Flame and Ink: An Anthology (Happy Ever After #1)(16)

Dante approached and removed Lily's hand from his arm, presenting her to Shade. Shade gave a nod to the dragon with the pierced brow and blue-streaked black hair long enough to brush the floor. Dante smiled and went to sit with the women, careful not to sit next to Nadie.

Lily reached for Shade, and his hands shook.

This was his Lily. His future.

“We come together today to join two souls in a state of reality where the strength comes from the person within, not the strength of their sword,” the minister—a tiger shifter—began.

“I love you,” Shade mouthed.

“I love you, too,” she mouthed back.

This was his future, their future. Though the lightning had changed everything when it struck, he’d take it again to have her.

There was nothing better in the world than this.

Nothing.





The Meeting


A Dante’s Circle Short Story



Author Note: This is a Dante’s Circle short story about Bailin, Jamie, and Ambrose from Her Warriors’ Three Wishes (Dante’s Circle Book 2). This takes place sometime after that book. There are a lot of spoilers in here for the book since a major part of the series is figuring out what the women turn into.



“I’m not ready,” Jamie said with a sigh.

Balin, her demon mate and lover, wrapped his arms around her, and she leaned back into his hold.

“Jamie, darling. You’re never going to feel ready. That’s what we’re here for.”

She turned so she faced him, looking into his black eyes bright with red flecks. He didn’t have his glamour on, so she could see the horns that curled over the crown of his head, making him look dangerous…hers.

“They’re my parents, Balin,” she said simply.

That was the crux of it. She was about to introduce her parents to Balin and Ambrose.

Yes. She had two men. Two mates. Balin and Ambrose not only loved her with every breath they had in their bodies, but they also loved each other, with just as much intensity. As her friend Faith would say, she was one lucky bitch.

Her parents, though, weren’t in the know.

Oh, yes, she’d talked to them on the phone, explaining to her mother that she had met someone—or two. Both her mother and father had thought it was a joke. Who in their right mind in this day and age would sleep with and keep two men?

It was taboo.

And she loved it.

Her mother had thought it was a crazy story from one of the romance novels Jamie loved to read.

Not so much.

It was Jamie’s life.

Jamie had spilled everything she could…just not the whole paranormal thing. She hadn’t mentioned that Balin was a centuries-old demon, and that Ambrose was a five-thousand-year-old warrior angel.

Oh, and she didn’t mention that she, herself, had turned into a paranormal creature, as well; or that she would live well beyond her parents and everything she’d once known.

No. That hadn’t come up.

She needed to get through the whole triad thing first.

Something that she had a feeling would break her once she met with her parents.

Her parents had said that they’d meet Ambrose and Balin because they loved Jamie. Jamie knew it was because they were ready to tear her away from them and keep her away from the dangerous cult they thought she’d joined or something.

That’s how her parents thought.

Darn it.

Ambrose walked in the room, his pale white wings following him. “Come on, love, it will be okay. They didn’t hang up on you or yell. They’re just curious, and you can’t blame them.”

Jamie nodded then raised her chin, needing both Balin and Ambrose more now than ever. Balin grinned and kissed her softly.

He pulled back, leaving her wanting. “More for when this is over, darling. I’m not going to leave you flushed for your parents.”

Ambrose chuckled, and Jamie warmed. Her angel needed to laugh more. He leaned down and kissed her as well, just as softly.

With their strength beside her, they left the house and got into her car. She sat in the back while her men sat up front. They took turns with driving and where they sat, and they knew she needed some space to steel herself on the drive over.

Soon they were at her childhood home, not far from where she lived now. But far enough away that she hadn’t crossed paths with her parents since she’d found the loves of her life.

She got out of the car, and her men came to either side of her, each taking a hand and tangling their fingers with hers.

Balin turned toward her. “No matter what happens, I’m here.”

“As am I,” Ambrose said.

She smiled at both of her men. Yes. No matter what, she was lucky. She had her men, her life, and a long future.

She could do this.

“Well, honey, that answers that,” her mother said from the doorway.

Jamie blinked at her mother. “What?”

“Those two men love you so much I can feel it from here. I’m so happy for you.” Her mother opened her arms, and Jamie ran into them, still floored.

“You’re serious?” she asked as she pulled back.

“I love you, and I can see they do, too. And from the looks of them, you’ve got a nice angel and demon to hold you through.”

Jamie froze. “You…you know?”