by Destiny, Sam
SET IN SPARKS
Sam Destiny
Set In Sparks ©2015 by Sam Destiny
All rights reserved.
Amazon Edition
Cover Copyright © Airicka’s Mystical Creations
Formatting © Airicka’s Mystical Creations
www.AirickaPhoenix.com
Edits by Bree Vanderland of Fire Hearts Editing
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be copied or reproduced without written consent of the author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, places or people, living or dead, is coincidental.
For all those boys that grow up.
For all those men that man up.
For all those souls that belong nowhere.
This is for you.
He hated Helpston with a vengeance he never knew he possessed. The streets were dirty, covered in scum and shadows. The latter didn’t bother him, but the former actually pissed him off. He didn't have much of a choice though since the rat he had hired would draw less attention here than at his normal area.
As he waited for scuffling of shoes against asphalt, memories of a few months back played behind his closed eyelids. His priorities had shifted greatly since then and even though he had been ready to tear down the Morningstar Queen, he now wished he'd never thought about that in the first place. If he had stayed away from Helpston, he wouldn't be knee-deep in obsession and he wouldn't have to hide in corners that stank of piss and vomit, sneaking around as if he was worthy nothing more than those lowlifes he dealt with.
Finally the squishing of soles against pavement announced his contact's arrival. The guy reeked of dead blood and decay. Was it even possible for Hellraise to stay healthy with the amount of blood they were consuming? Probably not, but he didn't care as long as the dude didn't utter his last words while being here with him.
“What do you have?” he asked and the scumbag raised a brow.
“You know, I know what you are thinking by the way you are looking at me, but let's be honest here: Who of the two of us is really the one we who should be despised? After all, I get to see the Queen regularly. I take in the smell of her sweet blood, see her fair skin and dark waves. I could even -”
“You could even shut up. If I hear any of you touching her, I will make life a personal hell for you. And trust me when I say I can.”
“What do you have, man? Nothing. You don't have money. Hell, you don't have influence, either.”
He seriously didn't like this dude's attitude and liked his words even less. “I don't have any influence, and yet you come running the moment I call,” he snarled and the guy across the alley huffed his cheeks. Those idiots loved what he was providing and therefore would always come back.
“Tell me what you gotta say. I seriously can't differentiate between the way you smell and the way this corner does. Then again, maybe if you spend enough time in shitholes like this one, you'll take the stink on... and the look, too, if the sight before me is any evidence to go by,” he taunted, leaning against the wall next to the contact to appear calmer than he actually was.
“She left again. Will you attack this time?”
“Did she take someone?”
The guy in front of him was brave enough to laugh at him. Stupid, really, if you considered whom he was up against. “Did the Queen take someone with her after leaving the house? No, of course she didn't. I mean, why should she? A lone female, worth more than her entire race combined should always roam the streets alone.” Not for the first time since the meetings with this certain scumbag had started did he wonder if the guy once had been higher up in society. Were his parents the elite of said Queen's race? The way that dude spoke at least hinted towards high class upbringing. “Will you attack her this time or will you stalk the house and wait until she returns to that damn fortress of hers again?”
There would be no attack. In fact, most of the time he was just the back-up, making sure that no one ever got the chance to get close enough to her to hurt or touch the Queen. That was with exception of that damn freaking mate she had. The rumors about the warrior's downfall had spread high and low; starting with his eyes bleeding out of his head to him having been reincarnated by their very own Creator. It bothered him that he didn't know the real story.
“I don't think it's any of your business what I plan on doing. Where?”
“Upper Helpston?” His nice little rat was developing an attitude and it pissed him off big time. He was the one in charge and yet depended on Hellraise to tell him where the object of his obsession was going, because in contrary to them, her blood didn't call out to him. This certain siren's song was reserved for those who wouldn't be able to refuse any drop of blood, especially not the royal drops her precious hands would be able to provide. The way he understood it was that blood could sustain them longer than any other - if it wouldn't burn the hell out of them or get the Morningstar warriors on their tail. By the Creator, how he hated those bastards. They cared way too much about his precious Queen; not that she knew that she was his yet.
“Where exactly?” he inquired, but the low-life just leaned against the wall, crossing his arms with a smug smile.
“That desperate to see her again, huh?” the rat taunted and he had to breathe deeply a few times to keep himself from doing something stupid, something like killing that little piece of shit.
With a shake of his head he realized that his language had taken a turn for the worse in the last months. The contacts were few and far down the social ranks. In fact, so far down he wasn't sure they ranked at all.
“Tell me or there will be blood spilled, and I promised it won't be the one you think about.”
Finally the guy pushed off the wall and sobered considerably. “You don't wanna go there tonight. It's gonna piss you off and last time they almost caught you.”
He gritted his teeth at the onslaught of pictures. The Queen and her damn mate were out together and whereas the beginning had been a rough one between them, they had gotten quite cozy over the last months, leading to handholding and almost PDA. It made him sick to the core. She shouldn't be looking so happy every time that bastard was around.
