by S. Young
“Are they really?” He perused them flirtatiously and then laughed when he caught her blush. She was too easy to tease.
“The story,” she reminded him.
Lucien chuckled. “Right.” He watched her as she stepped gracefully over a small tree limb. “You know the pack originates from Portugal, right?”
She nodded, not taking her eyes from her path. “Some of our surnames give it away.”
“Right … and you know about Lunarmorte?”
“Lunarmorte. Moon Death. I can’t believe you fought one.”
He felt a sharp pain in his chest at the reminder and was curt. “I don’t like to talk about it.”
“Of course. Sorry.”
He waited but she didn’t push. She just accepted his boundaries.
Interesting.
“Do you know why we have Lunarmorte and other packs don’t?” he continued in her easy company.
“I didn’t know it was something only we did. I know we’re the only ones who call it that, but I assumed the concept was universal.”
“Not really. It has to do with where our pack began.”
They walked farther into the woods until he touched her shoulder and indicated for her to start in a different direction. She accepted his touch with more ease than before. It pleased him.
“The pack’s story really began with our ancestor, Aurelio Lorenço,” he began. The words came easily to him as he’d told this story a million times to the pack children, who, for some reason, requested it as a bedtime story more often than not. “Many, many years before Aurelio’s time, the blood of the lykan found its way into the family gene pool. We’re not sure who, or when, as these things have a tendency to become warped over the centuries. What we do know is that the Lorenços were a prosperous family of aristocratic lineage. Aurelio was the brother of a baron, Godofredo Lorenço. They were lykans but … two very different kinds. Godofredo, like the rest of his family and his ancestors, did not harm humans—in fact, he married one. Aurelio, on the other hand, believed humans were beneath the touch of his family and hunted them like game. He was furious when his brother married a human girl and soon began causing trouble.
“Before, his murders had been committed outside of their county. Godofredo knew of his brother’s crimes, and other than some fervent pleading, he did nothing to stop him. He loved him, wanted to protect him. When Godofredo married, however, Aurelio took humans from their local village. The people only began to suspect the Lorenço family after Godofredo’s wife became a victim, and Aurelio publicly reveled in her death.
“Godofredo was devastated and banished Aurelio from the county. But it was too late. The people had grown suspicious of the true nature of the Lorenços, and they drove them from the county, and eventually the country. Our pack became nomads, visiting everywhere and settling nowhere. That’s one of the many reasons this pack forbids marriage to humans.”
He held her gaze. “We were settled before the Hunter, of course. And now, we’re settled again. But the history of the Lorenço family gives you an idea of why we have the rituals we have. With some nobility, and as was with the Lorenço line, the line is held through primogeniture. However, as seen with human nobility, sometimes a firstborn son never comes along. That’s why the Lorenços created what we call Lunarmorte.”
Caia shook her head, seeming amazed.
“What? What are you thinking?” he asked, surprised by how much he wanted to know. Ryder was right. Unique was fascinating.
She laughed, a light, feathery laugh that hit him low in his belly. “I’m in awe, I guess. I can’t believe how old the pack is. I always thought we were pretty young.”
“Well, we are.” Lucien grinned. “We’re early modern. There are packs out there that can trace their ancestry back to Charlemagne.”
“Wow.”
“I’ll say. But that’s nothing compared to how old some of the families of the other supernaturals are.”
“I always liked history in school.” She covered a yawn with her mouth, looking suddenly exhausted.
“Should we turn back?”
Caia nodded. “I’m pretty beat.”
“Tomorrow will be a better day, Caia.”
She nodded but looked longingly behind him into the woods.
Lucien felt his breath catch, watching the play of emotions cross her face. He sensed a growing restlessness in her. A need to run.
And not come back.
She really didn’t want to be here with the pack. With him.
Well, too bad.
Without thinking, he gently took hold of her elbow and started guiding her back to the house. He let go when she complied and ignored her questioning gaze.
