Taunting Destiny (The Fae Chronicles, #2)

by Amelia Hutchins

Taunting Destiny picks up right where the first left off. This book is dark, gritty, tear jerking, panty soaking, edge of seat grabbing and dark. It does contain hot asshole alphas that seduce and wreck sensibilities. Explicit language is used liberally as is the use of magic in acts of naughtiness. The author strongly advises buying batteries or securing a willing victim to your bed while reading this book. (Handcuffs are optional.) Side effects include, but are not limited to: lip biting and/or chewing, screaming at the author, wet panties, unexplained leaking from the eyes, or other parts of the body. Some people may experience strange attachment to characters, and may scream for the next book in the series immediately after reading. If you experience one or more of these symptoms, do not seek a health care professional. Thank the author and wait for the next book in the series. (Stalking the author is normal behavior. Rest assured she has already started the next in the series.)

“I came to tell you that you have two days. I want you close to me when your time comes. I want to be the one that sees you through Transition. You didn't argue it in the contract you signed. I'm holding up my end and taking care of Adam while he Transitions. Yours is coming very soon, Syn. I can smell it on you. Soon, every fucking Fae in Spokane will as well. Hence the reason for the brands. It was designed to show at the first hint of your Transition. I won't share you with them. Two days, Pet, and then I plan to bury my cock inside of you. Repeatedly.”

“If you try to hide from me, Pet, I will tie you to my bed and fuck you until you not only acknowledge my ownership, but beg me for it.”

The band began playing Buckcherry's Sorry, and it took everything inside of me to hold the tears back.

“Flower, snap the hell out of it now, before you light up the entire city again.” He got right up in my face, and those patterned eyes swirled at me dangerously. “You’ve got to stop trying to think he is ever going to behave like a human, Syn. He’s not. He is a Fae warrior, and we come from one of the most dangerous places that you couldn’t even imagine in your worst dreams. What you saw in Faery was just a glimpse of what we consider relatively safe. He. Is. Fae. That means he is a fucking predator that is used to taking what he wants, and he will protect and defend what belongs to him by any means necessary. And, before you go on and on about how no one owns you, trust me, he does. You just haven’t gotten it through your head yet, but your heart knows it’s true.”

“First time this has happened?” he asked, with glowing amber shining in his eyes now. I nodded. I was pouting. I'd sifted. Into his fucking shower! “I'm a fucking Fairy. Dammit! Why does fucked up shit always happen to me? What, do I have a fucking sticker on my ass that says fuck with me?”

“Thank you for saving my people today, Syn,” he whispered and lay back down beside me. He pulled the covers over us and brought my body closer to his. “I'm not even sure how I did it,” I whispered, and pressed myself against him. I turned and looked up at him. “Ryder—” “Syn, I'm barely managing to keep myself still. Turn-over and go to sleep before I forget you’re tired and feed from that sweet, tight pussy.”

“Sleep is good,” I whispered through an overly dry mouth that wanted to taste his skin. I closed my eyes and settled against him until his arm came around me to rest over my chest, his fingers inches away from my already erect nipples. We were full of sexual tension. Being naked together wasn't going to end in sleeping. “This isn't working,” He growled against my ear, and I felt an electrical sizzle as fabric spread over my naked skin. He'd used his magic to dress us both. I looked down with a small gasp to see the baby blue silk nightgown he'd conjured. “If you complain because I used my magic to stop something you didn't want from happening, I'll have you undressed, and my cock buried balls-deep inside your warmth, so fast it will make your head spin, Synthia.”

“You need to get over this fear you have, Syn. Transition is going to happen whether you want it to or not. I won't share you,” he growled, lowering his face inches away from mine. “Only until the contract is up. After that I'm a free agent, Ryder,” I replied, and backed up a step. He smiled, and licked his teeth. “What makes you think you will want anyone else after I bring you over to my world, Pet?” I smiled and shook my head sadly. “Because you want to own me and, believe it or not, some women just don’t want to be owned. I'm not sure when you were born, Ryder, but women these days like to be treated with respect. Wined and dined, not owned.” “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” he snapped. “Caveman much?” I snorted, and ended up laughing at his confused expression. “Are you laughing at me?”

