Marked

by Rebecca Zanetti

  Conn perched on an adjacent table with Moira all but sitting in his lap.

  “Any news?” Moira asked, green fire dancing on her skin.

  “Not yet,” Janie croaked out, reaching Zane in quick strides. “I heard you passed out.”

  “We all did,” Zane said. “I have Logan and Nick locked down with my mom until we figure out what’s happening.”

  “It’s obvious what’s happening.” Janie slid her hand into his, needing to touch him. For once, his palm was cold and clammy. “When you took the virus from me, you didn’t destroy it.”

  “Impossible,” Conn muttered. “Vampires don’t become ill.”

  Emma strode into the examination room, her tennis shoes squeaking on the bleached tiles. “Janie’s right. Virus-27 is thriving in all of your bodies, slowly attacking your chromosomal pairs.”

  “Oh God.” Janie swayed, and Zane drew her between his legs. “Vampires don’t get sick. The only way a virus could infect you would be if you purposefully drew the illness into your own body.”

  “We can get rid of pain and illness,” Zane said, running a hand down her back as if trying to comfort her.

  Janie turned to face him, still bracketed by his long legs. “So maybe you just need to try harder. Can you sense the virus inside you?”

  He closed his eyes. “Yes.”

  She put her hands on his chest, trying to get inside his body. “Now try to trap the virus and send it away like you did my headache.” Closing her eyes, she tried to send every ounce of strength she possessed into him.

  His chest lifted beneath her palms, and he breathed out evenly. “I’ve got him.”

  Thank God. “Now wrap him up and away from your chromosomal pairs.”

  Zane shuddered.

  Janie kept her eyes closed, but she could sense Sam drawing near, giving his brother support.

  “You’ve got this,” Sam murmured.

  Janie nodded. “You’re stronger than this bug, Zane. Kick it the hell out of your body.”

  He coughed and pitched back suddenly.

  Sam caught him before he could drop to the floor and quickly shoved him around. Janie jumped back and out of the way of Zane’s legs before grabbing them and lifting.

  Zane lay on his back, convulsing, his eyes rolling back.

  “Zane!” Sam pushed down on Zane’s shoulders, holding him against the table, his eyes wide and his jaw determined. “Hold on.”

  Janie ran to the counter and clutched a tongue depressor, hurrying to slip the small disk into Zane’s mouth so he wouldn’t bite off his tongue.

  Emma ran toward them. “Keep him settled so he doesn’t fall.” She felt for the pulse in his wrist and counted silently. Her concerned gaze fastened on Janie. “Make him stop. Tell him to relax for a moment.”

  Janie’s breath caught, and she squared her shoulders. “Zane?” She caressed his whiskered chin. “Please let the virus alone for a minute. Just let go and come back to me.”

  His body went rigid as if fighting invisible ropes. The seizure kept him shaking, his head thumping the table even with Sam restraining him.

  Janie leaned closer, tears falling from her eyes to his chest. “Please, Zane. Let go for me.”

  He slowed, the convulsions lessened. Then he flopped back on the bed.

  “Zane?” Sam slowly relaxed his hands.

  Zane didn’t move.

  Janie removed the depressor and kissed him softly. “Please wake up.”

  His eyes slowly opened—all black. No green showed.

  Janie swallowed. “You in there?”

  He nodded and stretched his neck. “What happened?” he croaked.

  “Do you still feel the virus?” Emma asked, her fingers remaining on the vein in his wrist.

  He blinked several times as if trying to get his bearings. “Yes. The bastard is still there.”

  The earth rumbled in displeasure all around, and small shards of rock dropped from the ceiling in the underground headquarters. Janie sandwiched herself between Dage and Zane, not sure she could stop either one of them if they went down. “I think I should speak to Kalin alone.” Her voice bounced back from the smooth metal door secured in the stone. “He won’t talk to either of you.”

  Dage straightened his shoulders much too slowly. “If he knows anything, he’ll want to gloat to me, and he’s pissed at Zane for mating you, so we can use Kalin’s anger to glean information.”

  “If we don’t pass out again,” Zane muttered.

