Destined (War of the Covens 2)

“Uh, hello,” he called to her back, and she heard his pounding steps catching up to her as she neared the truck. “Retrieving you, and saving you from imprisonment, was a very important job.”

She turned back to him, smiling sweetly. “But hardly the job of a Rogue Hunter.”

“I’m not a golden retriever.”

“No? What’s that bell around your neck?” She pointed innocently to his throat.

He grimaced glancing down, which sent her into hysterics.

“You looked! You actually looked! I can’t believe that—”

“Get in the truck,” he growled and stomped around to the driver’s side.

She chuckled happily, jumping into the cab and twisting to face him as she buckled herself in. “What’s the matter, Ryder? Can’t take a little teasing?”

He snorted and glanced up at her from under his enviously long lashes. “Oh baby, I can take a little teasing. But you just made this a war.”

She chuckled. This was going to be a looong drive home.

But at least he would be too distracted to ask any uncomfortable questions along the way.

Well, well, well, Marcus thought, watching as the lykan climbed into the truck with her mate. This was turning out better than he’d thought. Marcus had tailed the tall female wolf from the city, following the scent he’d found at his dead girlfriend’s body before the sun destroyed any evidence of Cora’s existence.

He’d thought to capture the lykan, torture her—perhaps even show her how a man of his species showed a female a good time.

But this was better.

Much better.

The lykan took his female …

Before Marcus killed her, he’d just have to kill her mate and make her watch while he did it.

And there was no doubt in his mind that the brawny male lykan escorting her out of the motel room was her mate.

He waited five minutes before jumping into his car and following their exit. He’d refreshed himself with the female’s scent by breaking into their room and sniffing her clothes. He’d be able to tail them until their next stop …

And then he’d make his move.

7

New Friends, Old Acquaintances

Caia was in awe. The fact that some of the students in the huge hall were clearly uncomfortable with her presence didn’t dispel how excited she was to be watching young magiks and faeries learn communication training from their elders. She could feel Marion beaming beside her, Caia’s apparent enthusiasm rubbing off on the older magik.

“Have you watched enough, Caia?” Mordecai smiled. “You want to try?”

That morning, she’d opened her guest room door to Marion, a perkier Marion than Caia had ever encountered—eager, Caia was beginning to realize, to show off her protégé. Apparently Lucien had already gone with his escort to check out the Second Unit. At first she felt a little anxious about being separated from him, but now she was too caught up in the activities of the Center.

Their first stop was to pick up their “tour guide,” Mordecai. A stocky, bookish magik in his late twenties, he had kind eyes and an easy smile. From his warm reception, Caia was guessing Marion had not only picked him as her escort because he was a powerful water magik but because he obviously didn’t care that Caia’s mother had been a Midnight.

She beamed like a little girl. “Can I? I mean, I wouldn’t know where to start.”

He chuckled, enjoying her keenness as much as Marion was. “Well, we’ll keep it simple. You haven’t seen much of the Center, so the farthest we can allow you to travel is from here to your guest suite.”

Butterflies awoke in her stomach, churning her breakfast. “Wow. I want to, you know, but … those guys make it look easy. I’m guessing dematerializing and rematerializing isn’t exactly popcorn?” She drank in the bright room, watching as magiks and faeries popped in and out at the quiet instructions of their teachers. As if sensing she was about to attempt the spell, some of them stopped what they were doing, along with their instructors, to stare at her. She could make out what the closer ones were whispering to one another.

“She doesn’t look like much. What is everyone afraid of?”

“I can’t believe they let her in here. What if she’s a spy?”

“I heard she eviscerated her uncle without any remorse. Apparently she was smiling while she did it. Ugh.”

“I think we should give her a chance. If Marion says she’s trustworthy, then she’s trustworthy.”

Caia drew in a shuddering breath, finding solace in Marion’s face.

“I don’t know what you’re hearing with those ears of yours, but block them out, Caia.” Marion smiled gently. “Mordecai will talk you through this.”

“But they’re all watching.”

“Yes. So? Just forget them. And remember, it can take many, many attempts to pull off your first travel. No one here”—she sneered around the room, as if sensing their disapproval of her for bringing Caia—“has ever done it their first time.”