Fifteen years later…
Crouching next to Inna, our seven-year-old little girl, I murmur, “Take a deep breath, then you slowly let it out before pulling the trigger.”
Inna nods then lines the barrel up with her sight. I watch as she inhales and exhales, and then her tiny finger pulls the trigger.
When the paintball splats over Cillian’s back and he lets out a curse, I grab hold of Inna and make a run for cover.
“Little shits,” Cillian shouts after us.
Inna’s laughter explodes through the forest, and it has me covering her mouth as I try not to laugh myself. “Shh, we need to be silent.”
“Silent my butt,” Nikolai, our eleven-year-old son, chuckles, and then a paintball hits my leg. “Mom, I got Dad,” he yells.
I don’t stop running and pointing my gun at Nikolai, I shoot him in the stomach, bright yellow splatting over his black shirt. “Dad!” he shouts, and then he runs after me just as Winter breaks through the trees.
Inna clings to me like a monkey, ducking her head against my neck as paintballs splat against my back. Dramatically, I drop to my knees, groaning, “Save yourself, Inna. Run.”
“Don’t be silly, Daddy,” she sasses me, and then she opens fire on her mother and brother. No one has the heart to shoot her, and I crawl behind my daughter for cover.
“Grown ass man hiding behind a kid,” Cillian mutters as he tries to get past Inna. Suddenly Cillian darts forward, and he grabs hold of Inna, throwing her over his shoulder, and it has her screeching, “That’s cheating, Grandpa.”
She aims the gun at his ass and pulls the trigger, and then I’m struggling to breathe as laughter explodes from me.
Cillian puts her down and drops to his knees while grabbing hold of his ass. Inna gives him a self-accomplished look. “I’m the Blood Princess. No one messes with me.”
Nikolai shoots me one more time, and then I dart up, and his shrill scream echoes through the forest as I chase after him. He got his mother’s speed.
“Mom!” Nikolai shouts as he darts through the trees. “Help!”
A paintball splats against my back, and then another. I come to a stop and turn to Winter, who’s grinning at me. I dart forward and quickly grab hold her, yanking her against my body, and then I smear the paint on my neck all over her face.
She lets out a screech of laughter and seeing how happy she is, I claim her lips.
“Eww,” Inna suddenly says, making Winter chuckle again.
“If it weren’t for eww, you wouldn’t –”
“Cillian!” Winter hushes him before he can complete the sentence. “She’s only seven.”
“I wouldn’t what?” Inna asks as Nikolai walks back to us.
“Your Mom will smack me. Let’s go wash off the paint,” Cillian says as he takes hold of Inna’s hand.
We walk back to the house, the atmosphere playful, until Dana spots us. “You’re not stepping a foot inside this house looking like that.”
“Aww, come on, love,” Cillian chuckles as he starts to run for her. Dana lets out a shriek and disappears inside.
“Everyone, shower before dinner,” Winter says as we walk inside.
We scatter to our rooms, and I make sure to lock the door before I follow Winter to the shower.
Winter opens the faucets, and then we undress, my eyes still drinking in the sight of her naked body.
“Come here,” I growl as I pull her under the spray.
“Did you lock the door?” she asks as she wraps her arms around my neck.
“Yes.” I lower my head and claim my wife’s mouth.
It’s been fifteen years, and I still haven’t had my fill of her. Another hundred years wouldn’t be enough, not with Winter and her fiery spirit keeping the fire burning in my heart.
The End.