7
Friend or Foe?
The rest of the week passed in a blur for Caia. There were so many members of the pack who came over to discuss their problems with Lucien, some even to introduce themselves to her again. It eased her concerns. With the exception of Alexa, who hadn’t spoken to her since their last exchange in the lunchroom, and Yvana, who she hadn’t seen again, the pack had so far been friendly and welcoming. Ryder hung around a lot and always made her feel like a friend, joking with her, bringing her movies to watch. It felt nice.
By the end of the week she was exhausted. But she had one more performance to put on because Jaeden and her family were coming for dinner.
Caia was in her room, struggling over calculus homework, when she heard cars on the gravel driveway. She glanced at her watch. Seven o’clock. The aromas coming from the kitchen had been teasing her since she’d returned from school. Again, Ella had refused her offer to help.
“I’d like to cook sometime. Do anything to, you know, do my bit,” Caia had said as Ella physically shooed her out of the kitchen.
“Oh, of course, honey.” Ella smiled brightly. “And you will. Just not today.”
“I could set the table.”
“Irini is going to do that.”
“I could tidy the sitting room.” She gestured toward said room from the hallway.
Ella frowned. “I did that already.”
Caia laughed, abashed. “Of course you did. It looks great.”
“Go do your homework.”
She had obeyed the quelling look in Ella’s eye and left her to it.
“Caia! They’re here!” Ella called from the kitchen.
“I’ll be back.” She grimaced at her homework. “Maybe, somehow by magik, I’ll have the answers when I do.”
Stopping to check her reflection, Caia was reminded once again, as her eyes washed over her jeans and plain white shirt, that no matter what she wore, she really was the plain Jane of the lykan world.
“Ugh.” She shook her head. “Self-pity is not a good color on you.”
They were congregated in the living room. Dimitri with his family—there seemed to be a lot of them. And then Magnus. She grinned at him.
“Hey, kid.” He grinned back.
This should be okay. Right?
Jaeden smiled at her as she wrestled with a squirming toddler. Caia’s nerves began to melt away as Dimitri hugged her, followed by Magnus, and then pretty much everyone else. It was nothing like her experience with Yvana. Warmth emanated from them all, Magnus sticking protectively by her side. Dimitri’s wife, Julia, was introduced, a gorgeous woman Caia presumed was the same age as Ella—goddess knew how old that was. Julia hugged Caia to her and said it was good to have her back.
Then there was Dimitri’s eldest, Christian, and his wife, Lucia, both friendly and sincere. And then Jaeden came forward and introduced the bubbly fifteen-month-old in her arms as her niece, Jaela.
Caia was surprised as Jaeden pushed the child into her arms. “Say hello, Jaela.”
“Uh, Jae …” Caia nervously wrapped her arms around the child. She tried not to blush as everyone watched her hold the little girl, but then Jaela grabbed onto a strand of her hair and Caia’s eyes locked onto the little one’s big baby blues. She smiled sweetly at Caia and ma
de some gurgling noises, trying to snuggle deeper into Caia’s arms.
“She likes you.” Lucien appeared beside her. Her raised an eyebrow at Lucia with mock disgruntlement. “I thought I was the only one she liked?”
But once she realized he was there, Jaela squealed and threw her arms out at him, hitting Caia in the face as she cryied out, “Luchy!”
“I think she wants Luchy,” she teased.
“Only Jaela is allowed to call me that.” Lucien grinned, taking the girl into his arms. “Ain’t that right, gorgeous.”
Caia sat with them, enjoying the peace and comfort that this small group enjoyed with one another. They were obviously a family within a family, and so warm to her she felt herself being pulled in, despite her concerns.
“Dinner’s ready, folks,” Ella announced, looking flushed from her hard work in the kitchen.
