by S. Young
Caia tried to control her fantasies—she really did. She lived with the guy. He was Pack Leader, for goddess’ sake. But it wasn’t like she could avoid him. When he wasn’t at work, he usually hung around the house with Ryder so people always knew where to find him. And Ryder and he were always so friendly, welcoming her into their company.
They were her friends.
It was during these little gatherings that her eyes would drift over Lucien’s face, his fierce silver eyes and sultry mouth. And then lower, to his strong, sinewy forearms and large, capable hands. The tug in her lower belly would get more insistent. She had no clue what was happening to her. She even daydreamed in class, and she was not the daydreaming type.
Caia doubted he daydreamed in return. She was just a friend to him, right?
Ugh, she didn’t even want to think like that. Of course, she was just his friend. Didn’t she get that feeling when they played during their run together? He suddenly pulled back like he didn’t want to cross some line with her. She’d been disappointed but amused at his ‘properness’ at the time. But, in truth, it was kind of hard to get over her crush when he acted like such a gentleman.
A week after their run, a run she hadn’t even told Jaeden about, Lucien called to her from the hallway as she finished her breakfast. Caia frowned and glanced at the clock. Jaeden was late to pick her up. After Lucien called her name again, she took a last bite of toast and strolled out of the kitchen to find him standing at the front door, a big grin on his face. “I want to show you something.”
Caia shook her head. “Uh, no. I’m not falling for that again. Last time you and Ryder said that to me, I had heart failure.”
He had the decency to look sheepish. “How were we to know you were afraid of spiders?”
“Spiders?” Caia spluttered. “It wasn’t just a spider. It was the mother of all spiders.”
Lucien laughed. “This isn’t a spider. Will you please just come?”
Huffing as she remembered the huge, brown, spindly creature they’d thrust in her face about two weeks ago—thinking she’d find the alien monster from Hades as amazing as they did—she walked cautiously after Lucien. She followed him outside and stopped short on the porch as he approached a brand-new car.
“I know it’s no sports car.” He patted its roof. “But it’s brand new.”
“What is it?”
“The new Ford. You like the color?” He studied her for a reaction.
Caia smiled in confusion. It was gold pistachio—metallic, very pretty. “Yeah? Why?”
He grinned. “Because it’s yours.”
Was he kidding?
Nope, not according to the cheesy grin on his face.
“Lucien, I can’t accept this.” But she was already gravitating toward the vehicle. She ducked her head inside the passenger window, checking out the color-coordinated interior, and inhaling that wonderful new-car smell. “I really can’t accept this.”
She heard him grunt from the other side of the car. “No can’t about it. It’s yours.”
“Does she like it?” Caia straightened to see Ella rushing out of the house. “What d’ya think, Cy?”
“I think it’s too much,” she said.
Ella’s face fell. “But … Lucien went to a lot of trouble—”
“Mom.” He stopped her, shaking his head in what Caia had come to recognize as irritation. His attention swept back to her. “You’re taking the car.”
It was a command.
“Bu—”
“No buts. Jaeden’s not picking you up this morning, so unless you’re going to change into the wolf suit and run to school, you’re going to be late.”
They were waiting for her, standing around Mal’s SUV, as she pulled into the parking lot in the new car. It was a dream to drive. She’d actually forgotten how much she’d missed having a car, although back in her life with Irini, it had been a beat-up Mustang she’d driven. A feeling of self-consciousness settled on her as she locked the car and headed to the pack.
Jaeden smiling devilishly at her.
“You knew about this,” Caia stated, coming to a stop in front of them.
She shrugged, still grinning.
“Nice ride.” Mal laughed. “Looks like you’re all set to be a soccer mom.”
“Shut up.” Jaeden slapped him across the head, incurring a low growl from the back of his throat.
Caia looked thoughtfully back at the shiny machine. “I was actually thinking if he was going to get me a car, he could have gotten me a nice, cheap old thing.”
“Yeah.” Jaeden eyed her meaningfully. “He could have.”
