Page 29 of Worse Fates (Soulmates Suck #1)

“Where are you going?”

Golden asks, half asleep and tangled in sheets.

Fully dressed, I kneel beside the bed and cup his cheek.

“I need to go feed, beautiful.”

Golden blinks away his dreams.

“Are you going to be rough?”

“No. I’ll be gentle, careful. I only hurt people when I wasn’t myself. Or rather, too much like myself.”

Golden snuggles into my touch. “Jerk.”

Chuckling on a breath, I trace his soft cheek. “I am.”

“Try not to do that anymore. Unless they’re like…a murderer or something.”

“I promise.”

And brush his curls away from his face.

He yawns, half-lidded and warm.

“How old were you when you was turned?”

Carefully, I move Golden back and lay beside him. Our heads resting on the same pillow, fingers entwined.

“Thirty-two.”

“And are your DVDs the things you collect to keep your head in order?”

“Mhm. But it’s changed over the years. Once it was china cups.”

This makes him laugh. “Why?”

Shrugging, I say.

“They’re pretty. Just like you.”

He rolls his eyes and I smirk, brushing my lips across his temple.

Golden snuggles closer, his arms snaking under me to wrap them around my middle.

“Is it scary? That need to collect things?”

“I can’t speak for all vampires, but I do tend to tunnel vision when I want something.”

“No kidding,”

he replies sarcastically.

Carding my fingers through his curls, I kiss the top of his head.

“We’ll talk more. You need to learn everything about being a vampire before…well.”

“I’m not going to change my mind,”

he replies on a yawn.

“Sleep, love,”

I reply as I stroke his curls, his body loosening with each yawn as he’s pulled back into dreams. All good, I hope.

“You have plenty of time.”

“You like pretty things…”

he mumbles against my chest, falling back asleep.

Running my finger around the curve of his jaw, I whisper.

“That I do.”

Reluctantly, gently, I pull away from my Golden and leave.

Time to feed.

***

Full and home again, I head to the kitchen, eager to find Golden. But only Rurik is there, and my pulse spikes.

“Where is he?”

Rurik looks up from his phone where he’s seated by the window.

“Him, Kai and Ramy went out, but should be back soon.”

In a blink I’m in his space, towering over him.

“Golden is being hunted.”

My fangs don’t come out, but their sharpness is in every bitten out word.

“And mages are after us and you Let. Him. Leave?”

Rurik stands, meeting my glare head-on.

“Luc, they’ll be back any minute”

I want to take my anger out on Rurik, but Golden always comes first. Turning on my heel, I start moving. But Golden’s laughter soon follows, Kai and Ramy’s voices mixed in.

When he comes through the threshold, I take hold of him. Something crinkles between us as I crush him to my chest. His scent—sea breeze, cherries and home—fills me, and only then do I realise I haven’t taken a real breath since leaving him.

“What’s wrong?”

Golden looks up, his big hazel eyes full of concern.

Taking his jaw in one hand, I crash our mouths together. Golden’s taste, the eager way he so desperately tries to match my intensity, is the reassurance I need—he’s safe. Safe with me.

I pull back enough to allow him a breath, his pupils dilating. “Do not,”

I say against his puffy lips.

“leave without telling me.”

His honey-sweet arousal wraps around my cock and strokes it to life.

“I needed to go to the petrol station,”

he whispers, cheeks flushed.

My fangs ache to sink into him, claim him on a level I’ve never claimed any of my other soulmates. Instead, I run blunt teeth along his bottom pouty lip. “Why?”

His cock swells against my leg and I see it in his eyes—just a flash—the memory of him on his knees, mouth around my cock. Golden digs his fingers into my shirt, and I watch, unblinking, as he struggles to stop his hips from moving against mine.

“I had to get you something,”

he murmurs, chest heaving.

Frowning, I pull back and finally notice the flower bouquet. At most it cost ￡5, already half the petals have fallen and the stems droop sadly. The pinks are dull and the yellows pale, the ends of the green leaves curl inwards, turning brown.

Golden’s cheeks warm and shifts his feet.

“I know they aren’t the best but…”

he holds them out and when I don’t move he gives them a little shake, the cheap plastic rustling.

“Everyone deserves flowers, right?”

“You bought me flowers?”

My voice sounds strange, strained and surprised and…

“Well…Ramy gave me the money. But yeah.”

Golden nods, chewing his bottom lip.

“Because I…ya know, I love you.”

Slowly, almost hesitantly, I take the offered flowers with the same reverence as if Golden was handing me his beating heart. I’ve been given gifts before, of course; books, watches, cars. But something that is meant to show beauty—no matter how wilted—and gentleness? Is this how my lovely Golden sees me?