  “Yeah. That.” Dage nodded toward a camera set in the far corner. “Let’s get this over with.”

  Janie said a quick and silent prayer for the men to remain standing. The door silently clicked open, and she led the way inside.

  Kalin sat cross-legged on the floor, his back to them, his chin down. Several deep breaths later, he lifted his head and stood, turning around as if completely serene.

  The door shut, and both Zane and Dage made a move to put Janie behind them.

  She halted their progress, staying in the middle but a foot back. “I hadn’t realized you meditated, Kalin,” she said.

  He bowed his head, his angled features almost seeming at peace. “We haven’t truly had time to get to know each other yet, Janet.” His smile revealed sharp fangs.

  She cleared her throat, nerves dancing through her stomach. “We have a question or two for you.”

  Kalin frowned and glanced at Dage and then Zane, both sweating and pale. Suddenly, his eyes sparked. His red lips curved. Both hands swept out, he threw back his head, and a huge bellow of laughter rolled up from his chest. Deep and hard, he laughed until he was gasping for breath.

  Dage sighed. “I take it you’re not surprised?”

  Kalin wiped his eyes and stepped closer to the bars. “You foolish, sentimental, dumbass son-of-a-bitch. I can’t believe it worked.”

  Zane growled low. “Explain.”

  Kalin shook his long, dark hair. “You fucking vampires are so led around by your dicks.” Fire lit his greenish-purple eyes, and he reached for the bars. “King Kayrs, twenty years ago, did you really think we created an entire virus, a biological weapon, so we could steal your fucking mates? Really?”

  Janie’s knees trembled. “Then why?” she whispered.

  Kalin kept his gaze on Dage. “To take out the Kayrs family. You’re fools for your mates. The only way to infect you was for you to make it happen.”

  Janie stepped up between Dage and Zane, their protection warming her. “You infected mates just to hurt the Kayrs family?”

  Kalin lifted a powerful shoulder. “As well as the majority of vampires. It took years to make the virus both airborne and weak enough to be drawn out by a mate.” He sighed dramatically. “Just years.” He snarled. “Yet here we are, finally.”

  Unbelievable. Janie shook her head. Kalin had played her when they’d talked, warning her that the virus would kill her baby. In fact, he’d pretty much taunted Zane to save her. Damn liar. “We’ll find a cure,” she said, lifting her chin.

  Kalin’s smile was almost gentle. “No, you won’t. I promise.”

  She edged in front of the men she loved. “Why not?”

  “Virus-27 is a simple little creature like the common cold in humans.” Triumph lifted Kalin’s chin, even while he kept her gaze. “The natural antibodies exist on the X chromosome of any species. For you female mates, the illness would’ve lasted about a hundred years, which for immortals, is like a couple of weeks for humans. Simple. Common. Cold.” He brushed invisible lint off his black jumpsuit. “And just as incurable.”

  So they had just needed to wait out the illness. Fury rushed through Janie, and she moved toward the bars.

  Zane stopped her with a hand on her arm. “Stay back,” he said.

  Janie trembled she was so angry. “We’ll find a cure.”

  “No.” Kalin stepped away from the bars. “Witches will eventually be fine because even male witches have one X chromosome. You know who doesn’t?”

  “Vam
pires,” Janie whispered.

  Kalin jerked his head in a short nod. “Yes.”

  She frowned. “Wait a minute. Neither do Kurjans.”

  Kalin smiled. “True. But Kurjans aren’t stupid enough to force the virus into our own bodies. Well, except for the few we experimented on before turning the virus loose.”

  “Let’s go,” Dage growled, turning for the door.

  Janie followed with Zane on her heels. At the door, she turned for one last chance. “You can stop this, Kalin. Please.”

  He studied her, his features set in serious lines. “Even if I wanted to, Janet, nobody can stop this. Say your good-byes now.”

  Chapter 28

  Month 1: Jase

  Janie finished cataloging the most recent slides in the empty lab and stood to stretch her back. Morning sickness had set in with a vengeance, and she moved carefully. A rustle echoed by the door, and she turned as her uncle strode in.

