Page 12 of Worse Fates (Soulmates Suck #1)

The monster who hurt Golden struggles in my grasp—face turning a painful purple and eyes bulging like a toad. He’s also a blood mage, even if the rancid stink of his magic didn’t give it away, his flesh spellbook floating at his side does. And here I thought I couldn’t despise this piece of shit more.

The bitter smell of Golden’s fear hangs in the air, unlike Jace’s crude show of power. He’s not powerful enough to maintain the spell and fight weakly against me, so his swirling orb of blood falls to the wet dirt with a splat.

My fangs drop, wanting to spill more of his blood, and Jace’s panicked heartbeat increases. A plea to ‘let me go, let me go,’ against my fingers. Leached of power, this human stain on Golden’s past is nothing.

“I’m going to rip your throat out,”

I growl. Jace might think he’s a predator, but I plan to show him where the real danger lies.

A pathetic gagging whimper splutters past his paling lips.

But before I can make Jace suffer, a cry pulls my attention away. Golden has flung himself on the back of a large white man, whose forearm locks around the neck of Golden’s friend with the bleached braids.

A sudden blinding pain slices into my shoulder. Cursing, I drop Jace and find a knife stabbed deep into my shoulder, the handle buried so deep it plugs my blood from escaping.

Released, Jace scurries away like a rat, his spellbook slipping itself back at his thigh. But I don’t give him—or the knife—a second glance.

Within a blink, I’m grabbing the man fighting Golden and his friend, and with all the effort of a flicked wrist, I send him crashing into the building Golden had been hiding under. The man makes a satisfying crunch, but I keep my smile to myself as Golden winces.

Golden staggers, damp curls hanging in his shocked gaze, clothes dripping wet as he pants.

He’s trying to look fierce, angry. But bless him, Golden only looks scared.

“Golden.”

Weight drops from his overburdened shoulders when I say his name. More so as I wrap an arm around his middle and press him flush to me. His fingers—long and purposeful—find purchase on my chest and, with an exhale that travels into my heart, he buries himself under my neck.

Sweet cherries, sea breeze. Home.

Our connected souls mean he’ll always wish to draw close to me, as I’m drawn to him. If only I could cleanse his fears and take him in my arms for real. One day soon, I have no doubt. For now, I simply find joy in finally embracing his smaller, shivering body after so many days.

“Who the hell are you?”

his friend cries, and whatever spell Golden was under snaps. Ripping himself away, Golden’s gaze is a flipbook of changing emotions.

“He’s…”

Golden’s Adam's apple bobs. Then unbridled fear stops him in his tracks.

“Lucero—oh my God, you’re hurt!”

he cries, waving at the knife still lodged inside me.

“Oh this?”

I cast a dismissive eye to the protruding black handle, slicked with rainwater.

“Ignore that, you—”

“Ignore it? Are you goddamn crazy!”

His trembling hands hover before me, terrified to touch but desperate to save me from an imagined fate. How endearing. I should endanger myself in battle more often—but then again, I’d worry for poor Golden’s heart, always fluttering like a startled bird behind its cage. Surely that can’t be good for his health.

“We need to get you to a hospital or—”

“Don’t worry, my love.”

Then I simply pull the blade out, which makes an unpleasant wet sucking noise, and toss it aside.

His friend doubles, heaving.

Golden chokes on a wretched gasp, eyes pinned to my shoulder; however, my drenched black coat and shirt hide the blood spilling from my already healing wound. Before I can say another word, he’s pulling my jacket aside, tugging the collar to examine me closer.

“See, I’m all fine,”

I coo, my hand coming up to cradle the back of his head. But he can’t seem to stop shaking.

“Say it for me, beautiful. Tell me I’m fine.”

“You’re fine…”

Delicate fingers run across the gash, the skin already knitted together.

“What the fucking hell was that!”

His friend screams.

Golden’s legs nearly give out as the tension holding him stiff dissipates, and I catch him before he falls.

“Idiot, you could’ve died.”

Then, remembering he’s upset with me, he stumbles out of my grasp.

“I’m all fine,”

I tell him, repeating my earlier sentiment.

Golden’s eyes, big and brown and trying to take all of me in, beg for something when there is no need. I would give him everything on a platter.

“Can you two stop gazing into each other's eyes for two bloody seconds? What are we going to do?”

his friend demands.

“I’ll keep you both safe.”

I would offer it to Golden alone, but I’m certain he’s going nowhere without his friend.

