Fated by Angela Skaggs Read Free Book Online Page A

forefront, making her feel young and vulnerable all over again.
    "Sorry about that, my mates thought it'd be funny to see me trip." His dark green eyes swept over her face and then her body, widening with recognition. "Sabrina?" His hands clasped hard on her hips once before letting go like she was made of fire.
    "Hello, Patrick," Sabrina said softly, making herself breathe normally and smile.
    She forced her gaze from those mesmerizing green eyes, scanning the circle of men that surrounded her. "Friends find many things funny that aren't." Her heart was thumping and she felt like her knees were going to buckle.
    "What the hell are you doing here?"
    She stiffened, all thoughts of being nice fleeing. "I'm on assignment, covering Solstice celebrations. Truly the last place I ever thought I'd run into you."
    "Assignment? You're one of the vultures now?" His sneer made it perfectly clear what he thought of that.
    She glared. "No, I'm a freelance magazine writer and I'm on assignment for one of the travel magazines in the States. What are you doing here?"
    He folded his arms across his chest. "My family lives around here. I grew up going to this festival." His gaze swept over her once more and she felt it from the top of her head to the tips of her feet.
    Her body betrayed her, responding to his nearness with wicked heat curling in her belly, letting her know that she wasn't anywhere near being over him.
    "One of my mates is getting married and I came out for the wedding. We were just taking him out to burn off some pre-wedding jitters."
    "How nice. Going to help him get a leg over, too, celebrate the last moments of freedom?"
    His glare matched hers. "Yeah, because that's what I do, isn't it? Fuck every woman I come across?"
    Sabrina shrugged, aiming for nonchalant but her hands were shaking and it felt like her knees were knocking together. Thankfully darkness had arrived fully upon them, the only illumination coming from the flickering torches lighting the grounds. "It's your life, right? Who am I to judge what you do or don't do?"
    "Christ, you're still a bitch," he snarled angrily. "Always jumping to conclusions. Your job suits you, Sabrina, writing fictional accounts because you have no idea of the real truth."
    She recoiled as if he'd slapped her. "Well," she said stiffly. "Now that I know how you really feel…" Taking a deep breath, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks, she gave him a sad smile. "Have a nice life, Patrick; I hope you find what you're looking for." Spinning on her heel, she walked quickly away from him into the darkness, angrily wiping away the tears that had begun to fall.
    He cursed behind her and she kept walking, concentrating on keeping one foot in front of the other in the dark, cursing Ronnie for talking her into slingback flats instead of the sneakers she'd wanted to wear. Sabrina rolled her eyes. She should have realized the evening would end up like this.
    "Brina, wait."
    She tensed, hearing him use the nickname he'd called her during their time together, but refused to stop walking, stumbling when her foot slid into a divot in the road. She caught herself and shook her head, moving forward once more. A heavy hand closed around her elbow, jerking her to a stop.
    "Please."
    She inhaled deeply before turning around. Her gaze locked with his and it made her heart clench. She opened her mouth and the world went black.
     
    * * * *
     
    "My love, you aren't supposed to interfere, we just talked about this."
    The goddess spun around, a moue of irritation on her lips. "Such a stubborn woman, denying what she knows is hers."
    Cernunnos chuckled. "I know someone else equally as stubborn."
    She shook her head. "Bah, if I hadn't interfered, it would be another hundred years before your return."
    He laid his hands gently on his lover's shoulders. "She is your avatar, my love, the one you have chosen this turn of the wheel to become your representative in the flesh."
    She snuggled