Page 24

epilogue

DAMIEN

T wo years later…

A little tiny hand tugged at a black tail. Because, for whatever reason, my husband thought it was absolutely adorable to continue shifting into his cat form even when we had things to do.

“Damien.” I narrowed my eyes at him.

Meow. He wiggled his butt, tail swishing back and forth as he prevented the chubby little fingers from grabbing it.

“Opal.” I sighed, scooping our nine-month-old daughter into my arms. “We don’t play with Daddy.”

I heard a chuckling sound and the padding of feet coming from our room.

“What—” I looked at Damien, and then at the black cat at our daughter’s feet. “If you’re not… Then…”

Opal giggled as the cat brushed against her legs, her dark curls bouncing from the motion. She’d gotten his hair, long and thick and black as night. But she had my bright green eyes, and of course—my fondness for cats.

I’d never gotten around to getting another familiar after Damien turned out to not be a cat, but I didn’t mind. The two-for-one special I’d gotten with my feline companion also being my mate, had worked out pretty well.

And when our little bundle of joy had come, I’d knew our family was perfect.

The spring after we’d met, I’d spent a week unable to keep anything down, and when Luna had come for a visit, she’d taken one look at me and she knew. Even before I did. A fact that never ceased to irritate me.

Leveling a glare at my husband, I crossed my arms over my chest. I might have loved him, but I was also peeved at him. “Why, exactly, is there a strange cat in my house?”

He leaned down, kissing me on the lips gently. “Hello to you too, Wil.”

I ran my fingers over the wedding band on his left hand. We’d gotten married a year ago, in a small ceremony held in the town’s gazebo. I’d been six months pregnant at the time, but we hadn’t wanted to wait.

After Opal had been born, we’d had a second ceremony—this time in the demon realm, but with a lot more fanfare.

All I’d cared about was the man at the end of the aisle and the tiny baby who’d slept in her aunt’s arms. The rest of it didn’t matter.

“Are we just… ignoring that?” I waved at the strange cat.

“Oh, Zain just wanted to drop in and say hello,” he said, grinning. “He brought Opal a friend.”

“Zain’s here?” My eyes lit up. “Did he bring Luna with him?”

Damien brushed his nose against mine. “Of course he did.”

But before I could let myself relax into the gesture, I raised an eyebrow, looking back at the cat.

“Relax.” He placed a kiss on my forehead. “She’s just a cat, I promise.”

Better be, I sent the thought through our bond. Or you’re on the couch tonight. I didn’t need any more demons masquerading as cats in our lives.

Damien was enough.He was more than enough. He was everything.

He smirked, holding out a hand. “Shall we?”

“What do you think, Opal? Want to go visit Auntie Luna?”

My baby girl gave me a big, toothy grin, and I happily scooped her up into my arms, placing kisses all over her soft skin.

I didn’t get to see my sister as much these days—mostly on account of her marriage to the literal Demon King. Another advancement of the last two years, after the death of Damien’s father.

We’d both stepped back from the bakery, hiring on a new head baker and a manager.

I hadn’t realized that while I was wondering what my path was in life, so was Luna. But she seemed happy, and I couldn’t judge. Not when I’d fallen in love with a demon myself.

I hadn’t quite decided what was next in life. I’d planned on getting another job after stepping back from the bakery, but then I’d gotten pregnant with Opal. And I decided I liked the role of Mom better than anything else I could have ever dreamed of.

I still dabbled in potions, and these days, I had a whole slew of witches requesting different cures for their ailments. It felt like they had a newfound awe for me after they’d found out about me breaking my demon’s curse.

He’d settled into his role as a resident of Pleasant Grove, but more importantly, into being a father. Even though he sometimes still shapeshifted into cat form and let our toddler play with him.

Damien still rolled his eyes when I called it Hell —but after visiting quite a few times, I had to admit it had its own charms.

Like the giant bathtub that took up almost an entire room, or the king sized bed that was so decadent I never wanted to get out of it. Damien’s suites were lavish and lush and the perfect escape from life.

And then there was his house—the one that barely deserved to be called that. It was basically a mansion, built onto a large piece of property outside of the demon capital.

When you live a long time, you have a lot of money saved up . He’d shrugged. I figured it would be an excellent investment.

And one day, it would be our home. After we’d raised Opal with the witches, let her choose her path—then we’d retire to the demon realm for the rest of our eternity.

I liked the sound of it more and more every day.

Forever with the man—the demon—that I loved.

And the baby girl who’d brought so much joy into my life.

With the sister I’d given up everything for, who’d found her own path.

My family was complete. Mine. Perfect.

My demon smiled up at me, taking Opal from my arms. “Come to daddy, baby girl.” He brushed a hand over her little black curls.

Part of me—part of him. She’d gotten my eyes. And a tiny splattering of freckles on her cheeks. The rest, though, was all Damien. His complexion, the onyx hue of her hair.

We could always make another one, you know, he said, watching me watch them. It might be fun.

She’s not even a year old yet. What’s the rush?

He gave me a little smirk. What? I like seeing you pregnant.

“Mommy and Daddy need to give you a little sister, huh, Opal?” He grinned, bouncing our little girl up in the air.

“How are you so sure it won’t be a boy?” I furrowed my brow.

He laughed. “I just have this feeling.”

I rubbed over my wedding ring—the ring that used to be his mother’s—thinking about our family. Not yet, but… I liked the idea of adding another member to our family soon.

After Halloween was over, maybe we could start thinking about it. But I wanted to enjoy my baby girl’s first Halloween. I’d already bought the cutest costume, and we were all going to match.

Besides, what were the odds he’d knock me up on the first try, anyway?

I adjusted her little jumper.

“Shall we?” He asked.

But I know he didn’t just mean going to see Luna and Zain.

“Yes,” I agreed.

To the future. To our life. To our family.

To every blissfully perfect moment that would come, and every single one in between.

I’d never expected to find my perfect man, let alone a demon. Never imagined that the cat I’d adopted would have been the male the fates picked for me. My mate.

And yet, here I was. Living my perfect life. It was everything I’d ever wanted, and everything I’d never known how to wish for.

“I love you,” I murmured, pressing a soft kiss to his lips, before leaning in to kiss our daughter’s cheek.

“I love you, too, little witch,” he agreed, returning one back. “Both of you.”

The End

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