Chapter Eight
By the time Lucien flew his plane back to Shades Run, he had needed to shift. Beside him, Camilla shifted to a raven so they could fly the rest of the way to their homes in time to beat the sunrise. He barely made it. He’d played with fire before and almost gotten burned. But staying in Bainbridge too close to the morning hours had been dangerous and reckless, especially with a young female.
Before he left the restaurant, he’d found Najha, but she was drinking at the bar and seemed too far gone to be reasoned with. He would have to wait for her to return Shades Run. He knew Jonas would make sure she made it home safely. Lucien felt bad for causing her pain and feelings of rejection. He’d seen it in her face right before she ran away from him out of the bathroom. The tears she refused to let fall and the quiver of her bottom lip. There had been no anger, only sadness. The heaviness of this cruelty he’d inadvertently showed to her weighed heavily on his mind.
The real question racing through his mind was why was she with the pretty boy, Grainger? When he was almost certain the man was with Jonas. Grainger’s smell was all over Jonas. Who did they think they were fooling with Najha beside the man? But having her there with the men in the first damn place, only added to the mystery of her identity.
Jonas Andreiko had a lot of explaining to do. He, after all, was Thorn’s eldest son. He wondered what other things the lycan was hiding. Lucien knew he’d lied to Thorn himself when protecting the young children and single women. Maybe the pack leader kept secrets for their safety as well, as Eric had suggested before.
Lucien and Thorn tried to maintain their friendship and brotherhood. But suffering the murder of his parents had broken that bond and put a wedge between their hearts. If they could solve the mystery surrounding their deaths, maybe they could trust each other again, and be able to share everything as they’d done for hundreds of years before the tragedy.
He decided it was time the two of them sat down and talked. He would open up about all the children and single women of his kind, then maybe Thorn would answer a few of his questions.
He pushed his way in through the large front door of his house. Stepping into the foyer reminded him of the loneliness he suffered daily. He gazed around. With the help of his staff, they’d completely remodeled the old home to resemble a castle or museum. He wandered into the library and up to one of the hundred bookcases, this one held all the ancient scripts. Could he find the answer to his mate in one of these? It was doubtful. He felt it was Najha, but something did not fit with that either. Being in her arms, he’d felt something and just couldn’t explain it. It was as if his darkness faded somewhat, but not quite. Did he have to claim her first? Maybe the scrolls would hold the answers.
He gazed around at all the paintings. His father’s and mother’s portraits stood out to him. They looked so happy. His mother had truly been the light to his father’s darkness, and Lucien only wanted the same for himself. Peering up at the ceiling, there were several new paintings of warhorses and on their backs rode the warriors, him being one of them. Thorn, as a lycan, was on a great black warhorse next to him and his own horse. Those were the days when they had each other’s backs. In today’s world, they rode separate, held clubs with different names and chapters and never communicated anymore. They held way too many secrets to be comfortable trusting each other as they once did.
Their true partners, the horses, were still with each of them. They just didn’t ride them around like they once did. They were definitely not replaced or forgotten, it was just more believable when they rode their motorcycles.
He sat down at the large conference table with the scrolls. Not caring to look down and start to read, he remembered how some of his men refused to change with the times. Lucien had his hands full trying to fight to get his men to ride their cars, then motorcycles, and even fly the planes the vampires owned. He loved learning all the new modes of transportation, whereas, some hated this modern world and kept to their horses. He realized it had been because nothing replaced the bond between horse and man.
Lucien couldn’t believe how far advanced he’d become since back in the day when travel was by horses and carriages. After that, he’d been one of the first men to get a car. Thorn followed quickly. He still remembered the day he and Thorn went shopping for their first Harley™. Most of them men gladly found their sweet rides. The horses all stayed connected to their warrior, but some of the animals hated change.
He recalled Vlad, an MC member and an elite warrior by his side. The one and only elder who chose to stay in the field by his side. Vlad hated the motorcycle. He’d tried to stay on his horse unless they had to go on a ride. He was one of the original club members and his favorite elder. The man literally hated change. He’d been one of his father’s oldest friends.
