Moon Spell: Part One in the Tale of Lunarmorte

by Samantha Young

  “Caia, please.”

  She drew to a stop at the worried look on Jaeden’s face. She realised Jae was afraid that she’d offended her somehow. She heaved a sigh. She should trust her; she owed her that much.

  “I just...” she stopped, trying to gather her thoughts. “I’m happy here, Jae.”

  “So, what’s the problem?”

  “The problem is... I’m happy here, and I never have been before. But this... this is all new, and the pack is just getting to know me. If anyone thought, for one second, that I had designs on Lucien...”

  Thankfully she watched the light dawn in Jaeden’s eyes. “I see.”

  “I don’t have any,” she rushed to explain, “It’s just... he’s been kind. And not everyone is accepting of me as you are.”

  Her friend drew her into an unexpected hug. “I won’t tell anyone you like him. I understand. I won’t tell.”

  Caia breathed a sigh of relief and hugged her back tightly.

  ***

  “Why are you calling?” He asked coldly. “I told you not to phone me unless it was necessary.”

  He heard her sigh sweetly on the other end of the phone. “Well,” she replied breathily, “Last time we spoke you seemed anxious that things weren’t progressing as quickly as you would have liked. Today, I have reason to believe that Phase Two won’t be as far off as we thought.”

  He smiled into the mirror above his phone desk. He liked the sound of that. “Oh?”

  “The girl and the leader are becoming attached.”

  “You know this for certain?”

  He clenched his fist, knowing she was insolently rolling her eyes. She thought he couldn’t see. “Yes,” she said evenly. “My eyes and ears are everywhere.”

  Despite her insolence he felt his shoulders relax a little. This was good news indeed. “What about the others?”

  “With the exception of one or two, they actually seem to be rather taken with the little abomination.”

  “Good. We are depending on that.”

  She chuckled. “Yes, we are. How’s my little pet faring, by the way?” She purred.

  It was his turn to roll his eyes. “My pet, don’t you mean?”

  “Well, of course, my lord,”

  “I’m enjoying it. I find it is an excellent outlet for all my pent up aggression.”

  “I’m sure.”

  Actually at this moment he rather felt like visiting it. Bored with her now, he shuttered and said, “Call when there is no doubt about their alliance. We’ll move in for Phase Two.”

  “Of course my-”

  He hung up before she was finished and gazed into the mirror again. His eyes narrowed at how unkempt his hair was. Smoothing it with his hands and straightening his collar, he grinned evilly, thinking of the pet his spy had given him. It was just a bonus in this tense and frustrating business. He strolled through the house until he came to the large kitchen. At the end of the kitchen was a pantry, and in it was another door. The door led down old wooden stairs to a deep, dark pit. At the bottom he stopped and took in a lungful of the air. He winced at the damp earth that attacked his nose.

  Damp earth and fear.

  With a snap of his fingers a flame appeared in thin air, dancing in front of him, lighting the entire room and waiting for his command. It followed him as he strode to the end of the dark dungeon-like basement, and came to a stop in front of a large cage. He bent down, his eyes lighting up with delight at the creature inside. “Hello again.”

  The fear roiling inside of it him hit with full force. He shivered in delight at the tingling warmth of excitement spreading through his body.

  “You didn’t think I’d forgotten about you, did you?”

  13 - First… Everything

  There was a dark cloud over her head for the next week. She would fall out of bed in the mornings, and go through the routine of washing and dressing, having breakfast, and then sauntering off to school...

  And then she’d see Alexa’s triumphant face, and whoosh! The dark cloud burst over head, drenching her in a self-pity she had only ever read about.

  “I don’t like this,” she’d muttered to Jaeden during their study period.

  “What?”

  “This.” She indicated herself dramatically with a wave of her hands. “This person I’ve become... dear goddess, I’m like one of them.” She flicked her pencil at the humans in the room.

  Jaeden laughed under her breath. “Caia, it’s called a crush. Believe me, Ryder makes me feel the same horrible mixture of happiness and despair. Add a pinch of lykan volatility and you’ve got yourself the teenage hormonal party from Hades.”

