Forged by Fate (Entangled Embrace)

by Reese Monroe

  “Can I ask you something?” Sadie asked as she leaned against the wall and hugged her knees.

  Dasha nodded, straightening her legs out in front of her.

  “Do you believe in love at first sight?”

  “Never have…until now.”

  “Really? Love? As in eternal, gonna-live-with-you-until-I-die love?” Sadie shook her head. “No matter what I’m feeling for this guy, it can’t be love. Lust, maybe, but not love.”

  “And about thirty minutes ago, I thought demons, Hades, and superpowers were impossible, too.” Dasha pinned her with a stare. “Who’s to say this Mate thing isn’t for real? I mean, he got your mark. You said it formed on his neck when he took you from the security offices?”

  Sadie nodded.

  “That’s fracking amazing.”

  “Fracking?” Sadie giggled.

  “Yeah. Trying that one out. The real eff-word hurts my ears.”

  “So, just to clarify things. You believe in love at first sight. Maybe even this Mate crap he’s spewing about?”

  “You’re the scientific type, aren’t you? Have to have substantial proof, or whatever other fancy words you like to use, before you believe in something.” She shook her head. “I mean, that’s cool and stuff—you’re mega-smart, I get that—but you’re kinda dumb sometimes, too, girl.”

  “Gee, thanks. And what do you know about love? You’ve never had a steady boyfriend other than flings in high school and then Joseph from Intro to Physics.” Sadie shifted her weight and rested her head against the wall. “I mean, I get the sense from Theo that this Mate thing is indisputable and eternal, and he has absolutely no doubts in the slightest.”

  “What a fairy tale.”

  “Please. I was in freaking Hades, Dash.” Sadie hopped to her feet. “Hell. As in devil, horns, eternal-suffering shit. I’m not okay with that.”

  “That part sucks rocks. Try talking to him. I don’t know, like, get to know him or something.” She slowly rose to her feet, wincing and grabbing her shoulder. “Then maybe you’ll feel it, too, and go out and buy some diamonds or something.”

  “Jerk.”

  Dasha rolled her shoulders and tilted her head from one side to another. A chorus of cracks rang out.

  Sadie grabbed Dasha’s hand and led her to the door. “Okay. The first thing I’ll ask my Mate to do”—she shook her head—“is to fix your shoulder like he fixed my arm.”

  “Oh, man. If he can, I’ll be his Mate if you don’t want him.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Wow. It feels as good as new.” Dasha swung her gaze from Theo to Sadie, then back. “You really sucked it into you, and then it went away?”

  Theo nodded, furious Sadie had told Dasha everything. He would have to ask Justin to work some memories from her. Humans couldn’t know about them. What was she thinking?

  Sadie stood beside the door, watching. She’d been doing that since they’d walked in. He’d been on his way to pound on the restroom door yet again because they’d been taking such a long time.

  And now he knew why. She’d told this human everything. He ground his molars. Stay calm.

  “Okay, then. I’m outta here. I have to get up in a few hours for my stupid psych final.” Dasha opened the door and gave her friend one last look, then whispered something beyond Theo’s hearing. He could have gone into Sadie’s mind to get it, but didn’t. He’d learned over the centuries to offer privacy when he could.

  Sadie leaned against the door and toed the carpet with her bare foot, obviously uncomfortable with his presence in this tiny room.

  If only he could take her to his home. It was a mere hour from campus, in the foothills surrounding the city, but it was a fortress. Magically hidden from everyone for centuries, he’d enjoyed the solitude and often lamented the sprawling city slowly making its way toward his sanctuary.

  Sadie moved to her lofted bed, then pushed up onto her tiptoes and grabbed one of the three pillows. She hurried to the couch and pulled off the blanket. “Okay. Here you go.” She offered him what she’d gathered. “There’s a couch out there long enough for you. I think.”

  “Very funny, love.” He stepped to the door and engaged the dead bolt. No way would he leave this room.

  “You can’t stay here.”

