Taunting Destiny (The Fae Chronicles, #2) by Amelia Hutchins
Chapter One
I turned away from the window, and ran like my life depended upon it. Because, right then, I thought it did. Instinctively, I knew I wasn’t supposed to see what I had. Ryder had been torturing Guild Warlocks along with some other men that I think were Fae, but I wasn’t sure what they were—they could just as easily have been human. I knew better than to try and be some kind of army of one just so I could figure it out. I sped up, narrowly avoiding the manicured shrubbery on his extensive lawn, dodging trees as I refused to look back. I wasn’t dumb enough to turn around and peek over my shoulder. I was the type who yelled at the girls in scary movies who did so.
I didn’t stop running; even when I heard the hounds let loose a series of horrible sounding howls. They were far enough away that if I made it to the highway, I might live long enough to get away from them. As far as I could tell, none of the Fae inside the house had sifted out, and I was still unable to sift myself.
A horn blared as I hit the pavement, and I barely avoided becoming a pancake as I jumped backwards to avoid an eighteen wheeler loaded down with logs. An old green Buick behind it screeched on its brakes and came to a stop about a quarter mile up the road.
I exhaled a deep, shaky breath and looked down the highway. No cars were around, besides the one that had stopped. I looked back up as reverse lights came on and the car started backing up. I turned and looked back at the mansion. I could just make out its lights in the distance.
I caught a glimpse of green glowing eyes from the bushes that were surrounding the fence that encompassed the property. A sharp snuffling noise was all the additional incentive I needed to book it toward the car that was still backing up. When I reached the pale green Buick, I slowed. The older female driver reached over and rolled down the window. She had graying hair and thick glasses perched on her nose. Her misting gray eyes were sharp, though.
“Are you crazy!?” she shouted as she bobbed her head to get a better look at me.
I was dressed in jeans, wearing flip-flops, and hanging on to my purse for dear life. I tried to speak, but my words were jumbled up in my head after what I had seen.
“You look half-scared to death, get in. What are you doing out here?” she asked as I quickly opened the car door, and took my seat beside her.
“I need to go to the Spokane Guild. I need to get there as fast as this old car can go, lady,” I said, already grabbing the seatbelt and clicking it.
“Are you one of those Fae?” she queried, eyeing me carefully.
“No, I’m an Enforcer for the Guild, and this is an emergency!” I shouted and felt bad for all of a second. I had slightly lied. I wasn’t technically an enforcer, anymore, and I hadn’t fully Transitioned to Fae yet—see, only a little white lie, really. She hit the gas, and the car’s ass-end fishtailed back onto the highway.
“Well, why didn’t you say so?” she raised her voice to be heard over the old engine.
We pulled up to the Guild about twenty minutes later. I thanked her for the ride and ran up the steps. I was met and surrounded by the Guild’s guards. Ten built Enforcers stood around me, forming a circle to keep me contained. I was getting dirty looks, and most of these guards had been in my class. “Micah, this is serious!” I said to the squad leader. Micah smiled coldly, his hazel eyes showing excitement that made a chill sweep down my spine. “Either tell Alden to get down here, or let me go up!” I shouted, not caring that they had weapons trained on me. I was not the enemy, and I was a hell of a lot faster than they were. I tapped my foot and glared at them.
“Your kind is not welcome here, Synthia,” he smiled coldly.
“My kind!? You mean the kind that saved your stupid ass on countless trial assignments? My kind that saved you from being kicked out? That kind, Micah?” I seethed. My kind my ass!
“You’re not even one of us! The only reason no one has placed a fucking mark on your pretty little head, is because your ‘uncle’ is refusing to issue—”
“Enough! Micah, go inside. Now,” Alden said coming down the concrete stairs swiftly. His eyes scanned me briefly, before he nodded to Tate who gave me an apologetic look before patting me down.
“She’s clean,” he said after stepping back.
“I’d like to speak to you alone, Alden,” I growled narrowing my eyes.
“That won’t happen ever again, Synthia. The Guild does not associate with the Fae. Not unless you have a job that you needed us to take.”
Does not associate with the Fae?
“You might change your mind when you hear what I tell you,” I snapped.
“Go home,” Alden replied.
“No! I won’t go home. You need to hear what I have to say. I just—”