Fate Fixed (24 page)

The dirt beneath her vibrated from the impact of Torin’s perfect landing. With knees bent, and one hand touching the ground, he was poised to attack in a sprinter’s starting position.

Even crouching, Lexie could see his visible physical

change. His muscular frame was thicker and more defined; his movements precise and sharp while his gentle mouth showed the pointed teeth of a hunter.
He’s gone through
the change…

His searing white eyes, met hers and she couldn’t look away. The power they held mesmerized her, never could

she find them terrifying again. Through their bond she could feel Torin’s relief, his love for her overflowing.

Lexie tried to speak coherently through her sobs when a fierce pain dug into her legs and abdomen. Crushing her under his massive weight, Alik’s claws tore her flesh as he emerged

from the terrible shed. Like at the house, he no longer had the form of a teen boy, he was a pure monster.

Gasping for breath, she rol ed into the fetal position. Her wounds weren’t deep – but they hurt like hel . Pressing her hands to her stomach to stop the bleeding, she craned her neck in Torin’s direction. She would be damned if she was going to al ow her dream’s ending to come true. Afraid or not, she would fight for Torin.

TORIN

Torin’s body tensed as he circled Alik. His eyes locked on the werewolf, tracking his movements, looking for

weakness.

Never staying stil – Torin moved in and out, up and down, keeping his knees slightly bent and feet ready to jump. With each swing of Alik’s arm, Torin deflected his blow.

From the corner of his eye, he watched over his fate-partner. Lexie’s face twisted in pain; her fear for him flowed through their bond. He wanted to run his fingers over her; check her wounds and bring her home. If he were to leave Alik now, the young wolf would continue his kil ing spree.

There was no escape – Torin had to fight him, even if it was to their death.

In his monstrous form, Alik was a hostile threat. Torin knew the beast’s teeth and claws were his biggest danger. His jaws could crush his bones, slowing his defense.

A twisted grin crossed Alik’s muzzle. “I’m going to love it when she’s in heat.” His muscles moved beneath the coils of hair that covered his shoulders and chest.

Torin’s jaw clenched. Knowing Alik hurt Lexie sent fury racing through him. Throwing the wolf off guard, Torin rol ed forward closing the distance between them and delivered a sudden kick, blowing Alik’s kneecap out. With a throaty growl, he crashed down, dragging his claws across Torin’s shoulder.

Torin twisted away, seizing a jagged branch from the

ground as he jumped back on his feet.

Laughing, Alik pul ed himself up, his own flesh

regenerating. “Now I know your weakness,” his deep voice rattled. “I hope you don’t mind her damaged.”

With a running flip, Torin sailed the branch through Alik’s gut. Torin landed on his feet and dove between Lexie and Alik. His hearts were pumping; the change had increased both his agility and speed. Would it be enough? He must protect her, she was his life.

I couldn’t save Shane, but I will Lexie.

Alik looked down at the branch protruding from his flesh.

With a grunt, he ripped it out and crushed the wood in his

claws. “You can’t hurt me.” Blood dripped on the ground
beneath him while the fur covered skin of his naval interwove until closing. “I’l just heal.”

Torin kept his back to his lover – he couldn’t al ow Alik past him. Torin’s own ripped flesh blazed as it merged. If

damphyrs could die, Alik could too. He needed something stronger to impale the wolf with. Surveying the area, the metal roof of the shed was the only thing close at hand.

Reaching back, he tore off a three foot section of the grated steel. With a sudden spinning back kick, Torin drove his heel into the slab, careening the metal into Alik’s face, sending blood splattering across the dirt.

Enraged, Alik charged. His impact slammed Torin’s back onto the ground as he pounced on top. Alik stunk of a biting odor, his blood and sweat mixing. “You’re pissing me off.

Just for that, I’m going to make her watch while I tear your heart out.”

From behind Torin’s head, the heel of Lexie’s hand shot forward, and smashed into Alik’s chin. A bloody welt

formed as the wolf lurched back, letting out a high-pitched scream. His clawed fist pummeled her hand away, sending a shining object skidding across the dirt.

