The Vampire's Mark 2: Hell Storm (Reverse Harem Romance)

by Rachel Jonas

  Another outburst from Levi, and I flinched when the bucket of fresh water we’d been given went soaring across the room. I prepared myself for the loud clatter of the metal hitting the ground, but was reminded of the soft flooring when it simply hit with a muffled thud.

  Peering down at my hands as the shaking in them grew stronger, I focused on the letters I fondled in hopes that it would slow the process, and to my surprise, it did.

  But not because the letters themselves were of any particular fascination; however, what they spelled out was a different story.

  “Blackthorn,” I mumbled.

  Levi turned when I spoke. “What?”

  I pointed so he, too, could read the words engraved in the cot: PROPERTY OF BLACKTHORN SANATORIUM.

  I only managed to glance up and take in the shock in his expression a moment before I drowned in the darkness. While I was certain the location was devastating to us both, the concern in his voice was only meant for me.

  “Corina?”

  He said my name in such a way that I knew. I knew he saw me fading, knew he understood what was coming. That suspicion was confirmed when my head was lifted from the pillow and a large body joined me on the cot. He held me to his chest, and somehow made me feel safe even despite these horrible circumstances.

  “Relax, Love,” he whispered with his lips pressed to my ear. “I have you. It’ll be over soon.”

  That statement echoed in the hollowness, even above the electrified buzz in my ears. I held on to those words for as long as I could and felt how deeply they ran with his powerful arms encircling me. At the feel of them, I slipped even deeper into the darkness.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Silas

  Who are these people?

  What does their existence imply?

  How does Corina fit into their picture?

  There was no ‘good’ answer to any of these questions, because I already knew enough. Our worst fears were becoming realized and Corina was, in fact, a part of something that couldn’t be explained. Something that could potentially harm us all.

  Only, we were all in this too deep now.

  Two of my brothers had already engaged in a claiming ritual with her and that couldn’t be undone. And seeing as how it was my actions that incited this whole ordeal, backing out to save myself wasn’t an option either.

  We were all the way in this, come hell or high water.

  It wasn’t until that moment—in the dead of night when Julian powered up that com—that I realized how desperate he was to find Corina. Before he’d been able to respond to the unidentified girl’s plea, the frail connection was lost. As the device’s battery died, the look of concern he wore was hard to miss.

  So now, here we were, seated beside the fireplace, waiting with nervous anticipation as the battery charged. We hunted down a charging port and amplifier from the guards, and they didn’t question our reason for needing either. Finally, just as daylight crept in through the blinds, the red light that beamed through the small hunk of silicone finally changed to green.

  Julian shot from his chair, rushing to power it up again. Once that was done, he placed it on the amplifier dock and turned up the volume. We waited for sound. Last night, the girl who answered said they—whoever ‘they’ were—would continue to be on standby day and night, which left us to believe they were just as anxious for a reunion as Corina was. We had to hope the statement was true and someone was there waiting.

  Julian paced, holding his breath as we waited for a connection, reminding me of a dog with a bone. His eyes never left the com, while he just about chewed a hole in the side of his lip.

  “Cori? Cori, it’s Felix!”

  First, Julian’s expression brightened with the sound coming from the other end. But then, he was stricken with confusion when it became clear this was a very different voice from before. For starters, it was male.

  “We lost you last night, but we’re still here,” the stranger promised.

  My gaze shifted from the com to Julian and he was hard to read. Arms folded, he stared at the earpiece.

  “You said your name was Felix?” he asked, breaking the silence.

  There was no sound on the other end, but I was certain we hadn’t dropped the signal.

  Julian braced both hands on the edge of his desk. “We’re not … trying to start trouble,” he assured the stranger. “We’ve only reached out because we’re hoping you can help us.”

  The silence persisted and I imagined that would continue until this Felix understood the gravity of the situation. If they cared about Corina as much as they seemed to, then there was only one way to get their cooperation.

  “Corina’s gone missing,” I announced. “She ran away late last night. Prince Levi, apparently, took off behind her, but we haven’t heard from either of them since.”

  I peered up at Julian, wondering if this information had been enough to sway them.

  “And how can you be so sure Levi hasn’t hurt her?” Felix inquired, giving a far different response than what I expected.

  My brow tensed, but I only needed to remind myself he was human—a natural skeptic to us, our way of life.

  “He wouldn’t do that,” I assured Felix, certain he hadn’t bought that so easily. “Levi was only curious where she would run off to, so he followed her. If his retrieval had been a success, both would be here, safe and sound.”

  Felix scoffed at my word usage. “Safe.”

  Julian breathed deep beside me, making it clear he didn’t have the patience to convince Corina’s contact of Levi’s good intentions.

  “Levi isn’t a threat,” he nearly growled. “Now if you could tell me where you think she may have gone, so we can at least try to find her, that would be incredibly helpful.”

  It took a lot to push Julian to the point of anger, but it seemed he got there in no time at all with his emotions being so heightened.

  Felix had gone quiet again and it was all Julian could take.

  “Fine,” he seethed. “If common decency isn’t enough motivation to help us, perhaps I can buy the information from you. Name your price.”

