Set In Flames (Morningstars Book 1) (29 page)

“There’s no need to go hunting for her. Destra will show at Maya’s door step soon enough,” Colbin said into the overall enthusiasm and Jaden did a double take, actually having forgotten that their leader was still in the room with them.

“No one knows where Maya is,” he said angrily and Colbin took a deep breath, wetting his lips. He looked tired and old, which was definitely unusual for a vampire.

“How can a distraught Origin find Maya? She is the new safe haven for all of them,” Colbin explained and Red stepped forward.

“They feel Maya. They can find her. They won’t be able to tell the exact location until they stand in front of the house, but Maya’s presence is like a beacon to them. Even if someone is on another continent, they can feel the pull towards Maya if they focus on the Queen,” he told them all and understanding dawned. It was something Jaden surely didn’t like.

“Destra is an Origin. Just like for everyone else Maya will shine for her, too”, he said quietly and Colbin nodded.

“We just need to take our spots in front of her mansion and Destra will come. If rumors are true, it’ll be soon, too. I am sorry. I’ll make it up to all of you by standing by your side now,” Colbin promised, looking at them all, taking each warrior in after the other. He held Jaden’s eyes the longest, knowing that he was the one hurting most.

“Let’s hope soon is really soon. I don’t like knowing she’s out there hurting,” Kaden said, grabbing his daggers and moving to the door. Jaden couldn’t help but grin. Maya would be in his arms in no time again and he wouldn’t let her go until she had forgiven him each and every crack he had given her heart.

He couldn’t believe his eyes. The mansion his Origin was in wasn’t just huge; it was enormous. Between him and Maya stood an iron fence. Clearly it was just for decoration purposes because the gate wasn’t fully closed, but that didn’t take away from the impressive exterior. He felt her inside, knowing she was staying in one place and wondered which place that was. Could it be possible for someone heartbroken to actually find a favorite spot in a house that must feel like anything but a home?

“I think we have more pressing matters than that,” Lex said quietly next to him and Jaden slowly nodded, drawing his eyes away from the massive structure. Fog was moving in, obscuring his view anyways.

“It was a clear night when we moved out. What happened? Is this some protection mechanism, Colbin?” Kaden asked, obviously being irritated by the fog as well.

“It’s not. I don’t know what the hell is going on, but I can tell you this doesn’t bode well. This just makes it so much harder to guess how many people show with her. If she shows,” their leader responded and Jaden nodded. He knew exactly what Colbin meant. Even if they tried to guess by heartbeats, it wouldn’t be easy.

“We can use that to our advantage,” Red suggested, explaining about hiding part of the group in the fog, but the plan was almost instantly vetoed. No one knew how long that fog would hold.

Jaden felt himself getting anxious, his apprehension rising as the agitation between the warriors escalated. They didn’t like attacking if they had no idea how many they’d be waiting for.

“We could always come back another night,” Colbin suggested and Jaden glared at him, knowing it was pretty useless since the fog only got thicker and thicker until suddenly rain set in.

“This is beyond weird,” Lex muttered under his breath as Jaden stared up at the sky, wondering if it maybe was him. Fate seemingly decided that he really had to fight for what he wanted.

“Maybe she won’t come. That bitch surely doesn’t like getting her hands dirty, so maybe she’ll just stay home,” Lex suggested.

“Yeah, let’s kill the Queen. Oh no, wait, it’s raining. We should watch TV and eat popcorn instead,” Kaden remarked sarcastically and Jaden couldn’t help but wish Lex’s suggestion would be right. As much as he hated to wait another night to make it up to Maya, he worried for his brothers in arms. This weather wasn’t exactly the best to fight and… He didn’t even get to finish that thought because even over the rain falling down on the pavement they heard steps. Not enough to get worried, but still enough so they’d be occupied for a little while.

“I didna even know I was aching for a fight so bad,” Devon next to him mumbled and Jaden couldn’t agree more. He just hoped that one of the vampires coming closer would be Maya’s mother. If they’d be humans, she’d be his mother-in-law. That thought actually made him shiver in disgust.

“She’s not here. They came because they heard a Queen was somewhere close by,” Lex said, obviously having done a quick scan of the thoughts.

“They are all male,” Red announced and Jaden picked up a brow.

“Thanks, Captain Obvious,” he growled, but Kaden just shot him a look.

“He meant that none of those vamps could have felt Maya. Someone must have told them where to go,” his twin explained and Jaden stood up straighter.

“Destra’s work. What’s her aim?”

“Doesn’t matter, now, does it? We’ll kill you and then no one cares why she sent us,” a Hellraise snarled and Jaden looked closer, through the heavy rain seeing the glowing red eyes that were trademark for the lower specimen of his race.

Without needing to say anything the warriors moved in swiftly, attacking as if they all had one mind. Sometimes Jaden really loved being part of that group.

“Just leave her alone. There’s no need shedding tears, because Maya is really capable of doing that all by herself,” Maya heard Ryder say. She still couldn’t get used to hearing every word through closed doors. It made her wonder why no one had ever thought about soundproofing those rooms.

