Forged by Fate
F
ORGED BY
F
ATE
A
B
OUND BY
H
ADES NOVEL
R
EESE
M
ONROE
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2013 by Reese Monroe. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means. For information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact the Publisher.
Entangled Publishing, LLC
2614 South Timberline Road
Suite 109
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Visit our website at
www.entangledpublishing.com
.
Edited by Karen Grove and Theresa Marie Cole
Cover design by Frauke Spanuth
ISBN 978-1-62266-301-9
Manufactured in the United States of America
First Edition December 2013
To God, from whom all blessings flow, and to Charlie, my true soulmate.
Table of Contents
Chapter One
“Just because you can’t find a girl and have sex doesn’t mean I have to live an abstinent life.” Justin slid his shirt over his head.
Theo Bradford glanced at the woman in his brother’s hotel bed, barely covered by a single white sheet, and sighed. “You use them like they’re worthless. J-man, show a little respect.” Theo stepped toward the sleeping woman and pulled the blanket over her. “You tranced her, didn’t you?”
“Give me some credit. She heard you come in and was embarrassed. I had to let her finish, then cover up your interruption.” He slapped Theo’s shoulder. “What happened to knocking when the sock was on the door?”
“No sock, you jerk.” Theo scrubbed his face. He’d walked in on his brother more than once over the centuries, and it was awkward each and every time. Justin had notched more bedposts than Theo cared to think about.
“Oops.” Justin shrugged. “Sorry. So, what’s the big deal?”
Theo patted the daggers hanging beneath his arm under his leather jacket to confirm they were there. It’d become a calming habit over the centuries. “I found her.”
Justin froze, eyes wide. “Her? As in—”
“My Mate.” Heat stampeded through Theo’s stomach and up his chest. Finally. His Mate had received his Mark. “Hurry up. I’ve waited nine hundred and eleven years for this moment. I’m a little…excited to get to her.”
Justin hurried to the table beside the bed and grabbed his wallet and weapon. “Well no shit you’re excited to see her, man,” he said as Theo opened the door and waited. “Considering you chose to not
play
a little during your wait for your Mate, I bet you’re about to burst outta your pants.”
“Starting right now, clean it up. I don’t want my Mate dealing with your crude tongue.”
Justin chuckled as he strode past Theo and onto the sidewalk in front of their hotel room door. “Pansy.”
“J, what about your woman?” Theo paused in the doorway.
“She’s
not
my woman. Let’s get that straight. Don’t worry, I nudged her to leave when she wakes up.” He grinned. “Gave her a nice little story about a happy, loving, tender night, you little romantic you.” He backhanded Theo’s chest.
Theo gently tugged the door shut. How Justin could be so uncaring was beyond him. Justin was younger by twelve minutes and must have gotten the reckless gene.
Theo couldn’t picture himself bedding anyone but his fated female. He’d never wanted to. Hopefully she would understand his inexperience.
“Yo, Theophilus, are we going to get your woman or what?” Justin stood by his red Camaro, driver’s side door open. “Busting pants, remember?”
“Asshole.” He hated when his brother called him by his full given name and once again pointed out his inexperience with females. Maybe he should have tested the waters so he wouldn’t be so naive when it was time to come together with his Mate.
No, he’d made the right choice. He stomped through the lot toward his bike, which was perched directly beside Justin’s sleek sports car.
A snicker trailed into the night as Theo swung his leg over the Ninja. Justin might be reckless with women while passing the endless days of immortality, but Theo was into speed. Nothing beat the feel of the wind through his hair, the freedom of speeding down the road on two wheels.
Well, he figured once he’d made love to his female, that would overpower the highly rated rush of riding a bike, but until then, it was what worked.
Justin was right about one thing, though. Theo was ready to be with his beloved. Lord knew he’d waited long enough. But as the Keeper of the Gates, it was a sacrifice he was willing to make to ensure the great power promised him once he joined with his Mate.
And even though she didn’t know it, Sadie Nowland was chosen to fulfill that promise.
Chapter Two
The sting of a slap on her butt sent Sadie Nowland whirling around. Her hand grazed a glass sitting on the table beside her and it went flying. Glass shattering against the tiled floor sent a high-pitched vibration through her skull and down her spine.
