And Then There Were Four (Lilith Carrie)

Chapter 183: Complications of the Heart

Cassie.

Fated mate?

The moment the dark hair, blue-eyed fae man with pointed ears stepped in front of me proclaiming I was his fated, I found myself completely in shock. Laughter immediately erupted from my lips, and I knew that wasn’t the first impression you wanted someone to have of you, but I couldn't fucking help it. "Oh, wow, man... that's a good one. I think I need a drink."

When I said I needed a drink, it wasn't a glass of water. Pushing past the man, I made my way straight towards the bar area where Odin had many alcoholic beverages on display and grabbed the nearest one that happened to be purple with a tart taste to follow.

At this point, I didn’t care what anyone had to say to me. The moment I downed one glass, I was reaching another until a firm grip on my wrist stopped me, and once again, I looked up into the Fae man's eyes which were narrowed in my direction. "I don’t think you should be drinking that so fast, little one."

Little one? Was he fucking kidding me right now. "Excuse me, I don't even know you.'

Taken aback by my response, he let go of my wrist and chuckled. "You are exactly how he painted you. Feisty, ill-mannered, and yet quite enjoyable."

"Ill-mannered?" I muttered, trying to process his words as I snatched the glass of whatever I was drinking from the table before he could stop me and downed it as well. "I'm not ill-mannered, for your information, and honestly, I don’t know how you approach women in your world, but I have been through too much shit lately to have some random fucking man I don't know come up to me claiming that I'm his fated... get the fuck out of here with that shit. I'm not a prize to be won."

Not bothering to listen to whatever this man had to say, I stormed past him, looking for a way to escape all the men who were longing to have a moment alone with me. I didn' t understand what they expected to happen by having a private conversation with me, but it sure as hell wasn't going to be me letting them sweep me off my feet or whatever the hell they imagined doing.

I was a strong independent woman... or so I kept telling myself.

'Cassie, where the hell are you going?" Stopping in my tracks, I turned to face Trixie, who stared at me with an edge of concern in her gaze. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I replied quickly, forcing a smile to my lips. "I just can't be in there anymore. It's been hours now, and all the faces and guys touching me is too much. None of them is the face I wanted to see, and I'm still coming to terms with that."

Nodding her head, she listened to everything I had to say about the various men I was forced to entertain in the ballroom, and at the end, she furrowed her brows with I told her about the Fae man with eyes the same color as mine.

"Uh, Cassie... did this man happen to be wearing a black suit with a blue and purple sash?-

"Blue and purple sash? I don't know, why that matter?" I asked with confusion.

me, okay... did

Actually, yeah, I think he did..." I replied, trying to remember hard what exactly he looked like. The only problem was I couldn't get past the

gaze again and saw the ashen look on her face adorned with wide eyes and parted lips. It was clear something about what I said was wrong, and for a minute, I started to

"Trixie... what's wrong?"

breath. "Oh, Cassie... that was the fucking Prince of the Fae realm... and you just snubbed him. What the fuck

my mouth and attitude got the better of me, and as I watched her cover her mouth with her hand and she started to pace in the hallway, I realized it was worse than I thought. "So, on a scale of one to ten, how bad do you think this

and closing her mouth. ‘Well, I mean, it could go one of two ways. One, he could be really pissed and offended and complain to Odin, and it could cause war-like issues that result in you begging on your knees in

mind," I snapped

good game of cat and mouse in which he would blow your mind by making you beg for him. He has been known to have two different sides, so I don't know... you did kind of go off on him in front of a room of

of people this evening, but the two people I wanted to see tonight weren't

with it tomorrow." I muttered with

a moment before letting a breath escape her. "Okay, head back to your room. I'll let everyone know that you weren't

said it

where people start using their intelligence to figure out how to

toward the ballroom, leaving me standing in the hallway alone. Defeated by everything, I sagged my

hoped to avoid this man at all costs tonight, but from the smirk on his face, he was expecting me. Which must have

said as the corners of his lips formed into a smirk. "I thought I'd miss my chance

him or his sister, and yet fate hated me so much it forced me right into his path. "Unfortunately, I'm not available tonight. Perhaps you can arrange something with me another

would ever

you may say something like that, but honesty..." he sighs, making his smile brighter, "I know

no way in hell I will ever marry you. Unfortunately,

quickly snatched me by the waist and pushed me against the wall. Mani wasn't a small man by any means and dressed up right now in this three- piece suit, I had no doubt most women drooled over him.

the fuck off me," I snapped at him, struggling in his

he replied in a dark and sinister tone that made my heart race as he leaned closer to me. "What are you going

again, he held me down tighter, a cry leaving my lips as his fingers dug into my

stared at me. “Do you think he will care? It's not like you're a virgin. Cassie. We all know that, and honestly, the reputation you have with men already makes you

more Mani talked, the more I realized my situation wasn't going to end well. Mani was trying to make a point, and I was alone with him in the hallway, far