Sealed Fate: Paranormal Dating Agency (Otherworld Shifters Book 5) Read online

  Prologue

  Gerri

  Mrs. Wilder walked through her office, one hand holding a travel cup of coffee and the other swiping through her cell phone. Missed calls, countless emails, and even more texts. She was used to this, of course. Her matchmaking service had been growing ever busier as word got around, and lately, it wasn’t just this city seeking her help. Now she had entire planets vying for her attention.

  Her thumb slid down as she skimmed the messages and a certain one caught her eye. Sitting at her desk, she sipped the coffee and sank into her office chair. The chair creaked as she rocked and read the message from one of her recent fae acquaintances, Annika.

  Hailing from the planet of Prism, Annika was a fun mystery. She never said what type of fae she was, but Mrs. Wilder knew that the spectrum of magic was broad. She’d met sprites, brownies, a cu sith, and even a dryad. All had their quirks. She needed to learn more about Annika before she could properly match her up, and yet as genuine as Annika’s search for love was, she was impossible to get a hold of.

  She’d missed the last three meetings. Mrs. Wilder wouldn’t normally tolerate such behavior, but Annika seemed to have the worst luck. They’d run into each other briefly one morning when Annika was late for work and they walked together down the street. It was a quick introduction and a short encounter, but there was something about Annika that made Mrs. Wilder take notice.

  Not just that she was hiding some magical origin, but because Annika had a refreshingly authentic optimism. Someone had to be looking for a catch like her, and Mrs. Wilder knew in her gut that she could find that special someone.

  She checked her schedule and decided to give Annika one more chance. She quickly texted a reply requesting brunch the next week, leaving the exact time and place open.

  Working with the fae had so far proved to be both amusing and frustrating. They loved their secrets, which led to more disasters and misunderstandings than her usual shifter clients.

  She placed her phone down and closed her eyes. The aroma of her coffee was losing its appeal as it grew cold. Relying on the hot beverage day after day to keep her mind alert was becoming tiresome. She needed a new assistant. Every time she found the perfect helper, she wound up finding the match for that helper and poof! No more assistant. Back to the drawing board.

  If it wasn’t such a guarantee to happen again, she’d simply hire Annika. The poor soul was having a rough time adjusting to life on Earth, particularly the part about holding a job.

  The desk rattled. Her phone had chimed, and the accompanying vibrations sent papers and pens dancing to one side. Annika had replied with a string of excited emojis, and as Mrs. Wilder rolled her eyes at the yellow faces, she caught sight of a post-it she’d forgotten about.

  She picked it up and stuck it to her computer monitor, front and center. It was just a name, but the person attached was a catch she’d been pondering for a while. He was an open book. Knew exactly what he wanted and what he didn’t. He was handsome, charming, caring, and the very definition of an eligible bachelor. His match had to be out there, too.

  The longer she stared at his name, the more it seemed like she had an answer.

  Well, well. Pavel.

  One

  Annika

  Annika hopped around on one foot through the apartment, attempting to get dressed and answer her phone at the same time. Work was calling, and as she tripped over a pair of shoes, she tried to think up the most polite way to reject going in today.

  “Wendy!” she said cheerfully the moment she slid the call open. “How’s it going?”

  “Not so great. Jay called in sick—again—and Gina’s already working a double. Could you do mid to close?” Wendy’s no-nonsense tone came through loud and clear.

  Annika cringed. “I can’t. I have a thing on my schedule.”

  “Can you come in after? We could really use the help.”

  “I don’t know how long it’ll be. And depending on how it goes; my day could change.” Annika plopped onto the couch and yanked on her heeled sandals. “I’m sorry.”

  Wendy sighed into the phone. “When I hired you, you said you wanted hours. No, actually, that you needed them.”

  “And I do! Just… not today.”

  “Alright. But realize that you promised to be someone I could rely on, and I’ve yet to see that.” Wendy hung up.

