Cora's Kismet (The Twin Destinies Saga Book 1) (5 page)

Cora and Viola entered the elaborate estate and looked
around in awe. Never had they been inside a house so elegant. Their eyes
traveled over the beautiful cherry and oak floors, accented with exotic Persian
rugs, an ornate built in fireplace with a mantle covered in framed pictures and
a high, domed ceiling with a gorgeous chandelier that cast light everywhere.

Over the fireplace was an enlarged, framed copy of the
picture from the hospital they had seen earlier, from when they were born.
Tears began to pool in Cora’s eyes as she realized her parents had wanted her,
had wanted them both. She moved over to the mantle and saw that the many framed
pictures were of both her and Viola, in varying stages of their lives, and
gasped in surprise.

“How?” she asked in astonishment.

“We’ve always known where you were my dears. There was no
way we’d have ever given you up if we didn’t. We were provided with many
updates and pictures of you throughout the years. It’s the only thing that has
kept us going, for we’ve missed you so,” Angelica said with a sob in her voice.
Her green eyes filling with tears she held back.

Cora didn’t know what to say, so she kept quiet. Never had
she imagined her parents had given them up
because
they loved them and
wanted to keep them safe. She’d always imagined them as criminals of some sort,
teenagers unprepared to raise twin girls or drug addicts that were too strung
out to be bothered. She felt a knot of emotion begin to build in her chest.

“Wow, this is just crazy!” Viola said, staring at their
mother, mixed emotions showing across her face.

“What’s crazy dear?” Angelica asked in a gentle voice.

“All of this. You guys,” Viola replied, waving her hands in
the air.

“Weren’t you ever told about us?” Thomas asked his voice
confused.

“Never,” Cora said.

“You were supposed to be told how much we loved, correction,
love you, every day of your lives. You were supposed to want for nothing. Liam
told us how you were malnourished, what else happened?” Thomas asked. It was
quite apparent there was a steady anger growing within him for how mistreated
his daughters had been. Cora wasn’t sure how much she should tell them.

“You don’t even want to know,” Viola said with a vehemence
that took both of their parents by surprise, and then closed the topic off
before they could continue. “Where’s our room? I’m tired.”

Angelica and Thomas exchanged a look before turning and
heading up the long curving staircase. When they reached the top, they turned
left and stopped at the first door on the right. Thomas reached out and turned
the knob pushing the door open wide. Inside was an enormous room that was right
out of a rich and famous magazine. They gazed at the large king sized bed in
the middle of the room and looked at each other in confusion.

“Why is there only one bed in here?” Cora asked.

“There’s more than enough room here for each of you to have
your own space,” Angelica replied as if the answer was obvious.

“No,” both girls said in unison.

“What do you mean?” Angelica asked, a look of confusion
marring her beautiful features. Wrinkles appeared on her delicate forehead with
the slight frown that appeared on her full lips, which were identical to their
own.

“We don’t want our separate spaces. We always share a room,”
Cora replied standing firm.

“But you don’t have to any longer.” It was obvious their
parents did not know, or understand, them in any way.

“We never had to, to begin with. We’ve always lived in a
house big enough for us to have our own rooms, but we won’t be separated,”
Viola spoke up, showing unity between them. What they would never say was there
was a deep rooted fear of being separated and never seeing each other again.

“Well, you’re going to have to quit sharing a room very
soon, once you both become mated. I doubt your mates will appreciate sharing
their room with others,” Thomas said, stepping into the conversation.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it and not before.
This room will be fine, we’ll share the bed,” Cora said, stepping across the
threshold into the room as if it was no big deal. Viola followed before their
parents could press the issue further.

“It will be sooner than either of you think. Cora’s already
showing the signs of having found her mate in Liam,” Thomas said with a smug,
proud look on his face. He gave Cora a pointed look and saw the shock that
registered on her face. Cora looked over and saw that her shock was mirrored on
Viola’s face as well.

Angelica placed her hand on Thomas’ arm and nudged him
towards the door. “I’m sorry girls, we know it’s an awful lot to take in right
now. It’s been a very hard day for you both. Please get some rest and we’ll see
you for breakfast in the morning,” she said, and then paused at the door,
turning back to look at them both. They could see the pride she had for them
shining in her emerald green eyes. She took a hesitant step in their direction
and lifted her arms as if to hug them, her eyes asking for the permission she
was fearful of asking for aloud.

