“Lucien, do I have to remind you that this is a war? I’m going to get hurt every now and then.”

He shrugged and turned away. “I’m just saying it would be nice for once to be waking up in bed next to you for a reason other than you having just come under attack.”

“We have… you know…” she started to blush and he struggled not to smile. “You know… there have been times-” she stopped suddenly, watching his expression, her eyes narrowing as realization dawned on her. “You enjoy tormenting me, don’t you?”

“I’ve just never met a lykan as shy about sex as you, that’s all.” He smiled and then gave a bark of laughter as her expression turned mulish.

“That’s what every woman wants to hear. My boyfriend finds me amusing in bed… not sexy… amusing. Shy? Wow. Hot.”

All this talk of sex… he took a deep breath trying to regain some control. But he leaned into her anyway, his lips inches from hers. “Your mate,” he corrected her hoarsely. “Not boyfriend. Mate. And I find your shyness refreshing. I find it even more so when it completely goes out of the window when you’re in my bed.”

He felt her breath shudder against his lips and that was it. His control snapped. Well he was a lykan. He couldn’t help it! Her hair slipped through his fingers as he clasped a hand behind her head and pressed her mouth to his gently. She groaned and kissed him back and when he felt her tongue against his own he growled, kissing her harder.

“Lucien,” she whimpered against his lips and he knew what she wanted. He held her face between his hands, gazing into huge eyes that were, at the moment, glazed with lust.

He trembled with indecision. And then an eruption of laughter from the other side of the door brought him back to reality.

“We can’t.” He shuddered and pulled back. “You need to rest that shoulder… and we have company.”

She was gazing at the door now, a moue of disappointment touching her lips where his had just been. “I hear that.” And then her eyes widened. “For Gaia’s sake! I didn’t even ask what happened. The Center?”

11 – Trigger

Jaeden snuggled deeper into Ryder on the sofa, breathing him in deeply. She felt his arm tighten around her but his gaze never left the television. They were watching Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and the boy wizard was presently pissing off Jim Broadbent’s character.

“Badly done, Harry,” Magnus muttered and Jae hid a snicker in Ryder’s chest. He felt it and squeezed her. He was telling her to quit it. You did not make fun of Magnus when he was watching the Harry Potter movies.

“Do you think Caia is awake?” Rose suddenly asked from her spot on the other sofa next to Alexa.

“Ssh,” Magnus hushed her without looking at her. Jaeden, however, turned to look at her sharply, her gaze narrowing in on the wolf. Jaeden knew from what Caia had told her, Rose was Lucien’s ex-girlfriend. The lykan was watching the double doors to the bedroom. She had been ever since Lucien had closed them behind himself and Caia. Jae did not like the possessive look in Rose’s eyes when she watched Lucien… and she watched him all the time. When the fighting had stopped, Rose had made her way to the infirmary to see Lucien. Jaeden had watched her face when she realized Lucien and Caia were no longer ignoring their mating. Hatred for an unconscious Caia had seared in her eyes. But no one else had seemed to notice, Jae mused. Hmm, didn’t matter. She had. And she was going to be sure to keep an eye out on Rose from now on.

