Marked for Life

by Jaxx Steele

  You are not my brother.

  Yes, I guess that is true, since you are no longer a member of the pack. But as you know, Mark, I still am. If you pledge your allegiance to me I may find it in my heart to speak to the counsel in your behalf.

  Mark dismissed Raymond's words, knowing they were hollow and untrustworthy. The fear inside him almost choked him, but he knew Raymond would not beat him as easily as before. The knowledge confused and scared him, but it also gave Mark strength.

  I can help you return home to where you belong, Raymond continued with false reassurance. The leader ages more every day. I will take his place as chief sooner rather than later.

  You are unworthy to lead our people! The hatred Mark felt blasted forward in the words he sent. You disregard our laws as if you have the right. Not only have you killed one of your own to advance your station, these humans were not the first you have murdered for sport, Mark declared with a snarl.

  Mark ran forward, crashing into Raymond who staggered backwards and lost his footing. Mark took advantage of his stumble and pounced. This time he found the soft spot on his throat and prepared to bite down.

  No!

  It was not Raymond's plea but another voice that pierced Mark's mind. The familiar sensation shocked him. He paused, turning his head in the direction he sensed it coming from. From behind a tree in the distance he saw the sprite who had saved him so long ago.

  Release him, Mark. It is not time for him to die.

  Mark was stunned. What? He must be stopped, he protested.

  And he will be. Trust me. Do as I say. Release him.

  Reluctantly Mark opened his mouth and dropped his brother. Raymond scurried away from him to his feet. He looked at Mark with shock in his wild yellow eyes. Death awaited him with Mark's next bite and they both knew it. Mark turned away from him and Raymond took off into the forest as fast as his wounds would allow. The black wolf sat down, exhausted.

  You should have let me kill him, Mark sent sulkily.

  The sprite came from behind the tree to be by his side. The time has not yet come. She pressed on his back, urging him to lie down. As he did so, she put both hands on his fur to heal him once again. A short time later the wolf rose to his feet and changed into a man.

  "Why do you continue to save me, sprite?"

  She stood beside him, her body only reaching his waist. "Because of the newborn," she said aloud, gesturing toward the house.

  Mark looked over to the now silent infant. Lifting the boy from the ground, Mark put his face in the crook of his neck and inhaled deeply. It was his scent that brought Mark toward the clearing in the first place. He knew now, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the child was his mate. Clearly the babe was not old enough to sustain such a relationship, but the connection was there. Just holding the baby sent erotic shivers through his fingers and dancing along his spine. He looked at the child with new eyes and smiled. The light of intelligence was in the little brown eyes looking up at him. Chubby little hands reached for his face as he walked back to the sprite.

  "This baby is to be my mate."

  "Are you laying claim to him?"

  "Yes. Were you here to protect him?"

  The sprite nodded. "One of his ancestors saved the forest from destruction. Since then I have watched over them whenever they have returned. I keep the land around the home lush and the animals plentiful for hunting."

  "He will die without a mother to care for him," Mark said, his voice filled with concern.

  She shook her head. "No, I will stay in the house and care for the child until he can care for himself. He will be yours when the time is right. I will feed him from my own body. I have nearly twenty five years before my time of renewal comes. He will be long since grown by then."

  Mark looked down at the sprite and smiled. "How will you take care of this infant, sprite?" he asked, humor lacing his words. "You are only the size of a human child yourself."

  The sprite grew to the size and proportions of a fully grown human female instantly. "I am able to accommodate myself when needed," she told him with a smirk.

  Mark snickered and nodded, satisfied. Lifting the child to his face, he nipped him on the shoulder, causing the baby to cry again. The blood flowed freely down his little arm until Mark gently closed his lips around the bite and sucked; the injury sealed and left a small scar behind. He inspected the mark closely before handing the infant over to the sprite. She held him close to her bosom, rocking him until he fell asleep.

  "I will always be around," he told her before shifting to his wolf form.

