“Fine. Let’s go to the office. Your paperwork has already been approved by the State. We’ll set up a visitation schedule and a home visit when Jericho knows you better.” The social worker was excited by the prospect of a potential adoption. There were so many children to place and too few people willing to adopt.

Any doubts she personally had about the Greers, she suppressed. After all, the State had approved their application after a thorough background check, and with over a hundred children to supervise, she was too busy to second-guess the State’s decision.

“That sounds wonderful. I can’t wait until we’re one big, happy family.” Susan stared down at the little boy who stared back at her with eyes that seemed to see the evil inside her. She couldn’t wait until his training began.

She bent down to the small boy. “I’ll be seeing you soon, my dear.”

As they left the room, Jericho knew the scary woman would be back for him.

Fate watched the boy as he bravely fought his frightened tears, his trembling lips firmed. She barely heard his whispered words. “She don’t scare me.”

She stiffened when she realized he had spoken directly to her. Fate was invisible to human eyes, yet the child could see her.

“Sometimes, my job just sucks!” Fate muttered before she disappeared.

Chapter 1

Chapter One

Fate frowned. The crowd was huge, but she couldn’t find her sister who should have arrived to the meeting before her. She supposed she could brave Mother Nature and Father Time alone. However, she preferred to wait until she had reinforcements.

Taking a drink from a passing cherub, Fate could only guess whose bright idea that had been to have them as servers; probably using them to soothe over any discord arising from within the room. Not that they would be much help. Without their powers, they were useless. Then again, so was everyone else in the room of immortals.

To gain entrance to the high council meeting, all immortals’ powers were removed, courtesy of Merlin’s spell, only to be returned upon leaving. This had come about due to the high number of deaths at the first few meetings. You couldn’t expect to fill a room with gods, saints, and magick, and not expect a little bloodshed. It was only when a vampire had dared to bite Venus that Merlin had come up with the spell, figuratively checking their powers at the door.