The Third Fate (3 page)

The tea warmed Paige’s insides deliciously, and she popped a mini scone into her mouth before donning her wrap and heading for the door.

“
Don’t ye be workin’ too hard. Life is fer livin’, lass!”

“
I’m living! Brooke and Lara are taking me out later on. That is if I can stay awake,” Paige teased. “Okay, Sissy. See you tomorrow.”

She blew a kiss in Sissy’s direction.

Her aunt called after her, “Be careful, Paige!”

But the door had already slammed shut. Anna rested her back against the chair. Every year at this time she grew extra nervous for her niece. Her sister’s only child had become hers, and she’d promised to protect her. In softest voice of poetry, Anna’s lips mouthed the incantation re-enforcing the Druid magic that masked her niece’s true nature.

Alone in her home, Anna’s thoughts wandered to years gone by, years she’d tried in vain to forget. Images of her beautiful twin, Agnes, filtered through the boarded-up windows of her mind’s eye, flooding her with emotion.

Oh, Agnes. Why did ye have to fall in love like that?

It was pointless to re-hash; her sister had fallen in love - with a vampire. Anna was beyond arguing the impossibility of creatures of the night. She’d seen plenty to convince her. Agnes fell easily, powerless to resist once the undead demon had brainwashed her. Oh, Agnes had claimed she was in love, that her love was willing and uncoerced, but Anna refused to believe it. And then the unthinkable happened.

Shoving unwanted memories aside Anna locked them once again away, safely hiding them in the vault of her mind. It was dangerous to ruminate on such things. Vampires were powerful beings, psychically linked to one another and to sensitive humans that carried any of the old, strong blood of the Highlands. If they ever discovered her sister’s deception – or her own involvement – her niece, Paige, would pay with her life.

*

Mirrors lined the walls of the club’s powder room creating a dizzying infinity effect as the trio checked their reflections. Paige smoothed her fingers over the silky blond waves of hair that spilled over her shoulders, taming any strays, and applied lip balm.

“
Try some lipstick,” Lara encouraged, offering her the tube. “It’ll spice up your look!”

“
Thanks, but no thanks,” Paige countered, smacking her lips. “I’ll stick to my balm. Besides, I’m not a fan of a dark eye and a dark lip together.”

Applying makeup was not one of Paige’s greatest talents, but with her eyes it didn’t really matter – or so her cousins assured. With her wavy, yellow-blond hair and fair complexion, her slightly darker brows and lashes stood out starkly against pale-green eyes. A little shadow and mascara emphasized them enough that, at times, people stared a moment before complimenting her. Paige had never considered herself beautiful, and aside from her attention drawing eyes she rarely thought about it.

Paige was not a stand out sort of girl. Brooke and Lara fit that bill. Boisterous and fun-loving, her cousins shared their laughter and antics with many friends, whether at work or play. They had taken over their mother’s flower arranging business a few years ago, allowing Sissy to scale back her hours to part-time and enjoy life a little more. Meeting people, making contacts, winning contracts - that was part of their business, and Brooke and Lara embraced it with a verve and style that charmed all they encountered, slowly growing Triad into one of the premier flower shops in Glasgow. Paige often helped out on the weekends. Arranging flowers was relaxing and solitary. That suited her, being the most quiet and reflective of the three.

Form fitting denim hugged Paige’s slender hips, the straight leg cut and chocolate hued heels enhancing her long, shapely legs. Paired with a thin, winter-white sweater and short waisted blazer, the look was casual and sexy. Silver earrings dangled from her lobes, and her mother’s spoon ring adorned her right hand.

“
Come on! There’ll be no tables left if you two keep dallying.”

“
Okay, Okay!” Brooke giggled, yanking Lara from in front of the mirror and charging toward the door. “Let’s find you a fling! After that dream you described having the other night, I’d say you need to get a real man in your bed!”

“
Brooke, don’t,” Paige pleaded. “I’ll date when I meet the right person. I’m not a fling having person. It’d just be too weird, besides. I have to know someone before I can …I just can’t jump in the sack with anyone.”

