Simply Irresistible by Kristine Grayson Read Free Book Online Page A

alarms had stopped outside—at least for the moment—but Vivian didn’t feel any safer. She kept checking the base of her door for more smoke, even though the Fates told her that she had taken care of it.
    They told her many things. They told her that in addition to the world Vivian had seen her entire life, there was another world, one she’d probably heard of through myth, fable, and legend. Some of the people she saw on the street—indeed, some of the people she’d seen at Quixotic, the fancy restaurant next door—were mages who had lived hundreds, maybe thousands of years.
    Most of these people were mentored. Men came into their magic at around age twenty-one, but women didn’t come into theirs until menopause— giving them time to have children and live a little before the burdens of magic fell on them.
    (Burdens was Atropos’s word. Clotho and Lachesis disagreed with it.)
    The magical were governed by laws, just like the nonmagical were. Only the magical had one set of laws worldwide, laws that had been in existence for millennia. The Powers That Be (and as they said that phrase, the three women bowed their heads and spread out their arms in some sort of obeisance) created the framework for the laws and the Fates enforced them.
    These three women claimed to be the Fates.
    “The Greeks said that we spun the web of life,” Clotho said.
    “Atropos handles the shears, which can end the life in a moment,” said Lachesis as Atropos looked at her empty hands.
    “Lachesis assigns people their fates,” Atropos said, still looking down.
    “And I spin the web,” said Clotho. Then her expression saddened. “Or I’m supposed to, anyway.”
    Vivian rubbed a hand over her face. The only reason none of this made her think they were crazy—or skewas crazy, for that matter—was Aunt Eugenia.
    This life is more complex than you ‘d think , Aunt Eugenia had said on more than one occasion. And one of her favorite phrases was, You ‘d be surprised just how much magic there is in the world .
    “Okay,” Vivian said as the Fates paused for breath. “If you have that much power, what do you need me for?”
    “They’ve imposed term limits,” Lachesis said.
    “Who has?” Vivian asked.
    “The Powers That Be,” Atropos said.
    “Although we think someone might be behind this,” Clotho said.
    “Just one of the Powers, lobbying the others,” Lachesis said.
    Vivian shook her head. She wasn’t following this. “What do term limits have to do with this?”
    “Our term is up,” Atropos said.
    “We must reapply for the job we’ve done for thousands of years,” Clotho said.
    All three women sounded indignant. All three of them grabbed more chocolate. Vivian had never seen anyone eat so much chocolate in her life.
    “And there are new requirements for the job,” Lachesis said, “which I believe—”
    “We believe,” Atropos said.
    “Were designed to keep us out forever,” Clotho finished.
    “Our last millennium wasn’t our best,” Lachesis whispered, and the other two glared at her.
    “It was not our fault,” Atropos said.
    “I don’t care about your history. I’m not even sure I believe everything you’re telling me.” Vivian looked out the window. The view had gone from clear to opaque since she thought of the building as encased in glass. She couldn’t even see the street below, and the noise had ended almost immediately. “I certainly don’t know how you think I can help you.”
    “Well,” Clotho said, “you were the closest thing we could find to a mage at the moment.”
    “Besides, we really didn’t know about Eugenia,” Lachesis said. “Do you think that was another mistake on our part?”
    Then the building shook. Vivian pitched forward, nearly hitting her head on the table. She caught herself with her right hand. “What was that?”
    “A test,” Clotho said, her face so pale that Vivian could almost see through it.
    “You have great power,” Lachesis said. “That’s why