by S. Young
Marita glared at her, looked to her husband to see his expression, and then turned back with a regal nod. “Fine.”
Marion smiled softly and was about to reach for another sip of coffee when her sister’s tone grew hard with command, “But weave your words with persuasion, little sister. I want that girl here so I can see better her capabilities for myself.”
Caia groaned as soon as she entered the kitchen and was appraised by Ella and Irini. Their wide eyes traveled over her body, and she flinched inwardly. She’d forgotten that when two lykans mated, the other’s scent clung newly to their skin. The claiming scent.
She reeked of Lucien.
“Morning,” she mumbled, her cheeks two bright red flags as she slid into a seat at the table.
Ella cleared her throat. “I take it you know, then.”
Caia nodded and reached for the orange juice without looking at either woman.
“Lucien told us,” Irini explained.
“As if he would’ve had to.”
“He said you’re angry,” Ella prodded.
Caia nodded but refused to say more. She almost smiled at the tendrils of frustration that whispered out of mother and daughter.
“He’s already called the rest of the pack and explained the situation.”
Orange juice flew everywhere.
“He what?”
Irini tsk-ed. “He had to. You wouldn’t believe the grumblings. They don’t like being left out of the loop.”
“What?” Caia actually laughed as she jumped to her feet. “They don’t like being left out of the loop?” She shook her head at the audacity of it and strode out of the kitchen without another word. Hearing Irini chase after her, Caia flicked her hand behind her shoulder, enjoying the sound of the kitchen door slamming closed in Irini’s face.
“Ugh!” Irini shrieked. “Damn her magik!”
Caia smirked, grabbed her backpack and dashed out of the house. As she drove to school, she managed to tame the anger that fought to rise. There was no time for anger. This morning she had awoken with one purpose, and that was to concentrate her all into saving Jaeden. Lucien needed to be tucked to the back of her brain and this whole mating fiasco thrown out the window.
She may have been able to trust Lucien when it came to pack politics, and maybe even this business with the war, but she didn’t think she could hand over her heart into his safekeeping. The truth was, after she’d fallen asleep last night, she returned to her connection with Ethan. She could feel the house he was in, Jaeden in the basement below. She could feel his frustration and anxiety over something, and the more he paced toward the doorway of the home, the closer the fingers of her trace reached for his location.
She was close to finding him—she knew it.
And with that certainty came the realization that Marion was most probably right about her part in the war. Maybe not now, but soon Caia was going to be a frontline soldier—and love just didn’t come into that equation.
No matter how good Lucien’s scent felt on her skin.
“Caia.” Sebastian was at her side as soon as she stepped out of the car. He inhaled and then paled, his eyes flashing their hurt. “It’s true.”
Damn, she’d forgotten to expect this reaction. “No, it’s not.”
His eyes widened and he glanced behind him to Mal and the others crowded around the SUV. By the lecherous smirk on Mal’s face, and the fury on Alexa’s, her scent had already drifted upwind to them, and they knew the truth of what their parents had told them this morning.
“But you smell like him,” Sebastian replied in confusion, his eyes full of hurt.
“It was a mistake. And please don’t look at me like that.”
“But you did …” he trailed off.
Not wanting to go into the details of that with Sebastian, Caia headed toward school. “Yes. I was upset. It happened. But I did not expect to find myself spiritually and fertilely bound to Lucien.”
She sensed Sebastian’s smugness before he said, “I told him you’d be mad.”
“Oh yeah, you already knew, right? He warned you off.”
“Sounds like you’re mad about that too.”
She winced at the hope in his voice. How could he still want her even after she’d been with Lucien?
“I’m just mad he told you before me.” Caia stopped and glared. “No, let’s rephrase that. I’m mad he didn’t even tell me.”
“What does that me—”
“Forget it.” She blushed, realizing that none of them knew that Lucien had to tell her. “I don’t want to talk about it. I’m trying to concentrate on getting Jaeden back.”
