Bound by Destiny

by Stephanie Yarns

  “I see,” Micah said. Kneeling in from of Eve, he took her glowing hand. “Eve, please look at me.”

  She shook her head, refusing herself as much as him.

  “You can’t do this to yourself. Stop beating yourself up for something you can’t control.”

  She cracked an eye. “Things like this aren’t supposed to happen.” She tightened her fingers around his as Gideon stroked the length of her hair.

  “Says who?” Micah asked.

  She frowned.

  “Says the society that you grew up in? People that think they have a right to your private life?” Gideon asked.

  He had a point. One that she knew. It didn’t bother her when she was younger. Why now? It wasn’t like she was going to fall for any of them. That would be disastrous.

  But she wasn’t that young girl anymore. Could she simply indulge and not develop anything other than friendship with these men? What was going to happen after she was cut loose from them? She wasn’t going to be making booty calls from two states away. Just a clean break.

  “Eve, we are the last people to judge. And no one here is going to make you do anything you don’t want to do,” Micah said, and she laughed.

  “That’s the thing though, isn’t it? I want to.” Keeping the blanket wrapped around her, she pulled her hand from Micah’s and stood, leaving Gideon’s warmth. She stepped away from them. It was time to be adult about the situation. She could keep her feelings in check. She was strong enough for that. But she wouldn’t deny herself either. Life was short.

  Lifting her head, she turned to face them. “You win.”

  Micah cocked his head to the side and gave her a smile she had never seen before. Wicked. The gleam in his dark green eyes matched the smile. “No, Eve, I think you’ll find that you’ll come out on top.”

  Her mouth went dry at the heat in his gaze. The only thing she could do was turn and walk out of the room. She needed a cold shower.

  #

  Of all the people to run into in the hallway. She flushed at Sebastian’s arched brow as he glanced at her blanket.

  “Could he not offer you a robe?” Laughter laced his voice and she took a deep breath.

  Of course she felt nothing from him. Not a lick of what he was feeling. That was so… unnerving. “I…” What could she say to him? Should she apologize? He was her first. Well, among the household.

  “I hate repeating myself.” His smile took the sting out of the words. “We’ve discussed this, remember.”

  She nodded slightly. “You’re really fine with it?”

  He touched her nose in a gesture she was growing entirely too fond of. “Idiot.” He grinned, throwing her words back at her. “Don’t project your emotions on me.” He dropped a kiss on her upturned lips and continued down the hall.

  She stood looking after him until warm hands covered her bare shoulders, pushing her into her room. “I couldn’t have said it better.” Gideon chuckled. “Now, go. Shower. We have to get you fed.”

  She turned and stepped into his arms. They closed around her and she closed her eyes, just listening to his heartbeat. His head rested on hers for a moment before he swatted her blanket-covered bottom.

  “Shower. Now. Don’t make me tell you twice. I’ll have to spank you.”

  Feeling lighter now, having seen Sebastian’s reaction to her leaving another man’s room, she laughed. “Maybe I want you to,” she said, turning and sauntering away.

  Gideon watched her until the door closed behind her. A slight groan escaped his lips before he closed them tight. He had no idea why he did that the night before, but her response to it was… shattering. He could say that he did it because he was hoping that she wouldn’t like it. He could have put distance between them then. But no, she had to love the bite, didn’t she?

  Then he had to go and make one of the biggest mistakes of his extremely long life.

  He let her take control.

  Running his hand through his hair, he sat on her bed, facing away from the door. If he saw her come through it now, he would have her again. After what felt like ages, his hands finally stopped trembling. Maybe he wouldn’t be so off-kilter after he hunted. The door opened and he straightened, assuming the mantle of one who was always in control.

  “Gideon?”

  He turned, unable to do anything else.

  “Yes, beautiful?” he asked.

  “What is Essie?”

  He cleared his throat. “Put some clothes on. We’ll talk after that.”

