Moon Spell (The Tale of Lunarmorte #1) (21 page)

“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, her gaze glued to Lucien until Ella pulled her out of the room, jerking her eyes unstuck. Her mind was whirring. Had they just had a moment together? It had certainly felt like a moment. She had goosebumps. You didn
’
t get goosebumps 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 color 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 apologized 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
’
s skin prickled 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 realized 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-colored light emanated from their clasped hands and rushed exquisitely through their bodies. Magnus
’
expression remained 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 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, sympathizing with lovers who had gone before Artemis, believing they were in love, only to have 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.”

“What
’
s wrong with 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, and 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 elder 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 been bothered by 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, realizing 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
’
d 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 I don
’
t care that you
’
re different.”

Lucien frowned.
Uh oh, where is this going?

Caia stiffened, glowering at Sebastian. “Different?”

Oh yeah she
’
s pissed.

He nodded, continuing on foolishly, “I want to be here for you, Caia, when things get rough... and they
’
re going to. I think we should mate, Caia, before your po-”

“Hey!” Lucien boomed, cutting the boy off before he said something they
’
d all regret. “What are you guys doing out here? You should be inside enjoying the party.” He smiled for Caia
’
s sake, but inside he was burning mad. He was going to kill this kid. His step faltered in front of Sebastian and he glared down at him. The boy at least had the good sense to look nervous. “Sebastian, I think you
’
ve had enough to drink. Why don
’
t you go inside and start chugging back some water. That
’
s not a suggestion.”

He nodded blearily, glancing quickly at Caia, before rushing off the porch and inside. Lucien watched him go and then turned back to her.

Her light eyes were wide with confusion. “Did you hear any of that?” she asked.

He nodded and took a breath. He just needed to be calm and smooth, and he would have her thinking nothing of it. “Drink. That
’
s why there
’
s an age limit.”

She narrowed
her eyes on Lucien, her mind still whirring with Sebastian
’
s proposal for them to mate. She hoped Lucien was right and it was just the drink talking, but she hadn
’
t even realized Sebastian had been thinking that way about her. And what the hell had he meant about protecting her when things got rough?