by Sam Destiny
“Jaden would break if you’d no longer be his,” he whispered, hating himself for finding a tiny part in his heart that hoped she could be his instead.
Maya’s sarcastic laugh broke his heart. “Sure, he’d break his habit of pretending I don’t exist. He’d come here; telling me he knew right away it was nothing but genes. Why can’t I be yours, Kaden?”
To that Kaden had nothing to say. He had seen how Maya and Jaden were together, and he knew it was destructive for both of them. Up until seeing Maya now, hearing her pleading and witnessing her desperation, he had thought Jaden had feelings for her, too, but if that was true, then how could his brother have hurt Maya so much? Kaden hated doubting Jaden, but he simply couldn’t change it. Unfortunately, Jaden wasn’t all Kaden suddenly doubted. Fate made no mistakes, right?
Chapter Six
Leaving probably hadn't been the smartest idea if your body still switched between being incredibly fast and incredibly normal. Now it decided that even normal wasn't slow enough.
Her knees where shaking and she could barely hold onto the bag she was carrying. The effect Jaden's blood had taken on her was long gone and she sank down into one of the chairs she found at the train station she now had picked as her destination for the day.
Not such a smart decision, either, because she had no money to go anywhere and walking down the road to stop some trucker was even less a possibility.
"Smartest kid ever," she scolded herself, going through her hair with shaky hands. Her skin started to tingle and she shook her head. She knew what that would mean, but wasn't ready to acknowledge it.
Leaving the base during the day had been her only chance because she'd be safe from vampires of any kind. And she never had heard of vampires and humans working together. Yet, someone was watching her in broad daylight, coming essentially closer, if her freaky vampire senses were any indication at all.
"Now, why don't you get up, girl? I think you and I will be very close friends, meaning you will walk out of here with me," a warm, not at all unpleasant voice suggested and Maya hid her face in her palms.
"How about you just move on to the next girl?" she suggested and then felt how a hand was placed on her shoulder. She instantly tensed.
"Maya, I think you definitely want to go with me. Or do you rather want me to prove to you that I can hurt about every human in this hall?"
Finally she raised her head, finding a handsome guy about her age looking at her. He wore a short white jacket and well-fitting blue jeans. Any other day, any other time and no Jaden in her life and she might have appreciated the sight.
As it was, he couldn't compare to Jaden at all.
"You truly turned out to be a beautiful girl," he mused, watching her face as if she was the most interesting thing ever.
"Did I, now? You are what? Twenty? Twenty-five? What makes you think you could hurt anyone here?" She maybe wasn't at her fullest strength wise, but she sure could put up one hell of a fight if she set her mind to it.
"See that pretty woman over there?" the guy asked, moving close enough so his face was all but touching her cheek. She followed his glance and saw a woman holding her beautiful daughter in her arms. She was smiling and beaming and just a second later she suddenly knelt on the floor, holding her hands to her heart.
"Stop," Maya whispered and instantly the pained expression on the woman's face eased. "Could be a funny coincidence," she then added, turning her head slightly. He was close enough so everyone would think they were lovers about to kiss.
"I can make the little girl scream because she is covered in spiders and I don't even need to look at her," he said and Maya held his glance while the little girl started screaming on the top of her lungs, obviously jumping from one foot to the next by the sound of it. Her wailing got worse by the second and Maya closed her eyes.
"Where are we going?" she wanted to know and the beautiful stranger grabbed her chin, holding her in a surprisingly strong grip while pressing his lips to hers.
All taste that had lingered of Jaden's blood was replaced and bile rose in her throat. Eyes the color of a swirling sea watched her, obviously taking pleasure in her discomfort.
She pulled back, wiping her lips, wishing she'd have something to drink, but of course she didn't. She really had left fully unprepared.
