A cord of fear shot through her, and she knew it wasn’t hers. Arian’s five attackers pried themselves from his bleeding, injured body and prowled forward.
She spared a final look at Arian, her heart breaking at the desperation in his eyes as she turned.
And ran.
Arian’s roar made Harlow stumble. It pulled at her body like invisible cords, forcing a sob from her throat. It was a command for Oricus’s men to fight him instead, but they charged after her. Her arms and legs pumped wildly as the ground shook beneath the stampede of massive paws tearing through the ground.
She couldn’t look back to see if Arian was okay, or how close she was from being mauled. She just ran. Her magic thrummed through her veins as she blasted the soil beneath her feet, sending a spray of dirt and rocks behind her. A set of snarls followed her.
She needed to create enough distance so she could turn and fight. But the forest that she sprinted toward was too far away, she’d never make it. There was nothing for her to hide behind.
Nothing.
Her fear clawed through her as she blindly threw blasts of magic over her shoulders, praying she didn’t accidentally hit Arian.
A beast tore from the side of the house, pure white save for a patch of black on its face. Its eyes were glacial as they locked on Harlow.
It charged toward her and Harlow dove to her right, toward the beach. The creature followed, and around her, her pursuers fanned out.
As if herding her.
Then the snowy-white beast leapt into her path, causing her to skid to a halt, but she was too close. She brought her arms up to shield her face, just as it began to transform.
She collided with a hard body. Warm, strong arms crushed her against him. She looked up, registering the smug curve of Rex’s lips with a shock that coursed through her. His smile didn’t reach his cold eyes.
“Rex?” she asked, dumbfounded.
“Hello, my love.”
“What—” Darkness wrapped around her.
There was only Arian’s earth-splitting roar before nothingness consumed her.
Arian
Rage blinded him when he caught sight of Harlow drawing away his brother’s cronies from him. He’d ordered her to stay and she hadn’t.
Oricus sprinted after her, but it wasn’t hurried. There was more than just confidence in his leisurely gait…it was knowing.
A trap.
And when his cold, silver eyes flashed back at Arian, his rushing, heated blood froze. Oricus’s maw pulled back, revealing his bloodstained fangs in what Arian recognized as a smile.
His roar filled the air and shook the trees. He didn’t feel any pain when he forced his legs to propel him faster. Forced himself to close the distance between himself and his mate.
Harlow’s heartbeat pounded so hard, he could feel it in his own chest. She looked back with fear that made every inch of him ache. He tried to send a flicker of assurance down their new bond. He’d protect her. She would be safe.
Magic, Arian growled down the bond. But he wasn’t sure if she heard him.
A snowy-white beast leapt in front of her, cutting her off. Then he turned into a man just before she collided with him. His icy stare met Arian’s, eliciting a feral snarl from his chest. He moved faster than he ever had.
The beasts of his brothers fanned out around the stunned form of Harlow, who crumpled in Rex’s arms.
Then he and Arian’s mate were gone—vanished into thin air.
Red blinded his vision.
A pain sliced through him as he roared again.
No! Mate!
What a turn of events, eh, Brother? Oricus’s lithe body paused, even as Arian charged at him.
Where the fuck is she, he demanded.
Oricus’s lips curled in a sneer. Goodbye, Brother.
He disappeared just as Arian leapt through the air, his claws raking through the spot where his brother had been less than a second before.
The fury burned through his body so hot his vision blackened.
His beast took over, hunting those that betrayed him. Their scents were only a lingering trace in the air.
Gone.
His claws dug into the soil as easily as sand between human fingers.
Kill.
Blood.
Hunt.
A shimmer rippled in front of him, and he shook his massive head to rid himself of the irritation.
Crash.
His skull cracked and his vision blurred, as he was knocked down. Arian growled at the barrier. The wall that separated him from his kills. He got to his feet and charged at it again. There were words that needed to be said to lower it, but they escaped him.
Crash.
The bones in his neck splintered, but there was no pain. He hit it again and again. His claws slashed into the barrier over and over until he felt a fracture in it. With all his remaining strength he tore through it, toppling into a world he had fought to protect from the monster that he was.
Must kill.
Slaughter.
Punish.
His legs trembled as he shot down an empty street. The sound of hearts beating, and the scent of their blood made him whirl just as two bright lights seared into his skull. Blinding him. But his senses were still too quick for a mortal. The squeal of their engines halting had only just begun when the beast snapped into the car, shredding through the metal as if it were paper. Human screams filled the space in his mind that warred for revenge and death. He clawed through the vehicle and tore through the frail bodies that smelled of the bitter mind-altering drug, sposia, and alcohol.
Then the monster continued its hunt, blood and gore dripping from his jaw.
The lights of a city brought a flicker of satisfaction.
Screams faintly registered in his consciousness. His vision went from black to red.
Arian’s teeth sank into soft flesh and cracked through bone. The taste of bitter fluid filled his mouth, but he drank it deeply. Only his mate’s blood would taste sweet to him now. But this was necessary.
Kill them all, his beast demanded.
