Firebinders: Marek (The Firebinders Book 1)

by Isobelle Cate

  She let out a long gratified sigh to see she was in the right place. Her toilet needs met, she reached out for the taps inside the huge shower, hissing when the first drops of water fell on her sensitive skin. Adjusting the temperature she stepped into the huge enclosure unable to suppress more wincing as each part of her body was gently pummelled by the shower spray coming from the shower head above and from the dark granite walls of the cubicle. Everything she did was in slow motion. Just lifting of her arms to let the water wash down her body was a chore. However, the longer she stayed, allowing the streams to massage the tiredness away, the stronger she felt.

  She smelled Marek more than she knew he was behind her. A smell that was uniquely his wrapped around her. A sigh escaped her parted lips as he embraced her from behind, his naked body warm and comforting. He held her close for a while. She leaned back against him letting him be her strength to keep upright as the waters bathed them. Planting a kiss on her shoulder, he reached out for the shampoo and slowly began to work the lather into her hair. His fingers eased the tension in her scalp before he gently turned her around, kissing her while he allowed the water to wash the suds away. Gwen watched him with half lidded eyes, her mouth curving to one side at Marek’s seriousness. Marek squeezed body wash into his palm and started to soap her body. His hands were firm yet soothing, the circular motions energizing her skin. Gwen’s nipples puckered when he became attentive to her breasts, rubbing them in the same motion before his hands moved down her ribcage to her waist, back and buttocks. He crouched and lathered her thighs, her calves and couldn’t stop the moan of pleasure when he massaged each foot. When his head was eye level to her sex, Marek stopped. Looking up at her, with the water bathing them, Marek held her hips and placed the gentlest of kisses on her pubis.

  “I love you, Gwen.”

  Her breath caught in her throat. For a while, she felt suspended in the midst of water running down her hair, her face and trailing down her chin and chest. Marek’s eye glowed with the words he said, anchoring her to him. Warmth flooded her heart and the waterworks she had been too tired to let fall began to do so. Here was a man who had wormed himself into her life and heart was kneeling in front of her, easing the weariness of her body, caring for her.

  Loving her.

  Gwen’s heart soared. She had never felt so cherished and treasured in her entire life.

  Her eyes softened watching this man who incensed her, inflamed her, met her passion with his own, and showed her a different world. Her gaze roamed the body he offered her, slick with the water that rained on them both. She touched his wet hair caressing his head when he stopped and stood, holding her hand so he could gift her palm with his lips.

  And his eyes…this time they tugged at her heartstrings with the love she saw in them. Gwen stepped forward. Marek met her half way to accept her kiss, shuddering before his arms circled her waist and back.

  “So I didn’t just dream what you said out in the garden?” She gazed at him, trying to memorize every part of his face like it was going out of style.

  “No, you didn’t. I love you. Want me to say it again?” His lips curved to one side.

  Gwen laughed. She wiped the water trickling into her eyes. She nodded. She couldn’t stop the wide grin breaking on her lips.

  “I love you.”

  They shared another kiss that was long and languorous before Marek lifted his head. He brushed his nose against hers.

  “Now let’s get you and me showered so I can warm you up.”

  She felt new stirrings of desire when he didn’t leave any inch of skin unwashed. But Marek remained methodical in his attentions even though his cock was semi-erect.

  “I could get used to this.” Gwen wanted to raise her arms but she was just so tired.

  Marek gave a soft chuckle. “Get used to it. I’m not going anywhere.”

  That tripped something inside Gwen. She kept quiet closing her eyes and allowing Marek to do what he willed. The thought brought a smile hovering on her mouth.

  “What’s so funny?” he asked, his voice deep. Gwen opened her eyes just as Marek planted a kiss on her mouth before he helped her stay at the back of the huge shower stall so he could clean himself. Gwen let the warm water from the spray behind her to continue waking her skin.

  “Nothing’s funny. I just like this showering together.”

  He chuckled, winked and went back to washing himself.

