Awaiting Fate

by J. L. Sheppard

  She’s in Greece, the words resounded and replayed inside him like a broken record. If by “she” Jocelyn meant his mate, he’d wasted precious time.

  Finally, the meaning hit him with full force.

  His answer was Greece.

  His mate was in Greece.

  Anger ignited and pulsed inside him, flushing his face a bright shade. “What?” he screamed, and stood suddenly. The stool he’d been sitting on crashed against the marble floor. “You knew and you didn’t…I can’t believe…I’m so fucking angry with you!” Never had he cursed a woman, but his temper at her deception hindered his manners.

  Her expression hardened. “Calm down, Cain or I won’t give you the address.” After he took several deep breaths, she continued, “Now. Do you want to win her, or don’t you?”

  In fear he’d lose his temper again, he didn’t speak. Clenching his jaw, he nodded once.

  “If I would’ve told you right away, you would’ve materialized in front of her looking and smelling like shit. I’m trying to help you—”

  Eyes flaring, he pointed out, “But you lied—”

  “A-ah,” she interrupted. “Cain, I love you like a brother, and she is my sister by marriage. I want this to work out for you and her.”

  All he heard was blah, blah, blah. His nerves, anger and desperate need to find her wouldn’t allow him more.

  “You can’t mess this up. You need time—”

  He smashed his fists hard on the granite countertop. It broke to pieces, shattering. Over the sound, he yelled, “Oh, for God sakes! Tell me where the fuck is she!”

  Her eyes blazed silver, using her power over the wind to fling him backwards. He struck the wall, his back slammed against it then he landed hard on his butt. He deserved it, he knew, so instead of screaming and shouting, demanding she give him what he needed like he wanted to do, he took a deep breath then stood and met her stare.

  “I really didn’t want to do that. Really.” She paused again.

  Cain exhaled. Patience. He needed so much of it now. Why is she torturing me?

  “She has feelings for you. The ‘you’ she’s gotten to know over the past five months, not the man staring at me now. So before you go over there as angry as you are now, remember that. Be the man she would never run from.”

  He wanted to laugh in her face. Tell her, her advice was useless. The scales were tipped against him. Olivia had already run. She didn’t want him. Instead, with the remainder of his control, through clenched teeth he reminded her, “She already ran from me once.”

  “She wasn’t running from you. You weren’t romancing her. You weren’t treating her any differently than you treat me or Ash or Jenna. You were being her friend.”

  He nodded, knowing he’d heard all this before from her sisters, Jenna and Ashley. The Elementals were alike in more ways than one.

  “She’s in Santorini, one of the Greek isles. She and Landon own a home on the southern part of the island.”

  Before she finished the last word, he was gone.

  Chapter 4

  Four months ago

  “Hey, Liv.” Cain’s voice resonated behind her.

  She turned quickly, spotting him leaning against the door frame to the library in her home and smiled. He wore a pair of loose-fitted jeans and a t-shirt that highlighted his muscular frame.

  Staring straight into her eyes, he smiled that amazing smile of his.

  Her chest tightened. She realized then, although she had seen him the night before, she’d missed him.

  Cain was a demon warrior, part of the Guardians. She met him only a month before, after her brother had joined the Guardians and allowed her to meet them, she’d become acquainted with a variety of immortals from different breeds, Cain being one of them. He was handsome. Well, he was beyond handsome, in her opinion. Tall, broad-shouldered, muscled, strong jaw, full lips, blond hair styled in a crew cut and eyes so blue they almost looked fake, everything a woman, any woman found appealing. Despite the fact he was a warrior, he was easygoing and carefree. Another great thing about Cain—unlike most males in her pack, he didn’t shy away from her because she was the alpha’s sister. He was good friends with Jocelyn, destined to mate her brother, which meant he was often around. Him being around had given them a chance to get to know one another and they’d become friends.

  “What are you up to today?”

  Shrugging, she said, “Not much as you can see.” She turned away from him, placed the book she’d just read on the shelf then faced him once again.

