Death’s Fate

Of Gods and Wolves: Death’s Fate G.K. DEROSA Copyright © 2023 Mystic Rose Press All Rights Reserved. This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system known or hereafter invented, without written permission from the publisher, Mystic Rose Press. Print ISBN: 9798374975888 Cover Designer: Sanja Gombar Fantasy Book Covers Published in 2023 by Mystic Rose Press Palm Beach, Florida www.gkderosa.com Created with Vellum Contents Quote Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 41. Sneak Peek from Of Gods and Wolves: Death’s Mate Also by G.K. DeRosa Acknowledgments About the Author To all the girls who love the villain ;) "Many men would take the Death sentence without a whimper to escape the life sentence which Fate carries in her hand." - T. E. Lawrence Chapter One Astra How could I have been so blind? My heart hammers out a roaring beat against my ribs as I race through the ominous forest. Gnarled branches and jagged twigs reach for me, lashing across my face as I make my escape. My breath catches as I trip over a fallen branch and barely unravel my legs before hitting the ground. Cold sweat pours down my spine, a tornado of emotions tightening my chest. He’s coming for you, Attie. Run, hide! Luna’s warning ricochets through my mind, a maddening reminder of my stupidity. Of course it was Death all along. Then how could he have elicited those feelings? I’d reveled in the brush of his lips, his heated caresses, in every single touch. I loved him. You’re his. Remy’s words from long ago slither to the surface of my thoughts. I curse my guards for not being more forthcoming. I’d never questioned them, simply abided by their rules. Even now with memories of the past resurfacing, I don’t understand it completely. What is this mystical tie that binds me to Thane—Thanatos? My heart staggers on a beat, and the instant of silence focuses my thoughts. I strain to listen for the approaching footfalls, the beating of wings, but only silence and my rocketing pulse echoes across my eardrums. Where is he? I slow and lean against the rough bark of a towering kapok tree. My heart constricts at the memories of our short stay in the peaceful Demon hideout. For a few moments, I’d been happy. But it was a lie. All of it. Thane isn’t a wolf at all. He’s Death. Thanatos. The Reaper. I squeeze my eyes shut as a flurry of images assaults my mind. Attie, Adeline, Anya… who am I? And who is Thanatos to me? His lips ghost over my mouth and a swirl of heat streaks down my thighs. Good goddess, I allowed him inside me, permitted him to bite me. My fingers move to my neck, unbidden, and trace the indentations of Thane’s fangs. He’s marked me. I’ve been claimed by Death. Panic’s claws tighten around my chest, and I heave in a breath. In my mad escape, I’d nearly forgotten. Had the bond been consummated? Were we mated? A faint ache between my legs confirms the physical coupling, and another rush of heat spreads across my cheeks. I shove the thoughts back, shaking my head. It’s impossible. I’m not a wolf—neither is he! A prickle of unease dances across my flesh, and I push myself off the tree and continue to run. I must make it back to our den. The brothers will know what to do. Despite the dread of admitting my foolishness to Rom and the others, I pump my arms faster and will my weary bones to keep moving. If I can only reach my guards, I’ll be safe. As I dart through the woods, a slight ache develops in my chest. The further I go, the more intense the pain becomes. Panting, I’m forced to slow my pace to massage the yawning hole unfurling just below my breastbone. What in all the realms is this? My head whips around the quiet forest as I brace myself against another tree. Where is he? Instead of the surge of relief at Death’s absence, all I feel is empty. Clenching my jaw and rolling my fingers into tight fists, I ignore the pain and continue onward. Where exactly? I’m not sure. Thane led the way the night of our escape, and in this ever-thickening darkness, I’m not certain I’ll ever find my way home. A tear of frustration slips free, then a sob. A tremor racks my shoulders, intensifying the gaping hole burrowing its way deep into my core. No. I refuse to break down. I tell myself it’s only fear and exhaustion inciting the tears, and not the man I left behind. Not Thane. Because Thane doesn’t exist, only Thanatos. I will myself to keep moving, and a faint glow on my arm catches my eye. The shears carved into the inside of my wrist begin to snap. I reach into the pocket of my robe, and my fingers close around the spool of gilded thread. I want to go home. Home. I repeat the word again and again. The ground beneath my feet begins to tremble, and light crawls across the tattoo. It shimmers for an instant before exploding from my flesh. The glow of a thousand suns couldn’t rival its intensity. My eyelids close from the blinding rays, and my entire body shudders. My stomach flip-flops as if I’d just stepped on a rollercoaster, and my arms shoot out