The realization hit Marcus like another blow to the gut. Christ! They were going to be ambushed! It was all a trap! This sadistic bastard was counting on Desmond and Luke insisting that Abby and Kat stay in the car! Which, of course…they would. Fuck!
Marcus took another step forward, but Nikolas shook his head, chuckling under his breath. “So much loss for you,” he tittered. “Do you think your brother and friend will ever forgive you once their mates are gone? Not to mention their filthy spawn?”
Liz fought to swim up from the darkness that had her securely in its hold. She heard their conversation and felt her heart twist painfully in her chest. She couldn’t let that happen. She couldn’t! Marcus didn’t deserve so much pain. She needed to do something! She had to.
She tried to clear her head, focusing on pulling forth all the strength that she could muster. She would not let this happen!
She heard tires squeal outside and knew that there was no time left. Willing herself to move, she reached up and jammed her thumbs into the vampire’s eyes with every bit of energy that she had left. He screeched in surprise, loosening his grip the tiny bit that she needed, and she pushed against him, throwing herself to the floor with a sound smack, hoping to give Marcus the chance that he needed to make his move.
Marcus watched in stunned silence as Elizabeth pushed herself away from the vampire, and quickly lunged across the room when she sagged to the floor, slamming into Nikolas with a mighty thud. The two men went flying across the room and smashed into the wall. His fangs extended, Marcus reined blow after blow against the vampire’s face, his fury nearly blinding him. Dead! He needed this bastard dead! He was in a blind rage and was not about to fail those he loved. It ended with this bastard now!
Liz heard the sound of car doors slamming and tried to pull herself toward the front of the house, she needed to warn Marcus’s family! She couldn’t let them walk into a trap! She wouldn’t let him lose them!
Her body broke out into a sweat as she used what little energy she had left to drag herself across the room, her arms shaking from the strain… but she would not let Marcus down. She couldn’t fail the only man that she had ever loved.
She was aware of the sound of Marcus and that monster ramming into each other as it filled the air around her, and prayed that Marcus would kill him.
Just a little more, she urged herself, gritting her teeth against the pain in her body. She couldn’t give up. She would not die knowing that Marcus had lost his family! He had suffered enough. She felt the sting of her tears as she tried to slide across the room, a sob of desperation escaping her. She could do this!
She was not ten feet from the front door when it suddenly flew open and two very large… very intimidating men stormed through. Liz lifted her head and summoned up the last of her strength.
“Outside…” she rasped, her tears running down her cheeks in earnest now. “Tr…trap!” With that, she felt the room spin around her and her head fell to the floor…and she sank into that blissful darkness.
“What the hell…” Luke growled, trying to assess the scene unfolding before him.
Desmond made a move to run to his brother’s aid as Luke moved to kneel beside Elizabeth, but Marcus’s words stopped them cold. “Des, get back outside! Now! They’re after Abby and Kat!” The two men turned and rushed back through the door as Marcus finally got hold of Nikolas’s neck. He slammed him up against the wall with such force that the plaster cracked around him sending a cloud of dust around them.
“It’s over, you son of a bitch,” he growled into Nikolas’ face, his eyes glowing silver. “I only wish that I had the time to make you suffer!”
Nikolas gave him a sickly sweet smile, his eyes flashing dangerously. “Will it ever truly be over?” he asked, right before Marcus grabbed the dagger from his boot and plunged it right through the bastard’s heart, taking some small satisfaction in the scream of pain that erupted from the son of a bitch’s lips right before he dropped to the floor. He pulled the dagger from his chest and decapitated the bastard, not taking even the slightest chance. It was only a moment before the body shriveled up and turned to dust.
Marcus turned and ran over to Liz. He dropped down to his knees beside her, pulling her into his arms, and was only slightly relieved when he found a faint pulse. It was fluttering sporadically and he knew that she was very near death. There was not much time. She was dying. He heard a commotion from outside and prayed that Des and Luke had gotten there in time. He could not lose the people he loved.