Bubbling laughter gushed from her cousin. “You’re such a prude! No wonder Sissy is always fussing at you. I’m not telling you to hump everyone west of Charing Cross, Paige! I’m telling you to let go. Stop analyzing every moment and let each day take you where it will. If you meet a great guy who likes all your boring bookish stuff, then take him home and have your way with him! You won’t melt. Trust me.”

“
Brooke’s right, Paige,” Lara agreed. “It’s time for you to get back in the world of dating. Two years have passed. Jake’s gone, but you’re still here. He’d want you to be happy.”

“
I am happy,” Paige sighed. “You two just don’t believe me. I’ll meet a great guy when I’m supposed to. Now let’s not spoil tonight dredging up sad memories. I’m over it. Really.”

Paige turned and ordered a sparkling water, waiting for the sting in her eyes to ease. The last thing she wanted to do tonight was think about Jake. His unexpected and senseless death had crippled her two years ago – almost to the day. Her birthday – he had died on her birthday.

Just like my mother.

She hadn’t found out until a few weeks afterward. Jake had been another casualty of Iraq, not a military serviceman, a civilian volunteering to help the fledgling country get on its feet. He never made it back. To this day, she hated her birthday.

Shaking sorrow from her mind, Paige decided that maybe she should take Lara and Brooke’s advice. She scanned the crowd, the sea of faces blurring together in endless revelry. A heavy sigh escaped her, and suddenly she felt bone-weary.

I don’t belong here.

Since childhood the sense that she was different, not in outward appearances but inside, a puzzle piece in the wrong box, persisted in Paige’s heart. Strobe lights flashed, bodies bounced in time with the drumming beat, laughter and conversation drifted in the air, but she felt disconnected from it all. Different. Other.

Tonight her agitation was more pronounced. Strains from at least five separate conversations rang in her ears and music layered on top of that along with overpowering smells. Her stomach roiled, overloaded with sight, sound, movement. It was as if she saw everyone and everything at once. Panic flooded her mind.

What in all of Hades is going on with me?

She had to get out of the place! Fixing her eyes on the exit Paige wove her way through the crowd, the press of bodies seeming to close in on her from all sides. Not a moment too soon she burst through the door, squeezing her eyes tight and breathing the cool night air greedily. Large gatherings had always been uncomfortable, but never before had she reacted so strongly. Hurrying around the corner, hoping no one had seen her crazy dash for the exit, Paige backed against the white-washed exterior, putting her head between her knees and breathing deeply. The pounding of her heart slowed, and the chilled autumn night cooled her skin.

“
Are you all right?”

The deep voice startled her.

Okay. You hear all the conversations going on around yourself but can’t hear this guy walk right up to you? That’s just great, Paige.

“
I am. Thanks.” She smiled sheepishly in the direction of the stranger, unable to discern his appearance in the shadows. “I probably got a little overheated. That’s all.”

She thought he would approach her, but suddenly he turned and disappeared into the darkness.

“
There you are!” Brooke yelled, flitting over to her. “We didn’t know where you’d gone off to. What are you doing out here? It’s freezing!”

Lara stood a few meters behind Brooke, ready to jump back inside where it was warm.

“
I’m not feeling so well, guys. I think I’m going to head home.”

“
Are you sure, Paige?” Lara walked over, forgetting about the cold. “We can go with you if you’re feeling poorly.”

“
No, no. I’m not as bad as all that. Stay and have a good time. I think I just need to get some rest.” She grinned at the pair of them, long faced at her leaving. “I didn’t sleep so well the last several nights, remember?”

“
Right then!” Lara cheered up, winking teasingly. “Ring me up in the morning.”

“
Love and such,” Brooke said flippantly, kissing her cheeks. “And don’t forget about brunch. We’ve got all the fresh flowers coming in right after, and we’ll have to have everything arranged for the Miller wedding at two o’clock.”

