Blood Solstice: Part Three in the Tale of Lunarmorte (31 page)

Caia had
to get out of here. She had to get back to the pack, and she had to
get someone to come back and deal with all the people that had been
at the sight of the inn, because clearly she had made quite a mess.
Glancing around she was relieved to find herself in a private
room.

“
Can I speak with the doctor?” She asked.

The nurse
pinched her lips. “I’ll have a wee look and see if I can find him
for you. The police are waiting to question you, so I’ll hurry
along eh.”

As soon
as the door closed behind the woman Caia ripped at the tube in her
hand and pulled off the heart monitor, silencing it with her magik.
Hurriedly, she utilised magik to clothe herself in jeans and a
t-shirt and then she felt herself swaying badly. She clutched a
plastic chair in the corner and pushed herself upright. This was no
time to be lacking energy.

Her nerve
endings shaking Caia took a deep breath and pictured the dining
hall in the hotel.

Everything was black, her aching body pressed against
something cold. Then noise just exploded all around her.

“
Caia-”

“
Oh my goddess-”

“
Caia! You’re back!”

She felt
hands tugging at her and she realised she had landed prone on the
hardwood floor of the dining hall. Someone gripped her under the
arms and turned her gently and she looked up into the concerned
silver eyes of her mate.

“
Lucien.” She reached for him, and he hauled her up into his
arms, his entire body shaking with emotion as they
embraced.

“
I thought you were dead,” he choked and squeezed her tighter.
She was vaguely aware of weeping, and people patting and stroking
her back as she lay comforted in her mate’s arms.

Eventually, Lucien pulled back a little. “Can you stand?” he
asked hoarsely, his eyes washing over her face as if afraid to look
away.

She
nodded. There was still a lot to do and she didn’t have time to be
playing the invalid. Slowly, but surely, Lucien helped her to her
feet. She stood to face a wearied and worried pack, including
Marion, Saffron, and Reuben. Caia was heartened to see Ryder,
Jaeden and Vil all in good shape, so she guessed they had taken
care of Marita’s lykans. As her eyes took them all in, a frown
suddenly formed between her brows. Wait a minute…

“
Where’s Eliza?” she asked in panic.

Marion
waved away the question soothingly. “She’s at the
Centre.”

“
But she’s a Midnight.” Oh goddess what if the Council had her
locked up?

However, Marion was shaking her head. “Eliza’s fine. She’s
being well taken care of. Penelope has taken her under her
protection. She
was
surprised to see me alive though.”

Caia
grunted but relaxed marginally at the news Penelope was the one
watching over Eliza. Of all the Council, she seemed the most ready
to believe that Midnight’s might just be alright after
all.

“
Caia, what happened?” Jaeden asked abruptly. “Marion took
Saffron and Vil to that inn and when they got there, there was
nothing left of it. Just rubble and debris, and the ash from Marita
and her magiks’ bodies.”

Marita
and her magiks’ bodies! Relief flooded through her entire being. “I
did it?” she breathed. “I killed her?”

Reuben
was grinning. “Looks like.”

She
frowned, remembering the disgusting mess she had made of Ethan when
she had used that same strange energy burst on him. “Why was there
ash?” she whispered and looked directly at Marion, seeking answers.
“Last time with Ethan… there was… you know, gore and
stuff…”

The witch
matched her expression. “Interesting. Did you feel any differently
this time around, when you did whatever the Hades it is you
do?”

As she
forced herself to relive the moment pinned beneath Marita and the
other magiks’ power, she realised her fear for Marita and her evil
had been even greater than that of her uncle. Perhaps because now
she fully comprehended the impact a person that powerful and
ruthless would have on their world.

“
I felt
more
,” she whispered.

“
Then perhaps the energy this time was more powerful. Not to
mention you’ve come along a little further in your magik since
then.”

