Marked by Power (The Marked Series Book 1)

by Cece Rose

  “Divination, and fire,” I answer.

  “Just Divination for me,” Kelly answers.

  His eyes roll at the mention of Divination.

  “I still don’t know why that’s counted as a power, it’s not like anyone ever sees anything useful. There are a few people who get good at seeing the past, but so few actually have a good skill at seeing the future. Even when they do, it’s never clear or predictable. I don’t get why they teach it as a class,” he says. I see a frown take over Kelly’s face. Fuck’s sake. Did he have to put his foot in it?

  “It’s a power, the same as any other. It’s a hard one to master is all. I’m sure Kells will kill it, though. You’ve always been good at guessing what’s going to happen when we watch films and stuff.” I shoot her a smile. “I bet that was your powers shining through early.”

  “Yeah, whatever,” she mutters, huffing. “So long as I can actually see something. I’m more interested in my healing class later this week, to be honest,” she adds.

  “See now, healing, that’s one of the best powers. It may not be cool or flashy, but it’s certainly one of the most useful. Healing people is good.” I roll my eyes at East’s mansplaining. Like we don’t already know that.

  “It’s a good thing you’re pretty, East,” I tease, flicking some of my orange juice at him.

  “Huh?”

  “Nothing,” I chime in a cheery tone. He narrows his eyes and opens his mouth to say something, when two guys suddenly sit on either side of him. I blink my eyes, thinking I must be seeing double, when it hits me, they’re twins. Hot twins at that. They both have short, blond hair, which is styled similarly and big, muscular bodies. The twin on the right has a clean-shaven jaw, and the other has a slight five o’clock shadow.

  “And, how do you know Easton here?” one of them asks, slamming his tray down onto the table.

  “Yeah, Easton doesn’t often bring pretty girls to join us for meals,” the other adds, placing his own tray on the table.

  “She’s Ryan’s sister,” Easton answers.

  “Really?” they both ask at once.

  “She looks nothing like him,” the one on the left says.

  “A good thing at that, she doesn’t,” the other on the right adds.

  “Are you calling my big brother ugly?” I snap, and glare at them both. They both look taken aback and start to apologise.

  I lose my stern face and smile. “Good, he is an ugly fucker,” I tease.

  They’re both stunned into silence for a moment, before both relaxing and laughing. East smiles at me. “You have to lower your humour to the basics around these two, Kenzie. Sarcasm is above their level of understanding.”

  “Shut up,” leftie snaps.

  “We’re much funnier than you, pretty boy,” the one on the right adds. East just twirls his hand in a circle by his head. Cuckoo. His sentiments on the matter are clear.

  “I’m Mackenzie, that’s Kelly,” I say, properly introducing us.

  “I’m Locke,” leftie introduces himself, the one with the five o’clock shadow.

  “And, I’m Logan,” righty adds.

  “And, if you didn’t already guess,” leftie begins.

  “We’re twins,” righty finishes.

  “Nice to meet you both. I’m guessing you’re in the year above then?” I ask, hedging a guess.

  “Yup, second years now,” Locke says.

  “East is in his final year, though,” Logan adds.

  “I knew that. He’s a year younger than my brother,” I reply and eat some more of my food, I look at the twins trying to work out an easier way to tell them apart. Locke’s hair is slightly longer, and a little messier than his twin’s.

  “Did you hear about that chick with twelve marks?” Locke asks, and I freeze with a piece of bacon in my mouth.

  “Yeah, I mean, that’s a shit-load of powers, but no one thinks she will last a week without killing herself accidently,” Logan says.

  “Shut it, Logan,” East snaps, whacking his arm, and I slide my chair out as I stand up.

  “Kenzie,” East starts, and I wave a hand.

  “It was me that got all twelve, and I have a class to get to,” I say, and both the twins lean back in their chairs in shock. I can’t stop my eyes tracing over their blue shirts and the muscles that I can see on their arms.

  “Let’s go, the library is next door to your class by the looks of it, and I have to pick my electives,” Kelly says, standing up with me.

