Prim and Proper Fate (Twisted Fate Series Book 2) (17 page)

Despite Brandon’s complaints, they stopped in northwest Louisiana in a city called Shreveport, a few hours south of their destination. The only way they were able to convince him they needed a break was by William guiding the vehicle into the parking lot of a local steak restaurant.

“Hurry up and eat,” Brandon muttered in-between bites of rare steak. “I want to get back on the road. I can’t relax until Sydney and Lily are surrounded by well-trained Light Ones.”

Prim was torn about his sentiment. Gavin cut Lily during the scuffle, and a Chala’s scent was released when her blood was spilled for the first time by a shifter. For most Chala, this happened naturally when they were children, since most lived within a pack of shifters.

But for Sydney and Lily, neither had lived a conventional shifter life, so neither had been exposed until Gavin did it for them. He’d been cursed and had saved Sydney from another Rakshasa when she’d been cut for the first time. The result was that Light Ones from all over the country, and even further in some cases, had found their way to Sydney’s side, subsequently forming the pack that Gavin had led until Killian took away his curse.

Now she’d have to deal with the same thing with Lily. Except Lily did not have a mate who already claimed her, which meant the pack was about to become as antsy as a pack did when a female in heat was thrown into the mix. Lily wasn’t technically in heat, but the scent of an unmated Chala was equally as euphoric for male shifters.

“Damn Killian,” Prim muttered under her breath, as they once again piled into the car and headed north, this time with Brandon at the wheel. If Killian hadn’t decided to practice that stupid counter-curse, none of this would have happened. Prim, Lily, and Gaya would be safely ensconced on her island with the rest of the world oblivious to Lily’s existence. Sydney and Gavin would still be blissfully happy together. And Brandon would be leading Gavin’s pack on their next Rakshasa attack.

And you never would have experienced the best sex of your life, Prim
. Unfortunately, she was having a difficult time regretting that particular aspect.

Chapter 11

Much to Prim’s dismay, chaos reigned when they arrived at Killian’s house.

The pack was in disarray. Without a leader present, they hadn’t practiced regularly, hadn’t eaten formal meals, and hadn’t cleaned the house. A small faction had up and left, claiming they had no reason to stay any longer if there wasn’t a purpose to their lives.

Quentin had tried to keep them together, but he wasn’t as strong a leader as Gavin or Brandon or Sydney, and what little control he maintained had been fast unraveling.

Killian’s presence only added fuel to the fire. He had arrived the day before Prim and Brandon and the rest, and he hadn’t been at all happy to have a bunch of shifters still occupying his home. He bitched and moaned so much that another few left, claiming they’d rather sleep on the streets than spend another minute listening to the blustery, complaining Fate.

The pack’s relief at having them back, even if it was without Gavin, lasted only long enough for them to get a whiff of Lily’s Chala scent. Just as Prim predicted, they were reduced to a pack of wild dogs, strutting and panting and acting downright crude as they all clamored for Lily’s attention.

The Chala appeared flattered by the attention, but showed no distinct preference for any single shifter. Nor did she seem to comprehend that their attentions were sexual in nature, or if she did, she certainly was not returning their affections. She thanked them for their compliments and then followed Sydney around, helping to attempt to restore order to the pack. While Prim was a mother figure, Sydney was a confidant, another Chala, just like Lily, in a world in which there were so few. Prim wasn’t surprised the two women bonded so quickly.

Prim made a pitiful attempt to get Brandon to rest after the initial excitement died down, but he wouldn’t hear of it, and she couldn’t really blame him. He was a natural leader, and he needed to restore order before he could relax. She left him to his tasks, as he barked orders to all the remaining shifters to meet him out on the practice field in ten minutes’ time.

William was in the kitchen, pawing through the shelves and scribbling on a piece of paper on the counter. Shortly after their arrival, he and Quentin had gotten into a heated argument that had ended with Quentin storming from the house. Apparently, the two of them had been dating, and Quentin had figured out just how much William had enjoyed himself in New Orleans. Prim wasn’t surprised to see an open bottle of wine on the counter when she walked into the room.

William nudged his wineglass toward her, and she took a grateful sip. “You and a shifter?” she asked, arching one brow.

He shrugged and turned his focus to the bare cupboard in front of him. “It’s better than the human I had been crushing on before I met him. At least Light Ones are immortal.”

“So why did you fool around down in New Orleans, if you knew you had someone waiting here for you?”