  Annika resisted the urge to throw her phone across the room. She hated the passive aggressive workplace of Magic Milk. She thought crafting gourmet ice cream would encourage a fun work environment, but she was dead wrong. The only perk of the job was the ice cream itself, and even that was starting to lose its sweet appeal.

  Picking up shifts was supposed to be optional, but instead came with healthy doses of guilt from her two-faced manager.

  Humans needed to relax.

  After a few deep breaths, Annika stood and checked herself in the standing mirror by the front door. She needed this life to pan out. Going back to Prism was off the table. She had chosen the human world and would make it work if it was the last thing she did. The matchmaker would help. Love solved everything, right?

  She patted her pockets, making sure she had her keys, phone, and the paper-clipped wad of cash that worked as her wallet. Nothing would stop her from meeting with Mrs. Wilder today.

  Phone in hand she stepped out and made sure to lock the door behind her. She was heading to Mrs. Wilder’s apartment, which was only a few blocks away, but she was hoping to take her time and avoid arriving a sweaty mess. And by the time she got there, maybe she’d know exactly what to ask for in a man.

  Because so far, she had a habit of picking the same hunky mistake over and over again.

  * * * *

  Mrs. Wilder and Annika had met in a strange way. Annika, still figuring out the way the human world worked, had managed to get a job making coffee. It had seemed simple enough in theory, but as with many Earth things that seemed basic, it turned out to be a complicated nightmare.

  Meeting a polite and sophisticated woman on the street and discovering that she had a gift for connecting soulmates was a lucky moment. Probably Annika’s luckiest, given that after that fated run-in, she’d walked into the coffee shop and been fired.

  Being fired was turning out to be her one skill in the human realm. She already knew her days of dishing out dessert were numbered. Hell, she’d missed her last appointment with Mrs. Wilder because she’d been in the manager’s office being yelled at and told to get her things.

  Humans took mistakes seriously. The fae were uptight, but at least their rules and laws were consistent. Humans were unpredictable in how they thought and acted.

  Annika entered the building and rode the elevator up with a smile firmly planted on her face. She’d been told that smiling produced happy endorphins. Her brain would flood with the positive vibes and the rest would play along. It sounded like the sort of help she needed.

  She checked her phone one last time to double-check the apartment number. While she was at it, she made sure to turn down the ringer for the duration of their appointment.

  “You can do this,” she whispered to herself, knuckles poised to knock on the door. She rapped lightly on the wood surface.

  Mrs. Wilder opened the door a moment later wearing a peach blazer and matching fitted dress. She waved Annika in with an open gesture of her hands, drawing attention to how her manicured nails matched her outfit impeccably.

  Annika smoothed her cotton maxi dress and followed her in, optimism sliding into apprehension.

  “I’m glad we finally get to have thi
s chat,” Mrs. Wilder said while patting her couch. “Sit.”

  “Thank you for putting up with me.” Annika sat and watched Mrs. Wilder fuss with a tray of cookies before setting them down on the coffee table between them.

  “You’ve always had a good reason for not showing up. I’m just glad today was an exception.”

  Annika took the cup of tea Mrs. Wilder now held out to her. “I wasn’t going to let you down again.”

  Mrs. Wilder sat on an armchair across from her and made a dismissive motion with her fingertips. “It’s not about me, dear. It’s about you. You and your happiness.”

  The cozy atmosphere, combined with the welcoming tea and cookies, helped to ease the tight anxiousness coiled around Annika’s spine. She glanced around as she took a quick taste of the tea then held the cup over her lap and eyed the cookies.

  “Shall we get down to business?” Mrs. Wilder asked.

  “Of course, Mrs. Wilder.”

  “Please. Call me Gerri. Mrs. Wilder sounds too old for my tastes.”

  “Sorry,” Annika muttered.

  Gerri waved her hand. “Don’t apologize. Tell me more about yourself.” Her eyes narrowed somewhat. “The little I know is intriguing, but I have to wring more information out of you before I can send you off to find your perfect match.”