“Follow me.”

“Golden!”

the young man shouts.

“This is…fucking crazy. Is this the Lucero guy you were talking about? Mickey was a dick, but he could be dead.”

He flaps his hand at the sad lump of a man.

I wave him away, uninterested.

“Your Mickey is simply unconscious.”

My focus is on getting Golden to safety, though my ears perk up at his friend's words.

Golden has spoken about me.

As a possessive triumph swells in my chest, I try to suppress a smirk, but from Golden’s glower, I’m unsuccessful.

“Yeah, this is Lucero. But he’s…he’ll keep us safe, alright?”

Golden’s eyes flicker back to my shoulder, as if waiting for my arm to drop off, his own shoulders tense once again.

“Where are you taking us, then?”

I incline my head toward the road.

“My car. Then I’ll take you to my home.”

“And Kai is coming.”

“Of course.”

His friend—Kai—looks between us, not hiding his suspicions. Then Golden grabs his arm and tugs him forward.

“Lead the way,”

Golden says, stern but bone-tired.

I take them a short distance, then open the back door to my long sleek town car.

“Is everything you own black?”

Golden asks, a little smile hidden in his voice.

Kai jumps in first, then looks at Golden expectantly, who seems to be standing there, unsure what to do next.

“I wouldn’t want to stray too far from the classics.”

My teasing works, and I’m rewarded with a huffing laugh from my mate.

After a pause, Golden closes the door on Kai. He circles the car and slips into the passenger side, the soft sound of the door closing a question mark. Thrilled, I seat myself next to him and turn the heat high; warmed more from the way Golden snuggles closer to the blasting vents. His cheeks turning from a washed-out brown to toasty pink.

I drive away, the rain streaking across the windows, like falling stars.

Kai is curious in the back seat, but seems to be following Golden’s lead and remaining silent.

“How did you find me?”

Golden murmurs.

I tap my index finger on the wheel, turning when I need to and trying to find a way to tell him without making him want to distance from me further.

Then he huffs, forehead pressed to the window.

“You knew where I was the whole time, didn’t you?”

“I did.”

No sense in lying.

“Only to ensure you were safe.”

“Probably how every stalker explains away their weird behaviour.”

His remark is meant to bite, but he’s too tired to really sink fangs in.

The urge to touch him leaves my knuckles white as I squeeze the wheel harder than I did Jace’s neck. I need to hold back, already I’ve scared Golden with my intensity. Meeting my soulmate has always been a world-altering experience, a happy one filled with unrivalled love and passion, but I’m not about to turn away from a challenge.

First, patience. No romance in history has ever remained a joyous affair when the other half was forced.

And secondly, truthful.

“I know you didn’t want me near you,”

I tell Golden.

“But the power of our connection made it difficult to stay away. So, yes, I followed you. But not all the time, only when the pull became…too much. But I won’t deny being happy I did it. Jace would’ve killed you.”

Between clenched teeth, Golden says, “Shut up.”

“Golden—”

“SHUT UP!”

His eyes fill with tears.

“Fucking hell, why am I always crying around you. You’re so fucking annoying.”

I’m about to say something, offer comfort or try to dull his edge, but when he moves into my side, burying himself into me, all words fail.

“Just be quiet,”

he whispers.

Smiling, I keep my eyes on the road, the demanding tug of our connection easing. He is next to me, where he belongs and when I wrap an arm around Golden, it’s welcomed. It hurts my shoulder, but I’d withstand more for this simple pleasure.

“Outta all that's happened,”

Kai says, and I’ve forgotten he was even here.

“That was the weirdest thing I’ve witnessed all night.”

“You’re not allowed to speak either, Kai,”

Golden grumbles, his breath hot on my neck.

“Can you drive one handed okay?”

“I’ll be fine,”

I promise.

I wish the journey was longer out of the city and into the country-side. But in a short thirty minutes, the familiar sound of tires crunching over gravel announces we’ve returned home.

“Holy shit,”

Kai mutters.

“I thought it would look more gothic,”

Golden says.

I hum my pleasure, carding his wet curls between my fingers.

“Does it disappoint?”

Once the iron-wrought gates—taller than three men and wide enough for elephants to stroll through—swing closed with a metallic clang, I park outside the mansion.

“Not a gargoyle in sight.”

Golden’s honey-brown eyes flutter my way.

“So, yeah.”

Golden hasn’t moved from his place at my side, and I have no intention of removing him.

