Set In Sparks (Morningstars Book 2) (10 page)

“So, that’s her.” Ciarda’s words pulled Kaden from staring at Jaden and Maya, who looked everything the happy couple he knew them not to be. “She’s actually…”

“My mate.” Wow, it felt weird saying it out loud. It felt even weirder saying it to Cia. He hadn’t seen her since a night six months ago when she had told him to get lost, only she had used a different wording.

Cia’s had snapped back to him, her blue eyes blazing, and he smiled slightly. “Fucked up, huh?”

She only shook her head, reaching out to brush his cheek. Once he had lived for those little touches, then suddenly everything had changed. Maybe he shouldn’t talk to her about Maya.

“I’m sorry, this is not a good topic,” Kaden said before Cia managed to get a word out.

“Kady, I want to be your friend and this is obviously something that bothers you, so we can talk about it. If you stop stepping on my toes that is,” she fussed with a smirk and Kaden bit his lip. He knew he should be leading, but he couldn’t help watching Maya. She had hurt so much the last day he just wanted to her to be happy, and yet, somehow he had thought he’d at least get to hold her once to make her stop crying.

“I’m sorry,” Kaden smiled and then felt a body next to him. Cia’s eyes got wide.

“How about I show the girl the ropes of waltzing?” Jaden asked next to him and Kaden stared at him.

“Maya and you…”

“… Will dance another time,” Jaden assured him. He looked worn out and Kaden knew the last twenty-four hours had taken a toll on him, too. Good for Maya. Maybe Jaden would be with her again rather sooner than later. His twin took Ciarda’s hand, leading her the way Kaden should have done.

Looking back at Maya, Kaden noticed how she hugged herself. It broke his heart since she looked lost.

He walked over and took her hand, feeling her reluctance. “You can still dance with her, just tell Jaden to get his pretty ass back over here,
Kady
,” she explained, obviously trying for a light comment, but it was utterly destroyed by the way her voice cracked at the use of Cia’s nickname for him. Maya was jealous. Wasn’t that just too funny?

“Trust me, you feeling smug right now will not change a thing. I’m sorry, but I can’t help … doesn’t really matter, does it? What I can or can’t help?” She was hurt and it hadn’t been his intention. It was weird knowing that she still felt everything coursing through him.

“I know you like her, Kade. I felt the jump in your emotions. What is she? A fling?” she wanted to know and he shrugged a shoulder.

“I thought Cia was going to be my girlfriend for a long time. I wanted to spend my life with her. Or rather, I wanted to spend her life with her. I thought I loved her. I was seeing her when I saw you the first time. After that though everything was different. She knew back then already that you were special to me. My heart was never mine to give to her, and if a person knows that, it’s you,” Kaden remarked and still, Maya looked ready to cry.

“I wish I hadn’t come into your life. I never intended on hurting you … or taking you away from a girl that truly could love only you. You deserve so much more, but this situation is fucked up and neither of us can help it. Maybe if you try you could be happy with her and I’d just…”

Anger surged through Kaden and he gripped Maya’s wrist as she tried to walk away. “What in the world are you saying?”

“I’m saying I wish I could make you happy the way you deserve, but you wanna know something? I can’t, because I’ll always love both of you, Kaden. Always. I won’t love one guy more or one less. I love you both exactly the same for varying reasons. Jaden and I are mated and this whole thing can’t work with us three. I’m sorry you got caught in the crossfire. Again, I wish I wouldn’t have come into your life, because then you could be happy with her, Kade. I want you to be happy. I want it so bad it’s physical pain to me, but there’s Jaden and…” Her voice was low since Maya obviously tried to keep this between them, yet he knew that there was a new silence in the room. People tried to follow their talk and Kaden wished he could take it anywhere but there.

“And?” he still prompted.

“Losing him is not an option. Ever.” Kaden wanted to scream in pain. She might as well could have stabbed him with a dagger and twisted the blade in his heart, yet he challenged her.

“But losing me is fine?”

“I never allowed myself to have you, so how can I lose what I never really had?” she replied and then turned on her heel, leaving. Stunned, Kaden watched her.

There was only one person following her and it sure wasn’t whom he had expected at all.

Maya didn’t know where to go. She wanted to escape, get away, but she really had nowhere to run. Throwing open the big front doors, she stormed outside into the cooling night. Her cheeks were heated and her body had gone into overdrive. She never had come so close to telling the twins that she really wanted both of them. If only that were possible!

“My Queen, wait,” she heard a voice and recognized it instantly.
Kady.
It had been said with so much longing, Maya had been on the verge of going over and throwing a fit. Only her decency had kept her from it, and in the end, she still had proven that she was nothing but a spoiled little girl, being sad that someone else wanted to play with her discarded toys. Then again, she never had allowed herself to get close to Kaden.

