Page 13 of Between Imminent Fates

Loud and filled with slightly obnoxious signage, the ‘Hurling Hatchet’ didn’t seem like Key’s typical hangout. Jax had never been, but he was impressed that she had suggested it.

The kid at the front desk gave them explicit instructions, a handout about throwing, and then assigned them a spot. Though it seemed like an easy enough gig, Jax had listened intently and glanced over the pamphlet.

Chain link fences separated each shoot, and he and Key quickly found the one they’d been given. The modified axes sat in a wooden box about twelve feet back from the spray-painted target that’d seen its fair share of destruction.

“Ladies first.”

“Ah, the sacrificial lamb.” She winked at him. “I see how you operate, Jax Hunter.”

Despite the flirty comment, Key readily picked up an axe and studied the plywood target with intensity. Something about the predatorial way she locked onto it heated Jax’s blood, and he couldn’t help but grin with appreciation. When she kicked off her heels to stand barefoot, he knew he was in for a treat.

Her two-handed throw was perfect. It lodged into the wood with a satisfying thunk—right in the center of the target.

Jax’s jaw dropped. “Wow. That was a solid hit. I thought I was the one who was supposed to be super impressive on this date?”

“You already are.”

She bumped her shoulder against his, and he felt a surge of fondness for her. “Given that I’ve already told you I like Hallmark movies, I’m not sure I can keep my man card if I don’t at least get a tenth of your score.”

“Hmm, let me consult with the fates.” Closing her eyes, Key hummed like she was meditating. “Looks like you’ll get a good enough score to keep me thoroughly enthralled.”

“Oh, good enough huh? I take that as a challenge.”

Picking up a second axe, he braced his feet and drew upon his Army training. Exhaling slightly as he lined up the target, he released the axe on the downward end of his swing. It hit—much to his relief—and stuck slightly off to the right.

“See? I’m prophetic.”

Four more turns for each of them proved that Key was a far superior axe thrower, but he wasn’t complaining. He was thoroughly impressed. Despite his comment from earlier, Jax would have loved to see her win.

As she stepped back from another successful, on-target throw, he picked up the last of his axes. Though he couldn’t come close to touching her score, he’d give it his all. A part of him was outrageously competitive, and if he didn’t have at least a good showing, he might hang up his axes for good.

The moment before released on his downward swing, Key stiffened beside him. She jerked, and the only thing he could think about was making sure she didn’t fall when the seizure took hold. He let go of the axe, spinning toward her.

Instead of falling, she remained standing tall—but that wasn’t what made him freeze.

It was her eyes.

They’d been a peanut brown only moments before, but now they’d become streaked with white lightning. When the original brown came flooding back, Jax stopped breathing.

Caught up in shock at seeing something unexplainable, he couldn’t process the situation. He gaped at Key, unable to do anything but stare.

The words of his commander rushed back into his mind. Werewolves and vampires and Raeths were real. They walked the earth secretly alongside us, and humans had no way of knowing who they were.

No way of knowing … except by using the disk that incapacitated them.

“Jax,” she whispered.

The sound served to snap him out of his trance, but he wouldn’t take his eyes off her. He had no way of knowing what her intent was.

“What was that, Key?” Then he shook his head forcefully. “And please don’t tell me that your eyes change color when you have an absence seizure.”

For the first time, he watched as the poised woman across from him fumbled. The first hints of distress twisted her calm features. She looked away, and it gave him an opportunity to discreetly reach for his wallet.

The small side pocket opened without difficulty, and he ran his thumb across the small button. Spooked enough that he wanted to know but didn’t want to use it, holding the small device in his grasp gave him the courage to look her in the eye.

“Key, tell me the truth.”

She frowned, then added, “It’s so much harder to have conversations I haven’t seen.”

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