Chapter 11

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Two months went by pretty quickly, and Mika's graduation day was coming up soon. I was so proud of her for doing well in all of her classes; she was ranked in the top ten students of her class. I could tell Sam was proud of her, too. Apparently, she had inspired him enough to sign up for the police academy and become an officer of the law. When he had announced it at dinner one night, everyone congratulated him and we celebrated with a trip to Dairy Queen.

As I laid in bed three days before Mika's graduation, I sighed. "You know, dear," I said, tracing invisible shapes on James' chest and abs, "I want to do something nice and fun for Mika and the boys. A nice short summer vacation somewhere. What do you think?"

James hummed, turning over my words as he played with a strand of my hair. "I think that would be nice," he agreed. "Something to reward Mika for working hard, and to also give them, and us, a break from everything..."

I grinned. "You've only been CEO for a month, and you're already aching for a vacation, darling?"

Him and Mika had talked to my uncle a few weeks after the craziness went down. Mika had finally worked up the guts to tell him that she didn't want to be CEO, and that she wanted to find her own way in life. My uncle took it a little hard, but relented and understood. James had then offered to take the position, and with the help of some faked documents stating that James had graduated in the top five from Harvard Business College... Well, my uncle didn't need much more convincing after that.

"Not for a vacation, so to speak," James answered, breaking me out of my reverie. "I simply want to spoil my beautiful queen."

I blushed, lightly whacking his stomach. "Oh, hush, you... I know you want to give them all something as a gift as much as I do. We all deserve it, honestly."

He kissed the top of my head. "You're right about that. Now, did you have any specific location in mind?" he asked.

I thought for a moment, turning over to lay on my back beside him. "Hmm... well, there's Hawai'i... Florida... Brazil... Multiple possibilities, to be honest. The location is up to you. I just want to plan some fun activities for us all, no matter where we go."

"That's acceptable," he said, turning over and using a hand to hold his head up. "Hawai'i sounds lovely. I've heard it's quite beautiful this time of the year. Plus I would like to explore the forests there; they have the most lovely flora and fauna."

I giggled, booping his nose. "My big nerd. Alright, Hawai'i it is! I'll have to research some of the cool things there," I said, feeling excited already. "I always have wondered if I'd be able to get a tattoo done in the traditional way of the native people there. Their tattoo designs are deeply spiritual and intricate; works of pure art and beauty."

James chuckled. "Alright; though save that for the last day of the trip so that you are not in pain the whole time. Out of curiosity, where were you planning on having it?"

I smirked, giving him a coy glance. "Oh... you know... I was thinking maybe under my breasts; something that follows the contours of them and ends in a point above my belly button. Perhaps something aquatic..."

A low purr left his lips as he trailed his fingers over my stomach. "Hmmm, well then... Who am I to object?"

I giggled. "You really love my breasts, don't you?" I asked teasingly.

"How could I not?" he replied, cupping one of them in his hand. "They're perfect in every way... Soft, but firm... perfectly sized... They fill my hands completely and then some..."

I blushed at his words, beginning to squirm. "...stop teasing me and get over here..."

I pulled him on top of me, and no more plans were made for the rest of the night.

. . . . . . . . . .

On Mika's graduation day, I pulled on a soft green and pale yellow summer dress, James matching me slightly with a pale yellow tie and tan vest instead of his usual attire. As I pulled my hair up into a neat bun, he leaned down and kissed the spot on my neck that he would always bite.

I giggled, pinning some loose hairs into place. "You know, I've been wondering why you always bite me there when we make love, dear."

James began to gently massage my shoulders as he answered. "It's simply an instinct for incubi with their mates," he explained. "Normally, I wouldn't feel the primal need to do so if you were a normal human. However, because of the natural demon magic you have, my instincts respond to you as if you were a demon as well. I'm not sure if Sam and Mika are the same. Though," he amended with a sigh, "knowing Sam, he may just bite simply because he likes to."

