Destined, p.24
Destined, page 24
They wondered aloud as to what Magnus and Ella could’ve been talking about, but their worries were so focused on Vilhelm and Laila, they were already at Ryder’s with still no clue. Ryder threw open the door with a huge, relieved grin and clapped Lucien hard on the shoulder before dragging Caia into a tight hug. She suppressed a laugh at the feel of Lucien’s hand on her waist, drawing her forcefully out of his friend’s grip and tight to his side, possessively cupping her hip.
At first Ryder stumbled back, a little confused, and then his expression cleared, and he whooped, “All right, about time!” and held out a hand to Lucien. Caia looked on as they did their manly handshake and hugged quickly, a hug that was mostly battering of hands on each other’s back.
“Congrats, guys, really. Very relieved.” He grinned and then gestured for them to come in. “Actually.” He followed them down the hallway to his living room. “I have some news of my own.”
Caia’s view was blocked by Lucien as he entered first, and she was surprised at the soft sound he made as his pace picked up, striding deeper into the room. Her eyes widened as she glimpsed Jaeden before she was swallowed in Lucien’s tight hug. Her pulse leapt. It had been a long while, and she and the real Jaeden hadn’t really spoken since her rescue. Caia glanced anxiously at Ryder who gave her a reassuring smile. His focus returned to Jaeden and a feeling rippled out of him. Caia caught it on the air.
“Ryder,” she said, disbelieving at the intensity of it. “Jaeden?”
His eyes widened as he realized she comprehended the truth. “How did you know?”
“Know what?” Lucien asked.
Caia locked eyes with Jae, feeling awkward and useless. There was a time when she had thought of this girl as the greatest friend she’d ever had. It was difficult to remember now if there had been any truth in that, and what she felt toward her likened to grief.
Jaeden appeared to not know what to say either, her body rigid at first. And then she visibly relaxed, surprising Caia by hugging her, if a little awkwardly. “Cy, good to see you.”
Caia smiled. “You too. You look great.”
“Know what?” Lucien growled.
Jaeden giggled, a sound Caia never thought to hear from her again, and then danced into Ryder’s arms, kissing him affectionately. “Ryder and I want to be mates.”
Lucien’s emotions veered from gobsmacked, to confusion, and then delight when he realized his friend was serious. He’d never seen Ryder look at anyone the way he looked at Jae, obliterating his predictions that Ryder would be a perpetual bachelor. Sitting on Ryder’s sofa, he and Caia watched and listened as Ryder and Jaeden told the story of their return to the pack. Lucien grinned at Caia as the two of them bickered like an old mated couple. They didn’t even have to ask if he would give them permission to have a ceremony, and anyway, Ryder probably would’ve killed him if he didn’t.
Lucien was not surprised, however, to hear that Dimitri was having a difficult time with the idea, considering Jaeden had only just returned to him. As his attention fell on his own mate, he was glad there was no waiting involved to be with her truly, as there was for his friend. It still amazed him how easily Caia had come to him when he told her he loved her, and ever since, he had to stop from kicking himself that he hadn’t said it sooner.
Knowing what the Hades was going on in a female’s mind had never been his strong suit.
As Caia laughed at something Ryder said. It had been a long time since he’d seen her look this happy.
At that, a darkness, like a silent snowfall shrouding his world of color and warmth, settled over him, sending chills across his skin.
She’d better enjoy it, he thought somewhat bitterly. This battle she wanted to wage against Marita to win the war was going to siphon that happiness out of her. He was terrified for her. That the majority of Midnights could be misunderstood was inconceivable, but Caia saw it, felt it, and he believed in his mate.
A flare of pain radiated from his chest. He believed enough to drag his pack into a coup against the Head of the Daylight Coven.
“Lucien?” Caia was gripping his hand.
He blinked away his contemplation and found the three of them staring at him in concern.
“You okay, man?”
“Fine.” He shook it off gruffly.
“You looked a little put out, that’s all,” Ryder said.
“I said I’m fine.”
Caia squeezed his hand and then released it, turning to Jaeden with a curious smile. “So, this Reuben character?”
