Fate Forgotten (2 page)

Glancing toward his niece, he watched the angel turn toward her, both knees still planted on the floor.

“I’m going to show you now, but they’ll come out quickly,” Clyde told his niece. “Don’t get scared, okay?”

“I promise.”

A moment later, seven-foot silver wings sprouted from Clyde’s back. His niece yelped.

In panic, Jake materialized between her and the angel and picked her up. Cradling her against his chest, he rubbed his hand down her back. “It’s okay, pupa. It’s okay…”

She pulled away from him. “Are you scared for me, Uncle Jake?”

Yes
. He hadn’t had time to read her. He’d just heard her squeal and panicked. “I thought you were afraid.”

She arched a dark brow. “He
is
an angel, isn’t he?”

He nodded.

“Then he won’t hurt me. He can’t because he came from heaven.”

Jacob nodded, then released her, thinking he needed to learn to distinguish her squeals.

Her attention went back to Clyde. “Can I touch them?”

Clyde smiled. “Yes, you may.” His niece placed her hand over Clyde’s right wing and ran her hand along it. “Wow,” she whispered.

“She’s beautiful,” Ashley said, closing the distance between them.

He nodded. “She’s a replica of my sister.”

“You’re going to raise her yourself.”

A statement, not a question. He wouldn’t have expected anything but Ashley’s full support.

“Yeah. I don’t know how, but I will.”

She turned fully to him. “You’ll be amazing, and you know if you need anything at all, I’m here for you, Jake. I’ll help you in any way I can. Both Clyde and I will. Everyone will.”

He appreciated her. Always did and always would. Locking gazes with her, he forced a smile. “Thanks, Ash, but right now, you should be on your honeymoon.”

“Are my parents in heaven?”

His gaze shot to his niece. He tensed, pulse beating frantically at the base of his neck. Dread raced through him, making it hard to breathe. His gaze met Clyde’s for a long moment.

“Of course,” Clyde replied.

The breath rushed out of him.

“Will I see them again?”

Clyde shook his head.

“W-why not?” Annie’s voice shook.

His heart clenched.

“Because their time on Earth is done, Annie.” Clyde cupped his niece’s cheek. “But they will always be with you in your heart.”

Pain and sorrow sliced through Jacob. Annie’s grief and he felt it tenfold along with his own.

It wasn’t fair. A child should never have to suffer such a loss. Now, she was left with a warrior. Helplessness filled him. Not knowing what to do, he stood frozen.

His niece’s small frame trembled slightly, and instinct took over. Materializing beside her, he lifted her. The moment he did, her head fell against his chest. She sobbed and shivered against him.

Clyde placed his hand over Annie’s head. In seconds, her sobs quieted, and her eyes drifted close.

“What the hell?” His temper rose. “What did you do?”

“She hasn’t slept. She needs to.”

“Is that all you did?”

Holding his gaze, Clyde admitted, “I eased her pain…a little.”

“Why you would…” His words trailed off. It didn’t matter. Taking a breath, he said, “Thank you,” and meant it.

“No need, Jacob.” Clyde’s eyes softened. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

He nodded. “So am I.”

Materializing in the spare bedroom next to his own, he carefully laid Annie on the bed and tucked her in, then walked toward the living room. Since he left, his queen, Jenna, had joined Ashley and Clyde.

“Jacob.” Her eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry for your loss. I—”

“I know.” He was already tired of hearing the words, but supposed he should get used to them.

“Do you need anything?”

He ran his hands through his hair wondering where he should start. “I…”

Annie had nothing in his home. What did a four year old need? Food, clothes, a toothbrush, what else?

“First, I think she’ll need clothes,” Jenna said. “I can pick up some for you. We can remodel the room next to yours—”

“Remodel?” Why would his queen think of remodeling at a time like this?

Ashley’s gaze went from her sister, Jenna, to him. “Well, yes, Jake. She needs her own room and furniture more suitable for her age and gender.”

He hadn’t even thought of that.

“Some toys, too,” Jenna added. “She’s four, so you have to start thinking about schools for her unless you want her homeschooled.”

“And you need groceries,” Ashley added.

“I have food, here, and—”

“Yes, but kids like mac and cheese and yogurt, Jake,” Ashley pointed out, again softly.

He sighed, feeling as clueless as he’d ever felt.