So he did.
Arian
A fucking infant. He shook his head in disgust. My Soul Marked is a fucking infant.
Arian paced outside the glass, not caring that he looked like a fucking lunatic casting glances at the squirming, wrinkled bundle as if it might disappear. Legally, this was as close as he could get to her, but still the bond urged him closer.
Bile rose in his throat as he ran a hand through his hair. The tiny human’s sapphire blue eyes locked onto him, knocking the air from his lungs.
He swallowed hard as a small hand escaped from the blankets wrapped around her body. It lifted into the air, and a golden light danced between her chubby fingers.
She has magic. Arian closed his eyes as his stomach heaved, and the meager contents of it emptied onto the tiled floor.
He suspected she would, but the confirmation hit him harder than he thought it would. The answer to ending his and his brothers’ lives was also his Soul Marked. And he’ll come for her, he thought with a jolt.
When Arian stepped toward the glass, the little girl’s eyes still fixed on him with unnatural stillness.
“Hello,” he said, placing his palm against the cool surface. “This won’t hurt for more than a moment or two, okay? Don’t worry, I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
Then he sent his own magic into the room where she lay. It wrapped around the babe over and over as it sealed her magic tight.
“When you’re ready, you’ll find a way to release your magic. It’ll still be there, but less noticeable,” Arian said, as if the child could understand, or even hear him. When the cloaking magic settled through her, she cried.
And he heard it crack his soul in two.
He fled, unable to bear the sound.
As he ran, his breathing coming in fast pants, Arian cursed whoever would bond him to an
infant. His rage burned through him, too hot to contain.
Then his beast tore free.
Arian shook away the memory, keeping his eyes closed as he reached for his mate through the bond. If he could get a decent read on her, he could track her location. Assuming his brother wasn’t blocking it somehow. It had already been three days, and he was back on Earth. The havoc he’d caused in Scondelade had ensured the Empress’s attention, though her wrath had been absent.
She’d merely sent a note saying if he couldn’t control his bloodlust, she would be more than willing to help.
He knew what kind of help she wished to offer. But there was no time to deal with Onoliza. Every second that passed meant more torture for Harlow.
He needed to find her.
As he concentrated on the tether deep inside himself and felt his way toward her, he could feel the cord weaker at her end than it was at his. The only reason he could think of was that she was dying.
A growl ripped from his throat involuntarily as he staggered to his feet, suddenly feeling the need to run—to let the beast out—overwhelming.
He wasn’t getting any answers sitting around. He grabbed a jacket hanging by the door, purely out of habit to fit in amongst humans, before slamming the door behind him.
Arian tuned in to his sense of smell, allowing it all to wash over him in a cacophony of reeking stench that made his stomach churn. Then he lunged into a run, blowing through the city at full speed. He blended in with the wind, shifting hair and ruffling clothing as he passed, too fast for simple humans to see.
I won’t stop, he vowed to the silence from his Marked. I will tear this world apart until I find you. I swear it.
Harlow
Her head hung against her shoulder, like a boulder held by straw.
Arian?
No answer.
Her head throbbed, the pressure behind her eyes forcing them to open.
The light above was harsh and Harlow’s eyelids fluttered, trying to adjust to the brightness. Instead, they squeezed shut as tears slipped down her cheeks. Her fingertips and toes were cold. She attempted to wiggle them, then winced at the jolt of pain that shot up her arms and legs.
With a deep breath in—ignoring the stab of pain in her ribs—she forced her eyes open again. It took a moment for everything to come into focus.
Her heart stopped. She’d seen this place before. In the visions.
She struggled to recall her last memories. Arian, disappearing into the woods…then nothing. Several moments passed as she tried to sift through her thoughts, and finally, it all came rushing back. The beasts attacking Arian, her foolish plan to draw them away, and then…
Rex.
Her breath escaped in a whoosh.
Rex had been there. As a beast, then a man. Grabbed her, and then there truly was nothing.
Why? She fought to contain the stab of betrayal until she knew what it really was. First, she needed to collect all the facts. She’d find out from him what was really going on.
She was tied to a chair around her waist with thick, coarse rope and duct-tape around her wrists and ankles. A tube was inserted into a vein on each arm, both were red.
Blood?
The walls were stone. The floor was stone. The chair wooden, but sturdy.
Arian? Harlow called down the bond, but it remained silent. Reaching inside herself, she felt for her magic. Nothing. Inside was a hollow space where power used to churn and flow through her. She ground her teeth in frustration.
With a grunt, she forced her too-heavy head upright, attempting to look behind herself, but her neck was too stiff. The room was fairly large, but other than a table, some chairs and a few threadbare couches, it was empty. She couldn’t spy any cameras, but that didn’t mean they weren’t there.
“Comfortable?” a heavily accented voice asked from behind her, making her jump.
She winced again as a current of pain zapped through her from the jarring movement. Craning her neck, she tried to put a face to the voice. The man’s footsteps were heavy on the damp stone. When he came closer, she could feel his heat.
