Marked by Destiny

by C.M. Owens

  "Okay, okay. Your father didn't mean to upset you, dear." Her mother's gentle voice barely penetrated the noise the rest of her family made as they discussed the concept of vampires attacking humans.

  "Mom, I'm upset because Jared was kidnapped," she yelled into the melee, finally silencing her father and brothers. "Does no one understand me? My friend's been kidnapped."

  "Seth, contact the Council. I need to meet with themnow." Her father spun around to look her in the eye. "Tell me. Did you recognize anyone?"

  She shook her head vehemently. "No. It all happened so fast. Once I regained consciousness––"

  "What?" he roared. "They knocked you out?" Her father's jaw squared and the look in his eyes promised retribution. Good. Her father was one of the oldest of the vampire clans. He didn't forgive or forget easily.

  "Just briefly. When I came to, everyone was gone."

  Seth, being the smart-aleck brother he was, asked, "Then how do you know your friend was kidnapped? Maybe he just went home."

  Shaking her head, Tessa knew in her heart Jared would never do that. "I'm sure he wouldn't have left me lying on the ground alone like that. He'd have called for help at the very least."

  "I'm sure he would have, honey. You've always been a good judge of character," her mother said.

  "True. Except humans are afraid of us, and if your friend had never seen one of us in action before…" Seth shrugged. "Just saying."

  "Don't bother saying," snapped Tessa. All of a sudden her stomach felt a little queasy. "Ooops." She raced to the bathroom, her mother following behind her. She dropped to her knees and bent her head over the toilet bowl. "I think I'm going to be sick."

  And she was. Crap, what a horrible feeling, not to mention embarrassing. Was her mother digging into her hair again? She slapped her hands away. "Mom, I'm fine."

  "No, you're not. Head wounds can be tricky. Nausea and throwing up are early signs of a concussion and other dire conditions." Her mother handed her a wet washcloth. "Here. Wipe your face."

  Tessa sighed and did as ordered. Once a mom, always a mom. Cool water slipped over her sweaty skin and eased the tension in her taut muscles. Everything ached, and not just from the blow to her head.

  "By the way, you should know by now that those head injury symptoms really don't apply to vampires," Tessa said as she grinned at her model-perfect mother. What a trial to grow up under the umbrella of a smart beautiful woman who was also stunningly graceful. "You're a great mom, you know that?"

  Her mother's face split into a beautiful smile and her eyes lost their worried look, warming with love. "Thank you. You're a great daughter, too, you know?"

  "Even though I'm a throwback?"

  Her mother frowned. "Don't you ever say that. For all I know, you could be the wave of the future."

  Tessa tossed her a disbelieving look. "Oh sure. Like I'm going to believe that. I'm defective, Mom. Let's be honest here."

  Her mom's gasp filled the small room. "That's not true, Tessa." She bent and gave her a quick hug. "You're beautiful and you're unique. You are not alone in this."

  "Really. I'm not the same as you, and I'm not the same as my friends. I'm stuck somewhere in the middle and don't fit in either world. Sometimes I feel so alone." Tessa thought it must have been the blows to her head that caused this maudlin fit. It so wasn't normal for her.

  "Oh, honey. I had no idea you felt that way."

  "How could I not? I don't even live the same part of the day as the rest of you do. David and Seth go to vampire schools at night while I'm asleep and I go to human school when you're all asleep. Mom, do you have any idea how separated I feel?"

  "Oh, honey. I'm so sorry. I never knew."

  Just as her mother crouched down to give Tessa a big hug, a heavy pounding sounded outside the door. Her father called out for her mother, "Rhia, come on. The Council has called an emergency meeting."

  "Can I come?" Tessa hopped to her feet and raced behind her parents, who were already heading for the living room.

  "No, you can't," her father yelled over his shoulder. "And you should know better than to ask."

  "Serus," her mother chided. "There's no need to speak to her like that."

  "She's never yet been allowed, and she certainly can't come tonight. You know as well as I do that she may never be allowed." He cringed at Tessa's shocked gasp. He didn't back down though.