  “Are Joce and Landon here?”

  Shaking her head, she said, “Nope. They went out…not sure where. I kinda tune them out sometimes.”

  He laughed, the twinkle in his eyes glimmering. “Do you want to watch me turn?”

  Her eyes widened. Was he serious? Excitement rushed her. She couldn’t keep it from her voice. “Really?”

  Smiling wider, he nodded.

  One of their earliest conversations, he promised to teach her about the immortal world she lived in but knew little of. So far, he’d kept his promise. She was now well-versed in demons, vampires, elves, fairies and the little immortals knew about angels. Of all immortal breeds, she was the most intrigued with demons. She thought that might have something to do with Cain. Now, he was keeping another promise he’d made—letting her see a demon turn.

  She smiled wide then teased, “Not afraid I’ll be hurt or scared away anymore are you?”

  His smile faded suddenly then he cleared his throat. “I am, but I made you a promise.”

  Shaking her head, she said, “I was joking, and I’m a werewolf, remember?”

  As she closed the distance between them, he nodded in agreement and said, “Lucas, Jenna, Benjamin, and Jacob will be there, so you have nothing to worry about.”

  She rolled her eyes playfully and assured, “I’m not worried, Cain.”

  He smiled softly then opened his arms. “Come here.”

  She did, nestling her body between the warmth of his arms. Feeling his chiseled chest rub slightly against hers, sent shivers through her. Her face flushed. She couldn’t help it. She’d never been so close to a man that wasn’t her brother. Not a moment later, he wrapped his arms around her back, the warmth of his body soothing her.

  “Are you cold?”

  Though her face was plastered against his chest, she shook her head then met his stare and said, “No.”

  “Close your eyes.”

  Pressing her cheek back against his chest, she inhaled and couldn’t help but marvel in his scent. She did as he asked.

  “Okay, open.”

  When she did, they were no longer in her home, the estate where she and Landon lived. He’d materialized them in the demon compound’s gymnasium where Cain and the demons trained. The demon compound was a fifteen-story building in Manhattan, where Cain lived with his king, queen and two other demon warriors. Also where Jocelyn lived before she’d mated Landon.

  “Hi, Liv,” Jenna said in greeting.

  Praying the flush in her cheeks had dissipated, she pulled away from Cain then greeted Jenna and the rest of the demons.

  “Liv,” Cain said, drawing her attention toward him again. “I’m going to stand at the end of the gym.” His voice grew serious.

  She turned to glance where he pointed. “Wait, all the way over there? That’s really far. I won’t be able to see anything.” She would, her eye sight like that of any other immortal’s was beyond excellent. Still, she wanted a closer look.

  His expression turned grim, confounding her. “You’ll be able to see just fine. Trust me,” he said in a way that silenced further rebuttals.

  Her brows drawing together, she blurted, “Are you worried?”

  He sighed. The breath he released came out in waves like he was nervous. With no qualms, he admitted, “Yeah, I’m worried, Liv.”

  It hit her then. He was worried because he cared. It was sweet, so sweet and endearing her heart clenched, even though she couldn’t und
erstand why he was so concerned. She might be a sheltered werewolf princess, but she trained for battle regularly.

  His gaze holding hers captive, he said, “Please, don’t come close. Stay here with Jenna, Lucas, Jacob and Benjamin, okay?”

  Smiling, she nodded.

  He materialized at the other end of the gymnasium. In a split second, he shifted.

  She stood immobile, awe-struck watching his already towering frame stretch, growing a foot bigger as his muscles expanded, ripping his shirt. His horns, black in color, emerged from his scalp. His eyes glowed, engulfed in red, no blue remained, and his skin had grown a darker shade.

  He looked feral, vicious, a monster. He’d been right to worry because she knew had it been anyone else she would’ve been terrified.

  It wasn’t anyone else though. He was Cain, so she wasn’t. She couldn’t be. She’d come to know him, trust him, the man who’d saved her once before, the very first night they met.