As if sensing his thoughts, Jenna quickly added, “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to stress you out. A lot goes into raising a child, a lot none of us knows, but you’ll learn. And we’ll all help you along the way.”

He appreciated it. None of them had experience with children. And of all of them, he was the least suited to raise a child. They all knew it, and still, they offered their full support.

“I’ll handle the clothes and get you some groceries. We’ll do the rest as it comes.”

“I’ll help Jenna,” Ashley added.

“No, Ash,” he said, bluntly. He didn’t want to hurt her feelings, never wanted that, but he had to put his foot down. “You let Jenna deal with this and go back to your honeymoon.”

She parted her mouth to argue.

He cut her off. “It’s going to take me a while, Ash. Annie isn’t going to heal overnight. She’s in a new place. I think the best thing for her now is getting used to me, getting used to us, me and her, us. Give us a week. Get back to your honeymoon; we’ll be here when you get back. Jenna can help me with whatever I need, okay?”

Finally, she agreed, but begrudgingly and with tears in her eyes. One less thing to worry about. Maybe, just maybe, Ash could forget him and have some fun.

As he watched them go, he shook his head, knowing in his gut that wouldn’t happen. Not one of them would forget about Annie, about him. Despite the fact he was a bitter, angry, pain-in-everyone’s-ass all of the time, they cared, more than he wanted to admit. He never let himself think about it before, but now, it was impossible to deny.

****

A piercing wail jolted Jacob awake. One thought prevailed. Pulse racing, he jumped out of bed.

“Annie!”

Materializing in the spare room where he’d laid her to sleep, he found her sitting up in bed; tears marred her rosy cheeks. Her emotions hit him—fear, dread, and panic.

His chest squeezed. He sat on the bed beside her, his hand pushing her hair from her face. “Pupa, what’s wrong?” His voice soft and shaky.

“Uncle Jake!” she shrieked, extending her arms toward him.

He pulled in a breath. She was safe, and still his own fear wouldn’t release him. Immediately, he embraced her, rubbing her back softly. “What’s wrong, Annie?”

She met his gaze, rubbing her tear-streaked face. “I didn’t…know where…I was…” She sobbed. “It’s dark…I didn’t know…”

“Shh…I’m here, pupa,” he soothed her, cursing himself for not thinking she’d be afraid to find herself in an unfamiliar room. “I’m sorry. It’s my fault.”

Pulling away from him, her sobs quieted, and her eyes widened. “It’s okay, Uncle Jake. It’s not your fault.”

He heard her stomach rumble and chuckled. “You hungry?”

She nodded. He picked her up and headed into the kitchen. Nearly three a.m., way past her bedtime, but she missed dinner, and he didn’t have the heart to force her back to bed hungry.

“What would you like?”

“Ice cream.”

“Would your…” Not wanting to remind Annie her mother was gone, his voice trailed off. Before he thought better of it, he found himself saying, “Sure.”

Opening the freezer, he spotted a gallon of ice cream and silently thanked Jenna. She’d kept her promise and bought clothes for Annie and groceries, then put them away.

“Chocolate?”

Annie’s eyes widened. She nodded, smiling.

If only he knew of a way to keep that smile on her face. That smile, he could live off.

Chapter 2

“Val.”

Valerie’s gaze darted to the threshold leading into the living room and met Glen’s stare. A soft smile spread across her lips. He closed the distance between them, leaned down, and placed a peck on them.

“Hey you. Where have you been?”

“You know…running errands.” He plopped down beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Want to catch a movie tonight?”

“Sure. Do you have anything in mind?”

“Why don’t we play it by ear?”

She nodded and bit her tongue. She didn’t need foresight, the ability to see glimpses of the future, a rare gift some witches were blessed with, to know she’d stay in tonight.

Like her, Glen was an immortal, a warlock from an all-male coven in Jersey. Handsome, tall, and lean with dark eyes, he often made plans he couldn’t or wouldn’t keep. She’d known it from the first time she laid eyes on him without her other esteemed gift of psyche-sight, the ability to discern key elements of a person’s character at first glance.

To the rest of her coven, her family, her sisters—eleven witches who often teased her for her inexperience and inactive love life, she and Glen made the perfect pair. They repeatedly advised her she needed to loosen up, enjoy life for all it had to offer, especially and most importantly, the opposite sex.

