Set In Flames (Morningstars Book 1) (2 page)

“You sleep at the base today,” Jaden ordered, not bothering with any greetings.

Kaden’s hand instantly stilled on his head and he listened, a lazy grin spreading on his lips. Jaden wanted to growl, but kept himself in check.

“You know, it’s more fun when they are awake,” Kaden teased, but Jaden didn’t even manage a smile.

“Get dressed and get out. Don’t come back until tomorrow night,” he said dryly and Kaden’s playful grin vanished.

“She’s not a lay, right?”

Jaden ran his hand through his hair, walking out of the hall and into the living room. He knew just too well how good their guest’s hearing was. Kaden followed only a short while later, being dressed now.

“She ran into me. Or better, she should have run me over, but her reflexes are paranormal. If she and I have skin-to-skin contact, her hands glow. I mean, wherever we touch the skin glows. Oh, and she has super hearing.”

Kaden leaned against the stairs, cocking an eyebrow.

“She’s human. Maybe your sex-starved mind is imagining things,” Kaden remarked and Jaden looked up. That actually made sense.

“Yeah, that… I mean… You still get…”

“I know, I still get out,” Kaden announced, “Whatever that female is to you, I’m sure as hell gonna stay away from her.” His twin grabbed his jacket and his daggers, leaving the house without another word.

Jaden went back to his bedroom, changing as quietly as possible, walking over to the bed then. He couldn’t resist brushing his knuckles over her pale cheek, noticing again the faint glow upon contact, only this time it was accompanied by a slight burning on his back, making him rush out of the room instead of lingering. Kaden maybe had a point concerning him and his hungers. He left the house, planning to get to a bar, have some nice little action with a woman or two, getting all the need out that might have piled up in the last months and then he’d go back, checking if Cupcake still looked as edible as she had before. Jaden surely hoped his perception would be altered by then.

Four hours and three women later Jaden entered his bedroom, looking at the sleeping girl on his bed. Nothing had changed. For some strange reason he still wondered if she’d taste as good as she smelled.

Maya opened her eyes the next morning, feeling more rested than she had in months. She couldn’t remember when she had last slept in a bed that she considered safe. Usually she didn’t sleep at a stranger’s place, either, but he had felt trustworthy, and that was something she appreciated after being alone and on the run for so long. She knew she was suspicious of everyone now, but with the guy from last night her impulse had been to trust him. And she had, but now, with her need for sleep out of the way, she could afford the luxury of being suspicious of her new surroundings. There was no sun, just the faint light of a candle in the far corner of the room.

“Rise and shine, sweetheart!”

The voice startled her, making her look closer into the shadows. Her ‘savior’ sat in another corner, watching her.

“Not creepy at all, watching me sleep,” she snapped, feeling defensive. She heard his dark chuckle as loud as if he was sitting right next to her. Something was very wrong with her ears in the last months. And not just that. She could see him clear as day even though there was barely any light. His dark blond hair had the out-of-bed-look she usually loved on a guy, especially combined with the chocolate colored eyes. And those kissable lips, that now formed a sneer. To her total dismay, even that was kind of handsome on him. He was such a nice pack to look at, even though she didn’t have the time to stay and enjoy it. She needed to get out of there and back on the run.

“I was worried you feigned a coma to get out of your end of the bargain,” he said, rising to his feet while fear all but choked Maya. She never had intended to fulfill that end of the bargain. She had hoped to slip out while he was asleep, catching a bus somewhere. She really had wanted to be away before he would have been able to hold her back. Or make her fulfill her promise. The whole six feet one inch of awesomeness came towards the bed now and she went to her knees, deciding to not let her panic show. He was handsome as sin; surely she could get herself to do the deed and then be up and running in no time.

“I never had any intention of getting out of it,” she whispered, forcing herself to sound husky. She probably sounded as afraid as she felt though.

“Tell me your name,” he demanded, his voice deep with need. It was obvious in his eyes, too, giving him a dangerous, yet sexy appearance. Against her better knowledge she suddenly wanted him, knowing that maybe she wouldn’t mind that end of the bargain after all. Additionally though it made her decide to never sink that low anymore. Offering up her body for a safe place just wasn’t like her at all.

He had changed his jeans, but besides that he still wore no shirt under that stupid sexy leather jacket.

He was close enough so she could reach out to him, but as his smell hit her, she pulled back her hand. A wave of terribly inappropriate jealousy hit her and she wanted to growl at him. She almost shuddered at the intensity of it.

“You reek of cheap booze and even cheaper women. I don’t think you need me in tonight’s collection and I have no intention of joining it, either,” she said, sounding more controlled than she actually felt. She wanted to hurt him and scratch his chest because he was supposed to be hers, but the impulse was ridiculous and stupid, so she didn’t give into it. He was nothing to her and it was very clear she was even less to him.