  She gave him a knowing smile and then turned to go into the house.

  Chapter One

  Victor rocked the back of his chair, tapping his pen on the edge of his desk. He glared at the clock on the wall, making grunting sounds each time the minute hand ticked by. After a while, making another noise, Victor jumped to his feet and walked across the room. With his arms wrapped around his chest, he tapped his foot and stared out the window. In the last few years his company had exploded, giving him little time to himself.

  When the powers that be had decided to beautify the city to bring in more tourists they had started a contest for ideas. Victor submitted his idea in hopes of bringing exposure to the printing company he had just started. He figured that if he could just be in the top ten it would bring more business in, but to his supreme amazement, he won. His printing company was used to add the new slogan to the entire city's stationary and all the major businesses advertizing wares as well. Winning the contest orbited Bradley's Print Shop, making it a citywide name for business printing.

  "Mr Bradley, a courier just dropped this off," a woman said from behind him.

  "It's about time," he huffed, meeting her at his desk. He took the manila envelope from her, tore it open, and scribbled his signature on the required pages before shoving it back at her. "Okay, resend it. I'm out of here."

  He pulled a backpack out from under his desk then draped his arm around the woman's shoulders to direct her from the room.

  "Now look, Nancy, I don't want you guys calling me unless it's absolutely necessary. With that said, I should be phone call free this week since I have a staff of highly qualified people working for me who can handle anything that may come up… right?" he asked giving her a guiding nod.

  "Yes, Mr Bradley," she answered dutifully.

  "That's what I want to hear." He stopped them at the front of their office and trotted down the steps, leaving Nancy behind. "I'll give you guys a call in a few days to check in," he said over his shoulder.

  Victor threw his bag into the passenger seat of his car through the driver's side window. When he started his car he saw Nancy going back into the building and he pulled out of the parking lot. Excited to finally be on his way, Victor was worried as well. The last time he had seen his Yaya was about four weeks ago. She seemed fine then, but during their conversation two days ago she had sounded different. Her voice seemed filled with exhaustion. He knew what was happening and had dreaded this day all of his life.

  The sun shined brightly on the cloudless fall afternoon and the chill in the air was subdued under its dominance. Victor put his shades in place and took to the highway. The ride to Connelly, Indiana, from Indianapolis never took him more than an hour, but he pushed the speed limit, making the trip even shorter. His family's cabin sat just a few miles from the main road and dense trees shrouded the land for privacy. If you didn't know of its existence, you wouldn't find it. Victor turned off of the paved road on to the tire-worn dirt. Taking the familiar twists and turns, he soon pulled into the forget-me-not and honeysuckle lined driveway of the cottage.

  "Yaya, I'm here! Where are you?"

  "I am here, Victor," the faint answer came from the back of the house.

  Victor hurried to her room and stood in the doorway. All his life the sprite he knew and loved was a radiant beauty, with sparkling eyes, long flowing hair, and glowing brown skin. As he looked upon her now, everything about
her seemed to be dimmer. The shine was gone from her presence. He knew she came to the end of her life and that it happened to them all, but he didn't want to accept it. Victor kneeled beside her bed and took her hand. The anguish he felt came out with his words.

  "Tell me what I can do to help."

  She turned to face him and smiled. "There is nothing you can do, darling. It is my time to return to the land to help the trees grow. When my cycle of renewal is up I will be able to take my physical form again."

  "I don't want you to go, Yaya," he whined softly.

  She gave him a knowing smile and chuckled. "I have never kept my origin a secret from you, Victor. I am a tree sprite and it is time my spirit returned to the trees."

  He nodded knowing she was right, but the knowledge didn't make the pain building in his chest go away.

  "I promised I would care for you until you were able to care for yourself. I have done that, but I stayed around as long as I could because I love you."

  Tears pricked his eyes as he brought her hand to his cheek. "I don't want to lose you, Yaya. You are the only family I have."

  "I know, sweetheart, but you will not be alone."

