Page 64 of Feral

“Most of us are immortal, or if not, at least nearly so, living very long lives. Vampires are immortal. We never die—not naturally, at least.”

“Right.”

“In my world, sometimes, if fate is kind and deems us worthy, we are gifted a mate. A soul designated just for us to love for eternity. It’s not always a mortal, but when it is, it adds a layer of difficulty and decision.”

As I’m listening, more questions pop up. “Wait. Back up for a second. Fate chooses someone? So fate is… a person?”

“No, not a person.” He pauses, glancing up at the ceiling for a moment. “I think a spirit or energy is a better way to describe it. There’s intention behind it, but you can’t see fate. You only know when fate has touched you because of how you feel inside.”

“Okay, I think I get it. So fate decides who you should love?”

He shakes his head. “Love is an act of free will and can be given to anyone, just like with a mortal, but if fate has chosen a mate for you…” He pauses again, clearly thinking over his words.

“Don’t hold back, Hale. Please. I want to know it all. I can handle it.”

He searches my eyes for a moment. “Yes, I suppose you can. It’s not easy to describe, but when you meet the person chosen for you, everything is different. More intense. The emotions, desire, reactions… It’s as if your heart’s on overdrive.”

“When Bowie said that, was he implying that I’m your mate?”

Hale nods, gripping my hand. “I believe it too, Yannis. I knew it almost immediately. When I tasted your blood…” He smiles. “I knew for sure then.”

Heat spreads through me quickly and my breath hitches. “I was chosen for you?”

“Yes. Do you remember when I told you about Nathan?”

“Of course.”

“I wanted so desperately to believe he was my mate. Before I met him, I was drowning in loneliness. He entered my life when I thought I couldn’t bear another night alone, so I decided it must’ve been fate’s hand.”

“But it wasn’t?”

“No. Nothing was easy or natural for us. I could’ve turned him, but something in me held back. I knew on some level, but I wanted to believe it. I convinced myself it must be true and that when the time was right, I would make him mine for eternity.”

I literally feel the sadness spread through him. Wild.

“I’m still not sure whether it would’ve been kinder to turn him and not love him than to let him die as he did.”

“Did you ever ask him if he wanted to be turned?”

“We talked about it briefly once, but I sensed his reluctance. I told myself he just needed more time to love me, but if he’d been my mate, he wouldn’t have needed it. Does that make sense to you?”

“You’re saying if we’re mates then I would naturally want to be with you forever?”

He turns sideways so he can fully face me and cups my jaw. “Yannis, darling, I know it’s you, and if you examine your heart, you know it’s me. Our feelings for each other, our desire, our need to be close, all of it is destined.”

My heart feels like it’s beating in my throat. “Do you love me?”

Hale smiles. “All the gods, yes. I had planned to take it slow and not rush you, but I think once fate has set the course, we are unable to alter it. You found me because you were meant to. Yves found me because I was meant to be in New Onyx so that our paths would finally cross. Perhaps Nathan died so that my heart would be free for you.”

As his words hit me, I soak them in, replaying every reaction I’ve had to this intense man since the moment we met. It’s true that it’s been fast and different and that I have reactions I never have before.

“You don’t have to know that you love me right now,” he says. “You’ll come to know it.”

“Why did you want to keep it from me?”

He blows out a soft breath. “Lots of reasons. I didn’t want to scare or overwhelm you. I wanted your feelings to develop without any kind of pressure. I wanted you to know in your heart that I’m the one for you, but we’re like a runaway train, you and I. We’re on a fast track and I don’t believe we can slow it down.”

“Bowie and Kyson… the others… they all turned because they’re mates?”

---