Prologue
Liam
“Are you alright, Kate?” I asked the young girl sitting on the other end of the bench seat in the back of the armored SUV.
“I think so,” she replied softly, giving me a hesitant smile. “It’s a lot to take in. Especially right after almost being killed by vampires—thank you for saving me, by the way. If I didn’t say so—I can’t remember. Then I learn that not only are they real, but some vampires can walk in the sun, are immune to all the stuff we’ve read about, and basically live among us like humans...yeah, it’s going to take a little time for me to adjust to this new reality.”
“You can have as much time as you need,” I assured her with a warm smile. “There is a little more to learn, though. I can tell you now if you’d like, or you can wait until we get to the council, and they’ll explain everything much more thoroughly.”
“More?” Kate squeaked and then cleared her throat and tried to pretend she wasn’t freaking out. Actually, she was much calmer than a lot of the future consorts I’d rescued in my five hundred and thirty-one years. I had a feeling she’d take to this life just fine. She was pretty, strong, and seemed sweet. Any vampire would be lucky to be paired with her as his fate. She was young, but I would have been thrilled.
“Okay, um, I think I’d rather hear the gist of it from you. It might be a little overwhelming in an official setting.”
“Very logical. I like the way you think,” I teased. Kate blushed, and I couldn’t help thinking that it would have been nice to have a sister like her in my life growing up. My brothers and I loved each other, but we’d always thought it would have been fun to have a little sister to protect and spoil. Female daywalkers seemed to have a slightly easier time finding their consort, too. Perhaps she would have given my parents grandchildren centuries ago. Instead, they had four boys who were likely to live out their immortal days alone. Although, I was the only one who knew for sure that this was my fate. But I’d accepted it years ago.
The car turned a corner onto a long stretch of driveway. We had about ten minutes before we’d arrive. Settling back against the seat, I crossed my arms over my chest and relaxed. “You might have wondered how I happened upon you tonight. It could have been a coincidence, I suppose, but that would be very unlikely.”
“It did seem too good to be true when you appeared out of thin air and turned the men about to kill me into fire and ash. If you don’t mind my saying, you’re pretty badass.”
I laughed, and Kate blushed again as she chuckled with me. “Thank you. Anyway, vampires like myself, daywalkers, are born with a single destined mate. A consort. Unfortunately, there is no way to know when your fated mate was or will be born. It’s nearly impossible to find them without help unless you’re as lucky as my cousins, who just happened to have their consorts run right into their arms. Literally.”
Well, if you didn’t count the first time Athan and his consort, Selene, met. She’d run as fast as possible in the opposite direction, much to the amusement of his brothers and cousins. He caught her shortly after, though, and they were now happily mated with adorable kids.
“Millennia ago, the daywalkers created a council whose sole goal was to protect future consorts and help them find their mates.”
“Why do they need protection?”
“Because if nightwalkers had their way, they’d rid the world of us completely, and killing our consorts is easier than trying to wipe us out directly.”
“Well...that’s just...what jerks!”
Kate looked hot under the collar about it, and I almost laughed again, but I didn’t want to offend her. She was a sweet kid. “I agree. Hence the need for the council. When unmated consorts are discovered, vampires who work for them, such as me, are dispatched to collect them. Even if they choose not to take the council’s protection and help to find their mate, they need to know what they are so they can be prepared.”
“Wait...if that’s...are you saying I’m a vampire’s destined wife?”
I chuckled. “Well, the bond between consorts is much stronger than the legal one. However, I don’t know many mated vampires who don’t complete the traditional human marriage as well.”
“But, you’re still telling me, I’m destined to fall in love with a vampire, that this was determined before I was even born?”
“Essentially.” I hesitated to add the next part, but I had always been an honest and forthright person—except for during prohibition. But whiskey was my business, so I didn’t have much of a choice, did I? “As for love, though, there is no guarantee. However, you two will only ever physically desire each other, which helps to bond you together, even if it’s just as devoted and committed friends.”