Marked By Lies: A Reverse Harem Series (The Marked Series Book 1)

by Paige Orr

  “I can see how that would be useful in certain situations, but how is that the key to finding our people sweetheart.”

  “Well, that’s the thing. I didn’t know how until I got to the house. I asked Grey who is the ghost I speak to if he and his friends could check out some of the other houses so we could go through the investigation quicker then went to the house that I was attacked in.

  As soon as I got there, I looked around and found some things that raised red flags, but it was when I switched to my sight that I found something. All over the walls was a sigil that seemed to ooze a dark aura. The thing seriously fucking creeped me out. Then just as I was about to head to the next house to check if the same sigil was there, the door opened. I managed to slip into the closest room, but as you know, things didn’t exactly go well for me.”

  My hand unconsciously moves up to the shoulder that the Harpies claws pierced, finding faint scars already close over, leaving me puzzled. I don’t have long to linger on why I’m fully healed before Zaphyr leans forward at the base of my bed, catches my eye before speaking.

  “We can talk about the sigil in a moment, but first, do you think you could tell us what happened with the Harpy little songbird?”

  For the first time, I truly hesitate. Ashamed of how defenseless I was, even with my guns. On top of that, if I had just hidden instead of trying to sneak out, or picked another way out then I wouldn’t have got hurt in the first place. Now instead of being out there and trying to solve this shit, they are all here looking after my sorry ass.

  I know that I’m just being stupid, but I can’t help feeling bitter over my powerlessness. There were so many different ways I could have dealt with things rather than putting myself into harm's way. I’m just lucky that my bullet stopped the harpy before she ended me, otherwise things would have ended differently.

  I don’t know if it’s the memories that I was lost in, but I feel like that same little girl who couldn't do anything. After finding my mom that day, I ended up going completely off the rails, causing trouble for everyone around me. I know that it was just my way of lashing out at all the hurt I was feeling, but because of that, I’ve hurt so many people.

  I know I’m not at fault in this situation, but that doesn’t stop those old feelings of shame and resentment from bubbling up inside me. So how am I supposed to tell these people that I screwed up their entire investigation just because I wasn’t strong enough? I know that I can’t avoid the subject, no matter how much I want to though.

  “As I said, while the Harpy was distracted, I tried to sneak out the front door. Unfortunately for me, she must have turned around and seen me. I just remember being thrown across the room and landing on the coffee table. After that, we fought for a bit and I managed to stun her with a bow to the back of the head, but that just made her lash out, which was when I got her claws to my face.

  That set me off balance since I could feel the poison from them eating away at the skin around the wound, which is how she managed to get me by the neck and throw me against the wall. She knocked the wind right out of me with that one, which gave her the chance to lift me up the wall by my shoulder. When she was reaching back for the final blow, I managed to get my gun pointed towards her, even though my arm was completely numb, and got a shot off.”

  The shock written on everyone's face is priceless, and if I wasn't feeling so guilt-ridden, I would probably enjoy it a lot more. But instead, I can only focus on the fact that while they were all distracted with me, at least forty Fae could be going through hell.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Morpheus

  I can see that something is eating away at Melissa, but I’m stuck on how fucking amazing this girl is. Anyone else would be falling apart at what she went through, and yet here she is putting herself down. What she managed to achieve is astounding, defeating a Harpy with the correct weapons is difficult enough, never mind doing it with a gun. On top of that, as confusing as her scent is to us, she's still only human.

  I can tell that she's beating herself up about it all, but she should be giving herself a pat on the fucking back. She's lucky to have got out of that shit alive. Hell, it was touch and go for a while. We were just lucky that Annika knew someone who knew the right ritual to perform. If it wasn't for Isabella’s help, then we would have been standing over a corpse instead of talking about what happened.

  That thought knocks away some of the cheerfulness that I've been feeling since her eyes opened. This woman, who could have easily told us to go and fuck ourselves when we asked for her help, was kind enough to agree, could have died because of us. I guess earlier I was just so preoccupied with making sure she was alright and then watching her while she recovered, that it didn't fully sink in how close she was to not making it.

  One thing is for sure, we shouldn't have put a human in the way of danger in the first place. Hopefully, the others have come to this realization as well, because something tells me that Melissa won't walk away from this case without a fight. Putting herself in harm’s way for people that she doesn’t even know, makes no fucking sense though.

  I watch her closely as she fidgets, refusing to meet anyone's gaze, and I know this strong-willed woman won’t back down from helping innocent people. I just wish I could make her see things from our point of view. Here’s a woman who isn't connected to this in any way, who was seriously injured because of us. Of course, we wouldn’t want her to keep going, that would be purely selfish of us. Seeing that none of the others know what to say to her, I decide to take matters into my own hands.

  “I don’t know if the others feel the same way as I do, but I can’t in good conscience let you keep putting yourself in danger. It was fucking lucky that there was someone who could get to you in time to do what needed to be done to stop the poison killing you.”

  I can tell that what I’ve said has pissed her off, but one of us had to say it. I don’t think any of us could live with ourselves if she died trying to help our people. The Fae are known for being proud creatures who don’t like to owe debts to people, and the life debt that we owe Melissa now is astonishing.

