True Fate (17 page)

"I'll get that out to you as fast as I can,
hon.” she said disappearing into the back.

He thought about Nia again, damn his mind's
persistence. She obviously wasn't sleeping but where was she and what was she
doing? He sighed.
‘That is so not my
business’
he thought to himself.

A cowbell sounded as another patron entered the
diner, he didn't even bother to look because he didn’t have to he felt her.

"Mind if I sit here.” he looked up at a
smiling Avery. She had her hair down and makeup on with her crimson locks free
of their ponytail, waved to perfection. He had only seen her lately straight
laced in her black guardian wear. But the red dress she now wore with a denim
jacket over it threw him for a loop.

He swallowed hard, "Sure.", he heard
himself saying before his brain could catch up.

Avery removed her jacket and he stared at her
tattooed shoulders while she sat and stared at him with her emerald green eyes
sparkling. Wearing a shy smile she had both hands on the table fidgeting.

"Thanks for letting me join you. I'm
starving.” she said trying to break the ice and trying desperately not to let
on how weak he made her feel.

Gladys came out of nowhere setting his food on
the table, "So I suppose you'll be joining this handsome young man tonight
Miss?” she asked.

"Looks like it.", Avery answered
cheerily.

"Well do you know what you want?” Gladys
continued.

"Same as him, thanks.” she replied with a
smile.

"Okay hon, I'll be out as soon as I can.
What can I get you to drink?” Gladys asked.

"Root beer would be fabulous.” Avery said
without looking at the drink selection.

Avery couldn't bare the silence anymore as Eric
stared out the window, "So are you just going to let your food get cold?”
she asked.

He turned towards her and picked up a fry and snapped
off a bite and said.

"Better?", while chewing it.

Avery sighed, "What's your deal anyway. Why
all the brooding and pacing over this girl? I mean I've known you since we were
what, five and you have never acted like this. Not even with...”

Abruptly he slammed his hands on the table
cutting off Avery's sentence and causing her to flinch. "Look I don't mind
eating with you and I don't mind talking to you but the subject of my
banishment and the person responsible is off limits especially when it comes to
....
'Her'.
Got it?” he hissed through clenched teeth.

Avery put her hands up palms out as if in
surrender, "Whoa, look I'm sorry. I won't make that mistake again I promise.
Now are we good or should I go?" She asked gritting her teeth. No one,
male or female spoke to her like that and walked away unscathed.

But he relaxed and leaned back against the chair
and let out a long breath. "Avery I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you.
I don't know what's up with me. Or why I even feel like this. It's pretty much
driving me crazy.” he huffed putting his head in his hands.

Gladys returned with impeccable timing as she
walked up and set Avery's food in front of her haulting the venom she was about
to lace her retort with.

"Y'all enjoy now.” she said with a wink. They
both snickered as she left them.

"You have no idea how I worry, that's all. I
know it's silly but I do.", Avery said looking at her plate unfisting her
hands with her insides twisting.

"I'll be okay Ave I always am, this is
nothing compared to the crap I've been through. Just a drop in the bucket so to
speak.” he said smiling. He chuckled again and shook his head.

'Oh that smile',
Avery thought smiling back at him. She was certain no one could pull of a
shaved head so well. His crystal blue eyes shone with his laughter making her
pause as he dug in finally eating and she followed suit trying not to let her
thoughts run away from her.

As long as she could remember he'd been a part of
her life and she had been in love with him for most of it. She was always so
scared to tell him. What if it ruined things between them? It's just one of
those things where you would rather be a part of that someone's life than to
not be part at all. Always seeming to barely miss out on being with him.

When she had finally got up the nerve to tell him
how she felt they were sixteen but he’d been snatched up by the royal blooded
Sia. Once that was finally over and he had his heart ripped out Avery was there
for him again, without question. Later on when she got up the nerve once more
someone claimed him who she wouldn't dare oppose.

She just about lost her mind when he was banished
to the dream realm, it took every bit of self-control she had not to charge his
captor and cut her head off though she'd considered it on more than one
occasion and recently she thought he would never be able to be in bodily form
again. Their current situation was a godsend to her.

This was her first moments alone with him and
they were already fighting.

She sighed heavily, "Look, I really missed
you and I have you physically here in front of me. I don't want to waste this
time fighting.” she said hanging her head.

"Avery, I know it's frustrating to see me
frustrated if that makes sense. I'm really trying not to be. It's good to be
here, with you almost like old times.” He said reaching for her hands and
giving them a squeeze sending her heart into acrobatics. She just smiled and
they ate and talked about nothing important and it was great.

"Can I get you two love birds anything else?”
Gladys chimed in clearing their dishes.

"Oh... we aren't together.” Avery spat out
in record speed causing Eric to laugh.

"Humph, you could have fooled me, honey.”
was Gladys' snarky response, she left the check and walked away with dishes in
hand.

"I got it." he said reaching for the
check.

Avery smiled at him not because she didn’t have
to pay but because it made it feel like more of a date.