  She snorted, but Jaeden’s comforting words of assurance didn’t make her feel any better about the fact that all she had been doing for the last few days was moping about Lucien. Last night at the dinner table she had even been reduced to monosyllabic sentences in his presence.

  “I heard Alexa’s been visiting his store after school.” Jaeden twisted her face in disgust.

  “Who told you that?”

  “Sebastian’s seen her when he’s been coming home from Yvana’s.”

  Caia moaned , cupping her chin forlornly in her hand. “I can’t even imagine what my life will be like if he actually mates with her.”

  “If who actually mates with whom?” Sebastian whispered, sliding into the seat beside her.

  “If Lucien mates with Alexa,” Jaeden answered.

  “Why would that bother you, Caia?” Sebastian looked suspicious, pulling his chair closer to hers.

  Her heart picked up tempo, as her eyes flew wildly to Jaeden. Sebastian couldn’t know. No one else could.

  “Uh.” Jaeden swung her pencil about as she tried to think of something. “Um... oh, because Alexa hates Caia. If she was Lucien’s mate, I mean ... she could cause trouble for her.”

  Sebastian smirked and put his arm around Caia’s shoulder, his tawny eyes twinkling as he looked into hers. “You don’t have anything to worry about. I’ll protect you.”

  Caia grunted and pulled from his embrace as the bell rang. She gathered her things and stood up before them. “Thanks Sebastian, but no. If the worst comes to the worst... I’ve always wanted to go to China.”

  ***

  Saturday morning arrived quickly. The nervous energy in the house was at breaking point, as Ella flew between Irini’s and Caia’s rooms to make sure their preparations for the mating ritual were going well. Eventually, Caia had decided to leave Irini in the capable hands of her mother and Lucia, who was fixing her hair for her, and stay out of the way in her bedroom. She had changed already, her slender figure wrapped in the dusky pink satin dress they’d chosen. It was floor-length and figure-hugging, creating the illusion that she was taller than she was. She was a little self-conscious of the thin straps and low cowl neckline, but Ella assured her she looked perfect. Lucia had twisted her long, pale hair into a French twist, and placed tiny pink rose buds into the style. She sighed, turning to the side to make sure the dress wasn’t wrinkled from sitting in it. She didn’t care what Ella said, this certainly felt like a bridesmaid dress. Caia turned at the sound of someone clearing their throat, and immediately flushed at the sight of Lucien standing tall and elegant in a dark suit. Oh my, he was handsome, her heart fluttered uncontrollably.

  He smiled at her, his eyes drinking her in. She flushed again.

  “You look...” he stepped into the room and stopped a few feet from her, his hands jammed casually into his suit trouser pockets. “Wow.” He met her gaze and grinned. “You look beautiful.”

  Oh boy, she was sure he must hear her heart thumping rapidly in her chest; she felt like it was going to explode. Did he actually say she looked beautiful? Was he just being polite?

  “Thank you,” she managed, and then had to clear her throat when it came out all breathy. Dammit. “So do you.” She flushed again and stammered. “I... I m-m-mean you look nice.”

  Lucien laughed and her eyes got caught in his. They wer
en’t as electrifyingly silver today, more of an intense dark smoke. “Don’t be nervous, Caia.”

  “Nervous. Why should I be nervous?”

  He shrugged. “Because you’ve never been to one of these before.”

  “Oh, right.” She rolled her eyes at her own obtuseness.

  “Why aren’t you with all the other females, primping and fawning over Irini?”

  Caia laughed dryly. “Ah, no thank you. I’m safer here.”

  Lucien smiled softly. “You’re really not like the others, are you?”

  She stilled under his gaze and gulped. Well she’d heard that before. “Is that a bad thing?”

  He took another step towards her, his voice low as he said, “No. Not at all.”

  “Caia, there you are.” Ella came bustling into the room, unaware of the electrical tension that was miraculously sparking. She brushed by Lucien smiling distractedly at him, and grabbed Caia’s wrist. “You’re needed for pre-ritual photographs.”

  Caia docilely followed her, but her gaze never shifted from Lucien until she was out of the room. Her mind was whirring. Had they just had a moment together? It had certainly felt like a moment. She had goose bumps. You didn’t get goose bumps from ordinary interactions... right?