“Rumor has it he hated her guts when first realizing he was supposed to mate her. How the fuck did it turn to them doing walks in a group of five and still appearing as if the world had shrunk down to them?” The rat shook his head, regret on his face, regret and longing, which he hadn’t expected to come from a Hellraise like the one in front of him; in fact, he didn’t expect it in any Hellraise at all.
“Jealous much?” he snickered, but the guy just cocked a head.
“Every damn vampire of the race wants his own Origin, but only few get lucky.”
“I hadn't realized fuckers like you could get sentimental. Or a female.”
“Only if fate plans it that way.” Fate sucked. There was nothing clearer out there. He had gotten the wrong end of the deal and didn't know how to correct it. “So, you still want to know where your precious is?” the other guy pulled him from his thoughts.
Debating if not seeing her was worse than seeing her coddled and kissed by her damn mate, he made fists at his side, frustration needing a release. He just didn't know where to go with his anger and asking for trouble was not his way of dealing with it. No matter how pissed he was, hand-on-hand-combat wasn't anything he indulged in because it ruined your clothes and your face.
His healing abilities were outstanding, no doubt about that, but he preferred avoiding injuries in the first place.
“Here's your whore,” he announced, pulling the drugged girl
close by her hair. In fact, she wasn't a whore at all. There was nothing purer than virgins and as much as he wished the peculiar taste of his business partner would be different, he didn't mind to serve to it. Sure, finding virgins in today's society was hard, but it gave him something to do during the long, dark hours between seeing his Queen one night and then the next. If only there was a way to get closer to her to prove that no one was more devoted than him! But one night his chance would come and once he'd present her with what he considered to be the wedding gift, she'd be forever his. There was no doubt about that in his mind.
Stalking out of the dark alley, leaving behind munching noises that would have made any other person nauseous; he hoped that one night soon he'd get the fix he craved so much. It wouldn't be that night because in his anger he maybe would be tempted to hurt her one way or another, but soon, very soon, she wouldn't be able to withdraw from him or hide behind her mate. Sometime in the very near future, those violet eyes would be upon him with adoration and gratitude.
Sometime soon, the Queen would be standing in the blood of her warriors and not care the least.
Even though she was by now used to it, Maya was surprised each time anew at the hostility her people showed her. She wanted to change the race and all they did was glare at her as if she had announced aliens were the best mating partners out there. She smiled nonetheless because the younger Morningstars actually took well to her idea.
“I love the idea of a ballroom dancing class. Seriously. Isn't there a ball at the end of the course or something?” this particular girl asked, clapping excitedly. She was only fifteen, but age and time did not pass for vampires the way it was for humans. Even though they had centuries to spare, they usually were considered mature pretty quickly.
“I was thinking about a Masquerade. People are usually afraid of my warriors as well as everyone in the court. I'd like to mingle with our people without them being scared of me.”
“I don't think scared is the right word to be used,” the older Morningstar mumbled, but Maya's perfect hearing naturally picked up on it. Serves you right that I can't even remember your name, she thought grimly.
“Cynthia was your name, right?” Maya asked towards the so far silent fledgling, ignoring the younger vampire's father while gently raising her hand. She hadn't seen Jaden move, but she could feel his anger vibrating against her skin. It almost made her smile since he had become the only thing she really thought she could count on in her life.
Funny how a near-death experience sometimes changed your entire world, or in that case, his.
“Yes, my Queen,” the young woman stated, bowing her head slightly.
“Call me Maya,” she instantly protested and a blush colored the young woman's cheek, but before she could reply, her father stepped forward, prompting Jaden to do the same. “Please,” she mumbled toward her mate and then listened to him inhale sharply. Maya knew he was always worried, but he needed to understand that she had to stand her own if she ever wanted to be respected by anyone.
“Any thoughts?” she wanted to know, giving the father what she hoped to be an open smile.
“No wonder people don't respect you if you don't even force your position. I don't think any Queen before you ever-”
“With all due respect,” she said, interrupting him even though she knew that it was improper. “The way I understand your history no Queen before me went out to meet with you. As far as I got it, no one but her court had contact to her. Therefore, I assume you don't have anything to go by but what the people are gossiping about. Clearly, someone of your status and high values is above gossip,” Maya stated and then had a hard time hiding her smile as the guy in front of her sputtered before turning a deep crimson color. She could feel Jaden's pride bursting through their bond which made her feel ten feet tall. Glancing at him she took in his strong jaw and chocolate eyes, framed by long, dark lashes. Dearest Creator, that warrior was too handsome for his own good.
“Of course not. I didn't mean ... that wasn’t...” he mumbled and it was almost as if his woman was actually smiling while his daughter clearly bit her cheeks.
“That's what I thought. You are one of the respectable males of our race and I'm very happy we are on the same page. So, I assume we can put Cynthia's name down to participate? She will be picked up and returned safely. I guarantee so with my life,” Maya smiled, seeing how the arrogant male morphed into a worried father right in front of her eyes.