Nodding,
Caia decided not to let it worry her. Knowing Marita was out of the
picture should relieve her, take the pressure off. Not add to it.
She leaned into Lucien and he pulled her into his side, placing a
kiss on the top of her head. “I did it.”

“
You did it,” he murmured.

“
So what happened to you?” Jaeden persisted.

“
I was taken to hospital by humans.” She threw a worried look
at Marion. “We need to get back any blood tests, and mess with the
memories of all the people who dealt with me and the scene of the
‘incident’.”

Marion
nodded militantly. “Of course. Which hospital?”

“
Edinburgh.” Caia shook her head trying to remember the name
the nurse had given her, but in all the chaos she couldn’t. “I
dunno which one.”

Reuben
shrugged. “That’s easy. You obviously used your magik
there.”

“
Yes.”

“
I can sense each magiks’ different energy.” He tapped his
nose. “I’ll just follow this. I’ll need Marion and Saffron’s
help.”

“
Of course.” Marion nodded, and then she smiled sadly at
Caia.

I killed her sister.

“
I’m sorry, Marion,” she whispered.

The witch
shook her head, her lips pinched. She came forward, drawing Caia
into a delicate hug. “Don’t be. You did what I
couldn’t.”

Pulling
back, Marion glanced at Reuben and Saffron over her shoulder.
“Let’s make this quick.” She held a hand out to Reuben and he
clutched it tightly as if offering her comfort.

Caia
sighed. Sometimes he could be pretty sweet when he wanted to
be.

With a
little buzz in the air all three of them vanished.

A tense
silence fell amongst the pack, a heightened sense of expectation
leaping from member to member. They wanted to know where they went
from here. But as Caia’s eyes drifted over them and came to a stop
on Rose, who stood a little off to the side from the rest of them,
they would have to wait and see until after her showdown. The lykan
flinched under Caia’s regard and she immediately saw the guilt
there.

A snarl
ripped up from deep within her, and she shot her hand out, sending
Rose flying back into the wall with a crack of her head. She raised
her up with her magik and pinned her there.

“
Caia, what the hell!” Lucien gripped her arm tightly and
tried to pull her back. The pack broke apart as if unsure what to
do; the children crying out, frightened by the unexpected attack.
The only one who appeared calm was Jaeden who took a step towards
Caia.

“
What did she do?” she asked with a growl.

Through
her anger she felt a deep connection of friendship to Jae, and her
gratitude for it was undying. “She called Marita. She told her
about the Septum. She betrayed us.”

“
No.” Lucien growled. “Caia, you’re mistaken.” He tugged once
more at her hand trying to break her hold.

She threw
him an angry, hurt look. “You believe her over me?” she whispered
hoarsely, not letting go.

He glared
at her. “I think you’ve been through a lot of strain. Caia, for
goddess sakes.” He wrapped a hand around her waist and tried to
pull her away from Rose.

A noise
of distress drifted out of Jaeden and Lucien was being shoved away
from Caia with an invisible force. Jae was using her telekinesis
against the Alpha. He was glaring at Caia, though, so he thought it
was her, and she wasn’t about to give Jae away.

“
I’m telling you the truth. Marita told me Rose told her where
to get Eliza. How else would she have found out? And she has
motive. She’s in love with you and wants me gone!”

“
Lucien, no!” Rose shrieked from her place up on the wall.
“She’s lying. I didn’t do that!”

Fury shot
through Caia and she gripped a magikal hand around the lykan’s
throat, choking her. “People died because of you!”

“
Caia, stop it, that’s an order!” Lucien yelled.

Seemingly
out of nowhere, little Laila strolled slowly out in front of the
trio and came to a stop before Rose. Tentatively, she reached
upwards and placed a gentle hand on Rose’s. The lykan watched her
warily and then stopped struggling. Laila took her hand away, her
shoulders wilting, and turned back towards Caia and Lucien. “I
think she betrayed us to Marita, Lucien.”

