Fate: An Action & Adventure Romance Novel (Sacrifice)

by A. C. Heller

  It is kind of cool, but I'm still a little freaked out by it. Aiden's head turns as we hear footsteps coming our way. Angelo's hand tenses on my shoulder as Takeo and the stranger walk into the room. The stay just inside the door but I use this time to inspect this tall, scary looking stranger.

  His skin is bronze, much like Takeo's but his face is softer. He's very handsome, not that I can say I'm surprised. It's kind of a trend around here, but he's got a head full of pure white hair. His hair is long, hanging to his shoulders, but I can tell by the way it’s cut it's meant to hang over the left side of his face. The stranger is about an inch taller than Takeo but just as massive in stature. He's wearing a black suit but that doesn't make him look any less menacing. There's something about this man that scares me.

  The man looks me up and down before turning back to Takeo. Takeo closes his eyes for a moment and a pained expression crosses his face as he mutters, 'Do it'. Suddenly I'm hit by a dizzying wave of exhaustion. It feels like every ounce of energy has been sucked from my body. My body sways to the side and Angelo grasps me around the back of my neck, he steadies me and slowly helps me lie back on the table. I want to protest, to run screaming from the room, but I can barely keep my eyes open.

  Aiden jumps to his feet and turns towards the stranger.

  “Stop! Stop it now! You've made your point!”

  The stranger walks towards him slowly, but at the last second he passes Aiden and comes to my side. His expression is blank and the main thing I notice is that his eyes are bright green, just like mine were a moment ago. He closes his eyes and I'm flooded with energy, which causes me to let out a quivering breath. The stranger opens his eyes and smiles down at me, and his eyes are no longer green they're gray. Propping myself up on my elbows I continue to stare at the man. How did he do that? Or better yet, what is he? The stranger simply nods once and looks me in the eyes, as if he could read my mind.

  “You may call me, Damiano.”

  Chapter Nine

  It's been a week since Damiano showed up and let me tell you, that guy’s a giant douche. Every time I unavoidably run into him he's got this huge grin on his face. But of course he would, he can essentially suck the life out of me whenever he pleases. In fact, this entire week has sucked. Takeo is still making me sleep in his room. The first night I managed to go to sleep in my own room, but in the middle of the night I woke up to Takeo carrying me into his room. Too tired to argue I just rolled over, told him he was a jerk, and promptly passed back out.

  Now a week later I'm in a foul mood and going stir crazy. It's dinner time and there's a delicious smell coming from the kitchen. I'm not surprised to see everyone already in the kitchen, but I am shocked to see Damiano at the stove. He's wearing a white tank top and his usual pressed slacks but this is the most laid back I've seen him. And if I'm being honest with myself, the man is gorgeous. I know the other men here are too, but there's something about Damiano. Like he was meant to be beautiful. My eyes are still focused on his back as my inner monologue goes off on a tangent. His voice snaps me back to reality but he doesn't even turn away from the stove.

  “Sit, Gattino. I've decided to make cordon bleu. I trust this pleases you?”

  Standing completely still, I blink a few times. That's my favorite dinner. And what the shit does 'Gattino' mean?

  “That's my...”

  He doesn't even let me finish.

  “Favorite. Yes, I know. Now sit.”

  God! He's more infuriating then Takeo! And that's not even possible! I flail my arms and yell at him, sounding and looking like a frustrated child.

  “Get out of my head!”

  He throws his head back and laughs at that. That fucker! But before I can continue having my fit, he pivots and prowls towards me. I hold my ground because I refuse to be moved by this guy. Bending at the waist he leans forward putting his lips next to my ear. I want to move away but I don't, because I'm fucking stubborn. His voice is clipped and it's pretty obvious he's irritated with me, but I don't care.

  “There is a matter of great importance that we must discuss. You will remain in the kitchen once you have finished eating.”

  Once he finishes speaking he returns to the stove and begins making a plate for everyone. Hesitantly I go and sit down. Everyone is acting as if nothing is wrong, while I'm freaking out inside. I don't know what he wants to discuss with me but I also don't want to piss off a guy who can floor me either. Picking at my food, I look up to see Takeo studying me. He doesn't try to hide it either, our eyes lock for a moment, but it's me who looks away.

  After everyone has finished eating they all start to leave the kitchen while I remain seated. Pulling my knees up to the chest I wraps my arms around my legs and rest my head on my knees. Once the room is empty, aside from Damiano and I, he comes and sits down across from me.

  “I do not usually explain my motives but in your case I will make an exception. I am here, in short, to control you. After your recent 'outbursts' the Order has deemed it necessary to have you controlled. And the men guarding you are either unwilling or simply too weak to do so. That is why I am here. Having said that, allow me to make myself clear. If you attempt to lash out with your abilities, I will stop you by any means necessary.”