I giggled, rising and turning to kiss him quickly. "Either way... I'm glad," I murmured. "I'm beyond glad that even your most instinctual self sees me as a mate."

He wrapped his arms around my waist, bringing me closer. "Not just a mate, love. MY mate," he said, his eyes flashing gold for a moment.

I gently stroked his cheekbones, letting out a soft hum. "And you are mine."

Finally, all of us left to head to the high school. Mika had left earlier in the day to go back to my aunt and uncle's house to get ready. I think she wanted them to be with her for every important moment today; and putting on your cap and gown for the first time is beyond important.

When we arrived, James parked my Beetle next to Erik's fancy new car and quickly got out to open my door for me. "My lady," he said, holding out his hand.

I giggled, taking it. "Why thank you, dear sir."

We held hands as we walked, and as I gave a quick glance over to Sam, I saw that he had the widest grin I'd ever seen before on his face. I chuckled, bumping him with my elbow.

"Just think, when you complete the academy, Mika will me feeling the same thing you are right now," I teased. Then, I grew a little bit more serious. "I know that Mika's going to be looking for you when they all march back towards the school. You should stand by and give her a kiss when she passes. I know it'll make her feel even more amazing."

He seemed to consider my advice, then nodded. He bumped my chin with his fist, giving me a smirk. "Thanks, sis."

"No problem, bro," I replied.

We soon found our seats on the bleachers; it was kind of hard to miss my aunt waving franticaly at us. She hugged me tightly, then surprised the boys by hugging them all as well.

"Oh, I'm so excited!" she gushed. "My little girl is all grown up and graduating! Oh, dear me, where did the time go?"

I laughed, then went forward and gave my uncle a quick hug. "How are you holding up, Uncle David?"

He hesitated maybe two seconds before nodding. "I'm fine. I'm proud that Mika has done so well in her schooling. Did you assist her in signing up for classes in the fall?"

"Yes, I did. I actually helped her and Matthew both with that," I elaborated. "Sam going into the police academy made Matthew wanted to expand his education."

We settled into our seats, James sitting next to my uncle. "Mr. Anderson," he greeted politely.

"James," he replied, giving a small nod. "I trust you're doing well handling the responsibilities of CEO?"

James chuckled, putting an arm around my shoulders. "It can be harrowing at times, but nothing that is impossible to handle. I'm curently working on some concept designs for a new line of stuffed toys in honor of the late Mr. Anderson."

My uncle paused for a moment, his jaw clenching as a shadow passed over his eyes. "I see..." He trailed off, then composed himself. "I'm sure they will be a success, then."

Before anything more could be said, the graduation march began. I grinned, wiggling in my seat with excitement. As the students of Mika's class marched out and separated into their seats, I scanned the crowd in search of my cousin, Suzu, and Naomi. I spotted Suzu and Mika sitting only a couple rows apart, but Naomi was near the back. The ceremony began once everyone had taken their seats, and out of the corner of my eye, I could see my Aunt Laura already looking like she wanted to bawl. Sam also seemed a bit misty-eyed, but I wouldn't dream of calling his attention to that fact; he had his tough guy image to hold up, after all.

The principal, vice principal, and Mika's class advisor gave their speeches, and then it finaly came time for the diplomas to be handed out. My face hurt from grinning so much, though James was no better. He looked at Mika as a little sister, and was proud of her as well. All of the boys were.

When they finally called Mika's name, we all rose and cheered, clapping enthusiastically. Glancing at my uncle, I could see one singular tear going down his face as he smiled in a way that I hadn't seen since my mom and dad were alive. I was in a similar state, honestly; twin streams of tears fell from my eyes and and I felt myself practically vibrating in excitement.

As we sat back down, James chuckled and gently wiped my cheeks. "You have a bit of mascara on your face, love," he whispered in my ear. "Not that I mind, but I know you don't like mussing up your makeup."

