Fated Heroes Read online

  “Well, obviously you guys know that we’re Fae. If our good looks didn’t give us away, then I’m sure my wings did. It’s a hell of a party trick, too.” Josh giggled.

  “Josh. Get on with the story.” Isaac sighed and crossed his muscular arms with impatience. The seams of his t-shirt were strained from his thick chest and arms. I had to wonder what his body would look like without that thin-ass shirt.

  “Oh, right. Anyway, Isaac and I are just a little bit older than you,” Josh stated and held up his forefinger and thumb with a small gap between them.

  “Exactly how much older are we talking here?” Kimberly asked.

  “Always so curious, aren’t you, Cupcake? You know age is just a number.” He sniffed as if offended that Kimberly would even ask.

  “For fuck’s sake, Josh!” Isaac rolled his eyes. “I’m nine hundred twenty-three years old. And princess over here is eight hundred sixty.”

  “Thanks a lot, Isaac. You could’ve at least lied and said I was, like, two hundred or something. You’re fired as my brother,” Josh told him sulkily.

  “Shut the fuck up and get on with the story,” Isaac replied brusquely.

  “Oh, right. So we knew Evelyn,” Josh said nonchalantly as he smiled at Nick. He had the most beautiful teeth. Perfectly straight and so white they were almost blinding.

  “Wait, hold on! You knew my ancestor?” Michael asked in disbelief.

  “Yup, and so did Isaac. My entire family knew her, actually,” Joshua told him, completely oblivious to the fact that Michael was on the verge of coming unglued.

  “How did you know her?” Michael asked, dangerously calm. I could tell from the look in his eye that he was anything but calm. His eyes were blazing, his shoulders were tense, and he looked like he was on the verge of pouncing.

  That made me nervous. When Michael got eerily calm like that, I knew that shit was about to hit the fan. And anyone who stood in his way had better watch out. I did the only thing I could think of and put a calming hand on his leg.

  “Okay, look, what my dumbass brother is trying so badly explain to you is this: the Fae community is pretty much spread globally. Some of my family was living in the same village as your grandmother. They came back with Evelyn and her kids on the same boat she fled on, and eventually word spread about the attack on the village,” Isaac said, his voice laced with what I could only describe as boredom. Almost as if he was tired of hearing about what had happened.

  “So what happened?” Kimberly questioned.

  Joshua’s unsettling eyes landed on Kimberly and he practically lit up at her question. His genuine love for her curiosity was actually pretty adorable. I couldn’t help but wonder why he was so enamored with her, though. There had to be an underlying reason why.

  Isaac rolled his eyes in annoyance. “There really wasn’t much we could do. The Fae who were in the area, and the ones who migrated back, kept a close watch on the humans. With our combined powers, we were able to cast protection auras around the entire town. And as the years went on, there seemed to be no real threat from the Strigoi, so we lessened our security. And everything was fine until recently,” Isaac explained and glared in our direction.

  “Can you cut the theatrics and just tell us what happened? Cliffhangers are for books and movies, dude. Not someone trying to fill us in on how you know my fucking family and how you might be able to help us,” Michael snapped at Isaac. I squeezed the hand that still rested on his thigh. “And quit acting like it’s our fault that this shit is happening again. We didn’t even know about any of this until a few days ago.”

  Isaac shot Michael a look that could’ve killed a lesser man. Hell, it wasn’t even directed toward me and I felt myself cower in fear. But Michael didn’t seem scared at all. No, his body thrummed with what I could only guess was arousal. I noticed that his cheeks were slightly flushed and his pupils were dilated. Maybe Joshua was onto something about there being sexual tension between the two.

  “What Captain Asshole is trying to get at, is that recently we’ve had a lot of townsfolk come up missing. And we aren’t talking just one or two. Like an occasional runaway or something. We are talking about more than two dozen people. People like Cupcake over here.”

  “The people in the cave,” I gasped as I realized what Josh had implied.

  Joshua clapped his hands together in excitement. “Exactly! And it’s our job to help you save them.”

  “So those people being held captive are healers?” Kimberly asked in disbelief.

