The Fire of the Fated (The Chosen Series Book 3)

by K. C. Hamby

  I groan as Lilith cackles like a witch. Nina squeezes my hand, chuckling under her breath.

  “Anyway, do we have to party?” I ask and look down at an understanding Nina. She knows I want nothing more than to not be the center of attention. But when I glance back at Lil, her eyes are glowing with anger.

  “What the fuck do you mean, ‘do we have to’? This is the one opportunity we are going to have to throw an engagement party. Lupi don’t get married. Don’t ruin this for me.”

  Her fury is instant and powerful. How the hell did I invoke such wrath so quickly? She must be having one of her harder days.

  “Lil, it’s not about you,” Corin argues, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

  After a moment of silence, her shoulders drop, and her eyes slightly lose their feral glow. “Yeah, fine. Can we at least go to the bar? I know all you fools don’t mind that.”

  “I’m down,” I say, nodding, glad she decided not to kill me.

  “Yep, I’m in,” Nina agrees. “When?”

  “What better time than tonight?” Lilith rubs her hands together evilly and excitement takes its place in her wide, terrifying gaze. “So, I have decided. Tonight. Be there or meet me in the Pit,” she growls and walks off, pulling a smiling, exasperated Corin with her.

  “So, I guess we are going out tonight?” Ash asks as we all watch those two walk away.

  Chapter 24

  Ash

  Fal Pal is glowing like the sun is shining out of her ass.

  Which, despite how weird that sounds, I’m happy for her.

  Her and Nina sit across the sizable table we snagged at the bar, both smiling. Both having a good time despite Fal hating to be the center of attention.

  She left the suit jacket and vest back home, only wearing the pants, shoes, white shirt, tie loosened, and black suspenders. She looks like a fucking mafia boss, tilting her whiskey to her mouth with a crooked grin hidden behind the glass.

  Bad. Ass. I need a suit now.

  We haven’t been to this bar before. It’s on the opposite side of Athens than we usually frequent, and I think it’s nice to do something outside of the norm every once and a while. Everything in here is wood and old, reminding me of a western tavern. What are those things called?

  Saloons. Riiiiight.

  I don’t really know why there is a saloon in the middle of Greece, but whatever. I dig it.

  There are wait staff, so we don’t have to walk up to the bar for the many drinks we have, and I already downed a plate of buffalo wings.

  They were delicious.

  Corin and Lilith chug mugs of beer beside me like it’s their job to compete at all times. Lilith wins, of course, but I think Corin lets her by pretending to choke.

  “Damn, Hot Stuff, you just can’t keep up with me, huh?” she jokes, wiping her lips with the back of her forearm. She leans in to Corin when he shakes his head with a jovial smile and plants a kiss right on his lips.

  Ach, I dinnae wantae watch them lick each other’s faces, whispers through my head.

  I tap my foot against Eddie’s leg as I try to hide my amusement.

  We can lick each other’s faces to get your mind off it if you want, I reply.

  Having the bond to talk through is so fucking cool. We can talk shit—or talk dirty—all we want, and no one will know.

  Ashy, dinnae tempt me. I’m sure there’s a back room in this place we can hide in. I’ll have your tongue all over more than just my face, best believe.

  I choke on my own beer and foam slides all down my chin.

  “You a’rite, mo chridhe?” Eddie asks, touching my arm with fake concern. “You should be more careful, hm?”

  “Cute,” I mutter when I right myself and wipe the foam off my face.

  Her only reply is a wink.

  I glance across the table and Fal Pal has a brow raised and is staring straight at me. Her lips have the slightest hint of humor and her eyes flash.

  My face heats. She knows. She knows we were using the bond to talk.

  “So, when are you guys getting hitched?” Corin asks, taking a huge gulp of his new, fruity drink and it yanks me from my embarrassment.

  I don’t know how he doesn’t get a brain freeze with those things.

  “Goddess, Cori. They just got engaged today,” Lilith scolds. “So, yeah. When are you guys doing this thing?”

  Fal bites the inside of her lip and looks at Nina. I can almost see the silent conversation they are having.

