Fated

Chapter 18

The last woman hadn’t died easy. Kalin wasn’t sure why, but he liked that about her. Nothing special, no extra abilities, surely not someone he could take back to camp. Yet, she fought death like an animal.

Yet in the end, she’d taken her last breath. Even her God wouldn’t save her, further proof of the damnation of this silly, easy prey. The thick trees had provided canopy from the bright moon in the quiet forest, with no life shuffling around. Nothing in the wild was as deadly as him.

He wondered when the sport would become exciting again. When the thrill would return. Possibly not for decades, when he finally met her. Janie. So far away, yet a blink of an eye to his people.

The fall Minnesota nights had cooled to a comfortable temperature. He buried the shovel with his latest prey, kicking the remaining foot of dirt around. Rolling his neck, he surveyed the area, making sure he’d cleaned up. Then, with a glance at the waning moon, he began to jog for home, his thoughts on his future mate. He’d tried repeatedly to enter Janie’s dreams but bounced against something strong each time; somebody else was there, somebody who probably didn’t even know they blocked him.

Kalin had little interest in the young Janie at this time, but the other presence, a dangerous, still developing presence, well that was interesting.

Still wondering about the new player, Kalin scaled the rock wall and dodged inside the obscured cave entrance before pressing his palm against speckled rock. The wall slid open, revealing a large elevator which he rode down into the earth. He ignored the sentries posted on either side as he emerged and strolled across plush carpet to his father’s quarters.

Three human women exited just as he reached the door. Pale, trembling, reeking of sulfuric fear, they kept their eyes lowered while passing him. He inhaled deep, swiveling to spot the red oozing out of one thin neck. Copper and sweet temptation filled his nostrils. His father had been feeding.

Grinning, Kalin strutted through the door. Muted light, ivory carpet, and thick oak paneling showed class and elegance while stark black, red, and white paintings adorned the walls. Scenes of blood and twisted death. If nothing else, his father truly had excellent taste in art.

“Father?” he called, moving toward the small kitchen to the left.

“Here,” Lorcan returned in a low growl.

Kalin stopped short at the sight of his father bleeding over the oak table. “I take it the plan did not go well?” They should’ve let him go.

Lorcan hissed, pressing a blood-soaked towel to his neck. “No. Bastard damn near ripped out my jugular and the helicopter ride home took forever. It’s taking me forever to heal.” He ran appraising reddish-purple eyes over his son. “Where the hell have you been?”

Kalin shrugged, reaching for the tin of cookies in the cupboard, specially made in London. “Out.”

Throwing the drenched towel into the sink, Lorcan ripped off the remainder of a tattered sleeve, revealing several breaks in his left arm. “I can’t wait until you finish with puberty; this is getting tiresome.” His eyelids closed, and he took a deep breath, the bones snapping back into place with a sharp crack. His eyes swirled purple through the red when he reopened them. “Did you cover your tracks?”

“Of course.” His father’s failure irritated Kalin. He’d looked forward to meeting Janie’s mother, maybe of having her. “I take it one of the Kayrs showed up?”

“Yes. Talen Kayrs. Along with a clan of shifters.” Lorcan rubbed his chin. “I can only hope cousin Franco doesn’t hear of the disaster.”

“You think he’ll challenge you for the throne?” Kalin munched on a cookie, wondering if he’d be the one to eventually kill his father for the title.

“Yes. I’d thought to get my sotie in place and with child before Franco becomes too tempted. I’d hate to have to kill one of our best fighters on the eve of another war with the vampires.”

Kalin shrugged. “I say we take him out now.”

His father sighed. “Kalin, you need to understand strategy. Right now, we need Franco and his force to battle the Realm. Starting our own internal war would lead to disaster for us. And your future mating is imperative.”

“Do you understand why?” Kalin tossed the tin back inside and shut the thick oak cupboard. “What is so special about this human girl?” He wondered what the oracles had revealed.

Loran speared him with a sharp gaze. “No. I’d thought you’d have an idea, considering the psychic skills of your mother.”

Kalin lifted an eyebrow, lying easily. “I have no idea. Maybe your sotie didn’t pass on enough of the psychic ability to me.” Knowledge was power, and he intended to gather the most. “Well, father, I’ll let you rest. See you in the morning.” He turned, wondering if tonight would be the night he finally broke into Janie’s dreams. He had a feeling that his biggest adversary, whoever that presence was, would be waiting for him there.

Kalin’s fangs elongated, his heart sped up, and he smiled.