Set In Flames (Morningstars Book 1)

by Sam Destiny

  “I’ve been locked up a lot in my recent years, and I thought that Jaden might be my salvation. I was slightly wrong. He was nothing I thought him to be.” A bitter feeling rose up in her throat and she hugged herself. It had been a while since she had seen the guy that was supposed to become her mate one day.

  “I don’t know Jaden very well, May. Kaden, Ryder and him are a pretty tight unit.” She had heard that before and still she wanted to hug Red because he wasn’t trying to feed her some line about how amazing Jaden usually was. “He did save my life more than once though. And if you asked me; if you were my girl I’d take you away and keep you in my house,” he offered, surprising a laugh out of her.

  “You wouldn’t,” she replied and he grinned, guilty.

  “True, I’d be too afraid to hurt you. A mate for me wouldn’t be good at all.”

  He shook his head as if he never before had contemplated that thought. Maybe it was because there hadn’t been a Queen. Maybe it was because he thought Fate wouldn’t allow him to have one.

  “I’m sure you heard that already, but my mother is like you… Only not as sane,” she explained quietly, staring at her hands.

  “Your mother deserves death, May, for everything she has done to you.” The glow returned to his eyes as his anger came.

  “Hey,” she said softly, reaching out to touch his hand. He stared at the skin contact as if he expected Maya to go up in flames. “I know she’ll get what she deserves. I hope that once I changed, someone will take the time to show me how to defend myself. Until then though I’m here and don’t need to fear her,” she explained and still Red stared at her hand.

  “You really aren’t afraid of me, are you?” he wanted to know and she gave him a smile.

  “Miles, I’ve seen monsters and I’ve seen good men. You don’t belong into the first group. You belong to the latter,” she told him with a conviction that came deep from her soul.

  He surprised her by first leaning in to kiss her on the forehead and then by kneeling in front of her. He bowed his head, taking a deep breath.

  “My life before yours. I will always protect you, my Queen. You’ll be truly amazing, May!”

  She was speechless and guessed that he hadn’t expected an answer anyways, because he stealthily moved to the door, leaving the room with an expression that surely mirrored her own. After a few moments Maya decided to head out into the game room. She wasn’t ready to spend yet another night alone.

  Jaden didn’t even know why he was back in MSP. He hadn’t visited that club in over a year; simply because at some point cheap sex had turned into a sport he no longer wanted to be good at. Tonight though he needed to forget.

  He thought about finding a drunken human. If she really was buzzed up, his buzz would be much quicker to come, too. Besides, he wanted to bend some brunette over a bench, do with her all the things his torturous mind had cooked up about Maya.

  He wanted to grab her hard and take her against a wall because he couldn’t get to a bed fast enough.

  He wanted to pull her hair while he took her from behind.

  He wanted to make love to Maya for a full night, missionary style, just because it meant he’d be able to look into her purple eyes all the time.

  He couldn’t do all those things though and he needed some human woman, cheaper than a prostitute, because they gave their bodies for free.

  His gaze swept through the dark club, making him remember too well the night the club had been emptied because one bartender or the other had been beaten to a bulb in the back.

  The owner didn’t mind what visitors did to each other, but when someone as much as grabbed a bartender’s ass he went bat-shit crazy. Not that any of those girls usually minded. It was easy to see by the way their breasts all but fell out of the top.

  He had slept with no less than ten of MSP’s bar-chicks throughout the decades.

  “Hey there, handsome,” a girl said, her words slurred by too much alcohol. She should be on her way to bed in her home already, but it suited Jaden fine that she wasn’t.

  The voice was wrong, but her hair had about Maya’s length and she wasn’t much taller than his Origin. She’d do just fine.

  “Back corner,” he ordered and she instantly went ahead. Her smell almost made him sick because she wore too much perfume, but that was bearable. Anything would do to hide the smell of the guys that already had been on her tonight. And by the bite marks on her neck he’d say he was third now.

