Enamored | ✓

Epilogue

"We are going to hang out sooo much this summer!" Brittany exclaimed happily.

"There's a new boba place that opened close to the restaurant you work in!" Ted suggested as he continues to adjust his falling cap.

Daniel made a disgusted face, "Boba is disgusting, I don't know why you guys like milk tea with balls at the bottom."

"I thought you live for the balls, Danny." Brittany joked.

Daniel rolled his eyes and the rest of us hopped into Ted's car to celebrate our hard work for the past four years in high school.

After everyone left our tiny apartment after eating lunch at a restaurant, my mother and I decided to visit my father's grave. The sun was setting soon as we decided to take an Uber to drive to the cemetery.

It's only been two months since his funeral and the day after that, I lost Daemon. My heart squeezed at the reminder of losing two people I loved in just a matter of days. My jaw tightened to prevent any more tears from falling. I've ran out of them.

I wanted to love again, but it wouldn't be so easy this time. Because to love is to get hurt again. It's easier to love only a few people, because I'm afraid that my heart would never be able to take another hit of loss.

I watched as the city flew slowly behind the Uber my mother and I took. We thanked the driver once we reached our destination and walked to my father's headstone in silence. We've only visited him once every few weeks and I've missed him terribly.

Still wearing the black cap and gown I wore to graduation, I kneeled in front of my father's headstone. I didn't notice the blue roses that laid silently on the gray stone if it weren't for my mother who noticed them.

"I guess someone recently visited your Dad." she said, examining the azure silk petals. My heart skipped a beat.

There was only one person who would give me blue roses.

Standing up again, I plucked the flower from my mother's fingertips. "Did you see anyone close to Dad's grave before we got here?" I asked her, looking around.

"No, it's just us." my mother replied, confused.

"Are you alright?" she asked me, worry creasing her forehead.

I nodded in reply. A tiny spark of hope revived in my heart. Could it be who I thought it was?

I stifled this hope immediately as soon as it began. Getting my hopes up would only lead to disappointment. Focusing on my father, I turned to his headstone.

Kneeling once again in front of my father's headstone, I began to talk to him.

"Hi Daddy," I began. "I just graduated high school and I'm going to college soon!" I said with excitement although my words stumbled in the end. "I...I really wished you were there to see me walk..." I said sniffling. Although I told myself not to cry or tear up, my body betrayed me.

"I took a ton of pictures with my friends and we had lunch together with Mom." I paused when I felt my mother's hand on mines.

"Anyways," I said, wiping the tears from my face again, "I'll visit you soon, Dad. I hope that you're where you deserved to be."

After I left my mother alone with my father, I wandered around the cemetery when the sun began to set. The blue roses were in my hand and I squeezed the stems hard enough for the thorns to pierce my hand.

I stared into the horizon at the setting sun, appreciating the beauty of the Earth for the first time when a cold familiar chill grazed my spine, causing the hairs to stand on end. My head turned from where the soft chill came from.

A figure in a dark trench coat emerged from the shadows. The stranger's face was hidden by the large hood that they wore. The stranger removed their hood to reveal themselves.

My cousin Ethan gave me a small smile. I sighed in relief. I thought this stranger was one of the murderous members of Medio Terrae.

"Cousin, I'm glad to see you alive." he greeted hugging me.

"I'm glad you are too, I thought that you joined the others in Chinvat." I said.

Ethan paused, worry creasing his features.

"I came to warn you, Celeste. You are free from the prophecy as the Bridal Fruit because one of your suitors from the side of the Nether Realm died. Your other suitor became the new Demon king, his name was Angelo, correct?"

I nodded slowly. "What does this have to do with me then?"

"Your healing powers are gone. In order for you to still have them, suitors from both sides must exist."

Ethan looked at me confused when he noticed that my expression was blank and emotionless.

"I thought you'd be shocked." he said.

I shook my head, "These healing powers have been a curse. I lost three people that I love because of these so-called powers. I'm glad they're gone." I said with disdain.

"You need them more than ever now, Celeste." Ethan said with urgency. He grabbed my forearm and turned it to expose the soft pale skin that was once marked by Daemon and Angelo's mark.

"I don't have any of their marks anymore, Ethan. It's been two months since they disappeared." I said tiredly. He looked at me incredulously before he pointed to my soft skin.

I gasped out loud when dark swirls began to form into the same forearm. It was a similar mark that Daemon gave me except for the snake that slithered around the intricate design of the roses.

Ethan cursed. "Where are you going to college?" he asked.

"Far from Los Angeles." I replied.

He began to pace across the grass. "When are you leaving?"

"In two months—"

"You have to leave now." Ethan said. Thunder rumbled in the sky after he said these words.

I panicked, he's hiding something from me and I could tell by the way he doesn't want to meet me in the eyes.

"What does this new mark mean?" I asked him.

Ethan ran his fingers through his hair continuing to curse. "It means that there's a new demon created in the Nether Realm staking a claim on you."

I froze. Could it be him? I touched the soft petals of the blue roses. This must mean one thing right?

"It's not Daemon." Ethan informed me, crushing my hope.

"You have to get as far away from Los Angeles as possible now. Because it's only a matter of time before this demon finds you."

I shook my head. "No, I can't leave now. I made a promise to my friends that I'll stay for two months!"

Ethan grabbed my shoulders and shook me hard. "Listen!" he yelled at me. "Word on the street is this demon is vengeful. You may not have your healing powers but you're still the Bridal Fruit. Every part of your body can benefit any psychotic evil creature that knows how to slice and dice your body and eat it to gain immortal life or any benefits your body has."

My eyes were wide the entire time he yelled at me and shook some sense into me.

"You have to leave...now."

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Xoxo, 

Angelique <3