  "Sorry, Tessa, but that's the way it is. That's not exactly news; we've discussed this before."

  "No," said Tessa, bitterness coloring her voice. "You said when I was older I'd probably be allowed. But what you really meant is when and if I matured to be more like a vampire and less like a human, then I'd be allowed. Right?"

  A hunted look came over his face. "I don't make the rules. They've been in effect for hundreds of years. Of course I'd love for you to be included, but with the way things are now with the Council, well, they aren't going to change any time soon."

  "So I'm not part of the vampire world at all?" Resentment sharpened her voice more than she'd expected.

  Seth placed a warning hand on her shoulder. "This isn't the best time, Tessa."

  "Then when is?" she cried. "It's my friend who's been taken."

  "And he wouldn't have been if you were a proper vampire," snapped her father.

  Dead silence filled the room.

  Tessa gasped. Tears filled her eyes as a world of hurt filled her heart. She raced from the room.

  Her father's groan of dismay followed her. She no longer cared what he thought. The words had been said. They could never be unsaid, and they would never be forgotten.

  Jared's kidnapping was her fault.

  ***

  An hour later, Tessa stared at the mirror, her blow dryer still in her hand. The dye job was crude but effective. Her short-lived white locks, a sign of rebellion, were gone. She couldn't afford to be recognized now. She'd left pure white locks to define her face. Dramatic? Yes. And hopefully effective. To find Jared, she would have to hunt her own kind, blend into the vampire world.

  That meant she had to be a vampire – at least as much as she could. She'd accentuate her vampire traits and make herself into something she was not. Vampire females were haughty, sexy with knockout bodies and tight-fitting clothes, and witchy looks.

  Her father's words had taken root at the base of her spine. Her determination to find Jared had stiffened it. She might not be the same as the rest of her family. She might never be included in their Vampire Council, but she knew right from wrong, and she knew about friends. That they were human didn't matter. They'd been there for her – even when her family hadn't.

  Friends mattered to her. Human friends mattered. Jared mattered.

  She wasn't going to stand by and do nothing. If she had to save him from her own people, alone, then she would. She just hadn't figured out how.

  She knew where the Council meeting was being held. Hopefully her family wouldn't recognize her until she had the information she needed. She doubted she'd get a chance to speak to a Council member, but maybe she could find out what their decision was tonight and not have to wait until her father decided it was in her best interest to know.

  She walked to her closet. What to wear and how to wear it to their best advantage? Vampire women were gorgeous. Tessa was not. Different? Yes. Striking? Maybe. That's what she needed to strengthen. She had skintight black leather pants. They'd been Catherine's until she gave them to Tessa last year. She hoped they still fit. Dragging them out of the back of her closet, Tessa eyed them critically. They looked small. Pulling them on, she found them surprisingly comfortable, if a bit snug. Glancing in the mirror, she let a surprised whistle slip out.

  With deadly precision, the pants hugged the curves of her thighs and butt yet flattened her tummy, drawing attention to her tiny waist. She headed back to her closet.

  Somewhere in there was a bustier with the laces starting from her belly button and going upward, just barely covering the swell of her breasts. She'd had t
he thing for years. Struggling into it was no easy feat, and doing up the laces kinda hurt. Looking down, she had to laugh. She resembled those buxom German girls slinging beer – she popped out above the top. Until now, she hadn't realized she had anything there to pop.

  She walked to the back of her bedroom and studied the effect in the mirror. She didn't look like herself anymore, yet didn't quite look like someone else either. Heavy makeup might help finish the transition. She headed to her mom's makeup drawer. Tessa emphasized her vampire eyes, extending the eyeliner down and back the way her mom had shown her. But instead of black lipstick, she put on blood red. She didn't need mascara as her lashes were already thick and full. She pondered the effect, then decided it worked. She tried on a silver necklace with a blood opal that had a matching bracelet. Perfect.

  Except vampires couldn't wear silver.

  She wasn't a true vampire. She left it on.

