Seducing Destiny (The Fae Chronicles, #4) by Amelia Hutchins
Dedication
This one is dedicated to the fans that rock my world. Thank you for understanding that I am human and that death doesn’t care when or how it comes—and when it does, it rocks your foundation. For understanding that I am not only an author, but a mother and wife and everything that entails. For being there for me when the haters come knocking.
To the family I’ve lost this year. It’s not goodbye, it’s only goodbye for now. I hope you enjoy good company and other angels as you await our souls. To Jeannette who also suffered an unimaginable loss this year. We often have to continue smiling, for we are left to hold the families together in place of those we have lost. Death is never the end, it is only the beginning. Keep smiling, and know that the world cannot wait for little Gia to make her debut.
To Gina who spends countless hours making sure the entire story is pulled out and told to you in its entirety.
For my family and understanding that sometimes I go to other places, even when I’m in the same room with them. Also for not having committed for arguing with fictional characters.
And to my team—together we somehow managed to get this this out. Yay us! XoXo
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Warning This book is intended for mature and adult audiences; if you prefer adorable and sparkly Fairies and Vampires…look elsewhere. It is the second in the Fae Chronicles; buy the first one before reading this or you will be so lost you won’t know which end is up. Fighting Destiny can be found with reputable book sellers for your convenience. Seducing Destiny picks up right where the third 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.) ~~~~~~~~~~*
Chapter One
The Horde was assembling for war. The process seemed unreal, as thousands of our allies had gathered around to protect us and gain favor with the newly crowned Horde King. Some came to see the birth of the miracle babies—as they now referred to the wee beasties inside of me—who grew stronger with every rising of the suns. Those who gathered in the walls of the keep did so with the pretense of wanting to protect my glorious beast—as if he needed protection.
Ryder was one of the deadliest creatures that existed, and yet, despite my best efforts, he behaved as though I was too frail in my current condition to protect myself, so he had his brothers watching over me night and day as war loomed on the horizon.
He was trying to shield me from what was coming, but I wasn’t a fool. I could smell the conflict brewing in the air, thick and dangerously near. I wasn’t an idiot either; I knew we wouldn’t make it out of this fight unscathed. No one would. For all we held, and all we cherished, peace would come at a steep price—because it always had. Even in my world, wars left devastation in their wake, but these were creatures who didn’t want control; they wanted to destroy. These were powerful creatures that could do damage on a scale that Humans had never witnessed before.
Ristan had been spending more time with Alden, and was now acting as his shadow on all things Guild, bringing back any information he or Alden discovered. I often protested that it was no longer safe for Alden to be there; however, he stood fast in his belief that the Guild could be saved. He was hell-bent on ensuring that those who were worth saving were saved.