Sebastian grabbed her arm, bringing her to a stop again. “You have news?” he asked eagerly.
She nodded, knowing her eyes mirrored the hope in his. “I’m getting closer. I can feel it.”
“What are you planning?”
Caia didn’t hesitate. “When I find her, I’m going after her. And you’re coming with me.”
Sebastian grinned. “How are we going to do that?”
“If I’m the one finding her, I’m in a good position to make demands. And Lucien owes me this.”
Before Seb could reply, the pack’s scents hit her. She turned slightly and saw them heading over and braced herself. She was grateful for Sebastian who edged closer to her, offering comfort and reinforcement. She just had to ignore the niggling possessiveness that still lingered in his emotions.
“Well.” Mal grinned as the group reached her, his eyes full of mischief. “Go, Caia. I guess I’ve got to be extra respectful to you now.”
She narrowed her eyes. “What?”
“Hey, I’m not saying anything. I’m impressed. You got yours.”
“I got mine?”
Sebastian growled, sensing her tone. “Back off, Mal.”
He laughed and shook his head. “You need to watch yourself there, Sebby boy. There’s a difference between protecting the Alpha’s fêmea, as we all should … and coveting her.”
“The threat of Lucien’s wrath doesn’t seem to bother him.” Dana whistled. “How hot, Sebastian. Who knew you had it in you.”
Caia blanched at the flush on Sebastian’s cheeks. “Leave him alone.”
“Well,” Alexa spoke for the first time, her eyes spitting fire, “I guess we better do as she says.”
The rest of the pack tittered and moved to pass. “Whore.” The word whispered from Alexa’s spiteful mouth into Caia’s ears. Sebastian bristled.
They stood in silence for a moment and then the bell rang. “I don’t think I’m ever going to get used to the pack’s temperament. Only yesterday Mal defended me against them, and now …”
“He may be obnoxious, but he’s not spiteful. He’s just having fun. It’s Alexa and Dana I’d worry about.”
“I’m not worried,” Caia replied. “I have no intention of taking up my position beside Lucien.”
“What?” Sebastian gaped. “Are you serious?”
“I told you it’s not even a discussion. All I care about is getting Jaeden back.”
His eyes brightened considerably, and he smiled, trying to look nonchalant. “And after that?”
“I need to speak to Marion. I guess more training. For the war.”
“Caia—”
“Please, Sebastian. I don’t want to talk about it. I need to concentrate on Jaeden.”
Sebastian nodded and led her into the school. “Let me know when I should put my game face on.”
Caia grinned, feeling a rush of anticipation.
For the first time, she felt in control and certain she was capable of bringing her friend home, even if it meant facing off with Ethan.
For the first time since she was told about the prophecy, she believed she actually stood a chance.
Ah, the arrogance of youth.
Ethan smirked at Lars as he railed about how he would never have been so stupid as to have walked into the hands of the Daylight Coven like Xylena. Lars, who was twenty-five years
old and could barely master a basic communication spell—and Xylena, a two-hundred-year-old faerie who’d worked her way up the ranks from peasantry to Ethan’s right hand. There was no comparison between the two.
“Caia didn’t detect your presence?” Ethan interrupted.
Lars shook his head quickly, sending sparkles of sweat flying from his hair. Ethan curled his lip in distaste. “No, my lord. In fact, I was extremely fast in getting the information you needed. Xylena is dead and the pack now knows about their missing pup.”
Just what he needed. He grumbled and restrained himself from throwing something at the vainglorious idiot. “Fine. Change of plans. We don’t want the pack finding us here—”
“But, my lord, I thought this was what you wanted? The pack weak and emotional over the loss of one of their own?”
“Don’t. Ever. Interrupt me again,” he hissed.
Lars blanched and backed up. “Forgive me.”