  Jase Kayrs moved with the grace of a cougar, although more slowly than usual. His copper eyes had clouded, and his skin paled so the ever present scar lining the side of his face appeared deeper. Darker. His short hair was finally growing out, making him look every bit as dangerous as she knew him to be. “You fix this virus yet?” he asked.

  “I’m working on it.” She leaned back against the counter and forced a smile. “How are you feeling?”

  “That’s my line.” He crossed broad arms. “Do I need to kill the demon?”

  Janie brushed her hands down her jeans. “Stop calling him a demon.”

  “So . . . no?” Jase gave her the look he’d used in her childhood when she’d borrowed his favorite socks.

  “No beating the tar out of Zane. You like him, right?” Her lungs trapped her breath.

  Jase scratched his whiskered chin. “He’s a good fighter.”

  Janie put both hands on her hips.

  Jase sighed. “Fine. Yes, I like him. He reminds me of a cross between Dage and Talen, especially since he has to step up and rule the damn demons and doesn’t want to.” Jase absently rubbed the scar along his ear. “Although I think the mating happened way too quickly. You should’ve been given time to think the whole matter through.”

  Her lips instantly tipped into a smile. “Like most vampire matings.” Jase chuckled. “I know. Good point. So far we’ve talked him into waiting to take on Suri until after he’s cured of the virus, but at some point, Zane will have to go.”

  “I know,” Janie whispered. “But he needs to be at full strength to even think about fighting Suri.”

  “You love him.”

  “Yes.” Her chin lifted, and her heart thumped hard. In fact, she’d really like to get married when things slowed down. Just like those human girls in the romcoms she watched.

  Jase nodded, his gaze mellowing. “So, no regrets?”

  “No regrets.” Well, except for not uncovering Kalin’s master plan to take down the Kayrs family. Janie peered closer at her youngest uncle. “What about you? I mean, you and Brenna mated quickly and now everything is going wrong.”

  “I need Bren more than I need a certain number of chromosomal pairs,” Jase said. “In fact, screw the virus. You’re brilliant, Emma is fastidious, and Kane is obsessed. Talk about a trifecta for curing the damn thing.”

  Hope was all they had at the moment, and it was nice hearing Jase express it after knowing so much pain in his life. Janie tilted her head toward the other lab. “Speaking of Emma . . . she’s waiting for you.”

  “Great. More needles.” Jase pushed off the counter and began rolling up his sleeve. “I did want to let you know how much you mean to me, Janet Isabella Kayrs.”

  All the oxygen left the room. “We are not saying good-bye.” Panic heated Janie’s throat. Jase couldn’t give up.

  “We’ll never give up. But while I can, I just wanted to say that the best thing that ever happened to our family was when Talen brought you home.” Jase leaned in for a one-armed hug. “Don’t ever forget that.”

  Tears pricked Janie’s eyes. “I love you, too.”

  Jase nodded and turned away. “If you change your mind and want me to beat the crap out of Kyllwood, just let me know.” He sauntered toward the other lab, his gait hitching slightly.

  “If this morning sickness gets any worse, I may take you up on that offer,” she called after him.

  “What offer?” Zane stood in the doorway, his eyes nearly glowing in his pale face.

  “To beat you up.” Janie drank him in, flutters cascading along her skin.

  Zane slowly lifted one dark eyebrow. “What did I do?”

  Janie moved toward him as if drawn, needing to touch. Needing reassurance that her uncle hadn’t just said good-bye to her. She slid her hands up Zane’s chest. “Nothing . . . yet. Let’s go see what we can do about that.”

  He grinned and ducked a shoulder to lift her against his chest. “Now that’s a plan.”

  Month 2: Kane

  Janie retrieved the samples from the humming medical device to place them back in the small fridge. The AC clicked on in the large lab located in the main lodge, and she shivered.

  Kane dropped a sweatshirt around her shoulders. “Sorry it’s so cold.” His fingers brushed her neck, several degrees more chilled than the air.

  She turned to study the dark circles under Kane’s magnificent violet eyes. “When was the last time you slept?”