Ryder growled and spun away from Jaeden, his body bristling. Obviously, the vampyre was a problem for his friend, Lucien concluded. He could relate with the whole possessiveness thing—a genetic defect of their species, if you asked him.
Jae hid a grin at Ryder’s attitude. “Yeah, there’s not much else to tell except that he’s here, offering his help—”
“Sticking his nose in,” Ryder interrupted.
“No. Being a friend. He and Ryder don’t exactly get along. Especially since my attempted kidnapping the other day.”
Lucien flinched like he’d been hit. Why was this not the first piece of information relayed to him upon his return. “What?”
His friend’s face reddened with anger as he glared back at Lucien. “Yeah, someone tried to snatch her off your grounds. I got there with Reuben just in time. The vamp chased the person into your woods but lost them.”
“Did you see what they looked like?” Caia asked, her face drained of color.
Jaeden shook her head, her lips pinched. “They were apparently dressed in black. Another kidnapping attempt. I’m beginning to think someone doesn’t like me.”
“The Midnights?” Lucien asked Caia, immediately regretting his accusatory tone.
She snapped up off the couch with a disdainful look. “I would’ve felt it if it were the Midnights.”
Jae crossed her arms over her chest defensively. Her eyes, which just moments ago had sparkled happily, were narrowed, trying to mask her vulnerability. “Well, maybe you missed something. Can’t you double-check?”
Caia bit down on her lip as all three of them stared at her in expectation, and Lucien detected the shudder that ran through her body. “Caia, no pressure,” he assured her.
“I’ll check. I’ll be back in a second.”
When she was gone, Lucien skewered the two of them with a look. “Ease up on my mate.”
“You just like saying that, don’t you?” Ryder grinned. “My mate.”
“That’s beside the point. There’s a lot going on that you aren’t aware of.”
“Oh, like the Midnight Ryder’s keeping in his guest bedroom for Caia?” Jae asked dryly.
He had no idea how the two of them had found out that Laila was a Midnight, and no idea how to explain the situation to them. More than that, however, he was curious as to why Ryder would keep Laila under his roof if he was aware of her heritage.
“How did you find out?”
“Reuben.” Ryder curled his lip in distaste at the mention of the vamp. “The guy is weird, Lucien. Knew little Laila was a Midnight right off. I think you should interrogate him.”
“Oh, there will be no interrogating of anybody,” Jaeden snapped, “except perhaps Caia. We’ve been waiting for what seems like weeks for an answer to why she sent a Midnight to us and how she knew Laila was a good guy.”
His ears perked. “So you believe Caia?”
Jaeden snorted. “Have you met Laila and Vil? There isn’t a bad bone in that girl’s body, and I don’t have to be a tracer, or whatever, to know that. Plus, she told me what the Midnights did to her. If anyone has a reason to go AWOL and join the other side, it’s that girl.”
“What happened to her?”
She shook her head, her face taut with restrained emotion. “That’s her private business.”
Lucien scratched his cheek, bemused. “I’m shocked. I thought when we told you, I’d have a battle on my hands convincing you Caia is right.”
Ryder shook his head, sitting back down beside Jaeden. “Nah. Little Laila is a sweetheart. Anyone can see that.”
Hmm, he wasn’t just talking about little Laila.
“What about other Midnights?” Lucien ventured tentatively.
“What do you mean?”
Their expressions changed often as he told them about Caia’s certainty that the war as it stood made no sense, considering there were Midnights who did not believe in the destruction of other supernatural races. And then he broke the news of what Caia had found in the basement of the Center. They listened attentively, their eyes round with disbelief and fear.
“Wait a minute,” Jaeden choked out when he was finished, “Caia’s going to usurp Marita?”
“Well”—Caia’s voice caught hold of Lucien like a hand at the back of his neck—“when you put it like that, it sounds crazy.”
“Cy.” Ryder stood. “Are you serious? Are you really going to the Council to do this?”
At first, Lucien detected the uncertainty in her face. Then she looked at him, and he could tell she was remembering what he told her about confidence. She straightened her spine and swept her hair off her shoulders. “Yes. I’m completely serious. It’s the only thing to be done.”