  Curious, he lifted his head to look at her. "I won't be alone? What do you mean?"

  "He has waited for you to return to the forest."

  "He? Who Yaya? I don't—"

  "Listen to me, Victor. I don't have much time." She pressed her fingers into his face to urge him to come closer. "You are human, but you are special. You have taken milk from me as an infant. The forest is now a part of you, my gift to you. It will answer your call when you need it. I want you to remember that."

  Victor nodded. "I will."

  She sighed and her hand fell away. "There is so much more to tell you, Victor, but later, please. I'm so tired and so cold."

  Victor kissed her hand, pulled the covers up to her shoulders, and then rose to his feet. "All right, Yaya, you rest and I will put some wood on the fire to warm this place up a little."

  He returned to his car and carried his things into his old room. Victor walked through the house he grew up in with fond nostalgia. When he had been old enough, the sprite sent him to the city to make his way in the world. He always longed for the summer months when he could come home to the forest. With a sigh he left the living room for the kitchen.

  Opening the door to the pantry, he frowned. The log count was low. Turning on his heel he directed his steps to the back door. Outside lay the two gardens he and Yaya planted when he was a young boy. It amazed him how she didn't have to do anything but put the seed into the soil and it sprouted almost instantly. His green thumb was very good, but not at her level. She taught him how to cultivate the ground and encourage things to grow. He smiled at the memory, then sighed. She was a major part of his life. What would he do without her?

  Turning his attention toward the large pieces of wood piled high along side of the house, Victor piled them in his arms and carried them to the tree stump. One by one he chipped away at the chunks, making them small enough to use in the fireplace. After a while, a nice heap was stacked up nearby.

  He'd raised the axe over his head to split the last log when he stopped it in midair. Victor angled his head to the right, lifting his left ear to the wind. His eyebrow rose and he darted his eyes to the left and to the right, waiting. After a while, not seeing or hearing anything more, he let the axe drop, splitting the wood in two. Next, he removed the pieces, throwing them on his pile. As he reached down to put another large block onto the stump, Victor saw a yellow blur out of the corner of his eye.

  "Whoa!" he cried, jumping back and swinging the axe automatically.

  Victor landed on the ground, dropping the weapon, and scooted backwards on the grass, facing his attacker. The huge wolf turned on him and growled aggressively, a coat of blood covering the sharp looking fangs. His wild arc had connected the axe with the animal's face.

  The sinister glare in the beast's eyes gave Victor warning. He attempted to regain his footing, but couldn't move fast enough. The animal leaped and landed on his chest with a heavy thud, knocking him back to the ground. His paws pressed brutally into Victor's chest, tearing his shirt.

  Victor screamed in pain. He reached up, turning the wolf's snout away and punching it in the throat. The wolf yelped, but continued his attempts. The snarling mouth tried desperately to lower and get a hold of him, but Victor fought with all his might to keep the wolf at bay. He continued to pound the beast on the ribs, but it had no effect on his assailant at all. The animal was strong. Victor's five foot ten, one hundred and ninety pound frame was proving not to be enough to defeat the beast. He feared the worst as the muscles in his arms started to burn and weaken. The thumping in his chest accelerated to heart attack proportions. The barking and growling emanating from his assailant rang in his ears, adding to his fright. He held back any more noises expressing his terror because he didn't want to bring his Yaya to the scene and put her in danger as well. Panic welled inside him as his arms bent and the wolf's head moved closer to his throat.

  Suddenly there was another threatening snarl behind him. The wolf lifted its head to investigate, then yelped pain as he was knocked off his victim to the ground. Victor quickly rolled to his hands and knees and retrieved the discarded axe. Getting to his feet, he turned and prepared to defend himself. To his surprise, a black wolf stood squaring off with the sandy one. When the new wolf jumped on the first in his defense, Victor took the opportunity to run. He slammed and locked the back door and then returned to the sprite's side.

  "Victor, what is all the noise out there?" she asked weakly.

