Set In Flames (Morningstars Book 1)

by Sam Destiny

  “Circle of seven that consists of fifteen?” he asked, a little surprised and Colbin nodded.

  “Seems our whole race has a sense of humor. Back in the days when our race first came to be, they had one chosen representative from every continent there is. Over the centuries they figured that you needed a male and a female there so both genders would be represented equally well. With fourteen people though you cannot ensure any decisions. So over the period of twenty-five years one more chosen joins the ranks. They switch continents so it all is still fair. Right now South Africa has that fifteenth seat. Anyways, the reason I now told you about that group is…” Colbin took a moment, breathing slowly in and then out. “I was more scared about coming here to face you than I am of telling that Circle of Seven that I lost the Queen. And believe me, they will have my ass for that,” Colbin finished and Jaden stared at him.

  “Am I that impressive?” he wanted to know and Colbin sighed.

  “Facing a warrior that lost his Origin, or is about to lose her, is scary because that bond sets powers free no one could ever imagine. I worried you would suddenly be able to spit fire. That sure would have been inconvenient,” Colbin teased and Jaden gave him a thankful smile, digging back into the food.

  They didn’t speak much after that. Jaden though couldn’t help but be glad that for the remainder of the day he wouldn’t have to be alone.

  Destra stood in the shadows, watching how Nox led her daughter down the stairs towards the cellar. She had a soundproof cell there, one that would be perfect for what she had planned for her daughter.

  She just had intended to step forward when Nox pressed their guest against the wall, holding her in place with his body. She struggled against him, her hands pushing against his chest in a feeble attempt to get away from him.

  Destra knew only too well that Nox could make her immobile if he wanted to. She appreciated that power, even though now he seemed to enjoy the struggle.

  “You sure are something to see and taste,” her faithful magician whispered quietly, but Destra’s hearing picked it up instantly. “I wish I could get more of you, a lot more. I’d love to see if you enjoy blood as much as your mother does… But then again, you wouldn’t heal as well, would you?” he went on, touching Maya’s cheeks and then her lips in a gesture that was too gentle for the Nox Destra knew. “Good that you’ll die in no time because I don’t know how long I could keep my hands off of you,” he then finished, grabbing Maya’s hair to tilt her head back, forcing a kiss on her lips that sure would leave them swollen.

  He cursed suddenly, stepping back. Even from where Destra was hiding she could see that he had gotten hard.

  “You have spunk, girl,” he spat, wiping blood from his mouth. She must have bit him and Destra knew that nothing turned him on more than violence.

  Nox shoved her into the room designated to be hers and then he leaned against the closed door, a satisfied smile playing over his lips.

  “Well, you sure seem to enjoy that girl,” Destra said, walking over to him. She had to give it to him: he didn’t flinch or appear caught.

  “She’s her mother’s daughter, so of course I’m not able to resist her. Everything about your free spirit and violent tendencies draws me in. Maya has a free spirit, too, but she’s submissive by nature. I am sure we could both have fun with her,” he whispered, drawing Destra in his arms.

  She was sick and twisted, and she had her fair share of experiences in the group department, but sharing a man with her daughter was the last thing she wanted.

  “You are not supposed to want her, Nox. I wanted to kill her, but now I figure it might be nicer if we torture her some. You know, mental torture. The smell of her blood might be too potent for both Tymon and me. He’d realize she’s in the house and that’s something we don’t want, right?” she wanted to know, fluttering her lashes at him.

  “You wanted to kill her. I think that would be the best way,” he replied and she went up on her tiptoes, kissing him long and hard. It made her mad that she could still taste her daughter on his tongue.

  “She wanted to take first my husband and then my lover from me. Death would be too kind for her,” Destra replied and he took a deep breath, obviously trying to calm himself down. Good move, she thought. Her little bitch of a daughter always seemed to go after what was rightfully Destra’s.