Dinner with them all was probably the best time Caia had had. She hated to admit it, but as Magnus and Dimitri took turns lightheartedly teasing her and each other, as Julia jumped flightily from asking her questions about school to asking Ella about cooking, as Jaeden threw her affectionate smirks, as Christian and Lucia whispered lovingly to one another, and as Lucien ate while making Jaela giggle throughout the entire meal, she realized that this was what she’d been missing her entire life. Not the pack—just a family. An ordinary family having a meal together. It was so humdrum, and yet it was the most wonderful feeling in the world.
When dinner was over, the family decided to settle in the sitting room with coffee and cake.
“I’ll clean up, do the dishes,” Caia said to Ella as they rose from the table.
“No—”
“I’ll help.” Jaeden managed to do what Caia couldn’t and shoo Ella out with the others. Lucien was the last to leave.
He stood at the doorway, his eyes narrowed on Jaeden. “All the times you’ve been over for dinner, you haven’t once offered to do dishes. What are you up to?”
Jaeden laughed at him. “You’re so suspicious, Lucien.”
“Always. For good reason.”
She leaned past him, grabbing onto the door and began closing it on him. “Bye, Lucien.”
“If she’s bothering you, let me know,” he said to Caia, and laughed when Jaeden smacked him on the arm and pushed him out.
Once they were alone, Jaeden chuckled at Caia’s bemused expression. “He’s not suspicious at all. He’s just plain nosy.”
Caia smirked and began piling the plates to rinse them. She handed them to Jaeden and noted the lykan stacked them exactly as Ella liked them arranged in the dishwasher.
“So, how was that for you?” Jaeden asked. “I know you were pretty nervous about it earlier.”
“Honestly … and you promise you won’t tell?”
“Of course.”
Caia shrugged, embarrassed. “I’ve never had a better time.” She spoke so quietly, even Jaeden with her lykan hearing had to lean in.
“Aw, Cy.” She laughed and shoved at her playfully. “Did you have A Little House on the Prairie moment tonight?”
At that, Caia splashed water from the sink into Jaeden’s face. She sniggered as Caia glowered. “I am never telling you anything again.”
“You did.” Jaeden wouldn’t let up. “Aw, I think my heart hurts a little. Do you want us to stay so we can all say goodnight to each other like The Waltons too? ”
“Oh, you’ve done it now.”
What ensued was a water-bubble-dish soap fight that ended with the two of them slipping on the latter and landing hard on their butts, laughing hysterically.
“What the Hades …”
Giggling, and trying to catch their breaths after having chased each other around the kitchen, which now looked like the great flood had hit it, they glanced up at the kitchen doorway to see Lucien and Ella staring around in wonder. Magnus chuckled behind them.
“What have you done to my kitchen?” Ella squeaked.
“It’s totally her fault.” Jaeden laughed, flicking bubbles at Caia.
“What …” Caia’s mouth fell open in shock at the betrayal.
The sound of Lucien laughing brought their heads up. “If you were going to have a water fight, couldn’t you have told us? Some guys pay to watch that stuff, you know.”
“Lucien,” Ella admonished.
“What?” He grinned unrepentantly and then looked down at Caia. “Need a hand up?”
She shook her head, wincing at the pain from her butt where she’d landed on the hard floor. She laughed breathlessly. “I think I can manage.”
Jaeden smiled flirtatiously. “I might need a hand.”
“A hand? You need something, but it’s not a hand.” Caia groaned, getting to her feet. She hauled Jaeden up with her as she promised Ella, “We’ll clean it up.”
“Hmm.” She grunted, unamused, as she stalked out of the room.
Lucien and Magnus followed, and Caia heard Lucien say, “Leave ’em be. She’s just having some fun.”
Jaeden raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like Lucien’s got someone’s back.”
Caia frowned, looking around at the mess. “How did we do this?”
Jaeden snorted. “I don’t know, but we better clean it before Ella decides to end us.”
