Redemption of Fate (Fate Series Book 2) (29 page)

Chloe plucked the bra from the air and rushed in to the closet to change; this time taking a moment to check her appearance before she emerged to greet her aunt and uncle.
 

Unaware of the change Chloe had undergone during the night, both Cami and Jared looked at the young woman who stepped into the room with complete confusion. The couple looked at each other, then at Alexa, then back at Chloe.

Oh, come on, Uncle Jared. I know I look different, but not so much that my own family wouldn’t recognize me,
she sent to her uncle before she erased the distance between them and pulled him and Cami into a hug.
 

“Chloe? How, when, why didn’t, um…?” Jared stammered as he pulled back to take another look at his niece.

“It happened in the middle of the night; practically right before our eyes,” Alexa began. “I woke up to find her unresponsive with the hottest fever I’ve ever felt. Elijah rushed her to the lab for tests, but she was awake and like this,” she said gesturing to Chloe with a smile, “before he could even view the samples.”

“Wow; we always knew she would grow up too fast, but this is, well, crazy,” Jared said hugging Chloe again.

“Perhaps this is a good thing,” Cami added from behind him.
 

Alexa looked at her curiously, waiting for her to explain. Cami looked at Jared, then at Chloe who nodded, with eyes full of understanding.
 

“Jared and I were coming to talk to you, Alexa. You probably haven’t heard, but one of our soldiers was abducted by some of Lucias’s men last night. His moves are getting bolder and, after talking to your father and Commander Claesson, we’ve all agreed you should both be trained to fight. As much as I hope it never comes to it, we must prepare for the possibility of open war and—”

“And, since I am the one he wants, I need to know how to defend myself,” Chloe interrupted.

“Yes,” Cami continued. “I’m sorry, Chloe; I wish we could be more optimistic, and I can’t begin to understand how hard and confusing all of this is for you. I’m still having a hard time accepting the fact that I’m talking to my little niece,” she said with a hint of sadness in her tone, “but now that you have reached maturity, your training will be simpler and far more effective.”

“It’s all right, Aunt Cami,” Chloe said stepping forward and taking her aunt’s hand. “I can handle it,” she whispered before she closed her eyes and pushed a flurry of thoughts and images into Cami’s mind to ease her concern over Chloe’s age.

When Chloe released her hand, Cami looked at her with awe. Sliding his hands around her waist, Jared kissed the side of Cami’s neck as she leaned back into him, not realizing she had needed the support until it was offered. He winked at his niece and gave her a crooked grin. No words were necessary between them. He had viewed all that Chloe had shared through Cami’s mind; just as Alexa did and, with the strength of his niece’s telepathy, he was certain she was reading all of their thoughts despite their shields.

“So, I guess we’re all caught up then,” Jared said breaking the silence.

“I think that’s a fair statement,” Chloe replied with a laugh. “So when do we start training, anyway? I have to admit, I think it might be kind of fun.”

“We can start today if you like, but I’ll need a little time to set up an area. We can’t use the training room, since no one is supposed to know about Alexa,” Cami responded.

“Who will be training us? Will it be you two?” Alexa asked regarding her brother and sister-in-law.
 

Cami chuckled and cut her gaze to Jared, who responded with a scowl; feigning irritation as he listened to the thoughts his lover didn’t bother trying to shield.

“Jared will be participating in the training, but as another student. I will be in charge of your lessons, along with a fellow soldier named Dante, who typically runs training on the compound. You haven’t met him, Alexa, but he’s been brought up to speed on the situation and can be trusted to be discreet.”

“Yeah, just be careful with him thoug; he can get a little grabby,” Jared teased spinning Cami around in his arms. She struggled momentarily, still not fully comfortable with public affection, but quickly melted into his embrace when he pressed his lips against hers.

✧

“This is just too weird,” Jared said readying his stance in front Chloe. “At least tell me I can still call you ‘Squirt’,” he teased as he watched her pull her wavy chestnut hair up into a ponytail.

“Sure, Uncle Jared,” she replied raising her hands up defensively like Cami and Dante had demonstrated only moments before.