The others though seemed to thrive with change. Their riches were beyond anything humanly imaginable. Carrying the old money through the centuries had only improved their existence.
Lucien grabbed a few more scrolls and carried them to the foyer. Placing them on a large marble table for later reading, he decided to go to the stables through the underground tunnel system to protect his body from the sun.
After traversing through the darkened path leading to the barn, he surfaced using the staircase leading up. Hearing the animals move around in their stalls, he whistled softly announcing his entrance, before continuing down the aisles leading to his horse. If it wasn’t safe, the horses would let him know.
Most of these horses were as old as Lucien. Lucien came to America at his father’s request to see their people to safety. Romania had become a place they couldn’t live in because someone had spilled their secret and many were hunted and killed. The vampires were considered evil and had become unholy in their own country. He and his people brought all the immortal horses with them.
His oldest and dearest friend, Opus Holler Four Bars, stuck his large black head over the gated stall door, as he whinnied louder to gain his master’s attention.
“Opie, my friend, how are you tonight?”
‘Master, I’m well. How are you, my King?’ He could hear the horse’s words through their own private path.
Joined since the foal’s birth over four hundred years ago, they’d kept the bond tight. They’d trusted and watched their backs through this bond. The horses were immortal as well. Another gift from the gypsy people of his mother. Once connected with the warrior of their choice, they had a ceremony giving vampire blood to their partner, turning them forever to be with and a part of each other.
‘How many times have I told you not to call me that, Opie.’ Scolding him, Lucien rubbed Opie’s head in his favorite place, between his brown eyes.
The horse nudged him, hitting Lucien’s chest, almost knocking him off balance.
‘It’s very disrespectful to call you by your given name. If it pleases you, I will try, but I would prefer to address you by your proper title.’
‘Opie, you’ll never give in, will you?’
‘No, sir. Since your father and his partner, my father, Opus, were murdered in cold blood.’
‘I understand; that day will be in our memories forever. I have not come close to finding his killer. I believed it to be the lycan, but now, I’m wondering if it was something else. The turned vampires are hanging in groups. The humans have grown in great numbers as well. The drugs and guns are much more. Do you think it could be a coincidence?’
‘Why do you say that?’ The horse’s dark brown eyes flashed and sparked.
This animal was truly a blessing to Lucien. He was both intelligent and kind. These horses were special. Over a thousand years ago, the first horse was found in Romania. Unbeknownst to his people, they were both their protector and partner. Without each other, they couldn’t exist. The heart and soul of the horse were joined with the warrior. Only the male horses bonded with a male warrior. It was unheard of for a female horse to bond with a vampire. They had several female horses, but they were used for breeding only. A mystery to his people, but welcomed and gratitude was shown by Lucien and his people. They always took care of their horse above themselves.
He remembered the time when he became an adult. He had to go out on his own in the Bihor Mountains in Romania and partner with one of the wild Friesians, Andalusian or Lipizzaner, that ran free in the mountain ranges. Opie, a pure black Friesian overly tall for his breed, outweighed many of the others at over fifteen hundred pounds, and he’d been a tough one. Lucien remembered fighting his way to try to bond with Opie. The horse didn’t want a rider nor a partner, he was a rebel and unruly until Lucien proved himself to the animal.
The horse had to choose his warrior, or the man wouldn’t be able to conquer and ride the beast. The horse would then stay with their warrior internally until either death or the vampire set him free.
‘Why is your mood so…? Um…gleeful? Do you enjoy your iron horse, more?’
‘Oh, come on now, how can you say that? If I could ride you into war today, I would and you know it. Don’t worry none, tonight I will take you out, okay?’
‘Okay, I still don’t see why you can’t take me, instead of that loud hunk of junk you call a motorcycle.’
Lucien stroked the neck of the stallion. “Soon, my friend, soon.” He filled up the grain bucket and gave Opie some water and hay. “Sleep well. Stand guard and help the humans keep us safe.”