He sighed and snagged the glass back from her, draining the contents, and then refilling it before handing it back. “I adore Quentin. I really do. I just . . . Well, you know how it is. Fates often have a difficult time maintaining relationships. As much as I hated having to pretend I was straight when I was human, I still loved my daughter, and even my wife. She was far more forgiving than most were in that day and age, and we learned how to live comfortably together. She had become one of my best friends. When I died and became a Fate and was forbidden from ever seeing them again, it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. And each time I lost a Chala . . . I suppose I may have, on a subconscious level, deliberately sabotaged whatever I had going with Quentin, thinking it would be easier than possibly losing him one day.”

Prim considered his confession. She sympathized more than he would ever know. Heck, she and Brandon shared some sort of emotional bond, yet she was determined to mate him to her Chala. She had always understood that being a Fate was one of the hardest jobs in the world—made worse by the fact that one didn’t have a choice in the decision to take on the position—yet recently, the career path had taken on a whole new level of difficulty.

“How are
you
holding up?” William asked.

She leaned against the counter, swirled the wine in her glass, and contemplated her answer. “I’ve just introduced my Chala to a pack full of horny shifters. We haven’t yet cursed Gavin and brought him back into the fold. Killian is acting as though he had no role in this entire situation. And Brandon and Lily act more like brother and sister than potential lovers.”

William’s eyebrows shot into his hairline. “Brandon and Lily?”

Prim nodded and took another sip of wine. “I wish I didn’t have to let her go at all, but I know it’s time. I was wrong for trying to force Sydney and Gavin to separate so she could see to her Chala duties, especially when Lily has been more than ready for a very long time now.”

“Yes, but with . . . Brandon?” He sounded confused.

Prim frowned. “Is there something you aren’t telling me, William? As far as I can see, he’s perfect. He’s strong and protective and honest and sincere and he has a considerate streak he isn’t even fully aware of. And that’s all besides the fact that he’s drop-dead gorgeous. His only negative attribute is his issues with cursing, and he’s made great inroads in just a few days.”

“Well, yes, Prim, all of that is true. But I suppose what I don’t understand is why?”

“Why what?”

“Why would you try to mate him to your Chala?”

Prim gave him a confused look. “I thought I just explained it to you.”

“No,” William said with a shake of his head. “You just explained why
you
are in love with him. Which is why I don’t understand why you would want to mate
him
, out of hundreds of available shifters, to your Chala.”

I am not in love with him
. Prim hoped if she said it to herself enough times, she might actually start to believe it. She was a Fate. He was a shifter. A Light One. The perfect mate for the last remaining mateless Chala in the world. They would make beautiful babies together. With Brandon’s stamina, they could single-handedly repopulate the world with Chala and Light Ones. While Sydney and Gavin sought out and destroyed the Rakshasa, Brandon and Lily could set about increasing the population of Light Ones, and humanity would never be threatened again.

Her plan was perfect.

Except it wasn’t. Every time she imagined Lily and Brandon together, her heart clenched, and she felt the most unusual surge of anger toward her Chala. She didn’t want Lily to like Brandon, she realized. And she certainly didn’t want him to like her Chala.

She wanted him for herself.

But that was stupid. She was a Fate. She wasn’t even alive. She couldn’t procreate. She couldn’t give him children, not that she really had any idea if he even wanted them. She would love to raise a few babies herself, but that was naturally impossible. What if Brandon had the same desire? How fair would it be for her to keep him from realizing his dreams?

Besides, all they had in common was really good sex, and who’s to say that wasn’t anything more than a result of the situation? Maybe they had been both so stressed out the release had been welcome, and sweeter than it would have been otherwise. Probably, once they found Gavin and restored his curse, the sex wouldn’t be any good anymore.

Yeah, right
.

The sound of the door opening interrupted her musings, and she turned, expecting to find Brandon in the doorway. But it was Killian instead. He stood there, swaying slightly, glowering at her through bloodshot eyes. She could smell the stench of whiskey from across the room. It usually took a great deal for a Fate to get well and truly inebriated. Killian must have drunk the entire bottle of whiskey she could smell on his breath.

She was in the bedroom Sydney had assigned her. It was taupe and olive green and rather drab, but she hadn’t expected much, considering it was Killian’s home. She’d been sorting through her luggage, trying to determine what to unpack and what to leave in her bags. They were only staying here long enough to get Gavin back, and then the pack was heading north, to a seventy-acre homestead owned by a Fate who was one of William’s very dear friends. Unlike Killian, Hilde loved company, and she was more than happy to share her space with the pack.

And when that happened, Prim figured she’d go south, back to her island. And with only Gaya in tow, undoubtedly. Even if Lily and Brandon did not decide to mate, it was well past time for Lily to select a mate. She would not be returning to the island. Prim’s heart gave a little lurch at the thought, and she ruthlessly pushed it away. She did not want to cry in front of Killian. She was still much too angry with him to show any sort of vulnerability in front of him.