  Her eyes raked down his body from his muscular thighs to his firm ass, trim waist and broad back. In the bathroom light she saw the light contrast of that part of his body that was kept covered most of the time against his tanned arms and legs. His hair that used to be short at the sides and longer on top was now longer all around and it was sleeked back after being rinsed. Marek shut of the water as he wiped his face. Getting out of the stall he took out a huge white robe and facing Gwen, opened it with a smirk. Grinning, Gwen made her way into the cotton comfort while she waited for Marek to dry himself and tie a towel low on his waist.

  Her mouth watered.

  Her body boycotted. Not yet!

  Several minutes later, Marek had her in his arms. Gwen kept her hair wrapped in a towel so she didn’t ruin the sheets.

  “You should have called if you wanted to shower.” Marek said, his hand making small circles on her back.

  “When your bladder calls, you have to go,” she said wryly. “Besides, I didn’t know that you were nearby.”

  “How are you feeling?” he kissed the top of her forehead.

  “Weak but heaps better,” she said. “Thank you.”

  Marek’s chest underneath her cheek expanded before deflating.

  “I thought I was going to lose you,” he said quietly. “The way I used my fireblood to heal others wasn’t working on you. That meant that whatever was inside you was very strong but I had to try.”

  Gwen lifted her head in dismay. “But that would have exposed who you were!”

  Marek regarded her with solemn eyes. “I know and I didn’t care.” He shifted propping himself on his elbow. “You were becoming more important to me than myself. I was planning on telling you that I loved you during the dinner that evening.

  “That evening?”

  His eyes softened. “You’ve been in bed for almost a week.”

  “That long?” she asked, aghast.

  He nodded. “When the house burned and you were between life and death. I had to tell you and I couldn’t let you die. I didn’t know if you could hear me but I had to try.”

  “Oh Marek…” She ran her fingers over his chest and leaned in to inhale him, unraveling the towel around her wet hair. “You said, ‘don’t let this thing between us disappear.’ That’s another part I vaguely remember. I thought it was part of my dream. It was the same dream I had of you the first time we met.”

  “Really?” Marek arched an eyebrow.

  Gwen recounted her dream when he had reached out a bloodied hand to her.

  “For some reason I already knew who you really were. It just wasn’t believable. After everything I’ve seen? It’s now impossible for me to believe that the paranormal world doesn’t exist.”

  “Your dream is probably an indication of things to come and of things that have already happened,” Marek mused, his face thoughtful. “We have been trying to survive for so long through the centuries and firebinders have tried to use their healing gift without bringing attention to themselves. That’s why it’s far in between.”

  He turned to her.

  “But when you thought you heard me telling you I loved you? That was real, Gwen. That wasn’t part of a dream. And if you still think it’s a dream, I’ll spend the rest of my days showing you it’s true.”

  Her eyes misted and her lips tilted upward. “I’d like that.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. Because I think love you too,” she said simply.

  Marek’s eyes widened in mock indignation. “Just think? Hhmm…I better fix that.”

  It wa
s a long while before Gwen was able to surface for air. Even though her body was weak, it didn’t stop the desire running through her veins. It was a bittersweet moment to be in his arms yet be the reason why he lost almost everything. However, she knew they’d weather this together.

  “As you have been my strength, Marek when I needed it the most, I will be yours for as long as you’ll have me. And with this situation with Highmore over our heads --”

  “I’ll take you up on your offer,” he murmured against her lips, his arm flushing her close to him where his need stood hard and thick between their bodies. “And baby, that’ll be a very long time.”

  “Yeah sure, until I’m ninety.” She laughed.

  Marek grinned. “Even beyond that. You are the one the universe decreed for me. You will live as long as I will and you won’t age, either.”

  A bubble of amusement left her throat. “How old are you exactly?”

  “I stopped counting when I hit the century mark.”

  “Marek!”

  “What?” He looked at her innocently. “Do you think it’s easy counting the years when I’ve got more important things to take care of? It just fell by the wayside.”

  Her chest expanded in a breath. She moved her head from side to side in a rueful gesture.