  “Surely you didn’t think you were the only healer around? There are a lot of your kind out there,” Isaac said with a sneer.

  “Jesus, are you always such an asshole?” Michael asked bluntly.

  “Only on days that end in the letter Y.”

  “Fuck you,” Michael snarled.

  “Only if you promise to bottom,” Isaac quipped with a raised eyebrow.

  All of our heads snapped toward Isaac, and Michael sat there in stunned silence, blinking at him. Surely I didn’t hear him correctly? Did he just suggest a hookup with Michael?

  “Right,” Joshua said slowly, breaking the shocked silence. “Let’s finish talking, and then you two can figure out the fucking logistics later. But yes, Cupcake, the human popsicles are healers, just like you.”

  “What exactly do they want the healers for? Our guess is so they can day-walk. But we aren’t one hundred percent certain on that,” Nick asked.

  “Sexy as fuck and brilliant. I cannot wait to devour you later,” Joshua groaned before leaning over to bite Nick’s earlobe.

  “Joshua, think about what you just said to me. Same goes for you,” Isaac warned him.

  “Fine,” Joshua pouted. “Some asshole fanger decided to snack on a healer one day. Apparently, he wasn’t as brain-dead as everyone thinks vamps are. Somehow he realized that with enough healer blood, he could withstand sunlight while it ran through his system. He had to keep coming back for his fix, so he kept that poor healer alive.” Joshua got a faraway look, as if remembering something or someone from the past.

  “So with two dozen or more healers in that cave, lord knows how many vampires are wandering around during the day, feeding off people. That’s why we need you guys to get them out of there,” Isaac added when Joshua was done speaking.

  “Why are you two so set on helping us? The healers are nothing to you, aside from you befriending my family centuries ago,” Michael asked.

  Joshua answered, “That’s where you are wrong. We are all connected. Us, the healer, the seer, and the wolves.”

  “Yes, we know about the connection. The wolves protect the healers. And the seers pretty much lead them to their doom. We read Evelyn’s book.” Michael waved off what Joshua had said.

  “Hold on a minute,” I said after comprehension dawned on me. “How are Fae connected to this? There is no mention of you at all in Evelyn’s diary.”

  Joshua glanced quickly at Isaac. “Should I tell them?”

  Isaac ran his palm down his face in frustration. “I think we have to considering everything that’s going on.”

  “Yay! I live for this kind of thing!” Joshua literally squealed and bounced on the bed.

  “Tell us what?” Nick asked slowly.

  “So you guys obviously know the backstory about Atticus shifting to protect the healer that the king had brought over and yadda yadda yadda, right?”

  “Right,” we all said in unison.

  “Well, what the book didn’t tell, because no one knew about this until now, is where the healers originated from.”

  “Okay? Why do I feel like I’m not going to like where this is going?” Kimberly asked slowly.

  “It’s the reason why the shifters are so protective of you. Why we are here to help you,” Isaac said in annoyance, clearly not liking the idea that he was even in the same room as us. Though his expression was fixed on Michael and radiated nothing but hunger.

  “So what’s the damn reason, then?” Nick asked. “Thi
s beating around the bush thing is getting kind of annoying, babe. Just spit it out.”

  “Honey, you know I don’t spit. I demonstrated that earlier,” Joshua said with a wink.

  A deep flush spread over Nick’s face. “Joshua, focus, please.”

  “Fine, I’ll try to behave.” Joshua sighed dramatically. “Look, when I said our kind were spread out globally, I didn’t mean we just lived amongst the humans and acted like normal people. I mean, sure, that was a huge part of what we did, but we also did more.”

  “What else did you do?” I asked. I had a feeling I knew exactly what else they did.

  “Um, well, we have needs, just like anyone else. And we dealt with those needs,” Joshua explained with a grin.

  “For God’s sake, Joshua. You take the longest time to explain something,” Isaac snapped in irritation. “The Fae fucked the humans, okay? And sometimes they produced children from those hookups.”

  “And people like you,” Joshua gestured excitedly toward Kimberly, “are the children that were produced.”

  “What!” Kimberly exclaimed. “You have got to be kidding me.”

