Page 91 of Marked
“That you will mobilize at midnight.” The King’s voice rips through the tense silence, and his blonde mane of hair fills the frame next to Ruin. “Do not let your emotion cloud your judgement, Ruin. Our priority has been to catch Vlad from the start.”
Ruin stiffens.
“I like the girl as much as you,” the King continues, “but she is one human against the well-being of our kind. Our people.”
Ruin’s head turns and I back up into the doorway as his rage filled profile grows visible. “Lilah is my people, Markus. She is mine, do you understand? Mine.” His hands slam against his chest and every male in the hall takes a step backward. Everyone but the King.
“If you cannot follow directives, Captain, then I will be forced to replace you.”
Ruin’s lips part on a snarl and I dive through the door frame.
“Hey guys.” My heart trips in my chest, but I throw on a stupid human smile as I bow halfheartedly to the King. “So we got a lead, huh?”
Markus’ eyes glitter, but it’s the weight of Ruin’s gaze on the side of my face that leaves me flushed and disconcerted.
“We do, Ms. Marks.”
I nod. “That’s good. Real good. Vlad needs to be stopped, no matter what.” I try to wind my fingers with Ruin’s to calm him.
He pulls away from me, his expression cooler than it was at Carnage that first night. “Even at the sake of you? Of your life?”
I look between them, pulse racing and knowing they can hear it. “I don’t understand. What do you mean?”
Ruin glowers. “Draven is Vlad, Lilah. The sick fuck from Carnage is the one who killed half our people last month alone.” The world seems to drop from beneath my feet, and I can’t focus. Everything seems hazy, distorted. Ruin’s head shakes. “And he’s after you now. He will never stop, do you understand? Vlad will never stop coming until he has you. And I can’t let him do that. I can’t let him take you from me too.”
He turns on his heel and storms off down the hall. Tanner bows to their king and takes off after him.
I don’t follow. I can’t. As much as I want to reassure Ruin, his isn’t the only world upside down and right side wrong right now. I stand in the hall, confusion warring with the truth of it all.
The waitress at Underground, the break in at Carnage ... It was all Draven. I shrugged him off. Figured he was locked up with Vic. That my guardian was the only one pulling strings behind the scene.
And look at how fucking wrong I was.
“Lilah?”
My head whips over to Markus.
“I know this a lot to take in. A lot to deal with ...” His topaz eyes seem to glow softly, “but I would ask one favor from you.”
“Sir?”
“I would ask that you tell him to go.”
I blink. “What?”
He sighs. “Ruin will not leave— will not lead the men with you in need of his guarding. Tis not the nature of our kind. Of of our males.” He steps closer, reaching for my hands. “The only way for us to capture Vlad once and for all, is with Ruin’s help.”
“Markus.” Caine’s voice is hard, angry. “You can’t ask her to do this. Maybe you don’t see it but–”
“I see it better than even you, Master Auden,” Markus snaps. “And though it pains me to do this, more than you or Ruin can understand, Vlad must be stopped. At all cost.”
Caine’s jaw flexes and rage simmers in the depths of his eyes. “Then I’ll stay behind.” The words are soft, but they seem to whip through the corridor as even Horan gazes at the demon in surprise. “I will protect the colony and Lilah. If something happens, I’ll get her out.”
Markus appraises him before his gold eyes track to me with more than a little resentment. “It seems, Ms. Marks, that you bring havoc wherever you go.” My face flames and my head drops, averting my eyes. “Fine, Caine. You will remain at the colony house and I will go with the team.”
“We need every hand we can get,” he grumbles and walks off. “Alert your Captain of the change. We leave at midnight.”
Gage and Horan look at Caine. “That was either the smartest thing you have ever done, or the dumbest,” Gage tells him.