Ethan jumped to his feet and began pacing. “Jaeden was never meant to be that kind of pawn. She was just a bonus punching bag. Now the pack is looking for her, and I don’t have any inside information on what’s happening with Caia and her Portuguese lover.” He stopped and made a clicking noise with his tongue as he thought.
After a tense few minutes, he huffed. “We need to kill Caia.”
“Isn’t that a little hasty? We don’t know for certain how things have progressed with her and the pack.”
“Lucien’s her mate. It’s enough to send him crazy and obliterate order in the pack. We need Caia gone before they become aware of her trace magik. They’ll know for certain that Caia is the”—he choked off, hating to admit it—“the true Head of the Coven, and that the Midnights are incredibly vulnerable with her in Daylight hands. Once she’s dead, we’ll attack. The pack will be too grief stricken to put up much of a defense.”
“I don’t mean to question you, my lord, but won’t that draw the attention you specifically wished to avoid?”
“No,” Ethan sneered. “Why would it? It will just be you and me taking them down.”
Lars paled. “Two of us against an entire pack?”
“For Gaia’s sake, man, they’re a tiny pack and we know everything about them from Xylena’s findings. We’ll sneak in after Caia’s death and take them out during their mourning. They’ll never see it coming.”
“But won’t they be expecting our attack if we kill Caia?”
Ethan smirked. “I didn’t say we were going to kill Caia.”
“You ready to talk to me rationally yet?”
Caia twisted around on her bed to see Lucien leaning casually against her doorframe. “Ah condescending to me. That’s the right way to open this discussion.”
He winced and pushed off the door. “I didn’t mean to be condescending.”
“Right. Well, as to your question: it’s been less than twenty-four hours since I found out that you lied, and possibly tricked me, into becoming your mate. What do you think?”
His face darkened, and she took some satisfaction in the moment. “Tricked you?” He seethed quietly, prowling into the room and slamming the door behind him.
“Uh-uh.” Caia scrambled off the bed and onto her feet. She flicked her hand and the door whooshed back open.
“Getting pretty good at that.” He lowered himself into her computer chair.
“Lucien, get out.”
“No.”
“Fine. I will,” she huffed and headed toward the door. He cut her off in seconds, looming over her like a giant cliff face.
“Finding myself bound to an eighteen-year-old is bad enough, but to a magik? Thanks.” He laughed humorlessly up at the ceiling, as if talking to the gods, and then glared back down at her. “Why don’t you cut me some slack and help me deal with this?”
Caia crossed her arms defensively. “Deal with this? This is how I’m going to deal with this. I am not binding my life to a guy—any guy—but especially not some jumped-up Alpha who doesn’t trust me, let alone love me. How’s that?”
“Caia.” He looked pained as he brushed his hand through his hair like he always did. “I do care about you. But you have to understand this has not been the usual situation, and yeah … I’ve screwed up.”
She wanted to believe him. Upon gazing up into those intense silver pools, feeling his heat so close to her, unfortunately timed flashbacks from last night sparked through her head. A flush erupted across her skin and she cursed herself. Lucien’s eyes darkened, feeling her heat. He made as if to move toward her and she backed away, holding up her hand, warding him off.
“Whoa, stop. I know enough about a mated couple to know that the attraction thing is just part of the deal, but this”—she gestured between them—“will not be happening again.”
“Caia, you can’t deny a mating.”
“Doesn’t it bother you? Don’t you feel cheated? What if you fall in love with someone, Lucien, and you can’t have a family with her?”
“I’m not falling in love with anyone. Neither are you, for that matter, because you are my mate. Mine. Deal with it.”
A silence descended over the room like a thick, uncomfortable blanket.
Caia cleared her throat. “I’m not going to be your mate, Lucien. You deal with that.”
She flinched at the snarl that ripped from his throat. Her hair even blew back from the deep breath of his growl. And then he was gone, slamming the door so hard, the entire upper floor shook.
“That could’ve gone better,” she muttered.
