Sealed by Fate

ANNABETH

“She’ll be okay,” the young vampire reassures his sire, cradling the swaddled newborn girl his father hands him.

His gaze shifts to the mother, who’s barely clinging to life. She weakly extends her hand.

“I need to see her,” she whispers.

The young vampire nods, moving to the mother’s side. He places the baby in her arms, watching as she kisses her newborn’s forehead.

“You have a wonderful journey ahead of you.” She gazes at her daughter, tears streaming down her pale face.

“I love you, my sweet girl, but I can’t be with you right now. When the time is right, we’ll meet again. Until then, I want you to be happy and live your life to the fullest.”

She kisses her baby’s forehead one last time before handing her back to the young vampire. As he turns to leave, she calls out to him.

“You need to understand something. Her life won’t be easy. Things will happen that we can’t control. The most important thing is to protect her and keep her away from the Elders.

“Don’t let them find out about her. They’ll do everything to destroy her because of how special and rare she is.”

Her dark chocolate eyes are filled with trust but also grief as she watches him hold her baby girl.

A sense of peace washes over her, seeing her infant daughter nestled against his chest.

“I’ll protect her with my life,” he promises, looking down at the beautiful baby and feeling something stir in his chest.

He can’t identify the feelings but knows he won’t abandon this innocent girl in a world filled with so much evil, hate, and despair.

He won’t let such darkness touch her pure soul; he’ll do everything in his power to keep her innocent and pure.

“She’ll never know fear with me,” he tells her parents, who look up with solemn faces, uncertain of their daughter’s fate.

But they know the promises made are true. They’ve chosen wisely for their child’s guardian.

He’ll protect this little girl, his little girl, not only from the Elders but from all the world’s evil. He’ll save her.

“You can’t stay with her. Being seen with you puts her in danger,” his sire says with a sigh. “It’s the only way to keep her safe.”

The young man knows better than to argue with his sire, so he bows his head in submission. He watches the final tears fall from the grieving mother’s eyes and feels her sorrow.

He remembers the time he watched his own mother cry at his funeral. He remembers the pain in her eyes. It was all too real.

“I know she’s in good hands with you; it’s time to take her now.” His sire hands him a manila envelope with two names written on it, the names of her adoptive family.

“These are all the documents the family will need for her. They’re also expecting you.” He nods and holds the baby girl closer to his chest. He’ll keep her safe if it’s the last thing he does.

***

“Tessa, I don’t want to go,” I groan. My best friend and younger sister, by a year, is doing her best to convince me to go to a party, but honestly, I’m not sure I’m ready.

“But it’ll be the perfect opportunity for you to get back out there,” she says, shimmying and winking. “You know what they say about getting over someone, right?”

I know where she’s going with this, but I decide to play along. “No, but I’m sure you’re about to enlighten me.”

Tessa shimmies her hips. “They say the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else.” She giggles.

“Um, that’s not happening anytime soon,” I reply. My recent breakup with my boyfriend of six years, Rick, is still a bit raw, but it was necessary.

Our relationship turned toxic in our senior year of high school. He became controlling, disliking me wearing makeup or dressing in anything that showed any skin.

On top of being controlling, when I told him I wasn’t ready for sex, he found it elsewhere, cheating on me. I don’t know how many times. I was done. I’d had enough.

Now that I’m twenty and a junior in college, I’ve refocused. I know Rick will never change, and I’ve set my sights on someone new.

Rick and I were together so long that I never really experienced dating. Yes, I’m still wary and not very trusting of men.

But for some reason, I feel like I can trust Kierran McAllister, the new guy at our school.

He’s incredibly handsome, and his emerald eyes are so intense they draw me in.

I think back to a month ago when he walked into my English class. His eyes locked on me, and I can’t forget how my body reacted to his gaze.

“Anna?”

Tessa’s voice pulls me from my thoughts.

“Hmm?”

“What were you thinking about? Your face is all flushed.”

She’s right. Suddenly aware of the heat in my cheeks, I walk over to the mirror.

“Oh, um… It’s nothing,” I lie. “What are you wearing to the party?”

I should know better than to try to distract Tessa. She’s usually single-minded and has a knack for knowing when something’s bothering me.

“Oh no, you don’t, Annabeth!” she scolds. “You were thinking about Rick again, weren’t you? Sweetie, it’s been over two months! You need to get over him. You were the one who ended it, remember?”

I burst out laughing. I can’t believe she thought my blush was caused by thoughts of Rick.

“Anna, are you okay?”

Seeing the concern in her eyes, I calm myself.

“Tess, I’m okay. I wasn’t daydreaming about Rick, at least not in the way you’re thinking.” I roll my eyes. “Actually, I was thinking about Kierran McAllister.”

At the sound of his name, Tessa starts dramatically fanning herself.

I walk over to my closet and say, “If I decide to go out tonight, I need to wear something different from my usual.”

“Really?” She starts jumping up and down, clapping her hands. “Finally! My best friend has moved on, and with someone as ridiculously hot as Kierran.

“Anna, I’m so happy for you. He’s interested in you too, you know.”

I roll my eyes at her over-the-top reaction and scoff. “Tessa, don’t be silly. A guy like Kierran could have any girl he wants.

“Look at me. I’m scarred. I’m not the kind of girl someone like him would want, or anyone for that matter.”

I glance down, thinking about the scar on my right breast. I’ve accepted this ugly scar as part of me, a daily reminder that no guy would want a damaged girl like me.

The harsh reality is that I either go back to Rick or I end up alone, a spinster with a hundred cats for company.

