Page 52 of My Monster’s Keeper

Epilogue - Becky

“ P oppet, I’m not sure what’s so attractive about a body of water with decomposing things in it and rocks pulverized to grit.”

I peer out at the beach and bite my bottom lip so I don’t laugh at Stix. The sand is white; the water is turquoise with hardly a ripple. Humans flock from all over the world to come to places like this.

Wilder catches me watching him and forces a very unbelieving smile.

Again, I force my eyes to the ocean to stop from breaking into undignified giggles.

“This is our holiday. We earned it. Diablos says we can enjoy ourselves, get some sun, surf, relax.” I try to say it without laughing, but I can’t do it.

Frost nods his head along with my words. “I understand all of that, but this sand is awful. It’s getting in everything. I’d question the logic of trying to fuck in this.”

I snort a laugh that officially ends whatever facade I was trying to hold.

To be honest, I’m not enjoying it much myself. But it’s nice to know that I’m officially not a beach person. Looks like they were right when they said fish wasn’t for me.

“Why does this dog not have legs?”

I whip my head to the left, finding Puppy circling a poor, confused seal.

“It’s not a dog, Puppy, leave it alone.” Is that my frantic voice? Suddenly, nothing is funny.

The seal honks at him.

“Sounds like a dog.” Puppy dances around it.

Song warbles at the sea lion, the sea lion warbles back. I put my fingers to my forehead and wonder how stuff like this keeps happening.

“He says his name is Music, and he’s coming home with us,” Puppy shouts out.

“NO, he’s not!” The four of us say back instantly.

Puppy laughs that evil laugh that normally means he’s getting his way.

“I knew the beach was a bad idea,” Wilder mutters.

“At least he’s holding the human form,” I say quietly.

“For now,” Frost growls. “Oh, look, I spoke too soon.”

I watch in resignation as Puppy, the giant and terrifying Grim, Song the equally disastrous Pitbull, and our soon to be new pet, the sea lion, dance and play with each other on the sand.

Diablos appears in front of us. Stix, Frost, and Wilder surge forward, blocking him from looking at me. I love that they appreciate a bikini.

“We’re on holiday,” I say cheerfully.

“Yes, you are, but there’s an interest- is that a sea lion? Does he know that it’s a wild animal? Puppy, cease playing with that sea lion this instant.”

I bite the inside of my cheek.

“Daddy Diablos, I’m waiting.”

What the ever loving fuck was that horror? I peer wide-eyed over my shoulder and find a blindfolded and bound Hartley with earmuffs over his ears. Naked Hartley. Ewww! In Shibari? Oh, lord, I do not need these images!

I snap my head back to stare at the spot between Stix’s shoulder blades. If I don’t look, it doesn’t exist, right?

Right.

“Leave the sea lion alone, Puppy!” Diablos thunders. “You can’t have it. It’s a wild creature.”

“Music loves me,” Puppy grumbles.

Oh, no, I don’t like that tone.

“Puppy, we’re going to go home and order in,” I say with divine inspiration. Like light shines down on me and choirs sing.

Puppy mutters something and then appears beside me. “Fine. Music and I will catch up later.”

“Oh, thank god,” I mutter.

“I have a job for you.”

“Diablos, where am I?” Hartley interrupts loudly. His voice is deep with suspicion.

Diablos’ eyes widen, and he shoos us away. Stix grabs us and catapults us into the shadows. Two seconds later, we’re standing inside our new modern home, on top of the cliff that overlooks the city. There’s a huge forest for our backyard and heaps of privacy .

Well, sort of.

Being the Omega Queen is bringing all sorts of interesting events, like people from all the worlds coming to ask permission and showing their respect before they travel here.

Everyone is terrified of the five of us. Even my cat and dog are treated with wary deference. What we did left our mark on the world. It declared in no uncertain terms that we would tolerate no mischief, no menace, we would defend this world, united in a way that’s never been seen before.

The might of the courts of Fae cannot stop us, and the armies of Shadows have no hope.

This is our world, and we are its defenders.

