Page 50 of Marked
Chapter 23
Ruin
I walk through the back room to the colony house, unwilling to even look at Lilah now. Every instinct in my bones is demanding I lock her up. Not in a cell. But in my room, shackled to my bed, until all of this is over.
Gage and T are careful to keep a distance as we take the tunnel under the manor. They had little to say in the alley too. The whole damn team was silent, on pins and needles. Ones I am putting off like pheromones that scream ‘caution, angry vampire’.
There were no trails. Nothing but a syringe tainted with toxic yellow liquid. I didn’t need Gage’s sigh to tell me it was Brightex.
It’s like everywhere Lilah goes, the drug follows.
“We may want to consider she doesn’t know about any of this, Cap.” T’s voice is surprisingly empty. Mild. “Every shred of info I found on her is clean, man. Not even a parking ticket. None of this adds up.”
I growl, but otherwise remain silent.
“I agree she should’ve called him in,” he continues. “But what if she couldn’t?”
My eyes track to him, the motion slow. “What?”
Is he really defending her?
“Vic is listed as her guardian, track? But what if it’s more than that? The fucker is wired like the mob.” His pale eyes flick to Gage. “I saw the room, too, Cap. And that isn’t how you treat a doting niece.”
I lean against the cool wall of the tunnel, and pinch the bridge of my nose. My damn skull pounds with my heartbeat. “T ... I’m having a hard time thinking about all this shit, right now.”
He glances at Gage again. “We know.”
I raise a brow.
Gage lays a hand on Tanner’s shoulder. “It’s not just your scent, Cap. It’s the battle rage, man. I can see it in your fucking eyes. It’s waiting beneath the surface, watching everyone and everything that happens. And that is some scary shit, true?”
A supernatural’s battle rage is a thing of legend. Only the oldest of the old really remember a time when it was common place. Remember what it’s like to go berserk and act out every base instinct our kind possess. And Gage is right.
With Lilah, everything is blurred. I want to hate herandprotect her. Lock her upandhold her. I want to fucking own herandmake her leave. I can’t think rationally. Can’t fucking function beyond the need. A need I refuse to voice. Not that I need too.
“I’m going fucking insane.”
Tanner snorts. “Going? Nah, Cap. You’re there, man.”
I flip him off.
Gage steps closer. “Fucking bed her already.” My body swells at his harsh words. “Screw her until whatever this is goes away. And then get your damn head back in the game.”
I glare at him. “Succinct.”
He rolls his eyes and pulls a hand-rolled from his vest before offering it to me. I start to shake my head and then stop.
My fingers pluck the smoke from his grasp and place it between my lips before it even registers. He snaps and icy green flames flare between the digits. I lean down and inhale.
The spicy herb flows into my lungs and the light from my eyes dims. It’s only then that I realize they were glowing like small suns. “Fuck.”
He nods. “Smoke and then shower.”
Tanner grins. “Because you’re not you when you’re—”
Smoke between my lips, I slug him in the shoulder and he cackles like a madman. “Fuck off.”
He salutes me. “Aye, aye, Cap.” The shifter strolls off toward the house, but Gage hesitates.
