Page 47 of Shadows of Fate

He stopped when we were almost at the front door, and stood in front of me, his hands placed on both my shoulders.

I stared up at him, confusion clear on my face. “Yes?”

“I haven’t forgotten our conversation all those years ago, Silvana,” he said quietly.

I swallowed roughly and looked away. My mood instantly depleted. Words weren’t needed for a reply, he knew I had nothing to say on the matter. The topic of my self-worth has come up a few times over the years, and it almost always ends with me throwing sharp objects his way. Go figure that’s my instant go-to response.

“If there was ever a male who couldhelpyou pick up the broken pieces and reform them into something spectacular? It would be the one in the room I just left. He isn’t afraid of hard work or your absolutely feral attitude. I’m not saying go all in, I’m just saying… I’m just saying, hear him out with an open mind.” He squeezed my shoulder and smiled a bit.

I nodded my head in confirmation that I did indeed hear him and his all-wise and mighty pep talk before I shrugged off his hand.

I started walking again and showed Cedar the way out of the manor, secretly a castle, and he hugged me. Before he shifted to leave, he leaned in and whispered, “Don’t give up on yourself.” And I remind him to be safe and return soon.

With that, he shifted, and he was off. Into the endless, expansive night sky, and all I could think about while my best friend flew away, was the fact that I knew in my heart, Raiden was avoiding me. Which shouldn’t have made me as angry as it was, but here we were. Writhing with anger at the male in question.

Walking back into the manor, I decided that I’d had enough of his male ego nonsense, so I headed to where he pointed out his office was located a few nights ago on his tour of the grounds. I knew in my soul that was where he was currently hiding.

Probably due to the supposed mate bond. I huffed at the thought. Just what I needed, to be able to track down the pretentious male whenever my subconscious desired.

After Cedar’s little pep talk, I did feel slightly better about the situation, and a great deal of things started making more sense to me once I started to sort of accept it—I hadn’t fully accepted it yet, but partially… Just that the idea wasn’t completely absurd given everything so far.

The apparent ability to always sense him before I could see him. The innate draw to him when he was nearby. Little things that I’d brushed off, but with this new knowledge, they started to make more sense.

I turned the corner toward Raiden’s office, still deep in thought about what I was going to say—or yell at this male, when I hit what felt like a brick wall. I then proceeded to fall backward on my ass. Looking up, I quickly realized it wasn’t just any brick wall, it was the one that was trying to claim me as his own.

“Of course it’s you,” I grumbled.

He smirked and offered me a hand. Reluctantly I took it, using him as leverage to pull myself up.

“You should probably watch where you’re going,” he advised.

I stared at him for a moment, debating on if I was going to bite my tongue or not. I decided not to.

“You should probably not avoid people just because you don’t like the outcome of yourlittleshow and tell.” I crossed my arms across my chest.

His fists clenched a few times and his jaw ticked. Fuck. He looked even better when he was angry. More dangerous—alluring, even.

“Is that how you really feel? Mylittleshow and tell? Would you enjoy another go, so you may… reevaluate that thought, darling? Or are you so overwhelmed with pent-up frustration that the only insults you can come up with are false ones about my manhood?” he retorted.

He took a step closer to me before I could try to come up with another insult, preferably one that wasn’t about his manhood, but then he was all I could smell. My heart was pounding. He smelled like leather and cinnamon, and it took all of my self-control not to audibly groan. Why did he smell like that? And how was I just now noticing? What could possibly make this male smell even more mouthwatering? He reminded me of the shop I used to buy my knives from mixed with spiced blood. I released a deep breath, feeling intoxicated—as if the scent of him alone was latching onto the very blood in my veins. He was dangerous in the worst of ways.

I looked into his eyes, and he smirked. He took a step closer as I took one back, and suddenly I was against the wall. His front pressed against me, his hands on either side of my head while mine were pressed against his broad chest. Telling myself I was doing it to keep the distance, but we both knew that was a damn lie. I tried to remind my fingers to remain flat and not to pull him closer. He leaned down, running his nose from my collarbone and up my neck, stopping below my ear.

“Should we take this somewhere more private, Silvana?” he growled.

The way my name slid off his tongue had wicked thoughts filtering through my mind as my core clenched. I felt him smile against my skin as he ran his fangs across the sensitive part of my neck. I gasped at the feeling and realized I was pulling him closer. His thigh was pushed against the apex of my thighs, and it took all of me to remain still.

It was suddenly too much and I let his shirt go. “Somewhere private probably isn’t a good idea right now. We should… I should go get some air,” I mumbled.

He stepped back, the evidence below his hips clear that this was far from one-sided. I shook my head, in a poor attempt to clear it, and bolted out the front door without looking back.

Space was clearly what I needed.

But if that was true, why did walking away from him feel like I was leaving my very life behind in that manor?

* * *

Ithought about going out hunting, I hadn’t been out to kill anyone since I mov—started staying at the manor. Stopping that line of thought in its tracks immediately.

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