"You would trade placed with your mate?" The one in the middle asked. She was Lachesis the alloter, the one to measure. I was not sure my knowledge was in fact accurate.

I pulled my eyes to her and answered without hesitation. "Yes."

"You would leave her alone. Yet you do not wish her to leave you alone." The older one spoke. Asia scared me. Yes, I admit it. Denying it would help nothing. But I didn't think to stall. I simply answered truthfully.

"I've lived five times longer than humans usually have. Beth has had a fraction of time to explore life. She deserves that time." I tried to explain.

"Would you force her to live? She had made peace with death before you entered her life." She said accusingly.

I felt my eyes narrow on her. My fear and awe of her diming. "You choose us as mates. You put us together. You made it impossible for me to walk away. I had little free will in the matter. She may have been ready to die but I doubt you put us together without a reason." I took a step back as the woman moved around the chaise lounge. Her fingers sliding over the back of the head rest. I was angry but I wasn't stupid. She may look like a queen but she radiated danger.

"You had free will. You chose to become what you are. You chose to get on a plane. You chose to go to that town, to that nightclub. You chose to go to her apartment. You chose. You chose to make love to her. You chose to feed from her even knowing of her illness. Every choice you made determined your fate. There were thousands of paths you could have taken. Each leading to another choice."

She spoke as she walked. Closer and closer to me she came. Her eyes taking in every detail of me. I felt as if I had been weighed and measured. I felt lacking.

Her slow steps traced a path around me. Nervously, I chewed the inside of my cheek and kept my eyes on the chaise.

"You could have had any thousands of fates but your choices led you here. You wish to choose this for her. You want to determine her fate."

"She chose to turn, to be turn!" I defended.

"Do not interrupt me, child."

I gasped. It had been a long time since anyone called me a child. She made the word sound like a curse and judgement all at the same time.

"Even this moment is a moment determined by your choices. You called on us." She said vehemently. Her face held none of the venom that filled her voice. "You asked us to change her fate. The question is, what of her choice?" the last she said softly, reverently.

"Her choice?" I parroted. "You can still let her choose?" I questioned.

"Of course. It's free will. Because of your choses, we must give her the option. But you had best understand that her choice is final. You will get no say in it regardless of the outcome." She smiled. "All pay a price for the choices they make. Even you. Would you willingly be bound by her chooses as you would have her bound by yours?"

I nodded my head like a little bobbing doll. The child giggled. I glanced over at her. She looked too amused for my comfort, not that I commented.

My heart squeezed. What if she changed her mind? It's alot to ask - eternity, blood, new body, new life, and you shifted to a panther. She'll shift too. You're blood would demand it. Would she still choose this. I mentally shook myself. She loves me. She will choose me.

"She has chosen." I said, confidently. I knew that she wanted to be with me. She ached for me as I ached for her. She would choose me.

My eyes were intently focused on the elder fate, Asia. I noticed the smile she gave me as one a mother gives a grown child they concitered nieve. Rage made my hands tremble but fear kept my temper and my thoughts unvoiced.

"We shall see." The young child said. She looked behind me and the others followed her gaze.

My heart skipped. I don't know what I expected. I turned, slowly. My heart beat like a thousand drums. When I saw Beth standing at the edge of the tree line I called her name. She didn't look over at me.

"She can't see or hear you." Lachesis, the one closest to my age said.

The female matriarch met Beth as she walked closer. I tried to listen as they spoke but I heard nothing. Beth smiled as she looked around. She responded with a nod to a comment. My heart skipped. She can't be agreeing to stay. Please, let it not be that. I silently begged the creator. I walked closer, desperate.

"Beth?" I tried calling again. Her brows furrowed slightly. I tore my eyes from Beth to look at Asia. She was smiling and talking to Beth.

She looked from Beth. I followed her eyes. The child, Klotho, (Or was it Klothos, I couldn't remember) was walking forward.

I watched as she was apparently introduced. Beth smiled at her and shook her little hand. That smile made my stomach clinch.

The child, I find it hard to remember her name, pulled a book from her dress pocket. It was tiny, just an inch on all sides. She placed it in her palm and it seemed to swell. It grew. Then it grew more. She placed her other hand out to support it.

Lachesis had moved forward. Her staff tapping silently on the ground so I hadn't known she had moved till she was only feet from them. Soon I watched as she was introduced.

Klotho placed the book on a white boulder. They hovered around it. I tried to move forward but even as I felt my legs move I stayed the same from them. I could see the book had been opened, Lachesis pointed to the page but my eyesight refused to focus.

I could see Beth's face. She stood on the other side of the boulder. Lachesis to her right, Klotho to her left. Asia stood on my side of the boulder, her back to me. Beth looked at the page sadly. Her eyes misted with tears.

"Let me speak with her." I called out. I knew I sounded desperate. I knew but didn't care. I was desperate. "Please?"

Asia turned to look at me. "The choice is hers to make. But I will let you observe." She turned back to the others, ignoring me.

"You can choose to pass on to the creator or remain in the realm with Alex and Ann." Lachesis said. I sucked in a breath.

"You see the choices you've made to bring you here. But Alex made chooses as well." Asia spoke softly. The softness of her voice didn't dim the ring of authority.

"This choice isn't given to all at the moment of death. It is a gift." Klotho said.

"But even gifts have prices." Lachesis told her with warning.

"What price?" Beth asked hesitantly.

"You must work for the Fates for five decades." Asia said.

Beth's brows pinched together and she said, "I don't understand. What would you need me to do?"

Their reply was silent to my ears but I saw Lachesis's and Klotho's lips moving in unison. I assumed Asia's moved as well.

"Oh. I don't have that kind of power." Beth said.

"You would if you return to your body after you transform." Klotho assured her. Klotho had never sounded less like a child. Her voice was child like but there was promise to it.

"We would see to it you had what would be required." Asia added.

"Yes and you would be free to contact us without restrictions." Lachesis said.

"And Alex and Ann? Will they be okay ? I can tell them?"

"You may. But..." Klotho started to say but it was Asia that finished the sentence.

"... it would be best if you wait until you know your powers."

"I love Alex. I don't want to keep secrets."

"It is your choice." Lachesis said. "Now you must choose."

I watched as Beth's mouth opened. Anticipation churned in my stomach like a living creature. But I felt a heavy sensation around me and suddenly I was falling.

"No. No! Noooo!" I screamed but only felt heaver as I fell faster.

@tonyharmswoth Thank you for pointing out the errors. You are fantastic.