I gave him a sheepish grin, wiping my face a little harder so as to get the stains off. I apparently didn't do a very good job, though, because James laughed slightly before taking out his handkerchief.

"You missed a couple spots, my queen." He used some of the leftover moisture from my tears to clean the rest of my face until it was spotless. When he finished, he kissed my forehead and wrapped an arm around my waist before turning his attention back to the student procession.

The boys and I cheered for Suzu and Naomi when they went up as well, though not as hard as we did for Mika. The boys had become friends with them and enjoyed the days when they would hang out with all of us at the mansion. When the last student had recieved their diploma, the principal stepped up to the microphone once more.

"I now present to you, the Class of 2015!"

Everyone rose and cheered as the students jumped up and tossed their caps into the air. Sam quickly excused himself to head to the bottom of the bleachers so he could kiss Mika as she walked by. As the student scurried around in attempt to find their caps, their class song began to play. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that it was 'Centuries' from Fall Out Boy. I chuckled, finding it very fitting for the occasion.

Soon, the students began to march in reverse order back to the school. When Mika finally got closer to the bleachers, I saw Sam reach out for her and hug her tightly before kissing her tenderly. I let out a dreamy sigh, feeling bubbly at the sight.

"Gahhh, they are so cute," I gushed, leaning into James.

I felt more than heard his laughter. "I will admit, I've never seen Sam so happy. Mika mellows him out perfectly."

My uncle 'hmph'-ed and glanced over at James. "I hope he plans on being honorable and asks to marry my daughter."

"I can say with utmost certainty that he is planning on doing so," James countered, his voice leaving no room for argument. "He is not one to do things half way; he may be rough around the edges, but he's a man of honor."

I nodded in agreement, and my uncle seemed a bit more at ease. Soon, all of the students had gone back to the school, and those of us in the bleachers rose so we could leave as well. Our rather large group took a little while to finally meet up with Mika, but we were able to find her by keeping an eye out for Naomi (that girl was part Amazon, I swear).

Upon seeing her, I rushed over and swept her up in a hug. "Ohhhh, my baby cousin is all grown up and an adult!" I gushed. "I'm so proud!"

I finally let her go, and James hugged her as well. "I am as well; you've done well, Mika."

She grinned wide, a light blush on her cheeks from all the excitement. More hugs were given by the other boys and my aunt and uncle. When we settled down a bit more, Erik rose a hand in the air.

"I believe this calls for a lovely night out for some dinner and dancing!" he proclaimed. "I know just the place; it's to die for."

All of us looked at my uncle, hoping he would agree. Seeing how all eyes were on him, he looked up at the sky in what seemed to be slight annoyance before he sighed and nodded. "Alright. But we are not staying out past midnight," he stipulated.

The rest of us cheered in both happiness and relief, and my aunt kissed his cheek in thanks. He smiled a little and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and then we all split up to head to our vehicles. Erik was leading in his car, I came up behind him, and then my uncle was behind me. We drove away from the school and towards downtown Chicago. The traffic was pretty thick, mostly due to other people having the same idea we did to celebrate graduation.

Finally, Erik parked in front of a relatively new-looking building. The neon was already lit, and the name Mysterioso flashed in the bright purple lettering. Intrigued, I got out with James right behind me; the others were looking up at it in aw and curiosity. I looked over at Erik, tilting my head slightly.

"This place looks new," I said.

"Yes, a new client of mine is the owner; she invited me to bring anyone I wanted as a treat," he replied with a smile. "Lovely woman; a shrewd business owner as well."

We filed inside, following Erik's lead. The sound of orchestral dupstep greeted our ears and I closed my eyes, humming in contentment. James kissed the side of my head and chuckled in my ear.

"I take it that you will want to dance after we finish eating?" he asked.

"Of course, darling," I replied with a bright grin.