“You should go shower, Syn, before I decide my hunger is more important right now,” he said quietly as his eyes roved down the silky ensemble he'd conjured. I tried to step back away from him, but he was faster, his hands pulling me close, his mouth on mine immediately. He pulled away, smiling. “This caveman just made your panties wet with a kiss, and you’re the only item on the menu that I want to dine on.” A delicious shiver crept down my spine. “I'm not food.” “You’re right, Syn. You are so much more…and I wouldn’t want word getting out that I like to play with my food.” I pulled away. “It's not funny, and I'm not a fucking Fairy happy meal, Ryder!” “A fucking Fairy happy meal…Go shower, Syn. I'm losing my patience and my tolerance for your sassy mouth. Unless you want me to find something for it to do, you had better get away from me.” “I thought you liked my sassy mouth,” I replied with a smirk. His eyes landed on my lips. “I do, and I like it better when it's busy…sucking or doing other things…” He let the words hang on the end of his tongue like silk.

“Why do you even bother with a shower? That neat magic trick you do is a lot faster.” “Faster isn’t always better, it’s just more convenient. Sometimes, Syn, this feels…better on my flesh. Like other things, I like to feel it, and enjoy it.” He smiled wickedly and ran his eyes down my body…slowly, hungrily. With hungry eyes I watched him lather his body. His hands slow and methodical as they dipped lower to stroke his cock with the soap. I mewled as my eyes feasted on him until I heard his dangerous rumble that ripped my eyes back to his. “You’re staring at my cock again, Syn. I need you to either get on your knees and fuck me with your mouth or get out.”

“Looks like I’m getting that little fucking Fairy happy meal after all,” he smiled impishly as he watched me.

“I’m Syn, and you’re Ryder. You’re my fucking Fairy, and you’re wrong,” I purred throatily. “Why?” he inquired, sinking further inside of me. “You’re my fucking Fairy happy meal,” I smiled, and pulled at his soul. He watched me as I tried to pull it out and into my own body. He only allowed me to take a sliver of it, but what he allowed was beautiful—it tasted pure. “You think you are in control, Synthia?” He shook his head, and pulled at mine back. I felt it as he fed me more of his, as he took small pieces of mine. The beauty of his soul as it mingled against mine was overwhelming and intoxicating. I was shocked he had allowed it, and pleased that he had let me in, let me see it.

I don’t share what is mine, and, right now, you are mine. Some women are free with their bodies. You are not to be one of them, understand me?” “Not everyone works like that. Some need and want to be loved by one man alone. When I love someone, I give them everything I have and don’t expect to get anything back in return for it. I’d never tear you down, Ryder; not if you were mine. Besides, you told me once before that love was worth fighting for.” He shook his head as his eyes narrowed. I wasn’t sure how we’d gotten into something this deep. He’d told me from the beginning that he wasn’t that kinda guy. “I never asked for, or offered, you love, Synthia,” he snapped defensively. I smiled sadly and stepped closer to him until I was close enough to kiss him. “That’s a shame, because this is what you could have had,” I whispered before claiming his lips and putting everything I had into the kiss until I heard his sigh and felt his hands tremble as they landed on my waist, pulling me closer. I didn’t want this. I wasn’t supposed to love the enemy. My hands came up to cup his face as I deepened the kiss, before pulling away to stare into his beautiful eyes. “That is what people spend eternity looking for. That’s why men go to war when they lose it.”

“I already have you, Syn. I never asked for love.” “Good, because I couldn’t give it to you while you owned me anyway. It would be missing the whole point of giving freely. You take because you can; because it's how you are. You have had me in every possible way, and, yet, you haven't had me yet. That's what pisses you off about Adrian. He's had me, all of me. He's had all of me willingly—without having to own me to do so.”