“The trick to this is to listen to your opponent, but remain detached from their emotions. It will allow you to anticipate their movements without getting distracted or overwhelmed,” Jared said before he lunged.

Chloe easily dodged his attack. “Come on; don’t take it easy on me,” she said with a smile knowing he hadn’t been. It was quickly becoming apparent that she had inherited her father’s renowned strength and speed.

After several attempts, Jared was unable to get anywhere near his niece who, it seemed, was finding it very difficult to mask her amusement as she continually evaded her uncle.

“Like this?” Alexa asked on the other side of the room, attempting to replicate the movements Cami showed her as Dante approached, going through the motions slowly, at least for vampires, until she got the hang of fighting. Though Cami was supposed to be helping Dante with Alexa, she found herself mesmerized by the magnificent anomaly that was Chloe.

“Yeah; that was good,” she said unable to pull her eyes from the youngest vampire. “Dante, you’ve got this under control, but I think Jared could use some help.”

Dante chuckled from deep in his chest. “Yes; I fear our young friend is severely outmatched,” he replied watching Jared fly several yards across the makeshift training area they’d set up in an unused storage room located in a rarely-used section of the compound.

Cami extended her arm to help Jared up from the ground. He took her hand, a look of defeat on his face which suddenly morphed to one of mischief before he yanked her down on top of him and captured her mouth in a fierce kiss.

Breaking away, she swiftly stood; putting a little distance between them while keeping her back to Chloe. “Jared, this is serious. You all need to be prepared,” she chided. “Besides, we’ll have plenty of time for that later,” she added with a playful wink.

In a blur of motion and without any sort of warning, Cami went for Chloe. While Cami expected to catch her niece off-guard with the surprise attack, she instead found herself confused and spinning around, attempting to locate Chloe who had disappeared into thin air.
 

She looked toward Jared, who was doubled over with laughter; his eyes fixed on the ceiling above her head.
 

Reflexively, her eyes moved up and her mouth fell open.

“How are you doing that?” Cami asked with wonder as Chloe smiled down at her from her horizontal position against the high ceiling.

“Oops; guess we forgot to mention she can levitate,” Jared replied appearing at a still-shocked Cami’s side.

“What else have you failed to mention?” Alexa asked sharply, joining her brother, with Dante in tow. Having witnessed Chloe’s rather rare feat, the pair had abandoned their own training for the time being.

Chloe glanced at her mother sheepishly.

Sorry,
she sent, but it was apparent from Alexa’s proud smile that she was far from upset.

My dear, sweet daughter; you are truly amazing.
 

“I’d like to try something,” Dante said approaching Chloe and interrupting the telepathic exchange. “May I?” he asked gesturing for her hand. She looked at her uncle and mother with uncertainty.

He can sense abilities. If I touch him he’ll know so much about what I can do,
she sent.

Your aunt trusts him, so I trust him. But it is your decision,
Jared responded telepathically. Alexa agreed with a nod of her head.

Chloe returned her gaze to Dante, looking into his kind eyes as she dove into his mind. She was surprised to find that, despite his pleasant and focused demeanor, his mind was a turmoil of worry and regret all centered on a beautiful face she recognized. The power of his emotions sent a pang into her heart and left no doubt in her mind about the kind of man he was. Pulling back from his thoughts, Chloe extended her arm with a smile.

Taking her hand, Dante closed his eyes and clasped both his hands around it. Almost instantly, the surge of her power flowed up his arm and over his body. His eyelids snapped open and he gazed upon her with awe.

“My God,” he whispered. “I think it is fair to say that there isn’t much more we can teach you, Chloe. Your abilities far exceed anything I have ever seen or felt. Indeed, there is none among our kind who could match you,” he stated surely and released her.

“You’re a mirror?” Cami asked, her eyes wide as she took a step back.

“I hate that term,” Dante replied; his tone laced with irritation. “I’m sure you can understand why it’s something I don’t share.”

