Page 21 of Worse Fates (Soulmates Suck #1)

In the afternoon, I drive us towards the farmhouse. Golden sits beside me, turned in his seat so he can chat animatedly with Kai and Ramy in the back, he even includes Rurik. Who Golden spent all morning glaring at over his breakfast.

However, it seems Golden is incapable of holding onto a grudge. I’m proof of that.

Tension digs its sharp claws into my hands, wrestling for control of the wheel, urging me back towards the safety of the mansion. Yet for a reason, that feels like utter madness, I’m leading my mate towards possible danger. If only Golden were willing to wait until Vidar was more himself. But my mate is a stubborn one.

“You don’t have a favourite flavour of blood?”

Golden asks Rurik, who’s pointedly glaring out the window.

Ramy laughs, freer than I’ve ever heard.

“What do you mean ‘flavour’?”

Golden grins wide, chin pressed into the shoulder of the chair.

“Obviously blood is all the same stuff, but do regions taste different? Like, Southerners taste rich and Northerners taste friendly?”

Kai snaps his fingers as if Golden’s on to something.

“Like the human version of jollof rice.”

When the three of them laugh like they’ve been friends for years my heart swells. Our family is healing, or perhaps becoming stronger than it ever was. My previous mates interacted with my brothers and Vidar, but there is a quality to Golden that draws people in, maybe his outlandish questions. Even brooding Rurik fights back a smile.

“Blood doesn’t work like that,”

Ramy tells them both.

“Animal blood tastes less…dense, I guess is the right word, and has less nutritional value. Fresh human blood is the best and is like…”

“A well balanced meal?”

Golden offers.

Ramy chuckles.

“Something like that.”

The leather seat cracks under Kai when he leans forward.

“So, do you have vampire laws you need to follow? None of you seem all that bothered about keeping the whole vampire thing secret.”

Rurik waves the idea away.

“Who cares if you tell people? No one would believe you and humans explain away anything out of the ordinary, besides we hide by blending in. Which is why we sometimes become apathetic or start to lose our minds, it’s like we’re losing who we really are.”

Ramy nods.

“He’s right, but we have no one telling us what to do as long as we stay hidden. Unlike werewolf packs.”

Golden’s back goes straight, gasping.

“Whoa, werewolves are real? Do they howl? Do they turn into monsters? Oh shit, was that really offensive to say?”

I squeeze his thigh to reassure him.

“No, love.”

“Werewolves are assholes anyway,”

Rurik supplies.

“Werewolves follow pack law,”

I tell Golden, his hand resting on mine.

“Packs can differ in size but there are normally between twenty to fifty wolves. They each have a pack leader and that leader reports to the Dire Wolf. Who is the leader of all werewolves and enforces their laws.”

“But vampires don’t have that?” Kai asks.

“Vampires have family units,”

Ramy replies.

“Typically they’re not large, the biggest family I know of are the Darkmoore’s with ten.”

“And their assholes,”

Rurik informs helpfully.

“Vampire families have one—sometimes two—family heads and then their offspring. And hierarchy depends on age,”

I explain.

“You have a family name?”

Golden asks me.

I entwine our fingers.

“It would be Vidar’s surname, so our family is called the Hararldsoons. But I still have my own.”

Golden perks up, a question mark shining in his eyes

As my lips drift into an indulgent smile, I say.

“It’s Toledo, beautiful.”

His shining expression melts into something softer, and I struggle to keep my eyes on the road, instead of lost within his gaze.

“Nice to meet you, Lucero Toledo.”

His voice touched with a little shyness.

“My name’s Golden Ramnarine.”

I kiss the back of his palm.

“The pleasure is all mine, Golden Ramnarine.”

“So Vidar is your daddy?”

Kai says, shattering my moment with Golden as my face twists with distaste, my mate snickering.

“Please do not call Vidar that,”

Ramy groans.

“He is the head of our family. However, since Vidar is…indisposed, and the oldest of our family, Sen, off doing who-knows-what, Lucero currently leads us.”

Golden’s head bobs up and down.

“And you’re the youngest, Ramy?”

“I am, I’ve been a vampire for only ten years.”

He hugs the back of his chair, leaning closer to Ramy.

“Well, not for long, right? Once Lucero makes me into a vampire.”

My hand tightens on the wheel. Rurik becomes deathly quiet.

“Since fucking when?”

Kai demands.

“I…I didn’t know that was something you wanted,”

Ramy stammers.

“Well yeah.”

Golden tilts his head, his precious curls falling into his lovely hazel eyes.

“Maybe not right away, but isn’t that the next step?”

There’s a thump when Kai kicks the back of Golden’s seat.

“Mate, screw your head back on and actually think about something for more than two seconds.”

Golden’s about to snap back, but I place my hand on his neck to stop him.

“Love, stop twisting in your seat. It isn’t safe.”