Sitting down at her desk, Caia smiled at Jaeden sprawled across her bed, now in dry clothing borrowed from Irini’s closet. Caia’s clothes were all a little too small.
“You think Ella will forgive us?”
The kitchen was now sparkling clean after a thorough tidy. Tired and a little afraid of Ella, Jaeden had followed Caia up to her bedroom rather than sit with the rest of the family.
“She already has, I hope.” Jaeden studied the calculus work Caia had left on the bed. “Dude, what is this?” She tilted her notebook up at her.
“Drywall,” Caia replied.
“Ha ha, funny.”
Caia smirked. “What is what? My notebook?”
“Uh, the stuff in the notebook. The genius solutions you’re apparently capable of.”
“What?” Caia knitted her brow in confusion and took the notebook Jaeden held out to her. Shock rocketed her eyebrows up her forehead. “What the Hades …”
Now in the once-blank space next to the problems she had been unable to solve was the solutions and answers. She had no idea if they were right. There was no way on Gaia’s green earth she would have been able to come up with that. It was gobbledygook to her.
“I have no idea how this got here.” She stared suspiciously at Jaeden. “Did you do this? Are you messing with me?”
“Jeez, no. I wouldn’t even know where to start with calculus. Or anything to do with math. Math hates me.”
“Irini, maybe? One of the others?”
Jaeden sat up and regarded Caia like she had gone a little crazy. “You’re saying you didn’t answer these?”
“No!” Caia stood abruptly. “This is just another in a long line of weird things that have happened to me this week.” She grimaced and stared hard out the window as if the forest would give her the answers. Images passed across her eyes—of water coming on of its own accord; of Alexa’s chair flying away from her without anyone having touched it.
What was going on here?
“What other weird things?”
Could she tell Jaeden? She felt like she could trust her, but she had only known her for a week, and telling her this stuff might damage their blossoming friendship.
“I, um …” Caia took a breath. No. This, she would have to keep to herself until she could work out what was going on. “Nothing. You know … I forgot the teacher did these as an example for me. I must really be exhausted, huh?”
Jaeden studied her carefully.
Caia waited, trying to keep her pulse rate normal.
Finally, her friend grinned. “You’re loco, you know that?”
“It’s been drawn to my attention on occasion.”
“Besides the loco, I’m really glad you came back. You’re sort of soothing
to be around.”
Caia would take it. “You were right before. I’m not used to being around so many people. I hope I can keep the names straight. I feel like a bumbling idiot most of the time”
“Yeah … you are kind of awkward.”
“Gee, thanks.”
Laughing, Jaeden threw a pillow at her. “I’m kidding.”
After a moment of comfortable silence, Jaeden giggled as if she had just remembered something. “So, you ready to bare all to the goddess on your first run with the pack?”
Caia’s heart stopped. “Bare what?”
“Are things going to plan?” he asked his agent.
“Very well. I nearly have all the information I require to execute Phase One,” she purred.
“You’ve raised no suspicions?”
“Not a single one.”
“Good. Make sure it stays that way. I want the information soon. Very soon.”
“You’ll have it, sir.”
“Hmm, we’ll see. I’ll be in contact.” He placed the phone down on the receiver, eyeing Lars. His assistant was hopping from one foot to the other, like a puppy waiting on a treat.
“Well?” Lars asked excitedly.
“Do you have to be right at my back? Go stand on the other side of the room.”
“I take it things aren’t going well.” Lars’s face fell as he retreated from his superior.
“According to our spy, everything’s going perfectly well. She’ll be sending the information we need over the next few weeks.”
“And Caia?”
“Integrating into the pack. By the time we get the little bitch, the pack may actually mourn her.”
Lars sneered. “Yes, but by then, we’ll have all the information we need to destroy the rest of the mangy mutts … they won’t have time to mourn the abomination.”
A slow, lazy smile spread across his face. He liked it when his lackeys were enthusiastic. “Sometimes, I do like your way with words.”
8