Set In Flames (Morningstars Book 1) (32 page)

“Here is the part where obnoxious turns into genius. I created a spell that would make the poison act like a second skin, not affecting the one wearing it, but making everyone else who touches her hold on until enough seeped into his or her bloodstream. And I know where to find what I need. So she has a spell and you all … have a warrior that soon will be nothing but a groaning, aching shell for years and years to come,” Nox explained, and, as if trying to prove how smart exactly he was, he reached out and brushed his knuckles over Destra’s cheek. “And just like that the spell’s gone,” he announced.

Jaden couldn’t help but notice how even Destra’s shoulders sagged in relief.

“Get her,” Jaden bit out, but it wasn’t more than a whisper.

“We need to get him back to his place,” someone shouted. Jaden’s vision was blurring, but he still could make out Destra’s retrieving figure. They needed to get her and this might be the only chance they had! Why were they walking around him when they needed to kill that bitch?

“Don’t let her go,” he snapped, but then he suddenly saw stars. A lot of them. Real ones even. Why was he on his back when just a second ago he still had been standing?

Someone was bend over him, but he couldn’t keep his eyes open long enough to worry whom it was.

What he did wonder though was if he’d ever get a chance to tell Maya how sorry he was and that he loved her, but even that thought soon was taken over by blackness.

The next time he awoke he found himself in his own bed, Kaden, Lex and Red arguing in front of him.

“You shouldn’t have called him,” Kaden snapped and Lex threw up his hands.

“Jaden is his best friend,” he gave back, but Jaden’s twin just shrugged.

“And what do you think will be the first thing he does now?” he challenged and Jaden wished he would know whom they were talking about. As it was though there were more pressing matters at hand.

“Don’t let Maya come,” he forced out, his voice sounding hollow. The guys in front of his bed didn’t even react.

Lex paled though as realization dawned. Or maybe Kaden’s thoughts just were open to be read.

“He’s gonna bring her here. She’ll be seeing him like that and will try everything she can to actually heal him,” he said out aloud, making Jaden sit up. He winced against the pain almost ready to overwhelm him, but by now he was sure they were talking about his Origin.

“Kaden, you saw her. She won’t come, right? She hates me. She won’t come,” Jaden said in a whispered rush, panic seizing him. That got Kaden’s attention. He sat down on Jaden’s side and tried to push him back into the pillows.

“Swear to me that you will not let her come here! If you get a chance, tell her that no one can heal me! I’m begging you! Don’t let her risk her life for me! Promise!” Jaden demanded and his twin swallowed hard. “You know you don’t want to let her die, so keep her from it! By all means, just make her stay away!”

“Brother, you know she loves you. Do you honestly think…”

“I don’t care, Kaden, promise me you won’t let her try if there’s no hope of her succeeding,” Jaden demanded, gritting his teeth against the pain. Moracai was the worst thing anyone could imagine. It made a vampire’s health deteriorate during hours until he was on the brink of death and then it kept him there for decades if no one had mercy. Sometimes one lucky bastard was brought back from a poisoning like that with humans donating blood, but it was unheard of that a mated vampire could come back.

Even if it took all hope about Jaden surviving this, he was glad Maya was his.

“I promise,” Kaden finally said and Jaden now let him be pushed back into the pillows.

“Tell her I love her,” Jaden pleaded, closing his eyes because giving into the darkness was a lot easier than fighting it.

“You tell her that,” Kaden replied, but both knew that this wasn’t going to happen unless Kaden would break his promise. For Maya’s sake Jaden hoped his twin would stick to it though.

Maya knew something was wrong even before she heard the shouting out in the hall. That courtier and Ryder were at each other’s throats again, but she could hardly focus since agony almost brought her to her knees.

“I’m begging you, Ryder, just leave her alone with that,” she heard the female say, but her door flew open nonetheless. “Great, what’s your awesome plan now, genius?” The woman then wanted to know and Ryder turned back to her.

“My best friend kinda wants to see her so he can tell her a few things he didn’t exactly say to her before and don’t get me wrong, but I don’t care what kind of ass you think I am, I’ll actually bring her there because that’s what he’d want,” Ryder fussed while Maya held her middle, trying to breathe through Jaden’s pain. She seriously wished she could find enough air to ask what was going.

“It’s Moracai, asshole! You can now decide if you want to torture him or her. She’s your sister, for the Creator’s sake!”

Suddenly all pain receded from Maya’s body, making her realize that Jaden was drifting off into unconsciousness.

“Tell me what’s going on,” Maya demanded, not even looking at her brother. “Besides the fact that the two of you obviously decided to barge into my private quarters and stop respecting me,” she went on and the courtier bowed.

