Ascended (War of the Covens 3)

He shrugged numbly, refusing to look at her, feeling little more than a young boy lost.

“Dear Gaia,” she gasped. “You think she’s going to change her mind. You only kicked her out ’cause you don’t believe she’ll go through with it.”

Ten points for wolf girl. Of course he didn’t believe Caia capable of killing innocent people. The only thing holding him together was that hope. And he wasn’t letting go.

He nodded in reply. “I kicked her out hoping that would stop her. It hasn’t, but … I have Reuben’s phone number. I’ll check in with him to make sure she’s alright. And then—”

“And then what? Be there when she changes her mind?” She shook her head sadly. “Jeez, Lucien … even if she does miraculously decide not to take out the Septum, do you honestly think she will ever forgive you for letting go of her so easily?”

Her question caused his throat to close, and he felt the unbearable need to swipe at something with his claws outstretched. Finally, he pinned her with his own penetrating look.

Fight fire with fire.

“You really think if you keep pushing Ryder away, he’ll still be there when you realize what an idiot you’re being?” He shouldn’t have enjoyed the way she paled, but the animosity between them egged him on. “Yeah, I didn’t think so,” he whispered with a smirk.

“You’re a jerk.”

“Misery loves company, sweetheart.” He shrugged, speaking the truth.

She gave a pathetic half growl before jumping toward him with an animation she hadn’t shown in a while. “OK, so … you didn’t actually mean to kick Caia out, right?”

“Right …”

“Then let’s go get her. All of us. Let’s do this together.”

He shook his head. “I told you, I’m not dragging the pack back into this. Plus … for the hundredth time, I don’t agree with what she’s doing.”

“But you love her?”

“Yes.”

“And you want to protect her?”

“Of course.”

“So let’s just you and I go. We’ll go get her. Keep her safe.”

He sighed, running his hands through his hair in frustration. Why was Jae doing this? She was making him feel bad … it was like kicking a puppy, for Gaia’s sake. “I can’t. I can’t leave the pack alone again.” He cursed, feeling his anger at his mate building. “And Caia knows that! No. She made her choice. I have to make mine.”

He watched her shoulders slump, the dim light in her eyes dying. There was more to this for Jae than she was letting on, but getting it out of her would mean nothing short of torturing her. He could only hope she came around on her own.

After a few minutes of silence, he shrugged. “You still up for that run?”

“Do I get to bite and hit you?” She snapped up from her chair and crossed the room to the exit.

He sighed and followed her out the door. “Will you ease up on the verbal assaults if I say yes?”

“But they hurt more.”

“True. But I’m sure you’ll find more satisfaction taking your frustration out on my hide rather than coming up with new caustic witticisms to scar my soul.”

“Well there, see … that’s where you’re wrong.”

17

A Lair, a Girl, and a “Hell, No!”

Incense flooded her nostrils and clogged the back of her throat. She fought hard not to cough, not wanting to offend Reuben. But the place really did smell bad.

Reuben grinned back at her. “The incense covers the odor.”

Caia frowned as they walked down the dark, narrow hall and approached the doorway covered with a beaded curtain. “What odor?” she whispered to Saffron who glided beside her.

Saffron glowered at Reuben’s back. “You’ll see.”

Curious as to the dark look Saffron had thrown Reuben (who as far as Caia could gather was technically her boss), she followed the vamp through the red-beaded curtain and came to an abrupt halt at what she found on the other side.

Saffron nudged around her. “Caia,” she prompted.

But Caia was in shock. They stood in a cramped living room where old, worn-out sofas and beanbags took up most of the space. A TV flickered in the corner where a couple of people sat watching it hypnotically. Soda and beer cans littered the floor, and spilled chips and cookies feathered with mold kept them company.

The mess wasn’t what shocked Caia. It was the humans—three, to be exact. And the three vampyres who were sucking blood out of the humans’ necks and wrists. More shocking were the moans of pleasure escaping, invisible oh’s and ah’s from the mouths of the humans. And the odor was the coppery headiness of blood mixed with sex.

Caia made a face. Lovely.

Caia realized two people in front of the TV were also human. One of them turned and noticed them, his eyes flaring wildly at the sight of the intruders. He scrambled to his feet, his eyes wide with panic as he rushed to the female vampyre on the couch sucking on some guy’s wrist.