Prim and Proper Fate (Twisted Fate Series Book 2) (22 page)

Chapter 16

“What happened?” Prim asked when they returned to Killian’s home and learned the Fate was nowhere to be found. Gavin and Sydney had retired to their room, after Gavin told Brandon to spread the word that they were leaving first thing tomorrow morning. Prim had immediately gone in search of Lily, needing to ensure she, too, was safe.

“I sent him away,” Lily said, sniffing and lifting her chin in defiance.

“What does that mean, exactly?”

“I killed him. He was having entirely too difficult a time understanding the word no, and frankly, I was tired of telling him.”

“You killed him?” Prim couldn’t quite believe what her Chala said, while Brandon gave Lily a look of respect.

“He deserved it,” Brandon commented.

Prim and William exchanged a nervous look.

“What?” Brandon demanded.

“Uh, Chala aren’t supposed to destroy Fates,” William explained, his voice nasally from the swelling in his nose.

“So?”

Prim exchanged another look with William.

“So we’ll undoubtedly have a visit from the First,” William said. “And it won’t be good for Prim.”

Later that evening, when they were in bed, Brandon asked her to expound on William’s comment. Prim lay on her side, with Brandon curled around her from behind, his seemingly ever-present erection pressed into her backside. His arms were wrapped around her waist, and he rested his chin on her head.

Prim blew out a breath. “I never reported Lily’s existence,” she explained. “The First doesn’t know about her. She’ll be furious for that reason alone. Because the First was never made aware of her existence, I was never technically assigned as her Fate. She could take Lily away from me, if she were so inclined.” It would be akin to taking away Prim’s child, if she had one. Considering she raised Lily from birth, she might as well
be
Prim’s child.

Brandon tightened his grip around her waist. “We won’t let that happen,” he assured her.

Prim wasn’t sure how he could feel so confident, but it was still nice to know that in his mind, they were, unconditionally, a ‘we.’

“We’re ready,” Gavin announced the next morning.

The day had dawned brightly, full of sunshine and anticipation. The pack was back together, with Gavin at the helm. They were ready to leave Killian’s home.

Gavin’s black Camaro was situated on the gravel drive, in the lead of a procession of parked vehicles, many that were trucks, which was terribly handy, considering they were moving more than two hundred shifters and their possessions across the country. He strode up to the porch, where Prim, Brandon, Lily, and Gaya stood, ready to send them off.

“You all set?” he asked, looking at Brandon.

Brandon nodded. “We’re right behind you. We’re flying out of Dallas, and our flight leaves in five hours. We’ll have just enough time to get to the airport, get through security, and grab some lunch before we have to board the plane.”

Gavin extended his arm and Brandon shook his hand. “If you end up changing your minds, we’ll understand,” he said with a smile.

“No way I’m living on that lonely island,” Lily said. “We’ll be back. I can’t wait to see snow!”

Gavin chuckled. “It’s March, Lily. By the time you guys get everything settled down there in the Caribbean, it’ll be spring in Michigan. You’ll have another seven or eight months before you see snow.”

“I don’t care,” she insisted. “Anything is better than that boring old island.”

Prim gave her a tolerant look. “There are plenty of people who would disagree.”

“What about the First?” Gavin asked.

Prim glanced at Brandon before answering. “I’m sure Killian has told her about the island. She’ll find us, undoubtedly. We’ll work it out.” She snaked her arm around Brandon’s waist. It was nice not to feel the need to deny her love for the shifter any longer.

They watched the entourage of vehicles drive away from the house and turn down the road, heading north. Prim felt a pang of sadness. She’d never been part of a pack before, and now that they were all leaving, she realized what she had been missing for all these years.

Family.

“We’ll see them soon enough,” Brandon said, accurately reading her emotions. “In a year, you’ll wonder at your decision to join the pack.”

“It’s the right thing for Lily,” Prim replied. “It’s time to let her live the life she was meant to live.”

“Just remember,” Lily cut in. “I get to choose my mate, not you. And don’t be surprised if the process takes a long time. A
really
long time.”