‘Good day, sir. I will see you tonight?’
‘Yes, I plan to go around the compound and check the walls to make sure they’re holding up. Will you give me the pleasure of joining me in such a daunting task?’
‘I would be honored, sir, if you’ll ride on my back.’
‘It’s a date.’ Lucien had ridden Opie during every single war he’d fought. The horses became stronger after they’d been given their warrior’s blood, creating the ultimate fighting machine. Paired with their warrior they could conquer anything they set their mind to doing. The horse was then able to leap, jump, run, and swim faster. Their teeth and jaws were deadly along with the power of their hooves as with one strike, the other would be dead.
The only sure way to kill the horse was to kill the warrior first. Somehow, during the bonding of warrior to the beast, they interweaved their souls. The heart of the beast pumped the same as the vampire. If the vampire somehow decided to take that final step and drain the blood from a human, the horse was immediately set free and must join the hunters in ending the Bolnav’s life. Some of those horses still roamed free. They can choose another young vampire if they so desire, but Lucien hadn’t seen one do this in a very long time.
After shutting up the house, Lucien pushed himself to go to his lair to rest the day away. He’d so far done all he could to keep his thoughts from that infuriating, puzzling Najha. His body felt drained as if he’d taken a sleep aid. He hated the weakness of the daytime sun and how it affected him.
The groan and scream of the hinges on the large wooden door as he opened it reminded him he needed to do a little maintenance. He’d have to talk to Eric and have him add it to his list of things to do. That reminded him to also talk to his faithful maintenance guy about his daughter, Jayden, and her friendship with Najha. They seemed pretty close since the other had been her maid-of-honor.
After showering, he stood naked in front a long mirror. His body resembled a younger man maybe in his mid-thirties, even though he was well over four hundred years old. Tall, thick, and broad, his body was in perfect shape. His dark brown skin made him appear tanned by the sun. His eyes looked tired. The blackness under them was something new to him.
He needed to feed, then sleep. Opening the refrigerator, he grabbed a pint of blood. He poured it into his wine glass then sat down in a chair to enjoy his dinner. Since they had to stay hidden from the overgrowing population of humans, Lucien had to come up with other ways for his people to feed.
Lucien’s mind had been heavy with worry lately; his people were losing their battle with the darkness.
Normally, if one of the men succumbed to the darkness, it was honorable to seek the sun to take their own life and not leave the job to a warrior. Lately, though, he was reminded of how many brothers had taken the life of a human instead, turning them to a Bolnav and never returning to the warrior they once were.
There had been too many wars and their people dying over the years. Several of the women had been burned alive when the people on the east coast centuries ago deemed his people witches. Those people were not evil. No, they were the women, men, and children of his people. Yes, they had special talents but to have lowly humans call them witches had been a blow to their race.
Lucien’s mind prayed for sleep, closing his eyes his thoughts instantly turning to Najha. He could have forgotten her like the many other females he’d met over the centuries, but there was something mysteriously special about her. Her appearance was to be a weak woman, drinking too much and getting blitzed only proved to him she was indeed human. But tonight, she did something that set him on edge, making his body come alive as she opened up to him.
He realized something tonight, however. Each time he’d run into her she’d always found a reason to not touch him. Where had Cade and Myra kept her for all these years? Homeschooling wasn’t unusual for the humans near this town. They seemed more protective of their children than the lycan and vampires. Yet, something seemed wrong there too. He’d never seen Najha before she was about sixteen.
His only concern was how her father let her run wild around town now, riding the large and powerful motorcycle and carrying that ridiculous sword on her back. It angered him knowing Cade and Myra let her do as she pleased, even if it placed her in danger.
To actually prove she wasn’t his mate, he would have to take her blood. Would she allow him to? She was a special woman, he’d already tried the mind search with a trance, but she was too powerful for that and had pushed him away.
Could he bring himself to even try? What if she wasn’t his mate and he couldn’t resist the darkness and killed her? If that happened, he would walk into the sun. There would be no way he would let his men hunt and execute him.