  “Wait, I’m your guide, and I’m meant to show you to your classes for the first week,” East says.

  “I don’t need your help,” I reply and turn around before he can say anything. We both walk out, and I look back to see East staring at me. His face is a mixture of concern and something else.

  Like he is seeing me for the first time.

  Chapter 4

  Easton

  “Ryan’s sister has twelve marks? The fucker must be jealous with his seven,” Locke says, and I narrow my eyes at him.

  “Ry asked me to watch her for him. I can’t do that if you fucking scare her away, man,” I say, and he shrugs with a grin. I look back at the doors where Kenzie is leaving, and she looks back, her bright-blue eyes staring straight through me. I run my eyes down her sexy as fuck body. Has Kenzie always been this hot?

  I can’t remember her looking like this. I remember her two years ago, with her short, black hair and baggy clothes. This Kenzie has a thin waist that shapes up to an impressive chest shown off in her tight clothes. When Kenzie turns, her long, black hair moves around her, and I know I have an issue. I’m not looking at her like I should be: like she is a friend. No, I can’t stop looking at her ass just before the door shuts behind her.

  When I agreed to watch over my best friend’s little sister, I remembered the teenage girl that followed us around. Not this Kenzie, she is something else entirely.

  “Fuck,” I mutter, pushing my plate away and leaning back in my seat. I place my hands on the back of my neck and look up at the ceiling.

  “You’re thinking about how sexy of an ass Kenzie has, too?” Logan says, and I have to resist the urge to punch him as I look at him. These fuckers are annoying, but I like them. We fight well together, and when I had a lot of shit with my parents going on, they helped.

  “She is Ryan’s sister,” I say, forcing myself to remember us growing up together and not how her ass looked in those jeans. Kenzie was always around when I hung out with Ry.

  “And? He isn’t here,” he says and knocks my shoulder. My phone starts ringing, stopping me from replying to the cheeky fucker. He damn well knows Ryan would kick all our asses if we touched Kenzie. I pull my phone out and accept the unknown number’s call.

  “Hey, shitface, how’s my sister?” Ryan says as a hello. I rub my hand over my face. It’s like he finally can use his divination power or some shit.

  “Kenzie got twelve marks, but otherwise is fine,” I say, and there is silence on the other side of the phone for a long time.

  “Fucking hell. Kennie got twelve?” Ry shouts down the phone, eventually. I think we are as fucking shocked as he is. The twins didn’t know because they bailed on the ceremony yesterday, but I’m certain most of the school knows by now.

  “Yeah, I know, man,” I say.

  “You still keeping your promise?” he asks.

  “Yeah, man. I’ll keep an eye on Kenzie. I’m her student guide, anyway,” I say, ignoring the fact she walked off without me already. She used to follow me around back home, and now, she comes here and just walks away. Shaking her perfect ass as she goes.

  “Yeah, he wants a guide into her fucking knickers,” Locke says and laughs with Logan. I glare at them both as Ry tells me about his new job. So glad he didn’t overhear that. Such fuckers.

  “So, the job is good?” I ask.

  “Yeah, man, it’s what I was meant to be doing, you know?” he says. Ry got the perfect job straight out of the academy. He works for our council by finding ro
gue marked and bringing them to justice. There is a group who regularly use their powers against humans, breaking one of the most important laws we have.

  “Caught any yet?” I ask, and he laughs.

  “Nah, but we have a big mission next week. I can’t tell you more, man, but it’s only a year until you join me,” he says. I’m a seven like Ry, and my main power is transfiguration, so I would be good for hunting. Ry is good at air.

  “I’ve got to go,” I say, when I hear the bell sound. We have five minutes until the second bell goes, marking the start of class.

  “I owe you, and tell Kenz to answer her damn phone,” he says, and I laugh.

  “She is always losing that thing or at least, she used to,” I reply. We both say later before I put my phone away and stand up.

  “You off to water class?” Locke asks, and I nod.

