Marked

by A.N. Meade

desire. Your immortality has its own cost. You will feed on the weak. You will build your empire on their bodies. You will have power unimaginable.”

  Dacian tried to think, to focus on the words that were spoken. “How do you benefit in giving me such power?”

  The man continued to smile. “I like to see the strong destroy that which is too feeble to stand on its own. You are a born leader, the perfect commander for such an army.”

  Dacian thought he was beginning to see what was happening. The man must not be able to enter this realm and lead such an army of his own. “I see, but I must be willing to accept this “gift.”

  The demon laughed. Dacian was witty for a human, especially one who was not in much of a position for negotiating. “Ah, yes.” He motioned toward Elizabeta. “How important is it to you to hang onto this pretty creature?”

  It was about more than her beauty. Dacian viewed her as a possession. She belonged to him. His pride would not allow her to run away from him. She had tried to escape him in death, but in doing so, drew herself closer to him than ever before. He accepted the demon’s offer. He became vampire that very night. The demon kept his word and marked her spirit, Dacian’s tragic child bride. She was his and not even death could free her from his obsessive control.

   

 

  Just Walk Beside Me

  Marc pulled open the side drawer and began frantically flipping through the papers. “Here it is!”

  He had turned to the back of a small notebook and found the number for the airline. He was breathing more quickly and his hands shook as he dialed the phone. “I need to book a flight. Yes, to New Orleans. As soon as possible. Marcus Trudeau. Thank you.”

  Enric walked up beside him. “Did you book the flight?”

  “Yes.” Marc let out a deep sigh. He tried to think of all the things that he needed to do.

  “Can I help you with anything?”

  “Can you pack a bag for me? There are some things that I want to look over before I head to the airport to pick up Liam.” Marc‘s expression was very serious. He was trying to plan for every angle.

  “Of course, consider it done.” It was a small thing that Marc had asked of him, but if Enric could be of help in any way it took his mind off of the events. It made him feel needed and useful, and he was happy to do it.

  “Thank you, Enric.” Marc took the book that Liam had given Aimee, and went up to the library. He sat there on the floor thumbing through the pages. There was so much about his good friend that he never knew. He knew that Liam was an immortal. He knew that Liam possessed great knowledge, but some kind of Archangel? He still didn’t even understand exactly what Liam was. After all the years that Marc had known him, why had he chosen to open up to Aimee about it? He also wondered if the book had anything to do with why Aimee left.

  As he flipped through the pages, a picture fell out onto his lap. It was a snapshot from that night at the Eiffel Tower. It was before Damian, and all of this. They looked so happy. His heart ached. He missed her. Marc drove alone to the airport. He wasn’t sure if Liam would go with him to Louisiana or not. For the most part, Liam remained a fairly neutral observer when it came to vampires and their issues with one another.

  He remembered the day when he and Liam first met. He had been fighting with Damian’s army for many months. They were camped a short distance out from the next string of small villages that they had set out to destroy. A group of roman soldiers approached. There were many officers and a single commander led in front. He had a deep red crest on top of his helmet. It was mounted transversely, and the metal on his greaves clinked as he dropped to the ground from his mount. The man had entered their camp, riding to the center of it before dismounting. Damian came out to meet him.

  It was clear that Damian recognized the man. He did not draw his sword. “Liam. Have you come to spoil our fun?”

  The stranger was in no mood for banter. “I need to speak with you, Damian.”

  “By all means,” Damian stretched out his arm in the direction of his tent, welcoming Liam inside. A few moments passed, and then Damian opened the door and asked Marc to come inside. “Marcus, there is someone that I would like you to meet.”

  Marc was a little apprehensive about entering the tent. Damian sat across the fire from Liam, drinking from one of the few wineskins that they had with them. Marc took a seat opposite them. “Ah, there you are. Liam, this is Marcus. He is a new brother in arms.”

  “Good to meet you, Marcus. I am called Liam. Damian and I have known one another for some time now.” He was polite, but short and to the point. Marc could appreciate that.

  “Yes and now Liam is here to tell us to show mercy to these farmers, and go back to our homes,” Damian complained.