  Probably something like:

  Fal: shit, fuck, goddammit, why do people have to ask me questions? I hate questions. I hate talking. I hate people.

  Nina: Don’t worry, Falcodile—or is it Faligator?—I have everything planned out and there is no need to worry. Here, have some of my witchy stuff so you can chill out for once.

  Fal: *receives witchy stuff* wow, magic, I actually don’t want to kill everybody in the room, now. Maybe later.

  “Well, I figured we could have it on the island, if my dad can come…” Nina starts—I come back to reality and not the theatrical rendition I would probably call What the Fuck Goes On in Fal’s Head—but then shakes her wild hair. “If that is even allowed. If not, I guess we will find somewhere else. But, with how briefly we have talked about it, we kind of wanted to do a Spring wedding.”

  “This Spring, lass?” Eddie asks, taking a small sip of water.

  She insisted on it instead of alcohol. I think she’s still haunted by what happened last week.

  “It’s too close, isn’t it?” Nina asks the table and sighs without waiting for an answer. “I don’t know. I guess we will have to think about it. I want my daddy there.”

  Fal’s smile falls a little. We don’t have any family able to come to the wedding. We are all that’s left. Her eyes meet mine and I tip my glass, wanting her to know I understand. The corner of her lip tilts up. She dips her glass toward me before taking a long drag.

  “Well, I’ve always secretly wanted to be a wedding planner,” Lilith admits, eyes wide and excited. “I watch way too many wedding shows for my own good. If you need help, I would totally be down. And it’s not too close. I could pull that shit together in no time.”

  Lilith watches something that doesn’t involve murder?

  Aye, lad, Eddie answers my thoughts. It’s a bit strange, but her favorite pass time is bakin’ pretty cakes and watchin’ those poorly acted shows as she does. Dinnae mention that to anyone or I’ll havetae fight her in the Pit.

  I hold in my snort. How weird.

  “You really would?” Nina asks, shaking Fal a little with her excitement. “Because I’m way too anxious to do it.”

  “Hell yeah, princess. I’ve got you.” Lil winks and flips her hair over her shoulder in one smooth move. “Just give me Fal’s debit card…”

  “Now, wait a minute,” Fal pipes in to protest after taking a shot of whiskey. “Nobody said anything about my debit card.”

  “That’s why I just did, duh,” Lilith drones, rolling her eyes.

  Nina giggles enough at Lilith to make her eyes water and the demented red head seems pleased with herself as she wags her brows at Fal over Nina’s white head.

  “I’ve got to go to the restroom,” Nina whispers in Fal’s ear once she can gain her composure.

  “I support you, completely,” Fal Pal jokes as she settles back in her seat, her mismatched eyes glazed with her fourth Jack and coke and two shots of whiskey.

  Nina chuckles and pats her Mate’s knee before hoping off her chair and pushing through people to the restroom. Fal Pal watches after her, smiling like a fool and completely wrapped around her little Mate’s finger.

  Not like I can make fun of her, though. I’m so wrapped around my Mate’s finger, I’m sure her skin is turning blue.

  I glance at Eddie, gorgeous as always and smiling as she leans back in her chair, crossing her arms behind her head. She peers over to me with her sharp, golden eyes alight for the first time since the whole Raven ordeal. Whe
n she catches me watching her, she smiles and grabs at my thigh, giving it a small squeeze.

  I love you. You ken that, right?

  I mean, how could you not? I ask with a raise of a brow.

  She gives me that exasperated look she does when I’m being ‘doaty’.

  Yes. I know you do. And I love you more than you could ever imagine.

  She chuckles under her breath and shakes her head once. Oh, I think I have an idea.

  Chapter 25

  Nina

  Once I’m done in the restroom, hands a little less drippy from crap paper towels, I make my way back to the front of the bar to rejoin our little party.

  Super bladder control must be a Lupi thing along with all the other cool stuff they can do. They can all drink a whole fish tank of alcohol without needing to pee for hours. It’s impressive and kind of annoying.

  Pushing my thoughts of a wish list with an iron bladder at the top to the back of my mind, I stop short when I notice a group of people sitting at the back table, talking quietly to each other.