  “Well at least I’ll have more time finding a way to synthesize your blood for a universal cure without exposing you or Lia.”

  Marek’s eyes clouded. “Lia told me what she did. I’m sorry.”

  “Marek, please.” She cupped his shadowed jaw. “Don’t say sorry. Lia doesn’t have to say sorry. She was right and no matter what you say, if it weren’t for me, you both wouldn’t have been in danger. But that’s water under the bridge. I have to tell her to stop blaming herself for what happened to me.”

  He held her hand nodding in agreement. “Okay.”

  “How’s Rogue?”

  “He’s gone.”

  “Gone?” her eyes widened in surprise. “Gone where?”

  “I have no idea.”

  “Why?”

  “I can’t answer that either.” Marek pulled her back into his arms even if his face was troubled. “But he’ll be back. He always does. I’ve left messages on his phone. He’ll answer when he’s good and ready.”

  Gwen worried her bottom lip thinking about the man who had befriended her and whom she had depended on during the first few days of her stay in New Orleans. Her throat ached at her friend’s absence and wished she could return the favor.

  “I’m going to miss him.”

  Marek tightened his embrace. “Me too.”

  Silence descended between them for a time.

  “Highmore did this to me, injecting me with smallpox I mean.” Gwen said. “And he confessed to killing Digna and Ken. How freaking weird is that?”

  Marek’s face hardened. “Because he thought that you’d take his confession to the grave. We have surveillance footage of how he attacked you. At least we now know who the Shadow is.”

  “You do?”

  “Yes. Highmore.”

  “Uh…I’m not so sure about that.” She worried her bottom lip.

  Marek inched away look at her. “What do you mean?”

  “Before Sebastian injected the virus, he said, ‘The Shadow will be pleased.’”

  Marek ran his hand down his face. His jaw clenched, his eyes wintry.

  “So we’re back to square one.”

  “Not really,” Gwen replied. “At least you know that Highmore is working for the Shadow. That’s a start isn’t it?”

  He expelled a long drawn out breath. “Yeah, you’re right. But this also means that I can’t kill him.”

  “Marek!”

  He turned his cold eyes at her. “He was going to kill you, Gwen. That’s not something I can let go.”

  “Shh…” She kissed him in an attempt to placate him. “I can’t let you go to prison.”

  “I won’t let me go to prison either,” he said wryly. “This changes everything. I need to speak to Rogue. And I fucking hope that he answers this time.”

  “When you took the virus out of me, you healed me out in the open. Wouldn’t that have been seen in the cameras? Highmore could have also seen you.” The mere thought twisted her gut.

  Marek shook his head. “I saw the footage and the place where I healed you was empty. It was like we were never there.”

  “How can that happen?”

  “Immaru.”

  “Immaru? Your ancestor?” she looked up at him in amazement.

  He nodded. “She created a wall of fire around us. I guess that protected us from prying eyes. Even Rogue didn’t see us until the very last minute when I had finally buried the disease in the ground.”

  “Remind me to say a prayer of thanks to her. But when it comes to Highmore? That man’s a psychopath.” She shuddered, squeezing herself closer to Marek. Eventually, she propped her chin on his chest. “What will you do now?”

  “What do you want to do?” He angled his head while he ran his fingers through her damp hair.

  Gwen sighed, her eyes troubled. “I’m afraid.”

  “Then we’ll leave.”

  “We will?” She asked startled. “You’ll go…with me?” He nodded. “But what about Lia?”

  “Lia’s willing to leave New Orleans. I think she realizes the dangers of staying here. For once I don’t have to worry about getting gray hair.”

  Gwen laughed softly. The situation she and Marek faced wasn’t ideal. They were retreating while they built a case against Sebastian Highmore but it was better to pretend to back down than surge forward when they still didn’t know what they were exactly up against.

  Marek rolled her so she was underneath him. Her bathrobe opened to expose the swell of her breasts all the way down to her thigh.

  “I can never leave now, Gwen. I can’t see a day when I know you’re not there. I saw moments of my past without you and that’s fine. But not now.” He caressed her face. “I’m going to stick to you like a leech. I’m going to love you like a leech.”

