The Prince’s Mate (Fate’s Gambit)

Twenty-Two

Walker

"We have no clues and even Ro can't find Caelan! What if he's hurt? What if Andras did something to Caelan?" I demanded as I stalked across the room, tugging at the strands of my hair because the pain was the only thing keeping me the least bit focused.

"Walker, you need to calm down," Pops said, and I whirled to face him.

"I can't calm down! Caelan is out there somewhere, alone and in danger. How can I calm down?" I shook my head before resuming my pacing as I tried to figure out a way to track him.

"Walker, stop," Dad said, stepping into my path, and I looked up at him, at his golden eyes and huge black wings that had always brought me nothing but comfort. "I want to try something."

"What?" I asked, and he held his hands out, palms up. I placed mine in his, and he gave my hands a light squeeze.

"We can't find Caelan because someone is blocking our searches, someone with powerful magic. If it's the same person as the one who impersonated you, I think it could be a fae," Dad said, and my brows furrowed.

"I thought they lived in the fae realm," I said, and he nodded.

"Most of them do. But like Tharion and Fate, there are those who choose to stay in the human realm. Anyway, my point is, this fae is blocking us, but they might not be able to block you."

"Me? I don't have any special powers," I said with a frown. While the Otherworlders liked to call me Prince , the title didn't actually mean anything since Dad's position wasn't hereditary, which also meant that I had no special powers of mine like my dads did.

"You're right. But you do have one thing we don't," Dad said, and I groaned.

"Just tell me, Dad. I need to find Caelan."

"You have a mate bond with him, bud. You can sense him, in here," he said, pressing our joined hands over my heart. "You need to close your eyes and focus. Focus on his voice, his smile, his essence, his soul. You can find him," Dad said, his golden eyes warm and sincere.

Releasing a breath, I pulled my hands out of his and walked over to the couch. Sinking into the cushions, I closed my eyes and tried to focus.

Pushing all my worries to the background was difficult, but I did it, instead thinking about the way Caelan had looked when I'd left, a lazy smile on his face as he lounged in bed, all that beautifully flawless skin on display. I thought about his voice, the way he said my name, the way he smiled every time I called him Kitty, the way he'd looked when he'd come all over my stomach, the way he felt in my arms.

Where are you, Kitty? I thought, and as if in answer, I felt...something. A tug, not unlike the one Dad had described Afterworlders felt.

"I know where he is," I declared, and Dad grinned wide, a gleam in his eyes.

"Then, let's go get our boy!" Ro'Shassz declared, and I met his eyes, nodding.

Hold on, Kitty. We're coming .

Caelan

I jerked upright when the door opened, but instead of Andras, someone else walked in. Fae , my mind supplied, as my eyes roamed over their androgynous form, taking in the long, flowing platinum hair, the crystal blue eyes, and the pointed ears. Their skin was fair, with the lightest shades of pink coloring their cheeks. Their hands were clasped together in front of them, their eyes on the ground as they walked closer to the bed.

"Master Andras said you need more restraints," they said, sneaking a glance at me before pulling open a drawer in the cabinet. When they turned around, they had more shackles in their hands.

I growled as they walked toward me, my claws out and ready to rip into them the moment they came close enough.

"I'm really sorry about this," they murmured as they waved a hand and my arm was pressed into the mattress as if someone was holding it down.

No matter how much I struggled, I couldn't even move a finger, and they easily slid the cuff around my wrist.

"What's your name?" I asked, deciding I needed a different tact.

"Dympna," they said, and I nodded as they headed toward my feet.

"I'm Caelan," I said. "You don't have to do this, you know."

They glanced up at me before focusing back on my legs, but I'd seen the doubt in their eyes in that split second.

"My mate and my friends...they're really powerful, and when they get here, Andras isn't going to survive," I said.

"Master Andras is strong," they argued, and I rolled my eyes.

"The last time I saw him, he was just a rich human. My friends are older and stronger than him. You know he isn't a good man, Dympna. If you help me, I can make sure my friends spare you," I promised them, and they frowned, though their flawless skin barely wrinkled.

"Help you how?" they asked, and I grinned. I told them what to do, and they followed through.

"Thank you. If you see one of my friends before they find me, just tell them to talk to me, all right? Tell them what you did," I said, and they nodded before leaving the room.

For the sake of the cameras in the room, I struggled against the restraints, growling and hissing in annoyance.

When the door opened again, I stayed where I was, but my eyes flickered to the entrance, and I watched as Andras walked inside, his neck already healed.

"You were a bad boy, Caelan. I had to drain three humans to heal the wounds you gave me. Well, one for that. The other two I just drained for fun," he said, flashing me a fang-filled grin.

"Fuck off." I scowled, and in the next second, he was on me, his lips pressing against mine, his fang digging into my lower lip.

I struggled under him and used his distraction to free my hands and legs from the shackles Dympna had forgotten to lock. Once I was free, I flipped us over, straddling Andras and wrapping my hands around his neck.

My claws dug into his skin as I held him down and his eyes widened. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed seeing fear in his eyes, the same eyes that had haunted my nightmares for too many centuries.

