Destined (War of the Covens 2)

“Getting me home at a decent hour would accomplish that.”

He jumped out of his truck. “Come on, I’ll just be one second.”

Jaeden hopped out of the passenger side and came around to meet him as he walked toward the main door of his apartment building. As he was driving Jae home from their unbelievable night together, Ryder remembered the toolbox Dimitri had asked to borrow. He detoured, thinking it prudent to do everything he could to be a dutiful son-in-law. Jaeden was still teasing him as he put the key in his door and pushed it open.

Immediately he felt something unfamiliar in the air, and his arm flew out, pushing Jae behind him, shushing her with a finger to his lips.

She nodded, telling him she understood.

Slowly, they crept down the hall and turned to stare into his living room. In the dark, they could clearly see with their wolf eyes the two figures huddled together by the window. Their body language didn’t suggest menace. Curious and furious at the same time, Ryder hit the switch and flooded the place in light, eliciting a high-pitched squeal from the girl. The boy blinked in fright, holding the girl closer.

“Who the hell are you?” Ryder growled, hoping to scare the truth out of them. Jaeden seemed to sense what he had—they weren’t a threat—and pressed a halting hand on his arm.

The tall boy edged a little closer, drawing strength from somewhere as he straightened his shoulders, bracing himself. “We’re from the Center. Caia sent us.”

Well, that he hadn’t been expecting.

“What?” Jaeden asked.

“I’m Vilhelm, this is Laila.”

They were Scandinavian by the look of them, and by the boy’s accent. Ryder glowered, bewildered by their appearance here.

“Sit down,” he ordered, ignoring Jaeden’s continued attempt to make him be nicer to their “guests.” Obediently, the two fell onto his sofa, and he felt a twinge of regret at his tone when the girl cowered as he strode toward them.

“Why would Caia send you here?”

The boy looked quickly between the two. “You are Ryder?”

“Yeah.”

“Caia said to come here. That she trusted you.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“She’s a Midnight.”

They all swiveled around at the voice, and Ryder narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

Reuben.

“What the Hades are you doing here?” he snapped.

Even Jaeden gazed at him warily. “Reuben?”

The vampyre moved fluidly from the hallway to stand by her. “I came to speak with Ryder.”

“Maybe we should leave.” The boy stood abruptly, his eyes now wild with fear, his grip on the girl white with intensity.

“No.” Ryder gestured them back and then glared at Reuben. “What do you mean she’s a Midnight?”

“Please,” the girl whimpered.

Ryder’s mind whirred. “Reuben?”

“I can feel it.”

“I thought only the Head of a coven could feel trace?” Jae interjected.

The vamp shook his head. “I don’t have trace. I can’t find supernaturals. But I can feel whether one is a Daylight or a Midnight when I’m in the room with them.”

“How freaking old are you?” Ryder snapped, not for the first time.

Reuben’s gaze was fixed on the young couple. “I don’t think she means any harm.”

Jae turned to Ryder in equal bewilderment. “Why would Caia send a Midnight to you?”

The boy shook. “She told us not to tell you Laila was a Midnight … but now that you know”—he threw a skeptical look at Reuben—“I will explain.”

What followed was a tale Ryder couldn’t believe he was hearing. Caia rescued this girl from a Daylight prison because she believed the Midnight was good? Were they kidding?

“You expect me to believe this?”

Vilhelm held strong. “She should have been following us, but I got the impression before I left to get Laila that something had happened. I swear I’m telling you the truth. Caia just wanted you to keep us hidden until she returns.”

“To hide you from the rest of the pack?” Jae asked.

Vilhelm nodded. “For now.”

Ryder growled. They all seemed to have forgotten one thing. “And what about Marita? Surely she would just follow your trace here?”

However, the magik shook his head. “She will not know it was me until they scour the Center. It would take enough time for Caia to return.”

“But Marita will still find you here.”

“Caia intended to protect us from her.”

WHAT?

He felt a rush of inexplicable fear, fear that something beyond his belief and capabilities was occurring.

“Does this mean,” Jae whispered, “is Caia … turning against Marita?”

Good question.

“Caia is kind, good.” Vilhelm shook his head vehemently. “I’m a Daylight, and I believe what Marita did was wrong.”

“But she’s a Midnight!” Jae spat, glaring at the girl, despite how weak she appeared.

The boy twisted his face in disgust at her outburst. “And that gives you all the right to condemn her?”

“But, but …” Jae spluttered, mirroring Ryder’s own turmoil. It was like they were on the high seas, being rocked violently from side to side, waiting for the boat to overturn.