Which means absolutely nothing in the scheme of things when I have this simmering heat burning me alive from the inside out. Stix pulled rank that night and demanded an extra two weeks.

When I woke up this morning, I understood why.

I sneak away from the guys and shove another weapon under the enormous pillow I ordered. That fire I’ve been trying like hell to ignore is coming, and nothing is going to stop it.

The memories of how close I came to being assaulted still give me nightmares.

I’ve chosen a room that is central in our house. There are plenty of ways out. Someone has to have been watching me because, this morning, a bed appeared. A big, huge, round thing that I thought was hideous, but then it grew on me as the day progressed.

I’ve stashed weapons everywhere. I don’t need them, but I have them. I’ve got food under the sofa and in cupboards.

Anything I might need, but it’s still not perfect. Or it wasn’t until I did my same day delivery purchase.

I look at my choice of pillows and grab the three largest ones, arranging them on the bed. The blankets are weird, and I don’t want them, so I take them to the door and toss them out.

Nothing smells right.

I grumble and walk to the bed, crawling on it and rolling around. I scrape my face on the pillows until all I can smell is a spicy floral scent that is me.

“Ridiculous,” I mutter to myself, but I can’t stop.

I get up and walk to the door frame. Several seconds pass of me rubbing my face on the frame before I pull away and burst into tears .

“Poppet?”

Stix wraps his arms around me and pulls me onto our massive back porch. The cool air helps clear my head a little, but it does nothing to stop the throb between my legs.

“What’s going on, poppet? Talk to me.”

“It’s like being drugged. I don’t feel in control, I feel out of control. Stix, I don’t like it.”

Long fingers take my chin and turn my face until we’re nose-to-nose.

“I’m not going to let anything happen to you. No one will touch you but us. It would be an inter-world war if someone even tried. You will still be you.”

My hands shake, so I curl them in his shirt. “I, when it happened before-”

“You were thrust into a heat you weren’t prepared for, and you protected yourself.”

“What if I hurt you?” I whisper.

“You won’t.”

“But-”

“No, Becks. You won’t hurt us. Trust yourself because we do. You are our omega queen. Strongest of all omegas, wise, fierce, and brave. You have four alpha mates who are not going to let anything happen to you. This is going to be fun and happy.”

I inhale and shiver as his words soothe the fear and memories that keep bubbling up.

“You just relax and do what you need to do. We’ll take care of everything else and anyone else.” He pauses. “Do you need chocolate?”

I nod my head, and he stands up, carrying me into our new huge kitchen. He puts me on the island, goes to a cupboard, and pulls out a box.

I frown until he sets it beside me and opens it.

“Wilder couldn’t decide what to get you, so he got you one of everything.”

Frost walks in with Puppy on his heels. The latter is growling and trying to get the bag that Frost has in his arms.

“Give it to me,” Puppy snarls.

“No!”

Frost spots me, and his white eyes gleam. “We bought you something.”

Puppy whirls and rushes to me, licking up my cheek.

“You’re out of your nest.”

I swipe at my cheek and giggle. “I am.”

“Good. You can do this thing with me.”

“What thing? ”

Frost pulls a small box of fairy lights out of the bag.

A wave of heat has my body breaking out into goosebumps. Slick soaks my underwear. I let out a gentle purr that Stix captures in a kiss.

“Into the nest?”

I nod. It’s time, I don’t know how I know, I just do.

He picks me up. I wrap my legs around him as he carries me into the huge space.

Wilder comes in, putting several drinks in the creek that runs straight through the middle of the house. Frost brings the food, including ice-cream and meat.

Once we’re all in, Frost looks to Stix and Wilder.

“Do it.”

“Do what?” I ask hesitantly.

Frost holds up his hands and creates a dome of ice around us. The light glitters through it, turning the space into a winter wonderland, but I can’t feel the cold.

It takes me a minute to see the blue flames.

“Frost…” I look around, my mouth open in pure awe.

“We aren’t going to let anything get to you,” he promises.

Puppy strings the lights up, criss-crossing them across the dome.

It looks nothing like that cell I was stuck in.

This time, everything is different.

It’s perfect.