  She wanted to go under his shirt the moment they reached the corner, but he pushed her hands down. Wearing a shirt was his newest tick. Even though Maya wouldn’t know, he did it for her. His chest was hers after all… Just like everything else about him belonged to his Origin only. It didn’t keep him from trying to get her off his mind though.

  “I am not here to cuddle with you,” he told the barfly and she only nodded, getting her hands on his pants.

  In the almost dark corner of the hallway it was easy to imagine Maya being that woman.

  As long as she didn’t speak he could see what he wanted and his imagination seriously was good. He always had been amazing at lying to himself.

  Her kindling with his pants started to annoy him, so he grabbed her and pressed her chest forward against the wall. His need to bite her had vanished the moment he had seen her other bite marks, but he still wanted to take the edge of his need.

  “I’m gonna fuck you hard and fast now, you hear me? You better be ready,” he growled into her ear, pressing his whole body against hers to make sure she had nowhere to go.

  “I’m so wet for you, handsome,” she purred and he closed his eyes, moving his lips close enough to her ear so she’d feel him speaking.

  “Do. Not. Make. Another. Sound.” She nodded instantly and he pushed up her skirt, one hand buried in her hair. He immobilized her as well as he could, not wanting her to turn back to him.

  She either didn’t wear her panties anymore or she had come without right away. It didn’t matter to him.

  Just when he was ready to get down to action, his phone rang and he cursed, intending to let the voicemail pick up, but it just kept ringing and ringing again.

  “Fuck,” he growled, pulling it out.

  It was Lex. He had no idea when the mind reader and he had become the It-couple, but he picked up nonetheless.

  “You might want to get here, Jay.”

  “Kinda busy,” he replied.

  “Trying to fuck a woman so you don’t need to admit that you are in love with Maya? I don’t care. Get here.”

  Something in Lex’s voice had Jaden pack away his dick before moving towards the door of the club.

  “What happened? Is she okay?”

  “She fell asleep in the game room and was tossing and turning. I don’t know what she was dreaming, but eventually she fell and hit her head on the corner of the coffee table.”

  “What in the world was she doing in the game room? You all were home! Why did Colbin allow it?” Jaden wanted to know, not being able to believe that his girl had been among all the warriors; being sweet and innocent and the cutest thing ever.

  “She wore that fucking sweater of yours for days after you brought it over a week ago. She thought if she maybe stayed in that room you’d come by. She stayed awake at night for that, too. I guess seven days is a long time to be alone, so eventually she gave up hope… And your sweater. Is that enough of a fucking back story for you to return? She won’t let anyone dress her wounds, Jay, and she’s bleeding all over the carpet,” Lex snapped, but Jaden already was running.

  “Don’t let anyone touch her,” he brought out.

  “Are you even listening to me?” Lex screamed and Jaden just hung up.

  Sometimes he wished the myth was true and they really could fly; but of course that wasn’t possible.

  He reached the base twenty minutes later, hoping that by now Maya at least wasn’t bleeding anymore. The club was just too damn far away, but he had worried about one of his fellow w
arriors catching him in whatever act. Basically what just had happened, only face-to-face.

  The smell of Maya’s blood made him freeze in the door like almost always and he cursed, pushing forward. It was overwhelming and he didn’t need anyone to tell him where she was. He simply followed her smell back to her bedroom where all his brothers-in-arms stood, looking both hungry and uncertain.

  “Just let me put something on it,” he heard Lara say.

  “Get out. All of you. I’m not gonna let you come close to me. I know how it is with vampires and blood and even though it might hurt you when you just sip, the bite still will sting like a bitch. Just go, I’ll be fine! I’ll clean up and… Just go!”

  Jaden heard the panic in Maya’s voice, surprised at the fear she hadn’t shown ever before. She trusted those boys, he was sure of it. She especially trusted Lara.

  His eyes found Lex and there was an expression of agony on his face. Maya obviously wasn’t guarding her thoughts now.

