Dark War Chronicles Box Set One (78 page)

Kaden...

He’d proven himself worthy by giving himself over to the demons to save her life. Now he was being tortured. She knew it, she sensed his pain. Her eyes flickered to Victoria and Tegan found herself wondering if she could out run the woman. Tegan was fast, but she doubted she was fast enough to out run an immortal shifter. The door chimed as someone walked in and Tegan abandoned her glasses and went to the bar.

“Hi—“ Her voice died in her throat when a woman walked in. From the blonde hair and green eyes Tegan knew the woman had to be related to Kaden. Her breath caught and her chest tightened, her instincts screaming to run or grab her sword. Demon. And the woman felt familiar.

The woman smiled and held her hands up. “I’m not here to hurt you Tegan, Kaden sent me.”

“Why?”

“He wants me to warn you about something.” She turned around and faced Victoria. “I need to speak to Tegan alone.”

“Good luck, I’m not leaving this bar.” Victoria put the pool cue down. “You can speak freely in front of me.”

“No, I can’t, what I have to say is for Tegan’s ears alone.”

Tegan cleared her throat. “Come back after the bar closes. We can speak then.”

“Sister of mine, do you really think that is wise?” Zaaren’s voice entered the bar and Tegan let out an irritated sigh. So much for the bar being a safe place from Zaaren.

Tegan took a deep breath. “What are you doing here?”

“Actually,” the demon in front of her spoke, “Zaaren is who I need to speak with.”

What the hell?
“I thought that you needed to speak with me.” Tegan threw her hands up in the air. “Whatever, go speak with him. Clearly it’s not that important.” She snarled. She’d kill for news on Kaden, but not if Zaaren was mixed in with it. He was probably setting it up. “If you still want to give me a warning or whatever after, I’ll be here—at
my
bar.” She went back to her glasses.

“Come, we shall talk outside.” Zaaren led the woman out the back door.

Victoria walked up to the bar. “I want you to shut the bar down early so we can get back to the property. I don’t like a demon showing up here demanding to speak to you.” Her voice tried to leave no room for argument and Tegan wasn’t having it.

“Too bad. Lucius said the bar can stay open until normal time, so it will. Mae needs the break and I miss it. It’s my normal.” Tegan finished the glasses and put the tray away. “I’m sorry you got stuck being my bodyguard, but what you need to realize is that you’re here in case I run into something I can’t handle or try to do something stupid. You are not here to give me orders. You are not my master.” Tegan met the woman’s gaze through the dark lenses of her sunglasses.

Victoria bowed her head. “That is true, it seems to me that you have no true master.”

If only that was the case. Tegan knew the only thinking holding her back was Lucius. The only thing standing between her and Kaden. She turned to restock the alcohol without another word. A few minutes later Zaaren and the demon came back in.

Tegan raised a brow when the woman sat at the bar. “What can I get for you?”

“Gin and tonic, please. Zaaren has cleared me to talk to you alone. He’s going to take Victoria out so that you and I can arrange plans.”

Tegan looked at Zaaren. “When did you become my keeper, brother?”

“Family must look out for each other, sister of mine.”

“Yeah, right.” She went and fixed the drink and handed it the woman as Zaaren and Victoria walked out. “So you know my name, but I don’t know yours.”

“Cael, I’m Kaden’s sister.”

“I didn’t realize that he had a sister.” Tegan sighed and leaned against the ledge behind the bar. “What did he send you to tell me? Forgive me, but I don’t trust demons easily.”

“Nor should you after what the general did to you.” Cael sighed. “I had no part in your torture. Kaden doesn’t speak about me much because he’s exiled from our land.”

“I knew that, but why?” Tegan pulled her braid over her shoulder and played with the end of it.  She’d never bothered Kaden for details about his past, because it didn’t matter to her. If she dug into his, he would hers, then he’d leave her. No one could stay with a blood whore, mated or not, not with her past.

Cael shifted in the chair. “He took the king’s head off, because the king was raping me.”

Tegan stiffened. Talk about sibling love. Kaden earned his exile protecting his sister. She thought back to Zaaren and wondered why he never bothered to protect or try to save her when he didn’t have the backing of the other Originals.  “I don’t know what to say to that, other than I’m glad that he was there for you.”

“The general and Markus have him right now. He would have been killed on the spot had they not learned that Kaden spent so much time in Lucius’ territory.”