  “I can and I will.” He stood over her. Nearly a foot difference in height, yet her presence filled the small room.

  “No. You can’t, and you won’t.” She shifted her weight, and her cheeks went rosy.

  Her beautiful blond hair streamed over her shoulders, the tips resting past her elbows. It shone like a spotlight was fixed on it. And the smells. A mixture of vanilla and peaches. Probably her shampoo.

  The tight tank top she wore hugged her features but didn’t quite go all the way to her pants. A sliver of pale flesh peeked through.

  Muscles. Each ridge defined. Her karate had really paid off. Not just in her confidence but in her physique, as well.

  But the thing that stood out the most was the Ahavah Mark on her shoulder.

  Mine.

  “Stop staring at me like I’m a side of beef you’re about to devour.”

  If she only knew. “Are you sure I can’t talk you into staying at my house? It’s much bigger. I’ll drive you back here for your exam.”

  “My exam is in about five hours. I need sleep. Can’t be driving.” She pointed to the door. “Now go.”

  He shook his head.

  She stomped her foot. “You are the most frustrating person I’ve ever met. I just want to get some sleep, you jackass. I can’t fail this test. Well, I could, and I’d still get a C in the class, but still. I don’t want a C. I want my A like I’ve worked for all fracking year.”

  “Fracking?”

  “Shut up.” She tossed the bedding to the floor and whirled around to her bed. “Sleep standing up for all I care.”

  Two steps brought him to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and pulled her close. She gasped, and he pivoted at the waist just in time to avoid her heel being jammed into his toe.

  “Let go,” she whispered.

  Confusion radiated off her, and his heart jumped into an erratic pace as he connected with her emotions. Feelings of rage, desire, and fear filtered into his body.

  He buried his face in her hair. Her usual scent now carried a hint of soap, and it wrapped around him like a comfortable hug. He fought the urge to turn her around and dive into her. No, his Mate needed comfort. Security.

  He would provide that.

  Gently he rocked, and she relaxed against him, resting her hands on his clasped against her stomach. Her heart pounded fast and furious, yet she said nothing. He held his Mate in his arms. No talking. No fighting. No demons hell-bent on killing her.

  For just a minute, he didn’t care about guarding the gates to Hades. The nine centuries he’d had life meant nothing until this moment.

  There they stood in the middle of her small dorm room, only the soft sound of a clock ticking disturbing their comfortable silence. And then he felt it. Her body started shaking.

  A tear dropped onto his hands, followed by another until they, too, cascaded off his hand and onto the carpet.

  He kept rocking and dropped kisses to her hair.

  “It’s not fair,” she whispered.

  “I know.” He continued rocking.

  “I don’t want this.”

  She might as well have said she didn’t want him, but he knew what she meant. She was scared. Overwhelmed. The fated connection between them would awaken. He’d already sensed that it had started to; she was just strong in pushing it down.

  Considering he’d had 911 years to fall in love with the idea of her, he understood the hesitation.

  He nuzzled his way through her hair until their cheeks met. Her energy jumped through their connection, soothing him. Empowering him. “Shhh, love. Everything’s going to be fine.”

  More tears poured from her eyes, but she didn’t break the connection. He slo
wly turned her, keeping her face tucked to his chest. With slow, sweeping movements, he caressed her back along her spine.

  He lost track of how long they stood until she sagged against him, her breathing calming to a slow, steady rhythm. Gently, he hoisted her into his arms. Her eyes flew open, then slid shut again. She tucked her arms and nuzzled her forehead in the crook of his neck.

  Two steps brought him to the couch, and he lowered himself to it, carrying his treasure. His Mate. He removed his arm from beneath her legs and wrapped it around her shoulders, sinking deeper into the leather couch.

  Finally, he was able to take in her face. Eyes closed, sleep smoothed the tension from her brow. Only inches separated them, and he wanted so badly to taste her, but he resisted stealing a kiss. Instead, he brushed his lips to her forehead.