Jaeden snorted. “Oh yeah, ’cause there aren’t any other options here. It’s too risky, Caia.”
“You would rather I aid Marita in killing hundreds of thousands of innocent people?”
“Innocent according to you.”
Caia’s eyes softened. “It wasn’t a Midnight who attempted to kidnap you. And these people aren’t my uncle, Jaeden.”
“How dare—”
“I don’t mean to upset you. And yes, many of the older families abhor us. Some are just following a faith—it’s a religion to them—while others think it’s moronic and xenophobic. There are Daylights who are beginning to feel the same way. But there are also little kids being experimented upon, and the only way I can get to them is with some major political backing. I can win this. We can win this.”
“We?”
Lucien cleared his throat. “I’m in this with her, which means the pack is. If you don’t want in, you leave the pack.”
Ryder grinned at him. “Final word of the Alpha, huh? You know I’m completely in, right?” He nodded to Caia. “I’ve seen this girl in action. My bet is on her.”
“Jaeden?” Caia asked tentatively. “I know it’s not the war you thought you’d be fighting. It shocked me too. I want to go back to everything being black and white, but it won’t. There are no other options.”
He watched Jae as she turned to lock eyes with Ryder. Whatever passed between them drained the tension from her body, and she turned to Caia. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but … fine. I believe you. I’m in. I won’t stand by and let her get away with this.”
Caia nodded, only a slight curve to her mouth betraying her relief. “Good. I guess that means it’s time for me and Lucien to check in on Laila and Vilhelm. I need Vil to take me to the next Council meeting. It’s in two weeks’ time. Actually, you guys have done me a favor.”
Ryder smiled. “How so?”
“I can use your mating ceremony as an excuse to stall returning to the Center.”
Lucien chuckled. “Crafty.”
“Nice to be of help,” Jaeden said wryly.
Caia jumped at the sound of a door slamming and turned as Vil slowly entered the living room, his hand tangled in Laila’s. The girl looked much healthier than the last time Caia had laid eyes on her. Caia would even go so far as to say she looked radiantly happy. Ryder and Jaeden really must’ve been treating them well.
“Caia?” Laila asked Vil.
Vil smiled at Caia and nodded.
The next thing Caia knew, the girl had her delicate arms wrapped around her, hugging her close.
“Callan.” Laila eased away from her, her eyes shimmering with gratitude. “There are no words to thank you for what you have done.”
Caia’s whole body thrummed with a golden peace at Laila’s proximity, and once more that intangible quality in her trace flummoxed her. The girl was like sunshine and air, her presence so relaxing and sweet, Caia couldn’t believe anyone could ever wish her harm.
Uncomfortable with the gratitude, Caia shrugged, considering she now needed a favor from Vil.
“It was nothing,” she mumbled and held her hand out behind her for Lucien, knowing he would understand. At once she felt his warm, calloused hand engulf her small one, and her breathing eased. It was wonderful, after weeks of feeling alone, to finally trust someone, to be able to lean on him.
“It’s good to see you again, Caia.” Vil smiled warmly at her. “I was afraid something might have happened to you.”
She shook her head. “The attack went forward with the MacLachlans. We dealt with it.” She didn’t want to think about that night. “You should know that Marita can’t pick up your trace.”
The two magiks frowned, glancing at each other questioningly.
Caia grimaced. “I guess that means neither of you know why.”
Laila floated back to Vil’s side. “No, Callan. I’ve heard only a very old supernatural can mask their trace, and Vil is just a boy.”
“Nearly a man,” he mumbled, drawing her close and puffing his chest out a little. Caia tried not to laugh.
“Why are you calling Caia Callan?” Lucien asked in his usual tone, which to outsiders could sound a little reproving.
“Looks like I’m interrupting,” a new, unfamiliar voice greeted from behind Vil and Laila.
