Stolen Fate

Chapter Ten - New Plans

Chapter Ten

New Plan

Krishna hadn’t thought much about where she was heading, caring only to get as far from Detroit as possible. But as she nestled her bare feet in the soft, white sand of Clearwater Beach, she was finally content with calmness, and the feeling of home.

Her route of escape was not well planned, that part was obvious. And after her run in with Lucas, and the mixed thoughts and feelings that situation gave her, her escape had taken her to the east coast – a place she hadn’t visited since she was twelve years old.

She enjoyed Florida. The warm, sunny days and cool, clear nights – she had lived there for one summer, with a family she actually liked, and often missed. It was one of the few places she could reflect back on with a smile.

The simple fact that she hadn’t a destination in mind, and only stopped once crossing city limits, was something of a sign to tell her she was finally where she needed to be.

It was mid-afternoon, and the sun was high in the sky with not a cloud in sight. The water was warm as it waved into shore, tickling her toes as she stood by its edge, savoring deep breaths of the salty goodness in the air. Her senses were relaxed, as was the rest of her body and mind. She didn’t notice as Riley remained in shadow, watching – admiring. And that both excited and bothered him.

Riley enjoyed the view. Regardless of her blood and being, she was, beyond words, beautiful. All the women he had bedded over the years and not a single one compared. That made him smile.

It didn’t take him long to track her down upon entering the country. In fact, it was a lot easier than he imagined it would be. Easier than Marcus informed and the wizard promised. For reasons he could not explain, he just knew where she was.

The plane ride was long; exhausting. He hadn’t the chance to nap with her image haunting his thoughts, giving him plenty of time to plot out his movements. Obviously, she wasn’t keen on intrusion of space and plans. Though, he could still feel her emotions from when they were in the motel together. There was a part of her, whether she realized it or not, that was drawn to him. Just further proof that she was the one as far as he was concerned.

Rather than appear as sudden as he had left, he opted to admire from a distance. Watch over her, learn of her behaviors and past times, get to know her without losing his focus on task. So, as he stood in the shadows beneath the pier, he smiled. She loved the beach.

* * *

Days had passed without so much a word as to Krishna’s whereabouts. A part of him blamed Vincent and Anthony for backing down, running scared; but, he also partly blamed himself. He should never have high-tailed it back home. Never have left her alone, and so close to vampire territory. He felt like a failure as alpha; as a man.

“The children want to know if their all mighty uncle would like to take a swim with them,” Samantha spoke softly from the patio doors.

Lucas had been standing just inside the kitchen, watching his niece and nephew playing outside without really seeing any of the events as they unfolded. His mind was too busy to focus on anything other than his lost love. He hadn’t even realized his sister approach until she spoke. Hesitantly, he shook his head.

“Come on, Luke. This,” she said as she gestured her hands over his body, “is not healthy.”

“Maybe, but this is who I am right now, so deal with it,” he said sarcastically.

She stepped into the house, closing the doors behind her, and turned to stand beside him; her gaze out at her playing children while she mimicked his crossed arms stance. “I will not ‘deal with it’. It is a mood, not a definition, and not you.” Stealing a glance at her brother, she sighed. “You remember when Tommy left?”

“I do not want to hear how you can relate to this situation, Sam,” Lucas grumbled.

“I was devastated,” she continued on, ignoring his protest. “I thought for sure the pain I felt inside would send me to my grave. But that is what love does. It fills you, makes you whole, while tearing you apart, little by little.” Taking a long breath to offer a silent moment, hoping her words would sink into his stubborn head, she paused.

Daniel, her five year old, went running past the doors, garden hose in hand.

“If she is truly your other half, you will be together again.”

Lucas pondered his sisters’ words as she calmly turned and exited the room. Daniel sprayed water at his sister, and Rebecca screeched in protest; running back towards the swimming pool. Lucas continued to watch the pair play as he contemplated whether or not he would seek her scent and follow, or stay behind and wait.

* * *

“Checking in?” the bellhop politely asked as Krishna climbed off her bike. The sun had begun to set, and this was the only hotel with a beach view that had secured, indoor parking.

Taking off her helmet and shaking her hair out, she smiled. “I am.”

Looking no more than seventeen or eighteen, the boy beamed. “Excellent! Let me take your things,” he offered as he reached for her pack.

Briskly, she pulled it back. “No! I mean, no thank you,” she said as she waved off the valet and headed towards the hotel entrance.

“Ma’am, you can’t park there,” the valet tried to explain. She ignored him, and the still chattering bellhop, as she pulled open the large glass doors.

The blonde behind the counter was friendly enough, only giving Krishna the dirty eye a couple times. She imagined not many people checked in with only a backpack and a helmet, and she wondered if that fact would set off any red flags in the system. But then, she figured she would just compel the bellhop boy, whose crush was obvious – he was still chattering behind her – into remembering she had luggage with her the entire time.

“Is there anything else I can do for you?” the blonde continued in her fake pleasant voice, with her fake pleasant smile.

“Yea, where can I grab a bite to eat?”

“Oh, well we have a lovely place right here. Just down that hall there, and around the corner,” she said as she gestured to a hall off to the right.

Fifteen minutes later she was ‘unpacked’ and back downstairs, sitting in a quiet corner booth, awaiting her food to arrive. The place was quaint, and she silently offered props to the blonde for telling the truth through her ruse. Thinking of the blonde, Krishna was forced to stifle a chuckle.

In exiting the elevator, she had played her best Pretty Woman part in catching the blondes’ eye as she walked by. Wearing a sexy red miniskirt dress – that cut high in the thigh, and dipped as low as they go – and her infamous black hooker boots, she had dressed to kill for good reason.

“Can I get you anything else, ma’am?” the waiter asked as he placed her plate on the table.

Krishna smiled and shook her head. “Thank you, no.”

Looking down at the large, square plate, she smiled. Quaint and accurate in skill. She could feel her fangs elongate, her mouth salivate, as she took in the delicious aroma of one very rare, and rather bloody, steak.

Slicing and popping the first bite in her mouth, she sighed – stifling back a giggle as her eyes nearly rolled in the back of her head. Humans never suspected the obvious predators before them ... even if they dressed as a target.