I missed her terribly, but thanks to her, I had a relationship with the other two furies. A long distance one, but I’d take it. And also, thanks to Grandma Irene, I had hope for my own future and that of my future daughter’s.
I opened the book and read a passage I’d written for the next generation.
While it’s true there can only be three Furies, it’s not necessary to kill the elder generation. It is only necessary to strip her of her power by ripping off her wings. It won’t be easy to stop there. You’ll want to condemn her to hell for her crimes against the wicked. But remember not to hold her at fault. It is the gods who made us the way we are. And while we can control some of our impulses, others cannot be refused.
Embrace who you are and take your power when you’re ready. Remember that you will not age until you do. You will watch the lives of your friends move with time but you will remain standing still until you bring forth the next generation of fury.
I closed the book and placed it on the shelf. The gods made us, gave us our gifts, and left us to make our own choices. And, I’d made mine. I had no regrets.
“Megan?” Oanen called, the back-door slamming. “I think I won.”
“Does that mean I don’t get a foot rub?” I asked, coming out of the office.
He gave me a wry grin.
“It means I help with dinner, and you get a foot rub afterward.”
I smiled at him.
Nope. I didn’t have a regret in the world.
Thank you for reading Fury Freed, the conclusion to the Of Fates and Furies series. Want to know more about what’s going on with Eliana and Fenris? You’re in luck! I’m already working on the first book in the Of Kiss and Claw series. Keep reading for a little peek from Fenris’ point of view. And, if you want to hear when it’s ready, just sign up for my newsletter. Happy reading!
Fenris
I walked around Megan’s house, inhaling deeply. It’d barely been an hour since she and Oanen had left and a little more than that since Eliana’s departure. Not enough time to lose either of their scent trails this far out of town.
I focused on Eliana’s sweet scent and followed it from the driveway to the backdoor. A hunger surged forward. A need to touch. To taste. I clenched my fists, tired of just inhaling her. If only she was there.
The urge to howl my frustration rose, stifling common sense. But only for a moment. I exhaled slowly and reminded myself why I couldn’t give into any of my urges. Eliana wasn’t ready. She needed more time.
When she finally did run from me, I needed it to be because she wanted me to chase her, not because she was afraid.
I pulled my phone from my pocket and sent a text.
First security sweep done. Megan’s car is still here and unmaimed.
While Megan’s abandonment caused me some serious issues—how was I going to get my Eliana fix now?—there was a silver lining. I now had a valid reason to stay in contact with Eliana.
A message appeared as I stared at my phone.
They just left. Of course her car is still fine.
An intense satisfaction coursed through me reading her words, and I paced Megan’s snow dusted lawn as I responded.
It doesn’t hurt to be cautious. How’s your car?
My car is fine. Go home, Fenris.
I’ll see you Monday.
I waited for a minute, and when nothing came through, I smiled and pocketed my phone. I hadn’t really expected her to respond.
Patience and a plan would get me what I desperately wanted. Good thing I had both. It wouldn’t be much longer before Eliana was begging me to howl and chase her through the woods.
Whistling a jaunty tune, I stripped from my clothes, bundled them together, and shifted.
It was time to put my plan in motion.
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