The man stood directly behind her and her body tensed, waiting to see what he would do. He bent over, touching her hair, which she was sure was a matted, bloody mess. Then she heard him inhale.
“You still smell like that traitor bastard,” he growled next to her ear.
Harlow trembled. “Where’s Rex?”
The man chuckled, straightening, then walked around her chair so she could see him. He was large. Almost grotesquely so, with biceps bigger than her waist. Even his thighs looked capable of crushing a car like a tin can. His hair was black and fell beyond his shoulders. He wasn’t ugly—far from it. His jaw was squared, and a thin scar ran through an eyebrow and down his cheek. Still, he was handsome. And familiar…
“Who are you?” she asked. Her throat was dry, making her voice raspy.
“I should be offended that you don’t remember me.” He cut her a grin that was far from kind.
She felt the memory her mind was trying to latch onto slip away yet again. “You work for Oricus, right?”
He barked a laugh. “Something like that, pet.” The word finally knocked the missing piece free—when she’d heard him say Shall I fuck you my pet?
Rasimus.
The Viking-like man that came to her in ghost form and made her orgasm over and over again.
She swallowed hard, her tongue sticking to the roof of her mouth. “Why am I here?”
“Two reasons,” a lovely, rich voice said from behind her. She stilled as he walked through the room. His steps were lighter.
Her heart rose into her throat, threatening to choke her when cold, grey eyes met hers.
“Oricus,” she breathed.
He smiled, a cruel slash of white. “That’s right, Ms. Marks. And to answer your question, you are here to punish my brother. But also, we need your help.”
With bated breath, she waited for him to say more.
Another pair of footsteps sounded. When the next man came into view, a strangled cry escaped her.
“Rex!”
He knelt in front of her and placed a hand on her thigh, the heat of his touch almost hot enough to burn. His eyes searched hers, but what he was looking for, she wasn’t certain.
“Hey, Har. Don’t worry, babe, you’re safe now. We won’t let anything hurt you.”
Her brow furrowed. Babe? “What are you talking about? Where am I? Where is Arian?”
His eyes shuttered, his entire expression icing over as he stood. He inclined his head to Oricus, whose lips twisted into something far crueler.
When Rex leaned over to adjust something she couldn’t see on her chair, her arm gave a bark of pain. Cold seeped into her vein, bleeding through her arm. She screamed as he walked away.
“No! Rex! Help me! No! Arian!”
The ice ate through her arm, then spread up her torso, down her abdomen and into her legs.
She screamed from the pain.
She screamed until her vision went black and she slumped against the chair.
Voices broke through the inky black that held her trapped, but only snippets made it into the foggy haze of her mind.
“…sure this actually work?
“…could kill her…”
“…only way to know for sure…”
The cold was eating Harlow alive. Splitting her skin and sewing it back together. The pain—too much pain—was everywhere.
Help. She wasn’t sure if she said it out loud or if it was just in her mind because footsteps sounded close to her, then fire chased away the cold. Was she screaming? She couldn’t feel her lips, but something roared in her ears. Stop. She hoped her lips formed the word.
Stop.
No more.
The air was cold. So cold.
Harlow fought against her restraints, her wrists and ankles rubbed raw. A deep chuckle made her freeze. It took sever
al tries to pry her eyes open, the light blinding. Four unnaturally gorgeous men stood in front of her, watching. Why were there tubes coming out of each of her arms? Was that blood?
Something about the sight felt familiar, but she couldn’t recall what…
Her vision blurred, stomach churning as she tried to speak. Why was her head so heavy?
“Help…me…” she croaked.
One of the men came into clearer view, and after a moment, she recognized his familiar blond hair and shrewd grey eyes. He smiled and it was all teeth, making her heart skitter with fear.
“Don’t worry, love,” Oricus said with not an ounce of kindness. “It’ll be better this way.”
What will be? she wanted to ask, but her lips wouldn’t cooperate.
Her mouth was too dry. Her tongue tried to pry her lips apart, but they were cemented shut.
“Need something there, dear?” He cocked his head to the side, lips curved.
“W-w—” She tried to force the word out, but it wouldn’t come.
“Just give her some water, Oricus,” a dark-haired man said beside him. He resembled someone she had seen before…but who? The man’s arms, which were covered in tattoos, were folded across his massive chest. His nose and chin were as sharp as an arrowhead. Had she seen him before?
Oricus rolled his eyes.
“If you’re so taken with the witch, why don’t you offer her something to drink, Xalicur?”
She’d heard that name before.
From Arian.
At last the image of her mate filled her mind again. Xalicur was one of Arian’s younger brothers. So was Oricus. His familiar green eyes and dark hair slipped away like water in her hands.
The man straightened, letting his arms fall to his side as he strode away.
A whimper escaped her. The only person who had showed any concern was leaving her alone with the other men.
Then she saw him come back and a cool glass was pressed against her lips. It wasn’t exactly gentle, but she’d take what she could get.
The splash of water finally allowed her lips to part, and icy water filled her mouth. She shivered.
Marked for Darkness Page 27