For four days I watched him sleep in filthy alleys or under bridges. He pickpocketed easy marks, and I admit to compelling a few people for him to steal from. I only relaxed when he finally gave in and paid for a hotel.

Kai clears his throat, stealing Golden’s attention from me and I have to wrangle in the possessive growl threatening to escape.

“Not that it isn’t absolutely insane to watch Golden cuddle,”

Kai says, teeth chattering.

“But I’d love to get out of these wet clothes.”

Golden is the first out of the car, but I’m close behind, with Kai following last.

I lead them past the well-kept towering trees, full and green even in winter. The mansion is a squat thing—only two stories—but so wide each side disappears into the shadows. The roof rises into five points, as if its architect didn’t think the grand stone pillars and arched windows weren't extravagant enough and added a crown.

“Fancy,”

Golden says once we’re inside. The entryway, like the rest of the house, is decorated in rosewood panels and bathed in a warm glow.

“Ramy’s doing, he enjoys decorating,”

I inform. Leading them through the wide-open space and past the broad stairs, our feet tapping on the hardwood floors.

Expecting some quip from Golden, I turn to find him chewing on his lip. Clearly, something is on his mind, but I say nothing as I walk into a hallway, our footsteps dulled by the forest-green runners until we make our way into the kitchen.

“Ramy decorated this, too?”

Golden asks, a touch of…something to his voice.

“He did…”

I reply cautiously.

“We spend most of our time here, so he wanted to make it ‘cosy’.”

The kitchen, like everything else, is spacious. Counters made from sandstone, a fridge we never use grumbling in the corner. The family table, which is slightly more used, is a rustic oak and framed with brown cushioned chairs.

Kai looks between me and Golden, then finally lands on me.

“So…what the fuck was all that weird shit?”

“Lucero’s a vampire,”

Golden tells him with such disinterest he may as well fall asleep.

Kai stares at me, shocked.

“Prove it.”

I grin, flashing my fangs.

“I can bite your neck.”

“Whoa, nope.”

I chuckle at his friend, then pull myself short when I see Golden glaring hard at the floor, arms folded so tight they could hurt.

“Okay, so vampires. Vampires I can handle…or, I don’t know, freak out about later. And what did Jace do?”

Kai asks while Golden cocoons himself in his sudden shift into a foul mood.

I turn back to Kai, but my answer is distracted, eyes lingering on Golden.

“...He’s a blood mage, vampire's mortal enemies.”

“Why?”

“Our blood makes their spells incredibly potent. But I’m assuming Jace has just discovered his powers,”

I tell Kai impatiently. How can I make Golden look at me again?

“Why would you say that?”

Golden asks, still looking around with a harsh eye.

Ah, maybe he wishes to decorate? Problem solved, I’ll organise it so he can tear down what he hates and fancy the place up to his tastes.

“He was a terrible mage,”

I tell him, my mood lifted. “Sloppy.”

“Right. Okay…”

Kai frowns.

“Maybe he just learned it?”

“No.”

I dismiss.

“You are born a mage, it’s not something you can become.”

Something flickers in Golden’s eye.

“There’s a woman who’s been around Jace lately, she’s weird. Older, not someone he’d normally hang around with. Maybe she showed him?”

I breathe out a sigh, dealing with wayward blood mages wasn’t how I wanted to spend my evening. I was hoping to dry Golden, feed him and tuck him safely into my bed.

“I’ll have to tell my family. Especially since I failed to kill Jace.”

“Why?”

Golden asks.

“This is nuts,”

Kai mutters under his breath.

“Because it could begin a vampire hunt.”

Golden bites his lip.

“Let’s not worry about that for now. You both must be freezing. I’m afraid none of my clothes will fit. Ramy’s might—”

“I don’t want to wear Ramy’s fucking clothes!”

Golden snaps, looking confused by his own outburst.

I frown. Then it hits me and I can’t stop the smile. Is Golden…jealous?

A juvenile part of myself is tempted to make Ramy seem more than he is. But I stamp it down as the thought rises. I may be impatient for Golden to return my feelings, but I want those feelings to be uncoerced. I am, however, absolutely delighted.

“Golden.”

I move closer to him, happy that while his glare remains, he doesn’t shy away.

“Ramy is my brother, one of Vidar’s offspring—children, I mean. There is no romantic interest between us.”

There is a moment where nothing shows on Golden’s face, but a second later his cheeks are engulfed in red and he’s glaring at me like a wet hissing cat.

How adorable.