  He reached for a stack of papers being spit out by the nearest printer. “There’s no time for sleep. According to this, we’ve all lost an entire chromosomal pair already. At this rate, we’ll be human or even dead by the time your baby arrives.”

  How odd that everyone had begun measuring time in terms of the baby’s arrival. “Then we need to get you healthy so my son can learn science from his uncle Kane,” Janie said slowly. “If you don’t get some rest, the virus is going to win. You know that.”

  “The virus is winning anyway.” Even ill, Kane Kayrs moved with the grace of a panther, crossing the room to reach for more samples. He’d unbuttoned the top of his dress shirt, and muscles shifted beneath the natural material. Muscles noticeably smaller than they’d been the previous month.

  “Find a cure yet?” said a chipper voice from the doorway.

  Janie turned to see Amber Kayrs glide inside the room, reaching her mate in several long steps.

  Amber leaned up and kissed Kane’s smoothly shaven chin. “You need rest.”

  “That’s what I was just saying,” Janie said.

  Kane tucked Amber into his side, his darkness a fascinating contrast to her reddish hair and tawny eyes. “My resting doesn’t solve anything, and you two know it.” He looked down at Amber, love in his eyes. “Nor does my preoccupation with this virus mean I don’t follow the trouble my mate creates.”

  Amber blanched and tried unsuccessfully to step out from under Kane’s arm. “Trouble? What trouble?”

  Janie settled in for the show.

  Kane tugged on one of Amber’s curls. “Apparently an Internet campaign was just launched against a leather factory last night, bombarding personal emails, business accounts, and even some governmental sites with images and names of executives.”

  Amber blinked. “Wow. No kidding.”

  Kane focused on Janie, who shook her head. “Don’t look at me. I know nothing about this one,” Janie said.

  Amber hip-checked Kane. “All right. Garrett and I may have created a teeny campaign a while ago, before everyone became ill, and the Internet launch date was last night. Don’t blame Janie.”

  Kane pressed a hard kiss to the top of Amber’s head. “I know exactly who to blame, don’t worry. And I will deal with you accordingly when I get home tonight.”

  Amber finally extricated herself from Kane’s hold and flounced toward the doorway. “Promises, promises.” She turned and blew Kane a kiss before winking at Janie. “Later, Jane.” She disappeared.

  Janie smiled. “Amber is trying too hard.”

  “I know.” Kane sighed and g
rabbed another stack of papers. “She’s scared to death and wants to put on such a brave face. I’ll have to ease her mind somehow tonight.”

  Janie swallowed as nausea rose from her belly. “I’m scared, too.”

  Kane, the smartest man on the planet, turned toward her, a stack of useless papers in his hand. “You’re strong and brilliant. No matter what happens, you and little Kyllwood in there will survive. I have faith in you.”

  A rush of energy rippled through Janie. “You need to survive, too.”

  Kane nodded. “I’ll do my best. You make me proud, little niece. You always have.” He turned back toward the printer.

  Emotion welled and fuzzed Janie’s vision. Why did that sound like another good-bye?

  Month 3: Conn

  “Harder,” Conn muttered, stepping back and twirling the wooden pole. “Hit harder, Jane.”

  Janie’s feet danced on the mat, and she tightened the hold on her own pole. “I’m trying.”

  Conn slid to the side and clapped her thigh with the pole. His normal scent of gunpowder and sage filled the room. “No, you’re not.”

  She stepped back and huffed out a breath, dropping the pole to the mat. “Listen, buddy. You’re pale as hell, shaking, and slow. I’m pregnant, nauseous, and getting mad. Drop your pole.”

  His eyes flashed an amused green, and he threw the pole across the room. “Want to grapple?”

  “Not unless you want barf all over you.” At the moment, she’d like nothing better than to throw up on her pushy uncle. “What has gotten into you?”

  “Meaning?” Conn reached down for a towel to wipe his forehead.

  Janie kept her expression bland. They hadn’t worked out hard enough to even remotely break a sweat, and Conn appeared as if he’d just run eighty miles. Backward. “Why the new training schedule?” The schedule had appeared the previous day for pretty much all Kayrs mates and Janie.