Fated Souls: A Zodiac Shifters Paranormal Romance: Aquarius

by Bethany Shaw

  He flew around, surveying the area. All the lycanthrope by the cars were gone. He landed on the ground and marched into the woods, searching for movement in the trees.

  A group of three sprinted between the trees. Daire sprang forward, spewing fire from his mouth. The flames licked their way over the trio, engulfing them in a fiery inferno. He pressed forward, pausing when he heard footfalls behind him. He glanced over his shoulder and huffed as Ethney and Aric joined him. They stalked forward and fanned out.

  Daire lifted off the ground when he spotted a lycanthrope fleeing through the woods. His wings smacked against the trees as he raced through them. Pain ricocheted through the tender flesh of his wings, but he pushed forward. Some of the trees toppled over. Branches fell from the others. He kept going until he was close enough to spit fire.

  The flames found their mark. He narrowed his eyes, searching for more movement but found none. There was no way they’d gotten everyone.

  A scream of anguish ripped through the air. He whirled around, his tail connecting with a tree. It crackled and swayed, but didn’t fall.

  His gaze landed on Ethney. She wrestled on the ground with someone. Aric was yelling the word stop, and it took him a minute to realize why. The half-turned beast was Kevin. Saliva dribbled from his mouth as he snapped his extending jaw at Ethney. She screeched as one of his long claws swiped across her middle.

  Ethney threw a punch. She grabbed a fist full of snow and blew. The water hit the boy in the face, but it didn’t deter him. She threw another ball of snow, manipulating the water with her magic. It liquefied and went into his nose and mouth. The kid wheezed, trying to catch a breath as the water infiltrated his lungs.

  Ethney climbed to her feet, placed both hands on the side of his head, and twisted. The light left Kevin’s eyes, and he fell limply to the ground. She swiped an arm over her face. Tears brimmed in her eyes, but she blinked them away.

  Aric reached out to touch her shoulder, but she shrugged free. “It’s fine. It was silly to think we could help him. We need to check the town. Make sure none got there.” She didn’t give either of them a chance to respond before she whirled around on her heel, sprinting for the water. She dove in and made a beeline for the town.

  “I’ll meet you there,” Aric said, then followed after her.

  Daire jumped, soaring upward. He flew to the spot by the apartments where he landed, changing and dressing quickly. It’d be nice to land in his dragon form, but they had to maintain some discretion.

  He sprinted to the spot behind the Lucky Five. No one was there. He closed his eyes and listened. Cars swooshed over the wet streets, but there were no howls. He blew out a breath and double-checked the area. Nothing. He shifted on his feet, then sprinted a few blocks over to where Ethney hid behind some bushes.

  “Anything?” he asked.

  “No. I don’t hear anything, either.” She huffed and twirled her hair around her finger. “Something’s wrong, Daire.”

  “Stay put. I’m going to check the other spot and check in with Aric. I’ll be back.” He hurried off, sprinting down the sidewalk to the third spot. That was empty as well. Next, he went to where Aric was stationed.

  “No one’s here,” Aric said, emerging from an alley.

  Daire dragged a hand through his hair. “They aren’t anywhere.”

  Aric tossed his hands up in the air. “Maybe they aborted and fled.”

  Daire glanced up at the moon. It was high enough the change should have happened by now. They should hear the howls, even if they weren’t in town.

  “Stay here. Keep an eye on the town. I’m going to take Ethney and search the woods again.”

  “Got it.” Aric nodded.

  Daire hurried back to Ethney. They’d taken out the bulk of the group, but there were still some out there. They would only increase their numbers again. St. Joseph might be safe, but other places wouldn’t be. They would report to Astraea soon, but it didn’t look like they’d be giving her good news.

  ***

  Daire led the way over the marble floor, kneeling before Astraea. Aric and Ethney were on both sides of him. Marble columns lined the aisle leading to her throne, which was striking silver. The ceiling was open to the stars, which shined brightly onto them.

