Awaiting Fate by J. L. Sheppard Page A

was Cain. The man who’d saved her, protected her and befriended her, that she’d remember forever as her first.
    There were no regrets.

Chapter 12
    Two Months Ago
    The day had drifted by slowly. It didn’t happen often, only the days she didn’t see Cain. Going on four days now, she’d begun to worry.
    Over the course of the last three months, since she’d met him, she hadn’t gone more than a day. They’d become friends who saw each other, not just often, but daily. They talked, laughed, sometimes even shared meals and trained together.
    So it was only natural that she be worried, natural that she was a mess. She couldn’t help it. Day in and day out horrible scenarios filled her mind—all ended with him hurt or worse. She knew it unlikely, considering bad news traveled fast, and she was sure Jocelyn would have told her.
    With certainty she was sure of two probable scenarios: he was busy on an assignment and couldn’t spare time or he didn’t want to see her. Both scared her a bit: the first because he always found time for her before, and the second because she wanted to see him. She couldn’t blame him though, she knew her feelings for him were growing and felt, perhaps, he felt her feelings for him grow. Perhaps, he didn’t want to encourage them and hoped distance would cure that.
    In an effort to distract herself, she headed to her garden to water the flowers. As hard as she tried, she didn’t succeed. Her attempts to keep thoughts of Cain at bay were fruitless. The image of Cain injured, as he had been the night he’d saved her, kept sneaking up on her.
    Walking through the rows of flowers, watering each she chanted: He’s fine.
    After half an hour, she was exhausted, from the sun’s heat and from her frazzled mind. Taking a seat on a bench, she sighed and closed her eyes. Seconds later, his familiar scent permeated her senses. Great, I’m losing it , she thought.
    “Liv.” His voice startled her.
    Parting her lids and meeting his too blue eyes, she sprang off the bench. “Oh God,” she whispered, her eyes scanning him from head to toe. He wasn’t injured; he was safe, standing inches from her, comforting her wrecked, worried mind. She released a breath.
    Looking startled himself, he held up his hands. “God, Liv, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”
    As he stared at her with unhindered concern clear in his eyes, she realized: I’ve fallen in love with a demon. How else to explain why her mind was constantly filled with thoughts of him? How else to explain why she’d been out of her mind with worry?
    Shit.
    How could this have happened to her? She was inexperienced, had never been kissed or been held or made love, yet here she was in love with a demon.
    “Liv, I’m sorry. Are you okay?”
    She meant to answer quickly, but the realization she’d fallen for a demon, made her ache and mute, so she nodded.
    The sun’s rays darkened, she wobbled on her feet. Cain materialized beside her and wrapped a strong arm around her, steadying her.
    “Jesus! Are you okay?” He sounded panicked.
    She shook her head hoping the tightening in her chest would dissipate magically, hoping it was a just a school girl crush and it would fade.
    She couldn’t possibly be in love with the first man she’d felt attracted to—one she could never have. And she was sure she could never have him. He had a mate somewhere waiting for him. It wasn’t her, and she knew with certainty because immortal men instantly recognized their mates. In that moment, they were overcome with the instinct, the need to mark and claim them as theirs. She’d known Cain for three months. During those months, he’d never treated her as anything more than a friend, and that meant no matter how much she wished it, she would never be his.
    Her vision swirled. Panicked, she glanced around, realizing belatedly she wasn’t standing. Once again, she sat on the bench with Cain beside her. “Did you—”
    “Yes, I did,” he