  Joshua and Isaac looked at us with serious expressions on their faces. While Josh’s eyes glittered with his usual excitement, it was evident that they were telling us nothing but the truth.

  “Nope.” Josh shook his head. “Why do you think you’re able to shoot light out of your hand and heal people? I mean, you aren’t as badass as those of us with wings. But you’re one of us.”

  Kimberly looked back and forth between Joshua and Isaac, as if seeking confirmation. Isaac nodded his head solemnly and Kimberly slumped down, almost defeated. “I swear this stuff with us keeps getting more and more bizarre by the day… or the hour.”

  Joshua jumped off the bed and crossed over to where Kimberly was sitting beside me. He threw his arms around her neck and started to rock her back and forth. “Don’t worry, Cupcake. You are my family and we will protect you! That’s why asshole over there is here, and why I’m here.”

  Kimberly awkwardly hugged Joshua back and I chuckled before I glanced around and saw Michael and Isaac basically eye-fucking each other from their spots.

  “So how exactly are you going to help us?” I asked after Joshua finally let Kimberly go and returned to his spot. Except this time, he settled directly on Nick’s lap.

  “Easy. We’re going to get you into that cave because I know exactly where it is,” Joshua said as he wrapped his arms around Nick’s neck.

  “You’re part of the six, aren’t you?” I blurted out, even though I already knew the answer.

  Chapter 20

  “That very well could be a possibility.” Joshua shrugged and grinned cheekily.

  “Why didn’t you say anything to us before? When you were telling us all of that, you could have easily thrown it in there that you are one of the six,” I told him.

  “Would you have believed me? A Fae? I sincerely doubt it. You had to figure that out on your own. That way you’d be more accepting of me helping you.”

  “How about we turn in for the night and discuss going to that cave in the morning?” Nick suggested and wrapped his arms around Joshua’s waist. Josh practically purred and buried his face into Nick’s chest.

  “That sounds like a good idea. Isaac and I can get a room here to help keep an eye on things,” Joshua suggested, though we all knew that wasn’t the reason for him wanting to stay at the hotel.

  “Why should Isaac stay? He’s not one of the six, too,” Michael said with an attitude, clearly put off at the idea of Isaac staying around. The look in his eyes dared Isaac to argue with him.

  Isaac rolled his eyes and stood up. “I’ll go get us a room,” he announced without acknowledging Michael, then he walked out.

  “Why a wolf?” Michael asked, his eyes still lingering on the door Isaac had left through.

  “I’m sorry, what?” Josh asked, having to take his focus off Nick.

  “Why was a wolf the animal that was chosen to be a protector?” Michael answered him.

  “Have you ever seen a wolf in action, Michael?” Joshua tilted to his head to the side.

  “Of course. My father and I would shift every week and run off some steam,” Michael said. He seemed almost offended that Josh would even ask such a question.

  “But have you ever seen one fight?” Josh’s eyes narrowed.

  “No. Not until the other night when we fought off those vampires at Court’s house.”

  “Then you know from your own personal experiences—and from the little bit that you have seen—just how powerful wolves are. How they don’t hesitate to protect their pack. Their sheer ferocity and fierce loyalty are a perfect combination and why the wolf was chosen as a protector for our family,” Josh explained. His eyes were alight with passion. The deep burning in them only made him more beautiful to look at. So beautiful that it almost hurt to keep my focus on him, but I couldn’t turn away. The light dusting of hair on his jaw did nothing except make his flawless features and sharp angles stand out even more.

  “So if a wolf protects the people like me, then who protects you?” Kimberly asked.

  Josh smiled brightly at Kimberly’s question and laced his fingers with Nick’s. “We protect ourselves. Thanks to our abilities, we are able to cast our protection auras whenever needed. We also have the ability to influence any being with a brain and a heartbeat to our liking. Unfortunately, the healers missed all of that during their creation.”

  “So does that mean you influenced me?” Nick asked stiffly.

  Josh turned—his eyes wide—and smiled softly at Nick. “Absolutely not. The minute you walked into the restaurant, I knew I had to taste you, as long as you wanted me, too. There was zero influence on my part at all. I would never take advantage of you or anyone else in that way. Ever,” he told Nick—Josh’s voice full of passion before he learned over and kissed him.