  Whatever it was that spun through her mind, Lex hurt for her.

  “Hey, let me through,” Jaden said quietly and the group parted for him. Before entering he gave them all a look, saying without words that they needed to get lost. When the shuffling ended, he turned in the door, finding Maya glaring at him in fury.

  He didn’t care though. Her light blue sweater was drenched in her precious blood and he had a hard time calming himself down. He wanted to rush her to a hospital, get someone to check her out, but it was too risky.

  She was weak; it was obvious by the way she was swaying every time she didn’t hold onto the bed.

  “Let me help you,” he whispered and she stepped back whenever he moved towards her.

  “What gives you the impression I’m gonna let you come close? You are the only person who could drink me dry without needing to worry. I know how vampires react to open wounds. I know that they can’t resist,” she screamed, panic overriding the fury again.

  Hunger was the last thing Jaden felt. His heart was breaking for her and he just wanted to make her all right. Unfortunately only one thing came to his mind, and that required subduing her.

  Without a warning he was behind her, biting his wrist to press it against her lips. She struggled; he held on tighter. She needed to get his blood into her system and it would be better almost instantly. She’d be healing much quicker.

  Whenever her head wound started to close, he let her go, stepping away. She didn’t turn, just standing in front of him like a frozen statue.

  He went into her bathroom, getting a washcloth so he could clean her skin. She’d need to change, but at least she wouldn’t be in pain much longer. She’d be fine in a minute.

  Her eyes didn’t leave him as he cleaned her cheek and then her neck, afterwards gently rubbing her fingers free from the red liquid.

  He had no idea what she was thinking, but her still posture made him worry.

  “I’m okay,” she said woodenly as if she had read his thoughts. Relief poured through him and she shook her head.

  “It’s incredible,” she whispered then and he stilled. In his worry he had reacted on impulse, not thinking consequences. Now he remembered that even a little blood could mean her transition was jump-started.

  And, what was even more worrying, she could feel what he was feeling.

  Her body began to tremble and he wondered what she was thinking. Maybe it was shock settling in.

  Before he knew it though she had slapped him and he staggered back a step. She wasn’t that strong, but he was that surprised.

  “You man slut! I cannot believe that you’d… But then again, I can. I shouldn’t be surprised. Do I have her blood in me, too? That woman?”

  She was seething with anger, obviously wanting to hurt him and he welcomed her anger even while he wanted to kiss it all away.

  “You reek of cheap female again. Is that your preference? I’m surprised you didn’t fuck me then that day, when you clearly declared me a whore, too. How could I ever think you cared? Just because you brought me a sweater? Made sure my room was warm? You probably simply felt the need to mark your territory,” she snapped and he knew that now stepping closer wasn’t a good idea.

  He checked her head wound, being glad that it was almost closed. Any concussion she would have suffered would be gone soon, too. She’d be okay.

  Releasing a breath he couldn’t stop the smile from stealing over his features. He had missed looking at her so much.

  “I cannot drink anyone’s blood but yours,” he calmly said. Admittedly, it was a fact he hadn’t thought about earlier, either, but now it was back crystal clear in his head.

  “How can you be so content? Will that be our life? You sleep with any woman available while I sit here and wait?”

  “You’d feel better if I bring them back? Maybe we can share, you know?” he taunted and she swallowed hard.

  "Why in the world do you do that? What makes you so happy about being cruel to me?" Nothing, he thought and then lowered his head. She would misunderstand everything he'd say and feel, but he couldn't change that.

  "I'm not, Cupcake, and you know it. I just wish you'd stop making life about us. You have yours and I have mine," he snapped, not looking at her again because he just couldn't see her pain. Plus, very soon she'd have a life because that now hardly classified as such.

  "How about we just skip that all, huh? The whole turning? You will never have to come close to me and feel responsible. That better?" Her face went fully blank and it scared him that she could appear so unaffected.