"We are going to have a family reunion. Or well, you and your mom at least. I don't think she plans for your father to see you. You know, come to think of it, maybe it won't be as much a reunion as a final separation," he then said, placing his finger against his chin as if he was in deep thought. "It's almost a shame," he went on, straightening again while she didn't want to move from her seat. Her knees were weak and she was shaking all over. She knew what he was saying. This would be her last walk in freedom ever. The fight Jaden and her had would be the last words exchanged between them.
She closed her eyes against the pain that overcame her whenever she remembered those words and the way he had looked at her. It was terrible, the enigma he had been around her and now she just wished she would have thrown herself in his arms again. One last time couldn't have hurt her more, right?
"... but I guess she just won't allow it," he finished and Maya didn't mind that she had missed almost his whole monologue. She was sure it was something about him having his way with her, if the expression on his face was any indication at all.
"I can carry your bag. If you don't make a scene, everything will be fine and no one will get hurt," he said with a cheery smile.
She just followed him, hating when he took her hand to make it look as if he had just picked up his girlfriend from the station.
They walked in silence for a long while and she tried to pull her hand from his, but he didn't even react. "Please, just let me go and we forget we’ve ever met," she then pleaded, trying another time to get free.
"You, my dear, are in for life. Or should I say for your life?" he chuckled and Maya could say with certainty that she never hated anyone as much as she hated this weird, human slave her mother had acquired.
Lara looked at Colbin, wondering if she was as pale as her mate.
"I can go and tell them," she offered quietly, but he just walked up and down, shaking his head. She knew it was his duty, and yet, she knew as well how much the guys loved her. There was no denying that, and, no matter what he had tried, he should have known that all of the guys would defy him. Their sense of right and wrong was just too strongly embedded in their bodies and she had been suffering. Hell, there was no one who knew that better than Lara. She had seen the despair more often than not in the young Origin's eyes.
"No, I’ll do it. We should have locked her in, just like I originally planned..." Colbin whispered and Lara closed her eyes. That would have been even worse than what they had done to her now. This whole thing had been handled all wrong.
The door flew open and Lex stood there, a horrified expression on her face.
"She's gone. Maya is gone. I couldn't brush up against her mind, and I worried. Jaden and her fought and it wasn't pretty. I wanted to give her a few hours to collect herself and then I wanted to... Fuck, I'm gonna kick his ass from here to Texas for this!" he cursed and Colbin paused in his pacing, looking at Lara one last time. She knew he was trying to draw strength, but she couldn't offer him much.
They all were at fault here and she had no doubt that Jaden was sitting at home right now, his heart broken. She knew better than anyone that he didn't take this whole thing lightly.
"My guess is that Jaden would sacrifice his life to get her back. You know what's going on, Lex. I know that you told her she is the Queen. And," Colbin held up a hand as the warrior wanted to interrupt him. "... I know that she needed to know. It was her right. I know as well though that she never heard the rest of it. She has no idea that without her there won't be a court. She most likely thinks everything will just go on as planned without her. If we get her back..."
"You mean when," Lex finally said, not being stopped this time, but
Lara could see the pain on her mate's face.
"I mean if. Jaden and her aren't fully mated and even though he might feel her presence in a room full of people, he will not be able to find her in a city like this. Chances are that she either left or was captured. She was being hunted by a madwoman and I'd not be surprised if she had been found by her, too. So if we get her back, Jaden will turn her anyways and this whole topic is done. She'll move out and..."
Lex had him up by the collar in no time at all and Lara jumped to their side, trying to pry them apart.
"Are you insane, Lex? What's gotten into you?" she screamed and Lex let go of Colbin.
"I know you were thinking this would be a walk in the park, but despite the fact that Jaden made one fucking stupid decision after the other, this is on you, Colbin! He did everything he could to keep Maya from falling in love with him and him from falling for her. You know it was going to happen. Jaden did, too, thinking he'd do her a favor if he'd take any cheap bitch he'd find out on the streets. You think he'll be fine once she moves? You think this will simply not be talked about anymore? Colbin, what in the world is going on with you? You've never been as much an asshole as you've been ever since she showed up," Lex mumbled, disappointment clear on his face as he turned and left the room.