"You are never hurting another soul," I growled down at him, tightening my hold on him as he struggled. His nails scrabbled at my back, but I kept my hold until my fingers were buried in his throat.

I didn't want to risk leaving him alive, though. I had to be sure. I had to make sure he was dead, and then I had to throw his rotten soul into the Chasm.

With a shout, I ripped his head clean off, and blood spilled everywhere, soaking into the silk sheets and dripping down my arms. Dropping the head, I watched it roll off the bed and smack onto the floor.

Wiping my hands on the bed as best I could, I cupped his soul, wishing I had my pants so I didn't have to touch it any longer.

I climbed off the bed and searched the room, but my clothes were nowhere to be found. Sighing, I tightened the sash of the stupid robe I wore and wished I could just ditch his soul, or destroy it completely. But I was still a soul collector, and I wanted to watch his soul burn in the fires of the Chasm.

Stepping around Andras's head, I headed over to the door before thinking better of it. Turning back, I picked his head up by the hair and then went for the door, pulling it open and coming face-to-face with Dympna. Their eyes widened when they fell on the head in my hand, and they stumbled back.

"I felt his hold on me break. I didn't realize you...thank you," they said in a low voice, and I shrugged.

"What do you mean by hold?"

"He figured out a way to control my magic, some old spell a warlock told him. He could control when and how I used my magic," they explained, and I huffed.

"Well, he won't be doing that again. You're free," I said and they nodded, though they looked a little lost at the thought. "How long have you been...with him?" I asked, unsure how to phrase the question.

"A few decades. I came here from the fae realm to learn more about the human realm. I was only here for a few days before he found me and trapped me," Dympna said, and I sighed.

"I'm sorry you had such a shitty introduction to the human realm. They're—I mean, we're not all bad," I said, blaming recent events for my slip-up. "Are there others around?"

Dympna nodded, pointing to a door at the end of the hallway. "The others are all paid goons and asshole vampires like him."

"Well, then I guess we'll have to fight our way through them," I said, shooting him a grin. Maybe their master's head will scare them off, and if it didn't, I could always beat them with it.

I could always just magick us both away, but it would be a little harder to explain, and honestly, I was feeling a little murdery after getting kidnapped for a second time, and I might just enjoy this.

The door opened before we reached it, and I braced myself for an attack. Instead, an achingly familiar man stepped through the door, and I was in his arms before Andras's head smacked against the floor.

"Kitty, holy shit," Walker gasped against my ear, his arms tight like bands of steel around me. I breathed in his scent, the crispness of it washing away the scent of blood that clung to my nose.

"Walker," I murmured back, squeezing him to me before I remembered I was covered in blood.

I pulled away from him and looked down at myself, and Walker's eyes followed mine, a gasp echoing between us.

"It's not mine," I assured him, and he relaxed. He grinned when he finally spotted the head I'd dropped.

"I guess you didn't need a knight to rescue you," he said, and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm still glad you came. Here, hold this," I said, tossing him Andras's soul. He scrambled to catch it, made a face at it, and then stuck the soul into his pocket.

"Friend or foe?" I looked up at Damien's voice and found him holding Dympna at sword point.

"They helped me, Day. Andras was holding them against their will," I hurried to say, and Day pulled his sword away.

"All right. Thank you for your help," he said, and Dympna nodded shakily. I gave him a smile, and he smiled back, his eyes flickering to Arty and Reece as they also stepped into the hallway. This was too narrow for six grown men.

"We got all the souls," Arty reported before his eyes fell on me. Flashing me a grin, he shook his head and pointed at Damien and Walker. "These two were maniacs out there. Well, and Ro'Shassz too. I'm glad you're okay, Caelan."

"Me too," Reece added, and I smiled at them, shifting on my feet as I realized the robe had started sticking to my skin.

"Can we go?" I asked, and Walker nodded quickly.

"Wait," he said before I could take a step, and I raised a brow at me. Leaning closer, he pressed his lips to mine.

"I love you," he murmured against my lips, and I blinked at him.

"Seriously? I've waited four years to hear you say those words to me, and you decide to say it now when I'm covered in blood and wearing this godawful thing?" I demanded, and he started laughing.

I shook my head as his dads joined in and even Dympna's lips turned up.

When they'd finally calmed down, I told Walker in no uncertain terms, "I'm not saying it back until I've showered and I'm wearing proper clothes."

"Fine with me. Let's just get out of here," he said, taking my hand in his.

Turning to Dympna, I asked, "Do you have somewhere you can go?"

"I'm going back home," they said, a soft look on their face. "Maybe I'll come back someday, but for now, I want to see my family again."

"I'm sure they've missed you," I said with a smile, and they nodded.

"Do you need us to drop you anywhere?" Damien asked, and they shook their head.

"Thank you for saving me," they said, gripping my upper arm and giving it a firm squeeze.

"You saved me first," I reminded them with a wink, and they smiled, accepting it with a nod.

Turning back to Walker, I took his hand in my less bloody one and raised a brow. "Shall we?"

Walker nodded, and I followed his dads out the door, Dympna at my heels. It was time to go home.

I couldn't wait to get all this blood off me and wear my clothes again. And I definitely couldn't wait to tell Walker just how much I loved him.

Ro'Shassz

Step : Kill them all.