  The goddess took a step forward, her gold shoes clicking against the floor and her blue silk dress flowing around her. Her charcoal hair was knotted at her nape and Astraea’s emerald green eyes swept over them.

  “Rise, my guardians.”

  They stood together; their eyes kept on the floor.

  “Good work in St. Joseph,” Astraea said, pacing before them.

  “We didn’t destroy all the lycanthrope.” Daire glanced up to meet the goddess’s eyes.

  “True. But there were no casualties either. That is good work in my eyes. The group has been broken down. Hopefully, with diligent effort, it will not grow that large again. Aric, you are needed in Lucerne, Switzerland. Ethney, I’d like you to go to London.”

  The two bowed and took a step back. Their footfalls clacked against the floor as they made their way to the exit, a door that led back to the mortal realm.

  “Now, where to send you,” Astraea said. She cocked her head to the side, staring at him through narrowed eyes.

  He blinked, fixing his gaze on the floor. There was only one place he wanted to be, but it wasn’t an option. They’d canvased the entire town for any signs of the lycanthrope. They were gone. Grace, Caden, and the town were safe. There was no reason for him to stay.

  She sighed and began to pace in front of him again. “I think I have just the place for you. But first I want to know something. Do you believe in soul mates, Daire?”

  He considered her words for a moment. Did he believe? There were only two women who had ever made him feel complete. Alannah and Grace. Could one man have two soul mates? Why not? It had been centuries, hadn’t it? “Yes.”

  The goddess smiled. “Good.”

  Daire frowned. “Good?”

  “When I restored Alannah’s life all those years ago, I touched her soul. You have been a dutiful servant, Daire. So, when I found Alannah’s soul alive in another form, I knew what I had to do.” Astraea placed a hand on his shoulder.

  “Grace is Alannah’s soul.”

  Astraea nodded. “Yes. That’s why I sent you to St. Joseph so you could find her again.”

  But now he had to leave her again. His heart ached at the thought. “Th-thank you for the opportunity at happiness again. She lost a lot to help us. I’d like her to be well taken care of. Can you see to that?”

  “No. That’s not my job.”

  No? Daire ground his teeth.

  “It’s yours, Daire,” Astraea continued. “I think you forget I am also the goddess of justice. You have served me for many centuries. Far longer than I ever foresaw. It is time that I release you from our agreement. It is only fair, and it’s the right thing to do.”

  He gulped. His heart thumped harder in his chest. “You’re releasing me? I can be with Grace?” He couldn’t believe it. After so many years, he was finally going to get a happily ever after again.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Grace stared out the window, watching as the snow fluttered to the ground. The wind blew it, kicking up swirls of the white powder into the air, making it hard to see more than a few dozen feet. For the first time all week, she was glad she didn’t have to go anywhere. It was disgusting out there.

  She lifted her coffee mug to her lips and took a generous sip. The warm liquid slid down her throat. She sighed, her eyes drifting to the spot where Daire had emerged when he’d landed by the lake.

  It had been four days since the full moon. He’d called to say that the threat was gone and she could go home, but then she’d heard nothing from him. She knew nothing would come from their relationship, but she’d hoped they’d at least get a chance to say goodbye.

  Maybe it was for the best. A clean break. Her heart ached, and tears misted her eyes at t
he thought. She would never get over him. In a few short weeks, she’d fallen for him. In all her years with Dave, she hadn’t known what it felt like to be loved. In the short time with Daire, she knew without a doubt what it was like to be worshiped—to have a man who would do anything for you. No man would ever fill her heart like Daire did. Now, she only had her memories and the story on which she was working.

  The book was pouring out of her. She hoped readers loved it as much as she did Daire. If they did, it was sure to be a hit. The only thing she was going to change about the story was the end. The characters would get a happily ever after. Even a fictional character didn’t deserve to have their heart broken.