He is attracted to my strength, my power. But to think he could want me for…the softer aspects of myself. I…didn’t know anyone could.

“Golden.”

Swallowing the growing lump in my throat, I say.

“Thank you.”

All his nervousness fades and he beams with the beauty of a field of flowers. How very lucky I am. Cupping the apple of his cheeks, I kiss him, long and gentle. His hands go to my chest, running up to hold onto my shoulders, his lips following my lead.

“Not to interrupt,”

Rurik says, surprising me out of the world I’d created with Golden. I’d completely forgotten anyone else was in the room with us.

“But we need to talk about the blood mages, you can take your boy to bed later.”

Embarrassed, Golden slips out of my hold. But I don’t allow him too far, instead steering him to one of the stools where Kai and Ramy are already perched. Ramy grinning at me, Kai poking at Golden’s cheeks and snickering.

“Do you guys have any ideas?”

Golden asks, slapping Kai’s hand away, then punching him in the arm.

“Ouch, you dick.”

Kai then aims a kick at Golden and it takes everything in me not to stop it.

“You lot can scent people right? Can’t you just sniff them out?”

“It isn’t that easy,”

Ramy says as I grab a tall glass and fill it with water for my flowers, Golden watches me the whole time, his face, if possible, becoming brighte.

“Because blood mages use, well, blood, it messes with their scent. And in a city this big? It’ll be impossible to find them.”

“We could set a trap with some bait,”

Rurik suggests.

“Using what?” Kai asks.

Rurik inclines his head to Golden.

“Over your dead body, brother—”

I snap.

“—will you use my mate.”

“Yeah, shitty idea, Rurik,” Kai adds.

Rurik raises both hands in mock surrender and rolls his eyes—at Kai, not me—and I catch my brother shooting a sly wink at Golden’s friend. Then the teasing middle finger Kai replies with.

‘Interesting,’ I think.

I know they slept together, but it appears a friendship, possibly something more, is developing.

“I mean, it ain’t a half bad idea, Lucero,”

Golden tells me.

“There’s no need for you to put yourself in harm’s way,”

Ramy replies gently.

While Kai just says.

“Don’t be an idiot, mate.”

I ignore Golden and his ridiculous statement, placing my flowers on the table with pride.

“We should check if people have been turning up with massive blood loss injuries,”

I remark.

“There are few other vampire families in the city, but none would be stupid enough to start draining people.”

“Lucero, c’mon listen to me.”

Golden tries to get my attention, but is again ignored, making him huff.

“Blood banks, too,”

Rurik adds.

“You know what those assholes are like, take whatever they can grab.”

I nod.

“And we should also find out why this Emma even attached herself to Jace.”

“Is that weird?”

Kai inquires.

“Kind of,”

Ramy replies.

“Do you remember how I explained that vampires have families and werewolves have packs? Mages have towers and are run by Sovereigns. There are always going to be people out there who don’t know they have magic in their blood. But mages aren’t exactly going to go out of their way to find them.”

“So Jace didn’t accidentally discover he was a mage?”

Golden asks.

I move back to his side, my fingers tangling in his curls.

“Magic isn’t just waving your hands and hoping for the best. It requires intention, hard practice.”

“So use me as bait and we’ll find them faster—”

“Golden, enough. You say it one more time and I’m taking you to the other side of the world and only bringing you home when this is done.”

Golden’s brows draw in, his big brown eyes serious.

“Lucero, c’mon. You said it would be difficult to find them.”

A growl rumbles from my chest.

“You put this idea in his head,”

I snarl at Rurik.

Golden jumps off the stool, arms crossing.

“Everything that has happened is because of me! Let me fucking help, damnit. Let me make up for all the bloodshed.”

“Even if you weren’t here—”

Even saying the words feels wrong.

“We’d still need to take the blood mages out. I’m also an ancient vampire, and you, while perfect in every conceivable way, are still human, and therefore breakable.”

Golden flips me off.

I bring his face up to mine, my voice loving but unyielding.

“So no, Golden. You stay here. You stay safe. You say ‘yes, Lucero’.”

“Has it even crossed your mind that you might be at a disadvantage? Didn’t you say vampire blood makes them more powerful, right Mr.Ancient-Ass-Vampire?”

“And your lovely human blood still makes them powerful,”

I tell him.

“You cannot heal. I can. Case closed.”

His glare burns holes into me. I take that heat and suffer its every sting, not once flinching. Let the world burn before I ever—ever—endanger Golden. He’s chewing on words between pressed lips, and minutes go by without another word being exchanged, until finally he looks away.

“Fine, do whatever. Sounds fucking boring, anyway,”

he spits, unimpressed.