He raises an eyebrow as if I’d lost my mind somewhere along the road, but I keep my hand where it is. Rolling his eyes, Golden makes a show of twisting back in his seat, and giving me a ‘happy, now?’ look.

From my rearview mirror, I spot the wrinkle between Kai’s forehead.

Ignoring Golden’s friend, I give my mate a comforting smile. My chest expanding when he huffs, but rewards me with a little smile of his own. On the inside my heart clenches.

How to explain I have no plans on turning him? Of course, I’ve thought of Golden becoming a vampire. But then the memory of my brother screaming in agony floats to the surface like a bloated corpse and instead of Cristóbal, it’s Golden’s face I see.

To allow my Golden to suffer in that way? Never. And it isn’t just the transformation, Golden doesn’t even eat meat, I can’t imagine how he’d stomach blood.

All too soon we arrive at the farmhouse, and the more immediate concern of Vidar overshadows all others.

Vidar knew we were coming, but I’m still surprised to see lights glowing from the windows.

Golden unbuckles, but I hold onto his leg to stop him.

“Rurik. Ramy.”

In a flash of speed Rurik and Ramy are gone. Kai, sensing I wish to speak with Golden alone, steps out the open door.

“I’ll just wait outside, I need some air.”

And shuts the door behind him.

Turning in my seat, I cup Golden’s jaw and kiss him deeply. Now that I’m allowed to, I can't seem to stop, not that I’ve been trying very hard.

“Dude, I’ll be fine,”

Golden says against my lips, his hands laying on my chest

“I hate when you call me that,”

I confess.

Grinning, he says.

“How about boyfriend?”

My mouth tugs up as I rub my nose to his. “Lover?”

“I ain’t calling you ‘lover’. What is this, the 80s?”

Then he scoots as close to me as possible.

“About yesterday…erm,”

he whispers, nervously playing with one of my shirt buttons.

My heart melting, I encase him in my arms.

“How do you feel about it?”

He chews on his lip before smiling shyly.

“I liked it a lot, and…we’re gonna do it again, right?”

Chuckling, I brush my lips to his, feeding my addiction.

“I very much hope so.”

“Good.”

He lets loose a sigh, eyes shifting away.

“I was nervous, and I know I wasn’t very good.”

“You were amazing.”

I make Golden look at me so he can see the truth.

He shakes his head.

“You didn’t cum.”

“If you think I didn’t enjoy myself then I wasn’t doing a good enough job,”

I reply, voice a sensual caress.

His fingers sneak past my button, running the pads of his finger against my skin.

“You were focusing on me, but I wanted to make you feel good, too.”

“Sex doesn’t always need an end goal. Being intimate with you in any way is incredibly gratifying. But also you are the epitome of my every fetish.”

His eyes go wide, his nervous fingers pausing. “I-I am?”

I hum as I move his jaw to the side and suck kisses into his neck.

“You needed me so badly, didn’t you? And the way you begged…”

I sink blunt teeth into his neck.

“There is nothing better.”

Golden gasps, moaning. “O-oh…”

Reluctantly, I pull away, we’re about to visit my unhinged Maker, I need to have my head on straight.

“It’s probably why I failed to be your friend.”

Golden snorts a laugh in surprise.

“When have you ever tried to be my friend?”

“Up until you walked into the garden, and now you're sleeping in my bed,”

I sigh.

“I’m afraid all hopes of our friendship are dashed.”

“I think I’ll manage,”

he jokes. Then frowns.

“That’s your room I’ve been in?”

I nod.

“Huh…when Ramy put me there on our first night I thought the bed was so comforting, but maybe it…I mean, it smelt like you.”

Groaning, my fingers rake through my hair.

“You are a terrible tease, do you know that?”

“I’m starting to learn I could breathe in your direction and you’d be ‘teased’.”

“It would depend if you were on your knees or not,”

I drawl back with a sultry edge.

Laughter bursts from him.

“You’re the fucking tease, babe.”

“Hm, I still prefer lover.”

I kiss his cheek. As much as I’d rather stay here, teasing and loving Golden, the world outside awaits; as does my Maker.

“Remember Vidar can be cruel, he’s been feeding again but it’s only been a few days. So there’s no doubt he’ll be…”

“Grumpy?”

“A prick,”

I correct.

“Do you remember the rules?”

He rolls his eyes.

“Dude, how am I gonna forget three rules that you’ve repeated about a million times?”

He counts off his fingers.

“Listen to everything you say. Don’t agree to anything. Stay by your side.”

I pause, and after a moment dart out so I can open his door.

“Please stop calling me dude.”

“Okay, sweetcheeks.”

Golden jumps out, fearless, while every cell in my body begs me to turn back. I love Vidar, but to keep Golden safe I would kill him in a heartbeat.

***

Kai decided to stay back, saying he needed to email his tattoo clients. In truth, Golden’s description of my Maker as a ‘walking corpse with fangs, and dick flopping all over the place’ has put the poor boy on edge.

