Phoenix Fury Box set

Epilogue

Epilogue

“Dad!” The bellow echoed through the house.

Cassie glanced up, her mind still on the sample beneath her microscope. Jamie came barreling into her lab. Not a scared, shaken fourteen-year-old any longer. Her “son” was bigger, tougher, and, at sixteen, he thought he was ready to take on the world.

“Where’s Dad?” Jamie asked. It had been a full year before he started to call Dante Dad . The first time he’d done it, Cassie wasn’t sure who’d been more shocked.

Probably Dante.

But he and Jamie had grown close, so close. The wall that Dante had used to keep everyone out was gone. Burned away. Heck, he even went out with Cain every now and then to, uh, literally light up the town.

“He said I could get my driver’s license today.” Jamie’s smile was huge. “He and Uncle Vaughn are supposed to take me.”

She used to be afraid of power-mad phoenixes. Now she trembled at the idea of Jamie behind the wheel. “Well…”

“Let’s go!” Dante said, coming into the room. A wide grin lifted his lips. “Vaughn’s got the ride ready.”

Jamie whooped and rushed back up the stairs.

So carefree and happy, but that, too, hadn’t been easy. They’d all had to struggle to get where they were. But we are happy. And no one will take that from us.

Dante didn’t follow Jamie up the stairs. Her phoenix filled the doorway, and his gaze focused on her. There was love in his eyes. Always now, love.

Maybe it had always been there, just buried beneath the fire.

“You okay?” he asked her.

She gave him a little nod.

He crossed the threshold and went to her. Pressed a kiss to her lips, and then his hand went to the curve of her stomach and to the little life that grew there. “And how’s my princess?” His whole face softened as he felt the kick against his hand. A very powerful kick. A princess ninja?

He looked back up at Cassie. “I’ll protect her. I swear I’ll keep her safe.”

Her hand covered his. “I know you will.”

“I love her already. Because she’s part of you.” His lips brushed hers.

Damn the phoenix. He kept making her want to tear up.

“Do you think she’ll be more like me?” Dante asked against her lips.

A girl who could toss fire when she was angry.

“Or more like you?” Another kiss.

A girl who could control all those near her with just a whisper.

“I—”

“Dad!” Jamie’s bellow.

“See you tonight,” Dante told her, giving her the smile that always made her heart race a little faster. Then he was gone. Rushing up the stairs.

Her hand stayed over her stomach. She already knew just what her little girl would be like. She’d tell Dante soon enough.

Daddy’s little princess was going to be…

Fire—a phoenix.

Control—a siren.

A deadly combination.

The world wouldn’t know what hit it.

The End