  Michael cleared his throat. “Not to be a buzzkill, but how do you know where the cave is? And since you know, why haven’t you tried to save the other healers yourself?”

  Josh broke away from the kiss with a groan. “Just when we were getting to the good part,” he mumbled against Nick’s lips before turning back to Michael. “We can’t go inside the cave.”

  Before Joshua could further elaborate, there was a loud boom on the door. “Isaac must be back,” Joshua stated and looked pointedly at Michael. “Can you let him in, Michael? I’m a little preoccupied.”

  Michael rolled his eyes and stood up to walk over to the door. I could see the tense set of his shoulders, but I knew it wasn’t due to his dislike of Isaac. Somewhere between the bitter jabs that were exchanged, the hatred had grown to pure lust. Michael wanted Isaac badly, and from the look in Isaac’s eyes when Michael opened the door, I knew the feeling was mutual.

  “Did you get a room?” I asked from my position on the bed.

  “Yeah. Luckily it’s right next door, so we can keep an eye on you. Just in case those things from the parking lot find you here,” Isaac told me, barely taking his desire-laden eyes off Michael.

  “What exactly were those things? And how did they find us?” Nick asked Isaac.

  Joshua rested his back against Nick’s chest and his eyes went heavenward at the question. “Those nasty little freak shows are what you guys like to call a ghoul.”

  “You’re joking, right?” I asked with a laugh.

  “Do you honestly think I’d be joking about this? Especially considering everything else we’ve told you?” Joshua asked with a raised eyebrow.

  I sighed. “Yeah, I guess. It’s still just hard to believe that all of these things are real. We were always taught to believe that the boogeyman was fake and didn’t hide under our beds at night.”

  Isaac snorted rudely at my comment. “Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean that it isn’t real. Typically, ghouls prefer to feed off the dead and rob graves. But in this case, and don’t ask me how because beats the fuck out of me, the gh
ouls have become the vamp’s henchmen. I’m assuming the vamps know you’re close by and wanted them to take you out.”

  “You know, for being undead bloodsucking assholes, these vamps are really starting to get on my fucking nerves,” Michael growled.

  “Well, focus all of that energy on getting to the cave and saving those healers,” Nick advised. “For the record, just how did you and those ghouls know who we were?”

  “That’s simple. We could smell the animal on you two. Cupcake has a soft light that glows around her that a mere human eye cannot see, and Court’s eyes have a certain quality about them that isn’t distinguishable to humans at all. There is a certain glint in her pupils that only we can see. In the supernatural world, you all stand out. It’s like your capabilities paint a huge target on each of your foreheads,” Joshua explained before turning back to Nick. “And that animal scent was a huge turn-on for me.”

  “So you two are going to be in the next room?” Kimberly asked and looked from Josh to Isaac.

  Josh let out a deep chuckle. “Um, no. I’m sleeping with Nick in here. You four can figure out the sleeping arrangements amongst yourselves.”

  “I’ll sleep with Kimberly,” I said slowly and looked at Michael.

  “I can take the floor,” he said with a shrug.

  “You can’t do that. It’d be too uncomfortable,” I protested.

  “Sure I can. Especially if I shift first.”

  “For fuck’s sake, dude, my room has an extra bed. You can just bunk in there with me for the night,” Isaac snapped in irritation.

  “You know, that’s actually a good idea, Isaac. Having a wolf in each room with a Fae could definitely throw the ghouls off. Our mixed scents should confuse them. And to double the protection, we could cast our auras as well,” Joshua said.

  “Fine, it’s settled. Come on, let’s go get some sleep. I’m exhausted,” Isaac spat the order out to Michael and turned to head out the door.

  “Excuse me,” Michael practically barked making Isaac turn back around with a raised brow at him. “But I don’t recall agreeing to your little sleeping arrangement, and I definitely don’t remember where it’s mentioned anywhere that I take orders from you! Nick is my alpha. Not. You.” Michael accentuated each word with a poke to Isaac’s chest.