Too bad she was human. If she’d been vampire finding out if she were his mate would’ve been easy. He would take her wrist and feed. If she were, as he suspected, his true life mate, then he would feel her lightness immediately surround his heart and soul. Intertwining them almost instantly…her good to his evil. He would truly be able to have feelings, love, happiness, enjoyment—real emotions, again.
Over the centuries, his senses had slowly died from the darkness surrounding him. What if he’d lost his mate years ago? Because the thought of touching Najha or taking her blood was so strong, his suspicions stayed in place about her true identity. The lust he’d only heard stories about. Being around her, all he wanted to do was claim her. He felt their souls bind and he wanted more of her. After being with her and not wanting to stop the passion he’d awakened, he was ready for the next step, and that was to make her his forever.
*****
Najha rode her motorcycle along the highway. Yes, she would miss her brother, even Grainger. But she knew she needed to return home as she felt her purpose belonged in Shades Run just now. Lucien—well, that was another matter. She needed to go to her father and tell him the truth. The vampire was her mate. She needed to figure out what she had to do to avoid him forever. Moving away seemed to be the only alternative. She’d already spoken to Jonas about it after her run-in with Lucien. It had helped her decide the next step in her life.
After letting him inside her and that she’d come into her first season she could very well be pregnant already by him. What would that do to their people? It could start another war all over again. They couldn’t be together now or in the future. She had to go to her father. How could she have let this happen? She is the only one who knew the truth. She tricked Lucien and regrets had forced her to walk away from him and treat him the way she had. Trying to get drunk had been stupid. Her pretending had worked, and he left thinking she was just another needy human having a good fuck with a man.
She’d come too close to blowing her cover. The spell wouldn’t hold now. Especially, with her love growing for her mate. Lucien was a forbidden taboo to a lycan. Nothing seemed important now. She realized she would be forever alone and eventually her darkness would swallow her up if she didn’t find a purpose in life. Running into Lucien every day would drive her insane.
Falling in love with the infuriating vampire wasn’t something she ever thought would happen. Jonas told her to forget about Lucien. Her father would never forgive her. If she couldn’t resist him for five minutes in a damn bathroom, how would she resist him every evening while working at Ruby’s? Her decision to quit the job was already made, and all she had to do is tell everyone she was done working. Her father had been right. She wasn’t cut out to be a human. No, she was a warrior lycan female.?
The wind ran its fingers through her hair. Whipping her ponytail around slapping her face reminding her of how stupid she’d been to fuck Lucien. She couldn’t resist because of how much her body craved his.
The helplessness of the situation was poisoning her mind. Jonas said it was an impossible situation. He suggested going to Thorn and asking for his help and telling him exactly what happened. There had to be a way around the laws.
How could she go to her father, asking for his forgiveness and blessing? Not happening, she couldn’t confess this to anyone. Reaching the border, she entered Shades Run right at sunset. She wanted to continue on toward her home, but Jayden had asked for her help with something at the coffee shop. How could she ignore her best friend? She couldn’t, Jayden was a great friend and one of the few people who knew the truth.
She parked the bike in front of the coffee shop, dismounted, and walked toward the door to the shop. Across the street, Andy’s was booming. She spotted her father’s Harley right out front with rest of his MC. Not ready to confront Thorn, Najha quickened her step and entered the coffee shop. The aromas of freshly roasted beans tickled her senses.
“Hey, woman, how are you?” Jayden waddled up to her.
Najha laughed. “Good, how are you?”
“Very pregnant and ready to have this baby.” Jayden rubbed her large, protruding belly.
“Yes, you are really pregnant. When are you due?”
“In two weeks. I just want it over with. Can you help me with putting away those boxes in the kitchen, please?”
“Sure, anything for you. Can’t wait to meet my new little brother or sister,” Najha yelled out.
Jayden stayed up front to help the few customers who were in the shop.
She picked another box off the floor, set it on the counter. “Hey, how’s my dad doing?”
“He’s good, sweet as ever.” Jayden laughed.