Caia made a face. Jaeden had been making innuendos about Caia and Lucien for the past few weeks. While Caia was certain he was just being nice and trying to make sure she integrated back into the pack without any problems, Jaeden thought his preferential treatment meant something. The only feelings between Caia and him were the private ones emanating from her fantasies, and she was telling no one about those, not even Jaeden. Not that it mattered—she had a feeling Jaeden was aware of her crush. Her perceptiveness could be a little disconcerting sometimes.
Besides, Caia’s mood depressed as her gaze fell on Alexa. Why would Lucien be interested in the Little Orphan Annie when he could have the gorgeous brunette?
“Lucien is being generous.” Dana’s annoying voice cut into her thoughts. “You should be a little more grateful.”
Alexa smirked. “Yeah, Caia. If he could hear you now … tut-tut.”
The terrible twosome still didn’t like her. “I didn’t say I wasn’t grateful.”
“Back off.” Sebastian was clearly as fed up with their sniping as Caia was. He drew her near him protectively, a gesture Caia accepted now when she wouldn’t have weeks ago. They moved away from the others, just Jaedan, Sebastian and Caia as they walked into the school.
“You know, I wish they’d get over it already,” Sebastian said, confirming her suspicions. “You haven’t even looked at Mal twice since you got here, so what’s Dana’s problem?”
“She’s a sheep,” Jaeden chimed in. “She does whatever she thinks will make Alexa happy.”
“You know”—Alexa made them tense as she appeared suddenly, striding up to them—“that was kind of rude, Sebastian.” She moved past them, an ugly twist to her mouth. “But I forgive you. I’ll have to get used to being magnanimous. It’s what a Pack Leader does.”
Jaeden guffawed. “What?”
“Are you completely psycho?” Sebastian asked. “You are aware that you’re not Pack Leader?”
Alexa smiled evilly, her eyebrow quirking as she drew them to a halt. She turned that wicked smile on Caia. “But I will be mate to Pack Leader. The party at Lucien’s will be a perfect opportunity for me to show Lucien what a mistake it’ll be if he chooses differently.” Her eyes narrowed in calculation. “He wouldn’t want to choose someone, say, who would jeopardize the pack by foolish displays of strength in front of them.”
Caia stared impassively back at the wolf. She’d hoped Alexa would just get over that but no such luck. Nothing weird had happened since the mysterious calculus solution appeared in her notebook, so Caia was happy to just forget about the strange incidents. She was afraid there would be questions, and trouble, if Alexa did mention it to Lucien.
“You know I didn’t do that, Alexa.”
She snorted. “Oh, goddess, are we still on that track?”
The bell rang. “No one here cares about your designs on Lucien.” Okay, that was a lie. “Do what you want. Stay out of my way, and I’ll stay out of yours.”
“You don’t fool me, Caia.”
“Come on.” Sebastian guided Caia and Jaeden past the she-devil. “You’re delusional, you know that?”
They had gone only a few steps when Jaeden threw over her shoulder, “In more ways than one. Lucien will never choose you. Don’t you think he would have already?”
“She’s exhausting,” Caia groaned as they walked to class. “E
very time I get into it with her, I feel like I’ve stepped into an episode of Gossip Girl.”
“What girl?” the two of them asked in unison.
Sometimes Caia forgot that because of her long period of isolation from the pack, she’d watched a lot more television than they had. “TV show.”
“Oh, yeah.” Jaeden nodded. “I’ve never watched it. Is that the one with the annoying girls with so much money, they have to resort to cruelty and manipulation out of sheer boredom?”
“Yeah.” Caia snorted, eyeing her suspiciously. “Sure you haven’t watched at least a couple of episodes?”
“We—”
“Don’t let her get to you,” Sebastian interrupted, redirecting the conversation to Alexa. His eyes were concerned as he patted Caia’s shoulder. “Ignore her.”
Caia nodded. She’d try.
But that day in English, with the she-devil sitting right beside her, she couldn’t help but have a different kind of daydream, one in which Alexa was Lucien’s mate, and she kept Caia in a cage as an amusing pet. Lucien would come over to the cage to poke and prod her with a stick, to the delight of his new bride.
