by Destiny, Sam
Maya needed to avoid thinking.
“Little Star,” Kaden whispered and confusion slammed into her, making her gasp. Whatever had been wrong with Kaden just a few seconds ago obviously no longer was wrong. “What did I do?” he then added barely perceptible. Maya took another step towards him and Kaden raised his hand.
“Do not touch her,” Jaden called out and then stood by her side in the blink of an eye. “Are you okay, Kade?” Her mate's tone was cautious, yet Maya could hear the worry laced into his voice.
“I'm kneeling here as if I need to be judged. What did I do?” Kaden asked again and then looked up at them, self-loathing burning in his eyes. Maya wanted to touch him so bad, it was a physical task to keep herself from reaching out.
She looked from the guy that appeared to be more a fallen angel and less a broken warrior towards the man that hopefully held all the answers in his palm. Maya couldn't say how to proceed, but Kaden wouldn't budge until he had answers and it was clear on Jaden's face that he was lost. He was the one following orders, not giving them. He always had been the perfect little fighter.
“Inside, now,” she finally decided, making sure her voice left nothing for discussion.
“I don't think Kaden should be around you,” Jaden remarked the same moment his twin stated something similar.
“I think Kaden shouldn't be anywhere but with us. I don't have any freaking idea what just happened, but I will not let him run around covered in blood, with wounds that don't heal nearly as quick as they should when neither of us has any idea what's wrong. I wouldn't do it to you, handsome, and I won't do it to him or any other warrior showing up on my door step like that,” she declared, looking at both of them. They just nodded and Maya knew that she needed to tell Jaden about the bond between her and Kaden as soon as possible. Taking his hand as they turned to walk back inside as she tugged him back.
“We'll meet you in the kitchen,” she told Kaden, finally reaching out to gently touch his shoulder. It surprised Maya to realize that this almost instantly eased some of the tension running through his body. “I'm not afraid of you, Kaden.” The outrage was palpable in her voice and he gave her a weak smile, doubt swirling like a dark cloud through their connection.
Once they were alone, Maya turned to her mate, moving as close as she could. First, she needed the contact, and second, she didn't want to speak any louder than necessary.
“That wasn't Kaden coming to my door,” she started, finding no other way to get to the topic. Jaden just cupped her cheeks, kissing her deeply. His worries were eased with that one kiss and Maya was glad about that, even though it felt as if this would be her last kiss ever with him. Nervousness twisted her stomach into a knot until she wanted to puke.
“Hey,” he whispered, curling his fingers around her chin so she'd look at him again. “Just spit it out already.”
Maya swallowed. The fear of losing him almost made her chicken out, but then she steeled herself. She was the Queen and if she didn't have the guts to do what needed to be done, who would ever save her race?
Jaden saw the resolve cross Maya's face and he knew that he wouldn't like what she was about to say. At the same time he couldn't help but be glad that finally he'd know what had been bothering her for months.
“I love you, Jaden, more than you could imagine. The last few months with you were ...” She trailed off, shaking her head as a wistful smile crossed her lips. As tears entered her eyes, he gritted his teeth, wondering if he'd be able to keep a promise if he had no idea what was coming at him. He had sworn to himself that he'd never again break a promise he had given her and he wanted to stand by that no matter what.
“Don't,” she pleaded as if she guessed what he was about to say. Maya placed her lips on his finger, making him shiver. Why did that feel so much like a goodbye, it made him want to run before it got it that far?
“Just say it,” he urged another time.
“It wasn't Kaden coming to the door. In fact, I only felt you coming to the door when I should have felt you both,” she whispered, leaving the sentence hanging between them. Utter heartbreak came from her and she no longer stood close to him while Jaden's mind still worked through the implications.
He and Maya were mated, so of course she'd feel him, but she and Kaden didn't have a bond. “How?” he asked and she didn't need clarification.
“You were about to die. I was about to die.” She moved a few steps, the velvet of her dress brushing against the marble of the floor. For a short moment darkness descended over the room and it wasn’t the material coloring the floor red, but Maya's blood, dripping from a cut on her back.
