Destined (War of the Covens 2)

Ryder, on the other hand, had gotten to know them as much as he could over the last forty-eight hours. Vil was a quiet, staid, young warlock who was extremely protective of the fragile creature who never left his side. He told Ryder bits and pieces of his life growing up in a household where his elder brothers were respected soldiers in the Center’s First Unit. Fighting wasn’t really in his blood; in fact, he couldn’t quite wrap his head around this inane war, as he called it, and while home for his break, he’d come across Laila.

She’d escaped from a Midnight army base under Ethan’s control. She wouldn’t discuss what had happened to her there, but it was enough to cement a loathing in her blood for the Midnights. Vil had found her starving to death and had hidden her and coaxed her back to health. During this time, they fell in love, and she convinced him he should take her back to the Center so she could learn to fight for the Daylights.

Marita had her thrown in the containment center almost immediately. Marita had then dismissed him, sure his had not been an act of disloyalty but naivete, and in the end, he had helped her apprehend a Midnight. Vil had been trying to find a way to break Laila out of the prison ever since, but he didn’t have the power a magik needed to do it, and he didn’t trust anyone at the Center to help him.

And then Caia had come to him, “like an angel,” he described softly, making Ryder smile. The little witch had that effect on people. Caia had said she could feel Laila’s goodness, was adamant the girl posed no threat to the Daylights. She wouldn’t stand back and let the girl suffer. Vil had believed her since he had no one else in which to place his faith. And the rest Ryder knew.

It was hard to imagine the gentle creature that gazed so adoringly at Vil could cause anyone harm, but he knew how deceptive they could be.

Atia and Adriana Vang had proven that. But Caia believed, and strangely, he did too.

Jaeden, on the other hand, was not so quick to trust.

“Why isn’t Jaeden with you?” Julia asked, seeming amused by his proposal.

He locked eyes with her so she wouldn’t suspect him of lying. “I felt this was something that I ought to do alone, man to … parents.” In truth, she was reluctantly watching over his guests at his apartment while he moved their potential mating along a little faster.

Julia swallowed a chuckle, her eyes dancing with delight. “Well, I’m all for it.”

Dimitri glared at his wife. “We just got her back.”

“And you think denying her the right to a mating ritual with the man she loves will entice her to stay?” Julia huffed.

Dimitri pinned Ryder to the wall with his eyes, his nostrils seeming to flare with steam like a bull getting ready to charge. And then, just like that, the air deflated out of him and he threw up his hands in surrender.

“Fine!” he snapped. “You have my blessing to mate with my only daughter … you bastard.”

Ryder whooped jubilantly and grabbed the big guy in a hug. Dimitri half-heartedly growled and slapped him, hard, on the back, sending him over to Julia who was the next target for his joy.

“Now you have to wait for Lucien,” his soon-to-be father-in-law reminded him.

Ryder’s grin refused to desist. “His return shouldn’t be long now. Then we can get straight to the mating … err … ritual.”

Dimitri glowered.

“Uh.” Julia giggled nervously. “I think you better leave, Ryder. Now … like, right now … righ—LEAVE!”

He was out the door like lightning, Dimitri’s snarls snapping at his behind until he made it to his car.

The witch still made her uneasy, despite Ryder’s defense of her. Jae knew the girl didn’t look like much, but Midnights were slippery, vicious creatures who knew how to get under the skin. She sat stiffly in a chair by the window while Vil and Laila snuggled on the sofa, munching on the snacks Jaeden had brought with her. The reason why she was here made her smile softly, wondering if Ryder would get the answer they both needed.

“You know, you don’t have to be afraid of us.” Vil’s serene voice penetrated her musings.

Jaeden snapped to alert and grunted, “I’m not afraid of you. Her … not so sure of.”

Laila’s huge blue eyes widened as she looked up and over at Jaeden who felt an unexpected twinge of guilt at the hurt she saw shimmering there.

“I would never hurt anyone,” she whispered.

Vil shushed her, squeezing her closer, soothing her pain.

Why can’t I shrug the guilt? Jae growled at herself, looking back at Laila. The Midnight was still staring at her, and as their eyes locked, Jaeden saw something in the magik’s that was intimately familiar. Familiar … because that haunted look had once reflected back at her every time she gazed into a mirror.