Hunters

epilogue

A/N: Picture of Fae on the side

“Mommy!”

I turned to see my three year old Fae come running, nearly tripping over the throw rug in her haste to get to me. Jorden came in after her, hanging his keys on the ring and smiling as I bent down to catch my daughter before she barreled into my legs.

“Careful, Fae. One of these days you’re going to fall.”

She just threw her little arms around my neck and I sighed, propping her on my hip as I turned back to the stove, mixing the pot of macaroni I was making for her. “I’m hungry, mommy! Daddy said that I could eat now.”

“I’m just about done, sweetie.”

She wiggled to be put down and I set her on her feet then drained the pasta before adding the cheese and other things. Jorden leaned against the counter next to me and sipped from my cup of cider. I shooed at him with my hands and he laughed. “When is Evelyn getting here with Nick and the triplets?”

“Should be any minute now.”

Evelyn had given birth to fraternal triplets, two boys and a girl; Kade, Ross and Hayden. They had recently turned two and already, there was a difference of behaviors in the toddlers. Kade was shy, but when he warmed up to people he would sit by them, even though he refused to make a sound. Ross was shy at first, but after an hour or so around people, he’d start babbling while sitting in your lap. Whereas Hayden was outgoing, babbling nonstop, not caring if people were listening to her, and was moving around all the time. Nick thought them to be a handful, while Evelyn argued that they were a blessing. Fae loved her cousins but didn’t understand that they couldn’t do everything she could yet, such as climb the stairs as quickly as she could.

“Daddy! Play with me!”

Jorden rolled his eyes, and called back to her. “What do you say?”

“Please?”

She walked in, holding her doll to her chest, eyelashes batting and face in a slight pout, knowing full well that it’d melt her father. He gave in and snatched her up, moving back into the living room already tickling her so that she was squealing. There was a knock at the door just as I dished up the macaroni a few minutes later, so I set the bowls on the table, called the two in from the other room and moved to get the door.

“Hey guys, come on...”

My voice faded as I opened the door to find a vampire standing on the other side. His eyes skimmed over me and a grin pulled at his lips. With a flick of my wrist, my sickle appeared and I poised it at his chest. His eyes widened and he held up his hands. “I’m not here to hurt you.”

“Then what are you here for?”

“Your daughter.”

He tried to move past me, but I shoved the sickle into his chest and closed the door behind me as I stepped out on the porch of the house Jorden and I had bought together. I watched him deteriorate into ashes and sent my weapon away, sighed, then grabbed the broom from under the porch swing and brushed the ashes off the wood and into the garden that sat in front of the house. A car parked in our driveway and I look up to see Nick and Evelyn letting out the kids, setting them on the ground. Evelyn frowned at glanced pointedly at the broom but I just smiled reassuringly and set the broom leaning against the railing.

“Auntie Willow!”

Hayden ran up and I caught her before she face planted the stairs since she'd tripped. I hugged her and then opened the door, set her inside and pointed towards the kitchen. “I made some macaroni and cheese. It’s in the kitchen, just ask Uncle Jorden for some.”

She took off in that direction and I straightened and turned to find my sister watching me with her hands propped on her hips. Nick herded their sons into the house and closed the door. I sat on the porch swing and pulled my feet up too.

“What?”

“Willow, notice anything different?”

I eyed her again and raised a brow at her after. “Don’t tell me that you’re pregnant again.”

“What? No! Why, do I look fat?”

“Not at all! I just assumed that you were. Sorry.”

She stuck her left hand out at me and I gasped, grabbing her fingers so that I could stare at the ring that sat atop her finger.

“I’m getting married! Finally!”

“Congratulations!”

I got caught up in her excitement and shot to my feet so that I could hug her. She laughed and pushed me back.

“Please, will you be my maid of honor?”

“Of course! It’s only fair since you were mine.”

“And your wedding was a huge success.”

“Yes, it was.”

Jorden and I had gotten married three months after the battle at the field and Evelyn had done all the work for it. She made my big day the best I could’ve ever imagined, and then some. I could only hope to do the same for her.

“So, was there a vamp here?”

"What? A girl can't sweep her porch to keep off the leaves?"

"You know I might've believed you if you weren't thinking about it."

“Stop reading my thoughts. Anyways, he wanted Fae, just like every other. And like all the others, he thought he’d be able to get past me.”

Evelyn laughed and I joined in. “I don’t understand why they think you, of all people, will let them get to her.”

I shrugged and led her into the house. “I haven’t the foggiest idea, but I don’t care as long as I can kill them all before they step into my home. I just don't understand why they always knock first.”

"They need permission to enter. By you acknowledging their presence, they are given permission to enter."

"Oh. I guess that explains that question."

She chuckled, walked into the room and snagged herself some macaroni, then caught Ross from falling off his chair and pushed the chair in closer to the table. I watched her juggle her bowl of food, her son and catch a falling spoon with her foot all at the same time and just shook my head, not knowing how she did it. Of course, being a hunter did help with reflexes, but hers were just amazing and I envied them.

I looked about my family and smiled. Finally, I’d found a place where I belonged and I wouldn’t ever be alone again. Jorden wrapped an arm around my waist and kissed the top of my head. His hand brushed my stomach and we shared a secretive smile. We’d bought a big house because we knew that our family would only expand from here on, and it was a good thing since in a couple months there’d be a new family member into our lives.