Erik, meanwhile, was speaking to the host. He said something that made the poor man's eyes widen and nod vigorously. He stepped out from behind the podium and began leading us to our seats. I idly wondered just what had been said to garner such a reaction.

As we walked, I began to realize that we were definitely getting some damn good treatment. We went up a flight of stairs and ended up in a private dining area that overlooked the dancefloor and bar below. My eyebrows rose in surprise, and I turned my gaze to Erik, who sat diagonally to my left.

"Erik, just what kind of impression did you leave on your client?" I asked, chuckling. "This is some very high-level service."

The redhead only laughed in reply and gave me an amused grin. "My lovely client is very generous. I found out that she is from our birthplace, and she was full of nothing but excitement."

I fought the urge to gape like an idiot, and from what I could tell, everyone but my aunt and uncle were having similar reactions. Damien recovered before any of us though and looked calm, glancing at each of us as if to convey that there was nothing to worry about. I relaxed and grinned.

"That sounds wonderful!" my aunt intoned. "What a kind young lady."

The waiter came to our table and distributed menus, asking what we would prefer to drink. Since I wasn't quite 21 yet, I couldn't get anything alcoholic, so I asked for a Virgin Frozen Mudslide. Everyone else ordered and the waiter left to allow us to deliberate over food options.

"Darling, they serve kobe steak," James murmured in my ear as he perused his menu.

I lightly gasped and searched my own menu. "Really? Where? Oh gosh, I've been dying to get my hands on some of that."

He chuckled and kissed my cheek. "Page seven, my queen."

Turning to it, I fought the urge to squeal. A full page of steak options was displayed before me and I was in heaven. "Oh, I am sooo going for the teriyaki kobe... It looks delicious."

Everyone else talked with each other in low voices, the atmosphere warm and homely. The music couldn't be heard from up where we sat; most likely due to sound-proofing in the walls and the thick glass. It was fine by me; at least it let me hear what everyone was saying.

After a few more minutes, the waiter came back and took our orders. We all spent the next half hour chatting and laughing; during that time, our drinks came and I sipped my chocolatey concoction delicately, enjoying the taste. Finally, our food came and I practically vibrated in excitement. I dug right in and I'm ashamed to admit I almost cried at the utter perfection that was filling my taste-buds. The rumours about how kobe was the best beef in the world were so true.

Once I finished eating, I saw that some of the others had finished as well, James included. Grinning, I took his hand.

"Care to go dance with me, love?" I asked.

He kissed my hand in response. "Of course, my queen."

The rest of the boys and Mika joined us as we made our way to the dance floor. The music was once again pounding in our heads and I let it flow through me. When we got to the dance floor, I let it all go and began to move with the beat. James stood behind me with his hands on my hips, following my movements. As more songs played, he began to take the lead more and I turned to face him with my arms around his neck.

"We should go dancing more often," he said in my ear.

I grinned wide and nodded excitedly, laughing. He returned my grin and twirled me in his arms before dipping me. I only laughed harder as he pulled me up.

The rest of the night went perfectly, and when midnight rolled around, my uncle rounded us all up and ushered us outside. The sounds outside seemed so much quieter than inside, so much so that my ears were ringing.

Mika hugged and kissed her parents goodbye and we went our separate ways. When we all arrived at the mansion, I took off my shoes and skipped inside with Mika right beside me doing the same. We laughed as we opened the doors.

"Sooo, Miss Graduate, make sure you do those little sound-proofing and mind-blocking spells I taught you, mmkay? Cuz I really don't want to hear yours and Sam's dirty talk again."

She had the sense of mind to blush bright red as she punched my shoulder. "Shut up, that was not my fault..."

I smirked and leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Mhm, yeah right, whatever. Even still, I really didn't need to know that Sam howls like some kind of wolf when you spank him."

She turned even more red, and Damien muffled a laugh behind his hand as he walked past us. I chuckled, then schooled my expression to one of concern. "And think of poor Damien, Mika."