Prim rolled her eyes and Brandon chuckled. Gaya disappeared into the house, stating she needed to use the bathroom before they left. The three people remaining on the porch looked up at the sound of tires crunching on gravel. They watched as a sleek black limousine worked its way carefully up the gravel drive, until it came to a stop in front of the porch. A tuxedo-clad driver climbed out and hurried around to open the back door closest to the house.

As they watched, a leg slid out of the car. It was pale as milk, and ended in a pair of elegant silver sandals, showing off toenails painted the same silver color. A shimmering silver skirt dropped out of the car, and then a feminine hand, the fingers adorned with silver rings and the nails coated in silver polish, reached out and accepted the hand the driver offered. A woman stepped out of the car and straightened, looking at the scenery through a pair of wide, white-framed sunglasses. Her dress draped over one shoulder and was cinched at the waist, much like a toga, and fell to the tips of her silver sandals. A silver sash secured it to her waist, and a slit up the side revealed milky white skin all the way up to her hip.

If she’s wearing panties, there isn’t much to them.

The thought drifted through Brandon’s head a moment before he heard Prim’s sharp intake of breath. He shifted his gaze away from the strangely glamorous woman and focused on the love of his life. She dropped her arm from around his waist and moved away from him, subtly stepping in front of Lily.

“Who is that?” Lily’s voice was breathless, and she watched the woman with wide eyes. When Killian stepped out of the limo behind the elegant lady in silver, Lily’s lips formed a thin line, and Prim’s emotions turned even more tumultuous. Brandon wanted to reach out to her, but instinctively knew she needed to keep her distance. Although if she started to show signs of having an episode, she wasn’t going to have a choice but to suffer his closeness. It would be better to let the First know she was sleeping with a shifter than to let the head Fate know she was on the verge of mental collapse.

Was
being the key word there. As far as Brandon was concerned, he planned to make it his mission to ensure she never reached that edge again. Ever. She was his, and he had every intention of spending the rest of eternity with her by his side, in his bed, in his thoughts and emotions. She was his everything, prim and proper Fates be damned.

“The First Fate,” Prim said tightly, responding to Lily’s question. She forced her lips to curl into something that vaguely resembled a smile, as the woman finally acknowledged the group standing on the porch.

“Prim? Darling, come down here and give the First a proper greeting.”

“She refers to herself in the third person?” Brandon asked out of the side of his mouth.

“She’s a bit . . . eccentric,” Prim responded.

“William’s eccentric,” Brandon replied. “This is . . . weird.”

“Just wait,” Prim commented, and then she stepped off the porch and walked down to greet the woman who, as she had explained to Brandon the day before, was the first Fate ever to exist. This was the woman who had determined that Fates should make it their responsibility to protect Chala from harm, at least until they found a mate to take over the job. She looked pretty damn good for being well over a thousand years old.

Brandon stepped down behind Prim, and Lily clamored after him. He could tell Prim wasn’t comfortable with how close he stood to her, but he refused to let her face this alone.

“Hello, First,” Prim said politely. Following some custom dictated only to the Fates, she bent to one knee and waited for the First to place her hand on Prim’s head, telling her it was okay to stand again. Brandon fought against his own disapproval of the action, knowing she could sense his emotions and it would only add to her already high stress level. He did not think she needed to be subservient, but he knew Prim thought he was wrong. She had already explained that the First controlled nearly everything about a Fate’s life. If she were so inclined, she could take away Prim’s right to be Fate to the Chala. She would be forced to live for eternity, with no purpose whatsoever. Brandon knew she would go mad if that was the end result of this encounter.

“Prim. You look lovely today.” The First placed one elegant, silver-tipped hand on Prim’s head.

“So do you,” Prim replied politely as she climbed to her feet, ignoring Brandon’s outstretched hand.

The First glanced down at her gown. Her hair was silver blond, complimented nicely by the color of her dress.

“Oh, you know how the First prefers her white,” she said with a sniff. “But human society claims it is wrong to wear white before Memorial Day.”

Brandon considered pointing out that human society no longer wore togas, but he refrained.