“Jaden?” He shook his head, clearing it of the horrible images. There it was, white marble, red dress. “Are you okay? You were freaking terrified just a second ago,” Maya whispered, moving closer, yet hesitant to touch him. He reached for her hand, kissing her palm.
“You were about to die,” Jaden prompted, his mind a clutter of thoughts. “And stop playing games. Just say it straight,” he instructed.
“The moment she and you bonded, I got a tattoo. That in return led us to believe that she could have my blood. It was just our luck, because otherwise you and her would be dead.” Maya closed her eyes as Kaden came back in the room, obviously losing his patience. “It wasn't her fault. She fought me tooth and nail and she made it clear to me that she loved only you, but still, she almost died. Jaden, there was no heartbeat. I couldn't let her die.” There was a plea in Kaden's voice. His twin needed him to understand, and finally Jaden did.
“You are half way mated,” he stated, but Maya instantly raised her arms in a gesture of protest.
“No, we are half way blood-bonded, not mated,” she insisted and Jaden could see her flinch as pain crossed his brother's features. “You are twins. One person. You are exactly the same. This is a flux of nature, of fate.”
“You didn't glow with him or we'd have realized that before,” Jaden mumbled, trying his hardest to find a way out of what they were saying.
“It was only your blood and mine mixed that made my body recognize Kaden as belonging to you ... to us. It's the cruelest of jokes fate can play on anyone,” Maya whispered, sounding hallow. It was how he felt.
“It wasn't her fault. She didn't want any of it. Neither did I. But she'd be dead now and you'd be alone. I couldn't have you break over her death,” Kaden interjected and Jaden looked from him to Maya. They stood in a fucking triangle and wasn't that just damn ironic?
“I can't lose you,” Maya sobbed, her slender hands shaking. “And we can't fight about this now, because I said earlier that wasn't Kaden kneeling on my doorstep.” Jaden almost laughed out loud. He couldn't help but feel betrayed and sadly beaten. It was as if his body already had resigned to what it knew as the truth here: Maya had wanted Kaden from the beginning and, wonder of all wonders, she could have him. Jaden needed to get out.
“She fucking loves you, brother! It's not her fault. She got thrown into this damn hellhole fate calls a love triangle the same way we did. You don't think we'd do everything to take this back?” Kaden asked, moving in his way as if his twin guessed that Jaden was about to storm out.
“Maybe you should have thought about that before taking her damn blood,” Jaden snarled and then was startled as his twin just laughed darkly.
“I haven't had blood since before you and her fulfilled your mating. I wouldn't ask her for it and I sure as hell don't think she'd ever give it to me, either.” Jaden wasn't sure he heard right, even when the evidence was clear in his face: His twin's wounds still weren't healing. He definitely needed blood.
“Touch him,” Jaden barked. He needed to see it with his own eyes.
“Won't work, I don't see you and her glowing, either. Never did,” Kaden replied, sounding exhausted. He didn't have a right to sound like that. No one was about to take his Origin from him.
“Jaden.” Maya's voice was weak, hopeless. It almost sent him to his knees. “He stayed away because of i
t. He has been with other women because of this. He tried everything. I tried everything. All we have left to do is kill him ourselves or let him vegetate through the centuries. Either way, giving him my blood is not an option because...”
“ ... Staying away would be so hard then? Or do you actually have honor and feel bad sleeping with two guys at once?” Jaden taunted, knowing that he was being unjust. He couldn't help it though. He felt betrayed. The worst part though? He didn't feel betrayed by Maya or Kaden.
He felt betrayed by fate for having given him the most amazing Origin, only to take her away for someone far better suited.
Kaden felt his blood boil. No matter what Jaden thought he knew or didn't know, talking to Maya the way he did was not an option. He took a breath, but Maya shook her head.
“Please, don't.” His body almost instantly went into lock-down. An Origin's plea had never before affected him, but he had seen it work on Jaden. Grinding his teeth, Kaden lowered his eyes.
“Impossible,” Jaden gritted out, but his voice was filled with disbelief. “I gotta get out.”