When Glen asked her to dinner, she hesitated at first, told him she had to think about it. Her biggest fear, one she’d never admitted to anyone: falling for a man who wasn’t hers. Her sisters found out he asked her out and bugged her until she gave in and began dating the handsome warlock. The first date turned into two and three and four. Still, she didn’t see him as more than a friend, and she realized his feelings for her were superficial. He made it clear she wasn’t his mate—the one woman destined for him, the woman immortal men spent their lives waiting for—their perfect match. She didn’t see the point of a relationship with a man not destined for her. What if he found his mate? What if she did? But her sisters told her with time she’d grow fond of him and fully enjoy the perks of being attached. A part of her hoped they were right. A bigger part of her hoped they were wrong.

Six months later, she hadn’t fallen for Glen. Maybe he irritated her with his broken promises. More than likely, knowing she wasn’t his, that deep-seated fear wouldn’t let her.

Besides, she wanted a man that captivated her at first glance, as it was said immortal men felt when they first laid eyes on their fated mate. She supposed she had to agree with her coven: the reaction she expected wasn’t reasonable.

By immortal standards, she was young and knew little of the world. But one thing she knew, irrational fear or not, she didn’t belong with Glen. Still, she couldn’t find a way to end the stagnant relationship. Broken promises aside, he was sweet and good to her, and she didn’t want to hurt him.

“You okay?” His voice drew her away from her dreary thoughts.

“Yeah,” she lied.

They sat together for several moments. He glanced at his watch as he often did, a sure sign, he wanted to leave. Not five minutes later, he told her he had to meet with his brother and left.

Hours later after the sun set, Glen called and broke their date. Something had come up. It always did.

“Let me guess. That was Glen breaking yet another date?”

Glad for the company, she turned from her position on the couch and spotted Shari, her adoptive mother. She didn’t look like a mother. Like most immortals, Shari stopped aging at twenty-five, though she was more than four hundred years old. Tall, thin, and beautiful, all her sisters were in their own way.

“How’d you guess?” Her voice laced with sarcasm.

“Don’t need foresight to guess. It’s routine by now.” Shari sat beside her. “You know, you can just break things off with him…”

Val bit the side of her lip. “I have to. I mean it’s obvious I’m not his.”

“That’s not why I think you should break it off.”

She smirked. She knew what would come next, but played dumb. “Why else?”

Shari chuckled. “You’re a hopeless romantic. It’s one of the things I love about you.”

No use denying the truth. “I know,” she muttered under her breath.

“I don’t think you’ve yet realized, but you
can
have valuable and meaningful relationships with men who aren’t fated to you. We live very long lifetimes… Do you want to live that long alone?”

“Not alone. I have you and the rest of the coven. You’re my family—the only family I’ve ever known.”

Shari smiled. “And that’s the way it’s supposed to be, but we’re talking about male companionship here. You can fall in love with someone who isn’t fated to you. I have…” She winked. “Many times.”

“Yeah, but what if—”

Shari’s gaze softened. “What if he finds his mate, and you’re in love with him?”

Valerie nodded.

Shari grabbed her hand and squeezed. “What if he’s in love with you, and you find your mate?” She shrugged. “Love
is
a gamble. Life is a gamble.”

Val nodded.

Shari tilted her head slightly, her knowing gaze pierced hers. “Don’t live afraid, Val. Take chances. Live, fully and completely. And
love
…You’ll never regret it.”

After a brief moment of silence, Shari said, “Besides, the probabilities of you finding your mate or him finding his are slim to none. Think about it… Casey is six hundred, and she’s never found her fated.”

Casey claimed she didn’t want to find her fated. Valerie couldn’t understand why, but knew Casey felt that way. “I suppose…but…”

The front door opened, and three others from their coven waltzed in: Dianne, Hanna, and Casey.

“Speaking of the devil,” Shari said loudly, grinning broadly.

“Are you talking shit again?” Dianne glared, playfully. “Always running your mouth.”

“If you’re referring to shit as the truth, then yes,” Shari snapped quickly. “But it wasn’t about you. I promise.” She raised her hand in scout’s honor, then laughed.

The three dropped their shopping bags on the floor and took seats around them. Dianne in a blue and green armchair she’d picked out that everyone else hated. Casey on the arm of the love seat, and Hanna sat Indian style on the coffee table.