Her necklace, it’s made of silver.

TORIN

With his lips curled back, Alik leaped from Torin to Lexie.

She screamed as his body smashed into hers, opening her wounds. The smel of fresh blood was too much.

Torin somersaulted to the side, grabbing the cross pendant firmly in his grip. He slammed into Alik’s side, launching him off Lexie. The vampire in him screamed for release as he bit down on Alik’s throat. Ripping through the carotid artery, the werewolf’s hot blood gushed into his mouth.

Pushing off the ground, Torin launched into the sky while Alik bucked beneath him, trying to free himself from Torin’s jaws. Midair, Torin tore his mouth away and buried the cross into Alik’s gaping jugular. He struggled frantical y to rip Torin’s hand away as they slammed back onto the

ground.

Torin glared down with gruesome satisfaction as the skin closed around the silver embedded deep within his

opponent’s neck. Alik’s bulging yel ow eyes were stricken with terror as he grabbed uselessly at his throat. The lodged necklace seared through his poisoned flesh,

severing the wolf’s head from his shoulders.

Torin stared at the quivering body beneath him in its final death throws. He never kil ed before. His stomach was

nauseated and he thought he might get sick. Alik’s features
slowly morphed back into his usual teenage form. As Torin licked the last of the blood from his lips, the dawning realization

of what he had done permeated through the craving for

blood.

He hadn’t resisted the temptation to drink after al – he cursed himself to darkness.

Lexie was crying behind him. Turning, he saw she was

shivering as her body was going into shock. He dropped down beside her and tried to gauge the severity of her wounds.

“You have to get inside,” her voice whimpered miserably.

“The sun is coming up Torin, you’ve had his blood –

you have to get inside.”

He pul ed her into his arms and hushed her. “It’s okay,”

he whispered, kissing the top of her head.

She struggled to point at the horizon; the sun glowed just behind it. It was almost dawn. “Please,” she begged. “I need you… You can’t leave me.” Tears poured from her

miserable green eyes, her pain angry and unbearable.

He couldn’t do it. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her, but she deserved better. Through their bond, he could feel her love for him. She was wil ing to stay by his side forever.

If he was cursed to darkness, Lexie would be tied to the evil he would exist for.

Torin swal owed back his own fear. In the end, he had no regrets. Knowing she belonged to him for even the shortest while was more than he ever imagined for himself. She was

worth dying for. He looked down into her trusting face and gently shook his head no.

A painful sob burst from her chest, her fists pummeled against him. “Please,” she cried.

He held as stil as he could while she rocked against him.

His own tears began to stream from his eyes as the sun crested the horizon and poured down on him.

Lexie hurried along the trail. With arms outstretched, her
bare feet skimmed the soft surface of the pine needles
while her
fingertips danced along the bushes. Her heart
overflowed, she
would be finding her fate-partner around
the next bend. He
stood there like always, his beautiful
blue eyes greeting her
passionately. His dark chestnut
hair blew in the wind, his
strong arms waiting for her. He
picked her up, his touch
sending pleasurable sensations
through her. His mouth met
hers and she kissed him with
all of the enthusiasm she had.

After a moment, he scooped her up into his arms – his
grin
sending flutters through her. “What now?” she
giggled. “We
spend forever together,” he promised.

Lexie opened her sleep fil ed eyes. Torin lay beside her, his intense blue eyes studying her expression. He careful y touched the side of her bruised face, his gentle smile reaching both eyes.

“I liked that ending much better,” he spoke gently.

“Me too,” she whispered. She tried to pul herself up in the bed, her body ached al over. Her casted ankle poked out from the end of the covers. He put his arms under

shoulders, helping her sit comfortably. She looked around his sunlit room, trying to remember how she had gotten there.

He drank Alik’s blood. The sun…

Confused, she met his eyes. “You’re okay.”

He brought her hand to his chest. She could feel the

resounding double beat of his two hearts thrumming in

unison.