Not turning, she only nodded. “I’m not going anywhere. The warriors would throw a fit,” she pointed out and then felt the girl step next to her.

“They worry. It’s in their nature,” Ciarda agreed and then softly touched her elbow. She probably tried to get Maya’s attention, but Maya refused to look at the female. She was ashamed of herself and her control had simply snapped inside.

“He didn’t deserve the way I spoke to him. I had no right to be jealous at all. I turned him down before he ever knew what hit him. I shouldn’t have said something inside. I have no right to stake a claim on him when I don’t even want him,” she whispered, feeling the twins somewhere behind her. It was hard reading them since her feelings were in a mess.

“And yet, that’s not true, is it?” Ciarda asked next to her and Maya looked up, meeting the other woman’s blue eyes. Ancient wisdom was in them, as if Cia had seen more of the world than anyone could imagine.

“Since you’re in love with Kaden, I’m not sure you are the best person to speak to,” she remarked and now it was Ciarda who couldn’t meet her eyes.

“My mother mentioned that I had no concept about a vampire and his Origin, that I couldn’t possibly envision how intense it would be. I really wasn’t able to when I first saw Kaden talk about you. I couldn’t even get a clear picture of it when I told him to walk out until he knew what he was feeling. In fact, it took me until just a few second ago to understand what she meant, and it wasn’t anything he did;  it was the way you first looked at his twin and then at him. It’s exactly the same, but totally different. I can’t explain it. The love shining in your eyes when you see them is overwhelming. I feel my heart aching just thinking about it.” Maya took a deep breath. She could like that girl. “One thing though. Hurt him another time like you just did and I will show you that even ex-lovers can get crazy when they see true love.” Maybe not.

Maya blinked, but Ciarda was already walking away as someone ran past. “Cia, wait,” Kaden called and Maya was startled even more. She hadn’t expected Kaden to take Ciarda’s side in this, no matter how selfish it was.

“It’ll be okay, cupcake,” Jaden mumbled, appearing next to her as well. He kissed the side of her head and then moved towards the gate.

“You wanted to talk,” she cried out in desperation and Jaden turned without stopping.

“I already know what I wanted to know,” he called back. “Stop worrying. We’ll work it out.” With that he left and Maya threw her hands up. Dearest Creator, how had she ended up loving two guys and then actually scare them both away?

“You have guests, May. How about we go back and show them that you can still smile through it all? You have those people here to prove something, remember?” Red asked as she came back to the door. He was right and she only nodded, taking his hand.

He waited, grinning to himself. There was trouble in paradise and it couldn’t be more obvious. Oh, how long had he waited for this night! The Queen’s mate left and behind stayed a girl that looked lonely, desperate. To his dismay there were too many people still around, like the mate’s twin and another girl, as well as a warrior.

Following the mate secretly for a while, he eventually stepped out of the shadows. So far the wind had come from the front, giving the warrior not much of a chance to realize he was being followed, yet the moment he came out of hiding that changed. The warrior proved how good he was because he almost instantly stiffened, growling low. “I’m in no mood to deal with you today.”

The warrior seemed to know who he was, yet he wasn’t worried. “I have news you might like to know,” he said and the warrior stopped walking, hanging his head in exasperation.

“I doubt you know anything I need to hear,” the warrior replied.

“It’s about that brother of yours.” Finally he had the warrior’s attention. Of course, he wouldn’t give his information freely.

“Right,” the warrior spat and then moved.

“I’ll tell you if you promise you won’t kill me. And if you answer one question.”

Obviously the buff guy wasn’t interested in what he had to say, because he just kept walking.

“It’s about your Origin.” If that wouldn’t get his attention, then he had no idea what would. “Or don’t you care about her safety anymore? Did you two have a fight? Is she ripe for plucking by anyone now?” He found himself against a damp wall before he had even realized it, being choked by the exact same hands that used to caress his precious Queen.

“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t kill you right now for everything you have instigated so far and most likely will instigate in the future,” the warrior snarled, his face a mask of fury. How could his Queen like a wild animal like that?

“Word has it that your brother’s passing out virgins in the street. He’s asking for info and he’s not asking the people he should be asking,” he choked out, trying to pry away the hands that still hadn’t let go of his neck. “Air,” he begged.

“What information?” the warrior wanted to know, squeezing tighter.

“Promise you’ll answer a question and you won’t kill me.” He needed air. Already black spots were marring his vision.

The moment the warrior let go, he fell to his knees, coughing.