Ascended (War of the Covens 3)

“We missed you.” He pressed her back, glowering at Reuben. “You have some explaining to do.”

Caia could see trouble brewing. “Where is Lucien?”

“In his room.” Magnus continued to glare at the vampyre. “He wants to kill this one.”

“Oh, he can’t do that,” she rushed, her hands fluttering nervously. “I need to explain to him before he sees Reuben …” She trailed off and huffed at the blank expression on the vamp’s face. He wasn’t concerned in the least.

“Magnus,” she growled between clenched teeth, realizing she was the only one anxious about the situation, “can you take Reuben into the dining hall while I find Lucien? And please promise you won’t let anybody try to fight him. I know he doesn’t look like much.” She smiled sweetly at the scowl Reuben threw her. “But he can snap any one of us like a twig in under a second.”

Magnus huffed but agreed. He gave Caia directions to Lucien’s room, and she watched silently as they disappeared into the dining hall. She exhaled, brushing her hair off her face. Seeing a mirror hanging on the wall by the entrance, she rushed over to it and gave herself a quick once-over. She wanted to look cool and aloof but instead she looked short and tired. Grunting, she turned away and headed up the stairs.

As she neared Lucien’s room, she could taste his scent in the air and her ears perked up, hoping to catch sound of him. What she did hear made her heart stop, and she paused outside his bedroom door, her fingernails making crescents in her skin as she balled her hands into tight fists.

“So you’re just going to forgive her?” Rose snapped on the other side of the door.

What the Hades was Rose doing in his bedroom? Caia felt an overwhelming desire to scratch the female’s eyes out and while she was at it, throw a good kick to where it would hurt Lucien the most!

“Rose,” he said, quiet but determined, “we’ve been over this.”

“I know, but I’m still your friend, Lucien. I’m concerned. You can’t just forgive her for leaving you, for lying to you—”

Is that how he saw it?

“She’s going to hurt you again and again because this war means more to her than you or the pack.”

Bitch!

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Lucien growled.

Yes! Thank you!

“I’m not trying to piss you off, Lucien. I’m trying to save you some heartache.”

At the dawning silence, Caia had had enough. She pushed open the door with enough force to send it slamming back against the wall and had to stop herself from flinching under the crash it made.

She hadn’t really meant to make that dramatic an entrance.

Lucien gazed at her wide-eyed, and as he noticed her pointed glances between him and Rose—Rose who was stroking his cheek affectionately—he flushed, realizing how it looked. “Caia …”

She shook her head. All this time she’d been in turmoil, and he’d been letting the redhead cozy up to him in his bedroom suite. She glared at Rose and wasn’t surprised to see hatred in the lykan’s eyes. Jealousy was a powerful emotion. She should know.

Caia huffed, drawing her arms across her chest. “Looks like I wasn’t too greatly missed, huh? Jeez, Lucien, you work fast.” She seethed.

If she hadn’t been so angry, she would’ve been amused by how flustered and panicky he got, pushing Rose away from him. “It’s not how it looks.”

“It looks like Rose has been trying to replace me. It looks like she’s in your bedroom … alone … with you.”

He made to move toward her, but Rose pushed him back, turning on Caia in an instant. “You’re the one who walked out, so don’t accuse him of things you know nothing about.”

How dare this … this … this person speak to her like she had business being involved in her and Lucien’s … well … business!

Caia walked slowly toward her, her eyes spitting fire. “For starters, I was kicked out. And as for you, what goes on between me and my mate has nothing to do with you, so I suggest you get out before I lose my temper.”

The air around Caia crackled and sparked, and she felt the urgency of her power pleading for release as it tingled excitedly in her fingertips. Rose’s eyes widened, and she looked up at Lucien for help. His lips pinched and he pinned her with a threatening look. Taking the hint, the lykan fled the room, dodging Caia, clearly afraid of her.

When she was gone and the door was closed firmly behind her, Lucien crossed the room to Caia but stopped so there was enough obvious distance between them. “That really wasn’t what it looked like.”

Caia shrugged as if it didn’t matter when they both knew it did. “Whatever. You wanted to see me, so I’m here.”