  Her mind was distractedly on the dreaded Alpha for the rest of the morning and into the afternoon, as they bustled about with setting the house up for the post-ritual party, and settling Irini’s nerves. The backyard had been set up with white lawn chairs for the ceremony, all facing towards the woods where Irini and Aidan would stand before Magnus. The ritual would take place as darkness fell, when the moon was out, and they could call upon Artemis to bind their two souls. By six-thirty the driveway was chock full of cars, and the pack were settling themselves in their finery out back in the chairs. The thrum of their voices floated through the quiet house. Caia took a deep breath. She would sit in the front row beside Ella, Lucien, Ryder, and Yvana. As Ella had already mentioned, her seat with the family and the fact that she was wearing the same colour as Irini and Ella was deliberate, so that the pack viewed her as family as much as they themselves did. She would sit in between Ella and Lucien, since Yvana, although she had apologised for her outburst, was clearly still affronted by Caia’s mere presence.

  “It’s time.” Ella took hold of her hand and led her through the kitchen behind Lucien and Aidan’s family.

  “Ella, are you crying already?” She whispered, aghast at the tears in the Elder’s eyes.

  “I’m just so happy and yet so sad. I just got her back, you know.”

  Caia squeezed her hand and pulled her closer. “You still have her. She’s not going anywhere.”

  Ella smiled, and they quieted as they strolled towards their seats. Seeing the family of the mating couple, the pack’s voices dissipated into silence.

  Irini and Aidan approached Magnus from either side. He stood with his back to the woods. He smiled at the couple and welcomed the pack. When he stilled so did everyone else, and Caia felt her skin prickle at the hush that washed over them all. Magnus tilted his head back and gazed up at the moon. Caia followed his movement, but then looked back at him when she realised that was what everyone else was doing.

  “Artemis,” he called in his brandy warm voice. “Potnia Theron,” he appealed, using the lykans ‘mother’ title for the goddess. The rest of his recital was in Greek - the mystery of those words floated across her skin, as gentle and as awakening as the night’s breeze. “Artemis,” he finished, taking Aidan’s hand and placing it on top of Irini’s and holding the two in a bind. “Potnia Theron,” he continued in English, “Bind these two souls together in eternal devotion to each other and to you, their mother.”

  Caia gasped as Irini’s and Aidan’s eyes widened, watching as they did as a moon-coloured light emanated from their clasped hands and rushed exquisitely through their bodies. Magnus’ expression stayed unchanged, but Caia was in awe, her gaze turning to Ella and Lucien to see if they were just as astounded. But no, they remained as still as Magnus, watching as the light burned brighter and then dissolved just as suddenly. Magnus grinned and stepped back releasing their hands. “Artemis has blessed this union.”

  Aidan grinned and pulled Irini into a heated kiss that made Caia blush. Irini laughed and pulled back, and turned to smile happily at her mother. The pack was suddenly on their feet, whooping and rushing towards the couple in congratulations. Caia took a step back to let the others by.

  “Amazing, huh?” Jaeden suddenly appeared, resting her chin on Caia’s shoulder, draping an elegant arm over the other.

  “It was beautiful,” Caia whispered.

  “I remember when I saw my first. It was for Christian and Lucia. Pretty awesome... to know that Artemis is really out there; watching over us.”

  Caia turned to her with a sadness in her eyes. “If she hadn’t bound Irini and Aidan together that would have meant they weren’t soul mates.”

  Jaeden shrugged. “Yeah. But supernaturals rarely confuse these things.”

  “But it happens?” Caia bit her lip, sympathising with lovers who had gone before Artemis, believing themselves to be in love, and then having Artemis refuse to mate them. “Artemis says no and a couple can’t... have children together.”

  Jaeden nodded distractedly, her eyes on the happy couple. “Yeah, exactly. Come on.” She grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the kitchen. “Get your head out of the dark clouds and into the house. We need to choose the music before someone else destroys the night with ABBA, or something.”