  After the first Guardian meeting she’d attended, where she’d learned her brother was destined for Jocelyn, she and Landon had gone to a bar, knowing Jocelyn would be there. For her brother, she’d mustered the courage and asked Cain to dance, only to give her brother and Jocelyn privacy.

  They’d been on the dance floor when a bomb was dropped and detonated. Cain had noticed moments before the explosion and pushed her out of harm’s way, saving her. He hadn’t been so lucky. Terribly burned, it’d taken two days for his body to heal.

  So, even though Cain looked deadly in demon form, even though she’d been taught to fear demons, the most reviled of the immortal breeds, she wasn’t afraid. Instead she was enthralled, without thought she ran toward him, wanting to get a closer look. When she reached to touch him, he dematerialized. She turned and spotted him, his expression worried.

  “Liv, don’t please,” he said. “You could get hurt.”

  Smiling she said, “You’re not going to hurt me, Cain.” Of this, she was sure.

  Then she lunged toward him again. Finally reaching him, she placed her hand over his heart and felt it beat.

  Seconds later, his body shifted. His demon was gone.

  The man standing before her was the Cain she’d grown to trust, the man who’d saved her, the one who opened up a new world for her, the one she admitted to herself she cared for deeply.

  Smirking, she teased, “See, told you, you wouldn’t hurt me.”

  He exhaled, seemingly relieved, then he leaned into her, coming inches from her and in a serious tone, he said, “You’re right. I’ll never hurt you, ever.”

  The way he’d said it, delivered in such a heartfelt tone, and the fact she’d heard the truth in his words made her chest ache. She couldn’t grasp why.

  Chapter 5

  The cool air hit him immediately as Cain materialized in southern Santorini.

  He’d come for one reason, Olivia, bringing nothing but the clothes on his back and his wallet. Everything else he needed was already here.

  Quickly, he perused his surroundings. One road with two lanes led away. Bushes and shrubbery grew sporadically around him, for miles it seemed. He couldn’t see the beach from where he stood, but he smelled the sea’s salty water and heard the waves pound the shore. This far south, he only found two houses off the beach. One was more secluded, fenced in, partly concealed with trees and more grand than the other. Knowing the alpha and his expensive tastes, Cain chose to inspect the lavish home first.

  One whiff and a hint of Olivia’s clean pine scent penetrated his senses. He shivered, enjoying it for what it meant. She was near. He sighed in relief, then followed her scent. It led him toward the back of the two-story home past an infinity pool and hot tub and toward a private beach.

  His mate was nowhere in sight. But her scent was stronger there, which meant Olivia must have gone for a walk, so he sat on the sand and waited.

  He wondered briefly where she had gone and how much longer until he saw her again. He supposed it didn’t matter. She was on the island and sooner or later would return. But because it had been days since he’d seen her and missed her terribly, he needed to see her more than he needed the air to breathe and the earth to roam.

  The aching in his chest, that had begun the moment Jocelyn admitted Olivia had taken off, hadn’t subsided as the days passed. On the contrary, the throbbing intensified ten-fold. When he discovered her location, the pain had deepened, burning a hole in his heart. Honestly, he wasn’t sure if he’d ever be the same. The memory of her loss was carved into his heart and would live in his soul until his days on earth were over.

  Figures Landon would have taken precautions to ensure they couldn’t be found in spite of all the documents and sites he’d hacked into. He didn’t know an immortal who didn’t conceal their true selves, and everything belonging to them. It was a prerequisite to being an immortal, learning to hide and living invisible.

  He had Jocelyn to thank for leading him to Olivia. Because he’d been angry with Jocelyn for withholding and frantic to get to his mate, he’d forgotten to thank her but supposed she understood. In hindsight, she’d done the right thing. The last thing he needed was to show up in the disastrous condition he’d been in.

  For Olivia, he wanted to be better and worth more than the orphaned demon he was. He wanted to care for her, protect her, hold her and love her as he should have been during the last five months. And above all, he wanted to be the one she ran to, not the one she ran away from.

