Page 3

Chapter 3

Haden

I stared at the spot where Ardella disappeared from after using her odd magic, waiting for longer than necessary to see if she was going to come back. Gods, I desperately wished she would have stayed longer. Something had scared her away. Maybe it was too fast for her—meeting me and my entire family. But she was fine until she saw my brother and Sara. Why would that have made her so tense?

Taking a deep breath, I got ready for the onslaught of questions that would be coming. I stepped inside, and my entire family was waiting in the sitting room. My mother’s eyes glanced behind me with a frown. My father's friendly eyes were gleaming with excitement at meeting Ardella.

“Did she leave?” Her shoulders slumped.

“Yes,” I said with a sigh.

“Do you think we scared her off?” Holden asked.

I shrugged and stared at my loving, overbearing family and grinned. She would fit in well with us. They all stared at me, wanting me to say something, but I didn’t know where to start. I didn’t think I would meet her today; my vision showed her coming in a few weeks. The details surrounding her were still fuzzy at best. I also couldn’t see everything that would happen between us, but I saw enough to know she was for me. Ardella was the one I had been waiting for—the heart that beat in rhythm with mine, the soul that filled the missing pieces of mine.

“Gods, Haden,” my mother sighed. “She is the woman from your vision, isn’t it? The one you ask to marry you?”

I smiled brightly.

“Yes.”

“Well, she was great.” My father smiled. “She’s going to fit in well with us.”

My family began talking about her, and it made my longing for her more intense. Growing up, I hardly had any visions, and if I did, they were insignificant. But all of my visions of Ardella had shown me a future that I was desperate for.

I don’t know if it was because I prayed to the stars to show me what woman I was supposed to end up with, but the vision came to me in a dream that very night. She didn’t know it yet, but we were about to fall madly in love with one another. But I could feel her hesitation tonight after the kiss. Maybe she thought it was too soon to feel things so quickly. How did I explain to her that I saw where we were headed and it was beautiful?

“Are you going to tell her about your visions?” Sara asked.

“Maybe.” My family all looked so happy for me.

“Well, she seemed to be completely taken with you,” my mother said.

I hoped so. She had finally sought me out today, after I had seen her sneaking around the village for weeks. I still had no idea what she was doing, but she had acted as if no one could see her. But I could.

“Are you going to tell her that you know she is a goddess? The poor girl looked terrified when we asked her what she did,” my father said with a worried look.

I hadn’t thought about how difficult it would be for her to answer basic questions. Ardella was trying to blend in with the fae in the village, but she never could. I would have known she was heaven-sent even if I hadn’t seen her confess to me in a vision that she is a goddess. She was too pretty to be anything other than a woman that others bowed to.

I knew that she wouldn’t be back for a few days. She was running from this feeling.

“No, I will get her to confess it to me so she doesn’t feel like she has to be dishonest. She will tell me when she is ready.”

“I can’t believe the stars thought my little brother should be destined for a goddess,” Holden joked. Younger by minutes, but he never let me forget it.

“Jealous?” I smiled.

He grabbed onto Sara and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

“I’ve got my own goddess right here.”

Sara rolled her eyes. “Please, don’t say strange shit like that.” Her cheeks heated as my brother smiled at her. “It’s so corny.”

“I’m sorry,” he chuckled.

“Well, I’m going to go to bed. Thanks for not scaring her too much. Now let's hope she comes back soon.” I smiled as I headed up the stairs to my bedroom. I couldn’t wait until the home I was building was done and I could move there—we moved there. I had seen Della and me together, living in that house. It was ours.

I walked over to the drawing of the house Ardella traced earlier. My heart had nearly fallen out of my chest when I thought she was going to pick it up. Slowly, I lifted the picture, and my drawing of Della from my vision lay under it. Gods, I could not stop smiling. Della was finally here, and I couldn’t wait to see my visions come to life.

?★★★?★★★?

I was walking home from work when I spotted Della sneaking around the street like a thief. She didn’t see me, as she seemed engrossed with something else. Glancing around to make sure no one else noticed her, I decided to follow her. Gods, she seemed focused on something, but I couldn’t see what it was. I moved quicker so I could see who she was stalking. A frown tilted my lips when I realized it was Holden she was watching. Why was she following him? Was that why she became strange after he showed up? She wanted Holden and not me. A pang of jealousy spiked in my chest before I thought about it rationally.