Kaden didn't need to have a bond with Maya to know she was destroyed on the inside as Jaden brushed past her and vanished out the door.
“You gotta stop him, Maya. Don't let him go! He's your mate. Don't let him be stupid,” Kaden fussed.
“That what you love you need to let go. Only if it returns is it truly yours,” she replied, her voice flat. She hugged herself and Kaden wanted nothing more than to hold her, but he knew it was no use.
“I'm gonna go and find him,” he decided, but Maya suddenly stood in front of him, pressing her palm against his chest.
“You stay. Whatever there is between Jaden, you and me has to wait until we know why you aren't you,” she decided, meeting his eyes.
“What do you mean?”
“Kaden, I felt it. The place where I should have been feeling you? There was nothing.” Only then struck him the words she had said earlier to his twin.
“What in the world makes you think I've been with other women?” he wanted to know and her eyes clouded with a new wave of sadness.
“I know you think the bond fades if it's not being renewed, but Kaden, I took so much of your blood that it won't fade or get weak. I'll always feel what you are feeling, and I could feel the arousal you felt, or the grim relief at the end of the night. I could never sleep through such intense feelings, so please, don't even try to lie to me, especially not tonight. I cannot take it.”
Kissing her was probably the last thing he should do, but Kaden couldn't help himself as he framed her face and kissed her forehead with all the longing he felt. Once he stepped back, he paled though. Bloody handprints marred her beautiful features and he instantly started rubbing over the spots until Maya grabbed his arms, pushing him away with angry tears in her eyes.
“Stop touching me, Kaden!” It shattered him to see her glare at him. “You think I care about that blood on my face right now? No. I care to know where it came from. What happened? What is wrong with you? Until we find that out, you will not be going anywhere, even if it means I have to guard you myself.”
Kaden followed her with his eyes as Maya made her way to the stairs leading up to the first floor. “What about Jaden?” He worried about his brother because, after all, he was the second broken corner in their weird, twisted triangle.
“Let him get over the hurt. There's no use in talking to him now. We betrayed him and it cut him deep, deeper than we even guessed. Nothing you or I can say will make it better, so just let him be,” she pleaded, hanging her head.
There was nothing, absolutely nothing he could do and that almost killed Kaden on the spot.
Cany was shaking like a leaf in the wind. She hated that Ryder was sitting next to her and luckily, the twins had kept Maya from joining them.
“Maybe I should stay back too. That back there didn’t look too good,” she remarked, pointing with her thumb over her shoulder. Truth was, Cany had no idea which direction the mansion was.
“You aren’t going back. She told Jaden,” Ryder said curtly and Cany turned in her seat to face him, a scowl on her face.
“And you know that how?” she snapped and Ryder didn’t even spare her a glance. He was tense and Cany wondered why. It couldn’t just be the twins, but then again, they used to be close friends.
“I saw the way Maya was looking at Jaden. She kept touching him as if she knew he wasn’t going to stick around. She didn’t once look at Kaden even though she probably thought about him just as much as she thought about Jaden,” Ryder gave back and Cany swallowed. She had only seen the couple exchanging gentle gestures. She hadn’t even thought more about it.
Panic took her over, making her hands tremble for a different reason than before. “Take me back. Now, Ryder. Please. She’ll be hurt. Jaden will be hurt. I don’t think he’ll stay! Please, Ryder! Let me check on her. I need to see her. Please,” she begged, touching his arm and hating herself for noticing how his corded muscles jumped under her touch. She wished Ryder wouldn’t wear a long-sleeved shirt because even that little material appeared too much. Shaking her head, she told herself to get a grip.
“We’ll see your parents tonight, Cany. Don’t think I didn’t notice how you hope to get out of this. You pale every time we talk about it. I need to know what’s going on,” Ryder explained, just hitting the gas stronger. They were still going away from her Queen and towards her family home. His expression was taut and she settled back in her seat.
“It’s nothing. Why should something be going on? I just want to invite them to the masquerade, maybe have my mother come for the dancing lesson. She loves dancing,” Cany mused, watching his expression go soft. It surprised her.