  Eve’s laughter was sin as it crawled over his skin. “Whatever you say, master.”

  His hands clenched but he forced them back open. Hopefully before she could see.

  “Not now. Not tonight. Not even tomorrow night. But soon, you will say that in a whole new way. That is a promise I’ll enjoy keeping.” He looked up at her and smiled at the look on her face. Her eyes were wide, wider than he had ever seen them, and her lips parted. He could hear the quick breath she pulled in.

  What had he done?

  “Meet me in the kitchen when you’re done.” He stood, hurried over to her, kissed her forehead before almost running from the room.

  #

  Eve watched him leave with her heart thumping in her throat.

  What had she done? Her knees threatened to give way a few times during the short trip to her dresser. How could he do that to her? Just a few words and she was a mess. Getting her clothing pulled on was just as difficult. Had she been stronger, she might have ruined the dark gold sweater.

  “Get a grip, Eve,” she muttered to herself.

  Her phone was still in Gideon’s room. The sight of Micah standing in the hallway made her smile. He still didn’t leave her by herself when he left her room. Hurrying into Gideon’s room, she grabbed the phone before noticing the red on his sheets. Her nails had cut into him. The blood evidence of what they shared. She grinned and left, taking Micah’s hand and letting him lead her to the kitchen. She gave him a tight hug before he left, going for a run. But she knew better, didn’t she.

  Gideon was already sitting at the island when she got there, a tray in front of him. He patted the seat next to him. “Seemed a shame to have your meal in the dining room,” he said with a rueful curve to his lips.

  “It would be, and I thank you all for pretending for me.” She eased up onto the seat beside him. “But it was also a huge waste of money.”

  “You’re welcome,” he said before turning his chair to face hers. “And no, it wasn’t. Not really.”

  She laughed before pulling the silver dome off her dish. This time there was a crusted baked salmon with steamed green beans. “Gideon, you might be made of money, but throwing out all that meat you guys didn’t eat is still a waste.”

  She glanced up at him at his silence. “Eve, we didn’t have anything.”

  “No, you did. The cart was full of dishes. I saw Essie put them out. We all had the same thing. Jeeze, memory problems in your old age?”

  “Not a one,” Gideon said. “My memory is faultless. But…”

  She paused, the fork right at her lips. She slowly took the bite. The probably delicious fish tasted like cardboard at the tone and the pause. She swallowed. “What?”

  “Your memory is fallible to us. I made you see something that wasn’t there.”

  Something tickled her memory. Not about that night. But her first night. He told her to sleep. She was terrified but she did what he said. Sebastian too. “You mean to say that I am fallible.” She set her fork down with a calmness that she didn’t feel.

  “Yeah, princess, that’s what he’s saying.”

  She closed her eyes at Fallon’s words. No. She would not freak out in front of him. There would be no need for Micah. She would keep calm, damn it. She felt him sit on her other side. His anger threatened to spark her own. Anger she was barely keeping a hold on. Along with fear.

  “Fallon.”

  She really wanted to smile at the growl in Gideon’s voice. The warning clear t
o anyone with ears.

  “It’s okay, Gideon,” she said. “He’s fine.”

  Fallon let out a sound that she never expected to hear from him.

  “Gideon!” He got out. “She said I’m fine!” He roared with laughter and she finally looked at him. His hands were over his face, he was laughing so hard. “That’s so fucked up on every level. I love it.”

  “Fallon, please stop. Just for a few minutes. I need to understand something,” Eve said.

  “Sure thing.” He turned away and his laughter eased.

  She turned back to level a look at Gideon. “You can mess with my mind. Make me do things. Make me see things that aren’t there.”

  Gideon could recognize the tight control she had on herself. “Yes. We can.” He took a breath, ready to negate whatever accusation she was going to throw at him.

  But she didn’t. She looked away and took another bite of her dinner.

