Page 18 of Marked
“How long have you been waiting?” I ask.
They exchange a glance. Gage shrugs. “Few minutes.”
“You hear?”
“Yep,” T says.
“I hate you both,” I mutter.
“That’s why you’re the Cap, boss.” T prowls cheerily next to me, and I consider shoving him into the wall.
“Girl?” Gage asks.
I scrub the back of my neck, pulling at the knot of muscle forming. “Here.”
They both stop walking. I do, too, and turn to look at them.
“You brought herhere?” Gage asks, like he is waiting on me to say ‘kidding’.
“Squad of eight supes had her cornered when I got there. Chains, knives, bats ...” They stare. “Vic wants her. Bad.”
“We need his office location,” Tanner mutters.
I start walking again.
At the edge of the tunnel, the low lights for the open training area come on, starting with the ones closest to the archway. I shrug out of my jacket and go to work on the harness over my body.
“What I need is to work some of my anger off before I talk to her. No reason to scare the humans, track?” My fists tighten and every inch of my body thrums with the need to hurt. To kill.Battle rage. When I peer over my shoulder, both males are fixed on my face. “Either of you fine gentlemen want to help?”
Tanner glances at Gage out of his peripheral. He reaches for the hem of his T-shirt and ripped caramel muscle and tattoos gleam under the lights as he tugs it off. He stalks past me to the weight rack, head already where I need it to be as The Game’s One Blood blares from the speakers.
Gage pulls out another hand-rolled and lights up. With every inhale, his emerald eyes grow languid, fucking blitzed, as he takes the edge off his power. Every member of the team has burn scars from his power. No reason to add more.
Stubbing the butt out on the heel of his boot, he claps me on the shoulder and follows T. “Let’s fucking do this.”
Chapter 10
Lilah
The suite’s attached garden is warm, almost balmy, and emerald-green in the little walkway lights. Smooth stones and sand create a pathway deep into the small grove of bushes and torches. A travertine pool rests under a few willowy mimosa trees, with an outdoor shower head nestled amidst the branches.
It’s a tropical paradise in southern Louisiana.
Heavy-bladed ferns perch along thick river-rock ponds. The water is crystal clear and cool looking in the heat. I slip my shoes off and step down into one shallow pool.
A groan bubbles from my lips. “Oh wow.”
I sit down on the ledge, swinging my feet back and forth in the lukewarm water. The same incredulity in the front foyer seems to rule my world.
It’s not a hotel. And Maximus assured me the manor is indeed a refuge when needed. Normally reserved for supernaturals, Eternity Manor is more than capable of taking in a single guest ... or a hundred. Every hall was packed with doors to opulent rooms, statues, and expensive artwork. And the vampire lives here too.
Captain Wade, I chide myself.
Captain. A damn vampire Captain.
Like a cop or a general, maybe some mix of both, Maximus railed about how good the Captain is. How strong ...
I sigh.
