Fates Divided

by Jules Barnard

  She leaned in and kissed him, her fingers trailing over his shoulders and slipping down his sides. She rucked his shirt up his back, wanting to see him without the audience of Keen in the room. And yes, feel him too.

  “You’ll tell me if I go too far?” he whispered.

  “You won’t. You couldn’t.”

  Derek reached back, yanked his shirt over his head, and tossed it aside, the muscles in his arms and chest flexing with the motion.

  Her mouth went dry, her brain a bit frenzied. She leaned up and kissed his torso and he sighed. His large hands dropped to her waist and he slowly pulled up her top.

  It was as though no time had passed since this morning when they’d kissed and touched, and at the same time, it was as if this moment was all they had left. She didn’t know that with certainty, but she wasn’t taking chances. If she had nothing else, she wanted this.

  Elena ran her hands down his stomach, faintly registering Derek unhooking her bra. The muscles on his stomach tensed the lower her fingers got, and a shiver racked his body. He leaned forward, edging her back so they were skin to skin, with nothing and no one between them.

  “God, Elena—” His mouth landed on hers, and the heat, the rawness, took her breath away.

  She ran her palms around his trim waist to his back, then slipped them beneath his jeans and squeezed the muscles beneath his boxer briefs. Derek rocked his hips forward.

  The feel of him between her legs had that urgency she’d discovered when they’d kissed this morning building again.

  He covered her moans in a frantic, deep kiss, moving his hands over her breasts, down her stomach to her waist. “I’ll stop whenever you want.”

  “Do not stop.”

  The “last night on Earth” scenario might be the perfect pickup line—and Reese would give her such shit for this—but Elena trusted her instincts.

  The intensity she and Derek shared was real. She wanted this moment with him because she was falling in love with him.

  His hand dipped to her inner thigh over her jeans, his fingers swirling over the sensitive place between her legs. She moaned into his mouth and gripped his back, her breaths a gaspy mess.

  Derek leaned to the side, slowly unzipped her pants, and slid his hands to her lower back. He eased her jeans down her legs. Just that, the barest touch of his naked stomach and hips against her side, created a lightning storm of sensation.

  His hand skated down her leg and pulled up her knees so he could remove one shoe, then the other. He rose and pulled her pants all the way off until the only thing she wore was her panties.

  She was pretty shy about her body, but the way he looked at her with reverence and desire—it didn’t matter. She felt beautiful.

  His heat-filled gaze took in every inch of her, and he slowly inhaled. “Why do you hide all this?” He shook his head. “You know what? Don’t answer that. More for me.”

  He bent and kissed her breast. His soft lips trailed their way down to the top of her panties, then the inside of her thigh. “You are so beautiful, Elena.”

  When she couldn’t take those soft, tempting touches of his mouth anymore, she wrapped her hands under his thick arms and urged him up. He covered her with his body and she reached between them, fumbling with the snap at the top of his jeans.

  If she was in her underwear, it was only fair he should be.

  He eased to his side to give her access and cupped the back of her neck, kissing her deeply as she tried to undo his pants. His tongue distracted her enough that she fumbled with the zipper before she managed to push his jeans down with his help. He kicked them off in a heap beside the bed and rolled her on top of him, her thighs straddling his waist.

  Aside from the thin layer of underwear they both wore, she felt the long, hard ridge and sharp angles of his body beneath her.

  Elena shivered, her fingers gliding over his chest and arms.

  “Cold?” he asked.

  She shook her head, but he pulled the covers up and rolled until he was leaning over her, the heat of his body warming her. His hand skimmed up and down her leg, her stomach. Everywhere he touched, her skin ignited. Very effective warming technique.

  Derek ran his palm up her chest and cupped her breast, his thumb rubbing the sensitive peak. Her body arched, and he replaced his hand with his mouth, the backs of his knuckles skimming down her belly and beneath her panties.

