Page 45 of Beast of Blood and Roses (Dark Ever After Fairytales #1)

Aurora

Fierro’s Lamborghini Huracán purred down the narrow road, its engine a low growl that matched my nervous energy.

Spanish moss draped the ancient oak trees like ghostly curtains as we drove to Tobias Nightshade’s mansion.

According to Fierro, he owned a sprawling estate deep in the bayou, and the Nightshades had lived there for generations.

They were one of the most powerful witch families in New Orleans.

Butterflies fluttered anxiously in my stomach as we drove through the winding bayou roads.

My inner thighs still ached pleasantly from our passionate lovemaking.

Maybe we should have continued exploring each other’s bodies, but I was determined to meet my new family.

Twenty years. Twenty years stolen from me, twenty years of never knowing I had people who might have loved me, protected me.

I needed to see them, to understand what I’d lost.

What if I wasn’t accepted? What if they took one look at me and knew I wasn’t really their Aurora? What if twenty years of living as Rosalie Volaris had changed me too much?

What would my uncle be like—would he be kind? Stern? Would I see my mother in his face?

“I should tell you some family history,” Fierro said, glancing at me with concern. “Tobias was imprisoned by Grayson Allen, a vampire who was trying to become a supernatural king. He was freed by his daughter Rose, her husband Valentin, their friends, and...” He paused. “The Archangels.”

I could feel the blood drain from my face. “Archangels.” The word sent ice through my veins. After everything I’d learned about them, this couldn’t be good.

“Michael and Raphael, yes.” His grip tightened on the steering wheel. “And the vampire mafia families aren’t exactly on their list of favorite people.”

A new worry twisted in my gut. Would my family accept Fierro? Or would his past as a vampire enforcer make me choose between them and him?

Fierro drove around a grove of ancient oak trees draped with Spanish moss and slowed as a sprawling mansion appeared before us like a piece of the Old South frozen in time. “That’s the Nightshade home.”

My heart thundered in my chest as he turned down the long, oak-lined driveway. The mansion was breathtaking—white columns stretched from the ground to the second-story veranda, and the entire structure seemed to glow in the late afternoon light filtering through the moss-covered trees.

As we parked in the circular driveway, the front door opened as if someone had been watching for our arrival.

A tall, dark-haired man emerged from the mansion and began walking down the grand front steps with measured, deliberate movements.

He was dressed in a crisp white shirt left casually open at the collar and black pants that spoke of understated elegance.

My stomach twisted with a mixture of hope and terror. This man might hold all the answers about who I really was, but I was terrified of what those answers might be.

Even from a distance, there was something about his bearing—the way he carried himself with quiet authority—that made me think of power barely contained. Was this my uncle? Did I look like him? Like my mother?

I glanced nervously over at Fierro, my palms suddenly damp with sweat. He clasped my hand in his warm, reassuring grip. “I’m here,” he said firmly, his emerald eyes meeting mine with a steady conviction. “I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again.”

His words steadied me, reminding me that no matter what happened with my family, I wasn’t alone anymore. I had someone who would stand by me, protect me, love me unconditionally.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself, and opened the car door. The humid bayou air wrapped around me like a warm embrace as I stepped onto the gravel driveway.

The man’s dark eyes flicked over me with an intensity that made me feel like he was seeing straight through to my soul. “Aurora Nightshade Ravencrest.” His voice held a mixture of wonder and deep pain, as if he’d been waiting twenty years to say those words aloud.

My full name. My real, complete name. The words felt like magic, like a fairy tale coming to life, and I felt tears spring to my eyes. I wasn’t just Aurora—I was Aurora Nightshade Ravencrest. I had a history, a lineage that went back generations.

He bowed slightly with old-world courtesy. “I’m Tobias Nightshade. Your mother, Sophia, was my sister. Welcome to my home.”

“You have your mother’s eyes, and from what Tinker Bell told me, you have your father’s spirit,” the man said softly, and there was such tenderness in his voice that tears pricked at my eyes. “Come with me. You too, Fierro Bastia.”

I glanced up at Fierro, searching his face for reassurance. He nodded encouragingly, his thumb stroking over my knuckles.

Together we climbed the stairs and followed Tobias inside the mansion.

It was absolutely breathtaking—gleaming hardwood floors, a spiral staircase that curved gracefully upward, and crystal chandeliers that cast rainbows of light across the walls.

Paintings hung in the living room that seemed to tell a story, a story I longed to find out about.

The lush furniture, crystal lighting, and expensive Persian rugs were far nicer than the worn, threadbare carpet at my old home.

But it was the painting above the fireplace that drew my attention. It was the same couple I had seen in my dream—the dark-haired woman who had amber eyes like mine and the handsome man with the kind smile.

Tobias came quietly alongside me as I gazed at the portrait. “I had this painted of them shortly after they were married. Your mother was pregnant with you at the time, even though you can’t tell in the painting.”

My throat tightened with emotion as I stared at my real parents. They looked so happy, so trusting. They had no idea what kind of monster was lurking in their lives. “How did they know Volaris?”

“They were the guardians of our family heirlooms. When you were just one month old, Volaris broke into their home and tried to steal the Witch’s Heart.

They caught him in the act.” Tobias’ eyes grew hard with old anger.

“A terrible battle erupted between them. Your father cast a desperate spell, sending the Witch’s Heart out of their home to keep it from Volaris’ hands.

Somehow it ended up at Simon Cartier’s auction house, and that’s where the vampires must have purchased it. ”

“Most likely,” Fierro confirmed. “Angelo Santi has obtained many magical artifacts from Simon over the years.”

“He’ll have to find a new avenue since Simon is deceased,” Tobias said with grim satisfaction.