  Gwen giggled, her heart close to bursting with joy. “I think you’re the most romantic leech.”

  Marek grinned, the blue fire in his eyes making them almost glow. “Why don’t we find out?”

  For a long while only heated breaths was heard until the sound of bodies fusing and the cries of release that came with Marek and Gwen’s joining lent music to the cool air around them. Until cynical hearts finally found each other, and broke open the shell that was meant to shield them, but had imprisoned them instead.

  As Gwen was ensconced against Marek’s body, eyes fluttering in contentment after he made the sweetest love to her, she realized that she would never be able to return to the life she once lived where only ordinary mortals existed.

  She wouldn’t have it any other way.

  The Cynn Cruor house was ablaze with lights when Marek and Gwen arrived. There wasn’t anyone by the gates but Marek knew that there were Cynn mortals patrolling the grounds. They just took the word ‘stealth’ seriously.

  Many of the Cynn Cruors who had helped during the fire greeted Marek and Gwen with rounds of applause. Marek chuckled with amusement as almost every mortal who knew Gwen embraced her or shook her hand. Both Faith and Zac were the last to embrace her.

  “You look none the worse for wear.” Zac grinned.

  “Thank you. Still a bit jittery but I’m getting there.”

  “You better be. You still need to keep studying our blood.” A masculine voice joined their conversation.

  Marek twisted around, a huge smile on his face.

  “About damn time you came. Where the hell have you been?” He pumped Rogue’s hand and gave him a hug and a slap on the back.

  Rogue grinned thumping him back. “I had to take care of things in Nova Scotia.”

  “Where’s Lia?” Gwen looked around.

  “Here.”

  The group parted to show Lia by the buffet table with Hank. Marek saw that hi
s sister was apprehensive. Uncertain. His chest tightened when Gwen strode to Lia and embraced her. Gwen was going to be a balancing influence for Lia. God knew she needed one. He watched Lia’s eyes open and saw sadness still lurking in them before she averted them and started talking to Gwen and Faith. He frowned. Should he ask Gwen to find out what was wrong?

  “What was so important that you had to drag my ass back to NOLA?” Rogue asked beside him. His arms were crossed over his chest and his narrowed gaze was trained on the women.

  “Zac wants us to meet with the Cynn Cruors,” Marek said. “We need to get people on our side if we’re to beat Highmore in his own game. We need their help to find more firebinders.”

  “What’s the catch?”

  They faced each other.

  “I have no fucking idea but there sure as hell will be one because why did Zac and Faith try to find us in the first place?” Marek muttered under his breath.

  “I heard that.” Zac indicated with a nudge of his head, giving them both a brief smile. “And yes we need you. But let’s go to the nerve centre so we can start the telecon with Roarke and the rest.”

  Marek went to Gwen. “Rogue and I are going with Zac to the nerve centre. Will you be okay?”

  “Bro, give us a break!” Lia rolled her eyes at him. “Quit with the possession obsession. Gwen will be fine with me and Faith.” She shooed him away.

  Chuckling he followed Rogue. Zac whispered to Hank. Hank’s grin slowly disappeared and he nodded before popping another hors d’ouvres into his mouth.

  The low hum of the air conditioning greeted them the minute they entered the room at the end of the ground floor hallway. It resembled a home theatre except that there was a bank of computers on one side and a long teak wood conference table instead of comfy seats facing the wall sized plasma screen. On the screen were five men. Two of them were huge muscular warriors that looked like they were used to wielding heavy swords. The other two men were not as bulked up. When Marek saw the fifth man, he didn’t know whether to laugh in derision or be pleased. But Luke Griffiths didn’t look as fit as Marek remembered. He looked haunted and unshaven. There was a hardness on his face which Marek was familiar with for he had been there. Luke looked like a man who had lost everything. The mocking glint Marek associated with the immortal was gone, replaced by the hollowness of spirit and the bitterness of defeat. Something inside Marek clicked like a light bulb.