  He touched her the way she’d imagined him doing this morning. The intimacy of it was awkward at first, but then his fingers slid over a place that made her limbs melt and she really didn’t care anymore.

  He moved in a steady rhythm over the spot that had her writhing, her hips lifting toward his hand, breaths coming quick as he kissed and touched her.

  But she wanted more. She wanted to touch him too.

  Tentatively, she trailed her hand down his chest and palmed the part of him that was so foreign, yet infinitely fascinating.

  His fingers stopped their deft seduction on her body, and the muscles in his shoulders bunched. “Elena, I don’t think I can last if you do that.”

  “I don’t want to stop what we’re doing. I want this. With you.”

  He let out a slow breath. “We can wait. I would wait however long you want. We don’t have to do this now. Jesus,” he said, as if coming to another conclusion. “Keen’s somewhere outside the door.” He lifted up slightly, as though he was about to rise. “We shouldn’t do this here.”

  She held on to him. “He’s not with us. It’s just you and me, and I don’t know when they’ll let us be together again.”

  It was the oddest thing, but given everything that had happened today, the notion of being separated from him was what brought burning tears to her eyes. She blinked them away.

  His face went taut. “Those bastards. Don’t worry about them, Elena. I won’t be far. I’ll find some way to stay with you.”

  She reached behind his neck and brought his mouth down. “You are with me. Now.” She kissed him and pulled his body closer. “I want this.”

  Derek pressed his forehead to hers and took a steadying breath. He kissed her tenderly and ran his mouth down her neck, his hand finding her breast again. “I can’t think clearly when you look at me like that… I promise to find a way to be with you, Elena. But I’m also not leaving you now. I don’t have the strength.”

  They kissed and his hands skimmed over every inch of her body. When her breaths grew embarrassingly erratic, he reached over the side of the bed and grabbed something from the pocket of his jeans.

  He set a condom packet beside them and kissed her again. She tugged at his boxers, and he slid her panties off.

  Derek tore the condom wrapper and fit it on. He settled over her, and she felt him circling and pushing gently where his hand had rubbed earlier.

  She wanted this moment, but she was nervous. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him softly.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  She nodded, and his eyes held hers as his body rocked slowly into her. His head dropped and he kissed her mouth, her neck.

  Derek breathed slowly through his nose as if trying to maintain control, and all the while his body entered her and retreated, until there was no space between them.

  He stilled. The tips of his fingers settled at her temples as his large hands cradled her face, a look of longing and love filling his features. “Elena.”

  Just that one word—her name with so much emotion behind it. He moved again, and she stopped thinking entirely.

  She ran her hands over the contours of his upper chest and arms, breathing in his scent, and that fluttery feeling he’d built earlier began again, only deeper this time.

  Derek was everywhere, surrounding her body, her head, her heart. Nothing else mattered.

  And when that fluttery sensation caused the muscles in her stomach to convulse, she felt no fear, no loss, just love and pleasure and Derek.

  Derek lay on his side, his arms locked around Elena, their leg
s tangled. He waited for his breathing to calm, but somehow he didn’t think it ever would. He squeezed Elena tighter, brushing his mouth along her hairline. She smelled so good. And what he felt for her… She was his. Simple as that. He didn’t want to let her go, ever, let alone leave her room.

  Damn, Leo. What an asshole. If Leo thought he could keep the two of them apart, he was wrong. Derek’s ability to Blend meant they couldn’t keep him trapped in one place for long.

  “I wish you could stay,” she said, her breath tickling his chest.

  He pulled her closer. “I’ll stay if you want me to. Screw Leo. He needs us, not the other way around. And if I have to tell my family what I am, so be it.”

  She sat up. “No, Derek. Not if you think they’ll abandon you. I can’t imagine why anyone would want to, because you’re amazing and brilliant, but I’ve lost my parents. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone, especially the person I care about.”

  Derek snaked his arm around her soft curves and pulled her close, kissing her tenderly. This girl was everything to him.