She probably thought it was me. Holden and I were fairly similar, but I thought she would be able to tell the difference. I walked up to her slowly so she wouldn't hear me and watched her for a moment before her body stiffened. I smiled because I knew she sensed me behind her. She turned quickly, and her pretty, star-colored eyes widened, and her pouty mouth fell open. Inappropriate thoughts flashed in my mind, showing me how pretty she would look when she came. My jaw clenched as I exhaled through my nose, hoping to tame those images.

Fuck.

I looked away from her so that I could control the vision of her being a pleading mess below me. Shit. Fuck. There was a heat creeping up my neck as visions of Della begging me to make her cum started taking over my mind. Fucking hell. My hands fisted at my sides as I tried to not have a physical reaction to the vision.

“Haden,” she breathed, and it did not help my desire coiling within me. Slowly, I opened my eyes and stared at her. I could not help admiring how damn pretty she was with flushed cheeks and wide, innocent eyes—but I knew better. Della was nowhere near innocent. The woman could bring me to my knees with the filthy things that fell from that perfect mouth of hers. She may be a goddess, but there was nothing holy about what she did and said to me in my visions. That mouth and body were made for sin.

"Haden?" She tried again, and I snapped out of my intense thoughts.

“So, you do know it’s me.” I raised my brow at her.

“What do you mean?”

I looked behind her to where Holden was talking to a street vendor. She didn't even turn to see who I was looking at. Her bronze skin flushed red, and I had to look away from her again.

“I was spying,” she said.

“Why on Holden?” My tone was clearly not amused.

Ardella looked up at me with wide eyes as I crossed my arms over my chest.

“I thought it was you at first, but then I realized it was Holden. Then I started wondering if you two were similar to one another.”

“And what did you find out?”

“You two are nothing alike,” she huffed. “Aren’t twins supposed to be similar to one another? You two don’t look the same, and your personalities are different.”

“You don’t know me,” I challenged, and something about that made defiance flare in her eyes.

“I know enough.” Her snarky attitude made me smile. Oh, I liked her sassiness. “Quit looking at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know, whatever that look means.” She swallowed hard.

I didn’t stop because she liked it. Her pupils dilated as she watched me. I don't think she realized she took a step toward me.

“Are you grumpy today?” I asked.

She frowned slightly as she thought of her response.

“Yes.”

“So, Della, are you going to share with me how Holden and I are different and why you care?”

She scoffed like it was a stupid idea. I couldn’t help but smile. Della crossed her arms over her chest and stared at me with stubbornness.

“I’m waiting.” My tone was demanding.

Her defiance melted away as she watched me. Did she prefer the way Holden looked? We were similar but definitely different. Is that why she was refusing to answer me? She didn't want to hurt my feelings. Too bad for her that Holden would never leave Sara, and I would never allow it. She was mine.

“You are taller than him. Your chin is at the perfect height to rest on the top of my head if I am not wearing heels. His eyes are a lighter blue, but yours are a captivating, stormy color. Holden has talked to every street vendor and their mother, so I’m assuming it's safe to say he enjoys others’ company. You strike me as the type that doesn’t mind being alone. Especially after you said you never dated before.”

I opened my mouth to say something, but she cut me off.

“I’m not finished.” Her eyes narrowed on me, and I shut the hell up. “Holden is more outgoing, but he also seems more timid. You are confident, but it is not a typical confidence. You are comfortable with who you are, and you like things a certain way. But with me, you seem to be very confident. It makes me wonder if you are like that with all women. Holden is more timid with Sara—gentle in a way where you are…rough, or maybe rugged is the right word.”

For fuck’s sake, how long had she been stalking around the village today to learn all of that?

I saw the way her eyes flared when she mentioned me being confident around other women. "I'm not, like, that with other women. I know you didn't like thinking that maybe I do this with everyone. You have all my attention, Della."

She stared at me oddly.

“You’re very observant.”

“Only when something interests me.” She smiled.

“I really hope you are referring to me and not my brother.”

Her eyes widened.

“He has a girlfriend, and I kissed you.”