“I see you found your Chala safe and sound,” Killian said, his voice slurred. He stumbled across the room toward the bed, where one of Prim’s bags lay open. He lifted a peach toned silk slip and let the cool fabric slide through his fingers.

“Yes,” Prim said shortly. Her fury with the Fate had only increased. First, he’d released Gavin from his curse, then he’d attempted to take advantage of her Chala when he was supposed to be protecting the innocent woman, then he not only refused to accept any responsibility, but he wasn’t even helping the pack prepare in case they were attacked. And now he stood in her bedroom, drunk and touching her intimate apparel. She snatched the slip from his hands.

“I didn’t mean anything by it, you know.” He picked up another piece of clothing and fingered the black lace pushup bra. “I was thinking about you, and I suppose I forgot myself for a moment.”

“Are you referring to the fact that you propositioned my Chala?” Prim said coldly, snatching the contraption out of his hand.

“Yes,” he said, and he picked up another article of clothing. Another slip, this one a red sheer one. He held it up and studied her through the gauzy material. “I’d like to see you in this.” His voice sounded thoughtful, contemplative.

“It will never happen.” She sighed and retrieved her slip. “Go to bed and sleep it off, Killian. You’re exceedingly drunk right now.”

“Yes,” he agreed. “I am. I want you, Prim. Come to bed with me. Let me make love to you. I saw the way you looked at that shifter, but he’s no good for you. Shifters are such . . . animals.” He wrinkled his nose as he said it.

Yes
.
They are
. She was rather fond of animals. Of one animal in particular. She doubted Brandon ever
made love
, per se. She found she couldn’t find fault in that idea.

“Killian, I’m not sleeping with you. Not tonight. Not ever. I’ve been putting you off for centuries. When will you finally take the hint?”

He scowled. “Don’t tell me you actually slept with him? That’s disgusting.”

“Chala do it all the time,” she pointed out. “It’s our job to ensure they do, as a matter of fact.”

“Chala are different,” Killian said with a wave of his hand. “They have to, in order to reproduce. If they didn’t sleep with Light Ones, the population would disappear. Although sometimes I wonder if that wouldn’t be the best thing anyway.”

“If the Light Ones disappeared, so too would the humans, eventually. And what sort of world would we live in, if the Rakshasa were the dominant species?”

Killian scowled. “The whole lot of ‘em should just go to hell and rot there.”

“The Rakshasa?”

“All of them. Every blasted shifter—every kind, every species—all of them.”

Prim cocked her head and regarded him for a few moments. “Why do you hate your job so, Killian? What happened to you, to make you this way?”

His scowl deepened. “Stupid animals. How do you think I died?” He flapped his hand at the window. “We were dining outside. Lovely evening. My parents, my sister, her new husband, my betrothed and I. My sister had only been married a few months, had just announced she was with child. My parents were thrilled. Their first grandchild. Everyone was hoping for a boy, except my sister. She wanted a girl.

“I remember my betrothed had taken my sister’s side. Said she wanted her to have a girl, too. Said she planned to go home that very evening and start sewing a dress. I hadn’t known my betrothed long, but I had already come to care for her. She was beautiful and charming, and adored my family. That had been so important to me, knowing she cared for my family. Because they were my world.”

He paused, and Prim watched his facial features change as he relived that date in his mind. Killian was one of the oldest Fates she knew, so these memories had to be in the far recesses of his mind. Yet he recalled them with crystal clarity.

“And then we were attacked. By a pack of Rakshasa. I watched them slaughter my entire family. I was the last to die. My entire family, my bloodline, my future, my life, wiped out in a matter of minutes, by a pack of damned heathen animals.” He spat the last word, as if he disliked even saying it.

“I’m so sorry, Killian,” Prim said, and she genuinely was. Rakshasa have preyed on humans for as long as they have existed.

“Hairy, bastardly beasts. I hate them all. Every one of them. I don’t care if they’re dark or light or whatever. A shifter is a shifter and I wish they were all dead.” The venom in Killian’s voice was palpable, and Prim winced.

“Is that why you released Gavin’s curse? Because you wanted him to kill Sydney?”

“No, of course not. I’m still a Fate, aren’t I? Our job is to ensure the Chala mate with Light Ones. She’s a Chala, so therefore she should be with a Light One. It’s how it’s supposed to be done. And the only way she will ever look at one of these other shifters in her pack is if the Rakshasa isn’t around to distract her.”

Prim supposed, if the world were black and white and there was no gray area, Killian’s motives would make sense. But that had never been the case, not even over a thousand years ago, when Fates were first assigned to Chala, when they were created and their job became about ensuring the Chala had mates and were able to create more Chala, more Light Ones. Love had always been a factor. Even when it wasn’t supposed to be.