  He had known Elena from afar since the start of school, lingering around her without putting reasons to his actions. He made stupid justifications to himself for why he’d visit his neighbor’s apartment building when he was on scouting missions, though she was no threat. Not to his body. His heart was another matter.

  Now that he knew her… She was it for him. He loved her, and he’d give his life for her.

  Elena was good, and stronger than she gave herself credit for. And she was important.

  Leo and Keen and the rest of them wouldn’t admit how special she was, but Derek knew they weren’t telling her everything. She was more valuable than they let on, and Derek wouldn’t allow anything to happen to her. Not just because he loved her, but because of the good she could do. The world needed Elena, and he wasn’t so selfish a bastard that he’d deprive others of her abilities just to save himself the heartache of losing his family.

  “Let me worry about my parents. You worry about staying safe and doing what the Fae ask for now. I promise to stay close.”

  Her mouth twisted. “I want to be near you, but maybe we should listen to Leo. We need their help as much as they need ours. It’s not safe for either of us anymore.”

  He let out a sigh through his nose. “Though it pains me to admit this, I trust Keen to keep you protected while I’m in whatever room they throw me in for the afternoon. He’ll look out for you in the lab, I’ll make sure of it. And I won’t be far. Call if you need anything and I’ll come running, because I’m the bodyguard.” He grinned cockily.

  She smiled at their inside joke, then her eyes dropped to his mouth and her lips parted.

  His blood fired. When she looked at him like that, he wanted to—“Elena, you better stop looking at me that way, or I’m going to do something about it and you’ll be late.”

  She gave a light pout he didn’t think she was aware of.

  “Fine. Have it your way,” she said, but a spark lit her eyes, and she leaned over and kissed him. Adrenaline shot through his body at the press of her naked skin against his, and for a moment, he kissed her back, forgetting where they were.

  He pulled away. “When this is all over, there’s going to be a ban on clothing when we’re alone. Only skin on skin, and lots of kissing.” She smiled and just about stopped his heart.

  One way or the other, this girl might be the death of him.

  They dressed, and Derek dipped his head out the door long enough to threaten Keen with bodily harm should anything happen to Elena.

  He stepped back in and closed the door, dragging Elena to his chest and holding her close to his heart. “Don’t leave Keen’s side, okay?”

  Derek glanced around as if he could see through the walls to what the Fae were really doing behind closed doors. But again, he wasn’t a superhero and he didn’t have that special ability. Maybe if he did, he could protect Elena better.

  “Be careful,” he said. “I don’t trust this place.”

  24

  Keen escorted Elena to the lab where Leo waited, but all Elena could think about was Derek. Every touch, sound, or word uttered in the Emain dorm room would forever be branded in her mind. She’d felt cherished and protected in his arms. Her body was a little sore, but she’d never imagined sex could be so amazing, and it probably wouldn’t have been if it hadn’t been with Derek.

  She’d never regret the moments they’d stolen together.

  Elena stifled the perma-grin that wanted to etch itself on her face, and focused on the training Leo had for her today, but it was no use. For the second day in a row, she made no progress with transmutation.

  “This isn’t working.” Leo’s face was more strained and tired than it had been earlier. “Go to your room. I need to focus on an approach to the cure that doesn’t involve your abilities.”

  An ominous statement coming from Leo, who’d thought all along she’d be their salvation.

  Elena walked back to her room with Keen, but she worried the rest of the afternoon about what to do. Innocent people would die because of the disease and the battle between the Fae and Halven. It wasn’t right. Her own mother would die if she didn’t find a cure. She had to stop it.

  Over and over she considered the words in the Tertullian Codex. If only she could safely travel to Tirnan—

  It wasn’t until the second vibration that Elena realized she’d missed a text message.

  She reached for her phone and looked at the time. Well after dark. Keen had dropped off dinner, but she’d been so preoccupied, she’d barely touched the food.

  There were two text messages on her phone, both from Reese.