  I’m being nosy, I know. But the people are whispering amongst themselves like their topic of conversation is something super important. Naturally, I’m curious even though I know it’s probably none of my business. And my gut is telling me to listen.

  After everything that’s happened in the last two or so years, I will always listen to my gut.

  Before I can actually tune in to the words they are speaking, one of the people facing away from me pulls her bright red hair into a high, neat bun, exposing her pale skin…

  My blood chills over like my body has switched to winter.

  Right there for my wide, horrified eyes to see, is a double scythe tattoo on the back of her neck. Seeming a little faded from the bleeding of the ink.

  The mark of the Poachers.

  I jump back behind the wall and get out of sight. I’m heaving, surely coaxing the alcohol in my system to spread rapidly through my body.

  I shouldn’t be scared. I’m a lot stronger now and could take them down myself. It’s a knee-jerk reaction stirring from all the trouble they’ve given us. I’m still a bit traumatized from being kidnapped by Damien, too.

  Fal, I reach out instantly, picturing her relaxed and alcohol glazed eyes and rosy cheeks in my mind.

  What’s up, gorgeous? Her thoughts are laced with chemical calm and touch my mind with gentle kisses.

  Poachers are here, I reply with a slight hesitation, hating I have to kill Fal’s good mood.

  Heat floods me from the bond like a sudden explosion of fire and all that gentle calm disappears so fast.

  I’m coming, Fal growls through my thoughts, her energy a raging fury in my head.

  No! I argue and feel her mild confusion. I can contribute and help even if I’m not Lupi. Time to prove it. They don’t know I’m here. I’m listening to their conversation.

  Her hesitation floats over me, a dark cloud wanting to release its downpour of rain but not knowing exactly where it wants to flood, and I know she’s weighing the pros and cons of me being in danger like this.

  She knows I can kick some serious ass with my superpowers, but the Alpha in her always hates the idea of her Mate being in such a dangerous position.

  …okay. Is there a way you can let me in on it? Like let me see through your eyes or some witchy shit like that?

  I press my lips together. I’ve never thought of trying something like that. I’ve done other weird stuff. Maybe I can try.

  How would I even go about it?

  Just let me in, that’s all.

  I’m glad she thinks it’s so simple.

  I blink a few times, scrunching my eyebrows together and concentrating on dropping all my mental barriers to just let Fal catch a ride on what I’m seeing. She flows in my mind, a soft shadow brushing against my thoughts.

  Is it working? I ask, trying to listen to the Poacher’s voices so she can test it out.

  “I don’t fucking know, Lynn,” growls one of them with bright blond hair sweeping over his brows. He’s annoyed and grinding his teeth together. “How many times do I have to tell you that?”

  What a jerk.

  Oh, shit. It’s working. Good job, babe. But please, for the love of my sanity, be careful.

  Yeah yeah, I got it, I reply, waving away her concern.

  “What about our contact?” the red-headed woman facing away from me asks. “You said you had an in on the parasites’ whereabouts. That island you keep talking about.”

  Parasites. How nice, Fal snarls.

  “We do,” the brunette man with a deep scar in his left cheek who sits next to the blond guy with the boyband hair tells the whole table. “Snake is seeing what they can do to gain us access. We will be able to end this once and for all. Take out the Council, and the whole order falls. And we get that bitch. Two birds with one stone.”

  “And you trust this Snake?” the older Poacher named Lynn asks.

  “We’ve been acquainted for years. Let’s just say I have something Snake wants.”

  So, there is a mole on Olympia. Or, a snake, I guess. Someone is working with the Poachers to gain them access to Olympia. I swallow, biting my lip.

  Oh, god. Fal, this is bad.

  Snake? Is that a fucking codename like they are spies or some shit? Get out of there, Nina.

  I nod like Fal can see me and scurry past the table, hiding my face behind a hand. Not inconspicuous in the slightest and I notice one of the Poachers look at me weird before I disappear into the chaos of the busy bar. I pray to Hecate they don’t recognize me. I hang out with the Executioner and Reaper, after all.