“Do you still love Adrian?” he asked quietly after a few moments had passed. “Yes,” I replied crisply. “He was my first love. I may not love him as I did then, but there will always be love between us. Even when I marry, or he does, love doesn’t just go away. But, don’t worry… I'm no longer in love with him, but I will always love him.” “Not if I got rid of him,” he growled, forcing me to turn around and face him. “Jealous? Because, right now, you sound like a jealous lover. Why would it matter if I loved him? I'm your whore right now. Your contract said I couldn't have physical contact with another person sexually. I'm following your rules. You can't control what I feel and what I don’t. Your contract said nothing about emotions, Fairy.”

“I don’t get jealous often, and, when I do, I take care of the problem, and right now his mooning over you is a problem.” “He's looking for closure. We grew up together. We were kids. Stupid kids that thought we could make something work. He isn't in love with me. He’s probably in love with the idea of being in love.” “And yet you admit that you still love him.” He narrowed his bronze eyes on me. “Yes, I also love Adam. I love Alden, and I loved Larissa. I still love Larissa; she's dead, but that doesn't make the love I have for her just shut off. If you had ever known love, you'd know this. Nothing can force love to go away. You grow apart, or grow up, but it's still there. You still care what happens to them, and if you make Adrian go away over that, then you're just showing how stupid you are. Even without him near, I'd still love him.” “I'm not sure what I want to do more right now; strangle you, kiss you, fuck you, or all three.”

“I'm good. Why did you say Adam was the Dark Heir?” “Let it be for now, Pet—I'm sure he will tell you when he is ready to.” I shook my head as a sick feeling engulfed me. “He's my family.” Ryder nodded, but his face showed no emotion. “He had one before you claimed him as your familiar. Try to remember they lost him so that you could have him when you needed him.”

I have a father. I have an entire family. And Syn had been right. Ryder wasn't the Dark Heir—I am. As if it wasn’t fucking bad enough that I’m Fae, now I’m royal, as in ruling family fucking Fae. I can’t function with the things going on in my mind. I can’t get her out of my fucking head. I'd almost raped her, and she'd selflessly forgiven me. She should hate me; would hate me if she knew how I was imagining bending her over and fucking her until I couldn't feel her anymore. Larissa would hate us if she was around. She'd hate me. I fed gluttonously without a thought of her. I'd wanted to spend my entire life with her, and not once had I thought of her—only Syn. This is fucking ridiculous! I can't get her out of my head. Her emotions run through me. I'm a fucking filter. She's my world, and I filter her shit and, yet, I can't blame her, because we’re linked. Like a fucking machine. She's my other half, and without her there is no balance.

“She's mine,” I snarl, hating the fact that he's had her. She is falling for him, and she's as oblivious to it as he is. I can feel it though, and it worries me. “You think she is. You balance her out, Adam, but you don't want her—you feel the need to please her because you can taste her emotions. She's inside of you, Adam, and everything you think you feel for her is only because you are connected. It isn't real. You don’t want to do anything other than be there for her. You are as much a part of her as your hand is a part of yourself.” “Thanks for the education. If I'm the Dark Heir, Ryder, then who the fuck are you?” “Cadeyrn, you have twelve brothers and a sister. All of your brothers carry the title of Dark Prince.” My father looks amused with himself as he watches me absorb the implications. I shake my head. No fucking way. I turn and look at Ryder who’s also watching me with a cocky-ass smile on his face. This has to be a fucking joke; he was not my brother.

“And Syn? Where the fuck does she fit in? Or is she just something you plan on using until she's served her purpose, brother, or until you have had enough of her?” I growl back. “What I do with her is none of your fucking business. She can be yours when I have had my fill of her. Until then, stay the fuck out of my way. She's mine by contract. She breaks it, and I will own her for eternity. She's immortal now, so I'd be careful what you say to her.” “She's nothing more than a toy to you. She is so much fucking more, Ryder, so much more, and you don’t deserve her if you can't see that.” “I don't answer to you, Cadeyrn. She's a way to pass the time in this cesspool. I have made her no promises beyond training and protection. When I have had my fill of her, I’ll let her go. Until then, I suggest you stay the fuck out of my business, boy.” “Did you tell her that, or better yet, why don't you tell her that you had Adrian killed so you could fuck her!?” I shout, tired of playing word games with this overbearing prick.

