Freaking gods.

  There are five freaking gods who create prophecies—no, games—and they put innocent people on the chopping block when they let them loose on the world. It makes me wonder how many horrific events have occurred throughout the history of our world that were merely prophecies unfolding because these gods were bored.

  And not just this world. I distinctly remember Carrick saying they controlled the universe. That implied there were other planets like earth, and I’m not even letting my mind travel to the possibility of alien life.

  But even learning all of this horrible news, nothing can compare to the moment I watched Fallon morph into a Dark Fae. A supremely evil being. One who is here to cause destruction, because let’s face it… her change, the feather showing up on my leg, and the discovery of a prophecy are too coincidental.

  How am I even going to be able to handle this with Fallon?

  I wasn’t kidding tonight when I told Carrick I was not participating. They can get someone else to do the job the gods want me to do. Hell, maybe Carrick can pull it off on his own, but I didn’t sign up for this. I didn’t ask for my abilities, and I sure as hell didn’t sign up for any hero cape.

  I never, in a million years, wanted to lose my sister.

  I have so many questions about Fallon swirling in my head, and I can’t quite sort them out. I can never let the creature that now wears her face know that I know what she is. But I honestly don’t know if I can even be around her in a safe manner.

  There’s the whole problem with me doubling over in pain because of the malevolent vibes she puts off. There’s a possibility she knows I can see beneath her glamour. Hell, she could know I’m part of a prophecy.

  Christ… she could know exactly what the prophecy is and be a hundred steps ahead of me.

  Correction… ahead of Carrick. I’m not a part of this anymore.

  My head actually hurts from thinking about all the various possibilities, many of which could lead to my death at the hands of my former sister.

  I lift my head from the cradle of my hands and without thought, I pull my sketching journal out of my bedside table drawer. I open it, flipping the pages to find the last drawings I had done a few weeks ago.

  I look at the Concordia daemon I had drawn with her delicate wings. Zaid with his dove gray aura that I was able to blend to a perfect shade to match his real one. And finally… Carrick. That moment he first laid eyes on me and the unmistakable loathing that was there in his expression.

  My hand presses flat against the drawing and I slide it downward, smudging his likeness so I can’t see the hate as clearly. Then my fingers press hard, get purchase on the paper, and I draw them inward, crumpling the paper. I squish it hard and rip it from the journal, balling it up tightly.

  As I rise from the bed, my journal falls to the floor and I move across the room to my desk. I drop the drawing in the wastebasket, hoping the symbolic act will help erase Carrick’s memory. Help scrub away his heavy presence that has left an indelible mark over the past month.

  Yet, I have the strangest sensation he’s closer to me than ever.

  For a moment, I think it’s just emotions surfacing and perhaps part of me rebelling against wanting to cut him from my life. But then, with utter clarity, I suddenly realize he is close by.

  I can feel him.

  Whipping toward my door, I expect to see him standing there, but it’s firmly closed. I pivot back to my window where the blinds are shut, narrowing my eyes.

  Surely not.

  Casting my room in darkness by flipping off the overhead light, I creep over to the window. Gently, I put my fingers between the thin plastic slats and pull them up barely an inch so I can peek out.

  At the end of my driveway stands a lone figure too heavily shadowed to see his face with any detail. But I can tell based on the height, build, and gnawing intuition in my gut that it’s Carrick.

  He stands with his legs spread slightly, and he holds his hands up with palms facing my house. It’s the exact same stance he had tonight facing the elevators. Although I can’t see his face at all, I know he’s murmuring words that would sound like gibberish to me.

  And suddenly it hits me what he was doing at the elevators. Back in his condo, I was still too deep in the throes of grief and anguish to really give it much thought, but the foreign words I now remember not understanding and the way he held his hands up, I realize he was casting some sort of protective spell on the elevators. I can only assume he was afraid the evil Fallon could potentially come after me.