They moved out of the doorway to reveal a tall, good-looking young man with dark hair and eyes. His youth could be attributed to his cool, unkempt appearance, the dark jeans and black T-shirt, the silver thumb ring on one hand, the tattoo on his forearm, the silver coin fashioned onto thin black rope around his neck, and the small ring pierced through his lower lip. He had a dangerous bad-boy quality, and suddenly Caia understood why Ryder didn’t like his involvement in Jaeden’s life.
The vampyre looked around the room at them all and then his gaze fell on Caia. Despite his clean-shaven, wrinkle-free face, when Caia met those eyes, she felt as if she was looking into depths that had seen the world in all its forms many times over. The youthfulness combated a confident control she’d never before come across.
“This must be the famous Caia,” he said, approaching slowly.
Lucien didn’t tense beside her, making her question whether she’d really seen the eerie fascination in his gaze, or if she was just being paranoid.
Jaeden stood between them and smiled anxiously as she introduced him.
“Lucien.”
He greeted Reuben amiably enough, holding out a hand. Reuben shook it with a friendly languor and turned back to Vil and Laila. “I don’t know if you’ve been formally introduced, but guys, this is Lucien, Caia’s mate.”
“How did you know they’re mates?” Ryder asked defensively.
Reuben gestured to their clasped hands. “Body language.” He turned to Lucien. “I overheard your question to Laila. You should know that Callan means flowing water. Laila’s people consider it rude to call anyone of importance or wisdom by their first name, so she’s calling Caia Callan, by her element, a sign of deep respect.”
Laila smiled at him, nodding in agreement.
Caia blushed.
Ryder sputtered, “How the hell do you know that?”
The vampyre gave Ryder a taunting smile. Caia was with Ryder on this one. Something was off about the guy. “I did a little research after I met Vil and Laila. Found out a bit about their customs and such.”
“Why?”
Jaeden sighed. “Ryder …”
“It’s fine, Jae.” Reuben waved her off. “I just like to know who we’re dealing with.”
“We?” Ryder said. “Since when does this involve you?”
“Since he was made aware of Laila’s existence,” Lucien’s voice rumbled with authority and a hint of annoyance.
Caia’s head ached with the thought of involving another outsider in her plans. And this particular outsider, she wasn’t so keen on. She tugged on Lucien’s hand. “Reuben should stick around for now.”
The vampyre played with his lip ring, his fangs prominent. “Is that a request or a demand?”
“A demand,” she said with quiet dominion, surprising everyone, including herself. But Lucien was right. If she was to pull this off, she had to act like a leader. Unfortunately, part of that meant laying down the law. “We can’t take the chance of you leaving and telling anyone about Laila.”
“He wouldn’t,” Jaeden assured her, “believe me.”
Reuben straightened, his face free of amusement now. “Trust Jaeden. I’m her friend, which makes you all my friends. I don’t betray my friends.”
We’ll see.
Caia managed a nod, feeling exhausted. “Okay.” She smiled at Laila and Vil. “I think I really need some sleep, but I will come by tomorrow to see you both. We have a lot to discuss.”
“Wait.” Ryder clapped a hand on Lucien’s shoulder as they made to leave. “What about me and Jae? Our mating ceremony?”
In a perfect world, Jaeden and Ryder should’ve had plenty of time to plan a ceremony, but it would be best if they were mated before things went to Hades. Somehow Caia managed to convey this message to Lucien, and he promised Ryder they would talk about it in the morning.
“Good night, Callan,” Laila called sweetly as Caia and Lucien left. Caia’s face flooded with color again as she thought of what Reuben said.
Lucien chuckled. “Looks like you’ve got a devoted follower for life.”
“She’s just grateful.”
He shook his head as they climbed into his truck. “You were right. I can’t believe that girl is a Midnight. She’s as threatening as a butterfly.”
“Yeah, well, Marita had her locked up as if she were Ethan reincarnated.”
He made a sound of disgust. “I knew I didn’t like that witch.”
The house was dark when they returned, Ella and Magnus having retired for the night. The thought of bed sounded amazing to Caia as she dragged her body upstairs. Lucien’s hand was steady on her back as she shuffled down the hall to her bedroom. When she stopped at her door, Lucien grunted in amusement and took her by the elbow, leading her farther down the hall.
