Page 89 of Gambling with Time

The sounds he elicited from me should be only reserved for making love, but damn, it was almost as good.

“Why weren’t we informed that there was another way to earn that?” Bellamy asked.

I lifted my eyes to his, and he tilted his head to the side as he waited for my answer. “It’s new. Probably good for the remainder of this pregnancy.”

“It is called sharing, Bell, deal with it,” Raiden said.

A laugh popped out of Alastor, but he didn’t say anything as Bellamy slowly turned his attention to Raiden.

“Kettle, black,” Bellamy replied, gesturing between them.

Rai lifted a shoulder in a half shrug. “I’ve gotten better.”

“He has,” Alastor said.

This was my life now. Full of everything I could ever want and tons of things I would have never thought to ask for but couldn’t live without. It was funny how the twists and turns of life changed you and made you grow. Even if you refused, it beat against you until you relented. And I was glad it did.

Their conversation flowed around us as Lex worked his magic on my feet. I just floated on the cloud of pleasure his fingers were causing until eventually sleep claimed me right there in the warmth of Lex’s apartment above the club where it all started.

Epilogue

SAMANTHA

The celebration was in the air, the palace was ready. Still, not even motherhood could prepare me for becoming a Queen of not one but three kingdoms. Yet the day had arrived.

The roughly two years had flown by in the Underworld. Time passed slower in the mortal world, and we’d put it off as long as possible. And I was looking forward to it.

Battles were won, and Osiris was no longer a threat, the demons had settled and life had gone on.

Junior kicked happily in my arms, trying to squirm from my hold as he caught sight of Grandpa Hades, his favorite grandparent apparently. We would never tell my father that.

Raiden caught the movement and helped our son down. “Go on, you can see Grandpa Hades.”

Junior squealed and wobbled across the throne room, demonstrating his new ability to walk, his arms outstretched for him. “Poppop.”

“Do I look old enough to be a Grandpa?” he grumbled as he knelt down and scooped him up, a wide smile spread across his face.

“Yes,” all four of my men said at the same time.

Junior giggled as if he understood what they meant. Hades shook his head and bounced him in his arms.

“I’m not that old,” he scoffed.

“No dear, you aren’t,” Persephone murmured, dropping a kiss on her grandson’s cheek, before pinning Hades with a mischievous grin and adding in a mock whisper, “but you do enjoy when I call you daddy.”

“Ugh, Mom,” Alastor groaned, slapping his hands over his ears in an attempt to not hear more.

Lex and Bellamy chuckled, while Raiden backed Alastor up. “We really didn’t need that image.”

“You will understand in time,” she replied.

“Look, Poppop, fly,” Junior chirped. His favorite words. Could mommy or daddy be first? No. Just Poppop and fly.

We moved as one to stop his shift, chaos breaking out, and Cerberus bounding between us as if we were playing a game. Bellamy reached him first, and Junior caught hold of his tail with a hiccuping laugh, breathing fire and setting the tip on fire before he flew higher.

Rai grimaced as Bellamy swore. Lex kept pace below Junior. His shifts were sporadic, and he could shift mid flight and tumble out of the air. Alastor and Cer mirrored him as they moved across the room.

My heart beat as fast as a hummingbird's wings, I would never get used to him turning into a dragon and taking flight.

“Such a good dragon,” Lex baby-talked. “Come show Daddy Lex how well you fly.”

“Daddy Alastor would like to see too,” Alastor added, concern deepening his cultured voice.

“Leave my grandson alone, he’s showing Poppop how to fly,” Hades commanded.

Never in my life did I think I’d end up in the Great Throne room of Tartus with Hades scolding us as we attempted to get our son out of the air. Hours before being crowned Queen. It was surreal and a little magical.

Cer nudged my stomach and our baby girl nestled safely inside kicked. This one was definitely a Goddess if her strength of hanging from my ribcage meant anything. And she would give her brother a run for his money in protecting her.

Could life get any better? No. I didn’t think it could.