"There'll never be an end," Colbin whispered, agony coming clear through the bond. It was so strong Lara wanted to fall to her knees. "We won't find her body and there'll never be closure. Jaden will haunt the earth, looking for the one woman he'll never find again. Lara, remind me what I had been thinking, letting her stay here," he wanted to know and she went over, hugging him tight.
"You remembered that I am an Origin, too, and that you couldn't keep me isolated for the love of it," she mumbled and he just nodded.
"I'm the only one who never bothered spending time with her, right?" he finally asked and Lara decided to simply stay quiet this time.
"We need to find her, Lara. We need to make this right, but I just have no idea how. I lost the Queen of our race... It's all my fault," he said, his voice rough with emotions she knew he actually didn't want to share.
"Did I wake you up?" Kaden's voice was cautious and yet Jaden rolled his eyes. Lex sure had heard what had transpired between the two lovers... Or better non-lovers. He opted to simply stay quiet. Maybe his brother would bother someone else with his shit.
"For once, Jaden, try to be completely honest with me about what you feel. Why in the world did you do that?" his twin pushed and Jaden leaned back against the ice-cold window, his bare back touching as much of the glass as possible. It made his temperature fit the way he felt: ice-cold.
"She can't fall in love with me, Kade. That's why I do what I do. She can't get attached to me. It would one day tear her heart out," he explained and then heard the muffled noise in the background as his twin covered the microphone with his hand.
"Who is with you?" Jaden wanted to know, pushing away from the windowsill.
"Red, Devon, Lex. Jaden..." This was bad. He should have noticed the tension in Kaden's voice before, but he had worried much about his twin throwing a fit.
"What did she tell you?" he wanted to know, waiting for Kaden to answer until eventually Red came on the line.
"You broke her. You fucked her over real good. So much she didn't think about anything but getting outta here. She's gone, Jaden, and if I get to take any guess, I'd say it's been since sunrise. We'll never find her again unless she wants to be found. Worse, Colbin is pretty sure Destra will get her hands on May first. She has enough freaks working for her," he explained in cold efficiency while Jaden stared at nothing in particular.
He should have known. That cold expression she had sported had been for his benefit. She had given up. And he wasn’t really surprised. He couldn’t have taken much more of hurting her.
Hanging up, he threw the phone against the wall. As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t get out of the house. The sun would hurt him like hell, but that wasn’t the main problem. If her mother really had her, then he needed all the strength he could possess to get her out. Too late he remembered that he should have asked the other guys what the plan was because the more they were the merrier they’d be. He wanted every warrior out there, looking for her.
He had no idea for how long he was counting the cracks in the wall and the seconds ticked by, but a knock on his door made him freeze. Maybe it was Maya, having figured that… Figured what? If she’d go anywhere it wouldn’t be here, back to him.
Opening, he was surprised to find Colbin there. Covered in thick clothes he reminded him of a snowman. A fucking big snowman.
“I didn’t think you’d handle being alone very well. And it’s entirely my fault. Everything,” Colbin explained, his voice muffled through the scarf he had wrapped around his head.
Jaden looked down on himself, sporting a naked chest and low-riding sweatpants. Hell, he hadn’t even bothered with socks after showering.
“I think I saw more than that of you already,” Colbin exclaimed, pushing past him into the cool shades of the house.
He started to unwrap while Jaden just watched him. He didn’t really have any idea at what to say because it wasn’t Colbin’s fault at all. Colbin never had tried to shove it down her throat that she was unwanted. Neither had his leader tried to take other women just to forget his own.
“You have anything to eat around? My guess is you didn’t so far and you really need to build up stamina. Those will be long nights coming up. We’ll all go out and try to find her. Lex will be reading every damn thought in this city,” Colbin explained when Jaden still didn’t feel like saying anything at all.