Desmond ran for the back of the car as Luke shifted and went after the demon that had Kat by the hair and was yanking her towards the woods. When Desmond got to the other side of the SUV, he found Abby and Harper struggling to free themselves from the Demons who had them in their grip.
Harper twisted violently, taking the demon that held her by surprise and pressed her hands to the creature’s chest, ending him in an instant as Desmond lunged to where Abby was being dragged off, a slew of curse words coming from her mouth as she struggled valiantly, her green eyes blazing.
The demon caught sight of the furious as hell vampire as he came charging at him and placed a dagger against Abby’s throat. “I wouldn’t,” he hissed, stopping Desmond in his tracks.
The two men glared at each other in silent challenge as the sounds of screams and snarls filled the air as Luke battled on the other side of the car. Harper watched in silence as the two of them stared at each other.
They squared off as Desmond’s body trembled with his rage. Abby caught his gaze, her eyes narrowing, and Desmond noticed the red pulse from her ring. That’s my girl, he thought, giving the demon a slight grin.
“You have no idea what you are dealing with,” Desmond hissed, his eyes holding those of his mate, and Abby could see that faint glint of humor in his expression. “Let’s do this,” he whispered, and gave his mate a quick wink, thinking that he couldn’t ever love her more.
Abby closed her eyes and concentrated, feeling that vibration start in her toes. It was only a moment later that the buzz started, filling the air around them in a growing, pulsating hum, and the Demon looked around in confusion. He suddenly screeched, the sound piercing the night, before bursting into flame.
Desmond was at Abby’s side in a second, pulling her against his chest as the demon fell to the ground, nothing but a pile of ash.
He turned and watched as Harper jumped at another demon that had come out of the woods, her hand meeting his chest with deadly precision, and he fell to the ground. She looked to Abby and Desmond and gave them a triumphant grin.
“One handed, no less!” she laughed proudly and took off to the other side of the car to help her sister and brother-in-law, and Desmond found himself wondering just when in the hell the girl had gotten so bad-ass. He was beginning to realize that the women of his family were forces to be reckoned with.
Desmond headed in the direction that Harper had taken off, Abby held close to his side. Luke was on top of one of the vile creatures, as Kat lay motionless on the ground. The three of them ran towards Kat as Luke finished off the last Demon and shifted back, running over and falling to his knees beside his mate.
“Sweetheart,” Luke husked as the others gathered around. Luke lifted her in his arms and carried her over to the car, opening the door and laying her gently down on the seat. His heart slammed against his ribs when she moaned quietly, and only a moment later, she opened her eyes, giving him a quick smile when her gaze met his.
“God, I hate demons,” she said with a grin, and Luke’s breath came rushing out of him in a relieved whoosh.
“Jesus, Red. Are you all right?” Luke asked, and she nodded.
“I’m right as rain,” she said with a wink, and Luke returned her smile. God, but he loved this woman.
“Christ!” Desmond suddenly burst out and turned toward the house. “Stay here,” he told Abby and Harper as he took off running.
“Like hell,” Abby huffed and took off after him, Harper cl
ose at her heels.
Kat sat up and gave Luke a saucy little once over. “There are extra clothes in the back, Benji.” She chuckled. “Get dressed so we can go check on Marcus and see if he needs any help.”
“Are you sure that you’re all right?” Luke asked, his brows furrowing with worry.
“Norbert and I are perfectly fine,” she whispered, leaning forward and kissing him lightly. “That jackass just blindsided me,” she grunted, and her fingers went to the small bump on her forehead.
She heard Luke’s low growl and burst into a fit of laughter. “Go put some clothes on. They may need us.”
Luke nodded and disappeared to the back of the SUV, quickly dressed, and ran back to Kat, holding out his hand and helping her from the car.
They hurried towards the house, not knowing what to expect.
Desmond ran through the door to find Marcus kneeling beside Liz, who was lying prone on the sofa, her skin deathly white. Marcus turned as his brother entered the room and the look of pure anguish on his brother’s face stopped Desmond dead in his tracks. Marcus’s body was bent over, his eyes shining with a grief that was unbearable to witness, and the silence surrounding them was almost deafening.