  “Sleep. You are safe.” He drew in a deep breath of her intoxicating smell. “And loved.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  “So, you’re stuck on guard duty?” Sadie cinched her backpack tight against her. “Lucky you.” Surprisingly, she was actually saddened to wake up and find Theo gone.

  That was a bit concerning. After knowing him less than two full days, she already missed him? But how he’d held her last night through her meltdown, well, that was epic. He really did care about her, didn’t he?

  “It’s my pleasure.” Justin held open the front door, and they stepped out into the morning sunlight.

  “So. Um. Where is he?” Sadie had woken up from the most restful sleep she’d had in a week and found herself curled up on the couch, hugging a pillow. Falling asleep to the subtle hum of his heart and breathing had been like a dream. She’d never felt so safe.

  “He got called away.” Justin nodded at two girls approaching; the smile he threw their direction could have melted an iceberg.

  “Hey,” the brunette said.

  Justin dipped his head slightly, but held her gaze. Surprisingly, he didn’t stare directly at the boobs spilling over the obviously-too-small top, yet the predatory look in his blue eyes indicated he wouldn’t say no to an up-close-and-personal chance.

  “If I’m keeping you from something—er—someone, please, don’t bother hanging around. I’m fine. I’m just heading in for some grub, then to class.”

  “Ah, yes. The last final of your college career.” He returned his focus to the sidewalk before them and smiled. “I remember college.” He sighed.

  “You—um—angel people go to college?”

  His laugh filled the open expanse of the courtyard. “Angel people?”

  “Well, I don’t know what you are. Theo never really got into details. Not that I could have handled them yesterday.”

  “That was wicked. You sure you’re okay?”

  She nodded. “As good as expected, I guess. It’s not every day you find out you’re mated to a 911-year-old nonhuman.” She huffed. “I can’t believe I just said that.”

  “He did tell you a little.”

  “Barely.”

  The door to the cafeteria lay before them, and Justin paused. “I can tell you some. He said I could.”

  “So, he’s the boss of you?”

  “He’s the boss of most things supernatural.” Justin held the door open. “Except you, it seems.”

  “Damn straight.” They walked in, and within ten minutes, they’d gone through the food line and found a table near the windows far from the other early risers.

  “Talk,” she said, finding herself curious to learn more about Theo and where he’d come from.

  “Theo’s my older brother by twelve minutes. The Great One created us from His breath alone.”

  She could totally see that about Theo, being the older sibling. He was so bossy and in control. “By created you mean…as in, no mom?” Holy crap, he didn’t have parents, either?

  “Not in the sense that humans understand the meaning.”

  “Ugh. Can’t you just answer me?”

  He laughed. “We were created by The Great One. But there was a female who cared for us in the beginning as we learned our way.”

  “A mom figure. Got it.” She shoveled in some eggs.

  “We’re The Great One’s instruments. Theo is the Gatekeeper of Hades.”

  “And that gate just happens to be in Shineport, Arizona? This is a plain old town. Nothing fancy.” She sipped her orange juice.

  “There are gates all over the United States. Regardless, where evil breaks through, we go.” He snatched her bagel and took a bite.

  “You said you weren’t hungry.”

  “Well, I am now.”

  “It’s only been ten minutes, you dork.” She shook her head. “Doesn’t matter, nothing’s really settling very well with me anyway.”

  “That’s normal. Since your Ahavah Mark appeared, you’ve probably not had much of an appetite.”

  “How’d you know that?”

  “We know a little about how the conversion process happens. All the Shomrei Mates are human.”

  “Wait, what?” She sat up. “First, what’s a Shomrei?”

  “Just a fancy word for guardian. Which, ultimately, is what we do. Guard the gates, humans, all that is good…”

  “And all Shomrei get Mates? So, you have a one, too, then.”

  “Hell, no. I’m the Gatekeeper’s Companion. I’m so never taking a Mate.” He grinned. “Good thing, too. No way is there just one woman for me.”

  “I didn’t think it was your choice. So, Companions can choose not to have a Mate?”