  We reached a stalemate. Felix was completely silent on the other end, and it became clear how deep their distrust for us ran.

  “Oh, for Pete’s sake, Felix, playing dead isn’t going to get us anywhere,” said a familiar voice—the girl from last night. “This is Liv. May I ask who I’m speaking to?”

  “Julian.”

  “And Silas,” we answered.

  “Like, representatives of Julian and Silas or …”

  Julian took a step back and breathed deep when the question annoyed him.

  “No, it’s just us. We found Corina’s com in her purse after she escaped and—”

  “She … she made it?” The relief and glimmer of hope in Liv’s tone made it clear she, like Felix, had mistaken the nature of this call. Corina breaking free was not a cause for celebration.

  It was a cause for concern.

  “You’re not getting it,” I corrected. “Yes, she escaped, but we have reason to believe she’s in trouble.”

  Time was so precious right now, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that each minute wasted was one that brought Corina closer to a dim fate—and Levi as well, if he was in fact with her.

  “Please, we need to act quickly. So, the sooner you can tell us where she—”

  “Why should we trust you?”

  The question was surprisingly direct, but I shouldn’t have been caught off guard. It was exactly what Corina would have asked. She wasn’t one for mincing words. Apparently, Liv had the same brashness about her.

  “If I’m being honest, you have no reason to trust us.” That answer was the reason Julian now leveled a menacing glare my way. “But she trusts us,” I added.

  “Uh-huh.” Liv’s sarcasm could be felt through the speaker. “Which is why she ran away, right?”

  I shook my head as if she were in the room to see. “No, she didn’t run away beca
use of us,” I assured Liv and Felix both. “She ran away because of you. Or rather … because she cares about you.” I recalled what Elle had seen in her bag and felt certain I was right about this. “She had a large amount of food with her when she left.”

  I took the lack of response to mean I was finally getting through.

  “We’ve all sacrificed a great deal for Corina. Your friend.” I sighed, preparing to share things I probably ought not to, but desperate times called for desperate measures. “Not only have we put our reputations on the line and brought a fair amount of uncertainty to ourselves, but we’ve also risked our lives.” I turned to Julian and hoped he’d forgive me for what I’d say next. “And one of my brothers—hell, maybe two by now—have already fallen for her.”

  This time, although Liv hadn’t spoken, I heard the heaviness of her breath as she listened.

  “So, all that stuff that’s been televised about this blood bond, and how it’ll, you know, link the four of you to her, it’s all legit?”

  Relieved, my eyes fell closed as I thought I might actually be making some headway.

  “It’s all true,” I admitted. “And while I don’t claim to know what type of life Corina led before our paths crossed, I feel confident saying she was treated well here. Better than most others will ever know in their lifetime. However, even with my brothers and I offering her the world, it still wasn’t enough for her.”

  “Because Corina’s different.” It was Felix who spoke through the com then. “Her loyalty is so powerful, it can sometimes blind her.”

  I felt his conviction and didn’t find his description of her hard to believe.

  “Then, I think we can all agree she’d do whatever it took to save either of you,” I stated. “Don’t you owe it to her to do whatever it takes to save her? Even if that means taking a leap of faith, and helping two desperate strangers find her before it’s too late?”

  Julian stared as I finished, and we waited. There was no way to ensure they’d agree to what we were asking, but I had to believe they would. Maybe they would sense that we were sincere, and only interested in helping Corina.

  “What else did she take with her?” Liv asked, prompting me to scramble for an answer.

  “She uh … it was only food from what we were able to tell.”

  “And she left on foot?”

  “No, she took one of Julian’s motorcycles.”

  The silence that followed my statement was deafening. I’d been so grateful for the sudden cooperation, I didn’t know how to process the dead air.

  “Hello?” I called out, anxious.

  “Still here,” Liv eventually replied. “It’s just that, I think we may know where she went. Or at least, where she may have made a pitstop.”

  “Excellent. Where?” Julian urged.

  The pair went quiet on us again, and I noted the fury in Julian’s eyes.

  “We uh … we’d rather go there ourselves, just to check things out. But if you guys want, you can buzz us back in a day or two and we’ll give an update.”

  That deepening frown on Julian’s face made it clear he didn’t accept Felix’s offer.

  “And if you don’t find her?” he asked. “What then? Two whole days will slip through our fingers, when we could just work together on this. Our friend is missing too. We need to find them both.”

  Now, I was the one who passed the questioning look. I didn’t expect him to extend such an offer, but he’d certainly just put it out there.

  “Listen, I know you two are probably thinking of a thousand ways this could go wrong. You’re probably thinking it’s a setup, and we’re making some desperate attempt to shut down whatever operation you’re running, but I couldn’t care less right now who you are or what you’re into.” Julian was nearly breathless when he paused. “Right now, today, my only concern is getting Corina and Levi back here safely.”

  “And we’re supposed to just believe that? We’re supposed to give up this one chance to get out there and find Corina ourselves, our one chance to bring her home, because you want to continue playing house and dress-up with your new pet human?” Liv argued. “Well, sorry to disappoint you, but there’s a real girl inside that body you disregard. She’s human and fragile just like the rest of us, so whatever she’s done while she’s been there, whatever lies she’s told you, rest assured she’s only done them to ensure her survival.”