  “Coming?” I ask Logan. The twins may look alike, but they are opposite in their powers. Locke is good with water and healing. Logan is good with fire and pain. They both have seven marks, but they are strong. The fuckers are amazing when they team up, their powers complementing each other.

  “Yes, let’s go,” Locke says and stands up stretching.

  I glance once more at my phone, wondering if it’s easier to just stay away from Kenzie. Only, the thought of her being alone to deal with twelve powers doesn’t sit well with me. I will find her later and patch things up. She needs her student guide, anyway, and I have a promise to keep.

  Chapter 5

  Kenzie

  “Shit, I should have let East show us where to go,” I say, casting my eyes around the corridor, not a clue where we are meant to be.

  “Oh, I have that academy app they told us to download. There must be a map,” Kelly replies, stopping in the corridor to pull her phone from her coat pocket. Shit, I don’t even know where I put mine last night. I didn’t even know there was an app to begin with.

  I lean over her shoulder and watch her switch on the Academy app and find the map they have on there. One of the best things about this academy is the Technomancy students. My brother always said the Wi-Fi is perfect here, and that the whole place is wired up.

  “Ah, it’s down here,” she says as the app finds where we are, and an icon hovers above the classroom I need and the library next-door to it. People push past us, in a rush to get to classes like we are, and I know we are going to be late when I hear a second bell ring. We searched the entire second floor before realising that it’s the third floor we needed. This place is a maze.

  “See you later,” I mumble as we get to my room and Kelly waves at me.

  “Good luck,” she replies cheerily, and I take a deep breath before opening the door to my classroom. I walk in, and the room goes silent, all of the students are here by the looks of it, and the teacher gives me a look of disgust.

  “Miss Crowe, I assume?” she asks and crosses her arms. Holy smokes, this teacher is intimidating. She has long, shiny, red hair, bright-green eyes, and the body of a supermodel. I want to say it looks fake, but it’s likely the bitch was just born that way.

  “Yes, sorry I’m late. I got lost,” I answer.

  She tuts as she looks me over. “Having twelve marks does not mean you will be treated specially in this academy. I do not care for your excuses, now take a seat, Miss Crowe,” she says. Snickers of laughter and whispering follow her words from the other students. I hold in the urge to call her a bitch.

  “Sorry again,” I say, not bothering to hold in my sarcastic tone. I don’t wait for a reply and walk down the middle aisle of the row of desks. I find an empty desk two rows in and take a seat.

  “Welcome, new students, to your first fire class. I’m Miss Tinder,” she says, introducing herself. Most guys would be happy if they swiped left on the Tinder app and found her. “In this class, we will study fire and how to control it. Fire can be many things, but it is known for being uncontrollable,” she explains, and I watch as she holds her hands out flat in front of her, and two balls of orange flames appear. “Except that is the very job of the fire marked. We must control it, otherwise fire can destroy,” she adds, closing her hands slowly. I watch as the balls of fire get smaller as she does, and then, they disappear altogether. I’ve seen one of my dads do the same thing. He is strong with his fire, despite having only four marks.

  “We first must find out how strong you are with your fire. Some may not be very good, and others will find fire to be their strongest power,” she explains. “So, class, I want all of you to step outside and one by one, we will test your powers. Once I have an idea of your personal strength, I can assign you partners that are near your level,” she says, and everyone stands up. I move outside with the rest, and Miss Tinder comes outside with us. She calls the first person in, a guy standing close to the door.

  I watch five students go in and out, before she comes out and says my name. I follow her back into the classroom and move to stand in front of her.

  “Call your fire,” she says, not giving any other explanation. I think back to how my one dad said he called his marks. He said you just imagine the mark in your mind. I hold both my hands out and imagine the fire mark the best I can. The mark looks like a flame, with black wavy lines in the middle.

  I open my eyes to see a large ball of blue fire in my hands, the ball is getting bigger and bigger. I do the first thing I can think of and drop it. I expected it to disappear, but it doesn’t. Fucking hell, it only gets bigger as I jump back.