“I argued with him because he thinks he can own me.” “You challenged him,” Vlad said. “No, I did not. I told him I wouldn’t be owned, and he calls me his pet! I’m not a dog, and he had my boyfriend changed into a vampire just so he could get in my bed!” None of them even blinked at the words. No shocked faces, no utter horror. Just three faces that waited for the catch. I rubbed my hands down my face. I had at least expected Vlad to understand why I’d be upset, since he’d spent most of his life around humans—but no such luck. “And?” And there it was. The looks on their faces changed into words. I growled and shook my head. “And nothing! I need to get away from him. He’s done things I can’t even fathom, much less process. I need to go home so I can think without him making me want him! He’s impossible to be around because every time he is, my brain shuts off, and my vagigi turns on!” “Vagigi?” Vlad asked as Ristan laughed outright at me and Dristan let out a strangled noise like he was choking on something. “Yes. He walks in all tall, dark and deadly, and my brain turns me into a sex addict. I know I have to feed, but if I don’t get away from him I’m going to go crazy. I need space. I just need to think.” “No, go back to vagigi. I want to know why you named your vagina vagigi—spare no details,” Ristan said between laughs. “Grrrr…Is there a reason you Three Stooges are here, or did you just come to drive me insane?

“Did you tell him how you feel about what he did to Adrian?” he continued to question. “Yes, but inside his head it was the right thing to do, and I get that. It hurts knowing he did this to me, to my friend. He stalked me, Ristan, and while I could overlook that, I’m not sure I can ever forgive him for what he did to Adrian. I just want to go home and start living. I need time to heal.” “Could you?” “Could I what?” “Could you go back to your life now that you are Fae, and could you forget him so easily? If it was only because he was using you, you wouldn't be upset. It's because you have feelings for him, and they always get the better of us.” “I’m not admitting to anything but distrust and anger right now.” “Cheater. You are upset, because you think he hurt someone you loved. You’re upset, because you have feelings for him, and it pisses you off that, even after learning about everything he has done, you still want him. Ryder won't love easily; you will have to fight for him if you want him, Flower. He's a good man, though stubborn and very self-disciplined, and yes, he knows what he wants, and he gets it, no matter the cost. You’re applying human rules to him when he isn’t. He is what he was always meant to be.”

I had been trained, unknowingly, by Alden to massacre Fae. I looked at the cell phone in front of me on the table. What the hell was I supposed to tell Ryder? Oh, hey, by the way…I am the enemy! Or I was. Oh, and by the way—the Guild was hoping you would trigger me to have a massive freak-out, which would result in your untimely demise at my hands. Yeah, that would go over like a truckload of Goblins in a daycare center. I glared at the phone and played out the conversation in my head several times, and it never ended well.

“For who? Who says you have to be strong anymore? You are allowed to fall apart, because I will hold you through it. You can crumble, and I’ll hold the pieces together until you can pull yourself out of it.”

“I take what I want, and I wanted you. I made a stupid fucking choice according to the rules of this world, Syn, but I’d never wanted anything more in my entire life than I wanted to have you. I shouldn’t have stolen him from you, or fucked with you at all. I can’t give you what you want. I can’t be the man you need, Pet. I can only be this. I’m Fae, and, while it might not make sense to you, you have everything I can give freely of myself. I’m leaving Zahruk inside the house tonight. It’s not up for discussion.” He smiled roguishly and sifted over to the bed. He kissed my forehead so gently that it shocked my heart. I’m pretty sure it stopped beating for a moment while his lips pressed against my skin.

He growls inside of me; pacing, watching, and stalking her, even now. He wants to be inside of her, but I’m afraid of what he might do to her. He took over so quickly, and I was unable to stop him or protect her. I fought with him and regained control. Normally, I am aware when I allow him to take control. This time, he completely blocked me from seeing what he did until I was able to wrestle control back from him. All he will tell me is that he made sure that she would not need to feed from another while she sorts her mind—so we can give her the time she wants. Asshole, he still thinks he can control her. He seems confident that she will forgive me, but I’m not so sure that forgiveness will come anytime soon. I’m still not sure what else he has done to her. It scares me to think about what he might have done, and nothing scares me.