“Marcus...” Desmond said, his voice low…cautious. The misery that he saw in his brother’s face was tearing at his very soul. He had never seen such utter despair or sorrow before, and it was staggering. Not even those many years ago when he thought that he had lost Josephine.
Marcus shook his head slowly, unable to make a sound; the pain was like a vice to his throat, cutting off his ability to speak. He watched as Abby and Harper walked up beside Desmond, their eyes wide and questioning, and he could see the sympathy in their faces. Sympathy that he didn’t deserve.
“I…I had no other choice,” Marcus finally husked out, his voice nothing more than a ragged, broken whisper. “She was dying, and I didn’t have time to…I…I couldn’t lose her.” He looked up and the guilt that Desmond saw in his brother’s eyes was earth shattering. “I just couldn’t, Des,” he whispered in desperation.
Desmond walked up beside Marcus and laid his hand on his shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. “You did what needed to be done, Marcus,” he replied softly, his eyes gentle…understanding, and his heart broke for his brother.
Abby was beside her mate in an instant, giving his arm a gentle squeeze, her expression soft and filled with pain. She knelt down beside Marcus and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly to her as his body shook. She looked up at Desmond, her eyes shining brightly with her tears.
“Marcus, you had no other choice,” she whispered against his hair, her voice trembling with emotion. “She’ll understand.”
Abby felt Marcus shake his head violently. “She’ll hate me,” he rasped, and moved away from her. He stood and bent over Liz, lifting her in his arms. “I need to get her back to the Inn,” he said shakily, holding her to his body as if she were the most precious thing in the world. And…to him, she was. The thought of her hating him for turning her was ripping at his insides. “Bri is there with Josephine.”
Desmond’s mouth dropped open as Abby gasped. She stood and stepped into the arms of her mate, her eyes wide with shock.
“What are you talking about?” Desmond breathed, thinking that he had to have heard him wrong. There was just no way that this could even be possible.
“Josephine isn’t dead,” he choked out, his eyes blazing. “Her death was all a lie. She’s the vampire that has been traveling with that bastard.” His features softened instantly as he looked down at the woman in his arms, and he realized that he loved her more than he ever thought it possible to love someone. He loved her with his entire being and would do whatever it took to make her trust him again….even if it took an eternity.
Chapter Fourteen
Marcus burst through the door of the Inn like a force of nature; Liz’s prone body cradled securely… protectively against his chest, as Brianna came rushing down the stairs, Sebastian close at her heels.
She stopped abruptly at the last to bottom step and stared at her friend, her mouth dropping open in shock. “Marcus,” she breathed, trying to gauge the damage. Liz was so pale! Oh, God…
He met her eyes and the raw, haunted pain that she saw in them caused the breath to come rushing out of her lungs in a shaky rush. She had never seen such utter or complete torment before.
Marcus pushed past them without a word and ran up the stairs to his room. Brianna turned to follow, but Sebastian placed a gentle hand on her arm to stop her, and shook his head. “Not now, Love. Give him some time,” he whispered as his eyes moved toward the doorway as what had to be Marcus’s family came bounding in.
Brianna nodded slowly and turned to watch as the five people came rushing through the door. Her eyes widened as the very large, very intimidating vampire came walking through the entryway as if he owned the place. He just oozed authority and power, and she knew immediately that this was Marcus’s brother, Desmond.
He was followed by the rest of Marcus’s brood, and she scanned their troubled faces quickly. Desmond stepped over to where she and Sebastian stood on the stairs and held out his hand to her, his sea blue eyes clouded with worry.
“Brianna,” he said. His deep, rich voice held an underlying softness as he spoke that put her at ease immediately. “It’s good to finally meet you.” His eyes slipped past her shoulder to the top of the stairs where Marcus had disappeared only moments before, and he sighed wearily. “I only wish that it could have been under better circumstances.”
“Desmond,” she responded softly, taking his offered hand and shaking it. “It’s good to finally meet you to. This…this is Sebastian.”