  Marcus already had gained a great understanding of Damian’s lust for blood and riches. He replied as he was expected to. “Well why would we do that?”

  Damian motioned to Marc, “See, A man after my own heart.” He was pleased that Marcus had adapted to his way of thinking so quickly.

  Marc took a drink and then looked down at the fire. “Besides, we have no homes.”

  Liam looked over at Damian. He was tense. His jaw was tight. “Don’t you think this would be better discussed in private?”

  “There is nothing left to discuss.” Damian passed the wine to Liam.

  Liam did not drink, but held the wine in his hand as he spoke. “Take my advice, Damian.” He handed the wine back to Marc. “Well met, Marcus.”

  With that, Liam left. He had made quite an impression on Marc that night. The next morning, Damian had everyone pack up. Damian didn’t seem to care about anyone’s opinion, but he respected Liam much more than most. Instead of returning to his home in Spain, though, Damian took Marc to Romania to learn more about what he had chosen to become.

  It was nearly a year before he saw Liam again, but he did sometimes wonder about the bold, sober commander that had brought even Damian into obedience. Marc’s mind whirled as he waited for Liam to get off of the plane. He was glad Liam was coming, he would be a valuable help. On the other hand, Marc wondered if he should be more worried that Liam rushed so quickly to America. Something very terrible was going on, and if Liam’s arrival were any indication, it was a much more dire situation than he had even imagined.

  Liam searched the crowd as he got off the plane. Marc’s stomach was tight. He had begun to feel much more anxious. Liam was avoiding looking him in the eye, and he noticed.

  “Welcome, Liam. Thank you for coming,” Marc approached him cautiously.

  “I had no other choice when I heard what happened.” Liam considered Marc among the few that he called friend.

  “Yes, you did.” Marc smiled at Liam in appreciation. He needed Liam, and he wanted him to know that he appreciated that Liam recognized that, and that he cared enough to come.

  “Is there any news?”

  “Not yet, but I’ve decided to take a trip to New Orleans and see if Elsie can offer any information.” He wasn’t sure how Liam would feel about this idea, but it was the best one he had.

  “I’m coming with you.” Liam’s response was immediate. There was no way that he wasn’t going along to see this through.

  Marc pulled some tickets out of his jacket. “I bought two, in case you decided to go.”

  “I want to help you find her.” Liam gave Marc a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

  “I appreciate that you’re here Liam, but I can’t help but wonder what you know that I do not.”

  Liam smiled. “You’re clever, old friend. I did not mean to alarm you by coming here, but I believe that Aimee may be in great danger. I know what she means to you. Don’t worry, we will find her.”

  Marc didn’t bother to press Liam for details. He knew that Liam only ever said as much as he needed to say at the time, never more, never less. He had known him long enough to trust his judgment. Being that this concerned Aimee, trusting Liam’s judgment said a lot about Ma
rc’s opinion of him.

  The plane ride was fairly quiet. So many thoughts were running through both of their minds that neither of them spoke. There was only one thing that Marc knew of which had the power to draw Liam’s singular attention, and that was Damian. He wondered what Damian had to do with this. They had passed his sinister test in Paris. He wondered why Damian would travel to America. It was no great secret that he and Damian had unfinished business, perhaps Liam’s arrival had something to do with that. Damian must either be on his way, or else he was already here.

  Only once that Marc knew of had Damian ever broken company with the Coven in Europe. They had spent three days and three nights alone and undisturbed in Romania. It was just before they left to travel to Damian’s home in Spain, when they began their journey through the forest to the coast. Even the trees seemed evil. They were tall and sharply pointed. There was a perpetual shadow cast over them. The sun never seemed to shine. It was just as well. Marc didn’t really want to have to travel under the burning light.

  Damian turned to ask him a question before the carriage came to a stop. “Do you trust me, Marcus?”

  “I will follow you.” His answer was honest, and the best he could give.

  “Good. There is much I wish to show you.”

  Not even the horses wanted to be there. The stone walls were intrusive and towers twisted into the sky. The ground was scorched. There was not one blade of grass, only moss. It looked dead, but it