“It is uncomfortable how, Flower?” His eyes lit up with mischief. “Are we speaking toys and nipple clamps kind of uncomfortable, because I’m an expert with that shit, or are we speaking your vagigi uncomfortable? I’m game to look at it, play with it. Hell, Flower, I’m pretty much open to it all. Lay it on me.” He smirked, and his eyes laughed at me. “No, this has nothing to do with that…” Mental Note: Ristan is a freak!

“Come upstairs, Pet, and I’ll show you how much of a fucking Fairy I am.” I turned, catching his lips and biting his lower one, sucking it into my mouth before releasing it. “Not now, Ryder. We’re fighting,” I said, pausing as a smile crossed my face, “and I’m winning.” “No, you are not,” he growled. “Are you two done fucking around? You’re making my cock hard just watching this shit.” Ristan laughed boyishly. “I’m going up to shower. When I come down, I expect to be included and filled in on the details. I’m either with you, or against you. Figure it out and let me know,” I said, standing up and turning to meet his golden eyes. “Soon.”

Adrian was a vampire. Adam was the Dark Heir of the Fae. Larissa was dead. Alden was facing danger to help us. I was homeless, jobless, and attracted to the one thing that would surely kill me in the end. The reality set in that I had even lost my dog, and now my life was just one tragedy away from becoming a sad country song. Reality sucked.

“Thank you, thank you all,” I said, looking around to find people covered in soot from the fire. The scent of smoke filled the room, wafting from their bodies. “Next time, Ryder, screw the stuff and kill the motherfucker who did it. Don't risk anyone's life for things. They are only items, and even if they can’t all be replaced, I’d choose safety over things any day.” He stared at me openly as if I'd just shocked, confused, and made his day all in one sentence. I moved closer until I was standing on my tiptoes, and kissed his untouched cheek. “And thank you for saving me.”

“You almost got killed yet again, Synthia. I'm about to wrap you in fucking bubble wrap.” I smiled against his chest. “I hear plastic isn't big in fashion these days and, besides, it wouldn’t last long since I have a weakness to pop the bubbles.”

“We’re out of tonic right now. Gin and seven, ok?” Vlad said, and my stomach pitched and rolled with the sound of the drink. “Just a bottle of water please,” I replied, smiling when he cussed. “This is a bar. I can’t do my stereotypical bartender moves if you only order water.” He winked, joking with me as he tried to lighten the mood. “Do I need to throw up everywhere? Because right now the only thing I can stomach is water,” I countered and watched his face turn to a mask of disgust. “So rather you didn't. Water it is.”

I yawned and peeked at Ryder as he walked beside me. I just wanted a bed and to sleep for days if I could. The look in his gold eyes told me he wasn’t planning on sleeping. I bit my bottom lip to keep from smiling. He leaned over and whispered seductively in my ear, “Don't bite that lip too hard, Pet. It makes me want to do very bad things to it that would feel really good.”

“Fine, you have a week. If you can't draw them out by then, you have to promise me that I get a try at it.” “No—” “Ryder, they are not just going to come out if I'm not used as bait. They came when I tapped the line. They knew where I'd be immediately after. These are the same people who killed my parents, or at least one is for sure. Don't ask me to stay idle through this, because I can already tell you it won't happen. I want him dead. I want them all dead, in a real bad way.” I didn’t often want people dead, but when I did, I went all Goodfellas in the brain. I wanted them dead, I wanted their memory dead, and I wanted them to die in a real painful way. “Blood thirsty wench. I think my dick just got hard.”

“So you're saying I'm a royal bastard who came from an affair, and that the entire time I was supposed to be pretending to be the Light Heir, I was the Light Heir?” They both laughed. I was the only one who didn’t think it was funny. It would be my luck, though. If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no damn luck at all.

I was so going to strangle Ryder for going against my wishes. If he reached out to the Light Fae too, there was gonna be some fried Fairy for dinner tonight.

