Page 44 of Unforeseen Mate
“He might, but if his views are well known, Caye and the other female hellhounds won’t be inclined to forgive or forget.”
“Already you grasp what it is to be a female hellhound.”
“You said that I need to live six months on Earth and six months in the Hollow. Is it like that for all hellhounds?”
“No, just those who are turned. There haven’t been many, but some were lost because they did not abide by that natural law. Even Persephone, who was the child of a goddess, could only spend part of her time in the Underworld.” He placed his hand over hers. “We will find our way, Fallon. Colby indicated earlier that we would be welcome in Mystic River or even here at Windsong.”
“Do you think your people will ever accept me?”
“Our people, Fallon. You are a hellhound now and mate to the alpha. They have no choice, but once they come to see the strength and courage of your mind and heart, they will know that fate made the right choice for me. Give them time, Fallon. You knew nothing of us, but everything we know about those who are not hellhounds is not good. For us to be invited to standwith the Resistance is unfamiliar to us. We have never meddled in the matters of men or shifters.”
“Then, forgive me, but why now?”
“Because if we don’t stop Abraham and the Shadow League now, we may not be able to stop them later. The dragons are in a similar position, but they are in the unenviable position of having to take on one of their own. I may not force our warriors to join us in the fight, but those who do not join will not be allowed to enter the fray on the other side. Hellhounds will most likely be the only ones not having to fight against some of their own.”
“I hate to ask this, but do you worry that Tanner might look to join with Abraham if it means he can move against your… our women?”
“I can’t believe that of him. While he might want to see more of a male-dominated hierarchy, I can’t believe he would side with Abraham and the Shadow League.” He stopped speaking, took a deep breath and said, “If he does, I will personally banish him into the circle of the Underworld reserved for those who perform grievous acts of betrayal.” Shaking his head, as if to banish his darkening thoughts, Hayden continued, “I wish there was a way to see my way clear or at least know that the path I am taking is the right one.”
“And I wish I had more to offer in terms of wisdom or support, but I don’t. In light of that, I know this may seem trivial, but did my things from the Savoy make it here?”
“They did. They should be in the closet or in the dresser.”
Fallon stood up, making her way to the dresser and rifling through a few drawers, before lifting out a velvet pouch. “Found it. Do you believe in tarot cards?”
“I wouldn’t say I believe, but then I wouldn’t say I disbelieve. Why?”
“I have found that over the years, the insights I glean from having mine read, reading my own, or reading others can be insightful and either allay any concerns I have or at least make me rethink the direction I’m going. I’m not overly skilled, and I find it helpful to have others read mine, but I have dabbled over the years. Would you like me to do a reading?”
Hayden was surprised, and yet he wasn’t. Fallon was a woman who looked for proof to support or disprove theories and assumptions about the past, and yet, she had to have a mind open to the possibilities of the unknown and the unproven.
“You find them helpful?”
“I do, but they’re only helpful if you let them be. At the end of the day, you can dismiss the whole thing as a scam.” She looked thoughtful. “I wonder now if that’s why Nora never wanted me to read hers.”
“I think she kept that part of herself hidden from you because she needed something pure and untainted by all the darkness she has experienced. Did you ever do a reading about her just for yourself?”
Fallon looked up at him, guilt riddling her features. “Only once. I drew the Seven of Swords, which can represent secret plans and hidden dishonor. It can also reveal the possibility of failure. When I drew the Devil, I put the cards back, shuffled the deck and then did a cleansing ritual. I never tried again.”
CHAPTER 18
FALLON
Alook of concern, almost one of fear, crossed his face. “What if you draw something equally ominous for me?” Hayden asked.
“Knowing what I know, I might see it with a different interpretation. If you think it’s silly, you don’t have to. I’ve just found them helpful over the years.”
“My only concern is that I don’t want you to see something that makes you doubt me or my commitment to you or causes you concern about the choice you made.”
“There is no moral resonance within the cards. There is no good or evil, and they have to be taken as a whole. It’s not as straightforward as we might like. There are various patterns to draw the cards, and three is a very small spread, but sometimes it can be incredibly enlightening, although if you’d rather not…” She started to put the cards away.
Hayden reached out and stayed her hand. “No. This is important to you and it’s only information, right? Information is never bad. It can help you make better decisions.”
“Exactly,” she said, nodding.
“Then let’s do this.”
“Cut the deck in thirds.” He did so. Fallon picked up the middle stack first, setting it on top of the stack to the left, and finally stacked the first two stacks on top of what had been the top of the deck. She drew the first card. “Seven of Wands. That’s an auspicious start. Generally, it means courage, honor, and dedication to your path even in high-stakes situations.”