  "And now my boots." She tugged on her black boots with the killer heels and zipped them up her calves. She studied her reflection.I look like a dominatrix. All I need is a whip.As an afterthought, she changed her nail polish to the same blood red she'd removed earlier.

  She was out for blood.

  She also looked every inch a female vampire – dangerous and deadly.

  Perfect.

  Now to kick some vampire butt.

  ***

  Slipping into the mansion where the Council meeting would take place was no big deal. Hundreds of people milled about in full vampire black. The odd daring female wore a contrasting color. Other than that, the room swarmed with darkness. Tessa moved through the crowd with purpose. It was the only way to avoid looking insecure – which she wasn't. She was determined. Big difference. Someone should tell that to the butterflies in her stomach!

  She counted – as a person, as a vampire. She dared them to prove otherwise. Straightening her shoulders, she sauntered toward the Council room. Several members were gathered outside.

  Her outfit attracted attention. Her self-confidence loved the boost. She preened a little. There was something to be said about wearing clothes to show off her figure. She sensed male assessment – and their approval.

  She wanted a boyfriend, but not just anyone would do. She wanted Jared. Still, the obviously appreciative male glances were fun.

  So this is what being popular and sexy felt like. Who knew? No wonder the girls angled for it. She just might try it out on her human friends after this.

  "Hi there."

  Tessa turned, startled when a young male grabbed her arm to stop her headlong rush toward the back of the room. She looked at his grip, raised a haughty eyebrow, and stared him down.

  He flushed and stepped back, apologizing. "Sorry. Didn't mean to grab you like that. I just wanted to say 'hi' before you raced away."

  "I'm looking for someone," she replied coolly. Giving him a small smile, she turned to check out what was happening. Damn. The Council members had entered the Council chambers and the heavy doors were sealed behind them. Two guards held positions on either side of the door.

  Moving casually past the guards, she quickly realized the room must be soundproofed because she couldn't hear anything through the doors. Council business was serious stuff. She walked down the hallway, searching for a second door. There wasn't one.

  A sense of heavy expectation hung in the air as people gossiped to fill their time until the meeting adjourned. Both her parents were on the Council while her brothers served as apprentices.

  So what benefit could she get from being here? Mingling, she listened in as the conversations flowed and ebbed around her, searching for tidbits that would help her find her next direction.

  "They took a human, apparently."

  "Don't need another uprising like we had before."

  "It's been close to fifty years since the last incident."

  "Wonder who's involved. Bet it's those Trent boys. Mark my words, those two are trouble."

  Trent boys?Tessa remember overhearing David gossiping about the lifestyle the two men preferred. Could they be the ones holding Jared? How could she find them? And where could they have stashed Jared without fear of being found out?

  "No, it wouldn't be them. They've gotten married."

  Tessa frowned. What did that mean?

  "The Trent boys? Now I know you're joking."

  "No, honest. They married twin sisters and have settled down. Human sisters."

  Raucous laughter broke out.

  Tessa winced. As humans were still regarded as only one step above cattle by many of the vampire nation, relationships between the two were often crudely joked about. She could just imagine what both species would say about her and Jared if they knew.

  Her parents were more accepting. Sian and Taz were family friends, with Sian being a vampire while Taz was a human doctor. Tessa had gone to him a couple of times, just because he knew her unique physiology. His genetic makeup had to be different too, as he aged more slowly than most humans. Of course he was a teenage girl's dream man. And Sian was his perfect match. They'd been together for decades and had taken a lot of shit from both sides. Their love had survived.

  It gave Tessa hope.

  A door slammed behind her, followed by raised voices. Two of the Council members exited the bathroom and headed back inside the chambers. She barely heard snippets of the conversation between them.

  "We can't just go charging off to save this human. We'd be setting the scene for an even bigger riot. This requires a diplomatic approach."

  "It does not. The time for diplomacy has passed. Someone is mocking our authority and our treaty. We can't have that."

  Great. That meant the Council members likely couldn't agree on what to do, either. As she sat there mulling over the problem, a shadow crossed the window beside her. Hundreds of vampires milled outside. No big deal. Except…something didn't feel right. She pondered what was bugging her.