  “Where do I start?”

  “Wherever makes you comfortable.”

  Annika’s thumb traced the rim of the warm cup in her hand. “Well, I’m new to Earth, of course. Currently staying with two lovely young women who let me sleep on their couch for however much I can pay each month.”

  “That’s not what I expected. There’s a fae embassy in town. Why aren’t you receiving help there?”

  Annika’s smile grew thin and she could feel her expression wavering. Technically speaking, she wasn’t supposed to be on Earth. She hadn’t arrived via the usual channels, in fact. She’d found a back door, so to speak. “Not all fae are eligible for those services.”

  “I see.”

  “But I’ve been finding my way about on my own. I already knew a fair amount regarding humans, and I’m a fast learner.”

  “You’re driven, too,” Gerri mused. “You’ve had setbacks but you’re still pushing ahead.”

  The observation made Annika light up. “I want to make it work. And I think finding a partner would make it perfect.”

  “Yes. And you aren’t the first fae to come to Earth looking for love, so I have experience there. Not all humans can handle a magical mate. I’m sure some shifters would find it strange, even.”

  “I’m not that magical,” Annika admitted. “But your assistance would be invaluable.”

  “What sort of fae are you, if you don’t mind my asking?” Gerri’s eyes searched hers. “You’ve been elusive, but this isn’t the sort of secret you should keep.”

  Annika placed her cup on the table and rubbed her knees through her dress. If Gerri had an open mind, this would be fine. If not, her perfect match would never come. “Selkie.”

  Gerri stared at her for a moment, though her expression remained perfectly unreadable. The information seemed to be processing in a slow manner, but she finally made a soft “hmm” under her breath.

  “The myths are highly exaggerated,” Annika said to head off things.

  “That’s defensive,” Gerri observed.

  “You seemed shocked, and I could imagine what you’re thinking…”

  Gerri sat back, lips pursed. Though quiet, it was clear she was running a narrative to herself. Annika waited.

  “Correct me if I’m wrong, if as you say, the myths aren’t to be believed,” Gerri began. “Selkies seek men for companionship, but not love. They only stay with a man if forced, and the only way that can happen is if the man possesses the selkie’s skin and keeps it from her.”

  “That’s not entirely true. Selkies don’t usually fall for their lovers, that’s true, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen.”

  “Oh, so selkies have chosen to stay with men before? Of their own volition?” Gerri asked.

  Annika’s head tilted. “I mean… not that I’m aware, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen.”

  “But your first love is the sea. And you have to return to it, eventually, isn’t that how it goes? And on that same line, if your lover attempts to follow, he’ll drown? And they often do—because they become a tad obsessed?”

  “Fae struck—but that’s not a given. I don’t want to hurt anyone. I want true love.”

  Gerri interlaced her fingers over her lap. Her serious brow was anything but promising, but her tone was gentle. “Do you control your magic? The fae glamour that makes people like you at first sight?”

  A chill ran through Annika’s blood. “I don’t. I never intend to manipulate or influence, and I promise I didn’t do anything outward to you the day we met.”

  “Then you can’t control the obsession, what you corrected as being ‘fae struck’?” Gerri asked with a clinical tone.

  Annika looked down at her lap. “No. I can’t.” She sighed and lifted her face, though she was certain her fate was a lost cause. “It’s rare, though. Most men who spend time with selkies are fine. But if I found someone who loved me that much, I wouldn’t leave him, anyhow. I couldn’t.”

  “Years upon years of lore say otherwise. Maybe it’s not what you intend, but our actions and intentions don’t always coincide. If you’re destined to return to the sea, I can’t in good conscious match you with a human male.”

  “But I won’t return anywhere,” Annika promised. She bit her tongue for a moment, but the truth spilled out. “I can’t return to Prism. The water calls to me but I can’t answer. I’m alone and the only thing that could save me at this point is love.”

