Page 18 of These Dangerous Fates

She says nothing, but she reaches for the protein bar and takes a bite. The act eases Kai’s muscles and his shoulders relax. The quiet of the cave is oppressing and it’s obvious neither Kai nor myself know what to do to make her happy. It’s almost comical because as much experience as we have with women, none of us have actually had a lasting relationship. So knowing what to do in a normal situation would be stressful enough. And this situation is anything but normal.

“Is Sterling out scouting?” Kai asks, breaking the silence and glancing at me.

“I assume so. He was gone when I woke up.” I stand and walk past Ellis to the cave mouth. The urge to look at her is strong, but I keep my focus forward to give her as much privacy as can be found in a cave.

It’s a breathtaking view as the sun sets. The orange ball of light reflects off the surface of the ocean in a stripe that ripples with the waves. Oranges, pinks, and purples streak the rapidly darkening sky, and a few wispy gray clouds float past. I watch the sun fall below the horizon with a measure of peace I haven’t felt in awhile. In the city, we never get to see this sight through the buildings, despite the ocean only being on the other side.

When the sun is gone and the moon has replaced it with a pale silver glow, Sterling lopes into view. The moonlight reflects off of his pelt as he shifts, his fur disappearing under his skin, and his bones lengthening. A few pops sound in the quiet that always make my stomach roil. It happens fast, in the blink of an eye—where a giant silver wolf was standing, now a giant naked man stands, instead. He steps next to me and pulls his wild silver hair into a man bun with the hair tie he keeps on his wrist—the only thing that ever stays when he shifts, for some reason.

“Is everything clear?” I ask, glancing at him from the corner of my eye.

“Yeah,” he nods. “We’re good ahead and behind. Before I went out, I scrolled through social media. I have an idea of who is taking part in this contest, so we’ll be able to better plan for the challenges.”

“Great. That would be helpful.”

“You looked awfully cozy before I left.”

I can hear the smirk in his voice, and I quickly turn my head toward him. “Don’t say anything,” I whisper. “I doubt she wants everyone to know she rolled onto me in her sleep.”

Sterling snorts. “You are always such a gentleman.” He turns and heads back into the cave, buck ass naked.

Ellis gasps as he strolls past her, and I grin to myself. I know if I were to look at her, there would be a rosy blush gracing her cheeks. After spending most of our lives with Sterling, his nakedness doesn’t phase Kai or me anymore, but I have no doubt it will continue to affect Ellis.

“It’s dark enough for us to head out,” I say to Kai as I head back inside the cave.

He nods and packs up the blankets and the flashlights while glancing at Ellis. “Do you have a darker shirt to wear?” he asks her. “You can keep wearing my hoodie, but I assume it’s a little hot.”

“Yeah, I do.” She looks around for her bag and I hand it to her.

Once she’s decent, we set out for the path that leads down to the beach. Carrying her bag, I follow behind and keep my eye on her. We’ve only gone about ten feet when I notice her breathing. It’s quick and irregular. She’s plastered to the wall as much as she can be, and her eyes are squeezed shut. I assume the faint sheen of sweat glistening on her forehead has nothing to do with the heat.

Without thought, I use my magic to brace her back, an extra layer of protection, just like I did the night before. And just like the other times my magic has touched her, a spark zaps through me. It’s almost addicting—the feeling of my magic touching her. It’s almost as good as the feeling of her laying on top of me. She gives me a grateful look and takes a few deep breaths before continuing down the trail.

When we make it to the beach, I pull my magic back and I swear I have to fight it. It isn’t sentient, but when it touches her, it almost becomes a living thing. And it wants to be with her. As it settles back inside me, it seems cold and alone, like it’s mourning the lack of her.

An ugly emotion, like jealousy, rears its head as Kai takes Ellis’s hand to help her into the boat. I shove it down and climb in after them, sitting so I’m across from Ellis and can watch her. Not to make sure she’s okay, but just to watch her. I want to catalog every expression and every nuance of her face. The strength of that desire knocks me to my ass, and I collapse on the bench, rocking the boat roughly.

Kai sits in the back and lowers the motor into the water, steering us away from the beach. My gaze is glued to Ellis. Her eyes are closed, her head tipped back. The wind rips curls out of her bun and she smiles. It’s a small smile, but it’s real, and it makes my heart stutter. She looks beautiful with the moonlight painting her cheeks and hair. She looks like a goddess.

Kai is watching her from his place behind her, and I glance behind me and see Sterling looking at her, too. Their expressions must mirror my own. This woman we know nothing about has completely enamored us. I’m determined at that moment to learn everything I can of Ellis Kennedy. A determination I’m positive my brothers feel as well. A smile grows across my lips and I don’t hold it back.

Ellis

Somehow I make it down the cliff, around the coast of Lustros, up the delta to the River Altair, and dock near an abandoned building on the outskirts of the city. My body is on autopilot the entire time, following the guys and obeying their commands without second thought. Numbness crept in sometime during the night, and I woke with despair weighing me down and making my limbs heavy. My body doesn’t seem like my own. It’s like it belongs to someone else who is in charge of the movements, and I’m just along for the ride. All my energy is concentrated on lifting my arms and placing one foot in front of the other.

As we wind our way through the city, we keep to the shadows in an attempt to remain anonymous. I don’t think we’re doing the best job, and I’m drawn out of my funk watching the guys try to hide their identity. They duck behind streetlamps and parked cars, sidle up to the side of buildings to peer around the corners, and tug their hoods down low over their eyes. It’s like I’ve fallen into some bad spy movie, and it lightens the weight on my chest.

Even at night—especially at night—the streets are busy and people take notice. Makalai, Cade, and Sterling are the most well known magicals in Lustros. The deadliest, sexiest, most dangerous predators of our city. And they have abducted me. So far, they haven’t given me any reason to fear them, but I’m sure it’s all just an act to get my guard down. The idea of slipping away occurs to me, and I debate it for half a second. But I don’t know where I would go, or what would happen to me if I left. I assume someone else taking part in this contest would snatch me up, and not knowing who else is participating, this seems like my best choice at the moment.

The guys all relax as the gates to Thorne estate appear ahead. In the moonlight, the tan bricks of the house appear to be silver. Spotlights light up the four-story facade and warm golden light spills from many of the windows. It’s boxier looking than my dad’s mansion, giving off elegant, antiquated vibes. I can’t see it in the dark, but I know from pictures that beautiful gardens surround the grounds.

Malakai leads us up the driveway and around the left side of the estate to a patio with wrought-iron tables and potted plants. A thumb pad next to the sliding glass door blinks red until he places his thumb on it, then it beeps softly and flashes green. Sterling and Cade enter first, while Malakai holds me back with a hand on my wrist.

“Is everything secure, Cade?” Malakai asks.

Cade takes a moment to look around with his brows drawn down before he nods. “Yeah. Everything is how it should be. Nothing has been tampered with.”

Malakai exhales and his shoulders relax. “Thank the gods.” He ushers me inside, arms spread wide as he turns in a circle. “Welcome to our man cave,” he says with a smile, fangs on display.

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