Hunted (War of the Covens 1)

Not once did Lucien touch her; it was almost as if he was afraid to. Instead, he encouraged her and smiled proudly at her accomplishments like any Pack Leader might. When she pounded a branch like a spear into the thick trunk of a tree, she pretended it was Ethan she was obliterating, soothed by the sounds of splintering wood and Lucien’s snort. He was impressed with the speed and power she could put behind her telekinesis.

It seemed like years before she fell into the blackness of sleep, and as soon as she got there, her mind fought to be free.

“Please,” Jaeden whined, pressing her body against the back of the cage.

“How many times do I have to tell you, you mangy mutt, that begging won’t get you anywhere?”

Caia had her face pressed against the cage, could hear those awful words tumbling from her own mouth. But no, it couldn’t be. It hadn’t been her voice; it was cold and clinical and decidedly male.

“I can’t breathe,” Jae whimpered.

Anguished, Caia tried to push her arm through the bars to reach for Jae, but her arm wouldn’t move. Instead her other one came up and gripped a bar. She looked at the hand and gasped, even though no sound came out of her mouth. The hand was large and elegant, but masculine.

“We wouldn’t want that, would we?” the cruel voice taunted. “I still need you alive, after all.”

His hand let go of the bar and he flicked his wrist, sending a flare up into the cage’s ceiling. It burst into beautiful light and then filtered down like golden petals. As it touched Jaeden, her eyes closed, and her breathing normalized as she fell asleep.

“Sleep well. Tomorrow it’s going to start all over again.”

“NO!” Caia tried to scream and rip his body away from Jaeden, but he wouldn’t move. Desperate and terrified, she kept screaming for him to get away from her friend, but not once did he acknowledge her presence.

“Jaeden!” she screamed hoarsely.

“Caia.”

“Caia.”

She was being shaken all of a sudden, and finally she was able to move her body. Her eyes flew open and she was back in her room. Lucien had a hold of her, gripping her arms. Ella stood in the doorway, fully dressed, but her hair was wild like she’d been sleeping.

“Are you all right?” Ella came forward.

Caia blanched, embarrassed, as Lucien eased her back against her pillows. “Was I dreaming again?”

Ella glanced anxiously at her son. “I wouldn’t call that dreaming, honey.”

“I was calling out?”

Lucien looked back at her and for the first time, she realized he was half-dressed, his muscular torso bare and gleaming in the faint light from her bedside table. He at least wore jeans, merciful Olympus.

“Calling out?” he asked hoarsely. “Caia, you were screaming so loud and hard, I nearly had a heart attack.”

“I’m sorry.”

“What happened?” Ella pressed a comforting hand over hers.

But Caia didn’t get a chance to answer. Lucien turned to his mother, towering over her. “I’ll make sure Caia’s okay.”

Ella must’ve read something in her son’s face because she just nodded, pressing a motherly hand to his arm. “I was just going over to Irini’s.”

“At this hour?” Lucien frowned.

“She called.” Ella sighed. “She’s lonely and upset without Aidan. Newlyweds separated and all.”

Was that admonishment in her voice? Caia frowned as Lucien tensed. “He’s needed elsewhere.”

“Magnus could have gone in his stead. I’ve been comforting him because he feels useless.”

“I need him here.” Lucien stood firm, obviously annoyed at having his decisions questioned by his mother.

Ella didn’t reply, just smiled at Caia and left the room, closing the door behind her.

Lucien blew air out between his lips as he eased onto the beside her. She scrambled for equilibrium, leaning against the headboard.

“Your nightmare?” he asked softly, his silver eyes fierce.

It was Caia’s turn to exhale. “It was horrible. Like I was inside Ethan, hearing what he was saying and doing.”

Lucien grasped her wrist all of a sudden, his eyes blazing. “Do you know where he is?”

She wrestled her wrist free. Every time he asked her that, she felt more useless. “No.” She didn’t mean to snap. “I don’t.”

“What did you see?”

She swallowed the burning lump in her throat and managed to meet his eyes. “He was sending Jaeden to sleep because she was in so much pain. But he plans to do the same thing to her tomorrow … all that … torture. He burns her, Lucien. Tears her skin with flames and gets off on her screams.” A ferocious look fell over her face. “He’s not just some soldier on the wrong side of a war. He’s darkness and perversion, completely devoid of a soul. Just being inside his mind is a violation.”

Lucien tried to shush her but she shook him off, her green eyes huge and pleading. “No! He’s sliced into every inch of her body with fire, and she bears it. When I should. It should be me in that cage, not Jaeden. Me!”