“Yes,” he replied, his expression turned sheepish. “Since Alik was a werewolf, he wasn’t human. I’m stil a damphyr.”

She could have beaten him for scaring her, but she was too relieved he was safe. Lexie pul ed him into her arms. She smothered his face with wet kisses. “Never tel me no

again,”

she insisted. She loved him so much; she had to push from her mind what culd have happened.

With a quick knock, the door opened. Braden’s blond head popped in, “Up for company?”

Torin gave his cousin a sideways look. “She’s just waking up. I haven’t fil ed her in just yet.”

As Braden entered, Lexie could see a flash of black hair coming in behind him. Her heart leaped, “Liz?” Happy tears sprang forth as she wrapped her arms around her oldest friend.

“What on earth are you doing here?” she asked, batting her tears away.

Liz sat beside her on the bed. “After I got your letter, I told Aunt Bev that I was coming up to stay with you until winter break, she gave me grief at first, but once I told her she can keep Dad’s monthly check, she let me come.” Pointing at Braden, Liz raised an eyebrow and smirked. “You sure

keep interesting friends.”

Braden looked uncomfortable with Liz’s attention. “She was at your house when I got there last night, she found your mom in the basement.”

Recal ing everything, Lexie’s blood sank from her face.

“And was there anyone else down there?”

“You mean the two dead werewolves?” Liz asked.

“Yeah, it took a while for me to believe it, but El a and Braden explained it to me.”

Lexie smiled, it was so like Liz to not get freaked out by weirdness. “El a and Mom are okay?” She couldn’t believe the

others were dead, that Alik kil ed his own family. What did they do with the bodies?

“They’ve been through a great ordeal. They both need

time.” Torin gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Your mom is stil pretty sick. Endel ion moved her to the main house.

She’l keep her comfortable.”

“She’s going to be okay isn’t she?” Lexie asked. As she looked back and forth, concern started to build when none of them readily agreed.

“We’ve been making cal s to the old ones overseas.

There might be a cure,” Braden said. “I have a contact with a promising lead. I’l be heading out soon as soon as I hear back from him.”

“I’l come with you,” Lexie insisted. “My mom didn’t deserve this. Those monsters made her sick.” She remembered

that Alik said it was a virus. There must be some kind of cure.

Liz shook her head. “No way, you have a broken ankle and a dozen contusions. Ruby is the closest thing I’ve ever had to a mom. I’m going.” Lexie noticed the hint in Liz’s voice as she glanced up at Braden. She thought she could sense some chemistry brewing. “Besides, El a is taking al of this pretty hard. Nicolai ran off and I think she had a thing for him.”

Lexie thought of her poor sister. She had already lost so much. Were the two of them going to live alone in the old

house after what happened there? Maybe Torin’s parents would al ow them to stay over until Ruby was better.

And what about Nick, what would happen to a fifteen year old werewolf alone in Maine? She wondered if he would

want revenge after what had happened to his family. She didn’t have a chance to thank him for getting El a out of the house or explain why Torin had to kil Alik.

Lexie sat back against Torin in the bed. Al of the

adrenaline from the night’s events left more than just fuzzy holes in her memory; it left a pounding ache in her head.

Everything was a mess.

Braden and Liz strode to the door. As they slipped out, they
promised her everything would work out in time. She cuddled closer to Torin, al owing herself the comfort of their bond. Even with head to toe bruises and lacerations, she could feel his overwhelming love and passion for her.

She was fated to be with him forever. It was amazing she found him so young. The two of them would have lifetimes together. As his warm lips traveled down the side of her neck, she closed her eyes and concentrated on the

wonderful sensations he sent rippling through her body.

Tomorrow she would decide what to do about her mother

and El a, but for today she would stay put. Torin was by her side and no matter what happened – he would help her

through it. As a soft sigh

escaped her lips, she relished the new ending of their dream and the promise of forever.

Read an excerpt from the second installment in the

Erris
Coven series:

Blood Twist
– Available Fall