Formybeloved.
“You’re storm chasers?” I finally ask, the answer glaringly obvious when I take in their vehicles that are built to withstand a mild tornado.
I grind my teeth together in frustration, in absolute anger and devastation. Of course, this fucking universe would do thisto me. When Alaska gave me a crash course about being a vampire, he informed me of the lifespans we have.
Two hundred years and we die.
Or.
One thousand years if we mate someone who isn’t our beloved.
Or.
We meet our beloveds. The other half of our soul. The reason for our existence. A blessing to have that kind of love and a curse to live forever.
I never thought much about finding my fated mate. I never thought that was in the cards for me. I’m barely getting my life together after losing my brother, and it’s been twenty years.
The last thing I want is someone obsessed with thunderstorms and tornadoes. I’m done with that life. I’ve had it take, take, and fucking take from me until I wished for death.
Hell, there are days when I still do. I still wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, gasping for breath after seeing my brother die for the millionth time in my dreams.
I’m barely living.
I barely have my life together.
Thunderstorms took everything from me. My humanity, my brother, the sense of safety when it comes to living life. Now, I wake up and go through the motions. I have my animal rescue and my ranch. That’s all I need.
Maybe I can figure out a way to break the fated mate’s bond with Nariko. The thought alone sends a blade through my heart that steals my breath, but it’s the best thing for both of us. She deserves to continue to do what she loves without being worried about me hating what she does.
Because I do hate storm chasers. I hate tornadoes.
There’s a lot of resentment in me still I haven’t come to terms with. I’m happy living the rest of my life in the solace I’ve foundhere. I’ve created something that helps me get out of bed every morning.
Oklahoma Rescue: bringing love to where storms are.
I found love in animals. My friend, Kentucky, helped me buy the two hundred and fifty acres that surrounded my family’s small ranch.
All I want to do is rescue because it gives me purpose. I like to keep to myself and the animals. Anything that requires more of me, I can’t give. Losing my brother damaged me in ways immortality could never heal. I don’t care to live forever. I don’t even care to live happily.
I don’t even care to live.
But I do.
I press on and on and on, hating who I am while trying to figure out a world where my brother no longer exists. Every time I blink, I see his face, his blood, the tornado coming right at us.
“Oklahoma?” Nariko calls out my name, pulling me from my thoughts.
I blink, my vision focusing on the five people in front of me, leaning against bright pink cars in the middle of my pasture.
“Don’t worry about paying me. Please, get off my property and don’t come back. I don’t want your money. I don’t want your apologies. Chase your storms anywhere but here.” I grab the horn of Van Gogh’s saddle, swing my leg over, and grab the reins.
“Hey, there’s no need to be an asshole. We are apologizing and offering to pay for your gate, which is the right thing to do.” Ruka challenges me, stepping in front of his team as if he is protecting them.
It would be sweet if the sound of his heart pumping didn’t lie. He’s terrified. He senses something is different about me—the creature sitting on top of a horse.
I respect that about him. He’s being brave even though his blood is full of fear. Nariko is in good hands. They all are.
Perhaps, he can do what I failed to do all those years ago.