  A stray tear slipped down her cheek. She swiped it away and cleared her throat.

  She started to turn to go back to her computer when movement caught her eye. Someone emerged from the trees by the dumpster. She leaned forward, knocking her forehead against the glass. Squinting, she could barely make out the form. It was a man, but it wasn’t just any guy. It was Daire.

  Her heart leaped into her throat. She set her mug on the windowsill and sprinted for the door. She opened the door and ran out onto the concrete awning and down the stairs as fast as she could without slipping on the ice.

  The ice numbed her bare feet, but she didn’t mind. Daire grinned when he saw her, closing the distance between them. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up, twirling her around in a circle.

  “You came back,” she said. Her lips found his while her hands ran through his hair. This was real, and he was here.

  “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.” Daire repositioned her so he was carrying her bridal style. “Let’s get you out of this cold and then I’ll explain everything.”

  Grace nuzzled into him as he carried her back to her apartment. Once inside, he set her down and drew her in for another long kiss.

  “I’ve missed you. I didn’t think I’d ever see you again,” she admitted between kisses. “It’s been four days. I was so scared you’d gone for good.” She kissed him and then sank back down to the carpet. Her eyes drifted to the floor. “You came to say goodbye, didn’t you?” How silly of her to think he was going to stay. She’d be lucky to keep him for the night.

  Daire put his finger under her chin, tilting it up. “I came to stay. If you’ll have me?”

  “Wh-what?”

  He chuckled and kissed her forehead before drawing her in for a tight hug. “I love you, Grace. I’m here to stay if you want me to.”

  Was he serious? Could this really be happening? Had her streak of awful luck finally changed? “I love you, too,” she blurted. “Of course, you can stay.” She laughed as tears trickled down her cheeks. “You can stay for good?”

  He nodded, swiping her tears away with the pad of his thumb. “Astraea released me from my servitude. She said that I’ve more than repaid my debt to her for Alannah and Neala.” He chuckled, shaking his head as he led her to the couch and sat down. He pulled her into his lap, hugging her tightly. “In fact, Astraea sent me to St. Joseph for a reason. For you, Grace.”

  “Me?” she whispered.

  “She wanted to thank me for all I’ve done for the guardians by returning me to my soul mate. You’re my soul mate, Grace. That’s why we were drawn to each other the moment we met.”

  “Soul mates?” she repeated, trying to wrap her mind around it. That would explain why she’d been so enamored with him since the first moment. But were those real? Why not? Dragons and werewolves and Greek gods were. Why not soul mates, too?

  “Yes. Soul mates.”

  “And we can really be together?” she pressed, touching her forehead to his.

  “We can.”

  “That easy?”

  “Astraea is the goddess of justice, too. She wanted to be fair to me, but it took her longer to find my fated soul mate than she thought it would. I’ve got to admit; it was worth the wait.” He kissed her. “I love you so much, Grace.”

  “I love you, too. I’m so glad you don’t have to go.” She pulled back. “Are you still a dragon?” She lifted his arm, skimming her finger over the tattoo still inked onto his skin.

  He chuckled. “Astraea asked me to give her a few months to find a replacement for me. People are a lot different from how they were in the sixth century. She’ll only call on my services if she really needs me. I’m here to stay.”

  “Will you always be a dragon, then?” she asked.

  “No. Once she fully releases me from her servitude, I’ll have to give up the dragon. Is that okay with you?”

  “You’re the only thing I want, Daire. I’ll take you any way I can.”

  “I was hoping you’d say that. Is Caden here?” Daire asked.

  She shook her head. “He’s at daycare. I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be able to keep him there. I get my last paycheck next Friday.”

  Daire pushed the hair back from her face. “I’ve been working for a Greek goddess for centuries, Grace. We don’t ever have to worry about money. We can look at houses, anything you want. Maybe even purchase the bed and breakfast from the bank and run it ourselves. Or you can do whatever you want. The future is all ours. We can do anything.”