  After a moment, she took a breath. “For the love of… whatever, please. Just please, tell me none of you have made me feel what I feel.” She couldn’t look at him. Wouldn’t look at him. Didn’t she just have a fight with herself over this?

  “Eve.”

  She found herself turning and despite everything inside her, she met his eyes.

  “If I didn’t want you to know, I wouldn’t have told you.” He frowned. “I swear to you, none of us have tampered with your emotions. We can’t. Well, maybe Micah. But that is only because of your link.” He took her hands in his. “We can make you do things, which I know is horrible, and we can make you see things, to a degree. Can even tell what you are thinking at times. But we can’t make you feel anything.”

  She stared at him, searching for anything hidden in the hazel brown of his eyes. Finally, her shoulders relaxed, and she squeezed his hands. “Do me a favor?”

  “Anything.”

  His quick reply made her smile. “Stay out of my head?”

  “I promise.”

  “Now, what is Essie?” she said, turning back to her plate. She took a bite and could taste the delicate sauce meant to enhance the flavor of the fish. “Because, whatever she is, she cooks like a dream.”

  “She is actually not a she,” Gideon said. “You obviously see a woman, due to the ‘she’, but it takes on whatever form it needs for any given situation.”

  “We don’t see it the same as you,” Fallon said from her right. “What do you see?”

  Eve gave him a quick glance. “I’m not telling you anything until you show me your eyes,” she said with a tight smile.

  “Why is that so important to you?” he asked, genuinely curious.

  “I need to know that it’s not me that you want to destroy.”

  “Why do you think I want to destroy?”

  “I can feel it,” she said, staring at the half smile on his lips. His head was propped on his hand and he appeared to not have a care in the world.

  “Oh, yeah. The Fae thing.”

  She nodded slightly as he raised his hand and captured a lock of her hair, twisting it around his fingers. He pulled the length up to his lips and took a deep breath. There was a hint of a new emotion coming from him now, gone before she could begin to make out what it was.

  He muttered a curse, letting go of her. “I guess you’ll never know, princess,” he said before he vanished.

  “I don’t understand him,” she said, spinning around to Gideon.

  “Only time can explain him,” he said softly, looking at the door. She could only guess as to that being the direction he went. “Suffice to say that he’s been through more than any of us.”

  She was quiet for a moment. “Grief.” She finally figured out what it was, that new thing she had glimpsed.

  “Most likely.”

  She had to get away from that feeling. Now that she knew what it was, she could recognize it as having been there all along. Only it was buried deep beneath the hatred. She took a shuddery breath. “Back to Essie.”

  “Essie belongs to Japanese mythology. It’s called a Kitsune. Like I said already, it can take on different appearances. In your case, it appears as a woman. I’m going to presume that she looks something like someone you care about?”

  “She looks similar to my Nana.” She looked away, blinking sudden tears out of her eyes. Her grandmother had been gone for a long time, but Eve could still remember so much about her. Her love, her energy, appreciation and love of life. Her cookies.

  “Essie will never hurt you,” Gideon said, turning her face back to his and she gave a soft laugh at his misconception.

  “That’s not what these are for.” She waved a hand at her face. “I could hear her, just then, telling me to live my life in my way. Regret nothing. She was quite the rebel in her day.” She wiped the tears away. “No, I know Essie won’t hurt me. I mean, you bled for that, right?”

  “Gladly.” His smile was kind.

  She took a deep breath, regaining her equilibrium. They were silent as she finished eating.

  Taking her plate to the sink, Alex popped his head in. “Gideon, Sebastian needs to see you in the office.”

  Gideon gave a quick nod. “I’ll see you later, Eve.”

  “Bye.”

  He left her alone with Alex.

  “I’ve been meaning to apologize for what I said the other night.” She dried her hands with a towel, fidgeting with it until Alex took it from her. She looked up into his blue eyes.

  “Relax, Red. Don’t be nervous. I’m not mad.” His thumb stroked her cheek. “You had just been given the shock of the century.”