She only graoned and shoved my side, grabbing Sam and walking upstairs without another word. I erupted into uncontrollable giggles and walked into the kitchen. James followed me and gave my butt a gentle smack.

"You shouldn't tease her so badly, love," he gently admonished.

"I know, but her reactions are priceless. I can't help but tease her," I replied with a shrug. "But I'll try and ease up if you think they deserve a break."

He nodded and gave me a gentle kiss. "Good."

I smiled and searched through the cupboards, looking for something to munch on before bed. James chuckled. "Still hungry?"

"Well, I burned off dinner while we were dancing," I replied. "I've got the munchies. I'm just looking for some crackers or something light."

He only chuckled, letting me search further. Finally, I found a snack-sized sleeve of Ritz. Holding up with a small sound of triumph, I grabbed his hand and brought him upstairs.

. . . . . . . .

A couple of weeks later, while we were cleaning up dinner, I cleared my throat and shared a glance with James.

"So, who wants to go to the beach?" I asked casually.

"Huh? You mean the lake, right?" Mika asked, her nose wrinkling slightly in confusion.

"No, Mika, we mean the beach," James clarified.

"Whoo! We haven't gone to the beach in ages! Can we go now?" asked Matthew, practically vibrating in excitement.

"Which one are we going to?" Erik inquired as he picked up a few plates.

"Guys?" Mika said quietly; however, Sam spoke right after, not giving anyone a chance to answer her.

"Do we have to? I got shit to do, you know," groused Sam. Granted, he did have to study up on some preliminary stuff for the academy entrance tests.

Damien gave him a slighly taunting grin. "You want a vacation too, Sam..."

"Get outta my head!"

"Guys!"

We all looked at Mika, and I had to bite back a grin at her annoyed expression; my little cousin was too cute when she was mad.

"Yes, Mika?" I asked.

"We have a lake, not a beach," she said. "Where is the beach idea coming from?"

James and I both grinned, putting our arms around each others waist. "Weeeell... I got to thinking that we all deserved a treat of sorts," I started.

"We're suggesting a trip out of state to an actual beach," James finished.

"Wait, what?" Mika blinked in shock. "How would we get there?"

"Serenity and I have a jet scheduled for a non-stop flight," James replied. "Hawai'i is lovely this time of year, and the weather tomorrow is going to be perfect."

I giggled at Mika's dumbfounded expression. "Come on, girly, you know you wanna go! Might take awhile, but the jet has stuff to do. And also movies."

"We can always sleep on the flight, too," Matthew added, shrugging.

Mika seemed to get over her shock slightly. "When do we even leave?!"

I shrugged and looked at my nails. "Oh... seven in the morning..."

"Excellent! I'll pack some food for us," chirped Erik, clapping his hands together and rubbing them.

"WHOO! Man, I gotta find my swim trunks!" cheered Matthew.

"I'll pack the sunscreen; this will be fun!" Damien enthused quietly.

"Guess we're really doing this, huh?" Sam asked. He sighed, shaking his head a bit. "Dammit. Fine. Whatever." Then, he thought for a moment before smirking and leaning down to whisper something in Mika's ear. She blushed bright red and whacked his arm.

"Pervert," she mumbled.

I laughed, then let go of James' waist to clap my hands together and call attention. "Alrighty! Let's all get packed up! Everyone has to be up and at 'em tomorrow morning between four-thirty and five. Bring enough clothes to last four days, and then grab a few extra sets just in case. James and I already siphoned some funds for each of us to use on the trip into everyone's accounts. Chop chop, everyone! We're going to the land of volcanoes, hula, and Polynesian culture!"

Everyone quickly split off to go and pack their things, James and I included. We flew all over our room trying to get everything in order; we had one large suitcase each open on our bed. I simply tossed in whatever I thought I would need, whereas James took more care to pack in a more orderly fashion. I couldn't decide between two bathing suits, so I packed both. James was about to put his extra pair of glasses into his suitcase, but I stopped him.