  He nodded, his jaw clenched. “I’m not taking a Mate.”

  “Fine.” She showed her hands in surrender, knowing this wasn’t a battle she was ready to face. “Back to Theo, then. Why me? Why am I his Mate?”

  “Theo’s finally getting Mated is a sign of things to come.”

  “That sounds bad.” She pushed her plate away. Her darn stomach wouldn’t settle.

  “Not bad, per se. It just means it’s time for the Gatekeeper to be at his best, his strongest, and for that to happen, he must unite with his predestined Mate.”

  “This is ridiculous.”

  “Really?” He arched a dark brow at her. “After what you saw yesterday. Where you were, for that matter. You can sit there and tell me it’s ridiculous?”

  He had her there. There was no disputing what she’d seen or what she felt for Theo. It was crazy. As much as she didn’t want to admit—and she wouldn’t to anyone right now—she felt the innate connection to him.

  How else could she have fallen asleep in his arms like that last night? And now, despite knowing next to nothing about him, she really missed him. That defied logic. Something on which Sadie had stood for almost all of her eighteen years.

  This just didn’t fit into her plans. And that sparked a little anger.

  “I can tell you’re churning this over.” He leaned back in his chair and clasped his fingers behind his head. “That’s a start.”

  “How many other Gatekeepers have there been?”

  “A lot. We’ve been here since time began. Evil’s always been around in one form or another.”

  “And how can I tell someone’s a demon? They look human.”

  “They look human for the most part, you know, except the fangs and soul-sucking thing going on.” Justin grinned.

  “Yeah, but they don’t have fangs all the time.”

  “No. The stronger the demon, the better they are at keeping their traits hidden so they can blend in. Fangs, talons, things like that. They can’t hide the black eyes, though. Or the black blood.”

  “Aggie had red eyes.”

  “Most are black. Some high-level demons have red, but it’s rare.” Justin smiled. “You are a little information-seeking genius, huh?”

  “It’s a blessing and a curse. So, these demons, they walk around all big and crazy-looking on earth searching for souls?”

  “They can alter their image to humans, and they’re not all big and scary. We’ve just been lucky enough to see the big dogs lately. They�
�re all formerly human, for the most part, so there’s lots of variation. Some that can’t fit in very well stick to the cover of night or have their little minions do their soul-gathering.”

  “Shit.” She glanced at her watch. Still forty-five minutes till class, but if she didn’t get her mind in the game and off all this crazy supernatural crap, she’d flunk her final. “One more question, then I need to get my game face on.”

  He laughed.

  “What?” she demanded.

  “Nothing, you’re just too cute. Ask your question.”

  The word cute coming from such a husky, rough-looking man was beyond strange. She shook her head. “Can he read my mind? Talk to me?”

  “That’s two questions.”

  “Answer.” Her heart hammered. From the way he stalled, she pretty much had her answer, but she needed to hear it out loud.

  “Yes.”

  “Son of a bitch.” She pushed from the table. Theo’d been in her head, reading her mind.

  “Wait.” He rose from the table as well. “Hold on before you start going all Carrie on me.”

  “Carrie?”

  “Nothing, just a seventies movie reference.” He stepped around the table and grabbed her arm. “It’s not like that. He would never violate your mind unless necessary. And you’d barely even know.”

  “Still. Wait, what?”

  “It’s like a whisper. If he’s unable to communicate, verbally, with you for some reason, like a broken jaw, gag to the mouth, or if he sensed you were going to be in danger, he’d whisper to you.” Justin nodded. “He’s all about you, Sadie. Remember, he almost killed me for trying to pry you from his arms. And I’m his freaking brother.”

  “So he’s not muddling around in my mind? Reading my private thoughts?”

  “Why are you so worried? You having private thoughts about him?” He cocked an eyebrow.

  She whacked his chest with her hand and stepped by him.

  “Figured,” he said as he scooted back. “I knew you felt something. It’s ingrained in you, Sadie. There’s no denying it.”