With a cold, calculated stare she got off the bed and collected the few belongings he had seemingly taken off her while she had been dead to the world. He hovered behind her, a blond-haired, brown-eyed shadow. She felt him watching her and she had the strange urge to run. Neither his arms nor the fangs of the people hunting her were viable options though.

“I asked for your name,” he repeated, his voice somewhere between seductively husky and angrily deep. He was all raw power and it should have scared Maya, but the truth was that she felt safer with him than she had ever felt with anyone else.

She steeled herself, turning back to give him a glare.

“And I didn’t tell you,” she gave back. He held her eyes, slowly taking off his leather jacket.

Maya’s heart skipped a beat. Or two. Or three.

“What are you doing?” she asked, sounding incredulous.

His hand went to his jeans and opened the button. It took Maya a moment to realize that she was staring at the delicious skin showing where he pushed the pants over his hips while his eyes had stayed on her face. Which she only realized the moment her glance snapped back to his face.

“I’m living here. And obviously you won’t stick to the deal until I’ve got that smell off me, so that’s what I am planning on doing now. And it’s pretty obvious you’ll happily get down to business,” he concluded by the way she kept staring at him. With one fluid motion he had freed his gorgeous body all the way and Maya blushed the darkest shade of red.

She met his eyes, telling herself to not care and, more importantly, to not want him.

He leaned in ever so slowly, checking her reaction carefully. There was no telling if he worried she’d run or if he more feared she’d hurt him if he’d drop his guard.

She knew what was coming and yet she held her breath in anticipation. Underneath that cheap perfume was the smell she had already noticed before: He smelled like her favorite chai tea, all spices and sugar. She needed to know if he tasted the same way.

His lips brushed hers, providing just the barest hint of a touch. She told herself not to reach for him, but when he framed her face, making her feel small and breakable while intensifying the kiss, her hands suddenly went around his neck. A burning on her back made her jump back though in sheer panic.

“Shit! What are you… Stay away from me! Don’t touch me,” she said, not being able to keep her hysterics in. She was gasping for air while his eyes were darkened with desire.

Right now her vision decided to be extra sharp, making her see all the strong lines of his angelic face, burning them into her memory. Wherever she’d go, she’d never be able to forget him again.

“I’m never gonna be just another one for anyone. Especially not for some naked, admittedly handsome guy that picked me off the street. You can do what you want. I lied. You will never get any piece of me,” she said slowly, making sure he understood her.

“We’ll see, Cupcake,” he grinned, sounding cocky. He vanished through a door on her left and just seconds later water was running in a shower.

Maya didn’t hesitate long, rushing out of a door to her right, being glad that between the two remaining doors she had intuitively decided for the correct one. The other one most likely was a walk-in closet.

Standing in a hallway she looked around, finding stairs at the end. They split, giving the room underneath an almost majestic grandeur. There was wood everywhere. The walls were dark oak and so was the rest of the house, making it appear more like a hunter’s lodge than the mansion the size inside suggested.

She could even see a fireplace, wondering how many women the guy in the shower had seduced there.

She shook her head, clearing those thoughts from her mind before hurrying down one side of the stairs. She reached the door, almost touching the handle when his voice behind her let her freeze.

“Where are you going, Cupcake?”

She knew she just needed to open that door and he wouldn’t be able to follow her. Once she did though she all but collapsed right there at the doorstep. It was night outside. She wouldn’t be able to outrun him.

“How… How long did I sleep?” She sounded weak, but she couldn’t help it.

“Eighteen hours, maybe a little more,” he replied and her hopes sank. She couldn’t be outside at night, but she certainly couldn’t be inside with him, either.

Not turning back she inhaled the cold night air streaming in, feeling how he came closer. His unique smell surrounded her before he reached out and brushed her hair away from her shoulder.

“You do not want to bite me, vampire,” she whispered, still closing her eyes in surrender, knowing that some part of her would love to feel his lips on her neck anyways.

He paused, with his mind closing the door before turning her to look at him.

His hair was still wet from the shower and she could see drops running down his bare chest, vanishing at the hem of his sweat pants. With him being half dressed she would be able to think. A little at least.

“You know? Have you known all this time?” His voice was gentle, almost pitying her. It made her defensive.

“Look,” she started, then she realized she didn’t even know his name. It bothered her. She wanted to know it; wanted to know him.

Why she cared she couldn’t say. It was as if two thoughts were fighting inside of her: One wanted to throw herself at him and convince him to stay with her until they both died while the second one wanted to run as far from him as possible because she knew better than to trust anyone. People one trusted, one started to care for; and all people she had once cared for had deceived her one way or another.

“Jaden. My name is Jaden,” he replied, leading her over to the cream-colored sofa.

“Cupcake, you should start talking, because it sure as hell appears as if you have an amazing story to tell.” She could hear the curiosity in his voice, but when she looked at him, she didn’t see curiosity. She saw lust and she could tell because that mirrored her own feelings. She went hot and cold at his stare, wondering if he’d be the one to make it all better again.