The Mark of Fate: Book 3 of The Marked series

by Ford, Rinna

  I headed for the edge of the clearing, near a grouping of large trees in hopes of finding my dad there, but again, I found no one.

  Continuing to walk around, I weaved in and out between the clearing and the woods that surrounded it. My anxiety rose higher and higher with every step until I reached my starting point.

  I whipped my head around frantically hoping to see my father’s familiar form and still finding no one. I felt the tingling sensation that let me know I was waking up. Even with knowing what was happening, I still looked around until the edges of my vision became blurry. Then the blackness spread until that was all I could see or feel.

  * * *

  I woke up with a start to the sounds of arguing. My brain was pounding inside of my skull and the loud noises weren’t helping. Grabbing my head at the temples, I winced and slowly sat up.

  I had been moved to my bed from the back yard and I didn’t know how long I’d been out, but by the yelling outside my door, I could tell that people were angry. There was no one inside the room with me, but I could also tell that both of my mates were just outside the door, along with Amos and a few others.

  My father wasn’t there. I went into our dreamscape and he wasn’t there.

  More yelling came from the other side of my door and my anger overpowered my confusion and worry. Why the hell couldn’t they find another place to argue than outside my door?

  Sliding my feet to the floor, I carefully walked to the door and opened it, making everyone stop their yelling and stare at me in silence.

  “What the fuck is going on?” I asked, holding the sides of my head.

  “You ruined everything!” one of the people I didn’t know angrily screamed, pointing her finger at me. She was from the rebellion, I was sure, and obviously upset about what I’d done when I found Ainsley. Who the hell did she think she was judging me?!

  “Fuck you,” I spat at her. “Fuck all of you if you think that leaving him there and letting them go unpunished was the right thing to do. They were experimenting on people! On my uncle! They cut off his fucking legs and starved him! I couldn’t let it slide, no matter what I was sent in there to do!”

  The woman stared at me in shock and I heard Amos sigh in exasperation, but I didn’t care. I was beyond caring at that point.

  Xan wrapped his strong arm around me and steered me through the throngs of stunned people and toward the stairs.

  “She has to be punished!” the woman screeched when I was several steps away.

  I turned to go back to tear her a new asshole, when Matias spoke up. Xan grabbed my shoulders again and made me keep walking.

  “My mate is angry and upset and if you were her, you would have done the exact same thing. But if you can’t see past your own bureaucracy and you decide to lay one single finger on her for what she did, I will tear apart everything you love, including this rebellion. You know of my reputation, what I am capable of. Do not test me, or my mate.”

  His words were laced with steeled promise and the lady gasped out loud when she realized it.

  I relaxed a little as Xan and I walked a little further down the stairs, knowing my mates had my back and were willing to tear the world apart for me. They may not agree with me, but they loved and supported me no matter what.

  “Xan, something strange happened in my dreamscape...Where are we going?” I asked as he kept leading me away somberly. We reached the bottom step and turned to go down one of the hallways.

  “To see your uncles,” he told me, softly. It was as if he were trying to prepare me.

  I gulped and picked up the pace as thoughts of my father slipped away. I had something more pressing to do and from my mate’s expression, it was going to be difficult, not that I didn’t expect it.

  Xan reached out and pushed the door to the infirmary when we got to it and let me go in first. There were about ten beds all lined up along the wall, filled with supes from the facility.

  “We couldn’t get them all out,” Xan said as my eyes slid from face to face. “Some of them were beyond saving, and the rest, well, we ran out of time.”

  I didn’t see Ainsley anywhere so I shifted my gaze back to Xander, confused.

  “In there.” He pointed toward another door and I left the security of his grasp and walked to it. “Prepare yourself, Emi,” he said, kissing me on the temple. “He’s in really bad shape. I think he’s been waiting for you to wake up.”

