Firebinders: Marek (The Firebinders Book 1)

by Isobelle Cate

  “Use my card just to be on the safe side,” he said. “You want to stay under the radar while you work, right?”

  She nodded unable to comprehend what was happening. “Why are you doing this?”

  “Because like Highmore, I have a vested interest. Unlike Highmore, I have no intention of harming you.”

  Marek had left without giving her a sample of his blood because the equipment she needed hadn’t yet arrived. She had been left to her own devices and without anything better to do, she explored the house from top to bottom. Marek had given her the guest room just off the dining room with windows facing the enclosed courtyard. There was a corridor that separated her room from a kitchen of maple wood, cool tiled floors, a brushed steel fridge and oven that was big enough to have several people cooking and baking at the same time. The huge windows above the sink that overlooked the garden and garage gave natural light to the area. The second floor housed more bedrooms. Gwen could only assume that the door she gravitated to was Marek’s bedroom because his scent hovered in the air. She strolled in the garden, the few roses that dotted the bushes emitting their faint scent into the air. Gwen approached one bush where a few yellow roses bloomed, its branches filled with thick thorns. Her mother had always loved roses, yellow ones in particular. How appropriate that even far from home, she was reminded of the woman she loved and lost.

  A day later, a van arrived filled with all the supplies she needed. Truth be told, the equipment rivalled what she had in the lab at Sebastian Pharma. If she was honest, she wanted the lab. Setting it up in the huge dining room wasn’t exactly sterile or ideal but it would have to do. However, she wanted Marek more. When he left, she felt like a rag that had been thrown away and no longer needed.

  She was a sucker for assholes.

  Rogue MacRuadh had arrived that same day, introducing himself briefly before getting to work on setting up her laboratory. She watched him fix the electrical behind the centrifuge’s table and the refrigeration unit while she arranged the tubes in a tray. Rogue had a head of golden brown hair that he continuously tousled. His face was chiselled, his body broad in the shoulders, narrow at the waist, and flat on the abs. Marek had told Gwen that his friend was coming over to help her set up her mini lab but Gwen knew that Rogue was there to keep an eye on her. Her frustration and annoyance at Rogue when he refused to leave made her sullen but the thought of Sebastian Highmore was enough for Gwen to grudgingly admit that Marek, in his arrogance, was right. Now her irritation was directed at herself and the giddiness that filled her at the thought of Marek protecting her.

  He just wants something from you.

  That put a damper on her elation.

  Good.

  Truth be told she should be ashamed of herself for allowing Marek to touch her intimately. But just the thought of what had happened to them only made her want more of what Marek had shown her.

  How pathetic was that?

  “All set.” Rogue stood to his six foot two frame. The wide expanse of his chest and his six pack stretched the dark blue Henley shirt he wore, making the colour of his hair sharper. His blue grey eyes exuded sexy warmth but the only eyes that kept crossing Gwen’s mind were the blue greens as if they had burned themselves in her own retinas.

  “Thanks.” She smiled shortly. She was dying to get to work but without any blood sample, she was just as good as dead cooped up in this huge house.

  Rogue tilted his head to one side. “You’re not taking this well.”

  “Which part?”

  “This staying inside the house so that the people out to get you don’t find you.”

  Gwen snorted a laugh. “You read minds too?”

  Rogue’s mouth lifted to one side. “Marek told me what happened. Don’t,” he raised his palms, “get angry at him. I had to ask if I had to watch over you.”

  She huffed crossing her arms. She counted one to ten, reaching five when she trusted herself enough to speak.

  “This is worse than being under house arrest,” she grumbled walking away to gaze unseeingly at the courtyard of red tiles, tropical plants with a lamppost in the middle that reminded her of Narnia. The neighbours’ houses were festooned with green boughs, red ribbons, Christmas wreaths, and fairy lights. The sound of holiday carols and New Orleans jazz coming from open windows filled the air with the festive season. Marek’s house had none of that. No lights, no wreath, no Christmas tree. Maybe Marek didn’t celebrate Christmas.