  Now here he is, standing before my home, and I know he’s doing the same thing. Casting some sort of protective measure over this house so his precious little prophecy breaker won’t get hurt and be of no use to him down the road.

  I should have known this would happen. It was too easy tonight when he just let me walk out of his condo, especially since he had the power to make me stay if he wanted.

  Carrick clearly has powerful magic.

  A servant of the gods is what he called himself. They must have gifted him, making their lackey special enough to carry out their biddings.

  And they’ve promised him further reward for helping me.

  My hackles rise as I understand Carrick thinks I’m his to control. I’m sure he thinks he can force me to help with this prophecy.

  The figure at the end of my driveway drops his hands, then turns slightly my way. His head tips back a bit, which would mean he was looking at the second floor of my home. My window is the only one visible to the street.

  Carrick stares at me for what seems like forever. I don’t make a move to drop the one-inch space of blinds, feeling that would be like letting him win. Instead, I keep my eyes pinned on him until he casually turns and starts walking down the street, eventually melting into the darkness.

  I release the blind. Not bothering with pajamas, I flop onto my bed and kick off my tennis shoes. Curling onto my side, I draw my knees up and hug my pillow tight.

  I’m scared.

  I’m sick at heart.

  I’m alone.

  But despite all of that, the one thing I will not do is be forced to participate in any of this. It’s time for me to disappear for a bit in the hope this will all blow over.

  CHAPTER 3

  Finley

  It’s surprising to me how quickly my plan went into effect. I barely slept last night, but the good side to that was I did a lot of thinking.

  And now, less than twenty-four hours after I left Carrick’s condo, I’m officially in hiding.

  It started first with a candid but “with boundaries” talk with my roommates early this morning. I told them that something bad had happened, I couldn’t tell them what it was, and Carrick Byrne was someone I felt the need to cut from my life. Incredibly careful with my wording, I told them while he was not a danger to me in any way, I felt the need to maybe get away from the house in case he wanted to seek me out.

  Of course, they were all alarmed. There were a million questions I couldn’t answer, causing frustration for all.

  Rainey was still thinking there was something romantic between Carrick and me, and that this was a broken-heart issue. I assured her it was not, and she said even if it were, she was still all in helping me to lay low.

  Myles was worried something abusive had happened, and I assured him that was not the case. He was not convinced. I had to re-assure and continue to do so until the level of skepticism in his expression dwindled to acceptance. I hinted that my issues with him were of a more philosophical nature, but they were important enough I had to cut all ties.

  Adira was worried about One Bean, as was I. Carrick is still my business partner, and he has taken an active interest in the coffee shop he helped me to purchase. I’m not stupid enough to think I can just ignore him if he wants interaction from me on a business level, because he has the power to destroy One Bean if he wants. So I have to play this very carefully.

  I don’t plan on evading him if he reaches out for business reasons. I’m just going to do it from a distance and if he doesn’t like it, that’s tough. There is a part of me that is hoping—no banking—on this blowing over somehow. That Carrick will leave me alone. That he will appeal to his crazy gods to find another person to thwart the impending doom. That the prophecy will come to pass without me. That Fallon will be changed back into the sister I love.

  That was probably naïve thinking, but the alternative is just not acceptable to me right now. Given what I saw last night and what I’ve learned, my psyche simply won’t allow me to consider any other options. Perhaps I’m just not strong enough to face this, and I am hiding.

  There’s even a part of me that’s longing for the days I was thought to be mentally ill, because at least that was something I could have some control over through medications and counseling.

  But this horror story I’m involved in right now… there is no control at all.

  Thus, I decided to disappear for a little bit, at least until I can figure out how to handle Carrick’s involvement in my business.

  The houseboat that will be my temporary hideout home is a treasure in Seattle. It’s called the Fantasia, and it’s located on Lake Union, just under the Aurora Bridge. At almost five-thousand square feet in size—four bedrooms and three baths—it’s the largest floating home in Seattle and known as the Jewel of Lake Union.