  “I quite like ABBA,” Caia mumbled, glancing back at the crowds around Irini and Aidan. She was glad for them. They seemed safe and happy in their little world. She hoped it would always be so for them.

  ***

  His house was filled with laughter and warmth; people in the sitting room, kitchen, hallways, all drinking, and dancing, and celebrating. It was a fantastic atmosphere, and he really should be more into it than he was. But he was distracted.

  Lucien sighed and leaned against the stairwell in the hallway, beer in hand, watching the festivities around him. Aidan was dancing to Jeff Buckley’s Hallelujah with his sister in the sitting room. Her face was flushed with happiness and excitement, and Lucien was more than glad for her. One of his biggest regrets was that Irini had had to leave her pack behind. Ten years was a long time to be away, but she was home and in love, and she was safe. That was all that mattered now. He sighed again and turned to surreptitiously watch Caia laughing with Jaeden and Daniel in the kitchen. He’d been doing that since their ‘moment’ in her bedroom this morning. The sight of her standing in the dress as the sunlight filtered across her face just... ah, it was like he’d been punched in the gut, the force of the feeling was that strong. He had been going to kiss her. He knew he would have if his mother hadn’t walked in. That woman had good timing; kissing Caia then would have been a mistake; it would have frightened her and... well... it just wasn’t the right time.

  “Why are you standing out here by yourself?” A familiar voice brushed his ear.

  Lucien felt like rolling his eyes. Alexa. Instead, he turned and threw her a patient smile. She was standing too close to him, trying to impress him with her low cut dress that fit her like a second skin. Now, he wasn’t immune, and the girl was gorgeous, but her machinations were so obvious. She wanted him because he was the Pack Leader, and nothing more. She was just her like brother. And that hadn’t ended well.

  “This is a happy occasion, Lucien. You should act like it.” She ran her hand seductively up his arm. “I could make it happier,” the provocative comment was followed with a wink.

  Lucien shrugged her off, wondering how long his patience was actually going to last. He hadn’t minded her showing up with his lunch every Saturday because... well, he was usually hungry by the time she did and... she was fun to look at. But the past week her visits had become daily, and her flirtations more dangerously obvious. Ah, he sighed inwardly, wincing at the hope in her dark exotic
eyes. She would find out soon enough that even if he might have been interested, there was no way he could make her his mate.

  “I’m going to get another beer.” He walked away from her, pretending he hadn’t seen the petulant twist in her expression. Wandering towards the kitchen, he frowned, realising Caia and the others had left. Where was she? He strode in, dumping his empty beer bottle in the trash in time to hear her familiar laughter. Following that sound he stopped in the kitchen doorway and watched as Sebastian pulled her along to the end of the right side of the back porch.

  “Sebastian, what is going on?” Caia laughed again, as the young male pulled her up short and pressed her into the back of the house. Lucien frowned, keeping hidden, but close. He had had his suspicious about Sebastian’s feelings for Caia, the way his eyes followed her when she was in the room, his constant protectiveness of her. But Caia seemed oblivious. Even now, when Sebastian had her positioned against the back wall and leaning into her, she was smiling up at him without a clue that the boy was about to make a move. Lucien groaned. Sebastian was a good kid... he did not want to have deal with him.

  “I thought we should talk.” Sebastian’s grin was loopy, his eyes dazed.

  Lucien rolled his eyes. The kid was drunk, too? Goddess it took a lot to get a lykan drunk... how much had he consumed?

  “About?”

  “You and me.” He leaned in even closer.

  Lucien watched as Caia straightened, her eyes narrowing, “Sebastian, how much have you had to drink?”

  The boy shrugged. “Enough. That’s not the point, though. I need to tell you something.”

  “Well, tell me so we can get back to the party.”

  “Caia,” he groaned, and leaned his head against his arms. His bright eyes opened, looking down at her. “Caia.”

  “Sebastian?” She was laughing, amused. “Goddess, spit it out. I’ve never seen you like this before.”

  Lucien smirked, I’ll bet she hasn’t.

  “OK.” Sebastian straightened, rolling his neck on his shoulders as if preparing for a fight. “Caia. I want you to know... I want you to know, that I don’t care that you’re different.”