When neither girl moved to accept the hug, she dropped her
arms and looked down, with a sadness both girls could feel, at the fluffy
carpeted floor. “Well, if there’s nothing else you can think of that you need,
sleep well my dears. Please know we love you and only did what we felt was best
for you.”

The sadness in her penetrated Cora to her core, before she
knew what she was doing, she raced over and wrapped her arms around the mother
she’d never dared to hope for. Viola was not far behind Cora in wrapping her
arms around their mother. Within moments their father had joined in, and the
family moment lasted for what felt like forever and not long enough all at the
same time.

After a long, emotional good night with their parents, the
twins were left on their own for the first time since earlier that day. They
looked at each other as they flopped back on the bed without bothering to
remove their clothes.

“What do you think about all of this?” Cora asked, swinging
her arm around and then dropping it down across her stomach in exhaustion.

“It’s a lot to take in all at once. Do you think we’re
whatever they called us, Lunarians, I think it was?” Viola asked her in a soft,
worried voice. Cora could hear the exhaustion in it.

“I have no idea. It’s pure insanity to me. I mean, I don’t
get it. If a Lunarian is supposed to ‘mate’ with a Solarian how do they
differentiate which is which? Wouldn’t the children be like a combo or
something?” Cora asked.

“You got me. It’s freaking nuts. You think we should wait
until they’re asleep and bail?” Viola asked Cora.

“I just don’t know anymore. If we do, what’s waiting for us
out there? Are we gonna end up back with pervert Patrick and cruel Anna? Will
we end up on the streets somewhere? There’s nowhere for us to go Vi,” Cora said
worried. “But if we stay here, what’s going to happen to us? These people seem
to care about us and it is genuine, not faked. They seem to be angry over the
fact we were mistreated, even though we haven’t even told them the half of it
yet.”

Viola stayed quiet, thinking over what her sister just said.
Cora knew they were all valid points. She also knew because of what she was
feeling for Liam, she may not be able to leave him behind. It was all so
confusing for her.

As if reading her mind Viola asked, “Are you considering
staying because of him? I know he’s hot and all, but is he worth it?”

“He’s part of it,” Cora conceded, even though she didn’t
want to. She knew she’d never be able to lie to her sister, they knew each
other too well for that. “Not all of it though.”

“Angelica and Thomas?” Viola asked.

“Yeah. We’ve always wanted parents who wanted us in their lives,
and all along we had them but never knew it. If we leave now, we’ll never have
that again,” Cora said, her voice turning wistful.

“I know. All of this is so messed up,” Viola sighed.

“Yeah, I know. Wanna sleep on it and talk more in the
morning?” Cora asked, hesitating because she didn’t want Viola to say no. She hoped
with all of her heart her sister would say yes.

Viola let out a huge yawn and nodded her head. Her eyes were
already growing heavy and starting to close. Cora wasn’t far behind as she
smiled in relief, and they both fell into a deep, dreamless slumber.

*****

Cora’s eyes flew open as she sat straight up in the bed she
was sharing with Viola. She wasn’t sure what had woken her, but she knew she’d
only been asleep for a few hours.

Her eyes flew around the room, scanning for anything, or
anyone, that shouldn’t be there. When she didn’t find anything, she swung her
legs over the side of the bed and stood. As quiet as she could, she moved
around the room and looked out of the windows. Seeing nothing, she moved toward
the private bathroom attached to the room.

Being cautious, she opened the door and moved into the room.
Her eyes flew wide when she saw the enormous Jacuzzi tub, separate shower stall
and double sinks, with an enormous mirror over them. Her hand flew to her mouth
in wonder. She had taken several steps into the room when she saw movement in
the mirror from the corner of her eye.

When she turned to see what it was, she was grabbed and
pushed up against the wall, with a hand clamped over her mouth like a vice.
Feeling stupid for having the same thing happen to her twice in less than 24
hours, she fought with everything she had.