Desmond quickly took the other vampire’s hand in his and gripped it firmly. “Thank you for everything that you have done to help my brother,” he said, turning and motioning to the pretty blond to come over. She did and he wrapped his arm protectively around her waist, pulling her up flush against his body. “This is my mate, Abby.”
Desmond introduced the rest of the family quickly, before turning back to Brianna, his eyes hardening ever so slightly, and she could understand now why people talked about the infamous Desmond LaGrange as if he were a force of nature. He damned well was.
“Where is Josephine,” he asked evenly, although there was a certain iciness to his tone that cut through the entire room instantly. It was as if just the woman’s name was offensive to him. But then again, Brianna thought with a frown, she had seen first-hand what a nasty bitch the woman was.
Brianna and Sebastian exchanged a quick look, their eyes registering their unease, and Brianna’s frown deepened as she averted her gaze, staring down at the floor. She took a deep breath and shrugged uncomfortably.
“She woke up…and started running her mouth, saying the most awful things about Marcus,” she glanced up apologetically and gave him a guilty grin. “So, I staked her ass. I am so sorry if you wanted to do the honors yourself, but she just pissed me off so badly that I couldn’t see straight. She just wouldn’t shut the hell up. And the things she was saying… Good Lord! What a bitch!”
Desmond and Luke burst out laughing as Brianna turned a bright shade of red. “It does save me the trouble of having to see that vicious, lying parasite again, so I should be thanking you,” Desmond responded, giving his mate a slight squeeze as he spoke.
Brianna’s face broke out into a smile. “Thank God!” she quipped. “I was worried that you would have a cow at not being able to end her yourself, but my temper just won out. Oh, Geez! Where are my manners? Please, come into the sitting room and make yourselves comfortable,” she cried, looking at Abby and Kat’s bellies. The smile slipped from her lips as she once again glanced at the stairs leading up, praying that Marcus was all right. The look on his face was one that she had never seen before. It was beyond heartbreaking.
The group all went into the other room and sat down, an uneasy silence falling over the room as they all glanced towar
ds the stairs.
It was Brianna who finally broke the worried silence. She cleared her throat and stood. “Would anyone like anything?” she asked softly, twisting her hands nervously in front of her. She was going insane not knowing what had happened. How in the hell had Marcus’s family gotten here so quickly? Was Elizabeth all right? The questions were flying around in her head at a pace that was making her absolutely dizzy.
Everyone shook their heads and Brianna sat back down beside Sebastian. He gave her a smile and laid his hand on her knee, giving it a gentle squeeze.
“What happened?” Brianna finally blurted out, unable to take the whole not knowing thing a moment longer. Marcus was her best friend, and the look in his eyes as he carried Elizabeth up the stairs was sucking the air from her lungs. Her friend had been beyond grief, he had been…broken.
Desmond gave her a sad smile, his arm wrapped tightly around Abby as they sat there quietly. “He was forced to turn her,” he said quietly, and Brianna sucked a breath into her lungs. Oh, God! That was going to kill him!
“His guilt is going to be overwhelming,” Luke said quietly, his gaze holding Desmond’s, who only gave him a slight nod.
“How…how did you get here so fast?” Brianna asked, her eyes darting around the room.
“I have a house not far from here,” Desmond explained, the tiniest hint of guilt marring his words. “We thought it best if we came to sort of… keep an eye on things.” Brianna nodded and glanced back at the staircase, her heart absolutely breaking for her friend.
Kat sat up a little straighter on the sofa and looked to Abby. “Maybe we should go and sit with her,” she suggested, glancing at Luke and giving him a reassuring smile. She traced her finger against his cheek and looked back to her friend. “I think that you guys should really talk to him. All that being left alone with her right now is going to accomplish is letting that guilt sink in. He needs to clear his head. He needs his brothers,” she finished softly, looking at Desmond, then back to Luke.
Marcus' Mortal Embrace (Book 3) (The Supernatural Desire Series) Page 19