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone describe my dad as sweet.” Najha chuckled and shook her head.
Jayden walked into the back, a towel over her shoulder. She carried an iced latte. “Here, your favorite.” She handed her the coffee.
“Thanks, babe.” She took a sip from the straw. It was delicious as usual, “This is great, I love your coffee.” Setting it down on the table, Najha picked up another box and started to put the contents away on the shelf.
“How did your visit go with Jonas?” Jayden had a hard time moving around, and she looked uncomfortable.
“My visit went well. We had a lot of fun. His new partner is gorgeous,” Najha purred out the praise.
“How did the grand opening go?”
She finished the box and threw it on the ground. “It was a great time.” Najha took out her knife and broke the boxes down then stored it in the recycle bin.
“And?” Jayden could read her better than anyone else.
“No, it was good. Jonas is happy.”
“Ah-hah? You’re lying to me. Why?” Jayden pushed her fist into the small of her back.
“I’m not lying about anything.” Najha followed Jayden out of the back into the front of the store.
Jayden sat down on a chair, then pointed to the one across from her. “Sit for a spell—” She bent over and moaned, “Ohhh…”
Najha jumped up and ran over to her friend, kneeling down she asked, “Hey, you okay?”
“Yeah, just a few contractions.” She blew out a breath.
“Umm, okay. Well, maybe we should call Dad.”
“No, don’t worry him. He’s meeting with the men, then coming later on his way home.”
“Then you should call Taraji, she’ll want to help you.” Najha worried about her friend. She didn’t look good and the pain seemed to be constant.
“I will if they get any closer together. Now, I want you to tell me about the opening.”
After they visited for a bit, Najha felt better leaving Jayden. She knew she needed to get home, she had to work tomorrow. Already deciding to give her two weeks, Uncle Torment and Ruby would understand. It was time to take her place in the pack.
“Najha, I need to ask you something personal before you leave,” said Jayden.
“Okay, shoot.”
“Lucien? My dad said he thought you were his mate.”
Najha choked on her latte. Spitting the liquid out on the table and grabbing a napkin, she cleaned up the mess quickly. She tried to gain her composure back. The man was crazy. Gathering her thoughts, she answered, “I’m not sure what to say. Why does he think something as ridiculous as me being his mate?”
“You tell me.” Jayden leaned over, pushing on her back. “Oh, gosh.” She moaned.
Najha flipped her wrist and looked at her watch. Jayden wasn’t okay, she knew this wasn’t normal, and she felt sure she was in labor and about to have a baby. “That’s every ten minutes.”
“Yeah, I realize that.” Jayden’s voice was harsh.
Jayden was in pain and didn’t need Najha getting after her. “I’m sorry, Jayden. I’m just worried about you.”
“I realize that. Don’t take anything I say at face value.” Jayden tried to smile, but ended up moaning, “Oh, this is soooo bad…”
“Well, if you don’t mind, I’m staying with you. I’m also calling Dad, Taraji, and my mom.” Najha didn’t want to give her a choice. She grabbed her cell and called her mom.
Jayden looked up at her and nodded. “Okay.”
“Well then, hold on.”
Her mom answered, “Hello.”
“Hey, can you come down to the coffee shop? I think Jayden is about to have a baby.”
“I’ll be there in a bit. No rush on these things. It is her first baby and could take all night. Call me if you need me any sooner.” Her mom chuckled, seeming unruffled by the news.
Najha hung up on her mom and called her dad.
Thorn answered on the first ring, “Najha.”
“Yeah, letting you know, Jayden is having regular contractions every ten minutes.”
“Really, why didn’t she call? Is she okay?”
“Give me that phone.” Jayden grabbed it from her.
Najha smiled, this little woman was perfect for her father.
“I’m a friggin wolf, so I can hear you bellowing. Get your fine ass down here. This fucking hurts.” She bent over moaning again. Jayden handed the phone back, “He’s on his way. Call Taraji and Layla please.” Both healers would be there for the birth and could possibly help Jayden with the pain.