  Fal’s shoulders sag when our eyes lock over someone’s shoulder, and she stands, grabbing my hand around the person, and pulls me close.

  “Let’s fucking destroy them,” Lilith growls, banging her fist on the table with eyes alight and ready for murder.

  I guess Fal told everyone already.

  “Hold on, let’s think about this,” Corin argues, calm and balancing out Lilith as always. “They haven’t noticed us yet. We can try to find out more information about this Snake person.”

  I mean, that’s not a bad plan. In fact, I think we should do that.

  “Aye, but that’ll be five less twats tryin’ to get on Olympia,” Eddie reasons, taking another sip of water. She places the dripping glass on the table and smacks her lips, accentuating the scar cracking down her skin. “And the world could always do without a few of those wallopers.”

  “Why do they keep breeding?” Fal scowls, rubbing her hand on my shoulder as I shiver from a chill. “We kill a few hundred and 500 more pop into existence.”

  “Well, there are only five of them here now,” Ash reasons, propping his elbows on the table. He dips his head and opens his hands like he’s telling us the most reasonable plan. “We can each just take one, make it quick, and go on about our night.”

  He’s not including me when he says they each take one and I’m totally okay with not being included this time.

  “I like that plan,” Lilith agrees, nodding wildly.

  She scares me sometimes with how feral she seems. There is always a hint of instability in her gaze balancing on a tightrope between sanity and downright psychopathy. But there is a whisper in the back of my mind saying she is trying to fit in. It’s insisting she is good in all this bad.

  Maybe she has trauma too. I know Fal tells me Lilith has been through a lot, but I respect Lilith’s privacy and Fal’s choice to keep what they talk about to herself. I’m okay being in the dark this time.

  “It just so happens the fuck faces are leaving right now.” Lilith gestures toward the group of Poachers filing out the door.

  I want to giggle. It’s like they are in the hallway of an elementary school, walking in a line three floor blocks from the wall and arm’s length apart.

  “Okay, fine. Make it quick and quiet,” Fal mutters, taking the lead as always.

  She’s usually eager to get rid of the Poachers. But
she seems hesitant, even a bit reluctant to do it, but she knows it’s the best idea. Especially since they have a contact that could rip our whole world apart.

  “Aye, what the lass said,” Eddie agrees, chugging the rest of her water before standing. “Let’s do it.”

  Chapter 26

  Edelina

  I must agree with Falen. No matter how many we kill, it’s like these bastarts will never go away.

  Our group follows the Poachers silently from the rooftops, waiting on the perfect opportunity to take them out without a sound.

  Lilith is humming with anticipation in front of me. The wench has a problem. I may suggest she see a therapist of sorts so she can find healthy ways to cope with her homicidal ideations.

  If she doesn’t snap my head off before I can get out the full sentence.

  “Oh, look,” Nina whispers, clinging to Fal so she can stay blended into the shadows with us. “A perfectly placed alley the Poachers just happen to be turning into.” She has apprehension in her voice, shaking a wee bit when she is trying to be funny.

  “Yeah, we need to watch out. The dumbasses are getting smarter,” Ash agrees from beside me, eyes darkened in anticipation of the kill. “They got the jump on me and Nina.”

  Falen and I both growl at the reminder.

  Having Ash come home with broken ribs and a bruised face nearly had me involuntarily shifting with my fury.

  Lilith and Corin quietly hop over the gap of the alley to take their places on the other roof across from the rest of us. Lilith’s daggers gleam as a flash of silver against the dark night sky when she pulls them from her boots.

  Ashy, Falen, Nina, and I spread out, lining up with our selected victim. Well, minus Nina. I don’t think the lass minded that she wasn’t included in our shite this time.

  “Wait,” I snap and wave to Corin and Lilith to halt them. “Look.” I point down to the Poachers.

  Someone in a black hoodie walks up, face hidden by a white mask, and faces the group. He seems to be quite tall, but I’m not exactly positive on the fact. Being higher above him could be skewing my thoughtful measurements. There is an air of...something around him. I can’t put my finger on it exactly, but it’s heavy and thick.