My gaze dropped to her mouth, and she let out a long exhale. Gods, she was so damn pretty that my chest ached when I looked at her.

“Have you thought about the kiss?”

Immediately her gaze was moving away from mine. She had.

“Have you?” she asked timidly. Oh, she didn’t want to seem too eager.

“Every day for the past three days,” I confessed, hoping she would do the same. She met my gaze, and her eyes flashed pure white for only a fraction of a second. Fuck.

“I’ve thought about it a little bit.”

Liar.

“I was thinking we should kiss again.”

“Why?” She tried to sound appalled, but her eyes were giving her away. They dropped to my mouth and did not look away.

“Well, for one, you want to, and I want to. Secondly, I think you are downplaying how good that kiss was.”

“I never said it was bad,” she said weakly.

“Okay, fine. Then let's kiss because I really want to again.”

She looked around as if someone were watching us. I stepped forward slowly, giving her time to tell me to stop. But she froze in her spot when I was finally flush against her. I lifted both of my hands to her face and tilted her head up, her dark hair falling behind her shoulders. My thumb ran over her bottom lip, and she closed her eyes.

I smiled as I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers; Della melted against me as soon as our lips met. She was the first to move her mouth as one of her hands snaked up to the back of my head, dragging her fingers through my hair and pulling me closer to her. I moved us backward two steps so her back was against the wall of the inn, then tilted her head to the side, deepening the kiss. Gods, there was no way this woman was not made for me. She sighed, and I pushed my tongue against hers. Della pulled me to her feverishly. We could not get closer unless I was buried inside of her.

Della’s tongue tangled with mine, and I couldn't help the moan that escaped me. She was going to be the death of me. I pulled back, and she tried to follow my mouth with hers as her lust-filled eyes opened.

“More,” she demanded as she pulled me to her again; this time she was the one to deepen the kiss, like she needed my mouth to breathe.

“Hey.”

We were both startled as we ripped apart from one another when Holden appeared next to us. Della’s face was full of panic as she shoved me back. I smiled at her as she tried to pretend like she hadn’t just been rubbing herself against me.

I glared at Holden. If he weren’t my brother, I might have punched him for ruining this moment with her. Della’s eyes flickered to Holden, then to his chest, like there was something on it. I didn’t see anything when I looked, though. Her swollen lips were red as her gaze went to me and then to my mouth before she smirked in a satisfied way.

“Hey, Holden,” she said in a friendly tone.

“Well, you two are looking cozy over here in the dark alleyway.” He was a dead man walking. I glared at him. “I just wanted to say hi. I’m on my way to Sara’s house. Della, you should come by for dinner again. Our parents won’t stop talking about you.” He grinned.

“Really?” She looked at me with her eyebrows raised and a pleased smile on her face.

“Yes, you made a good impression.” I looked at Holden. “Goodbye.”

He tossed his hands up before smiling and leaving. I turned to Della, hoping she would kiss me, but she had that same terrified look on her face that had appeared the other day.

“Please don’t run.”

“I’m not running. I’m using magic.”

“Stay,” I pleaded.

“I can’t.” Something like sadness flickered in her eyes. She stepped forward and gave me a chaste kiss before her magic swirled around her, and once again, she was gone.

I leaned back on the wall and ran my hands down my face. I was fucked. I already missed her, and I hardly knew her. I smiled at the memory of her mouth on mine. Then I tilted my head to the heavens and thanked them for letting her be mine. Della was everything. A noise somewhere close to me had me looking around. Someone was close by—I could feel their eyes on me. At first, I thought it might be Della, but I dismissed that thought when the air became heavy with darkness.

Something evil was near me. I stood up straight and listened closely for the danger. There was an odd sensation as if my body was reacting to this evil presence.

As the thought crossed my mind, I felt that familiar shiver run up my spine, letting me know the void was coming forward whether I wanted it to or not. I didn't understand why this other personality inside of me felt the need to come out right now. I tried to hang on to consciousness and not let him surface. He was being persistent, and I knew I would not win this struggle over who would be the presenting personality. He must think he can handle the danger better, and he was probably right, so I released my control.

My eyes closed tightly as the void swam through my veins and took control of everything, forcing me down into the deep depths of my chest so I wouldn't know what he was doing. The void side of me raced through every fiber of our body, pushing out anything nice about us to make way for his bad attitude. It seeped into my mind, shutting down my emotions and any logical reasoning. My body tensed almost to the point of pain as I switched personalities.