  Not that I’ll be out and about much, but it sits at the base of one of my favorite places in Seattle—Freemont. It’s a suburb of cool indie shops, eclectic bars, and a very distinct bohemian vibe. It’s home to the famous Fremont Troll, which lurks under the Aurora Bridge and, ironically, a supernatural creature I’d always been drawn to. I wonder if perhaps that was because of my innate ability to see such things in real life?

  It’s a crystal-clear day—I take that to be a meaningful sign—and as I sit on the top deck of the three-story houseboat sipping a cup of coffee, I can see Mount Rainier in all its glory. I’m lounging on a chaise with custom made cushions in navy and white while enjoying the late afternoon sun on my face.

  “Mind if I join you?” Myles says from the sliding glass door that leads out onto this upper deck.

  Tipping my head back and to the side, I give him a smile. “Of course not.”

  I mean, how could I mind his company? It’s because of Myles that I have this luxury houseboat to hide out on until I can figure out how to cut myself completely free of this prophecy. The Fantasia belongs to Myles’ aunt and uncle, who are both top-level executives at Google. While they mainly work from the Mountain View, California headquarters, they also spend a few months a year working in the Seattle office, which is in Freemont. I think it speaks for itself they are so incredibly well paid they have a five-million-dollar houseboat in Seattle to stay just a few months a year.

  Myles settles into a lounge chair beside me. He has a beer in hand and while I might be tempted to just sit out here and get drunk, I need to keep my head clear.

  “Thank you so much for letting me stay here,” I say for what might be the tenth time.

  “Enough,” he growls in response, indicating I need to stop with the gratitude.

  This morning after I had my vague-as-hell talk with my friends, to my surprise, they accepted my need to hide for a while. They rallied together to brainstorm ideas, but it was Myles who immediately suggested the Fantasia. He has complete access to it as his aunt and uncle don’t mind him staying here at all. In fact, they sort of wish he’d stay here full time to keep an eye on it, but as it is, he checks on it weekly for them.

  I’ve been here a few times with Myles when he’s been doing his weekly walk through to make sure everything is okay, and I had asked him why in the world would he rent a room from me when he could have all this luxury.

  His answer was simple. “But I’d be alone, and I’d rather live in a hovel with you and Rainey than here.”

  Of course, that was “pre-Adira” coming to live with us, but I’m sure she’d be included in that sentiment now.

  “You can stay here for quite a while,” Myles says before taking a sip of beer. Both our gazes are pinned on Mount Rainier in the distance. “I talked to Aunt Mary and she said they’re not coming until early November.”

  “I really appreciate that,” I say, a little worried we’re doing this on the sly. Poor Aunt Mary and Uncle Tony don’t know I’m a vagrant guest staying here.

  But in a way, I’m sure it’s technically okay since Myles is staying here with me, too, as well as Rainey and Adira. Myles has unfettered access and an open invitation to stay here anytime he wants, so we’re all just quietly assuming his aunt and uncle don’t mind if he has guests.

  “I’m really glad all of you decided to come with me,” I say to Myles. When I was thinking about running somewhere to hide out, I had originally thought it would be on my own. But the more I thought about it, the more I wondered if my friends could be in danger by staying behind. I’m thinking Carrick put a protection spell on my house last night, but I don’t know if it was just to protect me or all inhabitants. I don’t know from what he was warding either. Was it to keep Fallon away or all fae?

  Moreover, maybe he wasn’t putting a protection spell on my house at all. Maybe he was doing something sinister instead, although I can’t think what that would be. He needs me to further his purposes, so it wouldn’t make sense for him to hurt me.

  Regardless, I wasn’t sure how to ask my friends to come with me. The only thing I could think of was to play a lonely-sympathy card with them, but before I could even do so, Myles announced on everyone’s behalf that they were not letting me stay on the Fantasia alone.

  It took us all about two hours this morning to pack our belongings and move from my house to the houseboat under the Aurora Bridge.