She really is sweet he mused, Avery had been
there for him his whole life and helped him through so much. He was grateful
for her friendship and how great she had been to him. She seemed to calm him,
somehow just being near him.

"Ave, I have a question.” he said trying to
find the right words.

"What's up Rian?” he flinched at his name.
It had been a long time since he'd heard it spoken. It was odd yet very
comforting.

"I have a king sized bed to myself do you
think you'd mind sleeping in my room with me? We could make a pillow barrier,
like when we were kids. I just... Being back here, in the physical I mean, is
just strange to me, I feel so scattered.” He said looking at the ground
bothered by the truth of it.

Avery laughed, "Darragh is going to wonder
you know.” she smiled and he laughed.

"Well we will just let him speculate then. I
really am beyond caring what Lilith thinks. I am already bonded to Nia so she
can’t take me off of this mission.” he said with a mischievous grin while
holding the door open for Avery. They walked back to the house and he began to
feel less uptight. It had to be Avery she really did affect him in a good way.

“I hope you don’t think I’m being sneaky.” He
told her bumping her shoulder with his.

“Oh, no.” she said quickly, not that she would
mind if he was trying to take advantage of her. “It’s fine really.” She said
finally as they walked through the door.

Darragh was sitting in front of the television
when they entered the living room laughing.

His raised eyebrow was a clear indicator his
speculating had already begun. But then Avery spoke up, "I'm going to be
rooming with Eric, if that's alright with you Darragh?” she smiled at him.

"Darragh you can take your jaw off the
floor. Come on Ave.", he said grabbing her bags and winking at Darragh and
heading upstairs.

"Of course. I...eh hem, have a good night
then.” Darragh said politely yet dumbfounded, though he felt it really was none
of his business.

Darragh had no idea what was going on with those
two but he was aware they'd known each other their whole lives. He never
thought it was fair of Lilith to ask him to keep an eye on Eric and he had
heard about Rian from Avery. He had sensed Lilith’s possessiveness when she'd
mentioned him, even though she clearly loathed him.

But he could read emotions and had a gift for
seeing things that others missed. That's only one of the gifts he'd kept from
Lilith. He knew not to trust her before she'd chosen him for her personal guard
because of his strong compulsion and his guiding abilities.

He would never trust her fully, she'd lied to him
too many times. He wouldn't share everything with her and if Nia was indeed the
girl they'd been searching for she may very well be a new future for his kind.
He called it a night and made his way to his own room to get rested for
tomorrow.

Avery was a bit shocked by the size of the room
and the huge lavish bed. It was gorgeous. She made a beeline for the bed and
belly flopped on it as Eric set her bags down laughing. "Thank you Avery,
I really do appreciate your company.” he said rubbing his neck nervously.

Sitting up she tried not to sound weak. "You
realize I'd do anything for you, don't you?” she said softly looking at her
hands now sitting on the edge of the bed.

Rian kneeled in front of her, "I'm really glad
to have you here with me." He said lifting her chin to look at him. Her
smile was dazzling and his fingertips tingled where he touched her chin.
'What
was that?’
he thought.

Avery's heart was hammering inside of her chest
as heat crept from her chin to deep in her belly. She'd never in all her life
felt the intensity coming off of him like she did now.

He stared at her unmoving, "Avery.", he
breathed not able to look away searching her eyes. She took a deep breath
unable to break away from the smoldering gaze that was holding her in place.

"Rian, I...” He placed his hands on either
side of her face and her resolve slipped away as she leaned her cheek to his
warm palm.

"Avery, I never saw it before, but I do
now.” he leaned in and just like she had imagined a million times before, he
closed the distance and pressed his lips to hers. The world fell away as her
heart melted. She felt tender, something she didn’t recognize anymore.

Avery could swear there were actual sparks as her
eyes fluttered while scenes from a future with him came rushing through her
mind like lightning fast flashes. Her insides shuddered and her heart swelled.
She couldn’t contain the emotion that burst from her now.
 

Pressing closer he tangled his fingers in her
hair and felt like his hands and wrists were burning from the contact. He
pulled away slowly and looked deep in her tear filled eyes.

"Avery.” he said smiling and kissing the
tears on her cheeks. She smiled and gave a small laugh.

"I have dreamt of this moment before but
that was so much better.” she admitted with a giggle and blushed a deep red.

“Can I see your left hand?” she asked as she
lifted his sleeve and just as she thought she'd seen in a flash there was the
beginning of a bond mark snaking around his left wrist and hand.

He lifted her left sleeve and smiled gently
stroking his fingers over her matching mark. She gasped almost not believing
what she saw even though she was certain she saw it during the kiss. It was a
replica of the mark now on Rian.

Avery’s resolve crashed around her and she began
to cry and he hugged her to him.

"Avery, I'm so glad it's you.” her body
shook with the tears and laughter that wouldn’t stop as he patiently waited for
her sobs to subside. He just held her to him cradling his destiny in his arms.
'She
was here all along.’
he thought in wonder.
'How could I not know she was
to be mine, my Fated?’
Rian smiled and held her tight as she started to
calm.