Mark of the Fallen: A Fallen Novel

by Jones, Tanisha

  Tonight, though, when Karim had risen, he had been of a certain mindset and there had been no straying from his plan.

  She was sitting on her sofa reading, dressed in a pale blue sun dress, her hair in a ponytail, when the guest room door was thrown open. She'd looked up from her book, her brows raised in question. He was hard, his eyes glowing deep jade and his lips pulled back in a snarl exposing those beautiful fangs. He was shirtless and barefoot wearing dark drawstring pajama bottoms, his chest heaving. He looked downright dangerous.

  "Problem?" she asked. He crossed the room, scooping her into his arms before the word had left her lips. She gasped in surprise when she found herself on her back on the bed. Her dress was shoved up around her hips, her panties discarded, Karim's mouth on her, tasting her before she could catch her breath.

  "I've been dreaming about this for nine hours," he said and that was the last thing he said for a long time. Celeste could only grip the mattress and let the pleasure take her away.

  ***

  She was going to answer the intercom, instead she found Briar standing in her living room and she stopped short. The mark on her neck, which had been nothing more than a dull ache for the past weeks, was now singing to life. She was so surprised to see the giant filling her living room that she didn't have time to curse the security of the building and its abject failure to keep anyone out.

  "Briar?" she asked and he turned bright green eyes on her. He was pale, paler than usual, making his bright red hair seem redder, more orange than deep auburn. He was in his uniform and shifted uncomfortably, looking as if he wasn't sure if he needed to salute or not.

  "I am so sorry to bother you, Commander. I just didn't know where else to go. I tried calling, but you didn't answer your phone. It’s been three weeks now and it's never been more than a day. I just... I'm a little worried because he just asked me to make it official and he said it was love. He even called me that night, but when I got there he was gone. He always calls me back, sir. Always."

  Celeste held up a hand to stop Briar's rambling. She hadn't been able to catch the thread of the conversation and his thoughts were echoing in her head, mudding everything. She hadn't realized that she could read Briar, but he was so emotional it seemed to amplify his every thought.

  "Are you talking about Remy?" she asked and he nodded. "I wouldn't worry, Briar. He's probably off on some adventure or he could be with Nicky in Japan." He was shaking his head, his lovely green eyes filling with tears.

  "But I can't get him on the phone. He's not answering. He hasn't been to his apartment or his suite at the Collective and no one has seen him for days. No one. His bike is still in the garage and so is his car," Briar insisted.

  "Try Nicky's number."

  "He doesn't answer either. Commander, Remy hasn't even called his mother and you know how he feels about her." That gave her a moment of pause. Remy never ignored Arbor's calls, no matter where he was or what he was doing, he would always answer her calls. Always.

  "Something’s wrong, I can feel it. And have you seen the High Regent lately, Commander?" he asked. She thought for a moment and shook her head. She'd spoken to Arbor on the phone, but she hadn't seen her. She was supposed to have brunch with her a few weeks ago but that had been postponed. Celeste thought for a while trying to remember the excuse Arbor had used, but she couldn't. She had been so busy with school and Karim and her constantly ignored calls to Nicky, she hadn't really seen much of anyone. And it was odd that she had gone so long without speaking to Remy.

  "She's sick with worry. I didn't know where else to turn. Remy always calls me back."

  She gave him a sympathetic smile.

  "Briar, I know my brother and he's fickle. Maybe it's just that he..."

  Briar shook his head, his face set in a grim frown.

  "You don't understand about your brother and me, sir. He loves me and I love him. I know you're thinking that he's gone off with some new fling but it isn't like that with us. He offered to give up his position as Lieutenant Commander to be with me, sir. He asked me to move in with him. He wouldn't just walk out on me without explanation." She stared at him, and her jaw went slack.

  "Remy Kent has actually said he you he loves you?” she asked. Remy never spoke of love, only sex, more sex and weirder sex.

  "Every day, sir," Briar said with a shy smile. "Every day."