  Gwen hadn’t been home for Christmas since she flew stateside to take the job in Sebastian Pharma and the sight of the Yule celebration so different from the subdued decorations her father had during that time of the year made her homesick. In the past, she had consoled herself with an hour long talk with her dad, watching ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ and making fish chowder for dinner. Not exactly Christmas fare but it would do.

  A wave of loneliness washed over her. Had she been fortunate enough to find a flight to the UK, she would have made it to the Lake District with her dad for the holidays. He would have wanted her there since her mother had passed away a few years ago from a heart attack. Since then he was never the same. Gwen saw the grief in his eyes when he thought she was not looking. Sure, they had her father’s brothers and her cousins come over and gather around the table waiting for their plates to be filled with slices of turkey. But it was not the same. Now she couldn’t even call her father to greet him for the holidays for fear that her call could be traced. She had used her burn phone to email him, a quick step that only took seconds to send, and not enough time for Highmore to trace the IP address. And even if he did, Gwen had every intention of throwing the phone and getting another one. Paranoia didn’t define her, not until after her near brush with death as a medic in Afghanistan.

  She and the rest of the unit had been pinned down inside hostile territory when their distress call had been tracked by both friendlies and enemies. If British troops hadn’t extracted them just minutes before the Taliban arrived, Gwen wouldn’t have set foot in Texas, let alone seen New Orleans.

  “C’mon.” Rogue gently steered her away from her limited view, pointing to it. “That’s not what New Orleans is about.”

  She gave him a bemused look, automatically taking her jacket from his outstretched arm.

  “Where are we going? I need to get a new phone.”

  Rogue looked at her quizzically. “You’re throwing that away?”

  “Yes.”

  He angled his head in the affirmative. Gwen was glad he did ask. “I know a place. Then we’ll get dinner and give you a taste of the night life.”

  “But—”

  “Marek asked me to keep an eye on you. He didn’t ask me to keep you under house arrest.”

  Her heart softened at Rogue’s gesture. She grabbed her purse from the dining table. “You are sweet.”

  Two vertical lines appeared between Rogues eyebrows.

  “Don’t let anyone hear you say that. It’s not very nice.”

  She giggled. “You’re very sweet.”

  Rogue rolled his eyes with a shake of his head and ushered her out of the house.

  ****

  Marek pulled up on his Kawasaki motorbike in front of Janka Saint Cyr’s house on Constance Street just as dusk took over the skies. The cooler December temperature eased the fiery heat of his blood. Shit. He’d never been so exasperated and excited at the same time by a woman. He swore under his breath. Why the hell did he have to tell Gwen about his blood? Was it because of his desire to find firebinders blindsided him from being careful?

  After leaving Gwen in his parents’ house, he had surreptitiously gone to the back of the property. Digging his fingers into the moist soil, he had called the poison out of his system, grunting as he felt its effects once more. His momentary wooziness and the tingling that accompanied it disoriented him before it cleared as the poison left his body. He staggered when he stood and leaned against the back of the house taking several gulps of air before he felt good enough to leave.
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  The purr of a Corvette cruising down the street broke through his inner monologue. He twisted around just a smile curved his mouth.

  “Where’s your Alfieri?” Lia Bannach asked even before she completely climbed out of her car.

  “I’m fine and thanks for asking.”

  Lia rolled her eyes as Marek swung his leg over his bike to stand and embrace her. He leaned back pulling his sister’s hair fondly and earning a smack on his arm. Their parents would have been proud at seeing their tomboy of a daughter transform into a beautiful woman. Her black hair was braided down her back and her blue green eyes the same deep colour as his twinkled with perpetual mischief.

  “I’m glad you’re home, bro. I really am. Now I can do what I want,” she quipped.

  Marek arched a thick brow. “Since when didn’t you ever do what you wanted with or without me here?”