  Gerri’s brow furrowed. “Come again?”

  “I snuck out of Prism through a spatial ripple. It’s the same that selkies used ages ago to visit, but it was closed. The water guide, Iona, she hated that selkies and naiads were responsible for such a staggering number of human deaths.”

  “You’re not supposed to be here,” Gerri breathed. “You’re a fugitive.”

  “Yes.”

  Gerri massaged her temple with her fingertips. “This isn’t looking wonderful for you, dear.”

  Annika leaned forward and met Gerri’s eyes. “I didn’t mean for you to feel inclined to help me. To be fair, I never know if the kindness of strangers is the glamour or a person’s honest interaction.”

  “I don’t believe you’re malicious, but—”

  “I’m here to stay and I want to do the best I can. The glamour is the only magic I’ve retained, and it doesn’t even last. I get jobs and the next day they don’t understand why they gave me a chance in the first place. My roommates are the only people I’ve met that genuinely want to help me, but I can’t rely on them forever.”

  “Setting you up with a man won’t solve that,” Gerri replied.

  “But at least then I wouldn’t be lonely. I know I can’t fill the loss of my world with love for a man. That isn’t my aim. I want love because I came to Earth to find it. I’ve risked everything for it. I can be devoted without needing to be held captive. I know it.”

  Gerri’s expression softened. “I can tell you believe that, but that doesn’t make it true. The stories speak for themselves. Either you will abandon the match I pick, or he’ll feel inclined to steal your skin and keep you as a prisoner. I can’t be a party to that.”

  Tears burned her eyes, but Annika kept her head high. She wouldn’t beg, as much her heart ached. Gerri’s offer had seemed too good to be true, and it was. There was no perfect match for her. She was destined to be alone and miserable on Earth.

  Two

  Pavel

  The soothing tones of a violin concerto inspired by Bach traveled through Pavel’s house as he relaxed on the couch in his downstairs den, eyes closed so that the music held his focus enraptured. After a stressful brunch with his parents, this was the only way to recover.
>
  The music swayed through his soul and unwound his nerves. His hands lifted and played an invisible instrument. The sound was perfect. Angelic but haunted with emotions.

  By the time the concerto ended, he felt like a new man.

  He sat up and checked his phone, which had been on silent while he recuperated. He wanted to see a specific message there, but no such luck. Texts from his brother, assorted friends, and colleagues, but nothing from the elusive matchmaker, a Mrs. Gerri Wilder. And he had such high hopes.

  Glancing at the clock, he pondered whether it would be worth the energy to leave his home again today. He wanted a drink and made it a habit to never imbibe while alone, much less alone and pensive. Yet he was in a mood. Parental and sibling drama aside, his thoughts were on edge due to a seemingly random question he’d received from Mrs. Wilder a few days prior. It asked, simply, “Did you have any trips to the States planned?”

  He hadn’t, but one or many could easily be planned if needed. He’d told her as much and had gotten no other communication so far. Did that mean she found someone she thought would be his soul mate? Was his future love an American?

  Since replying, he’d hardly been able to think straight. He wanted more from Mrs. Wilder, but they’d been reaching out to each other for months now, and she pressed him to be patient. True love couldn’t be rushed, she insisted. Trusting her wisdom, he’d gone about his life.

  Now she’d contacted him with a message so brief, so loaded with possibilities, that he was tired of patience as a virtue.

  He left the den and found himself in the kitchen, but no snack would do. Cheese and crackers weren’t calling to him. He shook his head and broke his rule, pulling down a wide-mouthed wine glass before selecting a bottle of cabernet from storage. Heavens forbid he drink a red at room temperature, but his mother wasn’t here to judge him for it.

  Drink in hand, he ventured up the winding, central grand stairwell, through his bedroom, and out to his terrace overlooking the city. It was a mild, lovely day, and he drank to it with internally feigned optimism. To my future. Whatever the hell it involves.