  There was a standoff between Julian and Liv, of which I couldn’t predict the outcome.

  “We’re going after her, and that’s final,” Liv concluded.

  “You’re wrong about all of this, you know? Wrong about us,” Julian blurted, halting Liv on the line.

  “You sure about that? We saw the press conference; we know what you monsters did to her.”

  Julian’s head lowered with Liv’s harsh words.

  “Everything I’ve done, from day one, has been to keep Corina safe,” he confessed. “Right down to risking my own life to spare hers.”

  The two on the line were quiet, which seemed to mean they were listening.

  “I have this … terrible, nagging feeling in the pit of my gut, telling me this won’t blow over easily,” Julian admitted. “So, please, work with us to find her, instead of against us. Before it’s too late.”

  There was nothing else to add. The cards had been laid out on the table, and we had nothing else to offer. Even Julian’s monetary proposal had been shot down swiftly. All we had left was honesty, and he’d just given them his truth.

  Liv breathed a heavy sigh.

  “The races,” she blurted. “Cori rides for cash, so if she took a bike and was headed toward home, she wouldn’t have come back empty handed. If we’re going to find something, that’s where we need to be.”

  Julian hung his head as relief washed over him.

  “Thank you,” he replied in a rush. “As soon as we know something, you have my word you’ll hear from me.”

  “Thanks, but that won’t be necessary.” Felix’s confusing words stopped Julian in his tracks. “There will be no need to report … because we’ll meet you there.”

  His bravery was surprising, but not unfamiliar. It was the same blind courage I’d seen in Corina. Apparently, they were all of the same mind.

  I agreed and Felix set a time.

  “One hour.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Julian

  “We’ll go alone. It was hard enough getting them to trust us. There’s no way they’ll go for my security detail tagging along.”

  “Agreed,” Silas nodded, following as I raced from the study toward the front door.

  Neither of us had stated the obvious, that we had clear indication of Corina and her friends being a part of something big, a major operation. Yes, we considered it long before now, but not with any solid evidence like we discovered tonight—the team’s access to Ianite tech, and the fact that they’d been able to hack in to view our strictly coded broadcasts. My father had thrown a lot of cash at the campaign to encrypt the vital information that passed through the airwaves. It was supposed to have ensured our people that humans could never tune in for easy access to the ins and outs of our world. Still, we now had proof that campaign hadn’t been successful.

  And yet, with all we knew about them, Liv and Felix were willing to put their necks on the line for Corina.

  It must have crossed their minds that this could have been an ambush. That we’d figured out what Corina was involved in, and were just tying up loose ends. However, they didn’t let that stop them from agreeing to meet. It was then that I realized the love Corina had for them ran both ways.

  Brisk air swept in the moment I opened the front door to exit. Silas was quick to hop in on the passenger side, and we wasted no time exceeding the speed limit enforced on palace grounds.

  “This is a huge stab in the dark,” Silas sighed. The statement left his mouth, sounding more like a warning than anything else. “I know you and Corina have bonded and the Claiming made that bond even
stronger, so I just want to make sure you go into this with open eyes.”

  I understood. He wanted me to prepare myself for the worst. It wasn’t lost on me that things might not go well, that we could arrive to discover something terrible had happened to Corina, to Levi.

  “I’m fine,” I grumbled. “She hasn’t turned me into some lovesick child.”

  I was painfully aware of how frustrated I must have sounded, which didn’t exactly help the point I was trying to make.

  “That wasn’t what I meant to imply. I’m only saying, there are bound to be more surprises up ahead.” There was a long, loaded pause before Silas continued. “For instance, we’re on our way to meet two humans I think we both know are likely heavy into illegal activity. Which then, in turn, implicates Corina into those same illegal activities.”

  “I’m aware.” My teeth were tightly gritted together, muffling the angry words.

  “I’m sure you are. So, that admission of awareness begs the question: Is this who we are now? Are we these men? The future leaders of the free world who are officially turning a blind eye to this sort of thing?”

  My grip tightened on the steering wheel, and I pressed the gas. My head was cloudy, which seemed to always be the case now days—cloudy with thoughts of her, thoughts of how I was singlehandedly ruining my own life, my father’s legacy.

  “Silas, I … I can’t talk about this right now.”

  My nerves were shot, and my tolerance was practically nonexistent. Three people I care for had gone missing, and I was completely powerless.

  “Is that a hard question to answer?” he pressed.

  “It is when I’m trying desperately not to think about how stupid and reckless I’ve been.”

  His stare was heavy on me when he turned. “Or is it possible this question has gotten harder to answer because of her? Or more specifically, because you’ve taken on a bit of her since the Claiming.”

  I blinked hard and tried to only focus on the road. That thought had been on my mind all day, as we searched Corina’s room, while I tried to keep from going crazy as we waited for the com’s battery to charge. It was that longing for justice I absorbed from her. I never doubted it. And the part I wouldn’t admit out loud was that I was suspicious that this change had, possibly, softened me toward humans.