  I hesitated before turning the knob, realizing what he was saying to me, and I let out a deep, shaky breath, until I felt Xan’s hand once again wrap around mine. With his support, I was able to go inside the small room. There in the room was one single bed and on it was my favorite wolf shifter, beaten and bruised but resting. Devlin was holding his hand and staring at Ainsley’s upturned face with so much sadness.

  Dev’s expression… it broke me.

  I ran to Ainsley’s other side and gently took his hand in mine. The wolf slowly dropped his head and looked at me, his gaunt face breaking out into a weak smile.

  “I knew… you’d save me…” he rasped.

  “I’m so sorry, Ainsley. I’m so sorry…”

  “For... what?”

  “For not staying with you and Dev. For not finding you sooner…”

  “Sugarbear… we needed… you to go. You… are the… most important thing.” He gasped between words and I broke even further, tears streaming down my cheeks. “Take… care… of each other…”

  “Shhhh. Don’t talk. Rest.”

  A sob wracked through Devlin and he lowered his head toward Ainsley’s hand.

  “Don’t cry… my love…” Ainsley said to his boyfriend, and I began to cry even harder.

  “Please don’t cry… either of you… I… love you… both. Thank you… for loving… me… and being… my family.”

  Ainsley was slowly turning his head back and forth between Dev and me as he spoke. I saw how hard it was on him, so I released his hand and walked around the bed to where Dev sat and knelt down beside him. I put my arms around my uncle and looked up into Ainsley’s smiling, tired eyes, but his eyes were firmly planted on Devlin. It was as if he were trying to memorize every single detail of his lover’s face. Ainsley harshly swallowed and opened his mouth to speak, finding it hard to get the words out. I squeezed Dev harder as I saw what was happening.

  Ainsley swallowed again and that time was able to whisper the three words that mean the most.

  “I love you… I love you...”

  His eyes opened and closed slowly until they didn’t open again. A deep breath left Ainsley’s body and we knew that he was gone.

  “No, no, no, no…” Devlin wept, his face buried in his boyfriend’s stomach as he tried to will him to wake up. “Don’t leave me... Please, don’t go…”

  I curled around my uncle as we both cried at how unfair it all was. When Dev realized I was there, he wrapped one arm around me and pulled me further into his body. He eventually let go of Ainsley and sagged into me as we both cried for the wolf that had filled our hearts with joy.

  Eventually, Dev’s tears dried up and he pulled away, his body numb. I was still crying. He kissed me on the forehead, and motioned for Xander and Matias to take me. I was wrapped up in strong arms and I watched as Devlin gently leaned over Ainsley’s body and kissed his lips once before wiping his own wet cheek and walking from the room without looking back.

  Ainsley wasn’t his mate, but their connection was as strong as any bound couple I’d ever witnessed. They were meant for each other, fated or not, and as I watched my Uncle Devlin walk away, I wondered why life was so cruel.

  My tears began to dry up as well as my eyes remained locked on Ainsley. I stepped out of my mates’ arms and sat on the edge of Ainsley’s bed. I took both of his hands and crossed them over his stomach, making him appear peaceful. He died at peace, which I was thankful for, but he had spent months going through Hell to get there. It was so unfair. He deserved better, so much better.

  Ainsley was the kind
est, funniest person I ever met. He made me feel loved from the moment I met him back at the dinner table at his and Devlin’s cabin in the woods. Anyone who knew him knew that he was special. It was in his energy, the way he made people smile, and the way he knew exactly what to say. He was amazing and I knew the world would be a duller place without him.

  All these months, I knew there was the possibility that he and Devlin were dead. I knew it, but I never let myself believe it, even when I watched Ainsley fall during that attack when he and Devlin sent Xan and me away. I wouldn’t let myself believe it, or even that they were being mistreated, starved, and mutilated. It never occurred to me that even if they were captured, they would be treated like they were. I was so naive.

  The Council and Michael Ironshot had taken things too far.