  Daire was right. They could do anything together. She closed her eyes and leaned into him. Life had brought her a lot of things over the years, but it had finally delivered her happily ever after.

  ***

  Thank you for reading this Zodiac Shifters romance. A shifter’s mate is always in the stars... We invite you to fall in love over and over again. Visit http://zodiacshifters.com/ to learn more.

  Welcome to Zodiac Shifters, a series of books with an astrological spin on love. From Aries to Virgo... discover all-new tales of paranormal romance and urban fantasy.

  Zodiac Shifters features New York Times, USA Today, and other bestselling authors. Each month expect new releases based upon the twelve astrology signs.

  ***

  Below is an excerpt from Tethered: A Zodiac Shifters Paranormal Romance Aquarius by Beth Caudill.

  Evelyn Brooks raced across a sky tinged purple. Behind her, lightning and thunder clashed within baleful clouds. Her wings dipped in a strong cross-wind, plunged her toward the earth. Muscling through the gale, she climbed into a less turbulent current. She’d never make Raleigh before getting soaked, despite the speed her Peregrine form achieved.

  A ferocious roar drowned out the whistle of the wind. The upward flap of her wings faltered, and her blood chilled. Turning into a different current, she glimpsed the silhouette of an enormous beast against the storm’s clouds.

  Below her, the treetops of a deciduous forest with red-kissed leaves due to an early frost stood sentry. She took shelter within the branches of an oak tree.

  The whoosh of wings induced Evelyn to shrink against the tree trunk and dig her talons into the bark as the limbs swayed. A strong crosswind contorted the tree further. Another roar challenged the incoming storm’s might and silenced the nighttime creatures.

  Twisting her head, she glanced through the foliage into the cloud-filled sky. A dark shadow moved against the dark gray backdrop. Gigantic wings lifted a massive creature high into the sky.

  Dragons were extinct. Hunted and then stripped of their scales and blood, their magic forever lost to the supernatural communities. For eons they’d guarded and sheltered those seeking wisdom or healing until humans, who couldn’t control their desires, rampaged across the earth and destroyed all the sanctuaries.

  Apparently, the purge didn’t destroy them all and the approaching storm disturbed this one’s slumber.

  Moving to the East Coast was supposed to keep Evelyn safe. Free her of the disturbing sense that someone watched her. Maybe stimulate her creativity and spark a burst of artistry. Instead, she was denied the escape of flight and forced to hide.

  She stared longingly at the sky. Only when she rode the winds, sweeping high above did she find peace. Released from the entanglements on the ground, flying freed her mi
nd and stimulated the creative well inside her. Using her camera to record the beauty around her was potent, but it was nothing compared to enthrallment of soaring in the air.

  For over a hundred years, she’d captured the images around her. Recorded life, the daring vistas of the world, and the beauty of nature. Now every time she peered through her lens, clouds blended together, colors were muted, and not a single star twinkled. The wonderment of life around her had vanished.

  Despite being able to change shape, she felt shackled to an earth-bound existence. Alone. Heartbroken, even though she had no desire for a mate.

  ***

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  About the Author

  Bethany Shaw lives in Ohio with her husband and two kids. Writing has always been her passion and she loves sharing her stories with readers. When she isn't writing, she is spending time with her family enjoying bike rides, bowling, and board games.

  Also by Bethany Shaw

  A Hunted Novel

  Purrfect Match

  Sanctuary

  Off Limits

  Pursued

  A Times Journey Novel

  Vanished

  Lost

  A Times Journey Box Set

  Homecoming

  Rainier Pack

  Shimmers in the Dark

  The Invasion Series

  Phoenix Rising

  Phoenix Under Siege

  Wayward Wolves

  In the Arms of an Enemy

  On the Run

  Bitten

  Midnight Run

  Healing Christmas

  Werewolf Wars

  Out of the Shadows