Tegan cringed. “Because he was following me.” She sighed. “So take me to him. I can take on a few demons and bring him back to safety.” Assuming Markus hadn’t done irreversible damage to him yet.

“Kaden wants you to stay out of it. It’s a trap set by Markus to get Lucius’ territory.” Cael took a sip of her drink. “That being said, I know you are not one to listen so I want to take you there and help free my brother.”

Tegan narrowed her eyes. “What’s in it for you?”

“My brother being free and alive. It’s repaying that debt I owe him. Besides, if I’m lucky the general will die in the process and I get to take over the demon realm.”

That’s a big step. “Would you be allying with the Circle still?”

“Just long enough to secure my people then we’ll be leaving that part of the war up to the Circle. We are powerful enough to stand on our own, but me taking over will be bumpy. I have to wait to cut ties until the demon people are steady.”

It made sense, Tegan nodded. “Okay, tonight after work. I need my sword.” Her heart pounded. This could be it. It’d be close to dawn so Markus would be returning to his hole for the day and that meant only demons to handle.

“I’ll see you tonight. At Lucius’ property?”

Tegan nodded. “Yeah, right at dawn after I check in with him.”

“Perfect.”

Lucius leaned back in his chair and watched Victoria pace the floor. He’d been in the office all night and Victoria was the first to come and check in with him. Tegan had gone straight to shower, promising to check in before dawn, but the woman in front of him was nervous. Rare for a shifter of such age.

“Are you actually going to tell me what is wrong?”

She stopped pacing and looked at him. “I’m concerned about Tegan. She had a visitor at the bar today and the woman spoke to Zaaren then he dragged me out of the bar to let Tegan and the woman speak alone.”

What was Zaaren up to? “Do you know who she was?” Lucius asked, folding his hands on the desk. A stranger in his land and he hadn’t been warned. Zaaren hadn’t come to talk to him either, the damn Original was hiding something.

“I don’t. I know she was a demon and said Kaden had sent her.”

Fuck. Tegan would be walking into a trap. “You stay with her today. Do not let her out of the mansion, don’t let her out of your sight. We cannot afford for her to do something stupid.” Like go after Kaden.

“Understood.” She spun to leave and Lucius closed his eyes. The door clicked shut and he let out a string of curses. Maybe Zaaren was right, Tegan was being rash and not thinking through things because of Kaden. Sure she was calm and collected when Kaden was there, but when he was gone...hell, she hadn’t truly slept since Kaden was taken.  This did not bode well.

Tegan grabbed her sword and took a deep breath. She’d checked in with Lucius, he seemed colder than normal and Victoria had followed her everywhere since.

“Your sword?” Victoria asked, leaning against the wall. “Scared of something?”

Tegan shook her head. “No, I’m going outside to work on some forms. It helps me relax. I’d like to sleep eventually.”

“I’ll be interested to see how well you can handle a sword.” Victoria pushed off the wall and went to follow Tegan.

Tegan tried not to growl. Having a shadow wasn’t part of the plan, but it explained why Lucius had been so cold earlier, he would realize that Tegan would not be happy about the twenty-four hour guard. “Can you handle one? I could use a sparring partner.” And maybe a pincushion. She wondered briefly how mad Lucius would be if she killed Victoria. She pushed the thought out of her head as she left her room and headed to the foyer.

“Not my weapon of choice, sad to say that I wouldn’t make a very good sparring partner.” Victoria followed her.

A chuckle came from the foyer. “I would be willing to spar with you. There are a couple hours before dawn left.” Zaaren stood, leaning against the door. “Victoria, you won’t be needed for now.”

Tegan frowned. Something strange was going on. This wasn’t like her brother.

Victoria growled. “I’m getting tired of you acting like you are the master here. Need I remind you that you just woke up from a three hundred year sleep? My orders are to stay with Tegan.”

“And you forget that I am an Original vampire with more power than you can imagine, cat.” Zaaren stepped away from the door and his power flooded over Tegan’s skin, making the hairs on her arms stand up. “I am Lucius’ second in command over this territory, do you need a reminder of that?”

Tegan cleared her throat. “How about I just go back to my bedroom?”