“Stop looking at me,” Ryder mumbled, a smile playing around the corner of his lips. Cany couldn’t. He was beautiful. His long dark lashes brushed against his high cheekbones whenever he blinked. His lips were full, the upper one smaller than the lower one and yet Cany wanted to nibble on it. Grinding her teeth against the impulse, she turned away, knowing that those emerald eyes next to her were sparkling now.
“I didn’t,” Cany declared and then rubbed her knuckles over her brow. She was nervous, more than she would have ever admitted and Ryder’s white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel just intensified it.
Too soon he parked the car in front of the house Cany luckily didn’t live in anymore and he killed the engine before turning to her. How such a big guy could fit into a Ford Mustang was still a mystery to her. In fact, he seemed to take up all the air she so desperately needed.
“You can tell me now what’s bothering you or I’ll find out inside. Cany, I’m here to protect you and I can’t do that if I don’t know what we are walking into. You’re the Queen’s first courtier, and I’d like for it to stay that way because otherwise Maya’s gonna have my balls for breakfast.”
“Eww,” Cany commented at that rather disturbing image. “I have serious doubts that Maya wants to come into such close proximity to you,” she smiled, but then sobered again. “Please, I’m in no danger at all. This is my home … used to be my home. They are just…”
The white front door opened before Cany could finish. Her mother stood there, small and slim, while Ryder and Cany watched in silence how the wind picked up her mother’s ebony curls, blowing them around her slender face. Ryder glanced out of the front window up at the darkening sky. “Wow, look at that storm outside,” he commented, as it only got worse, twirling dead leaves and fallen twigs around. Cany took a deep breath, trying to calm her mood, which stood in stark contrast to her mother’s face, a mask of calm and pale like a Greek statue.
“I imagined her to look a little friendlier,” Ryder mumbled in surprise. Cany couldn’t help but wonder how he had imagined his first meeting with her parents to go. She snorted as she realized that she almost sounded as if she was taking him on a date instead of having him protect her. In a gesture that probably was meant to ease her tension, Ryder reached out
to brush a curl over her shoulder. She felt his fingertips even through her light leather jacket and in that moment, she wished she could be leaning in now, brushing her lips over his and just drawing strength from that little contact, but she couldn’t. She would never be able to follow through with that.
“Let’s go,” Cany said, opening the door while carefully trying to extract her dress from the confinement. “Mother,” she smiled, bowing to her like she had learned from an early age on. There were no hugs in Cany’s home, at least not between her and her mother. Dear Creator, why did Cany crave physical contact the most in these moments when she saw the tiny woman that birthed her?
“Hurricane, good to see you.” It was a lie. Cany could hear it in the strained tone of her mother’s voice and could see it in the taut lines on her face. If Ryder was surprised by the hostility and her real name, he didn’t let on. “Come in, why don’t you? And pick up that dress before you ruin it.”
Cany found herself wishing she had succeeded in going alone, wishing that Ryder wouldn’t bear witness to more exchanges between her and her mother, but he stood there, a looming shadow with a bad scowl on his face. Cany felt as if she was five all over again and it made her want to cry.
Jaden entered the Morningstar compound, feeling as if he never before had walked those halls. For a fleeting moment, he considered that this most likely was what Maya had felt once she realized his betrayal. What grim irony it was that he now felt exactly the same way she had felt. He recognized the feelings, remembered them from the time Maya was alone in that new mansion of hers, defeated and broken. It was how he felt. He had lost her for good now, and couldn’t do a thing about it.
“Look who suddenly remembers his warrior friends!” Jaden knew the comment was meant as a joke, but he still turned to Lex, wondering why no one had ever bothered to so much as breathe anything about that secret to him, one so big it could shatter a lot of worlds. The mind reader’s expression sobered and Jaden noticed that he had forgotten to guard his thoughts. Then again, he wasn’t really in a talking mood anyways. The dark haired fighter cocked his head, rubbing his palm over his black buzz-cut hair.