I shook my head as I surfaced. My gaze looked around for a moment because I could feel them lurking close by. It was why I needed to be present right now because the nice side of me did not know they were here. He didn't even know who they were. They stepped into the dark alleyway I was in. All six of them wore cloaks with the hoods up like I didn't know who the fuck they were.

"Take the hoods off." I rolled my eyes.

"How odd," Elra said as she lowered her hood. She didn't look away from me. "I don't think I will ever get used to seeing your nice side."

I ignored her, mostly because she pissed me off every single time she showed her face to me. The others lowered their hoods too, but I didn't move my glare from Elra.

"Is the other side of you going to be a problem?"

"No, he doesn't know what I do or say unless I let him. What the fuck do you want?"

"Why do you need the other side of you? Get rid of him; he is a weakness." She was an idiot.

"You realize he and I are the same? We are one man; there is no getting rid of one another. And no part of us is weak, so don't piss me off. One man, two personalities—it really isn't that hard to comprehend."

Her eyes flashed red with her anger. It was too easy to annoy her. I crossed my arms over my chest and gave her a look that said she should start talking or I was fucking leaving.

"Did you meet Ardella yet?"

"Yes." I did not give them any other details.

"And?" Mateo stepped forward.

"And nothing."

"Did she realize who you are?" he asked.

"No." Relief filled their faces. I was also relieved, but it was more because I wanted to kiss her some more before she realized who and what I was. Della did not seem to remember when we first met, thank fuck. It meant my magic worked on her.

"So this will work?" Daya asked eagerly.

"Yes. But do not get comfortable coming here to babysit me. I have this under control and do not need you fucks breathing down my neck. Have some patience; I literally just met her."

"Fine, but you need to make this as quick as possible. Did you have any more visions of the future?" Elra asked.

Yes, I did, but most of them revolved around Della moaning my name.

"No," I lied.

"Well, let us know if you need any help." Mateo offered with a smug smile, like I couldn't handle this.

"I'll be fine; now fuck off." I didn't wait for them to disappear before I turned away and headed in the direction of a bigger problem I had. I glanced over my shoulder to make sure they left and weren't following me. Once I was sure I was safe, I hurried up the street, following the golden mating bond in my chest.

When I came up to her house, I hesitated. I had been to this house a dozen times, and it never elicited any sort of emotion within me. My mate was on the other side of this wall, and it did nothing but enrage me because it was not Della. Falling in love with Della was not part of the plan, but I did not care. I tilted my gaze to the stars and flipped them off with both hands.

"Fuck you for not letting me have Della as a mate." She was supposed to be mine. I was supposed to belong to her. Fates be damned, I was not keeping this bond with…

"Haden?" I looked at the door of the small home and saw Holden staring at me. He looked up in the sky before looking at me. "Is there a reason you are flipping off the sky—outside of Sara's home?"

Sara walked up next to him, and my eyes immediately fell to the bond between us. Disgust filled me. I didn't find anything about her appealing. The stars did this to me because of who I am. They did not think I was worthy of a goddess as a mate. When I fucked with fate all those years ago, I did not think the stars would intervene so drastically. They could have let me have Della. I would make her happy. But my bond was with my brother's girlfriend.

Sara's friendly face did not show any recognition that I was supposed to be the one she loved, and thank the stars for that.

"Oh, I was just getting out some frustrations." It was technically the truth.

Holden's gaze looked over me before he frowned.

"You're void; are you upset about something?" he asked.

"No, I am just feeling overwhelmed about Della." Also, not a complete lie. "I didn't even realize I walked here; I was just trying to clear my mind with a walk."

Holden stepped forward and watched me closely.

"Are you sure? I am here if you need to talk. You haven't been void for quite a while."

"Yes. Don't worry about me. I promise I am fine. You two enjoy your night together; I'm headed home."

They both stared at me with concern, but I took off before they could ask me any more questions. I need to figure out how to sever this mating bond with Sara. She was not the woman I wanted, and the fates can fuck off if they think a bond will keep me from Della. Della was mine, and not even divine intervention would keep us apart.