“No, Zaaren’s right. He can take you outside.” She smirked. “But he needs to remember that if anything happens to you it’ll be on his hands. If you don’t return to me after, then I can bet I will convince Lucius to lock you up, Tegan.”

Tegan snarled. “I am not a fucking pet. Everyone needs to learn that.” She pushed past her brother and went out the door. Anger ran through her at Victoria’s threat. Never had Lucius actually locked her away. She didn’t even like to keep her bedroom door shut half the time. She’d have to do something stupid to earn that punishment...like going after Kaden.

Zaaren shut the door when he came out. “I know what you are planning, sister of mine.”

“Of course you do, because you helped set it up.” Tegan turned to him. That’s what the meeting at the bar was about. It was starting to make sense. Cael had changed her original message after she had talked to Zaaren. “The question is why?”

“Do not worry about that. My reasons are my own, but you must tell me something. Is Kaden worth it?”

She connected her sheath to her belt so that the sword hung by her side. “Yes.” There was no hesitation in her voice and she walked farther away from the mansion.

Zaaren grabbed her arm and spun her to face him. “You are willing to risk everything we’ve worked for to keep you safe? Risk Lucius’ territory? Risk going back to Markus?”

Tegan met her brother’s gaze. “Yes. A thousand times over yes. I love him. He completes me. He steadies my world and no matter what is thrown my way, I can handle everything as long as he’s by my side. Kaden is worth everything to me.” Her voice remained steady and she ripped her arm away from her brother. “So if you set this up as some stupid test I’m failing it because I’m going to go rescue my mate.”

His eyes widened and he let go of her just as a demon portal appeared and Cael stepped out. “Are you ready, Tegan?”

“Yes.” She eyed the demon portal. “I hate those things.”

“Only way in without being noticed. Markus and The Father have retired for the evening.” Cael grabbed her arm and stepped through. The last thing Tegan saw Zaaren’s face turn to a panicked look at the words ‘the Father’.

Lucius frowned when he felt Tegan disappear. Cursing, he stood and went to find Victoria. The moment he entered the main room he found Victoria and Zaaren screaming at each other. Zaaren’s power filling the room.

“Where is Tegan?” Lucius’ voice echoed off the wall bringing the two to attention.

Victoria shoved a finger at Zaaren. “He let her go with a demon.” She snarled.

Lucius took a deep breath to keep himself under control. “Zaaren, what the hell—“

“She thinks that demon mate of hers is worth losing everything over. So I let her go to teach her a lesson. Do not worry. No true harm will come to her.” Zaaren shrugged. “You were not willing to put her through what was necessary, so I made a deal with Cael.”

She was gone. With the demons again. Lucius knew he couldn’t take Zaaren down, but every muscle in his body screamed too. “You let her just walk into enemy territory?”

“She’s with Kaden’s sister, they will rescue him and then return. If they fail, then I will go fetch my sister.”

Lucius snarled. “You should have told me.”

“You would not have let me do it. You have grown soft over the years and she is your weak point.” Zaaren shook his head. “Go back to your papers and your plans. I’ll let you know when I go to find her.”

Lucius shook as his anger started to rise. “If she comes back injured I will blame you.”

“No, you should blame yourself for being such a poor master.” Zaaren turned and started down the hall.

The words rang true, had Lucius followed the original plan to keep Tegan hidden and weak, this never would have happened. He’d have to rectify this when she returned, but he would do it his way. In a way to show her that it was meant to protect her. Zaaren was testing him to see if he was strong enough to handle his people, his territory.

Tegan stepped through the portal and instantly drew her sword. It took a moment for the dizziness to wear off. The moment she saw Kaden she knew he’d been tortured. She’d never seen his demon form before. Large leathery wings were pinned to the walls by spikes, his feet were talon-like and his hands claws, each pinned to the wall. His face had formed into an enlarged muzzle, he was still humanoid and his muscles more defined than when she’d seen him naked before. Blood poured from his many wounds and Tegan rushed to him.

“Kaden?” She put her hand against his cheek, to her relief he opened his eyes.

“Tegan, what are you doing here. It’s a trap. Go.”

Cael stepped forward. “It’s okay brother, we came to free you. Take you back to Lucius’ territory.”

Tegan tried to keep her tears from her eyes as she pulled at the spikes pinning Kaden. He cried out as each one was removed then fell to his knees. Tegan knelt in from of him and her heart fell. “Kaden?”