“I heard her crying. I’ve been in this household for what? Three days? Four at max and I’ve never felt anything more depressing than the mood around here. You think I don’t notice that she is broken? Or how she truly hates your ass? I think you should be moving away from here and then, maybe one day she’ll come out and talk to me,” the little courtier said and for a moment Maya felt bad for not remembering her name or ever having talked to her, but then the girl had to go on. “I’m failing my family here because that Queen is not a queen. She’s a freaking puzzle that no one can ever put back together. Because she is failing at her position I am failing at mine! I was raised for this and I was ready. She was supposed to be proud and happy, ready to take on the world. Instead the world tackles her to the floor and leaves her whining and crying because she cannot live without that guy. I don’t shed tears for her. I shed tears for myself!”

Maya gasped before being able to hold the sound back and instantly silence spread in front of her door as both Ryder and that female stopped breathing.

“Maya, she didn’t mean it like that. Please, this is just such a stressful situation for all of us. You should be eating or…” Ryder started, but she didn’t care what he thought.

“She meant it exactly like that. And she knew I’d hear her. How about both of you just leave me alone? Call me if anyone decent arrives … someone who really needs my help, and not some spoiled rotten Morningstar princess,” she screamed through the door, anger taking over her sob-shaken body. Jaden was out there, right down the front door and instead of moving towards it like she had hoped, she had to realize he was moving away from the front door again.

Whatever his reason for coming had been, it wasn’t her.

“I am incredibly sorry, my Queen, I…” Maya just turned away from the door, covering her ears with her hands. Thunder picked up outside, lightening flashing all of the sudden while the rain pelted down even harder.

Every time lightening zigzagged across the sky it was bright enough to see the surroundings. Maya wondered if she’d be able to spot Jaden outside if she’d find a window facing the front, but she didn’t want to pass Ryder and that courtier, who both hovered in front of her door.

A third person joined them, talking to the other two in a hushed voice. It could only be Matt, the one person Maya talked to out of necessity. She worried too much she’d go insane if she refused any outside contact.

“Maya, I’ve found something that might comfort you,” he said quietly after the other two had left. Maya waited until she was definitely sure the rest was gone, than she opened the door, not reciprocating the smile Matt was showing.

“Why is Jaden outside?” she wanted to know, not even offering him to come inside. Matt gave her an apologizing look.

“We are the castle guard now. We only get informed if it concerns you, not about the missions the warriors do,” he whispered and she blinked in surprise.

“The world could go down out there and you wouldn’t know because you have to be my prison guards?” she reassured herself, feeling the need to run outside and see with her own eyes that not all hell had broken loose in front of her very own door. Would Matt even let her go there?

“That would concern you and we’d find out,” he replied stubbornly and she shook her head, not in the mood to discuss any further.

She turned back, ready to shut her door in his face, but he stepped a foot inside, stopping her.

“They have a library here and all the Queens’ diaries are in there,” he said quickly and she paused. Books had always been her refuge and a library sounded like a true paradise of escape.

“Diaries?” she asked and Matt nodded. As much as she hated it, she was intrigued, finding herself following him down the long hallway. It was still weird thinking about the fact that she had her own wing. She hadn’t bothered opening any of these doors, but now she suddenly wondered what would be behind every one of them.

Curiosity was good, wasn’t it? Maybe she could move beyond the betrayal and the pain and really do her job. One day. Eventually. Maybe.

Shaking her head, she reminded herself to not get ahead of herself because, as it was, she knew it didn’t take much to push her right back to the pain she was feeling and she already knew that every meeting, every absolutely sterile get-together between her and Jaden would tear her apart again.

“Oh my God,” she whispered.

“Actually, we say Creator,” Matt smirked, but Maya wasn’t listening anymore. There was a glass casing containing beautifully leather bound volumes, each marked with a year on the spine and she could only stare in awe because there were rows upon rows of those books.

“I knew you’d like that. No one knows what’s in in them except for all those that preceded you. Only the Queen’s blood can open the lock,” Matt explained from right next to her, holding out his precious dagger to her. She grabbed it, still staring at lock.

Maybe she was lucky and it wouldn’t open for her, then she could try and convince Jaden that they did belong to each other.

Mad at herself for not simply hating him she cut her palm, pressing it against the beautiful golden ornament before her body healed.

Shining light spread all around and she couldn’t help but smile as she noticed that not a spot of blood was left on the casing. Reaching out she randomly grabbed one volume, feeling good with its weight in her hand. This was something she knew, something that made her feel safe.

“There is even your own book, in case you feel like switching from reading to writing,” Matt told her in a hushed voice.

She followed his eyes to a desk she hadn’t noticed, then she nodded, walking over to yet another padded window seat. This was something she really liked about those old buildings the Morningstars owned.

Only faintly she heard Matt telling her that he’d be around if she needed him, but since Maya had already cracked open the book, she didn’t really realize that he was waiting for her answer.