Page 37 of Between Imminent Fates

Isaiah was being a coward.

The worst part was that he couldn’t even talk to her about what plagued him. He couldn’t tell the love of his life why he’d spiraled so far from happiness.

The only person he could speak to about it—other than Key—was Nina. Given their previous history, they’d had to be selective about how and when they spoke.

The dishonesty burned inside him, charring everything that’d once made him honorable.

Rukia grabbed the plate from his hand, and it clattered onto the countertop, discarded and forgotten. Over her shoulder, she called, “Jaeda, can you look after Isaak while I steal away your sovereign? His waffle is here on the counter.”

“Yes! Go!”

His mate was immediately smug. “Come on, Sparky, we’re going on a date.”

One ebony eyebrow rose in challenge. “To where, may I ask?”

“Plitvice Waterfalls in Croatia.”

Isaiah sent her a dry look as she leapt from the counter and possessively locked her arms around him. “Croatia? I’ve never been there.”

“You mean to tell me that the big, intimidating Raeth sovereign of the Sylth can’t go somewhere he hasn’t already visited?” Her scathing laugh was full of mockery. “I’ve been there. Pull it from my head.”

“You want me to dive intoyourhead? Treacherous waters, Rukia.”

But already he was salivating for some alone time with his mate. He locked onto the memory she was practically screaming at him and teleported them both directly to Croatia.

While he’d intentionally landed them on an abandoned area of dry land beside the falls, there were few humans around to spot them. This late in the afternoon, it was still hovering around fifty-five degrees, a slight chill in the air.

Neither of them would be bothered by the intemperate weather, even when wet. Grabbing his hand, Rukia tugged him along behind her as she eagerly trotted toward the section of upper terraces.

“Come on, we’re going to my favorite place.”

The Falls were truly breathtaking. Lush green vegetation sprouted from cracks in the pale sand-colored and dusty red cliffs. Water spilled over the walls in multiple outlets, cascading downward and into the ponds below with a roar of sound.

As Rukia towed him along, she stripped off her shirt, revealing the navy polka dot bikini underneath. Desire, latent until then, heated his blood while he chuckled.

“You planned this, didn’t you?”

“Of course I planned it,” she retorted. “You’re a bit dense for a twelve-hundred-year-old immortal.”

Tugging him up a weathered staircase, Rukia loosened her hold on him to step out of her shorts. Then, she motioned for him to do the same. He stripped off his shirt and stepped out of his shoes, tucking them into a nook alongside hers.

With a single jump, Rukia vaulted off the stone and into the water below. She surfaced, and one look dared him to do the same. He swiftly followed her into the frigid pond.

Her body gracefully flowed over and through the water, gliding without effort as he kicked lazily to propel himself after her.

“Come on, slow poke. I’ve got something to show you.”

Water parted around his lazy strokes. He was in no hurry. Being here with his mate was enough to partially take his mind off what was to come. Escaping from the uncertainty of the future, even for a moment, was welcomed.

Ahead, Rukia disappeared beneath a nearby waterfall, the cascade concealing what lay beyond. His eyebrows pulled together, and his legs scissored faster through the water to discover where his mate had gone.

He swam through the waterfall, the weight of it pounding into his head, shoulders, and back as he emerged on the other side where his mate was treading water. Slippery wet rocks bracketed each side of them once they put the cascade behind them. Though the water wasn’t exceptionally deep, neither of them could quite touch the bottom.

Nearly shouting over the roar of water, Isaiah said, “I’m here. What are you other two wishes?”

“You’re going to tell me what’s going on, Sparky.”

“Rukia—”

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