"Nuh-uh, you're gonna leave the glasses," I said.

He raised a brow, giving me an amused smirk. "I am, am I?"

"Mhm. The wind could lift up sand and scratch the lenses, plus it seems troublesome to constantly take them off and put them on when we're going to be swimming," I explained.

He thought for a moment, then nodded. "I'll concede to that. Very well."

I grinned and gave him a big kiss before going back to packing my things.

The next morning, we rolled out of the mansion at 6am and drove to a private airport. By 7, we were taking off and heading to Hawai'i. Mika fell asleep an hour after we took off, her head resting on Sam's muscular shoulder. He would smile gently down at her sleeping form every time he looked at her. James and I stayed awake the whole time, wanting to make sure the flight went smoothly. We listened to music, watched a couple of movies, and played a round of Cards Against Humanity with Matthew and Sam. Erik and Damien dozed in and out, but mostly watched us play.

When we were almost there, I sighed as I played my card. "I am a terrible human being."

James raised a brow, but shrugged and set down his own card. Matthew set down his and Sam, who was the card czar, lifted them all and nearly choked.

"WHO HAD THE DAMN MASTURBATION CARD?!"

Matthew looked at James, and then James looked at me. I groaned and put my head in my hand. "I told you, I am a terrible human being... but gods, it was so damn tempting, I couldn't resist."

Matthew muffled giggles behind his hand and Sam handed me the black card, shaking his head with a smirk. "Mika has it wrong; I think the real pervert in the family is you."

"Shut up..."

The copilot poked his head back and let us know that we were landing soon. Picking up the game, we made sure everything was put away and buckled up.

"Thank you, Robert," James said. "Are you able to radio ahead to have a large taxi ready for us when we arrive?"

"Yes sir, Mr. Anderson."

"Very good, thank you," James replied.

Fifteen minutes later, we landed at the airfield. Sam woke up Mika and we all got off the jet and into the taxi that Robert had procured for us. As we drove towards the sandy beaches of Honolulu, I rolled down the window and breathed in the tropical breeze.

"Ah, this is so exciting!" I chirped. "Never been here before! Grampa took Mika and I to Disneyland once, but that doesn't compare to this!"

Matthew nodded, lightly punching my shoulder. "Hell yeah! It's so pretty!"

"Where's our hotel again?" asked Erik.

"Serenity found one right near the beach at a decent price," answered James. "We'll be stopping there first to check in and get ready before we head out to the water."

Everyone nodded and we enjoyed the rest of the ride in relative silence. I would snap a picture every now and again with my phone, wanting to have a bunch of stuff to show Naomi and Suzu when we got back home. I saw Mika doing the same, though she was more discerning about what she captured on film.

When we arrived at the hotel, a couple of employees helped unload our suitcases and sent them up to our rooms as we checked in. When James and I got to our room, I grinned at the amazing view of the sea we had from our balcony. Quickly, I grabbed my suitcase and flung it open, digging for my bathing suit. Spotting the berry-colored spandex, I pulled both pieces out with a small sound of triumph.

James and I got our bathing suits on, and I grabbed my pale yellow, see-through sarong and threw it around my shoulders. James packed up our beach supplies in a reusable bag and put an arm around my waist as we left the room. We met everyone downstairs in the lobby and headed out the rear entrance, which led right out onto the sand after 25 feet of grass.

Matthew took a deep breath in appreciation. "Pheew! Look at that view!"

"Wow... that looks so beautiful..." Damien was looking around him in absolute aw.

"I know, right?" I enthused. "The view we have from our balcony is beyond perfect, but this is still way better."

"It's just the beach," Sam said with a roll of his eyes.

Mika elbowed him in his side. "Hey, a real beach like this is a rare treat for a couple of city girls like Serenity and I. All we have in Chicago is a crappy, poluted lake."

James cleared his throat to call attention. "Let's set up a spot to relax first before we enjoy ourselves."