I bring his head to rest on my chest. Content, even if he’s angry with me.

Then, on an exhale even I struggle to hear, he mutters.

“Yes, Lucero.”

My arms cage my sweet mate to me, my every protective instinct flaring to life.

“Rurik and I will have to search the places blood mages usually hide, abandoned warehouses and the such.”

“Why abandoned places?”

Kai questions.

“Rats,”

Rurik wiggles his eyebrows at Kai.

“Little bags of blood on scurrying legs.”

“Ew.”

“Wait.”

And it’s Ramy’s turn to jump up.

“I’m not coming?”

“Someone needs to keep Golden and Kai safe,”

I reply, firm. Feeling more like our family’s leader than ever before.

Indignation stiffens his spine.

“Get Vidar to babysit!”

He catches himself, sending an apologetic look to Golden and Kai.

Kai shrugs, unphased. Golden grumbles something into my chest but stays put.

Rurik snorts.

“And what will Vidar do? Die in front of them? He isn’t exactly the warrior vampire anymore, Ramy.”

Steam billows from Ramy’s flaring nose, fists tight at his side. Rurik lounges back in his chair, looking at our youngest as if he’s a teenager having a tantrum and simply needs to wait it out. Somewhat bored by the whole thing.

A ding ding ding chimes and Kai clears his throat.

“Feels like the worst timing for this…”

he murmurs and pulls a phone from his pocket.

“Yo, Luuk. Sorry mate, but can I call you back?”

But instead of hanging up, Kai’s shoulders stiffen and he slips out of his chair.

“Wait, what?” he gasps.

Golden turns to face him. “Kai?”

“Shit,”

Kai hisses.

“Jace made an appearance at the tattoo studio.”

Golden goes still.

“Is everyone okay?”

Kai repeats the question. Golden leans so close to Kai I have to tighten my hold to keep him from falling.

Kai curses again.

“Alright, we’ll be there as soon as we can.”

He hangs up.

“Jace fucking took Apollo.”

It happens suddenly—a twig snapping or gun going off before impact.

Rurik’s chair topples to the ground and before Kai even finishes, my brother’s face is inches from his. A fist twisting in Kai’s shirt so fiercely, the sound of ripping fills the kitchen. “Apollo?”

Kai’s light green eyes go wide, his phone cluttering to the floor—frozen in place.

“Oi!”

Golden rips himself out of my hold and charges into Rurik. But my brother doesn’t budge.

“Get fucking off him!”

“Rurik, stop!”

Ramy shouts.

I hook an arm back around Golden and pull him away, not trusting Rurik not to lash out.

“Apollo Rao?”

Rurik demands again, shaking Kai.

“Enough.”

I drop Golden on his feet and grab Rurik’s shoulder, trying to pry him off Kai.

Kai’s voice shakes as he speaks.

“Rurik, what—”

There’s a sound like a clap of thunder on a cloudless day as Rurik’s fist smacks into the island—sending marble flying.

“ANSWER ME DAMNIT!”

“What are you doing!”

Ramy yells.

The scent of Kai’s fear eclipses all others as he shields his face, and sinks low, trying to make himself smaller. Golden, on the other hand, only gets angrier.

“Get your fucking hands off him, you bastard!”

Golden screams, slipping around my arm to attack Rurik with his fists.

Rurik snaps his head to Golden, baring his fangs. His strong hands remain twisted in Kai’s shirt.

Losing the little patience I had, I rip Rurik away from Kai and Golden and send him flying through the window. The glass shatters, broken beams creak before completely crumbling.

Kai’s labored breathing is the only sound. Nobody moves an inch as all eyes stay locked on the dark hole that used to be a window.

“What the hell is going on?”

Golden’s voice, despite his anger, is hushed. Like Rurik has become a monster, and speaking too loudly will draw his attention.

Then, Rurik’s hand slaps on the edge of the broken window, Golden and Kai jumping. I take a step forward, Ramy moves to shield the other two.

A river of blood runs down the wall as the glass cuts deep into Rurik’s skin, even as he crushes it to gradually pull himself up. For a frozen moment, as if the cold outside had taken Rurik in its clutches, he stands there—face hollow and haunted.

I keep my gaze trained on him, watching for any sudden movements as he steps back into the kitchen, glass crunching under foot. The sparkling window pieces embedded into his face, neck and arms clink to the floor—pushed out by his vampiric healing. And before our eyes, his skin stitches back together.

“He was dead…”

Rurik mutters to himself.

“He was dead…”

“Lucero! What is happening?”

Golden demands.

“Apollo is his dead mate,”

I tell him, eyes locked on my brother’s lost expression.

“And the blood mages seem to have him.”