  She closed her eyes, cupping his hand against her face. “And you were the only one to try to make me see the truth.”

  He pulled his hand away before wrapping his arms around her, pulling her to his chest. He smiled when her arms circled him and she nuzzled his shirt.

  “I don’t think anyone else would have, had Essie not forced the issue.” She took a breath, pulling his scent deep inside.

  “Probably not. Well, maybe Fallon.”

  She tilted her head back and the curve of her lips captivated him.

  “He does seem to enjoy scaring the hell out of me,” she said before slipping out of his arms. “So, what do you do here, when not hunting or saving damsels in distress?”

  “I’m actually not here that often.”

  “Really?” She turned and gave him a smile. “Because you always seem to be around.” Her eyes widened. “That sounded rude, I’m sorry. I didn—”

  “You apologize to much.” He cut her off with a smile. “And I’m around because you need protection.”

  “But there are others here. You don’t have to put yourself out for me.” She frowned at him. “Why would you do that?”

  “Well, I could be surfing. Or, I could help keep you alive. It was an easy choice.” He walked up to her.

  “You surf?”

  “Yeah, at night, obviously. I still love the feel of the water and the rush of taming nature.”

  “And now you’re stuck here with me. I’m so sor—” Her words were cut off by his lips on hers, at once soft and demanding

  Her fingers gripped the fabric of his shirt as she opened her mouth to him. His hands gripped her waist, lifting her, then she was sitting on the island. Her knees parted and he stepped between them. Her hands moved, running through his hair, pulling him closer.

  He only meant to silence her, to stop her from apologizing for making him do something he wanted to do. But her response to him, her clinging to him, spurred his own need. When her legs circled his waist, pulling her up against him, he couldn’t keep his groan quiet.

  “Alex,” she breathed his name as her head fell back, the heat of his mouth trailing down her skin.

  His fingers dug into the soft skin of her bottom, pulling her closer to him, as the scent of her desire filled him with each breath. Not here. Can’t do this here. Hands trembling, he let her go and stepped away from her warmth.

  “You all lied to me,” she whisper
ed, lifting her head and gripping the island top. “You leave me hurting all the time.”

  The look in her eyes pulled at him, mirroring the want that filled his blood. “Think of it as delayed gratification,” his voice was rougher than he intended, but that was her fault. Why did she have to want them? Why did they want her?

  Her laughter was just as hoarse. She slid down and only then realized how unsteady her legs were. A tiny stumble and Alex made a move toward her. She held up her hand. “No,” she said and smiled at the confusion on his face. “If you touch me, I’ll show you the joys of instant gratification.”

  His laughter was loud and the sound of it helped cool her blood. Sitting on the appropriate thing, she and Alex laughed and talked and when her phone rang, she was stunned to find that hours had passed. Smiling at Alex, she answered it.

  “Are you flying out?”

  “Yes. I just boarded. It’s going to be roughly a fourteen-hour flight, as we’ll have to stop and refuel.”

  “I hate that you’re having to come back.” Eve smiled. “But it’ll be wonderful to see you again.”

  “Evie sweetie…” Her mom trailed off.

  “What is it, mom?”

  “There are things we need to talk about when I get there. Very important things.”

  “Does it have anything to do with you thinking I was murdered?”

  “It has everything to do with that.” She paused again. “I would like to talk with you alone.”

  “We’ll be able to. Though, I can’t leave, because of some of the weirdness I was telling you about.”

  “You’re being kept against your will?” Her mom’s voice hardened.

  “No, not at all. Hell, I have a new car… I’ll tell you when you get here.”

  “Baby, please, be careful.”

  “You have nothing to worry about.” Eve’s eyes watered at the concern she could feel. “Call me when you land for refueling.”

  “Of course.”

  “I love you.”

  “I love you too, baby girl.”

  She hung up and looked at Alex. “She’s leaving Paris.”

  He held out his hand. “Let’s go tell the others.”

  #