  “Whatever suits you,” he finally said, cupping her face in his hands. “You are my mistress. I do what you say. Everything you say.”

  She felt calmer at that, stepping back.

  “Will you be able to make her see her worst fears? Make her live them?” she wanted to know, waiting while Nox contemplated that. His eyes, having been stormy grey just a few moments ago, now were black, making her feel as if she looked into a void. That was the color she loved most on him because it meant that he’d live out his cruelty to the fullest.

  “I cannot see into her thoughts, or tell you what her fears will be. But I can basically make her head react like it would in a nightmare. One of those that makes you wake up sweating and screaming,” he suggested and she liked that idea a lot. “If you then feed her only the smallest amounts of food, her body will weaken and she’ll wish she had died instead of merely surviving.”

  Destra gave Nox an evil grin. He truly was the best thing that had ever happened to her. “Can you start right now? Will it need your concentration?” she wanted to know and he shook his head, explaining to her that it was an easy spell that he’d have to redo regularly, which would still give him a few hours reprieve. “Too bad we won’t be able to see what she sees, but I am sure that her screams will be enough fun for us. We could make love while she cries her heart out,” she suggested and he pulled her in again, instantly cupping her breast in his hand.

  “You, Mistress, are the darkest of the dark,” he grinned, then he bit her lip until he drew blood, letting her know that he definitely was ready for something kinky.

  Maya sat on the cold stone floor, raising her head when she heard commotion out in the hallway. Her hearing must’ve taken a turn for the better again because the cell walls were padded and she figured usually she wouldn’t be able to hear a single thing.

  She didn’t know how long she had been at her mother’s house, but she didn’t have any hope that the warriors were looking for her. Jaden would stop them and since they had the bros-before-hoes-motto, they’d listen to them.

  Plus, she wasn’t sure anyone knew where her mother lived, especially since she seemed to have moved since the last time Maya actually had been with her parents. She guessed that they moved each time one of their children was gone. After all, they could be prosecuted for having created more than one child. She had never understood how her father hadn’t seen Destra for what she was, but having met her mother’s personal slave Maya now had a pretty good idea how that came to be.

  The noises in front of her door got louder and suddenly the metal that once was a door flew into the room, blinding her momentarily by allowing the hallway lights to filter into her prison. The shadow that stood in the door though she would have recognized everywhere: dark jacket, heavy boots, jeans…

  “Jaden?” she mumbled and he stepped forwards, his presence filling the room as if the walls shrank with his every step.

  “Cupcake! I was so worried! Seriously! I am sorry for everything that happened! You scared the fuck out of me, Maya!” He wrapped her in his arms, holding her tight, and she took a deep breath. He smelled of night, spice and him, exactly the way she enjoyed most.

  “I haven’t been gone that long,” she said against his neck, unsure if she was still mad or not. Besides the relief she was feeling no other emotions could take a hold of her.

  “More than twelve hours, but that was still enough. I was so worried we’d never find you, or that she had gotten you and already killed you… Ryder said there is no telling what your crazy mother decides. Seriously, as soon as we are out of here, I make you mine. With the blood bond I’ll always be able to tell where
you are and that is all that matters. You are mine, and no one will ever be able to keep me from you again. Not even you yourself,” he promised, showering her with little kisses while Maya heard more feet moving above them. She looked up to the ceiling and he cupped her cheek in his hand.

  “They are all here. They were worried about you,” Jaden explained and Maya stared at him.

  “How did you find me?” she wanted to know and he just cuddled her close again. She wondered what she would be feeling if his blood would be flowing through her body now.

  “Ryder keeps tabs on your mother. I mean, not constantly, but every twenty years or so he checks on her. After realizing you were there he did check a little closer until… You know, Matt supposedly had killed you…” He kissed her hair before continuing. “We figured the first thing we could try was their old address to see if anyone knew where they had moved to. It’s almost ironic, but since your father works for the Morningstar Officials, he left a forwarding address. It was that easy,” he explained, pulling back to frame her face.