She didn’t give herself time to mope over him. It was time to connect to her evil uncle and see if Jae was all right.
25
Personal Daemons
Two days passed. Caia was growing increasingly more irritable. Two nights now and she hadn’t been able to connect to Ethan in her dreams, and she was beginning to worry what that meant for Jaeden. On top of that, Lucien thundered around the house like a lion with a thorn in his paw, refusing to look at or acknowledge her existence.
Jeez, you would think he was the one who’d been deceived.
In fact, everyone was being pretty lousy to her, except Sebastian, and it might have had something to do with Marion and Saffron returning. They’d shown up the day after Lucien had stormed out of her room. That morning had been her first edgy, downing coffee, snapping at burnt toast in frustration sort of morning because she hadn’t dreamed of Jaeden. It did her nerves no good to have to be sociable to her mentor, who’d wandered into the quiet kitchen with a warm smile.
“Morning, Caia.”
“Mmmff,” she’d mumbled, chewing angrily.
“Where is everyone?” Marion asked, sitting across from Caia while Saffron wandered the kitchen looking bored.
“Bed,” she snapped.
“Oh my, we are in a good mood,” Saffron drawled behind her, but Marion held up her hand to shush her.
“I guess we are a little early.”
Caia didn’t say anything, just kept chewing and frowning and wondering what on earth she had done wrong last night not to have been able to connect to Ethan.
“I can feel an awful lot of tension in the house, Caia. And you smell … different … Oh.”
Caia looked up in time to see Marion’s eyes widen.
“You and Lucien … he told you.”
“You knew!” Bits of toast flew out with the accusation.
“Ahem.” Marion wiped delicately at her face. “Yes, I knew.”
“Always the last to know, huh? Don’t know why I’m surprised. I suppose the tree knew too.” She thumbed behind her at Saffron.
“Oh, dear Gaia, no.” Saffron appeared in front of her, her slender hands sitting defiantly on her narrow hips. “Please do not even think of imitating that idiot.”
“Ryder’s my friend. Watch your mouth,” Caia said.
“Oh my.” Marion exhaled. “You’re really not taking this well. I don’t remember you having this much attitude.”
“It’s called being lied to, to
o many damn times to count.”
Marion shooed Saffron away again and leaned across the table, gripping one of Caia’s hands comfortingly. “I know you must be upset, but it doesn’t take away your choices, Caia. You’re too important for that.”
Now she had her interest. “What do you mean?”
“Yes, what do you mean?” Lucien sauntered into the kitchen, his body language casual, his expression a storm cloud. Ella and Magnus trailed at his back. Caia hadn’t even known Magnus had stayed over. He smiled weakly at her, but she looked away. She was mad at everyone.
Marion’s smile didn’t falter. “Perhaps you should all take a seat.”
Hmm, this was going to be interesting.
When everyone was seated, Lucien, thankfully just as mad at Caia, sat as far away from her as possible.
“I spoke with my sister and her husband,” Marion began.
“And?” Ella asked, pouring her and Magnus coffee.
“Well …” Caia might have been seeing things but Marion’s smile looked a little nervous. “Marita and Vanne are impressed with what I had to tell them about Caia, and of course very anxious that she remain safe.”
“Of course.” Magnus nodded.
“They are aware of the situation with Jaeden and understand that Caia would like to stay here until its conclusion.”
Lucien drew in a sharp breath. “I don’t like where this is going.”
“Caia.” Marion ignored him; Caia happily followed suit. “Marita would like to offer you a home within our Center, where you can train with the very best in magik. Where you can train to be a soldier for Daylight, but most importantly, where you can really put your tracing magik to good use and help us prevent anymore Midnight attacks.”
No one breathed. Caia couldn’t look at anyone but Marion—Marion who had come back and with her brought a huge gust of air, allowing Caia to breathe again.
“Really?” she asked, trying not to sound so excited.
“Over my dead body.”