  She stiffened. That shadow felt familiar.

  Her eyes opened wide. That was it. One of the vampires who'd attacked her earlier tonight was outside the house right now. Not giving herself a chance to question her actions, she hurried to the closest exit, ignoring the looks she received from everyone as she bolted through the crowd.

  Once outside, she stopped to survey the area. How could she find her attacker in this crowd? She closed her eyes, seeking the same sense of familiarity.There.She tracked it to the back of the house. The area was deserted. What did she expect? They were vampires. They didn't just sit around and wait to be caught. Especially those who'd broken an honored treaty. They'd probably shown up here to see how much the Council knew and where it had gotten its information.

  A brush of cloth startled her. She spun around. Cody stood beside her, a questioning smile on his face. Of course he would show up now.

  Shit.

  "Tessa?" he whispered.

  "Sorry, who?" she replied in a haughty, confident manner. Inside her nerves were screaming. She might not be a real vampire, but she'd certainly met many and the women were always something else. So confidant, so beautiful and often so cold. She could emulate the best of them. She raised a snooty eyebrow at him in the eerie darkness.

  Confusion settled onto his face and he backed up a step. "Sorry. I mistook you for someone else." He turned to walk away but glanced back once. She saw the frown creasing his forehead.

  Her initial elation subsided quickly. He wouldn't be fooled for long, and if he mentioned her to Mom or Dad…or they saw her…they'd recognize her. The darkness was their world. They reveled in it. It was their playground.

  She needed to move before Cody returned. And he would – she had no doubt about that.

  Circling the large mansion, she searched for the same sensation she'd recognized earlier. Approaching the parking lot, she caught it again. She paused and actually sniffed the air. How very vampire-ish of her. She laughed inwardly. This whole mess would be a great joke – if there were anything to laugh about.

  Poor Jared. H
ow was he faring?

  ***

  The drums beat a heavy rhythm inside his skull, reminding Jared he was alive. He didn't remember much of what happened. His attackers had snatched him up then everything had gone black. He'd awakened here. And wished he hadn't. The one image that had burned into his mind was of Tessa, before his capture, crumpled on the ground.

  She didn't appear to be here with him. Hopefully, these assholes had left her behind and weren't holding her captive in a different area. He wished he knew for sure.

  Jared studied the chains on his ankles, heavy rusted iron that he had no hopes of breaking and an old padlock he swore was created at least a few decades ago. He assumed his captors were vampires. He didn't know for sure since he hadn't seen them – he hadn't been bitten, or seen them feed.

  He also wasn't alone. Two other people were stretched out next to him, sporting matching chains. One of them didn't look so good. An older man whose face had bleached of all color struggled to breathe. Sweat poured off his face. He looked bad, like he might be having a heart attack or something. The other guy's chest rose and fell in a steady motion. Thankfully.

  Glancing around, he shivered at the old stone-walled cell. He had no idea where he was. This place looked deserted and unloved.

  He whispered to the older man. "Hey, are you all right?"

  The man shuddered, blinking his eyes several times. His words were slurred when he answered. "Don't feel so good. Need a doctor."

  Alarmed, Jared searched the large empty room, hoping for a way out. "You have to stay strong. Someone is going to be looking for us."

  "Too late." The man coughed several times, then his head rolled to one side and he went still. A gust of air, like a balloon with a hole, escaped. The man went silent.

  Jared strained to hear the man's breathing as he watched in vain for his chest to rise and fall. Nothing. The man was dead.

  He shuddered and closed his eyes. His life had gone from bad to seriously freaky. How long had that poor guy been here? Just tonight, or weeks – maybe months?

  Fear slithered through Jared. He didn't want to die here. He was young, with his whole lifetime ahead of him. Shifting on the cold stone floor, he inched as far away from the dead man as he could.

  Thank God Tessa wasn't lying on the cold stone floor beside him. It burned him that she'd been hurt while she was with him. He'd done a piss poor job of protecting her. Not exactly the manly image he had wanted to project.