After she made one call, Layla and Taraji told her to get them to the hospital, and they would meet her there. “Come on, you.” Najha helped her up off the chair and steered her to the back door. “We’ll have to take your car; don’t think you want to ride on the back of my bike.”
Jayden nodded. “No, probably not a good idea.” She bent over again, stopping halfway to the car. “Oh god, this hurts.”
“Breathe, baby, breathe.” Najha rubbed her back.
Jayden scowled. “Stop!”
“Sorry, tell me what to do.” Najha quickly sent her mom a text telling her to go to the hospital that the pain seemed to be worsening.
Jayden shook her head, taking deep breaths, she breathed through to contraction. “Sorry, Najha, this really hurts.”
“You’re not walking.” Najha picked her up in her strong arms and swiftly made it to the car. Settling her in the front seat, Najha sped through town rushing to the hospital. Even though it would probably be hours, she didn’t want to have this baby in a car.
Halfway across town, Jayden turned to her. “Hey, you never answered my question about Lucien?”
“Honestly, Jayden, I’m just not sure. Something is there, that’s all I know. Besides, it’s hopeless. I can’t be with a vampire. Daddy won’t let me tell anyone I’m a lycan. Lucien thinks I’m a human.” Slamming her palm to the steering wheel, she snapped, “What the hell am I going to do?”
“That’s absurd. What is that man thinking?” Jayden grabbed the door handle, squeezing it tight, moaning. “Oh no…”
Najha waited for the contraction to end, before she answered Jayden, “I don’t know what to say to you. Can you help who you fall in love with? I know about the laws. A lycan can’t mate with a vampire. There’s something between us, but I’m just not sure what.”
The next pain doubled Jayden over. The contractions seemed to be one on top of the other.
She was the first woman Najha had ever seen in labor. It made it so Najha didn’t want to have kids. The pain seemed too intense. It didn’t even let Jayden even catch her breath before another one came.
Scowling, Jayden growled, “Hurry, woman.”
Pressing the gas pedal harder, she pushed the speed limit to the max. “It’s a good thing the sheriff is my father.”
Pulling up to the emergency entrance of the hospital, they met up with Thorn and several of his men already there, parked and waiting on their bikes.
Najha jumped out of the car, ran around and opened Jayden’s door.
Thorn’s bigger body suddenly appeared. The expectant father out-of-balance stressed Jayden even more. “Jayden love.” Thorn knelt in front of her.
She was writhing about in pain. Apparently another contraction had sprung up. When Thorn tried to reach for her, she slapped his hand. “Don’t touch me.”
Thorn peered up at her. “Najha, go get the doctor and see if Layla is here yet?
Nodding, she ran into the hospital. At the front desk was Ruth Anne Andreiko, her cousin. “Ruth, is Layla here yet? I have Jayden.”
“She’s here. Go get her.” Ruth pointed to the exit.
The commotion behind her was heard by all. Loud boots on the tiled floor announced Thorn carrying Jayden and his men bringing up the rear. “Tell me where to go!” Thorn growled at them.
“This way, uncle.” Ruth directed her father through the double doors.
A sign ‘Labor & Delivery’ clearly marked they were in the right place.
Another nurse came at them with a scowl and ordered, “You all need to go to the waiting room through those doors.”
After they all filed in the large room, Aiden sat down next to Najha. He gipped her knee. “Hey, kiddo, how are you?”
“Worried. We’ve had too many problems with lycan births.”
“I know. Layla and Taraji have done remarkable things to improve the chances of the baby. Everything will be okay. Thorn throws good stock. Look at you.” He pulled her close giving her the contact she needed the most.
“I hope so; Jayden is depending on that.” Najha leaned back in her chair, crossing her leg, her boot resting on her knee.
A commotion in the hall stirred the men to life.
Aiden stood, blocking her view from the doorway. “Hold on,” he whispered as he moved forward slowly, his nostrils flaring in and out.
His confidence helped her anxiety from leaping out-of-control.
The warriors were here at the hospital protecting Jayden and her unborn child.