  As the sun descended into the horizon, his thoughts wandered again, reliving the moment they’d first laid eyes on each other, the same night she’d cared for him after he’d been injured. Although it seemed so long ago, it hadn’t even been half a year. All the memories had led him to that very moment.

  Knowing he’d waited too long, he scolded himself. He’d done so countless times the past three days.

  When the last of the sun was swallowed by the ocean, a breeze carrying Olivia’s scent wafted into his senses, his mangled heart thumped wildly.

  Immediately, he stood, his eyes greedily scanned the beach until he spotted her. His gaze bored into her, searing the image of her into him. She was as beautiful as the image of her in his mind but somehow, that image paled in comparison. In person, she was so much more: simply breathtaking.

  She wore a blue empire waist dress that flowed around her. Her dark hair, two inches longer since they met, spilled around her oval face. When those blue eyes he dreamt of, met his, they widened. Her rosy lips parted, and her breath hitched.

  At last, as it had for days, the air he breathed no longer singed his lungs. His chest swelled in relief, no longer aching in anguish.

  Because he wanted to memorize every part of her anew and because he wanted to remember that moment of triumph—the moment he’d found her, he stalked toward her slowly, silently vowing: Never will I part from Olivia again.

  Chapter 6

  It was improbable he would look for her and implausible he would find her, but he had.

  Cain, the demon she’d fought to forget since the moment she laid eyes on him.

  Although she would recognize him anywhere, it wasn’t the man she’d come to love and admire. The man staring back at her was a shadow of the man she’d become too familiar with, the same who’d haunted her dreams the night before. His hair was disheveled, and the sparkle in his eyes gone.

  And yet it was Cain.

  It was his blue-eyed gaze that bore into her, burning her with awareness, and his fierce expression laced in torment, pain and grim determination that unnerved her now as he patiently strode to her.

  I’m mistaken. He had to be a figment of her overactive imagination, a trick of the mind showing her what she most desired instead of reality. But as he neared, mere feet from her, the wind shifted and his scent permeated her senses. Her skin tingled as it always did when he neared. She knew then he was real, not a creation of her deepest desire.

  His gaze trailed up and down her body. When it met hers again, his eyes glowed deep
crimson.

  Her heart pounding, her pulse quickening, she held her breath. Her mind spinning, jumbled with questions. What had happened to him? Why had he come? Was he not needed by his king? She knew he’d never hurt her, but why then was his burning gaze centered on her? As far as she knew, a demon’s eyes only glowed when angry and close to giving into his demon.

  Instead of asking all those questions, she asked, “How…” Her voice cracked. “How did you find me?”

  His eyes burned a brighter, deeper red, unnerving her further. Instinctively, she took a step away.

  His face transformed in a split second, his features hardening. Placing his palm over his heart as if her words and actions caused him ache, he asked with a rough voice, “Are you afraid of me? You think I came here to hurt you? You think me capable of hurting you?”

  Hands shaking nervously, she pressed her palms against her thighs then admitted, “I’m not afraid of you, but you…you’re angry…and I don’t know…”

  He tore his gaze away from her and recoiled, looking pained.

  “I just don’t know what you’re doing here,” she finished quickly.

  He ran his fingers through his hair then cleared his throat and met her stare. “Why do you think I’m angry?”

  She paused, considering how she should answer. They were friends, comfortable with each other, and she’d always been honest with him, but he seemed so different from the man she’d fallen for. He looked different, but it wasn’t just that. It was his expression, the air around him. Jovial, jesting Cain was gone. In his place was this man, defeated and solemn, a shell of the man she’d known.

  Choosing her words wisely, she admitted, “I don’t know…I—”

  “I’m not angry,” he said and took a step toward her. “I came here for you.”

  “But your eyes—”

  “What about them?” he interrupted, impatiently.

  “They’re glowing. You told me…” She faltered. The longer she gazed at him the more she felt the inexplicable urge to comfort him.