  It’s a Saturday, and Myles is off. Rainey was scheduled to work, but she called in sick because she was worried and didn’t want to leave me on my first day of hiding out. Adira is at work right now doing the middle shift at One Bean. I gave her the key to my office, and she’s going to bring me my laptop as well as some paper files I need to be able to work from here.

  As for One Bean, I sent a message to my managers that I had the flu and was working from home. I guess it’s a testament to the good people I have in place I have no concerns that things will be just fine without me for a while. At a minimum, I’m hoping I can figure things out within a week and start making a reappearance at my job. What I want to make sure is that Carrick is going to let me go with all this prophecy nonsense, but we’re going to have to play that day by day.

  The sliding glass door whooshes and Myles and I both turn our heads that way, knowing it’s Rainey. She steps out with a chilled martini in her hand, with three large olives. She takes a sip before closing the door, leveling a grin at Myles. “Your aunt and uncle have a very well-stocked bar.”

  Myles holds his beer up in salute. “That they do.”

  Rainey sashays our way. Myles pretends not to notice, and Rainey doesn’t notice him pretending to not notice. Even in a pair of stretch leggings and a long tunic sweater, she still cuts a very sexy figure, and more than ever, Myles is hopelessly in love with her. I sure wish someone else would come his way and turn his eye, because he’s just setting himself up for failure and heartbreak because Rainey doesn’t feel that same way.

  Choosing a chair at a nearby table set, Rainey sets her martini glass on the wooden top and plops down. It has the same custom-sewn navy and white cushions that are over the top sumptuous for an outdoor set of furniture.

  “Want to invite Fallon over to eat with us tonight?” Rainey asks and I try hard to keep a horrified look off my face at such a suggestion. “I mean… if she’s feeling better from last night, that is. Bet she’d totally get a kick out of this place, and you two didn’t really get to celebrate your birthdays together.”

  When Fallon changed into a Dark Fae before my eyes, she was whisked off to her bedroom by her fiancé, Blain. I made an exit quickly thereafter, but Rainey, Myles, and Adira stayed for about another half hour. They said Fallon never made a reappearance and after they had another round of food, they left as well.

  Of course, I can’t ever tell them what Fallon has become.

  Or rather, what she isn’t, because she’s not my sister. A wave of grief washes through me, causing my lower lip to tremble a bit.

  Luckily, before I can even think of a reasonable excuse not to extend the invitation, Rainey reverses her idea. “On second thought, she’d want to bring Blain and I sure as hell don’t want to have to suffer his presence. No offense, Finley.”

  “None taken,” I reply airily, thankful that was averted.

  Clearly, Carrick isn’t my only problem. I have to figure out what to do about Fallon, who isn’t really Fallon. That’s going to require finesse and I’m not feeling that right now. Since Fallon and I don’t normally talk every day, I’ve got some time I can get away with being silent on my end while I figure things out.

  “Speaking of dinner,” Myles drawls as he swings his legs to the side and pushes up from the chaise. “I think I will actually go start working on it. I’ll let you two ladies relax out here for a while.”

  I cock an eyebrow at him skeptically. I’m the cook in this little friend-family, but Myles does have a few meals that he does really well at. “What are we having?”

  Adira and Myles went to the grocery store after we’d all officially moved in earlier today, and I have no clue what they bought. But I’m hopeful the ingredients might be tomatoes, basil, and kalamata olives.

  “Only my best for you, sweet Finley,” he says with a mock bow. Which means his completely delicious, yet simple meal of pasta with some lightly sauteed tomatoes, garlic, and kalamata olives, finished with a drizzle of olive oil and shredded basil. He also does a mean salad.

  I pump my arm inward. “Yassss!”

  Myles shoots a devilishly charming smile at me, then Rainey, and disappears inside the houseboat to make his way to the kitchen on the first floor.

  Rainey lets out a sigh when the door closes, such as I’ve never heard before. I swing to look her way, and she’s staring at the door with an almost-wistful expression.