Going back to that cheating, abusive jerk isn’t an option.

Tessa fixes her dark-blue eyes on me. “Annabeth, you’re beautiful. You deserve someone who treats you right.

“Rick was a jerk, and he did terrible things to you, but you can’t let him define you. You’re Annabeth St. James, my sister, my best friend, and you’re amazing!

“Kierran would be an idiot not to want you. I’ve seen the way he looks at you in class. It’s the way he looks at you every day. Trust me, Anna, I notice these things.

“When you’re around, you’re the only thing he pays attention to. He’s got it bad for you. But even if he doesn’t, that’s okay. You need to take some time for yourself.

“Jumping into another relationship so soon after breaking up with Rick might not be the best idea.”

Tessa has a point. It’s not like I want a relationship with Kierran, but maybe I could get him to notice me, the way a girl deserves to be noticed.

“You’re right, Tessa. But I can promise you this. Nothing will happen between Kierran and me. Rick would make sure of that. Even if Kierran did like me.”

Tessa’s lips curl into a wicked grin, and I can’t help but giggle.

“I have a feeling that Kierran wouldn’t let ‘Limpy Dicky’ stop him from getting what he wants. And what he wants, my dear friend, is you.”

I burst out laughing. “‘Limpy Dicky’? Where did that come from?”

She grins again. “I hear things,” she says.

“Andrea told me she overheard Porsche telling the cheerleaders that the star quarterback couldn’t get it up. She said it took her over two hours to get him off, and it wasn’t great.”

“I should feel bad for Porsche, but she knew he was still with me.” I make a face.

“That’s disturbing. Now I’m going to have nightmares tonight, so thanks, Sis.”

“I also heard—”

I cut her off. “Enough, Tess. I don’t need to hear any more about Rick’s sex life. I’m disgusted enough as it is.”

“Okay, you’re right. I got sidetracked. I only brought it up to show you that you’re not missing out on anything. Now, Kierran, on the other hand, looks like he could be a sex god.”

“Tessa! Weren’t you just telling me to take things slow?”

She shakes her head, snapping out of her thoughts, and looks at me. “Yes, I did say that, and I meant it. Move at your own pace, not his, and don’t let him pressure you like Rick did.

“You can’t hide everything from me, Anna. The walls in this house aren’t soundproof.”

Damn, she wasn’t supposed to be home during those times.

I look at my best friend, waiting for her to say more about what she heard in my room, but all she says is, “I love you, Annabeth, and it broke my heart to hear what he would say to you.

“It took everything I had not to come in here and beat the crap out of him and just comfort you.” Tessa is fighting back tears.

“I should have stepped in and taken you away from him. Remember how we used to comfort each other when we were younger?”

I nod. We used to build forts and hide. We would hold hands and tell stories about our future.

“I felt like I was losing my sister and best friend these past few years. You used to tell me everything, and then you just stopped talking and hanging out with me.

“I was about to stage an intervention with Mom, Dad, and some of the friends you’ve shut out.”

She wipes away her tears, and I’m shocked that she felt this way. I feel guilty for being so selfish. How could I do that to my sister, my best friend?

Tessa has always been the only one I could really talk to. No wonder I feel so stuck in my own world. I’ve shut everyone out without even realizing it.

“Tess, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize what I was doing. I promise, from now on, I’ll be there for you, okay? Tomorrow we’ll have a girls’ night, just like we used to.”

Her face lights up, and she smiles. “I’d love that. I get to pick the movie. The last one you picked kept me up for a few nights.”

I can’t help but chuckle as I recall the film. “Oh, please, Underworld wasn’t that terrible! You were the one who wouldn’t stop talking about having vampire babies with Theo James.”

Tessa’s eyes, as blue as the ocean, glaze over, and I can tell she’s picturing those babies.

“Well, can you blame me? Theo is one gorgeous man. It would be insane not to want his babies.”

“Tess, what am I going to do with you?”

She lets out a giggle, and my heart fills with joy for her. It’s been ages since I’ve heard her laugh like that.

“To start with, you’re going to accompany me to this party and have a blast. It’s time to leave the past behind, Annabeth, and look ahead.”

“You’ve been cooped up in this room for the last two months, and it’s starting to smell.” She wrinkles her nose as if to emphasize her point.

“It does not smell!” I protest. My room is the tidiest in the house because I can’t stand clutter or anything out of order.

Sure, she teases me about it, but I don’t mind. It’s what works for me. “If any room smells, it’s yours, missy.” I point an accusing finger at Tessa.

She grabs my finger and pulls me into her room. “Fine, it doesn’t, but I need you to come with me. I want to see you dress up and look sexy so you can feel good.

“It’s time to get rid of those awful clothes Rick made you wear. Let’s just say you’re shedding a layer of grime.”

“Sexy? I’m pretty sure that’s not a word.” I giggle.

“I made it up.” She grins. “Now sit your butt down so I can do your hair and makeup.”

“Yes, ma’am!” I give a mock salute and sit on her vanity stool.

“Anna?”

“Yeah?”

“Be careful with Kierran and, most importantly, your heart. I don’t want to see you get hurt because I’m not sure if you or your heart can take it again. I’m not saying you’re weak.

“It’s just that Rick messed with your head so much.”

“I know he did, and I will be careful. I promise.”

“Good. Now on that note, you’re almost ready, and you look stunning. If Kierran doesn’t notice you, then he’s blind and insane.”

“In that case, I need the perfect outfit, one that screams here I am, so come and get me.”

Tessa’s face lights up; she grabs my hand and leads me to her closet. “I have the perfect one!”