“Miss Ribeiro?”
“Hmm,” she mumbled, wincing as if she’d really felt the prod of that stick.
“Caia?”
“Huh?” She blinked and realized her English teacher was asking her a question. She straightened, knocking her book to the floor. The class snickered, and she tried to hide her blush.
“Thank you for joining us, Miss Ribeiro,” the teacher said.
“Sorry,” she said and glanced at Alexa. The girl gloated. Ugh.
Sure she was gorgeous, but Lucien really be attracted to someone like Alexa?
Why did it matter to her anyway?
Caia needed to stop thinking about her Pack Leader. She didn’t even recognize this lovelorn person she’d become. She should avoid Lucien at all costs.
Lucien heard the chime of the bells above his store’s main door and the sound was soon followed by the familiar, sweet scent of Caia. Pleasure suffused him. She’d come to him of her own accord. Grinning to himself, he wandered out of his workshop and into the store to see her running her hand along one of the rocking chairs he’d designed.
“Like it?”
She nodded. “I don’t know how you do that.”
“Just something I always could do.” He shrugged, liking the admiration in her eyes.
He also sensed her shyness though as she walked around the room, keeping her attention on his furniture. He watched her, enjoying the way her long hair slid across her shoulders, softer than silk. When his thoughts wandered to wondering what that hair would look like spread across his pillow, he gave himself a mental slap.
“You here for a reason?” Lucien prodded, hoping his thoughts weren’t written on his face. He concentrated on trying to keep amusement at her presence out of his voice. It seemed to annoy her when she thought he was laughing at her.
Finally Caia looked up, stopping to sit in one of the dining room chairs. She halted abruptly and flushed. “Do you mind?” she asked.
“No, it’s what it’s there for.”
Caia relaxed and eased back into the chair. “I’m actually here about the car.”
She was keeping the damn car. He was about to tell her so when she lifted her hand up to stop him from saying anything.
“I’m keeping the car.”
“Okay. Good.”
“But on one condition.”
His eyes narrowed. He was used to giving the orders around here and setting the conditions. Usually, that would be his reply to such a statement, but it caught in the back of his throat. He cleared it. “What condition?”
“That you let me get a job.”
That wasn’t what he’d expected.
No. He had the luxury of being able to take care of his kinswomen. His mother didn’t have to work, and he hadn’t demanded Irini get a job when she’d come home because she’d been working her ass off all the time she’d been gone. He wasn’t some old-fashioned chauvinist, but the women of his family only worked if they wanted to; if they didn’t need to, then he didn’t want to make them. Besides, Caia was too young for a job. She should be concentrating on school.
“I don’t think so.”
She smiled that crazy-sweet smile that seemed to work its charm on all the men in the pack. Magnus and Ryder crumbled under it.
“I thought you would say that. So, I was thinking I could work for you here, on weekends or something.”
“For me?” he asked.
He watched as her expression turn unsure. “Well … I just thought, you know … you don’t have anyone manning the front, and you get busy on the weekends …”
Lucien worked hard to cover a jubilant grin. Nodding, pretending to be casual about the idea he said, “I think it’s a great idea.”
Caia grinned at him. “You do?”
“Sure. This Saturday okay?”
She nodded, and he realized she was just glad to be contributing something to the family. He understood that. But for him, it was a perfect opportunity to keep an eye on her.
12
Witches, Vampyres, and Faeries, Oh My
Jaeden couldn’t help herself. She told everyone at lunch the next day that Caia was working for Lucien. Alexa caused a scene by cursing loudly and storming out of the cafeteria. Caia knew Jaeden was as pissed as she was that Alexa and Dana wouldn’t get off her back, but really, telling Alexa that Caia was going to be spending even more quality time with Lucien was asking for the girl to tear her apart.
For the rest of the week, she was met with icy resentment. As far as Caia was concerned, it was better than the girl speaking to her.
