Escaping Destiny (37 page)

“I am,” he smiled and flicked a fang as he
leaned against the smooth bar top and folded his hands together. “I
would discuss sex in the presence of a beautiful woman, but I do
have manners,” he replied. “Adrian’s doing well, Syn. He’s
improving on the hunger and moving on. You don’t have to worry
about him anymore. I will watch him and protect him now.”

“That’s good,” I said before taking a big
drink from the glass.

“It is,” he said as he turned away to fill
Sevrin’s drink.

“Synthia,” Sevrin said with a nod of his head
and a smile playing along his lips.

I nodded at him and turned to watch Ryder,
who had left the bar to talk with Ristan at one of the small
tables. The entire group was happy and congratulating Ryder. Silas
had been invited, and nodded as I walked past where he stood on my
way to the guys.

“Oh I don’t think so,” Adam’s voice sounded
from behind me as he twirled me around and smiled down at me. “No
hello for me?” He sounded wounded, but I knew better.

I smiled and fell into his waiting arms. “How
did it go with your dad?” I asked. He’d sifted back to fill his
father in on what had happened soon after the fight.

“He’s kicking himself in the ass for leaving
before the fight started; he’s been dying to see a little action.
He would have loved to have seen you come into your own last
night,” he shook his head and laughed.

I watched from beside Adam as one after
another, Ryder’s brothers began approaching him and pledging their
loyalty and devotion to him. It wasn’t something I understood, but
in the end I wouldn’t have missed it.

It was unsettling. I’d lived my life looking
for revenge, and now it seemed like a waste of time.

I wanted Faolán dead for what he had done to
my adoptive parents, but it no longer mattered who dished out his
death. He wasn’t the type to just slink into the shadows and die.
He’d have to be hunted down and killed, and it needed to happen
before my children were born since he still thought he could take
my powers, and since he would know that one of my children would be
the next Heir because of the prophecy, he’d go after them as well.
No, he needed to die and it was time to allow the others to help me
with him.

“You seem happy,” Adam said.

“I am. I just wish Larissa was here with us
to see how this has turned out. She would have made an amazing
aunt.”

“She would have, but she’s not gone,” he said
as he pulled me closer. “She’s in our hearts, and she will always
be there.”

“True,” I said as I watched Savlian nod at
one of the women who had just arrived in the hall a few moments
ago. She smiled and followed him out of the room. Sevrin followed
close behind them.

“So this is how the Fae party?” I asked
curiously.

“Mostly,” he smiled. “Unless it is a feeding
party, which I hear is wild, but they still keep it classy,” he
said smoothly.

“Wild and classy don’t normally mix,” I
replied.

“Vlad normally keeps the peace. He serves,
and the men talk to females, choosing one or more for the night,
and then they leave. They got some major swagger. I’m trying to
pick and choose a few techniques from each of them. Vlad only has
to nod his head, and the women will go to the man who wants them
for the night. I’m trying to talk him out of his secrets.”

I laughed, but Ristan caught my eye as his
eyes changed and his face went blank. “Shit,” I said and headed in
his direction. Ryder tried grabbing his hand to see the vision, but
the shake of his head told me he hadn’t been successful.

We all circled around him, waiting for him to
come back from wherever Danu had sent him for the vision. Everyone
was silent as we waited, and Adam’s hand slid into mine even as
Ryder protected Ristan, even though he was in a room full of his
brethren.

When Ristan finally started to come back, his
eyes searched for me and leveled me with a concerned look that sent
warning bells off in my head. Had Danu showed him what I was? I
seriously hope she didn’t after the talk we had earlier.

“What did you see?” Ryder asked even as his
eyes went from Ristan’s demeanor to me.

“We go to war,” Ristan whispered.

“With?” Ryder asked.

“The Mages,” he answered.

“We are already at war.”

“Not like this one, Brother. Not like
this.”

“How many are coming this way?” Silas
asked.

“Thousands led by Faolán. They obtained a few
relics and think they have the ones needed to kill all of us. We
need to prepare for a war like we have never seen before. It’s time
to prepare.”

I shivered as his words slithered down my
spine.

“What else did you see?” Ryder asked.

“We have a secret weapon; one that will turn
the tables and change this world forever.”

I held his eyes and smiled. He hadn’t seen
me, he’d seen my mother. He had also seen what she’d wanted him to.
This was a fight unlike any we had ever encountered before, but we
would meet it head on and come what may, we’d survive it.

I took a deep breath and jumped in uneasily.
“Adam, go inform your father that we have need of him. We’ll need
the Shadow Warriors for this fight. I’ll also send a letter to my
father in the Blood Kingdom, and request an audience with him since
he is unwilling to come here. We need to send someone to Dresden,
and warn him of what is coming. He won’t think this is his fight,
but if he fails to come, tell him
I’ll
be showing up to
replace him as Alazander did with Anise,” I said, taking control as
I watched Ryder for a sign that I was over stepping. I didn’t see
it. Instead, I saw pride shining back in his eyes. He stood and
addressed the group.

“Call for the Horde to mobilize, and have
them start making preparations for war. Tell them to start
collecting the supplies from the Damned Mines. We will need
everything we have. The smaller Castes will need to head in this
direction so that we can easily protect them from coming to harm.
Call the Unseelie and the Sluagh in; tell them it’s time to play
with the Mages.” Ryder gave a battle cry as he finished and the
entire assembly picked up the call and sounded it with him.

I placed my hand over my abdomen and wondered
what kind of a world would be left when we were done. They had
taken away any chance of peace, and now I was glad I was beside
Ryder. This entire time I’d been running and trying to escape my
destiny. It was time to embrace it, and do what I had been created
for. It was time to prepare for war, and make my beast love me.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amelia Hutchins lives in
the beautiful Pacific Northeast with her beautiful family. She’s an
avid reader and writer of anything Paranormal. She started writing
at the age of nine with the help of the huge imagination her
Grandmother taught her to use. When not writing a new twisting
plot, she can be found on her author page, or running Erotica Book
Club where she helps new Indie Authors connect with a growing fan
base.

Come by and say hello!

https://www.facebook.com/authorameliahutchins

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