Fall For Me ((The Tate Chronicles #1))

For Katrina
;
because you were there from the start.

PROLOGUE

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

NINETEEN

TWENTY

TWENTY-ONE

TWENTY-TWO

TWENTY-THREE

TWENTY-FOUR

TWENTY-FIVE

TWENTY-SIX

TWENTY-SEVEN

TWENTY-EIGHT

TWENTY-NINE

THIRTY

THIRTY-ONE

THIRTY-TWO

THRITY-THREE

THIRTY-FOUR

THIRTY-FIVE

THIRTY-SIX

THIRTY-SEVEN

THIRTY-EIGHT

THIRTY-NINE

FORTY

FIGHT FOR ME

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

My only love sprung from my only hate!

Too early seen unknown, and known too late!

Prodigious birth of love it is to me,

That I must love a loathed enemy.

William Shakespeare – Romeo & Juliet, Act I, Scene V

England, 1642

The stars twinkled above them as they raced through the castle. They were not permitted to stay long, only until their task was complete.

On earth everything was tangible and unique, but back home the realm was an endless white void where everyone existed in unison. They both loved their home, but once the magnificence of this world had been experienced, it was hard
to go back.

Over the years they’d been sent on many missions, and it saddened him as he knew this would be their last. Coming to earth was the only way he could spend time with her, because back in their world falling in love was forbidden.

The sound of her giggle as she ran ahead brought a smile to his face. It was like a beautiful melodic bell chiming inside his head. He followed close behind, taking note of the way her dark hair flicked out behind her and caressed the nape of her neck. He imprinted in his memory every line and every curve of her body; because after that night he wasn’t sure if he’d ever see her again. She turned to glance over her shoulder and he caught a glimpse of her radiant face, her sparkling blue sapphire eyes and perfect porcelain skin. She was beautiful, and heavenly, and he loved her.

Keeping his feelings from her was the hardest thing he’d ever had to do, but making the decision to leave was harder still. She couldn’t know his intentions as he knew she’d want to go with him. He wouldn’t allow it; he couldn’t let her make that sacrifice. They were best friends and he was closer to her than any angel he’d known. Where he was going there was no turning back and she didn’t deserve that life. It would be better to live without her than to stay and live with her just beyond reach. He couldn’t do it anymore. He couldn’t risk her existence to satisfy his own, and he couldn’t let himself love her.

She grabbed his hand and pulled him into a small stone alcove. Her touch was warm and spread happiness through him, consuming him like a burning fire. Touching her always made him feel like he was home.

“We have to go back now,” she whispered.

He knew it was true, but he didn’t want to leave. Not yet. This would be the last time he saw her this way, possibly the last time he would see her at all, and he wanted the moment to stretch on forever.

“Just a few more minutes,” he said. “I’m sure they won’t mind.”

“They see everything, we should be back already.”

She was right, she was always right. For a moment they stood gazing into each other’s eyes, and he wanted what he couldn’t have, wanted it so much it hurt. He almost told her there and then exactly how he felt, but instead he hardened his heart.

“Fly with me first?” he asked.

She hesitated, then smiled and nodded.

He slid his hands around her waist and she rested her head on his chest. He closed his eyes and sent his orbs of light around them. The tiny glowing spheres swirled until they joined together as one and they left earth, bound for the outer realm. There they could fly freely, without the risk of being seen. He thought it was the most amazing feeling in the world.

They flew side by side, twisting and turning in unison, so in tune with each other no words were needed. He knew exactly what she would do before she did it. A gentle breeze made by the flutter of her wings caressed his arm and sent a shiver through him. She was magnificent, and even more so with wings spread wide. Beautiful and silvery white, she shimmered in the night sky and it took all his strength not to reach out and touch her. He longed to feel the silky smoothness of her feathers beneath his fingertips, to hold her, and it broke his heart knowing that when she arrived home he would not be with her.

They danced and twirled. Her giggle floated among the stars which twinkled brighter as she neared. He wished they could stay like that for eternity, happy and free, but he’d made his decision and the time had come to let her go.

He knew they should have been back already, so he reached for her and took her into his arms. For a moment he savoured her touch, drew in the fresh scent of her hair which smelt like summer rain, and made sure he’d remember the way her body seemed to fit perfectly with his.

Together for the last time, she lifted her head and he looked deep into her eyes. She pulled back and he could tell she was about to ask what was wrong, she always knew when something wasn’t quite right. Struggling to hold it in, struggling to hide his emotion, he lost the battle and a tear trickled down his cheek. She reached up and caught it in the palm of her hand where it sat glistening, then solidified into a diamond. Before she could speak, he said the words he’d been waiting a long time to say.

“I renounce you and all your ways.”

The expression she held was one that would haunt him for the rest of his life, and he hated that he made her look that way. She shook her head and tried to grab for him, but he was already slipping away. He had no way of telling what was in store for him, or what his fall would be like. Her angelic face was fading into the distance, she was becoming a blur at the end of a long black tunnel, and he could see her calling his name but he couldn’t hear her. Before long she was a distant memory, and he was surrounded by a cold, heavy blanket of darkness.

GRACE

Late Sunday Night

C
rouched in the scrub, rocks digging into my knees and bracken fern tickling my nose, I could think of much better ways to spend my Sunday night. Then again, it was how we spent most nights.

“Get your head down,” I whispered, “have you forgotten everything Pa taught you?”

Meet my brother Archer, sixth generation hunter extraordinaire. He’s a bit too cocky sometimes but all members of the Tate family are, especially the boys.

“Chill out, Grace. This one’s not too bright,” he said.

I rolled my eyes in the darkness knowing he could see me. Excellent eye sight was a genetic inheritance and came with the job description. Our target was standing with his back to us about twenty metres away, striking a defensive pose. He was alone—they usually travelled in pairs or more—which was why my brother was being so careless.

“Easy, Arch, he’ll find us if you’re not careful,” I said, putting my hand on his arm.

Our subject knew we were there but couldn’t quite pinpoint our location. He’d be able to hear Archer’s heartbeat and smell him, too, but not enough to accurately follow his trail. In-built defences also came with the job description. Archer was human but had the ability to suppress normal human functions, a bit of a necessity when you needed to go undetected around someone with super hearing and smell. I had no particular odour. I could give off a scent if I wanted to but I found it much easier not to be smelly. If I did I opted for summer rain or freshly cut grass.

“Come out, come out wherever you are,” he mocked us. “I can hear your little hearts beating, there’s no use trying to hide.”

Archer scoffed under his breath. I parted the ferns and looked at the figure through the darkness. The moon was bright, but its light was blocked by the dense canopy above. The guy we were up against was hunched over ready to strike. He flicked around in one swift motion and I stared into a pair of deep black eyes, as black as death itself.

“I think he’s seen us, Arch,” I whispered.

“Really?
You don’t say.”

The man sped towards us, his dark figure a blur between the trees, and in less than a second he closed the gap. Now would be when you’re thinking,
oh well, they’re dead,
but I have a little something up my sleeve for moments like this. My hand was on Archer’s arm so I couldn’t grab his neck to throttle him; that I could do later. Instead, I used my own gift and took us to where the guy had been standing a second before. Orbing was fun, and came in quite handy. It was also pretty cool—not to mention fast—travelling by a ball of light.

Our target looked angry he’d been outsmarted. Archer and I stood side by side smiling in the darkness. A breeze wafted through the tallowwoods and rustled their branches allowing a little more moonlight to shine through.