  ***

  Lilith found the room she'd been looking for in this mausoleum of a house. It had taken some time, sneaking up the massive marble staircase then going to the wrong wing on the wrong floor. She'd wandered from one elaborately decorated and expensively appointed room to the next. She'd found a library on the second floor, stocked with mint condition first editions. She ran her fingers over gold lettering on fine leather spines that looked as though they hadn't been broken. The entire room, paneled in dark wood, smelled of cigars and whiskey. Not an unpleasant smell, but very masculine, she thought.

  She’s also found Gaston’s classically decorated bedroom that smelled of leather and fresh cotton. His room was like the man, solid, staid with a hint of sexy menace. It was dark and sensual and made her wonder about the most reserved of the Kent siblings.

  Lisette’s room, on the other hand, had been an utter shock. It was completely opposite the leather-clad diva. Lisette’s room was soft, decorated in pinks and reminded Lilith of 1940’s romance, right down to the pink satin bedsheets. It was not what she expected at all.

  She found Remy's room on the third floor and it was neater than she'd expected. It was full of things: motorcycle parts, magazines, old vinyl records and classic rock posters from the 60's, 70s and 80's and concerts she was sure he'd attended. The thing that surprised her were the photographs everywhere. They lay across the desk, his coffee table, on the sofa and end tables, pile after pile of photographs of wars and architecture, children in impoverished countries and lavish ceremonies in exotic places. Some in stark, clear black and white, others in vivid color; all were extraordinary. She found herself looking at them, curling up on the floor, leafing through Remy's photo journal. He had talent, his subjects emoting for his camera, comforted by him. They were breathtaking and emotional and she found tears streaming down her cheeks. She touched her damp face, staring at the tears on her fingertips in awe. This was not something she did, she realized. Demons don't cry, yet there she was.

  She felt ill-at-ease and needed to leave as soon as possible, the strange tears wiped away with the back of her hand as she rocketed from the room. She had not come in search of that. What she had come for was right across the hall.

  She stood in the middle of Celeste's suite of rooms and smiled. It was just as she'd imagined it- no it was better. The drapes on floor to ceiling windows that lined one wall were open, letting the late evening sunlight cast an orange glow over everything. Everything was beautiful, elegant and understated, from the plush, white carpet to the gold embroidered duvet cover.

  The heavy brocade curtains slowly closed and soft, warm light filled the room from light fixtures camouflaged in the ceiling. She spun around, taking it all in, before running her hands over the back of the soft creamy velvet of a sofa. She looked at the photos that lined her dresser, all of smiling family. Absently, Lilith lifted a picture of Celeste with her brothers and sister at some sort of festival. They were dressed in 1960's hippie wear, Celeste in blue lensed sunglasses and a white crochet dress, her bare feet off of the ground. Remy, who held her, wore a fringed leather vest with no shirt and a pair of low-riding hip hugging jeans. Gaston looked mildly annoyed in a military uniform, but there was a twinkle in his eye.

  Stern and business like Lisette wore a peasant blouse, her light brown hair in loose waves as she smiled at the camera and flashed a peace sign with her fingers. She returned the photo and looked at other framed glimpses into Celeste's many years with her adopted and in some cases, biological family.

  There were photos with Nyx on some beach, both in bikinis smiling into the sun. There was Celeste and her
father, Anhur, on a fishing trip, Celeste with Arbor and Jonas on a snowy mountain top in ski gear. She had family who really loved her. Lilith moved away from the photos and into the dressing room, her eyes going wide at the sheer volume of things. She moved past the dresses and furs, the jewelry and shoes to the bathroom beyond that looked as if it belonged in a high priced spa. Everything in Celeste Kent's life was magical, she thought as she ran her fingers over silk and sequined gowns.