He shook
his head in disbelief and Rose’s eyes widened. “No! It’s not
true.”

Caia
choked her harder and she began to make horrible gagging
sounds.

“
Caia-” Magnus implored quietly.

“
Caia, don’t.” Laila shook her head, and some of the anger
dissipated a little, enough to bring her back under
control.

She
relaxed her grip but kept Rose suspended. “Tell him the
truth.”

No
answer.

She
envisioned a little water filling up Rose’s airways and the lykan
must have felt it because she began to struggle.

“
Tell him the truth!”

She
nodded frantically so Caia made the water disappear. “OK!” She
cried, frightened tears streaming down her cheeks. “I did it! I
went to Marita, but only to protect you and your pack from her!”
She gestured hatefully to Caia. “She’s a monster,
Lucien!”

An
almighty howl exploded around the room followed by a harsh row of
snarls. When he spoke his lykan was evident in his words, “Caia,
let me go.”

Caia
nodded subtly at Jae and Lucien slumped free. He straightened
immediately and clamped a hand down on Caia’s shoulder. “Let her
go.”

Gazing up
into his eyes, she saw pain and betrayal and sorrow. She wished she
could take it all away from him. With a sympathetic nod Caia
retracted her magik and Rose crumpled to the floor with a
thud.

The pack
all turned on her, and their Alpha approached her like a hunter
going in for the kill. She scrambled against the floor until her
back pressed against the wall, her lips trembling, pathetic tears
spilling down her pretty cheeks.

“
Please…” she whimpered.

Lucien’s
hands curled into fists. Caia knew how difficult this was for him.
“As pack Alpha it is my prerogative to kill you for your act of
betrayal against the pack and it’s Alpha’s mate.”

A
terrified sob ripped out of Rose.

“
But I’m not going to. You don’t deserve a quick death and I’m
afraid that’s all I’d be capable of. No.” He glanced back at Caia
and his eyes begged for forgiveness. For a moment he didn’t seem to
be able to look anywhere else and Caia wanted to run to him and
tell him it was OK… it was all over. She nodded to encourage him
and his gaze moved to Vil. “I’m going to leave your judgement,
Rose, to the Council.”

The magik
instantly understood and moved towards the female. She cried and
shook but didn’t give him a struggle as he pulled her to her feet,
clamping a hand on her upper arm.

“
Ryder, the Council know you. Go with Vil and explain,
please.”

His
friend nodded and strode forward to take Rose’s other arm. The
three of them disappeared.

Unable to
resist any longer, Caia crossed the room to Lucien and placed a
comforting hand on his back. He turned into her. “I am so sorry,
Caia.”

“
You couldn’t have known.”

Jae
snorted, “I always disliked the bitch.”

Caia
winced. “Not the time.”

“
Sorry.”

She let
Lucien hold her, ignoring the pack as they mumbled to one another
about everything that had happened. So much had happened. So much
was still to come. Wanting nothing more than to go back to Lucien’s
room and lose herself in him, Caia drew back from him instead. She
wouldn’t be allowed that luxury for now… perhaps ever. Her mate
wanted no part in the war but she… she was a piece of
it.

She
traced the annulet on her palm she had been trying to keep hidden
from the pack and gestured for them to sit around the dining
table.

“
I have to tell you what’s been going on,” she said wearily as
she perched on the chair at the head of the table, trying to ignore
Lucien’s burning gaze. She held up the palm with the annulet and
they all frowned, mumbling queries.

“
What is that?” Lucien demanded.

She
locked gazes with him. “I told you I couldn’t kill the Septum. So I
asked Reuben to let me meet the Cassandrian who said all of this
was going to happen because of me. The Prophet. I asked him if I
killed Marita and the Coven made me Head of it, could I ask the
gods to take the trace back. Both traces – Midnight and
Daylight.”

“
Freeing us,” Lucien breathed, his eyes widening. “Caia,
that’s brilliant.”