  “Stop,” Miss Tinder says, but it’s too late. The fire ball rolls around the room, getting bigger, and I try to call it back to no avail. I know, maybe I can use air to put it out.

  I call my air mark the same way as I did the fire, picturing the mark in my head and calling on it. The next thing I’m aware of, is the feeling of myself flying across the room and slamming into the wall. I hear Miss Tinder shouting, and as I look up, the whole room is on fire.

  What was once the ball of fire seemsto have split into five towers of flames, they swirl like tornados and are setting everything on fire as they move. One of the fire tornados swirls its way towards me, and I hold my hands up, begging my air mark to stop this. The tornado just spreads in a long wall of fire, which still keeps moving closer to me. I cough on the smoke, looking around for any way out, but I can’t see one. There are no windows in here, and the door is on the other side of the room.

  I cough some more, and wipe my eyes as they start watering from the smoke. Water. I can use water. I go to call on my mark, when a guy walks through the flames. Just fucking walks through them. He’s tall, with short, black hair, and a serious expression as he looks down at me. The guy looks about my age, and he is gorgeous. With his built body and dark, almost-black eyes, he’s captivating. He spreads his arms wide and water shoots out of his hands in streams. The streams shoot around the room like a wave, putting out all the fire. The guy claps his hands, the water stops and just falls to the floor. That was impressive.

  “Good job, Crowe,” the man says with a disgusted look, as he wipes the ash from his leather jacket. I watch as he walks out of the classroom, leaving the door open. Why did he have to open that sexy mouth of his and ruin the pretty image?

  I pull myself to my feet, just in time to see Miss Tinder come back into the classroom. Her hair is burnt off on one side, and if looks could kill, I would surely be dead right now. The rage has turned her pretty face ugly more than missing some hair ever could.

  “Get to the headteachers office, now!” she shrieks. Oh shit. I go to leave the room, when I realise I have no damn idea where to go. I turn back to face her and flinch at the expression on her face.

  “Err . . . where is that exactly?” I mumble.

  “Are you completely incompetent? Use your phone app like every other new student does!”

  “But I—”

  “Not buts! Get to the headmasters’ office, now!” she snaps.

  “Okay,” I mumble, rushing from the classroom. I notice the guy who walke
d through the flames leaning against a wall outside.

  “Headmasters office?” I ask. He smirks and points left. “Thanks!” I quickly dart in that direction, praying I can find the place.

  I rush down several corridors, looking at every door for sign of an office. I poke my head down every corridor I walk by. After about half an hour of searching, I come to realise I’ve been had. The headmasters’ office is definitely not this way. What an asshole. I smack my fist against a wall in frustration.

  “God damn it!” I curse, cradling my hand. Fuck that hurt. Stupid wall.

  “Miss Crowe?” a deep voice calls from behind me, the same voice I remember from the initiation ceremony. I turn around and try to lift my jaw from the floor. Where the fuck are they hiring teachers here from, Hollywood? Runways? I try not to stare, but find myself ultimately failing.

  He looks far too young to be a teacher, so I assume he must be in his early twenties. His green eyes are bright and alluring, and framed by glasses that only seem to add to his hot teacher vibe. His smart, but laidback style clothing does nothing to hide the killer body he has. His shirt is tight against his body, showing off every inch of his hotness. His hair is brown and messy, in a way that just demands you run your hands through it. I can almost picture how soft it would be.

  “Miss Crowe?” he asks again, pulling me from my inspection.

  “Huh?”

  “I asked, is your hand okay?” he says softly, his voice filled with concern.

  “Um, yeah, it’s fine,” I mumble, lifting my hand out, and wriggling my fingers for good measure. I wince. Okay, maybe not so fine.

  “Here, let me help,” he says, as he takes my hand in his. His hands are gentle as he holds my injured hand in both of his, for a moment there is nothing, and then I feel his hands begin to warm. They heat up until they feel almost burning hot, he then releases my hand. I pull back and try wriggling my fingers again tentatively. When no pain comes, I wriggle them more, still nothing. I feel flutters in my stomach that have nothing to do with the magic he just used to heal me.