Destined (War of the Covens 2)

“Unnecessary. You sure? Why. Are. You. Still. Here?”

The vampyre moved farther into the darkening backyard, his face tilted toward the sky. “For Jaeden. I want to make sure she’s okay before I leave.”

“She’s fine. She’s got me.”

Reuben chuckled. “As if you’re enough against what’s coming.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

The vamp seemed to remember himself, and he shook his head, a smile of apology on his lips. “Nothing.”

“It wasn’t nothing. What the hell is coming?”

Holding up his hands in surrender, Reuben approached Ryder slowly. “I didn’t mean anything you don’t already know. I know about Caia, that’s all. Jaeden told me everything. I can keep a secret. But we all know that Caia’s presence in this war is only the beginning of the end of a very old story. The penultimate episode is encroaching, and the action in that is always as bloody for the minor characters as it is for the major ones in the final. Who knows how bad it will get. Jae—all of you—will need all the friends you can get.”

The vampyre brushed past Ryder and into the house, leaving him feeling unsettled. That guy was so weird.

Sighing in frustration, Ryder turned and followed him back into the house. Immediately he went on alert at the silence that greeted him and raced toward the sitting room to find Jae. She was there, safe and sound with her family and Reuben, but everyone was gazing toward the doorway on the other side of the room where a familiar being leaned against the doorframe.

Saffron.

“What’s going on?” he demanded, striding into the room to stand by Jae.

Saffron’s mouth twisted into a moue when she saw him. “Ryder.” She heaved a sigh. “I should have guessed you would be here. Always sticking your nose in.”

He ignored that, knowing her propensity for childish argument rather than getting to the point. “Why are you here?”

She seemed surprised by his complete disregard of her attempt to rile him but straightened and stared at Dimitri. “I’m here to kill two birds with one stone. Lucien wanted to convey a message to the pack and find out if Jaeden was returned safely home.”

“I’m Jaeden.” She wiggled her fingers at the faerie.

Saffron rolled her eyes at her. “I’m aware. I killed the spy who was pretending to be you.”

He bristled at her blasé tone and the way the blood drained from Jaeden’s face. He growled in annoyance, as did Dimitri.

The faerie raised a delicate eyebrow. “Was that insensitive?”

“Just a little,” Julia said.

“Sorry. Old habits and all that. Anyhoo, she’s safe and sound and hunky-dory. I’ll tell Lucien. And Lucien wants you to know that the attack against the MacLachlans has been stopped by the Regent of the Midnight Coven. However, he and Caia will be remaining at the Center for a few days more while Caia considers a position Marita has offered her.”

Position? Ryder shook his head in confusion. What the hell kind of position would Caia possibly consider taking after she had promised Lucien she was staying with the pack? That didn’t sound right.

Something was up.

“Position?” Reuben asked quietly. Ryder frowned, wondering why the vampyre wanted to know.

Saffron blinked, and Ryder was sure he saw a flash of familiarity flit across her eyes as she stared at Reuben. When he stared harder, however, all he found was the polite mask frozen on her face whenever she was talking to a stranger … hell, when she was talking to anybody.

“What position?” the vamp repeated.

Ryder was surprised the faerie didn’t take offense at Reuben’s authoritative tone. “Leader of some elite force of lykans, apparently.”

“What?” Ryder snapped. “That doesn’t make sense.”

“I’m surprised anything makes sense to you, what with your brain being the size of a peanut.”

Jae growled and stepped toward the faerie. “Watch it, Tinker Bell.”

Ryder smiled smugly at her protectiveness and the look of astonishment on the faerie’s face.

“That’s the thanks I get for unmasking the bitch pretending to be you?” She sulked and looked back at him. “Well, the little ones will be double the morons when you two mate.”

“Hey!” Julia took offense.

Saffron grimaced. “Looks like I’ve outstayed my welcome, then.” And just like that, she disappeared.

“What a snotty—”

“Pain—”

“In the ass,” Dimitri finished.

He rushed from the bathroom at the sound of his cell ringing and snatched it up, his heart faltering at the caller ID. What had happened now?

“Nikolai. Problem?”

The Russian sighed down the line. “Why do you think so? You’re always looking at the bad in everything, Kirios.”

“Something has happened.”

“Da. It’s that insect du Bois.”

“I thought you handled that.”

“So did I. He’s more powerful than I realized, and his hand reaches further than I thought.”

“Where is he?”

“I can only imagine at this moment he is on his way to attack the MacLachlans.”

“Then Caia knows. She’ll be preparing for war.”

“Da.”

“Do you not realize how disastrous this is, Nikolai?”