  I took a deep breath and leaned over, kissing Ainsley’s cheek before rising and walking from the room much like Devlin did. If I looked back at Ainsley, I knew that I would break down again and I couldn’t do that.

  I walked through the infirmary, my eyes passing over each of the people laying there, not really seeing them, but even so, I was filled with even more righteous anger. I didn’t know any of those supes or what they had done to be experimented on, but whatever it was, they didn’t deserve it.

  I picked up the pace, my mates following right behind and I exited the medical wing and walked toward Amos’ office. I wasn’t sure that was where my grandfather was, but it was the first place I thought to look. Luckily, it was exactly where I needed to be.

  The woman and the others from the rebellion that were situated outside my bedroom door earlier were there and arguing with Amos. She was still calling for my arrest and he was defending me.

  “Don’t you ever stop?” I asked her, exasperated but ready for a fight.

  Her fiery eyes turned to me and became even more enraged. “You don’t deserve…”

  “Shut up, Nila,” Amos told her.

  Her mouth gaped open and closed like a fish, but she remained silent.

  I thought for a second what exactly I wanted to say and found the right words. I reached behind me and my mates held my hands, lending me their strength and support.

  “I am not sorry for what I did,” I said, my voice firm, strong. “They deserved what they got. I know it was against orders, but you forget who I am, what I am. You made me this...you sanctioned my turning vampire… and now I’m the only triple hybrid in existence. According to your prophecy, I’m meant to destroy the Council, right? I didn’t believe it before, but now I do. The fact I’m alive is proof enough. They pissed me off when they murdered my father and took my mother, and my anger has grown with every passing day as I learn about all of the atrocities that they commit in the name of power and control. They have to be stopped and if you aren’t going to stand with me, then get the fuck out of my way. We won’t accomplish anything with your information gathering missions and your smear campaigns. They are destroying our people, dividing us, imprisoning us, and tearing us down. Do you honestly think that your plan will work?”

  “Well then, what do you suggest?” Ingrid asked. She wasn’t challenging me, she was curious.

  I took a deep breath in and out. “I suggest we attack them where it’ll hurt the most. Their control. If they don’t have control over the supernatural society, then they are powerless. We attack their power base, destroying one piece at a time until there’s nothing left of the Supernatural Council.” I glanced back at Matias. He winked at me and shifted his feet.

  Everyone was silent for several seconds as they considered my idea.

  “They’re afraid.” We all turned toward the doorway to see Devlin standing there. I held my breath as he continued telling us what he needed to say. “They’re afraid and they should be. Emelia is right. We need to hurt them like they’re hurting us. There’s no way we will ever be able to change things with just videos and words. They’re scared because we’re one step closer to fulfilling the prophecy, to changing our world for the better by destroying them. And in their fear, they are stepping up their cruelty so we’re afraid too. They don’t want us to rise up against them. They want to keep us weak and compliant.” His gaze which was far off and unfocused shifted to me. “I’m with you. I’ll be with you until my very last breath.”

  Devlin nodded once then turned and walked away. I tried to follow him, but Xander held me in place, shaking his head, telling me I should leave him be. My uncle needed to be alone to grieve and I needed to let him do it.

  I looked around the room at the different people, the leaders of the rebellion. Everyone was silent, but thoughtful. Even that bitch, Nila seemed as though the fight against me had faded away and her focus was on shifting their method of attack. They all agreed with me, with my uncle but the real question was where to start.

  Chapter Seven

  I didn’t see Devlin for the rest of the day. It wasn’t because I didn’t want to look for him, but because I knew that he didn’t want to be found. He seemed to have disappeared and that worried me. His boyfriend died, having been mutilated and broken down until there was very little left of his poor body to heal. I wasn’t sure how my uncle would come back from seeing that happen to the man he loved. I wasn’t sure how I would come back from it either.

  But even though I felt sad and despondent, I knew Dev would be worse. I had someone there to comfort me when things got bad, but he didn’t. Not anymore. I was sure Irna would have wanted to fill that need, but it wasn’t what he wanted. He wanted Ainsley. It was all so unfair.