  "A wolf attacked me out back, Yaya. I fought him, but another wolf came to my rescue. They're still fighting," he explained trying to catch his breath.

  "Was it a large wolf with ebony fur?"

  "The one who came to help me? Yeah. How did you know?"

  "He is for you, Victor." She patted his hand delicately. "Do not be afraid. I must leave now, darling. I'm sorry. I love you."

  "What? Wait! No!"

  The coverings flattened to the bed as the sprite faded away, leaving nothing behind but a faint shimmer in the air. Victor fell forward, gripping the sheets where she laid, and letting the tears fall freely.

  Chapter Two

  Grieving, Victor remained in his position until a knock at the door roused him with a start. Taking in the changes in his environment, he yawned. He must have fallen asleep without realizing. The room was dark, the light outside the window having dimmed. Victor rubbed his eyes and stood up to stretch. Walking into the living room, he hesitantly cracked the door open. Peering through the sliver, his eyes darted from left to right, past the man who stood on the other side.

  "Are you alone?" Victor asked.

  "Yes."

  Victor's head tilted. The man was not one of his neighbors. "The people who stay around these parts at this time of year usually stay to themselves. What do you want?"

  "I am here to speak to you, Victor."

  Inwardly Victor jumped. The stranger knew his name. He was sure he didn't know the man, although something about him seemed familiar. Curiosity made Victor widen the crevice to openly scrutinize his visitor further. The man remained silent and didn't move, seemingly content with letting Victor examine him.

  Squinting, Victor craned his neck forward. Something about this man was definitely memorable. Looking at him was like putting pieces of a forgotten dream together. The stranger was taller than him, and extremely attractive. The black t-shirt he wore fit snugly over the bumps and ridges of his torso and his wavy dark hair hung low on his brow but tapered at the back of his head. Victor had never seen such a handsome man before. His features were striking in their masculine beauty. The high cheekbones, strong jaw and long nose were unique, but it was his tilted shaped eyes that caught Victor's attention most.

  They were golden brown and filled with a raw intensity as they held Victor in a trance-like state. The glistening orbs were truly wi
ndows to his soul, for Victor could see right into him. Something there called to him… to his heart, to his soul, and to his groin. Many emotions were revealed as he took in the sight of the man before him; lust, longing, and love. Victor's brows knitted in confusion. He knew this man, but he also knew he had never laid eyes on him before.

  How could—

  "May I come in?" The soft spoken request cut into his contemplation.

  The coolness of the late evening air blew across his face bringing the sweet smell of honeysuckle. Blinking rapidly, Victor shook his head to snap himself out of it and Victor stepped to the side as he opened the door in invitation.

  The man walked toward the living room where he sat on the couch. Victor sat beside him. Together they sat silently ogling one another. Finally, Victor leaned back and draped his arm casually across the back of the sofa.

  "So who are you? Why do you seem so familiar to me? Have we met?"

  The stranger smiled and relaxed back as well. "Yes, we have met, but it was many years ago." He looked around the room. "Where is the sprite?"

  Eyes widening, Victor sat up with a gasp. "How do you know about Yaya?"

  "The sprite and I have met on several occasions. I am Mark DeLonco. Has she told you about me?" he asked, extending his hand.

  Victor took his hand and opened his mouth to speak, but gasped instead. The moment their hands touched, images formed in Victor's mind. He closed his eyes, trying to get a lock on something to bring understanding to what he was seeing. They were mostly incoherent pictures, flashes of wolves and men he didn't recognize. He became dizzy from trying to decipher the knowledge. Suddenly the imagery started to slow and some things started to make sense. Victor's heart sped up as things fell into place. As a child he'd dreamt of a black wolf all the time and thought nothing of it, but now…

  Mark is the man and the black wolf… he thought with a gasp.

  The knowledge didn't frighten him, but intrigued and comforted him somehow. Now he remembered a wolf watching him play in the back of his house from the opening of the trees when he was a small boy.