  Maya couldn’t help but drink in his presence. It was soothing the ache of her heart, making her feel whole and safe.

  “Forgive me, Cupcake. I was stupid and scared. I just didn’t know what I had done to deserve an Origin, and especially one like you. You are perfect for me and I promise,” he knelt, “if you take me back and forgive me, I’ll spend the rest of our lives making it up to you!”

  She looked at him, kneeling in front of her, his head bowed, waiting for her to say something. She wanted to say so much, but had no idea where best to start, so she opted for the one thing she knew would never change and always be the right thing to say. “I’m yours, handsome. Always.”

  He hugged her around the hips, pressing his head against her body and she leaned down, kissing his head just as Lex peaked around the corner.

  “The sick sucker is dead. Ryder tore her head off,” he reported and Maya shivered at the mental image.

  “Sorry,” Lex instantly apologized, coming further into the room to take his turn to hug her. “Don’t ever scare us again,” he then added and she shook her head. If Jaden would be treating her right, she wouldn’t have any reason to leave any ways.

  “Let’s get out of here,” Jaden mumbled, picking her up. She knew that with his speed they simply were much faster than if she’d walk on her own two feet.

  “Happily,” she replied, embracing him tightly while walking towards the door. Maya then already had the feeling that something was very wrong. And indeed, with every step Jaden took, the door got smaller and smaller. Without being able to do anything, Maya’s head hit the doorframe.

  The phantom pain made Maya sit up straight. She was still sitting in a fully dark room, still placed on the cold stone floor, and still caught.

  Tears started to fall as she realized that her mind had played a cruel trick on her. She probably should have realized that the moment Jaden had told her he had been worried, but Maya knew that nothing, absolutely nothing would keep her heart from hoping. Considering that fact, she was sure that more of those dreams were lying in wait for her.

  Pulling her knees close, she quietly sobbed, hoping that her mother would grant her the mercy of a quick death because everything was better than seeing Jaden over and over again.

  Back at the Morningstar base everyone was gearing up, discussing the best course of action.

  “We should stay in a group. We never know how many vampires Destra has looking for her. And I’m being serious here; word travels fast, but the wrath of my mother faster. She will know Maya’s gone. She has the weirdest spider sense,” Ryder explained and Jaden picked up a brow. He was glad that Ryder would be joining them, but he feared as well that with him and Ryder in one group they could walk by Maya and she’d never show herself. They seriously had screwed up.

  “I don’t think she’ll have big groups looking. Destra never was scared of Maya, if I read that in her thoughts correctly. Maya always was sure that Destra considered her a bug that could easily be squashed. If she had gotten word of her being gone, she’ll send out little groups of twos or threes. They can easily subdue her without creating suspicion,” Lex threw in and Colbin nodded in agreement.

  “He’s right. The big group would only be out if Destra thought Maya to be with Jaden or any other warrior. She knows that we can take them without a second thought. We can cover a lot more ground if we spilt up. We will have two teams searching premises that have nothing to do with Destra. Maya eluded her for months at a time; we have to think about that, too. There’s a tiny chance that she just ran, so train stations, cab stations, hotels, motels, anything renting for a day should be checked, too. We don’t know if she has money or not. She didn’t take much from here, but still there can be a hidden safety deposit box she has. “The other two teams comb through the streets. Lex, you’ll not read all thoughts out there, you’ll focus on vampires you meet. Chances are someone noticed her because she does have a particular smell. Anything you can pick up on you can report back. Instructions are the following: Keep your cell close; don’t engage in fights unless absolutely necessary; this is no hunting mission. The main goal is finding Maya.”

  Jaden gave Colbin a grateful look. Sometimes it was just too obvious why he was the leader because Jaden knew that none of them would have had thought about checking the train stations.