We all nodded, then settled on a spot on the shoreline facing out towards the water with a couple of palm trees nearby to give us shade if we should need it (even though we did bring an umbrella). I had suggested bringing a large blanket to use as a seating area, and it was a good call on my part. It would leave all of our towels free to use for drying off. Laying the purple and blue blanket out on the sand, we settled in and took in the sea air.

Sam laid down, stretching out as he let out a long, tired yawn. With a smirk on his face, he looked around at all of us. "Man, how long do we plan on being out here? We're not gonna splash and run around, are we?"

Erik rolled his eyes. "What else do you do at a beach? Really Sam, show some intelligence..."

Sam growled and was about to say something, but Mika laid a hand on his stomach and started tickling him. He choked out a laugh and tried to get away from her devious fingers, but it was all in vain. Mika laughed as well and made a quick escape. He chased after her and I chuckled, shaking my head at how silly they were. Damien and Matthew left to get some ice cream, and Erik joined James and I on the blanket.

I watched him as he pulled out a book, and I let a small smile form on my face. Erik stood, a small smirk on his face.

"If you two will excuse me, I see some lovely ladies who look like they're in need of some company," he said, his gaze stuck on a couple of local girls.

I let out a laugh and waved him off, James softly sighing beside me. When I glanced at him, he had a small smile on his face, even though he looked a little exasperated. Erik gave us a grin and a wink before lightly jogging over to the girls.

I gave my gorgeous demon a broad smile. "So, it's just us now, huh?"

"It would seem so," he replied with a small laugh. "After I finish a few chapters, we can head into the water. I started this awhile ago and haven't gotten the chance to finish it. I figured I'd bring it along and make as much of a dent as I can while I have unlimited free time."

I nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I getcha. You've been having a lot of late nights," I said, resting my head on his shoulder. "I've been getting worried, to be honest. That's a big reason why I suggested a vacation: to give you a break to breathe and relax. Aside from the other reasons I gave before, of course."

James kissed the top of my head before turning his gaze back to his book. "Thank you, love. Even as a demon, being the head of a business as large as your late grandfather's is daunting at times."

We sat in a companionable silence for a little while, watching the others have fun. Mika and Sam had grabbed a couple of surfboards from the rental shop and were out on the water, Erik was still chatting up the girls and looked like he was charming them completely, and Damien and Matthew had finished their ice cream and were now building a sandcastle. It was nice to see them all having fun, and the scenery and atmosphere only made it even better.

Finally, after about a half hour, James put away his book. "Shall we go swim, my queen?" he asked with a soft smile.

I jumped up and threw down my sarong, grabbing his hand and pulling him up. "Of course! Let's go!"

James ran with me into the water. I let out a small squeal at the temperature, but I quickly adjusted and started splashing around like a little kid. I let out loud peals of laughter, twirling around in the water. When I looked at James, I caught him staring at me with a gentle, loving expression. Taking his hand once more, I kissed his cheek.

"Isn't it beautiful here?" I asked. "The ocean is literally sparkling, and the scenery is so colorful..."

James nodded, taking his free hand and cupping my cheek. "It is... but it's nothing compared to your beauty."

I blushed bright red, glancing down and grinning like a fool. He chuckled and pressed his lips to mine in a tender kiss. When he pulled away, his lips still brushed mine.

Letting out a dreamy sigh, I whispered, "I love you, Raestrao..."

His eyes flashed gold for a split second, then he kissed me again. "I love you too, Serenity... my queen."

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A/N: Sorry I took so long to update this, guys. Been a lot going on and I also took some time to get back to my Ouran fic. However, I'm back in the mood for writing more on this one! To answer the question that you all might have, YES I will be covering the events of Seduce Me 2: The Demon War. I was able to buy it a few months ago and BOIIII HOWDY. It's so damn good. Michaela Laws is a gift and must be protected, I stg.