  “Got a point there,” she conceded. “But at least you’re the one watching me. Not Rogue.”

  “Ahh…” His face cleared. Since the attempt on Lia’s life, Marek had asked Rogue to keep an eye on his sister whenever he was out of New Orleans sniffing new areas of black gold or putting out oil fires. Problem was, his friend had a tendency to take watching Lia too much to heart.

  “He stifles me, Marek.” She huffed in frustration. “I can’t breathe.”

  “I’ll tell him to back off a little.”

  Lia’s eyes became stormy, her hands on her hips. “Tell him to back off. Period!”

  “Let’s go inside.” Marek smirked used to his sister’s tantrums “Janka is waiting for us.”

  “How were you able to wrangle a meeting with her?” Lia’s initial annoyance gradually cleared. “Friends in high places, huh. I’m impressed.”

  “Janka is Dani’s cousin. Dani is Jarred’s wife.”

  “Your friend who saw you use the fireblood to heal.” Lia concluded.

  “The same.”

  Lia looked at the house’s façade and her face clouded. “Do you think she’ll finally be able to help?”

  Marek followed suit, his doubts voiced by his sister. “It’s worth a shot. If there’s anybody whose word I believe, it’s Rogue’s, Hank’s, and Jarred’s.”

  “And what if we don’t find the answers we seek.” She searched her brother’s face. “What then?”

  Marek’s face was grim. “Then we’ll just have to lie low for a while and then find someone else until we know what we’re up against.”

  They walked through the black grill gates and up the steps of the predominantly white house. Huge stained glass windows that flanked the entrance door were illuminated by the lights from inside. There was a bench swing that faced the street on the right side of the front porch where a lady, dressed in clothes dating back to the 19th century sat.

  “Good evening.” They greeted, but she didn’t acknowledge them. Marek shrugged.

  “Maybe we’re not supposed to arrive yet.” Lia countered just as the front door opened. Light spilled out framing a young girl no younger than twelve years.

  “Hi, we’re here to see Janka St Cyr?” Marek asked.

  “My mom. I’m Lilly.” She smiled, her teeth white against her dusky skin, her glossy hair falling down to her waist. Her dark eyes were filled with curiosity and intelligence. “Please come in. She is waiting for you.”

  “There’s a woman sitting on the swing,” Lia said looking back at the bench, her forehead creased. “But she was there just a while ago.”

  “You must have seen my gran,” Lilly said, her face awed. “I’m surprised she allowed you to see her.”

  “Why is that?” Marek asked.

  “Because I’m the only one who can see her. She’s been dead for some time.”

  Lia rubbed her upper arms vigorously looking at Marek. Lilly left them to follow.

  “This is spooky,” she hissed.

  Marek shrugged. “You grew up here. Get used to it.”

  “Just because I grew up here doesn’t mean that I should.”

  Marek shook his head. One of these days his sister was going to say something that would bring her a whole lot of trouble.

  The foyer branched out into three archways. To the right was a huge dining room dominated by a long dark wood table and high back chairs that could seat twelve people. The left archway led to a flight of stairs to the upper floor. Beyond the central archway was a huge living room with an unlit fireplace flanked by two French doors that led to the garden.

  “Mr. Bannach.”

  They both turned towards the kind but firm voice. The woman had the same glossy hair as Lilly and sharp eyes that were the focal point of her flawless face. She smiled.

  “You must be Lia. I’m Janka. Welcome. The foyer is not a place for Jarred’s friends to wait especially if they have fire in their blood.” Her thickly lashed eyes crinkled. “Don’t be surprised. I was told to expect you.”

  “By Jarred.” Marek stated.

  “No.” She shook her head. “Even before Dani called, I was given a vision during my scrying. Come, follow me.”

  They left the main house through the gardens where small outdoor lights illuminated the garden path. At the end of the property was a converted coach house where Lilly stood by the door. They entered. A fire crackled merrily in the hearth of the small room. Over the fire was a cauldron of boiling water. Sweat began to bead on Marek’s forehead and Lia lifted her long hair from her nape, fanning herself with her hand.