This time, she knew it wasn’t Liam who had her pinned, and
whoever this was, was not here to protect her. That realization made her fight
even harder. She kicked her legs out and after several tries, made contact with
the man’s groin. When he bent over, Cora swung her fist up and caught the man
in the face, causing him to release her. She screamed as loud as she could, as
she ran from the bathroom, slamming the door behind her as she went.

When she reached the bed, Viola was nowhere to be found and
Cora panicked. The door to their bedroom burst open, allowing both of her parents
to come rushing in with several guards on their tail.

“What is it?” they exclaimed.

“Someone just attacked me in the bathroom and Viola’s gone!”
Cora screeched out. She ran towards the window but it was locked from the
inside, so wherever Viola went, it wasn’t out through the window.

“Was she here when you went into the bathroom?” Thomas asked,
urgency in his voice, as guards surrounded the bathroom door and threw it open.
They found, and subdued, the man inside and fanned out to search for Viola.

“Yes, she was still asleep on the bed. I don’t know what
woke me up, but I felt as if something was wrong when I did, so I got up to
investigate,” Cora replied, her terror making her voice frantic. “Where is she?
I can’t lose her! I just can’t.”

“We’ll find her, I promise,” Angelica said, as she wrapped
Cora in her arms and tried to soothe her.

“How can you promise that? You sent us away because there
were attempts made on our lives, because of some stupid prophecy. Now someone’s
attacked me in a bathroom and Viola’s gone. You can’t even keep us safe in your
own house.” Cora’s body was shaking from the stress.

“Can I help?” Cora heard Liam’s voice come from the doorway.
She jerked herself out of her mother’s arms and flew into his, as she broke
down into uncontrollable sobs.

“Get her calmed down. The rest of us need to find Viola,
now,” Thomas stated, before turning on his heel and striding out of the
bedroom. Liam nodded as Angelica followed Thomas into the hallway and into
their own room to dress and start their search.

Liam pulled Cora to one of the plush chairs in the corner of
the room and situated her on his lap so she would be comfortable.

“Shhh,” he whispered in her ear, as he rocked her like a
parent soothes a child. “It’ll all be ok. We’ll find her. You’ve got to calm
down my love.”

Cora’s head jerked up when she heard the words “my love” and
she sucked in a stunned breath. Liam reached up and stroked his hand along her
jaw and down the side of her neck.

“You have to breathe,” Liam reminded her, in a soft voice,
and she released the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. She looked
deep into his blue eyes searching, but for what, she didn’t know. If she told
herself the truth, she knew, but she didn’t want to admit it because then it
would make it all real.

They stared into each other’s eyes for several long minutes
as Liam continued to stroke her face and her hair in a slow, gentle manner,
savoring in the softness of her. He knew in that moment, without a doubt, she
was his mate. He just wondered if she knew it too.

“I-I can’t do this. Not right now,” Cora stammered, breaking
eye contact. “I’ve got to help find Vi.” She tried to stand up but Liam
wouldn’t let her.

“If you want to help Viola, you need to stay here where I
can keep you safe. Nobody’s going to get very far looking for her if they’re
worried you’ll be taken, or hurt, in the process. Just let me take care of
you,” Liam said almost in a whisper. His eyes had her melting in his hands and
that was not what she wanted, even though she knew he was right.

“I can’t sit here and not do anything,” Cora exclaimed.

“You are doing something. You’re staying safe, so she can be
found and brought back here, to safety. That’s very important Cora,” Liam said,
stroking his hand down her arm. He was ready to grab her if she should decide
to try to leave his lap and take off to find her sister. He would die before he
ever let anything, or anyone, ever harm her again.

“It sure feels like doing nothing,” Cora grumped, slumping
back down against Liam. He leaned his head against hers and they sat there, not
saying anything, while they waited for news of her sister.

After about an hour, Cora stretched her muscles and moved to
stand. Liam tightened his grip for a minute, until he realized he needed to
stretch his muscles as well. He released his arms from around her, but slid his
hand down into hers, so they could maintain their connection. His touch was
soothing to her in a way that still confused her, but she needed it at that
moment to keep her sanity. She looked down at their joined hands then up to his
face, but didn’t object as they started to walk around the room.

Cora jumped when the phone in her room rang out, loud and
shrill.