“You’ve left a mark on me that will never be replaced. I’m incapable of loving anyone. You have turned my world upside down, Pet. I want you—the visions don’t change that. Let me make love to you, Synthia. Let me show you what you make me feel. I need to be with you now. I need to feel you beneath me. I need to touch your soul and leave my mark on you, so that you never forget me.”

“You will make a good couple,” he said as he exhaled a long, shuddering breath. “No, we won’t. We will end up fighting. I won’t love him as he needs to be loved. You said I wouldn’t belong to anyone else but you. You have to stop this from happening,” I whispered, meeting his penetrating stare, pleading for him to see what was written in my eyes that I couldn’t form into words. “What would you give me if I could?” he asked as he strolled across the room, getting closer to the bed where I still sat. “What would you want?” I asked, afraid it would be more than I could give him. “You,” he said, falling to his knees in front of me. “I’d want you, Synthia, to do with as I wished for the rest of my life. You would be mine, completely. I’d want you at my mercy, to taste, and touch when I wanted you.”

“You let them sign me away. Why didn’t you stop it?” I asked as his hands parted my thighs and his long fingers played over the sensitive flesh of my inner thighs. “Because I can’t do it. I can’t take away the only chance we have of healing my world, for my own pleasure. The only way for me to stop them, would be for me to steal you. Do you want me to? Would you be able to love someone who could walk away and leave an entire world to wither and die?”

Real love, Lari; the kind that makes everything else in the world seem trivial, the kind that melts your soul and melds it together with the one you truly love.

“Being a mother will come naturally to you, Syn. Stop selling yourself short. You love unconditionally, and you never give up on a person no matter how much they deserve it sometimes,” she tilted her head a little, and smiled. “And you’ll kill anything that threatens those you love. You’re going to be the best mother ever. You’re going to make bears look timid compared to you.” “I do kill shit well,”

“He made a deal with Ristan, which is how he was able to cast the spell and bring Larissa and the other ghosts back to life tonight. He did it for you.” “Oh, the hell he did! Ristan!” I seethed, turning on the Demon who brokered the deal. “Flower,” he said genially as he strolled up, as if he hadn’t just agreed to kill the only family I had left. “Let’s make a deal, Demon. My soul for his; mine is immortal,” I pleaded, narrowing my eyes on Ristan. “I don’t think so. I like being alive,” Ristan said looking over my head to Ryder, who stood behind me. “Take mine,” I begged. Ristan’s eyes grew large with the tone of my voice; I meant it, and he knew it. “I don’t need it.” “Yes, you do. You’re going to be a mother, Synthia.” “No, I’m going to be a baby factory. Alden hasn’t even loved yet! He doesn’t deserve to die to protect me. Enough people have died trying to protect me already. I won’t allow it to happen again,” I cried, feeling my entire body tremble with the knowledge that he’d done this for me, and now he’d suffer because of it. “Why would you throw your soul away, Synthia? Alden’s been marked, and, if I own his soul, they can’t touch him,” Ristan said slowly as if I was daft. “The Guild can’t kill him if he’s bound to me.” “Wait, you made this deal so you could save him?” I asked, unconvinced. “You knew,” Alden said, finally coming into the conversation. “I did. I saw you coming before you even decided on it, Warlock. You’re my wedding gift to Syn. She shouldn’t have...

Death is only the beginning to another chapter of life. Another shot to get it right.”

Mine, she’s mine; I told you…I fixed it, she’s ours forever! The beast says with a victorious laugh.

“If you need to cry, daughter, I will hold you.” “Crying will change nothing. In the end, tears can only be used against you. You’d do well to remember it tomorrow, for if he sees a kink in our armor, he will use it.” “You sure she doesn’t have balls?”

“I know, but you won’t end up unhappy, baby. You will find your love; I promise you that. Synthia Raine, listen to me carefully. Hear what I am saying. Someday someone is going to look at you with a sparkle in their eyes as if you are the most beautiful woman alive. They’ll look at you like you are everything they’ve ever wanted, everything they’ve ever dreamt about. Wait for it, my daughter, for he will be the light that brings you to life, and lights your way through the darkness.”