  She removed a black dress, silky and flowing; she held it up to her chest and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She could never pull off black, not with her white skin and red hair; it would make her look like some Gothic cartoon. No, she couldn't but she knew that Celeste looked amazing in it, with her long legs and golden brown skin, the strapless gown would be gorgeous on her. She returned the dress, her fingers lingering on the satin before moving to the vanity in the rear of the room. It was covered in decorative bottles and atomizers of perfumes; she sprayed the scents into the air so she could smell them. Florals and masks, delicate spices all smelled wonderful, but nothing could mask the scent that pervaded the entire suite, the smell of lavender and vanilla with hints of jasmine and sugar, Celeste's natural smell.

  She found hidden drawers lined with silk and satin lingerie, most of which looked new and never worn. Another drawer was full of jewelry: diamonds, emeralds, sapphires and rubies inlaid in gold, platinum and silver. Strands of black pearls lay in a special black velvet box. She wanted to try it on, but avoided the temptation. She did try on a rather large, cushion cut canary yellow diamond ring surrounded by a dozen white diamonds. The band of white gold was loose on her finger, the weight of the diamonds unexpectedly heavy, but it was flawless. She stared at it for a long time, looking at it on her hand before gently slipping it into the pocket of her skirt. She would never miss it. She would never miss anything in this shrine.

  She made her way back into the bedroom where she stood, inhaling the essence of the woman who slept here. She glided towards the windows, opening the curtains so she could look at the moon hanging high and full like a pearl in the inky sky. She could learn to love a place like this, a family like this. They actually seemed to like each other. She had no loving siblings, and though she was told that she had several brothers, she'd never really lived with any of them. Her father never took her on vacations; her mother wasn't the smiling hugging type. She had lived in an isolated palace of servants and rules. Her mother had spent more time obsessing over the great and powerful Caelestis than she ever had with her. She hadn't been a wanted child, her birth had been part of deal, a negotiation. Alexander Prince, the Prince of Darkness himself had wanted a daughter, a girl he could mold into what he wanted her to be and her mother had agreed. If and only if, she were allowed to be the one true sovereign of the Dark Fae. The deal had been made, a marriage had been planned and a baby born. There had never been love in her life and now she knew that her own mother didn't believe in such a thing.

  Lilith had seen love, she had felt it when she spent time with Arbor and she could see it in the pictures of the Kents. She could tell in the way they protected each other, the way they spoke to each other. She folded her arms across her chest and turned to look at the space. This room and those she'd been in on the lower floors had been filled with pictures and mementos of a life of a family and it made her feel alone. She wanted to have a life like this. She wanted the love and family, she deserved all of it.

  She wanted memories of vacations with a loving, doting family who had time for her, other than as a pawn in their constant power struggles. She deserved a room like this with her monogram on bath towels and inlaid in the marble bathroom floor in gold filigree, a wardrobe full of expensive designer clothing. She deserved the protection and adoration, everything that the precious Caelestis had been given since her birth. She had been born into privilege, as progeny of the primordial and was seen as such. Even after her ordeal in hell, she had been placed on a pedestal, an extraordinary being in a world of the incredible.

  "What are you doing in here?" Lilith turned to see who had spoken to her and found Lisette Kent standing in the doorway, her eyes narrowing as she stared at the intruder. Lisette was beautiful, there was no denying that, with honey blond hair, tawny skin and eyes as sharp and focused as a jungle cat's, she had an air of superiority about her that was disconcerting. Though she only stood five foot six, she filled the room with her presence and Lilith found herself taking a step back even though the other woman remained on the other side of the room. Lisette wore a black sheath dress, not leather for once, but cool linen. Her chunky bracelets clinked together as she folded her arms across her chest and tapped the toe of her strappy heeled sandals and waited for an excuse.

  "Well?" She waited and Lilith managed a smile that she hoped appeared genuine.

  "Sorry, I got turned around in this place. I was told there was a powder room up here. I guess I should have known that this wasn't the right place." She giggled. Lisette was not fooled, she simply stared. Expressionless.

  "Explain why you were in my room then?" she asked and Lilith would have gone pale if she weren't already deathly white. Her smile faltered, but only slightly.

  "I...I have no idea what you're talking about. Why would I be in your room?"