As I lead Golden through the farmhouse, I keep my hand at the small of his back. And following Ramy’s gentle voice, I find them in the living room.

The carpet is an awful off white, a horrible pattern throughout. As if someone got incredibly drunk, and tried to spell their name in dehydrated piss.

The wallpaper is an absolutely horrendous creamy green. Lace doilies hang off a brown velvet sofa patterned with what I presume are flowers, but resemble inflamed eyeballs.

Where the hell did Ramy find this place?

So taken aback by the design choices, I nearly miss Vidar lounging in an armchair and thankfully dressed. His face remains gaunt, more bone than flesh, yet life glows within his pale eyes. Ramy beside him, Rurik on the other side a few steps back.

Golden shifts. Instinctively, I put my body between him and Vidar.

“You’re looking better, Maker,” I say.

Vidar runs one long, broken nail through the doily, the sound of shredding lace filling the room.

“Ramy brought me fresh blood this morning. And lucky me, you’ve brought me more.”

“Maker, please.”

Ramy lets out a weary sigh

White-hot rage burns away my amicable feelings.

“Touch him and—”

Vidar laughs.

“So, you’ve resolved your problems?”

“And you’re laughing no longer sounds like a death rattle. Haven’t we all improved?”

I bite out, muscles coiled and ready to pounce.

Golden tries to move around me, but I won’t budge. Instead he goes on his tip toes and pops his head over my shoulder.

“Yeah, we patched things up,”

he says cheerfully, not matching the tension in the air.

When Vidar's gaze swings to my mate, I fight the urge to hide Golden from view.

“And you were the one skulking about in my mansion. The one you burnt down, by the way.”

“Oh shit. I did? Oops…”

“You saved me a job, beautiful.”

My eyes never waver.

“I, however, would’ve chained Vidar to the rafters.”

Rurik quirks an eyebrow.

“Aren’t you both supposed to be on better terms?”

“Maybe next time,”

I growl.

“he won’t threaten my mate the moment he meets him.”

While I’m distracted, Golden slips around me. Cursing, I grab his arm and lock him to my chest.

“What did I tell you?” I hiss.

“A lotta stuff.”

In my hold, he wiggles around to face Vidar.

“Sorry about your mansion, I can’t really pay you back. But when I’m a vampire we’ll be family, so I guess we can work something out.”

Vidar’s cold gaze stays on Golden, his lip twitching.

“Will you now?”

I clench my jaw so tight it aches.

“Anyway, I wanted to give you something back.”

Golden digs through his pocket, before holding out a gold brooch fitted with rubies.

“I kinda stole this from your now burnt down mansion. So…here you go.”

Vidar doesn’t blink for so long that I wonder if he’s fallen asleep with his eyes open. Then with humor laced in his voice, he says.

“You’re an odd little thing, aren’t you?”

“I’ve been told that once or twice.”

“I believe that. Keep the brooch for now, I have no use for it.”

“Are you sure?”

Golden holds it up.

“I found out gold is really rare, so it’s pretty precious.”

How I hate that Golden so earnestly stands before my Maker, who quietly laughs at him. If only I could keep him within my chest, where my heart belongs.

Vidar crosses his legs at the ankle.

“What brought you to stay inside that moth-bitten mansion, anyway?”

He shrugs.

“Change of scenery. And mate, what a bloody scene you made. I nearly pissed myself. You’re looking a lot better now, ya know. The clothes are a nice touch. You could even pass for handsome.”

It dawns on me that Golden is aware how Vidar sees him—a foolish child.

“You think I’m handsome, do you?”

Vidar’s mocking smirk stretches his paper-thin skin.

But Golden sees Vidar as someone who needs help.

“Outta all the half-starved vampires I’ve ever met, you've gotta be the best looking. But…ya know.”

Golden glances at me, then back.

“Lucero’s always gonna have you beat.”

Vidar snorts, amused.

“Too bad for me when your company’s so pleasant.”

Golden brought Ramy out of a shell I could never crack, and got Rurik talking—even if it was through gritted teeth. And now, he’s somehow managed to charm my Maker away from his bitterness. Is it possible, when my every thought is already consumed by Golden, to fall more in love with him?

Golden shoves the brooch back in his pocket.

“Thanks for letting us pop round,”

he says, as if we’d stopped by for a friendly visit of tea and biscuits.

Vidar stares at Golden with curiosity.

“I’m sure we’ll meet again soon, when I’m more…myself.”

Once it’s all said and done, and Golden waves goodbye to Vidar—much to my Maker’s chagrin—we leave. When I notice that Rurik isn’t with us, I turn to him.

He hasn’t moved from his post by the wall, arms crossed and feet apart.

“I’ll join you later, I’m going to stay for a while.”

Neither of them acknowledges that this will be the first time in five years they’ve been alone. After a moment, I nod at Rurik and leave, hoping they come to an understanding instead of blows.