It was weird seeing Colbin walk around his kitchen, preparing to cook dinner. Jaden wasn’t even sure Colbin knew how to cook.
“It might kill Lex,” Jaden finally opted to say. As much as he wanted his Origin back just so he could make it all right with her, he couldn’t imagine losing a brother-in-arms instead. And most times when they were out, Lex shielded his head from the onslaught of thoughts simply because otherwise it would all but blow his brain up. They had seen that once, when Lex’s defenses had been down, and it had taken a lot of music and Kleenex to stop the nosebleed and give the vampire a chance to heal.
“It sure could, but I wanna see you try to stop him from it. I don’t know, but I have a feeling he feels guilty most of all. He knew what was going on and he never told her. He knew she was suffering and yet he… I don’t know.”
“Why are you here, Colbin?” Jaden finally asked, not being able to figure it out. Except for his precious Queen being gone there was no reason to come by, and even that wasn’t reason enough. He never had bothered again to talk to Jaden about her other than reminding him that she would be leaving as soon as she was turned.
“A whole group of warriors at the base is almost literally crawling up the walls because they cannot go out and find her. It is my fault she is gone and…”
“No,” Jaden interrupted and then started walking up and down. “It’s mine. I should have listened to all those people telling me that I would indeed fall in love with her. Hell, Colbin, you knew it was going to happen. You knew I wouldn’t be able to reduce her to the bond and I guess I did, too. I have seen you and Lara over the last centuries. I should have known, but I chose to ignore it. I figured the further I push her away, the less it’ll hurt. She was ready to be locked up for me! She didn’t stay because she thought it was best for the race, or because she trusted you all so much. She trusted me. I don’t know how I deserved that but she did and I didn’t want her to.”
He shook his head, making his knuckles pop. “I didn’t want her to feel anything for me because she would be hurting the moment she’d find out that we wouldn’t be together. She wanted to belong somewhere and I couldn’t handle the thought of breaking her that bad whenever she’d realize it wasn’t with me. Plus, I was scared of what I was feeling for her. How can a tiny person occupy your every thought? And I really mean every thought. I can
’t think of anything else, no matter where we are!”
Colbin wasn’t looking at him anymore, heating a pan to cook some… Jaden hadn’t even realized that he had steaks in his fridge. Kaden must’ve made sure it was full. His leader was making steak for him, and by the looks of it, some rosemary potatoes as well.
“I thought the group would break apart if they all had contact with her,” Colbin started to say, but Jaden just snorted. He hated the thought of the other warriors getting to know his Origin simply because she might have felt more kinship with any of them than she had ever felt with him. “Yeah, I can guess what your reasons would have been to keep her away.”
Jaden turned, surprised to find his leader chuckling. That hadn’t happened in a very long time.
“You do have a sense of humor?” he asked, trying hard to not sound astounded.
Colbin just nodded, and then he got serious again. “As it is though, I am most likely the only one who doesn’t know anything about her. I never really talked to her besides telling her to get back into her room. And I wasn’t ever with her. I never stopped to consider how terrible she must have been feeling all alone in that room. She was supposed to be our Queen and instead of making her feel like we wanted her, I made her feel as if she was a necessity. And in the process I really alienated you. I am not sure even Kaden recognizes you any longer. I mean, Jaden, you’ve never been the clown of the group, but I swear, you are broodier and moodier than ever. Even we all could see that you fell hard and fast for her,” he explained and Jaden just watched him. But then again, what could he really say?
“We will get her back,” he finally announced and Colbin gave him a weak smile.
“I sure hope you are right because anything less isn’t acceptable,” Colbin agreed and Jaden took a deep breath, finally sitting down at the kitchen counter, reaching for the plate that Colbin now held out for him.
“I know you think that I am the shit in our world, being the Morningstar leader of the warriors, but I am not. Not in a long shot. I report to a group called the Circle of Seven. It’s funny, considering they are actually fifteen,” Colbin said and Jaden paused with his fork towards his mouth.