  "That's exactly what I want to know." She moved so quickly that Lilith was nearly knocked backward by the sudden closeness. Lisette stood just a few inches above her, but she felt as if she were looking up at her, as if she'd grown on her swift journey across the room. She was prettier up close in a startling way. Everything about her seemed to be illuminated. Her eyes were brilliant amber and her teeth blindingly white as she sneered at the little demon. Her fangs were exposed and the irises of her eyes darkened to a sparkling bronze.

  "You're not as cute or as clever as you think you are. I see you for exactly what you are." She snarled and Lilith had to steel herself against the urge to run. If she ran, Lisette would tear into her, she knew it. She was a hunter, she could smell it on her, a true alpha female Dhampir if she had ever seen one. Lisette Kent was more frightening than any other member of the over protective Kent clan and she would kill her just as soon as look at her.

  "The guest powder room is on the first floor. Arbor is waiting for you in the sitting room. I suggest you return that ring in your pocket before you join her." Lisette turned and walked away, not waiting for the denial she knew was coming.

  Lilith stared after her for a while, then exhaled the air that had collected in her lungs. She hadn't realized that she was holding her breath or that she'd locked her knees until they buckled. She leaned forward, a hand on the back of the velvet sofa the other retrieving the ring from her pocket.

  She stared at the yellow diamond, watching it catch the moonlight before returning it to its place among Celeste's other forgotten babbles and sighed. She glanced around the room once more before closing the door on a dream. She wanted this place, these things, and this life. She was going to have everything that Celeste had and more, she deserved this life, she earned it and by the gods she was going to have it all.

  Even if she had to take it.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  "Celeste, please I didn't live for a thousand years so you could kill me in a fiery car crash," he said. She looked at Karim, his fingers leaving deep indentations in the leather of her dashboard, his face tight and drawn. His entire body was one tensed muscle, from his jaw all the way down to his toes.

  She looked at the speedometer then and realized just how fast she was going. She was pushing the car near one hundred and he expected to see the flashing lights of a police cruiser behind them at any moment. She eased off the accelerator and felt Karim relax beside her. Silently, he reached for her hand, lacing his fingers with hers, kissing her knuckles. It was her turn to relax when she felt the brush of his warm lips on her skin. She smiled as the shivers began at the base of her spine, but the throb in her neck intensified as well. That dull ache she'd been dealing with for we
eks now had amped up to a pulsating throb.

  "Sorry," she mumbled and took several deep breaths.

  He didn't know what else he could say to her to ease her anxiety. He'd tried to calm her when she dialed Arbor and got her voice mail. She'd tried each family member and received the same. Her frustration got the better of her when she'd dialed Nicky and received nothing in response. She'd even contacted his assistant Katie who tried to cover for him, barely. Katie had sighed in exasperation before admitting that she had spent less time with Nicky than usual and she didn't know if he'd seen or even spoken to the erstwhile Kent progeny.

  Karim had tried to alleviate her fears, but she wouldn't be satisfied until she found her brother. Remy never disappeared for this long and he never ignored Arbor's calls. Nor would he disappear from her life without a call or email, something to let her know what he was doing. Sure, he was known to take off, but he always stayed in contact.

  But most importantly, if Remy had professed his love, something he swore he would never do, he wouldn't just leave Briar behind. The thing about Remy is that he was half sylph, a nature element, and half Dhampir both of whom, once mated, stayed that way. Something was wrong, she could feel it.

  She rubbed her neck, the brand on her skin hot and achy. She had been promised to someone she didn't know and didn't love. The man she loved had yet to mark her as his own, to let the world know that she was his and his alone. It was odd; most preternatural males were a misogynistic bunch, possessive to the point of obsession. When they claimed a lover as their mate, it was worn almost like a badge of pride to say this is mine and mine alone.

  Why hadn't Karim marked her? When they made love she could feel his need but he always stopped as if he weren't sure. Perhaps he didn't feel her worthy enough to bear his mark, she thought. She glanced at Karim who was looking at her in the darkness of the car. She could see his cool pale green eyes in the dimness, his expression unreadable.