No way should that have been so loud. Then again, everything had been louder to her lately. Smells more potent. Tastes more intense.
She glared at the old fart who’d slapped her butt.
“Hi, honey.” The old man grinned a toothless smile, and Sadie almost spewed the contents of her stomach all over his unfinished breakfast-for-dinner order.
She sealed her hand over her mouth and raced to the bathroom. The red door flew open and bounced off the wall, but she couldn’t care less. In about a second, if she didn’t make it to the stall, the bathroom was going to be redecorated with a puke collage.
Sadie fell to her knees and lost her lunch. Wait, no, it was her breakfast. She hadn’t eaten since then. Final exams always messed with her, but this time something was different.
“Girl, are you preggers?” Dasha’s high-pitched voice echoed off the metal walls surrounding Sadie.
“Unless I’m the mother of the next Jesus, that’d be a big fat no.” Sadie stood and flushed. She dragged the back of her hand over her moist forehead and spit one last time.
Had she been sleeping with someone, she’d think herself pregnant, too, but it wasn’t possible. First, she needed a boyfriend—hell, a male
any
friend—to have that as a possibility.
And, she’d have to not be a virgin.
Dasha leaned in to the mirror, pressing her fingers to her lips. “True. I forget Saint Sadie could never be preggers.”
Sadie joined her friend at the sink and leaned forward. She turned on the water and cupped some to her mouth. A warm hand smoothed down her spine. Dasha was tough on the outside and quick with the retorts, but Sadie couldn’t ask for a better friend. Even though she couldn’t explain to her BFF about what was
really
happening to her.
She couldn’t tell anyone, mostly because she didn’t know.
“It’s your final exams rotting out your insides, isn’t it?” Dasha whispered.
“Yeah.” Probably. Had to be. Hopefully? But it didn’t explain her wicked dreams. Dreams filled with ancient warriors. Dark creatures that kind of resembled vampires, but not.
And it didn’t explain her heightened senses and irritable stomach or the fact that some random tattoo showed up on her left shoulder three nights ago.
“You sure? ’Cause you’re really looking thin, tired, and…well, like total crap.”
“Thanks.”
“Sorry. I’m just worried for ya, girl.”
Sadie was worried for herself, too. No, she was scared shitless. “I’m fine. Two more exams this week and I’m good.”
“Well, I know you’re stressed, but thanks for covering Julie’s shift like this. You saved our butt tonight.”
“Speaking of butts. Who was that old fart groping me?” She grabbed some paper towels and wiped her face while Dasha went back to primping.
Waves of auburn hair cascaded over Dasha’s narrow shoulders. Brilliant jade eyes analyzed her appearance, searching out imperfections. Standing next to her, Sadie looked like a pauper in her faded jeans, white T-shirt, and black Skechers. Not to mention her dishwater-blond hair.
She turned around and leaned against the sink to avoid her dismal appearance. Sure, Sadie was smarter than the average girl, graduating from college in under two years and at the age of eighteen.
But she’d sacrificed everything to make that happen. To show the world that an orphan raised in the system could make something of herself.
“The Butt Grabber Grandpa.” Dasha laughed. “He hasn’t been in for a while. Thought maybe he’d croaked or something. He’s harmless.”
“That’s so gross.” She tugged on Dasha’s hair. “Got any gum?”
“Sure.” She pulled a piece from her back pocket. “And you’re going to need it. Some major hotties walked in and planted their fine asses at one of your tables.”
“Oh yeah?” Sadie stuffed a piece of cinnamon gum into her mouth. She hated barfing. It was totally gross, and she’d become intimately acquainted with the act over the last three days.
She didn’t have a fever or any other symptoms, and had even stopped by the student medical center for a quick checkup. Nothing came of it, but she still couldn’t hold down any food.
Dasha was right. She
was
looking thin. Gaunt almost.
She probably had cancer. That’d be Sadie’s luck. Graduating from college in two days, on her eighteenth birthday no less, having a sweet job lined up, mastering black belt at age sixteen…all for nothing as cancer ate away at her brain.
Or maybe she was schizophrenic.
“I could take the table if you’re too tired.” Dasha grinned.
“Looking for your next ex-boyfriend, I presume?” Sadie edged toward the door, her heart hammering suddenly, almost like she was going on stage to sing a solo despite the fact that she was tone-deaf.