  He wanted to beg, throw himself on his knees and ask her to understand his dilemma. Not that she could. Not that he'd tell her. Not that he'd ever beg.

  "You know what really hurts?" he wanted to know and she picked up a brow, making him think that she could give Elsa from the Disney movie Frozen a run for her money.

  "Why should I care?" she replied, turning away from him and then suddenly throwing his sweater at him with preternatural speed. Obviously her vampire side had kicked in again. "Take that shit back. I don't think I want anything from you anymore. I'd cut off the fucking lines on my back if I'd be more agile, so I'd never have to be reminded of you again," she then added, no longer looking at him.

  He finally had what he wanted all along: She was done with him. All of the sudden that was not such an appealing idea anymore though.

  Maya was glad he couldn't feel what she was feeling because then he'd know how much her whole body was lying right now. Pure power of will and most likely the remnants of Jaden's blood in her had made it possible to calm her heart down enough to not give anything away. Her voice was flat because she felt dead and lost. She knew that she'd never be able to face him without breaking all over.

  This needed to end tonight.

  "And still, the scars would never go away and you'd be thinking of me the moment you take your dying breath," he whispered, almost fooling her with his broken tone.

  "It would be a reprieve from the life you tainted worse than my mother ever could have," she gave back.

  "Maya..." Her name leaving his lips sounded like a prayer, a broken cry and a plea all in once.

  "Get out," she mumbled, carefully putting all her mental barriers up. If Lex would get just an inkling of what was going on inside of her, he'd have locked her up for real this time.

  She knew Jaden stood close to her for a long time, not moving. She knew because she could see it in the reflection of the window. Finally, almost reluctantly, did he move, leaving her alone.

  It was still nighttime, which gave her two hours of feeling sorry for herself before she'd forever change the course of her life.

  Kaden hesitated before opening the door to Maya’s room. Jaden had returned from the base with more anger and pain on his face than Kaden had seen in a long time. There was no word to get out of him and so Kaden had figured he could at least check up on Maya because if his brother looked like that, there was no telling how the little Origin would feel.

 
Kaden didn’t risk knocking because he didn’t want to draw any attention to them, but he opened the door a bit, taking a deep breath.

  “I’m coming in, Maya. We need to talk,” he called out quietly, finding it weird to say her real name, but he needed her to understand that this was going to be a serious talk and not a friendly visit.

  He entered, turning his back to his brother’s Origin while very carefully closing the door. Maybe, just maybe, no one would have taken notice of him being there.

  The moment he was facing Maya though his head was all but empty as she jumped into his arms, pressing her lips to his. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been in full body contact with a woman. Usually they were on their knees to do him a little favor. In fact, he couldn’t remember his last kiss, either, but even if, this one would replace all the ones before… and it would shine above all the ones coming afterwards.

  It took a moment for his brain to catch up and realize that he should be pushing Maya away. Instead he struggled with the female plastered to his body.

  “No,” she sobbed, placing butterfly kisses all over his face. “No, no, no!”

  Finally he regained his wits, peeling her off him. She looked up, her tear-stained face pale, hopeless.

  This time Jaden seemingly had fucked her up more than he had realized. He had left a broken girl back at the Morningstar base.

  “Please, it simply can’t be true,” she whispered, more tears streaming down her cheeks as she resigned to whatever thought was playing in her pretty head.

  “Share. What’s going on?” Kaden pleaded, framing her face gently before leading her over to the bed to sit down with her. She instantly moved up against the headboard, hugging a pillow close.

  “Jaden says it’s DNA; that there is nothing but DNA determining a bond, but if that would be true, why don’t you glow with me? Why can’t I burn with you?” she wanted to know and he watched her face. He doubted that it was that simple. Or maybe with twins it worked on a first-come-first-serve base. He really had no idea because he never had heard about twins finding a mate. In fact, he didn’t even know about other twins being Morningstars besides them.