  Reese: Where are you? I’m so excited you messaged me about the party! But I’m here and I can’t find you :(

  Reese: You said Alpha Chi, right? I checked everywhere but I don’t see you. It’s a total sausagefest tonight. The male vultures are starting to swoop in. Hurry up and get here, I need some girl backup.

  Elena sat up, her heart racing. She hadn’t sent Reese any messages.

  Elena: Reese, that wasn’t me! I don’t know anything about a party. Get out of there!

  Oh God, who had messaged her? And how had they made it look like it was from Elena? Whoever it was must have hacked into her iCloud.

  Elena: Please go home! Not safe!!! Text me as soon as you get this so I know you’re okay.

  Elena waited for Reese to respond. Reese always returned texts quickly, but this time she didn’t.

  When ten minutes passed, then fifteen without a word or call from Reese, panic tightened Elena’s chest. “Keen!”

  Keen burst through the door, his white-blond hair whipping against his face as he searched every corner. “What is the matter?”

  “I can’t get hold of Reese. I texted her and she hasn’t responded.”

  His mouth twitched in what she thought might be annoyance. “This is not an emergency. Your roommate is flighty and unpredictable.”

  “No, Keen. Someone pretending to be me sent her to a party.” Elena scooted to the edge of the bed and held up her phone as if he could see from across the room. “Could they—is it possible Marlon would have done that? After today…” She pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head. “Would they go after my roommate?”

  Keen let out a sigh—a long one. Did Fae have greater lung capacity?

  He stepped into the room and slammed the door closed. Elena jumped.

  He stalked over and read the messages on her phone, his face growing angrier. “What do you propose?”

  “It’s been twenty minutes and she hasn’t gotten back to me. Reese never answers her phone, but she’s a consistent texter. I’m worried something’s happened.”

  Mateo had left a voice message earlier saying that he’d met a woman while grocery shopping to replace the food he, Derek, and Keen had inhaled over the last few days. He was out with her tonight and Mateo went MIA when he was on dates, or Elena would ask him to go after Reese. It
made perfect sense that Mateo wouldn’t be around the one time she actually needed him.

  “What if you or I go to the party and find her?”

  Reese had gotten sucked into this thing because of her proximity to Elena. Elena couldn’t leave her friend out there to fend for herself if the Halven were after her. And Elena was pretty sure Leo wouldn’t authorize guards to be sent in search of a human they cared nothing about.

  “Out of the question,” Keen said. “How can you even think of leaving after you were nearly killed this morning?”

  “I wouldn’t think about it, except it’s Reese, Keen.” Elena couldn’t let anything happen to her best friend.

  Keen scrubbed a hand down his face, which was another shockingly emotional gesture for him. He rarely showed emotion—unless Reese was involved.

  “You are not to leave Emain and I cannot leave you, which means we both must remain here. Emain is on lockdown while we devise the cure, and there is little time left.”

  She rubbed her temples. “You’re right. And we can’t send Derek. He’s in danger too.”

  “No, and you are not to see Derek. Leo’s orders, if you recall.”

  Her fingers froze and she looked up. “What’s the deal with that?”

  Keen shrugged. “He feels you are getting too close.”

  If only they knew. “Leo thrusts us together and he doesn’t expect us to become friends?” Keen raised his eyebrow, and she blushed. Either Emain had cameras in its rooms, or her and Derek’s relationship was more transparent than she thought. “Fine, what if you and I go together to the party and get Reese out.”

  “No.”

  “Keen! I’m not letting anything happen to Reese.”

  His jaw shifted as if he were reconsidering it, or just flaming pissed.

  She jumped at the hesitation. “I’ll stick to you like glue the entire time. We’ll be fast—in and out. If we leave through one of your portal thingies, no one will see us and we can get there faster.”

  She looked around and nodded to the opposite wall. “You could open one here.”

  Keen frowned. “That is not how it works. Some Fae possess the ability to create temporary portals, but they are rare individuals. And I am not one of them.”