  “What did you see in this vision?” Lia asked. “I don’t mean to be rude but must there be a fire? It isn’t that cold outside.”

  Janka smiled. “You will be entering an altered state. When you do, your body’s temperature will drop and you will feel very cold even if your spirit is still in a different plane.” She paused looking at them both. “Do you still want to go through with this?”

  “Yes,” Marek answered despite Lia’s scowl. “Time is running out for us.”

  “Why?” Lilly asked. Marek found it interesting that Janka allowed her daughter to get involved.

  “It’s in her blood as well,” Janka answered his unspoken question. “It’s better to teach her this early.”

  Lia grinned when he shifted and rubbed the back of his neck.

  “There are only very few of us left scattered around the globe.” Marek began, “I don’t…we don’t even know where they are since we went into hiding again.”

  Janka nodded. “You hide in plain sight. We can talk more after. Now, I want you both to sit on the rug. Lilly will prepare the drink that will take you to where your fate wants you to go.”

  The young girl went to work. A table by the window had several dried herbs that she crushed before putting them into a chalice. She infused this with boiling water from the cauldron whispering over it before giving it to her mother who did the same.

  “Here.” She offered the chalice to Marek. “Drink.”

  Marek did as he was told, swallowing the bitter brew without a word. Lia couldn’t stop her face from scrunching after she drank.

  His limbs relaxed as though he had several drinks in succession. His eyelids became heavy and lying down seemed to be the best thing to do. Lia had already gone under and for a moment, Marek panicked. This was one situation he had no control over and he didn’t like it.

  “Do not worry, Marek. Lilly and I will watch over you,” Janka said gently. “There’s nothing wrong with letting go.”

  He could no longer reply as he was sucked into a whirlpool where he no longer knew which direction he turned. The sound of the crackling fire and Janka’s voice chanting words that were not words blurred until he finally succumbed to the darkness that called him.

  Marek was the first to wake up, floating on air where perception of gravity was non-existent even though he knew he was lying on the rug covered hardwood floor. He was in that plane where he didn’t know if he was a spirit or if he had a corporeal body. He was suspended, boneless and…

  Freezing.

  His teeth began
to chatter, his jaw tightening from the effort. For the first time in his life, he curled unto himself closing his eyes once more to will the fire in his blood to ignite because that was better than the cold that was beyond freezing now. He heard the shuffling and scuffing of feet on the floor, the wisps of air cooling his heated face even in his frozen state. Then the soft voices of Janka and Lilly intruded Marek held on to the sound as if it were his lifeline away from Hades.

  “Drink.” Lilly helped him up, surprising him. For a child, she was very strong, allowing him to lean against her while she assisted him with the mug. The liquid sloshed around the rim scalding both their fingers, but Lilly refused to let go until Marek drank every last drop. Like fuel to a fire the liquid went down his throat to his stomach lighting up the furnace that had temporarily shut down. The sluggishness of his altered state gave way to the slow tingling of his body compounded by a million pins and needles returning sensation to his limbs. Disoriented for a brief moment, Marek retraced the last few moments of where he came back from. He and Lia falling to the floor of the hotel room. Lia running to him and begging to return to their bodies. He remembered.

  The hotel.

  Vampire/werewolf hybrids.

  Information about a firebinder.

  Faith Hannah.

  “Thanks.” He nodded still weak. He looked down at his sister and for the craziest minute was glad that she still had her long hair. He was not too keen on her pixie cut while they were in the hotel. He worried if Lia would come out of it unchanged or if she had the same vision as he had. Whether she had been with him in the same hotel where he met one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. Whether Lia saw how he enjoyed goading the immortal Marek knew was the woman’s mate. Luke Griffiths and Adara Kerslake. And thanks to the mother and daughter he had found out that there was one more firebinder in the U.K.