“Do you plan to introduce your companions to the First?” the strange woman asked, her gaze locked on Lily, who fidgeted under the scrutiny.

“This is Brandon Haines and Lily Gallow.”

“Haines. Can the First assume this one was related to one of the lost Chala?”

Prim glanced at him before responding. “Yes. His mother was a Chala.”

The First nodded, accepting Prim’s confirmation. “And Gallow . . . That name sounds vaguely familiar. Why does that name sound so familiar?”

“Her mother was a Chala,” Killian supplied overly helpfully. “Although I can’t remember her first name.”

Prim threw him a dirty look. “Her name was Louisa.”

“Louisa Gallow,” the First mused. “Oh yes, the First remembers. But she wasn’t your Chala, was she?”

“No,” Prim admitted.

“And she was, in fact, already mated when she was killed.”

“Yes.”

“As the First recalls, she was at the end of her pregnancy when she died.”

“Yes.”

“Can the First assume this is the result?” She waved, encompassing Lily’s body.

“I feared for her safety. Her mother begged me to take her,” Prim defended herself.

“The First believes it’s time for you to offer refreshments,” the Fate said abruptly.

“Sorry,” Prim said, and she opened her mouth to speak again, but the First cut her off by turning to face Killian.

“It is your home,” she said curtly. “Invite the First inside. Offer refreshments to the First and your other guests. The First recalls you have a fondness for fine wine. Offer some to your company, Killian.”

Killian looked as if he had no interest whatsoever in sharing his fine wine, but Brandon had already figured out when it came to the First, no Fate said no. Soon, they were all seated around one end of the long plank wooden table in the dining room, and Gaya appeared with two bottles of wine, glasses, and a small platter of cheeses and fruits. After setting the table, she melted into the background, although Brandon noticed her gaze never left the strange, silver-clad Fate.

“This is excellent,” the First praised Killian, as she sipped the wine. She sat back in her chair and let her heavily shadowed eyelids droop over her pale, silver eyes. “The First is ready to hear your version of things, Chala.”

Lily gave Prim a questioning look. Killian shifted in his chair, clearly uncomfortable. Prim covered Lily’s hand with her own.

“She wants you to explain what happened when you . . . sent Killian away,” Prim explained. “It’s okay,” she added encouragingly. “Just state the truth. The First is not unjust.”

Lily threw Brandon a frightened look, and he nodded his encouragement as well. She stuttered out her story, ending with a description of how she had grabbed the nearest lamp and flung it at Killian’s head when he backed her into a corner and demanded she kiss him. Brandon felt a pang of sympathy for the naïve Chala, and wished he had been there to protect her. He had a feeling guarding two Chala was going to prove to be difficult for the pack of hapless Light Ones.

“The First wouldn’t want to kiss you either,” the First said with a disdainful look in Killian’s direction. “Of course, the First wouldn’t want to kiss
you
either,” she said with a pointed look at Brandon, “but the First sees this has no bearing on her Fates’ choices.” She turned to Prim. “You do realize he is a perfect fit for your Chala, do you not?”

Brandon didn’t miss the reference of Lily as
Prim’s
Chala.

Prim cleared her throat and spoke carefully. “Yes, I am aware of that. I’ve given it great thought, and—”

Before she could finish her sentence, Lily interrupted. “Brandon’s like my dad,” she complained. “No way could I mate with him.” She punctuated her words by wrinkling her nose in obvious distaste.

The First blinked, clearly surprised by the Chala’s outburst. And then she laughed. “A Chala with her own opinion. How delightful.”

No one was sure exactly how to respond to that. Both Chala in their lives had strong opinions. Brandon decided it was best not to point this out to the First. It wouldn’t be a good idea at all to remind the First of Sydney’s existence right now. A Chala mated to a Rakshasa was most definitely not in the First’s plans.

Conversation remained stilted, as the First continued to refer to herself in the third person, dropped snide comments periodically, and did not make any sort of ruling on the fact that Lily broke some sort of Chala-Fate cardinal rule by killing a Fate.