  This is ridiculous. He's acting as if I'm a time bomb. I would never willingly hurt anyone, and the guys I live with love me, they wouldn't be unwilling to help me. Well, except maybe, Takeo... Oh. Yeah, he's probably talking about Takeo.

  “You're really wasting your time. I'm not going to 'lash out'.”

  “So you say, but they are not willing to chance it. And I am also not convinced. Your thoughts are erratic, as are your actions. The combination alone makes you a danger to those around you.”

  “So you can read my thoughts?”

  “I am capable of many things.”

  “You didn't answer my question...”

  “Didn't I?”

  “No. You did not!”

  I'm getting frustrated now because he's being purposefully vague.

  “You will not always get the answers you seek. Often times, you have to take the answers you are given and trust that your interpretation of the answer is correct.”

  “You're very frustrating. Has anyone ever told you that?”

  “It sounds vaguely familiar.”

  Sighing loudly I let my head fall back against the bench seat and brush my hair back from my face with my hand.

  “I know of the prophecy.”

  His words surprise me, so I lift my head and stare into his gray eyes.

  “I also knew your parents.”

  “You did?”

  He nods and stays silent, seemingly staring into space.

  “I tried to warn them of their fate once. But as you know, it went unheeded.”

  Suddenly I'm wondering if my first impression of Damiano was wrong. Maybe he's not such a bad guy after all.

  “I told them if they wanted to live, they needed to destroy you.”

  Nope. He's still an asshole. But that doesn't fix the twisting pain I feel in my chest that he caused when bringing up my parents’ death.

  “They died because of me?”

  “Yes. Ever since your birth you have been sought out. Your parents thought that if they went into hiding the Sapient would stop searching. They were wrong.”

  My eyes well up but I do my best to keep the tears at bay. They died because of me, they were trying to protect me. Thinking back to my childhood, I silently curse myself for the amount of time I spent angry at them for abandoning me.

  “They suffered. For days they were tortured. All so the Sapient could get their hands on you.”

  As I speak I wince at how shaky and pathetic I sound, but there's no controlling it.

  “Why have they been searching for me for so long?”

  “Ah. So you do not know the full prophecy. The prophecy is more then a beauty and a warrior falling in love. It is the means to an end, which will bring about the birth of a new ag
e.”

  “Why would they want me as a baby though? I don't understand.”

  “The mind of a child is much easier to manipulate.”

  Nodding my head slowly, I close my eyes. The tears I was fighting off stream down my face. The twisting in my chest has intensified and now I'm stricken with an overwhelming sense of guilt. In the back of my mind I know there was obviously nothing I could have done to prevent it, but that doesn't make me feel any less responsible.

  “Your tears serve no purpose.”

  Fuck! I can't stand this guy! Throwing my legs off the bench seat I stand up and turn towards him abruptly. I've never been this angry in my entire life, but what does he expect from me? You can't lay something like that on someone then chastise them for crying!

  “Fuck off, Damiano! Seriously! You have no right to... to... be such an asshole to me!”

  In the blink of an eye he is standing and so close to me that if I blinked my eyelashes would brush his chest. He clasps my chin between his thumb and fingers and jerks my face up so I'm forced to look at him. His eyes are darker then they were earlier, and I can only interpret that as I've pissed him off. Shit.

  “Do not confuse me with one of those pathetic destiny seeking fools you surround yourself with. I know I am not your warrior and I have no want nor intentions to have you in my bed.”

  Just before I am about to part my lips to speak, Damiano's thumb presses against my lips, silencing me.

  “This is your one and only warning. You will show me respect for however long I choose to remain here. You have yet to witness a fraction of what I am capable of, you would be wise to not try my patience.”

  Damiano drops his hand from my chin and walks silently out of the kitchen. I don't even hear the door open or close. Like many times before I find myself wrapping my arms around my middle. When I was a child I had a therapist tell me that this is my way of self soothing. Which makes sense considering I never had anyone to soothe me. Not that I can remember at least. I feel numb inside. I want to cry but I don't want anyone to see me.

  Unsure of where my feet have carried me, I look up to find myself at Takeo's door. The door isn't closed completely, but still I stand there for a moment. Taking a deep breath I step into the room. Takeo is at his desk, I think he's reading something but he doesn't even turn to look at me. Walking over to my side of the bed, or the side I’ve been sleeping on, I strip off my clothes and crawl under the covers in just my bra and panties.

  The room is cold but not freezing like Takeo usually keeps it. But that's irrelevant because I've curled myself into a ball under the covers as if my position and the cloth barrier will somehow make things better. Tears pool in my eyes again but this time I don't fight them, I just let it happen. I would rather hurt then feel nothing. Trying to keep as quiet as possible so I don't disturb Takeo, I take a few deep breaths and sniffle, doing my best to reign in my emotions.