Thankfully her flat was close by. Paige didn’t have the energy to go much further. The black panel-box door awaited her patiently, a beacon for her tired eyes as she marched up the front stairs and turned her key in the lock. Lemon infused air greeted her nostrils, the furniture polish’s potent aroma hanging thick in her little flat, and the simple welcome had the corners of her mouth curving in contentment.

Home.

A luxurious, scalding soak, cotton sleep wear, and hot toddy – in that order – were just the remedies her inner doctor ordered. Then she would sink into her comfortable bed and sleep until she woke on her own. Tomorrow was Saturday. After enjoying a lively brunch with Sissy and her cousins and once she was satisfied with the Millers’ reception table arrangements, Paige planned to head over to the library to indulge in her favorite pastime, reading on Druidism and magic. Currently working through a volume dealing with the legend and lore of the Druid religion, she hoped the text would be available. Having been born on Samhain and with the holiday upcoming, Paige had delved into the mysteries of the ancient religion with relish, losing hours in blissful perusal of the documented accounts of Druid ritual and practice.

Familiar creaks from the stairs accompanied her ascent to the bath, the day’s exhaustion forgotten within the comfort of home. Piling her hair atop her head she sank into the warmth of the filling tub and sighed in her joy. The stereo emitted soft white-noise, the news announcer’s monotone recitation of world events relieving the too quiet of the house.

Darkness claimed the last remnants of rose and purple in the western sky, dropping its curtain on the final act of day. Paige smiled, wondering if her cousins were having success in finding their ‘Mr. Rights’ tonight, hopeful for them. That just wasn’t her style. It had taken her twenty-two years to find Jake – or more so, he found her. The thought of another man finding her as wonderful as Jake had seemed improbable. Jake had accepted her for who she was. And he’d not once complained about turtleneck sweaters. At twenty-seven, she wondered if she’d remain alone forever.

She shivered in spite of the curling steam surrounding her. That was her greatest fear. To be utterly alone. Her irrational fear most likely stemmed from having lost both her parents before she ever knew them, but that knowledge did nothing to alleviate her worry. She didn’t even know her father’s name; her mother, according to Sissy, had never explained the situation. She had her Sissy. She had Brooke and Lara. But more than anything Paige wanted her own family. She wanted to belong.

Wrapped in a terry robe Paige padded to her bedroom, slipping beneath the covers after dimming the lights. Want of sleep prompted her to down a whiskey laced cup of hot tea, not her usual fare, and within fifteen minutes she was fast asleep.

Outside, from the second story window ledge Cael watched with undeniable and growing hunger. Daylight had prevented earlier arrival, but as the blanket of night draped over the city, the lure of her, her scent, her blood, her body, slowly consumed every wakeful thought. He had sworn not go to her, fearing his desire after his mind had linked to hers in their shared dreams. Yet he found himself outside her bedroom window, awaiting her slip into the unconsciousness of sleep to gain his entry. He had entered her home before, but tonight she was already within, and he must have an invitation.

The call of her blood allowed no respite, no relief. He needed her as the mortals needed air, tasting her thick blood spilling over his tongue while she was wrapped around his cock, her body drawing his seed from him in mimicry of his drawing of her life-blood. Damn the Council and their rules. Cael could offer no sound reason to explain his reaction to this woman; in time he would. Cael Maccinnis hadn’t played by the Council’s rules in a very long time.

Call me to yerself, lass.

His silent command was heard only in her mind.

Remember writhing against me in the night…the pleasure of my bite…yer want for more. I’ve come to ye again. Welcome me.

She stirred beneath the bed covering, arching toward the phantom presence in her memory, the sight elongating Cael’s fangs in anticipation. The power of his desire had the saner half of him desperate for her to admit him quickly, before the call to possess her flesh in dual indulgence consumed him completely. He was losing ground by the second.

Eyes open, Paige Kinnell whispered the words aloud, loosing the fetters which kept him from her.

“
Come to me.”

The window unlatched by his order, and he stood over her bedside. Beholding her delicate beauty Cael Maccinnis fought to maintain some measure of control, her fragile humanity a foreign entity to him. He was eternal. She, like chaff, would fade in the blink of an eye. He could change that.