“My Queen…”

“Maya is my name. What was yours again?”

“Her fucking name is Cany, Maya, and you should finally start remembering that because she ain’t going anywhere. And Jaden’s dying,” Ryder snapped.

“Cany, can you tell me what’s going on? Vampires can’t die… They can be killed, but they don’t just die,” she exclaimed, but the look on Cany’s face said it all: Hell, yeah, it was possible for a vampire to die.

“It’s a poison. Actually it is the only one a vampire can be harmed with and as far as legends go all Moracai – resources were eliminated … obviously though that really was just a legend since your mate… He…”

“He’s suffering, Maya, and I need you to come and see him. Right now he has moments of being awake and you can talk to him, but there’ll be a point where we might… Just come and talk to him before you regret it,” Ryder pleaded and Maya finally turned her eyes on her brother.

“How can he be healed?” she wanted to know.

“Not at all,” Cany said instantly and way too fast for Maya’s taste.

“She’s not stupid, courtier, so don’t treat her that way. Blood, that’s all that can save him, but don’t even think about it. Mated vampires cannot be brought back from the poisoning since their mates don’t have enough to replace what will be lost,” Ryder explained and Maya stared at him, being surprised when Cany slapped him.

“Way to go, jerk. Tell her he’s dying because of her. You sure are such a charmer! My Queen, please, there is just no way you’d survive trying to help him,” Cany pleaded, obviously seeing the determination in Maya’s eyes.

Matt joined them, looking distraught.

“We cannot bring her over,” he said towards Ryder, purposely not looking at her. It ticked Maya off.

“First, I am done with people deciding for me what I will or won’t do. If I have the means to save him, I’m gonna try,” she snapped, pushing past all of them.

“Why, Queen? What did he ever do to you that he deserves your compassion? He brushed you off and you’ve been broken ever since I met you. Now you are ready to throw away your life?” Cany asked, stopping her.

“You have seen how I was when he was just out of my life. Imagine how miserable I will be if he is out of this world,” Maya explained quietly, wishing she would have taken just a few minutes to get to know Cany so she knew what argument would be a convincing one for the courtier.

“The sun will be up in not more than twenty minutes!”

Maya took a deep breath. “I guess the guys just gotta drive like their lives depend on it then,” she announced.

Only when they sat in the car, Cany next to her, did Maya realize that her courtier was shaking.

“What’s up?” she wanted to know, figuring it was time to start being a Queen and worry about those that were supposed to be there for her. Besides, it gave her something to think about other than Jaden’s health.

“I’m fine. It’s nothing,” Cany replied and Maya just pulled up a brow.

“Okay, and now we try the truth,” she said quietly enough so the guys up front wouldn’t be able to hear them.

“The Morningstar warriors will all be there,” Cany finally answered and Maya waited, but nothing else followed.

“Okay?” she prompted and her courtier looked down at her hands, staying silent a moment before sighing.

“All of them will be in one place. They have a Hellraise with them. And a reputation,” Cany finally explained and Maya gently laughed. She simply couldn’t envision anymore how people could be scared of the warriors.

“They are sweet, trust me. And Red, that’s the Hellraise, is one of the few who didn’t backstab me. He was up front right from the beginning and I trust him. I promise they’ll be nice. Please, don’t worry, okay? At least not over that,” she explained, making sure Cany knew she was being serious. “Plus, you know Matt and Ryder. They’ll watch out for you,” Maya added loud enough so the boys heard her. She knew they’d follow her orders, no matter what would be coming.

Arriving at the twins’ home hadn’t been at all what Maya had thought or expected. Everyone stared at her, seemingly set on following Jaden’s wish about not letting her in. Had Ryder lied about Jaden wanting to see her?

“He doesn’t want you to give him your blood,” Lex explained, making fury boil in Maya’s blood.

“Just like he didn’t want anything else from me, you mean?” she screamed, silencing everyone else in the room right along with Lex.

“That wasn’t what he meant, Maya,” Kaden soothed her, but she wasn’t ready to let him.

“What is it you all are worried about, huh? Best case? He walks out of there alive and mad at you all for letting me in. Worst case? He’ll be just like he was before. I can do that! I can try! I will not let Jaden suffer forever like he does now,” she fussed, making sure everyone heard her.

“Let her through,” Ryder said quietly and Kaden, who stood right in front of her, suddenly looked over her head at her brother.

“There’s no way an Origin can survive that. We cannot let Maya into his room,” Kaden replied. Maya just wanted to push him out of the way, but he was like a statue under her hands, his chest hard and unyielding no matter how much she tried to move him. Even when she wanted to step around him, he just moved with her without even taking his eyes off Ryder.