  I can hear things being shuffled around, and suddenly the room is shrouded in darkness. There wasn't much light in my little hideout before but it's still a shock. The bed lowers on the other side of me and I know Takeo is getting into bed. The few nights I managed to stay awake after Takeo I always found it strange that I could never hear him breathing. He's always just so still. It'd be creepy if I couldn't feel the heat radiating off of his large frame.

  My tears may have stopped but my mind is replaying the conversation I had with Damiano over and over again. My parents tried to protect me and they ended up getting killed. And they were Nephilim. What does that mean for the men protecting me now? And on that thought I promise myself, no, I vow, that I won't let them meet the same fate. Regardless of what I have to do.

  Just as I'm about to fall asleep I feel a large hand slide under my waist, wrap around my middle, and slide me across the bed. This is the first time I hadn’t tried to fall asleep facing away from Takeo. So when my body meets his, he instantly tucks me into his side. My head is resting on his shoulder and the hand he has around me is resting on my hip. All of this is enough to instantly wake me up, but the question he asks is what totally confuses me.

  “Did he hurt you?”

  “What? Who?”

  “Damiano.”

  “Not physically.”

  Takeo's arm tightens for a moment giving me a slight squeeze. I...think he just half hugged me. What the hell is going on here? Did I enter the twilight zone? The next thing that leaves my mouth has me questioning my sanity.

  “He told me he's not my warrior.”

  Takeo's body relaxes considerably, and I can't help but wonder why he even cares.

  “You care...”

  “Of course I care. No one deserves to be tied to a man like him. Especially not one like you.”

  “Like me?”

  “Pure.”

  I want to keep him talking but I'm emotionally drained and my eyes just want to close.

  “Takeo?”

  “Sleep, little one.”

  I hear the words, but I'm already drifting, and soon I'm fast asleep. When I wake up the next morning the first thing I notice is that I'm not cold. Actually, I am really warm. Shifting slightly I feel a large form pressed to my back. Oh. My. God. Takeo is spooning me. And he's...hard. Oh dear god. That's normal for guys in the morning though, so I know better then to read anything into it. Scooting forward an inch to try and get out of the bed, I quickly find myself once again with Takeo pressed to my back.

  “You're awake.”

  Oh fuck. How long has he been awake?

  “I am.”

  “Feeling better?”

  “Yes. Thank you.”

  “Mm.”

  That's all he says. He doesn't explain why he's spooning me or why his seemingly huge erection is pressing into my ass. Seriously, this is whacked!

  “Um, Takeo?”

  “Hm?”

  “You wanna let me go?”

  “No. Not really.”

  “Okay. Then, why are you spooning me?”

  “You're in my bed, and you're soft.”

  “Uh. Right. Then why are you hard?”

  “You're in my bed, and you're soft.”

  That's a little insulting. So by his logic I could essentially be a throw pillow? Ugh. Fucking men.

  “Let me go.”

  “No.”

  “Seriously? Takeo, let me fucking go.”

  One moment I'm struggling to get out of his arms, the next I'm flat on my back. Takeo has both of my arms by my wrists and they're pressed into the bed. He's shifted so his knees are between my legs and his face is close to mine. His eyes search my face and they stop at my lips.

  “Which one has had you?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Which one?”

  “What the fuck are you talking about?”

  Now he seems really angry. His voice raises and his eyes flare.

  “Which one?! Was it Aiden or Angelo that fucked you?”

  My eyes widen at this question. You've got to be fucking kidding me! Even if they had, it's none of his business. So I find myself yelling back at him.

  “No one has fucked me! Now get the fuck off of me!”

  Takeo doesn't get off of me, not even close. His lips crash into mine with such force that I'm sure I'm most likely bleeding. His body lowers against mine but I can tell he's keeping his weight off of me with his arms. I part my lips on a gasp and his tongue passes over mine, and that's all it takes. I'm no longer mad at him or want to get away. It feels like I'm exactly where I need to be.

  There's something so right about this. His kiss softens and he places one of his palms against my cheek. His eyes open and even though it's dark, I can see that they are golden and glowing. Takeo's lips leave mine and he plants both of his fists into the bed around me, throwing himself off the bed and away from me. He lands on his feet, drags his hands across his face, and starts pacing.

  Pulling myself up to a sitting position I reach over and switch on the light. Takeo is pacing back and forth in only hi
s boxers. What a sight. Seriously, I could sit here and watch this all day. Aiden and Angelo are both hot, but if I'm being honest it has always been Takeo that peaked my interest.

  It might be because he's an asshole by nature, but I don't really care. When it comes down to it he's magnificent. And by some act of god, he seems to want me too. Though, at the moment I think he's at war with that.