  “Return before sunrise. I want everyone here except for maybe Jaden and Kaden. She has been at your house before. Maybe she gets scared or too weak to really stay on the run and she’ll show up at your door. I know you all would go through fire for her, but we can’t save her if we are dead. Understood?” Colbin wanted to know and everyone nodded.

  “Understood?” he repeated and Jaden grinned, seeing others smirk as well. It had been a while since Colbin actually went out in the field with them, coordinating missions.

  “Understood,” all present warriors said, making Jaden feel all warm and fuzzy inside. This was the male equivalent of a love declaration.

  “If we find her, I want the first turn to hug her,” Devon said, surprising a laugh out of all of them. Tension eased a tiny bit and Jaden was glad about that. He knew better than anyone that focus was necessary, but too much focus would make you miss little things. Things like a certain vanilla-raspberry smell.

  They moved out, Jaden being with Kaden in a mission that wouldn’t lead him into the suburbs to confront Outcasts. Ryder had been pulled from his side after all, and Jaden was glad. He was opting for motels as a starting point.

  “If her body is behaving the way it had the last few days, she’ll most likely have a point of weakness ahead. She’s smart; she knows she needs a place to hide and a motel rents by the hour. She would not need to stay somewhere longer than that,” Kaden remarked, proving that they still thought a lot alike.

  “Just what I thought. I can’t believe everyone felt the need to hang out with her, but no one ever bothered to ask how she paid for the expenses she had while being on the run,” he growled and Kaden gave him an accusing glance. Jaden knew what that meant, but he couldn’t change the fact that he had tried to stay away from her as much as possible.

  “You try guessing her moves,” Kaden snapped and Jaden froze on the spot. His twin was actually right. They had considered what they thought she should best do in her condition, not what she most likely would do. And he had a pretty good idea what that was.

  “Actually, she’d try to get away as far and as fast as possible. She wouldn’t want to be here with me or her mother. She would opt for a new beginning somewhere else. Something that wouldn’t remind her of me,” he remarked and Kaden’s face turned serious.

  “Not a motel then. Cab?” he wanted to know and Jaden shook his head.

  “No, a girl traveling alone long-distance in a cab would first cost too much and second cause a scene. Someone would remember and that could lead other people to her. Running is almost second nature to her.”

  And what a scary thought that was
each time he thought about it. They knew nothing of her methods or preferences. They just knew she wanted to stop hurting.

  “I don’t think she’d take a bus though,” Kaden whispered, looking around them as if he was hoping that she’d simply appear.

  “No, bus would be too much like a cab. You spend hours with the same people and once you get out, someone remembers. Maya especially draws attention. She’s beautiful after all,” Jaden agreed, already starting to walk again. Kaden instantly was by his side. “Train station it is, then,” they said in unison, hoping they’d find something.

  “Nothing. Either those Outcasts really had no idea or someone tampered with their minds until they didn’t remember,” Lex announced as the twins met the rest of the group just before sunrise. They had cut it so close that Jaden already felt the heat that the rising sun had been throwing off.

  “They had no idea. According to the ticket guy at the station, the girl with the unique purple eyes and the saddest expression ever left with her boyfriend. Tall, blond and weird eyes,” Kaden reported while Jaden closed his eyes. Nothing had been worse than hearing the dude refer to a stranger as Maya’s boyfriend. He was supposed to be her boyfriend, her mate, her everything.

  “Seriously? I don’t think she had one,” Matt growled and Jaden nodded in agreement.

  “She doesn’t. The dude, too, said that she was about to cry when her boyfriend came. They talked a while, him just kneeling next to her before a woman had a heart attack. Maya supposedly watched in utter horror, just before a child threw a fit, then the couple left,” he went on, finishing the rest of the twin’s story.

  “But… I don’t think… I mean…” Matt obviously never had heard the rumors everyone else had heard. The rest of the group though scattered, some cursing, others just staring at them in utter disbelief. Colbin was the first one to react violently, hitting the wall until his knuckles cracked.