Pretty Spelled by K.A Knight

Kyro

It’s our new beginning. For centuries, we have been alone. No more. Not with Rose. We will never be alone again. She’s everything I never knew I even needed. She makes me laugh, she doesn’t take life too seriously, and she astounds me with her knowledge and power. Her kindness and goofiness.

She makes me whole.

I guess what they say is true—sometimes, you’ll find what you need when you’re not even looking. I couldn’t imagine a life without her at my side anymore. Like now, lying on the sand, just absorbing the sun together. It’s the small things. The silence, the pressure of her hand in mine, and her smile tipping her lips, which still makes me breathless.

We have already conquered so much, but I have no doubt that over the course of our lives, we will achieve so much more, and I can’t wait to explore this world and our future together…with Salem of course. Even that furry little prick has grown on me.

He still glares at me and swipes me when she’s not watching, but we have a truce. We both love her.

Ever since we left the little town she grew up in, she has flourished. Her cottage is here though, and it makes me so happy to live in it with her. I don’t need riches, women, or fast cars…only her.

Always her.

It took me centuries to realise the most important things in life are not the ones you can buy, but the ones that are real. That’s what you search for in all those material things.

Purpose. Love. Family. Happiness.

Cassandra…my rose is mine.

I lift her hand and kiss it as an idea comes to mind. We have everything we could ever want or need here, but maybe…maybe there is one more thing to tie her to me forever, so she can never escape.

I almost smirk at that, and like she can feel my mischievous thoughts, her head turns and her eyes open. She looks over at me to see what I have done or what I am about to do. She knows me so well.

God, I love this woman with everything in me.

Even if she does sometimes turn me into a bat, threaten to murder me, or demand orgasms. And now, with my family finally back together, everything is how it should be.

Sometimes, things have to break in order to come back together stronger.

That’s what we are—stronger. All of us. Our parents might have been assholes, but they created some strong, loyal men, and after all our suffering and torment, we are finally ready to just be happy. Together, with our sister, we are whole.

We are happy.

We shine brighter than the sun that beams down on us right now—pretty hot, like my mate.

“Stop thinking dirty thoughts,” she murmurs, making my lips quirk.

“How can I not with you next to me?” I tease, and she laughs, the sound like chiming bells, and my heart skips a beat. All those wars, all the pain and loneliness was worth it…for her. I would do it again, I would suffer for centuries for just a moment at her side. I may be a sun god, but she is the one who makes me shine. She is my fire.

She’s my rose.

* * *

Cassandra

I finally have my coven, one that wants me…and it’s all thanks to Kyro. I never knew when I found those bodies, when I tried to stop a killer, that I would end up falling in love and gaining a best friend and a new family.

With the sun shining down on me, his hand in mine, and his teasing making me laugh until my belly hurts, I’m happy. I couldn’t have imagined this in my wildest dreams, but I am so thankful. We have the best of both worlds here—Kyro has his sun, and I have my plant babies and Salem. Not to mention our new business in town that I still escape to when Kyro is driving me crazy enough to make me turn him into an animal again…which, okay, I have done once or twice.

What can I say? I love torturing him, especially the time I turned him into a spider. I’ve never lived it down.

“We should get married, properly, like the humans do,” he announces randomly. Turning my head, I meet those bright eyes, and I’m struck all over again by his beauty, rendering me speechless and dumb.

“Huh?” I blurt, and he laughs, leaning in and kissing me.

“I said, let’s get married, Rose,” he murmurs against my lips.

“Do we get to consummate it?” I wiggle my eyebrows, making him grin wider.

“We can consummate it right here and now if you want,” he threatens and rolls on top of me, beaming down at me, his golden skin glowing in the sun. We hear a catcall, and I wave as I spot Dabria coming in for a landing on Nyre and then look back at Kyro. He seems serious now, lips tipped down.

“I mean it, Rose, marry me. I want you in every way possible in this world. Mated, married, forever,” he murmurs.

“You softie,” I whisper, even as I grin wider. “Yes.”

He sits up, his expression solemn, so I sit up too. “Good. We’re doing this right though, Rose,” he rushes out like I may change my mind, the silly man. He holds his hand out, forming something as he concentrates. When he unfolds it, I spot a ring, a golden ring glistening with a yellow jewel in it, held up by roses.

I look from it to him. “Rose, will you marry me and tie yourself to me forever?” he asks seriously.

“Yes!” I grin and leap at him. “Yes.” I tackle him and kiss his face as he laughs. He helps me slip the ring on, and I blink away the tears. “I still think you might be a murderer though,” I tease, and he laughs, kissing me again.

“You like it,” he whispers.

“Careful, I’ll turn you into a spider again,” I threaten.

He leaps to his feet, his finger pointed at me in warning. “No, don’t you dare.”

I stand and open my mouth, and he turns, grabbing Salem from where he was exploring the sand and starts to run away. “Somebody help me! She’s trying to fuck me!” he screams.

Laughing, I chase after him, hearing my family laugh, even as they ignore our antics. Kyro was right—the sun brings happiness, a new beginning, and love…

And he’s my sun.