Fate (The Edge of Forever) Read Online Free PDF Page A

smile. Of course it didn’t bother me. Sometimes I felt like she was just going to squat over Anton and pee on him to mark him in order to force all others to stay away from him. She could have him, pee-marked or not. I never wanted him, but his pursuit of me made Ava’s need to claim Anton stronger, along with her dislike of me.
    She made her way around me and I continued on my original course, this time making sure that nothing else would distract me or cause me to run into someone else. I definitely didn’t need it to happen a third time in twenty-four hours.
    My mother was on the third floor, standing out on the balcony overlooking the busy street below. It took me asking several people where they last saw her, before I finally found her.  
    “Mother?”  
    She turned, I smiled taking in her appearance. Her black hair was layered around her shoulders. Green eyes sparkled with curiosity. She wore a gray sweater over a pale blue top and jeans. She looked more like my sister than my mother. She was eternally thirty-one.  
    “Sweetheart, why aren’t you in bed yet?”  
    I smiled at the gentleness in her tone. “I just got back. Then I ran into Anton,” I sneered. Her lips raised in a soft knowing smile, which angered me. “Will you stop feeding him information about me?” I spat.  
    Her smile fell. “He is a powerful vampire, Gabriella. You could do worse than a master.”  
    I rolled my eyes, “I’d rather live eternally alone.”  
    “Gabriella!” she snapped.  
    I raised my hands up in surrender, “I didn’t come here to argue. Something’s come up.”  
    Her brows furrowed, “What’s wrong? Are you well?”  
    Hearing the worry in her voice, I continued quickly. “No, I’m okay. Work called.” Her eyes squinted, waiting for me to elaborate. I took a deep breath forcing myself to believe what I was about to tell her. “We’ve just landed a big account, which means late nights,” which was true, but I wasn’t the one working on that particular account. A lie that is not truly a lie. Her eyes focused on me. She tilted her head to the side like she was trying to sense something. I just hoped it wasn’t my vague idea of the truth. “I won’t always be able to call. They can spring it on me at the last minute. And let’s face it, no other employees have to call their mommies to get the okay.” All of that was true and I assured myself it would ease any doubt she had about the truthfulness of my statement.
    She turned, putting her back to me. Looking out the window, she shook her head. I was worried that she was seeing through my façade. If this didn’t work, I didn’t know what I’d do. I wanted to continue seeing Grayson, but I didn’t how if my mother saw through me. “I don’t like it,” she whispered.
    I sighed, almost sagging visible with relief. Thank goodness. “I know mom, but it’s my job.”
    “No, Gabriella. I don’t like this working business. You are a vampire trying to play in the human world. You belong here.”
    This was not going the way I hoped, but at least it was just the same argument we had been having since I decided to start working and not about me lying to date a human. “Mother, we’ve talked about this. I want to work. I need to get away from here and try to have a life for myself.”
    “Your life is here.”
    “And I’ve told you, I feel like you’re suffocating me,” I practically yelled.
    She exhaled a deep breath and took a moment before she spoke. “You’re right. I know you need to stretch your wings .” She chuckled at herself, but I wasn’t sure why. It was like she was laughing at her own inside joke. “Just stay out of trouble. And if you can call, please do so. You know I only worry.” She looked sternly at me for a moment when I didn’t respond immediately; then I nodded. “Now go get some sleep.”
    Worrying she’d change her mind or add some kind of conditions, I left without another word carrying myself straight to