Fierro cocked an eyebrow but didn’t comment. Given the rumors I’d heard about Angelo Santi, he would find another way to get whatever he wanted.

Sadness settled in my chest like a heavy stone, and I squeezed Fierro’s hand tighter. My throat tightened as I spoke. “So he killed them in their home and then took me?”

Tobias gave me a mournful look, pain flickering in his dark eyes.

“Unfortunately, yes. The coven searched everywhere for you, but Volaris had hidden you too well. I suspected your mother was the one who bound his powers before she died. She was incredibly powerful, and according to Tinker Bell, she passed that strength onto you.”

As if summoned by her name, Tinker Bell walked into the room with three other people trailing behind her. Two beautiful blonde women and a handsome dark-haired man entered, their presence filling the space with an almost tangible magical energy.

“Ah, I knew you would come here eventually,” Tinker Bell said with satisfaction. “Your family is part of your strength, Aurora. Before we focus on training, you should know who you’re fighting for.”

She gestured toward the group. “This is your cousin Rose Dragan. Rose’s father is a Nightshade, so she’s part witch and part vampire. This handsome man is Valentin, her mate.”

Rose smiled warmly. “Welcome back to the family, Aurora. I’m so sorry it took us this long to find you.” She stretched out her arms with genuine affection. “How about a hug?”

I smiled through my tears and fell into her embrace. She felt warm and welcoming, and even though we’d just met, I could tell she was around my age. I had a feeling we would become close friends.

Tinker Bell turned to the other woman. “This is Alice Ravencrest. She’s from your father’s side of the family. Unfortunately, she’s the last of the Ravencrests.”

Looking at Alice, I could see a familiar pain in her eyes - the same kind of loss I’d carried for twenty years, though hers was fresh and raw. Someone who understood what it felt like to have family ripped away. Someone I could really relate to. “I’m so sorry for your loss.”

Alice hugged me tightly, and I could feel the genuine warmth in her embrace. “It warms my heart to know there’s another Ravencrest in the world. We’ll have to stick together.”

Valentin’s attention turned to Fierro, his expression becoming more serious. “Haven’t seen you for a while, Bastia. Where have you been?”

The serious tone in Valentin’s voice made me tense. Fierro had been through hell - he didn’t need to be interrogated by my family. I opened my mouth to intervene, then caught myself. This wasn’t my place, was it?

“I committed a crime and had to pay for it,” Fierro replied honestly. He glanced up at Tobias with genuine remorse. “I’m sorry for what I did.”

My heart clenched at Fierro’s honesty. He could have lied, could have made excuses, but instead he was owning his past completely. A surge of pride mixed with anxiety swelled inside me - would my family see the man I saw, someone who’d faced his mistakes and grown from them?

Tobias studied him for a long moment before responding. “According to Tinker Bell, you’ve already paid for your crime.” His eyes darkened with warning. “Just don’t repeat your mistakes, or next time your punishment will be lethal.”

“Understood. But I’m still an enforcer for the Santi family. I’ll make sure that no innocents will die on my watch.”

I watched my family’s faces carefully, my heart hammering. The Santi family had a reputation, and not a good one. Would they see Fierro as a threat now? Would they ask him to leave? The thought of having to choose between him and the family I’d just found made me feel sick.

Tobias sighed heavily. “That’s all I ask. Lilliana didn’t deserve to die simply for asking for help.”

“Agreed,” Fierro said quietly. “My hunger took over that night, but thanks to Aurora, I can control it now.”

Tears pricked my eyes as I heard him give me credit for his transformation. Me? I was just learning who I was, still figuring out my own power. But if loving him had somehow helped him find peace with his nature, then maybe that was magic too.

Valentin frowned, his expression growing serious. “You were the beast in the bayou? The creature everyone’s been talking about?”

Fierro’s shoulders sagged slightly, the weight of his past evident in his posture. “Yes,” he said quietly.

I stepped closer and placed my hand protectively on his chest, feeling his heart beating steadily beneath my palm. “But he’s changed now. He’s not that monster anymore. ”

“Because of you,” Alice said softly, her eyes moving between us with understanding. “Love changed him.”

Rose nodded. “I can see it—the way he looks at you, Aurora. That’s not the gaze of a killer.”

Fierro’s jaw clenched. “I did terrible things. Killed innocent people. I don’t deserve forgiveness, but Aurora... She saw something in me worth saving.”

I squeezed his hand tighter. “You saved me too. From Volaris, from a life of lies, from never knowing who I really was.”

After a long moment, Tobias’ expression softened. “I have something for you, Aurora.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a heart-shaped gold locket that gleamed in the afternoon light. “This locket has protective magic—it will warn you if there’s evil nearby. Open it.”

With trembling fingers, I took the locket and carefully opened it. There were tiny, perfect portraits of my parents - my real parents - looking young and happy and so much in love. Tears spilled down my cheeks.

“Thank you,” I choked out. “This means everything to me.”

“Let me put this on you,” Fierro said gently, taking the locket from my shaking hands.

As he fastened the delicate chain around my neck, he spoke softly so only I could hear.

“But know that I’m the one who will always protect you.

You melted this beast’s angry heart, and I will spend the rest of my life making you happy. ”

He leaned close and whispered in my ear, his breath warm against my skin. “Starting tonight.”

After a day of joy with the family I’d never known I had, Fierro kept his promise to show me his love.

As I fell asleep in his arms, I realized that sometimes the greatest fairy tales aren’t about princesses in towers—they’re about broken souls finding each other and choosing love over fear.

I was the girl who fell in love with a Beast, and together we found our happily ever after.