“How can you guarantee that?” he asked, his voice quiet; inquiring.
“One of the warriors will be picking up the girls in a safe car. We vouch for their well-being with our lives,” Jaden explained, jumping in at the right time. He stepped closer to her side, too, actually slouching so he appeared less impressive, as if that was even a possibility. He was still as handsome as he'd been to her the very first night they had met. To her relief he had started wearing plain shirts under his black leather jacket, but that item alone was enough to make people cower in fear. His face, handsome when relaxed, sexy when angry, was a picture of innocence and honesty as he looked at the father and promised to watch his daughter like he'd watch his own Queen. The blond hair was just that tad bit longer because he hadn't exactly found the time to cut it, but Maya didn't mind. She liked being able to brush her hand through it. His muscles bunched under the black material that covered his chest and she blushed and she imagined running her fingertips over his bare skin. It made her feel all warm and she had to lower her eyes as she actually saw the corner of Jaden's lip lift the tiniest bit. He certainly felt which gutter her thoughts were in.
“Exactly,” Cynthia's father agreed and Maya realized that while she had been watching Jaden's full lips move, she had missed everything that was said. The guys clasped hands and it surprised her how, once again, a whole family's attitude had changed during a few short minutes. “Thank you for coming by personally and inviting our daughter. It's an honor.”
She almost snorted. When they had arrived twenty minutes ago he had looked at her as if she was bringing the plague to his doorstep, not that it would have hurt the family since a virus never harmed a vampire, but it still would have been a bother.
“Thank you for your hospitality. My warrior and I took enough of your time. Cynthia, we'll send you a letter with all important information soon,” Maya promised and the young girl bowed before her.
“Thank you, my Queen,” Cynthia said and Maya's sincere smile turned strained. She hated being treated as if she was royal when, in fact, she was just a freak of nature.
As soon as they had left the house and the door closed behind them, Jaden tugged her into his side, nibbling at her neck. If they wouldn't be on some stranger's land, out in the open, she'd probably demand of him to bite her. There was something about the way she felt almost whole when he did, and it was a comfort she was missing just then. It couldn't be more obvious to her that they should be three and, as so often in the last months, had ended up being two. She felt as if she was missing her second half, and, in a scary way, it was true.
Just last week a little boy, not older than four, had looked at her, Jaden standing to her left like a dark shadow while her right was empty, and had told her that she looked like an angel with a broken wing. Sometimes she wondered if there ever had been a more accurate description of how she felt during those nights. Shaking her head to force away those dark thoughts, she giggled as he licked the side of her neck while he growled low in his throat.
Kaden was out, doing whatever and even though it had been more than twenty weeks since she had taken his blood, she could still feel each and every one of his emotions clear as day. He was angry, as usual, but that night there seemed to be disgust in him, too. Now, if only she could hear his thoughts, maybe then she'd know what was going on. She long since had given up asking Jaden for any information since he seemed to know as little about his twin as she did. She knew Kaden was hurting, but it wasn't anything she could change, especially if she had no chance to contact
him since he was avoiding her. Every time Jaden had been with her, she had felt aroused. It was something coming at her through the bond with Jaden's twin. During those nights, she had a hard time to hide from her mate what his brother was feeling, especially since Kaden's emotions amplified hers. At the beginning of the night, she'd be in a somewhat lusty haze, the morning would come bringing with it grim satisfaction coming from Kaden's side of the bond. Obviously he somehow had found relief and even though she had told him that they couldn't take this further, those were the moments she wanted to sink to her knees and bawl her eyes out in jealousy and heartbreak.
Leave aside the fact that she had no idea how Jaden would take the news of Kaden being bonded to her, she wasn't sure how her entire race would react if she'd now start something with Kaden, too. Almost instantly she put a stop to her thoughts, because it was a treacherous road she was walking down. It could risk everything Jaden and she had worked out over the last few months.
That night, Maya wasn't sure she could deal with the grim satisfaction, so instead of letting him hurt her, she knew she was going to break his heart instead. All it took was one sentence that she wouldn't even have to say to him directly.
“Stay with me tonight?” she asked and elation spread in Jaden's body and through the bond. It made his eyes sparkle even while he cautiously looked at her.
“Do you mean that?”
She wasn't surprised that he was suspicious of her offer. Usually he went home after returning Maya to hers safely. It made her feel guilty for pushing him away most of the time.
“I feel a little drained,” she explained, stopping so she could let her fingertips touch the chest she had been desperate to feel all night. Even if he wouldn't be able to bring her any relief, she really wanted to get naked with him and lick him all over. It was a weird impulse, one she hadn't had in a good while, but it felt nice. It was the right thing to feel. In fact, it should be the only thing to occupy her thoughts with. Not that this would ever work for her since there was a second twin, hovering like a dark cloud over every little bit of happiness.