Fate Fixed (25 page)

Braden sat alone on his bed. His solitary existence was never easy, but lately, being lonesome was almost

insufferable.

As much as he craved the comfort of companionship, it would only make what he had to do even more difficult.

As he looked around his organized room, he questioned

what it said about his life. He had possessions, but it was just

“stuff.” He never truly created anything or made an impact on the world. His identity had been so preoccupied in

preparing his cousins to protect the coven, that he missed out on going to col ege, getting his own place, or fal ing in love with an amazing girl. Now it was too late to do any of those things.

Dedicating his life to his coven wasn’t a mistake. As the oldest of his four cousins, it was only natural for him guide them as they became loyal protectors of their families. They couldn’t let outsiders know of their existence. It required a balance of

fitting in with the townspeople, without drawing attention to themselves or their abilities.

Torin just completed the final phase of the change.

Because he resisted the temptation to drink human blood, his closest friend had become a formidable damphyr. If
either of them had failed, they would have become ful vampires like the draugr that inflicted their damage on his lineage centuries ago.

Both would have found themselves cursed to an existence without the purification of sunlight.

I would rather die.

Torin never did embrace what they were. From the time he was a child, he wanted to escape his fate, until he found Lexie. Like their ancestors before him, he dreamed of the petite brunette first. Braden was happy for his cousin, Lexie was gentle and patient – two elements Torin desperately needed in his life. He didn’t begrudge Torin his happiness; his devotion to Lexie made him a stronger man.

Braden’s shoulders slumped with regret. He had hoped he could stay long enough to see Cian and Teagan through

their final phase of the change, but his time was borrowed and it was running out. They were both so close to evolving.

He could see their increase in speed and strength daily.

Cian was going to make a fierce opponent to anyone that threatened him or the ones he loved. Just wrestling on the lawn

last weekend, his dark haired cousin could almost hold his
own despite Braden’s advantage. He regretted being so hard on him over the last year. He wouldn’t want his cousin to live an eternity, only to remember him as being a jerk.

Teagan, on the other hand, was probably the one he should have been toughest on. He was the baby of the family and had the luxury of using his natural charm to his advantage.

Braden shook his head in disbelief. Teagan built himself quite a reputation with the ladies over the years. The ginger was almost eighteen but had the reputation of Hugh

Heffner.

He just hoped Teagan would take the change seriously.

When the stationary vampire heart awakens, blood thirst is al you can feel. It requires determination and discipline to fight the thirst off and gain control. Teagan had always been impulsive – Braden only hoped he wouldn’t be when it was his time to turn.

With his heightened senses he could smel an abundance of foods being set up on the patio. The families were

preparing a shared meal, but he doubted he could eat. The scent of cooked food was unappealing – however, he

normal y enjoyed fresh fruits, nuts and vegetables. He needed living blood to survive, but raw foods were stil enjoyable. Although he knew Cian’s mom Fianna would

see to it that al of his favorite snacks were a part of the spread, he had too much on his mind to even consider eating.

Floating in from outside, a delicate perfume smel ing of brown sugar and vanil a mingled with the other familiar scents.

Instantly, Braden knew it belonged to Lexie’s best friend Liz. It amazed him how close the two were, considering their differences. Where Lexie was soft spoken and

delicate, Liz was direct and forceful.

He chuckled recal ing how wel Liz handled herself when he charged into the basement ready to take on the shifters.

He had expected to find a pack of werewolves feasting on poor Lexie. Instead, he discovered some beautiful stranger with a loud mouth giving him hel for making her jump. If he had more time, he would have enjoyed getting to know the spitfire better. If Lexie loved her, she must have had some remarkable qualities. I guess I’l never know.

Braden stood and walked to his window. The view from his bedroom looked out on Teagan’s family home. He and his mother, Brigid, had lived on their property in a smal guest
house for years. She no longer ventured out to socialize with the others. It wasn’t that she didn’t love them, because she did. They al knew what she had been through and

offered their timeless love and support.

After Braden’s father passed away twelve years ago, the magic that bound Brigid to Lachlan dissolved. Her once shiny flaxen hair had paled to an almost white. Delicate lines were

beginning to appear across her brow and around her

mouth, but Braden stil considered her lovely. The truth was, without the magic of the bond, Brigid was growing older.

Seeing the others ful of youthful energy with their fate-partners had become too painful for her to endure. So, as a matter of emotional survival, she lived a quiet existence in her rooms as she waited to eventual y be reunited with Lachlan in the afterlife.

Braden hated leaving his mother like this, she needed him desperately. But, even she didn’t know the secret he kept tightly to himself for the last eight years. He could never have worried her with such a burden, especial y in her fragile state.

Besides, if he confided in her, she would have begged the coven to intervene. More lives would be lost.

He had to face his death alone.