“Sure. This Saturday OK?”
She nodded happily, and he realized she was just glad to be contributing something to the family. He understood that. But for him, it was a perfect opportunity to keep an eye on her.
12 - Witches, Vampyres and Faeries, Oh My
Jaeden couldn’t help herself. She told everyone at lunch the next day that Caia was working for Lucien. Alexa’s reply had been to cause a scene by storming away from the table. The humans had watched them for the rest of the lunch period, wondering what an earth had happened at the ‘pretty people’ table. Caia knew Jaeden was just as pissed as she was that Alexa and Dana wouldn’t get off her back, but really, telling Alexa that she was going to be spending even more quality time with Lucien was just asking for the girl to tear her apart. For the rest of the week she was met with icy resentment, which as far as Caia was concerned was better than the girl actually speaking to her.
It was with a huge sigh of relief that Saturday rolled around quickly. She hadn’t seen much of Lucien lately, and although it had been her intention (before she went and asked him for a job working beside him) to avoid him, she was missing him a little. Moreover, she was more than a little relieved to be getting out of the house. She assumed she hadn’t seen much of Lucien because, what with Irini and Aidan’s mating only a week away, Ella had turned the house into party planning central.
As Lucien always left for a work a few hours before the store actually opened so he could get a start on his furniture before the interruptions began, Caia didn’t arrive for her first day until eight forty-five. She was surprised to see Ryder was already there. He smiled teasingly at her as Lucien gave her a run through of her duties. There was nothing major to undertake - the cash register seemed easy enough to understand, and besides, he had told her if she was asked any questions she couldn’t answer to just give him a shout.
“I can’t believe you’re working here.” Ryder smirked, settling into a rocking chair as Lucien departed into his work room.
“Should you be doing that?” Caia asked, sliding onto the stool behind the front counter.
Ryder chuckled and shrugged. “Dunno, you tell me. You work here now.”
Caia laughed. “Why is that so amazing to you?”
His eyes twinkled but he shook his head, refusing to say anything. She felt her stomach flip. Ryder didn’t suspect her feelings, did he? Holy Artemis, that would be awful. Worse than awful. Utter mortification was in sight. “You haven’t had a job lately,” she stated, trying to turn the conversation away from her.
He nodded. “True. Things have been quiet for a while.”
She leaned against the counter, her eyes wide as she asked, “So you must have come across other supernaturals on all your trips, right?”
“Sure.”
“I haven’t met any.” She sighed, thinking of all the creatures out there that shared their world, and she had no idea what any of them were like.
Ryder frowned. “What about Marion?”
“The magik who put the protection spell up around me?”
He nodded.
It was her turn to shrug. “I never met her.”
Ryder grinned. “I can’t believe that. Marion is great. You’ll really like her. Powerful witch too. You know her sister is the Head of the Daylight Coven?”
Caia shook her head. She had had no idea. That meant that for ten years she had had actual royalty looking after her, watching and protecting. Wow, the pack really did have connections in high places. “How do you know a witch that high up in the circle?”
He winked. “How else?”
She shook her head. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I keep forgetting you’re only seventeen. Mind you when I was seventeen I knew-”
Caia frowned. “Ryder, the point?”
The hunter laughed at her impatience. “OK, OK. The pack is good friends with Marion because once, a long time ago, Magnus was really good friends with Marion.”
It took a moment for that to sink in, and then she gasped, “Magnus was with a magik?”
“Hey, there is nothing wrong with a little variety in life.”
The leer on his face made her ask quietly, so that her voice wouldn’t carry through to Lucien, “Have you ever...?”
Ryder seemed to be enjoying her awkwardness. “What? Enjoyed some vanilla instead of chocolate?”