Thankfully, Saturday rolled around quickly. She hadn’t seen much of Lucien lately and she was surprised to find she missed him. And was also more than a little glad to be out of the house. Caia assumed she hadn’t seen much of Lucien because Ella had transformed the house into party-planning central for the mating ceremony.
Lucien left for work a few hours before the store opened so he could get a start on his furniture before customer interruptions began but Caia didn’t arrive for her first day until eight forty-five. Ryder was there, too, grinning at her as Lucien gave her a run-through of her duties. There was nothing major to undertake—the cash register seemed easy enough, and he told her if she was asked any questions she couldn’t answer, she could just give him a shout.
“I can’t believe you’re working here.” Ryder settled into a rocking chair after Lucien disappeared into his workshop.
Caia slid onto the stool behind the front counter. “Should you be doing that?”
“Dunno. You tell me. You work here now.”
“Why is that so surprising to you?”
His eyes glittered with mischief but he shook his head, refusing to respond. Suspicious niggled her gut. Ryder didn’t suspect her feelings, did he?
Holy Artemis, that would be awful. Worse than awful. Utterly mortifying.
“You haven’t gone out on a job lately,” she noted, trying to switch the conversation away from her.
“True. Things have been quiet for a while.”
She leaned against the counter toward him. “So, you must have come across other supernaturals on all your trips, right?”
“Sure.”
“I haven’t met any.” She thought of all the creatures out there who shared their world, and how she’d never encountered a single one.
Ryder frowned. “What about Marion?”
“The magik who cast the protection spell around me?”
He nodded.
“I never met her.”
“I can’t believe that. Marion is great. You’ll really like her. Powerful witch too. You know her sister is the Head of the Daylight Coven?”
She’d had no idea, actually. That meant that for eleven years, Caia had royalty watching and protecting her. The pack had connections in high places. “How do you know a witch that h
igh up in the circle?”
He winked. “How else?”
She shook her head. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I keep forgetting you’re only eighteen. Mind you, when I was eighteen, I knew—”
“Ryder, the point?”
The hunter chuckled at her impatience. “The pack is good friends with Marion because once, a long time ago, Magnus was really good friends with Marion.”
It took a moment for that to sink in, and then she gasped. “Magnus had sex with a magik?”
“Hey, there is nothing wrong with a little variety in life.”
The leer on his face made her ask quietly, so that her voice wouldn’t carry through to Lucien, “Have you ever …?”
Ryder seemed to be enjoying her curiosity. “What? Enjoyed a little a variety?”
“Yes.”
He lowered his voice. “Many times. You know, there are some lykans who have mated with other supernaturals.”
Her head jerked back at the revelation. Caia had no idea that was even allowed. Suddenly her options had just opened up. “Really?”
“Sure. I have a friend from another pack—David—he mated with a faerie.”
“A shapeshifter?”
“One and only.”
“Wow.”
“You really didn’t know that was possible?” Ryder asked, leaning his elbows on his knees. “Your education is kind of spotty.”
She twisted her lips. “Tell me about it.” Then she frowned. “But they can’t actually mate, right? Ella said you can’t have children unless you mate, and you can’t mate unless the gods bless the union, so …”
Ryder nodded. “And what goddess should bless a union between a lykan and a faerie, Artemis or Hemera?”
“Exactly.”
“Hemera.” He smiled. “She has precedent, since she’s all primordial and shit.”
“So they can have children?”
“Yeah. In that circumstance, their children will be faeries.”
Wow. “But, if a vampyre and a lykan mate, then who …”
“Well, there’s the thing. Vampyres can only have kids with their own kind. And to be honest, they don’t view mating the same way we do. Hades doesn’t bless the union or anything, you know. He didn’t exactly expect his nasty little undead to refine their ways and start living like humans. Apparently, the story goes that Demeter, the Goddess of Fertility, granted the vampyres the ability to give birth to their own kind, in vengeance against Hades for kidnapping her daughter Persephone and making her Queen of the Underworld. With this gift, vampyres became even more human.”