Cami moved her head up and down almost imperceptibly. Up until that moment, she had never known a mirror, but she had been told stories about them as a child. Mirrors were said to possess the ability to detect the powers of others with a single touch and, if they so desired, take on or reflect those powers, thus the term ‘mirror’. Mirrors could absorb energy and reflect it for a short time with little consequence; however, it was also rumored that one could draw so heavily on the strength of another, that they would steal their power entirely; and in some cases, their life.

CHAPTER 24 -
A Bond Challenged

“Te amo, Alexa,” Ethan whispered against her ear as he slid his arms around her waist and locked his hands together over her stomach. Alexa smiled lazily as his warm breath skated across her skin and she leaned back into his embrace.
 

“I’ve missed you so much, Ethan,” she replied as he pulled her closer, pressing his growing erection against her backside and pulling a desire-filled moan from her lips.
 

The erotic sound froze his response in the back of his throat, flooding his blood with raw need and desire. He spun her around to face him, covering her mouth and dipping his tongue into her mouth demandingly as he rushed them across the room to the bed.
 

Alexa shot up off the bed, her eyes flying open as the climax ripped through her body. She called out Ethan’s name into the darkness of the empty room. As the last tremors of orgasm passed over her thighs, Alexa let go of the sheets she had been fisting tightly and swiped at the tears which were sliding down her face as the feelings of pleasure were washed away by sadness.
 

As real as it felt, it had only been a dream. She was alone in her bed and Ethan was still gone; still suffering with no way to know she that was alive and waiting for him to come back to her. Alexa stood, intending to go to the bathroom, but fell back on the bed as a jolt of desire sprung up in the pit of her stomach.
 

The sensation was familiar, yet somehow different from anything she’d ever experienced. She closed her eyes and began to slide her hand down, hoping to ease the growing burn between her thighs, until a discomforting image flashed into her mind followed by an almost unbearable sense of guilt and remorse.
 

She recognized the sharp pain of guilt and immediately knew it was coming from Ethan; she was feeling him through their bond and, without thinking, she dropped her shields completely opening up the connection.
 

Alexa flew off of the bed and into the bathroom as the reality of what was happening exploded like a bomb in her heart and the contents of her stomach burst free from her mouth into the cold water of the toilet.

✧

Ethan followed Lucias down the long corridor as commanded, all the while staring daggers at the back of the other vampire’s head. With each day that passed, he became more and more himself and his hatred for Lucias grew; yet he was powerless to act on or express the powerful emotion. Despite the growing strength of his mind, the virus and its blood bond kept him completely obedient and under Lucias’s control.

As was the case for all of Lucias’s soldiers, he was expressly forbidden from speaking or acting against Lucias in any way. The handy little command prevented all manners of insubordination amongst the ranks of the army since, in Lucias’s absence, the highest in command was to be afforded the same respect as Lucias himself.
 

“Ah yes, here we are; it appears everything is ready,” Lucias said with a wicked smile, stopping just outside the door to his playroom and looking inside. Ethan stepped to the side; preparing to wait outside while Lucias indulged in whatever depravity he had planned with Molly for the evening, but Lucias remained in the doorway looking at Ethan expectantly.
 

Seeing the confusion on Ethan’s face, Lucias gestured for him to enter. “Tonight’s entertainment is for you, Ethan. As I assured you before, I know what you need to rid yourself of the pointless connection you feel to your dead mate.”

Lucias stepped aside as Ethan approached, revealing Layla sitting naked on one of the large beds. Her glowing red eyes darted around the room, falling hungrily on someone who Ethan couldn’t see, though judging by the sound of the human heartbeat and unmistakable scent, he knew Molly was waiting inside. Layla’s body was coiled tightly like a snake as she inched towards the edge of the bed, the hungry look in her eyes shifting to something darker and more raw when her gaze landed on Ethan.

“You see what a generous master I am?” Lucias said in an amused tone as he walked into the room and joined Molly.
 

He took a seat in one of the chairs set up facing the bed that were obviously placed for optimum viewing of what was to come. Molly climbed onto Lucias’s lap, feeling as giddy as a school girl and doing nothing to mask her enthusiasm as she waited for the promised entertainment to begin.