  Early the next morning, Matias and I snuck out of my bedroom when I woke up so Xan could keep sleeping and went in search of sustenance. The hunger from my vampire side was no joke. I felt like I needed blood and food all the time. I was able to control it better since bonding with Matias, but it was still there. I tried not to let it get to be too much, so I fed regularly.

  My vampire mate and I walked into the kitchen and filled a couple of glasses with blood, taking them outside to enjoy the early morning peace and quiet. Most days, we would do something productive to pass the time like work on my skills, or you know, something… fun, but that morning, having known Ainsley was really and truly gone, I just needed quiet. I wasn’t pushing anyone away, even though my first instinct was to do just that, and Matias seemed to appreciate that I stayed as present as I could. He just sat quietly holding my hand as I stared out into the darkened sky.

  We sat there long enough for Matias to refill our glasses two more times before the rest of the house seemed to wake up, including my handsome dragon. He came straight outside to the patio where we sat and hugged his arms around my neck. I turned into him with a smile and planted a kiss on his plump lips.

  “You doing alright?” he asked, giving me one more kiss before taking the chair next to me, across from Matias.

  “Yeah, I think so. I just, it’s all too real. Everything. Do we know yet what they did to him? Why were they experimenting on him?”

  “We don’t know,” Xander said. “Ainsley didn’t even know what they were doing to him other than it always hurt.”

  I closed my eyes at the last two words. For Ainsley to admit that, it had to be bad. He was never one to bring others down and always downplayed things when they were bad.

  “Well, they weren’t trying to make him a super soldier, that’s for sure,” Matias said in a low voice.

  “Why do you say that?” I scrunched my eyebrows and asked, trying to figure out how he knew that.

  “They cut off his legs,” Matias replied. “He said he tried to escape once so they cut them off. They wouldn’t do that if they intended on using him in battle, especially with him being a shifter. He can’t do magic, so he’d be useless to them.”

  The back door opened and Amos stepped onto the back patio.

  “There you are,” he said, looking at me then to Xan and Matias. “She’s awake,” he told them.

  “Who’s awake?” I asked and swung my legs around the side of the chair, r
eady to rise.

  “The scientist Matias saved,” Xan told me, clenching his jaw. He didn’t explain further, so I looked at him inquisitively. What scientist? The scientist from the facility that he got to before I could? He didn’t kill her?

  My eyes shot to my vampire mate in anger.

  “You saved her?” I growled, and slowly began rising from my seat.

  “Calm yourself,” Matias commanded but didn’t get up. His voice was steady and strong, but he didn’t want to fight, not with me. “I saved her for you because even though you wanted to destroy them all, I knew you’d want answers even more. It’s easy to give in to the bloodlust and murder everyone who has wronged you, but you can’t let it consume you without thinking it through.”

  I broke eye contact and swallowed, feeling a little sheepish for doubting him. He was right and I knew it. With her being alive, we could find out exactly what they were doing and why they were doing it. Then, when we had everything we needed, I could kill her. Slowly. Painfully. That was, if she actively participated in the torture of my uncle and the other supes. If she hadn’t, then I’d let her rot in a cell. I wasn’t a total monster, after all.

  “Well, let’s go talk to her.” I took a step toward the door and all three men jumped in front of me, holding out their hands to stop me. “What are you doing?” I inquired, crossing my arms over my chest defensively.

  “We think it’s best if you aren’t involved in the questioning,” Amos told me.

  “You don’t think I can control myself?”

  “Well, we…” Matias began to say something but Xander cut him off.

  “Baby, you know you won’t be able to keep from ripping her to shreds the moment you walk into the same room with her. Besides, she’ll be scared shitless if she knows what’s good for her, even without you in the room, and we’re hoping she’s smart enough to know what’s good for her and tell us the truth of what they’ve been up to.”