She thought about the state of the Center outside of this suite. The Council had been amazing. They had taken control in a matter of minutes, their combined power washing over the Center and stopping everyone in their tracks. They had ordered everyone into one of the large reception halls and had explained the truth about Marita and the labs downstairs. When Christian and Lucia, along with a couple of magiks, came out of the Altar with the kids in question, the supernaturals could smell the truth in the air and see it on the faces of the traumatized children. Those supernaturals who wished to leave were asked to do so and those who trusted the Council could remain and help place protective spells around the Center to keep Marita out. After the revelations about the labs, though, there were only a few who left. Unfortunately, the kids had to stay to answer some of the Council’s questions so they could find out exactly what had been done to them, especially since the lab techs had all fled at the first sign of trouble. They’re families were being brought in, however, to be with them during the questioning. As for the pack kids, who were in Christian and Lucia’s charge until they returned to the pack, Alfred promised to question them that night so they could return with the pack in the morning. Jaela was too young to be questioned. Thank goddess. Jaeden had been relieved to feel little Jaela in her arms. She had cried and blubbered over her family for a minute or so before the events of the last few days seemed to be forgotten. Thankfully, she was young enough for this to become a distant memory. A lump of anguish lodged itself in her throat as she thought of Sunday, Ivan and Kerianna. Unfortunately, she couldn’t say the same for them. It was going to take them some time to get over what they had had to endure. Damn it, she tensed and Ryder turned to look at her sharply. She shook her head and just rested it against his shoulder again. She was just so mad. They were too young! They shouldn’t have had to go through what she had! And thank the gods it had only been a mild version of it. The day they hunted Marita down was the day Jaeden took a turn tearing into her! The witch was going down! Because of her they had traumatized kids on their hands. One of the MacLachlans had been killed alongside two of the Council’s family members that had been fighting with them. Word had also reached them that Desi, one of the travellers that Caia had apparently befriended, was injured when she had begun fighting on their side. Jae’s own brother had been wounded but he had changed and healed himself. It hadn’t stopped Lucia fluttering around him and Jaela like a mother hen on crack. Jae glanced at Alexa who was watching the television broodingly. She had had quite an eye-opener today. Alexa had been in a tough fight with another lykan. Jae could see her wince every time she shifted in her seat. Over all, though, to their surprise and smug delight, their side had managed to take down a number of the Coven who had fought against them. According to Phoebe, two of them had been Michael Brown, the head of the Third Unit (Vampyre division) and Lyla Thomson, the head of the Second Unit (Lykan division); and ironically, Michael had fought by Caia’s side merely weeks before. They were powerful enemies to have, but thankfully the two of them, like good soldiers, stood down under the Council’s orders. The atmosphere in the Center was horrible. It was full of anxiety and fear and hostility. But the Council were competent and altogether more powerful than Marita, now she didn’t have any goons working for her… well… except for the group of magiks who had left the Center when she had. According to Alfred Doukas she had perhaps ten magiks with her at the moment, but with the trace magik it would be easy for her to find more followers. They had to move fast. At this very moment they were trying to figure out her most likely hiding place and were putting together a plan to capture her.

Jaeden sighed and rubbed at the tension headache in her temple. Ryder made a noise above her and then he was pulling her hand away from her head, replacing it with strong fingers that pressed soothingly against her forehead, making gentle circles. She sighed happily and relaxed into him.

“You’ll have me drooling in a minute,” she whispered so as not to disturb Magnus.

He leaned down, his lips brushing against her ear, sending a shiver of delight throughout her entire body. “I’d like to be doing more to you than that in a minute.”

She grinned. There were lykans in the room. Lykan hearing. Magnus snorted. Yup, he had heard them.

“Ryder,” she admonished him lazily, but that didn’t stop her hand from inching over his thigh.

He jumped under her touch and then growled, “Right.” He grabbed her hand pulling her up from her seat, his hazel gaze light with passion. Clearly he was intending to take her somewhere private to ravish her! Hell yeah! They had missed their ‘wedding night’ after all and Ryder, the perpetual gentleman, hadn’t wanted to make love to her until she was his mate for real. She had been waiting for this night forever.

The door behind them cracked open, stopping them in their tracks. Caia appeared through them, her arm wrapped around Lucien’s waist. In normal circumstances she was tiny next to the giant that was Lucien, but there was a strength to Caia that made you forget her stature. Now, however, after the beating she had taken today, she looked fragile and so small. Jae felt a rush of protectiveness at the sight of her and tried to forget what it had been like to see Marita and the others torturing her.

“Hey guys.” She smiled brightly and Jaeden grinned, happy to see her friend’s eyes sparkling. Being with your mate tended to have that effect on you. It was kind of annoying, she grunted, determined to remember she was an independent woman.

“Lucien.” Rose half-stood up and Jaeden frowned at her.

Lucien nodded gently at her but didn’t leave Caia’s side as he said, “Thanks for all your help today, Rose.”

She smiled warmly at him, lighting up under his praise. “No problem. Of course. Anything to help.”

Jaeden snorted and then bit back a cry of pain when Ryder pinched her. Instead she threw Caia and Lucien a sly smile. “You were in there a while.” She wriggled her eyebrows suggestively. Caia blushed, making Jaeden laugh. “Jeez, I was kidding… but if we’re to go by those red, red cheeks of yours, clearly I was on the mark.”

The grit of Cy’s teeth told her she was probably bugging her, but the look on Rose’s face was worth it. There was nothing wrong with hitting home to the delusional woman that Lucien was no longer on the market. And she knew Caia would never be underhanded or mean to Rose so… it was up to Jae to do that for her!

“Hey, I have a question if you’re feeling better, Caia?” Alexa asked lazily.