“I love you too.”
“Let’s go make you a queen,” he said pulling me as we walked.
Roderick waited at the alter talking to another couple of men.
“Wow,” he gasped.
“Thanks for the dress.”
He shrugged. “I wanted tonight to be perfect for you. I remember the night I was crowned king. It was one hell of a night.”
“What about Mom?”
“We’ll get to that. One thing at a time.”
Roderick stepped back and cleared his throat. Everyone got silent.
I stood next to Lela just below where he stood.
“Thank you all for coming. As you know, I’m stepping down as your king. Which I know is unheard of, but it’s time. I’m ready to live eternity elsewhere. But what many of you don’t know is that my daughter Kassandra is taking over. It took a lot to convince her that she should, but she finally agreed. Kass.” He motioned for me to come stand next to him.
I let go of Lela’s hand and stepped up onto the platform with him and the man standing behind him.
“As some of you may know already, Kass has been putting together some changes to take effect immediately after she is crowned. Things here will change, but I can promise you that she won’t make things worse.”
He turned and nodded to the gentleman behind him.
The guy read off some old Latin. Fire cracked and sparks shot out of a book he was reading from.
The man turned to me.
“Place your hands on the book,” he said.
My hands shookked as I lifted them onto the book.
More Latin and my hands burned, but it wasn’t a bad feeling. It tingled and went through my whole body.
I looked down to see my tattoo glowing. The colors of the tattoo were bright, and I heard the gasps from behind me. I had no idea what my back looked like, but I imagined something similar to a colorful Christmas tree.
He nodded to me, and I pulled my hands back as the book slammed shut.
“It’s done,” he said.
Roderick pulled me into a hug.
“You are an amazing person, and I’m honored beyond belief to be your father,” he whispered into my ear before letting me go.
I turned to face the group of demons who were gathered around. Some of them I remember interviewing for the council.
“Your new queen of Hell,” Roderick announced.
I smiled even though I was a ball of jelly inside.
Lela ran up and hugged me tightly.
“That was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. Your tattoo glowed and looked so cool!” she exclaimed.
I smiled and that’s when I saw her. Our mother stood in the back of the crowd.
I gasped and spun Lela around.
“Mom,” I whispered as I bunched up my dress and ran through the crowd. Everyone was talking to one another.
“Why don’t we all head into the great room for a feast!” Roderick announced.
People shuffled around me and toward the large double doors that were on the other side of the room.
When everyone was gone, I just stared at her.
“Are you real?” I asked.
She nodded and walked over to me pulling both of us into a hug.
I never felt so safe and sad before at the same time.
“I miss you,” I cried into her.
“I miss you both so much.”
“I don’t get it. How?” I asked pulling back from her.
“Roderick agreed to step down as king if he and I could live for eternity together. Part of that deal was that I got to come see you. And see this.” She spun me around and I could feel her fingers run the tattoo.
“It’s beautiful. Just like your father’s.”
I turned back around to her.
“There is so much we want to tell you!” I said.
“I’ve been watching. I know everything. I know about Tim.” She shook her head. “Lela, I’m so sorry for that.”
“I’m safe now.”
“You two still have a destiny that you don’t even know yet. But you have time. Right now, enjoy this.”
“Kass, while both your parents are here, do you mind if I do something?” Theo asked.
I wanted to kick him for interrupting time with my mom.
I turned to face him and saw that he was down on one knee.
“I told you I loved you. Damn do I love you. And I’ve loved you since the moment I saw you. You are fearless, and stubborn, and badass. I’d be honored if you would agree to be my wife.”
I stood there, staring.
“Kass, you have to give the man an answer.” Lela huffed.
“Yes.”
Theo pulled me into his arms, slipping the ring on my finger as he kissed me.
“This doesn’t have anything to do with me being queen does it?” I joked as we separated.
He laughed.
I turned back to my mom who was now standing with Roderick.
“But how will I contact you?” I asked.
“Don’t worry; we’ll see each other again.”
“Before I forget.” Roderick walked over to Lela and took her hands in his.
They glowed red and I could see a little flicker of red in Lela’s eyes.
“You may not be biologically mine, but I consider you my daughter, and I’m honored to be here for both of you.”
My insides were twisting into knots.
I shook my head, tears falling down my face.
“Please don’t leave,” I cried to them.
“We have to darling. But we’ll be back. I promise that,” my mother said.
She and Roderick pulled Lela and me into one last hug just as they disappeared into the air.
“Let’s go enjoy the party a little bit,” Colt suggested.
We nodded and followed the guys into the great room where the demons were eating and drinking.
Chapter Eleven
Theo
I stood back against the wall and watched Kass and Lela dance and have a great time.
“Hey man,” Colt said handing me a bottle of beer.
“Hey.”
“For a guy who just got engaged, you seem pretty upset.”
I took a mouthful of beer and shook my head.
“No. I just wish there was more time that they got to spend with their mom. Something big is going to happen, and I don’t know what. But it may not be good.”
“How do you know that?” Colt questioned.
“Roderick’s face said it all. I’ve worked with that man for centuries. I’ve learned when something isn’t good. And whatever is going to happen isn’t going to be good for those two girls.”
“Well, is that something we need to dwell on right now? There isn’t much we can do anyways.”
I pushed myself off the wall. “You’re right. Let’s go join the girls.”
I took another mouthful of beer before setting the bottle down onto the table.
I pulled Kass into my arms and looked into her eyes. Damn I loved that girl. She was everything I wanted in a wife, and she was going to make a damn great queen. I knew eternity would be different then. I had a something to look forward to and for the first time in centuries, I was excited to truly live.
I WOKE DAYS LATER TO an empty bed. Kass was sitting in a chair across the room typing away at her laptop.