“Mornin’,” Ben said, his voice croaky.
“Good morning,” I said, kissing his cheek, before giving my father’s shoulder a squeeze.
My father wore a golden band around his finger now. He had married Kailyn nearly two decades ago. Both were still incredibly happy, and it was rare to witness an argument between the two. To this day I couldn’t express how much it warmed my heart to finally see him settle down with somebody who deserved him.
Next to my father was Lucas, also looking rather dashing in his uniform. He was floating near the ceiling, fishing for some of the larger guns we kept up there. As he descended, I realized he had cropped his hair short, which gave him the appearance of a military officer. Unlike my father, he had no band of gold around any finger. Although he’d had a number of relationships over the years—first with Adelle, who’d returned to the island soon after Ben and River’s wedding, and then with a slew of others—he still had not found “the one”. He’d been single for the last year, but he seemed content.
I was just thankful every day he hadn’t reverted back to his old self after The Underworld’s influence had worn off of him. He and Derek got on now as brothers should; they had become friends and comrades, even if they did have their moments of disagreement on occasion… but what siblings didn’t?
We worked together to fill up the cases with all the weapons we needed before picking them up and carrying them out of the Armory. We headed for the Port.
“Nervous?” my father asked, as he strode beside me.
We had gone on so many of these missions by now, there was little that could make me nervous anymore. Today, however, was a bit different. Today a batch of five new recruits would be joining the League.
“Just thinking about the young ones,” I muttered.
“But they’ve earned their stripes,” Ben reassured me. “Dad and I made sure of that.”
I nodded. “I don’t doubt that.”
A number of people were already gathered in the clearing before the Port as we arrived. Many here weren’t even members of the League. I pulled out my notepad and began to check off our members to see if we were still waiting for anyone to arrive.
Kyle stood with his wife, Anna—both now in their mid-fifties—kissing and saying goodbye to one another. Although we made it a general rule not to allow humans to become members of the League, Kyle was an exception since he never left the sub; he was in charge of navigating it.
River stood waiting for Benjamin with their seventeen-year-old daughter, Grace. My lovely half-fae, half-human grandchild. The story of her conception was a long one, but River had managed to turn back into a human to conceive; then, after Grace had grown a few years, River had chosen to revert to a full vampire. Ben and River were members… and after today’s induction, Grace would be, too.
Cameron and Liana—also vampires now—stood with Jeramiah and their also turned daughter Pippa and son Cedric. Pippa and Jeramiah had gotten married two years ago. All were members, except Pippa and Cedric.
I milled about, continuing to tick off names:
Rose and Caleb—without their fifteen-year-old human daughter, Hazel, and twelve year old son, Benedict, both of whom I suspected were still tucked up in bed. Rose and Caleb had turned temporarily so they could have them, and then reverted back to vampires once they were old enough.
Kailyn, who’d just wandered over to Aiden.
Claudia and Yuri, saying goodbye to their human daughter and non-League member, eighteen-year-old Ruby.
Mona, Kiev and their strapping half-warlock seventeen-year-old, Brock.
Ibrahim, Corrine and their seventeen-year-old daughter, Arwen.
Jeriad with the beast of a son he’d raised with Sylvia, nineteen-year-old Heath.
Aisha and Horatio, who, although married, were still childless.
Ashley and Landis, standing without their thirteen-year-old human son.
Zinnia, Gavin and their vampire son, Griffin, along with his vampire wife, Becky.
Eli and Shayla—who’d first gotten together shortly after my son’s wedding—married but as yet without a child.
Micah and Kira; Abby and Erik; both couples also still childless.
I paused going down the list of adults to count the number of new members. I’d spotted only four: Grace, Brock, Arwen and Heath. Hm. So where is our fifth? As I noted the absence of Vivienne and Xavier, I realized…
Victoria
“You know that after Kyle, you’re the second human to join the League,” my mom told me as she zipped up the jacket of my black uniform.
I raised my light blue eyes to meet my mother’s violet-blue ones in the mirror. She looked concerned, but resigned.
“Yeah,” I said. “If an assistant to Kyle in the sub can even be considered a real member.”
“You might not leave the sub,” my mother replied, “but there can still be danger. You never know exactly what could happen.”