  If it were anyone else, we would have stopped her sooner, but with how desperate we have been to solve this situation, we’ve become complacent. We’ve never had to rely on someone else to help us, and I’m sure that’s making the guilt I’m feeling even worse. I can’t even pretend to be my usual fun-loving self when I know that I’m making someone else do my work for me.

  She seems to be at least thinking over what I had to say, which I’m thankful for, but I can see that she is going to turn down my request. Melissa seems to have a strong sense of justice, and I know that if I was in her position, I would react the same way. It’s remarkable in a way, I just wish that my feelings weren't clouding my decisions so much.

  Not only does she know that innocent people are more than likely being hurt, but whoever sent that Harpy has made this shit personal for her. I can see the others out of the side of my eye watching our transaction and I know that they won’t be giving me any help with this, and putting myself in her shoes is making me double think asking her to take a step back from this all. Surely she can see that I’m just worried about her but by what comes out of her mouth next I know that’s not the case.

  “Look, I know you might just see me as some weak little human that is more trouble than she’s worth. But whoever sent that thing to that house is obviously getting spooked. That can mean one of two things, either they have seen how close we are getting to finding them out, or they are getting close to whatever their end goal is. Either way, I can’t give up, not now.”

  I let out a sigh of resignation as I pace along the bottom of her bed. How can I make this woman understand that she is anything but weak? Fuck, I don’t think any of us in this room would have been able to take down a Harpy, and yet she managed it with almost no trouble at all. Either the bullets she has in her guns are something special, or we are seriously missing something here.

 
I don’t want her to think that we see her as a liability. I don’t exactly understand the feeling that she has managed to stir up in me in such a short amount of time. No woman had ever made me feel like this, and without blowing my own trumpet, there have been many over the years. All I know is something inside me wants to protect her, so I have to make her understand.

  “It’s not that I don’t think you can handle this shit, kitten. In fact, I think what you accomplished today is impressive. Having nothing but yourself and two guns, you managed to take down a fully grown Harpy. That in itself makes you stronger than anyone I know, human or not.”

  The doubt shining from her eyes shows me how little she believes me, but I don’t know how to convince her that what I’m saying is the truth. She knows that Fae can’t lie, so I don’t get why she’s struggling so much to accept what I’m saying. I wish there was some way to show her how I see her. She almost reminds me of my old friend Athena, who is one of the most badass chicks to ever grace this earth.

  The way that Melissa has steeled her resolve and is refusing to back down is so like the Goddess of war that I can’t stop the smile from turning up the corner of my lips. If I learned anything from my days in Greece with Athena, it’s that arguing with such a strong-willed female just makes her resolve stronger, but maybe there's a way that I could make sure that no one can harm her again.

  “Alright kitten, you win, but only if you[2] agree to bring at least one of us with you for backup. I just don’t want you getting hurt again, so surely this isn’t too much to ask.”

  She mulls over my proposition, obviously taking the time to truly consider the benefits of having us with her, and I know that I've won this argument when her shoulders slump in defeat and a rueful smile crosses her face.

  “I can deal with that, I suppose. As long as you all promise not to get in my way, or make comments about the way I do things.”

  This time a grin near enough splits my face in half. I’m pleasantly surprised that she conceded to my request so easily, and if I’m honest with myself, I may have used the situation to my advantage, at least a little bit. I sure as shit am not complaining about spending more time with the alluring woman in front of me.

  “Well, it looks like we have a deal, kitten. Now, why don’t you get your ravishing self ready and we will meet you in the living room to discuss this sigil that you found.”

  She rolls her eyes at my flirtations, even as I see the flash of laughter in her eyes. I think this might just be fun after all, and you never know, maybe I can see just how amazing she is, up close and personal.

  Twenty minutes later Melissa joins us in the living room, looking ready to take on the world. My eyes are drawn down to her figure as I take in the tight red faux leather pants and red and black corset top that cling to her curves. She has her hair in a braid that reminds me of Lara Croft, and I can’t help but picture wrapping it around my hand as I take her from behind. I inconspicuously try to hide the growing bulge in my pants as I turn my eyes away, hoping that she hasn’t caught me drooling over her.

  I’ve got to admit that I’m impressed by how quickly she has managed to bounce back after going through what she did today. I’ve always been drawn to strong women, and Melissa is no exception to that. We just have to hope that we won’t be the reason that this woman breaks. She notices the way that we are all looking at her and cocking her hip, she raises an eyebrow at us.

  “Alright guys, time to tuck your tongue back in your mouths. There’s no need to act like you’ve never seen a woman in leather before.”

  This draws a chuckle from us as she saunters across the room and perches herself on the edge of the coffee table, leaning back on her hands and crossing her long legs and making me notice the high heeled combat boots on her feet. I can’t hold myself back from teasing her, just as she teased us.

  “Well kitten, you have to admit that you catch the eye in that saucy little outfit. Though I’m sure you look much better with it lying on the floor, I’m even willing to see for myself.”

  I send her a wink as she clears her throat, a blush staining her cheeks as she turns to the others.

  “I can see who the flirt is in the group then. Before we get sidetracked anymore though, I think we should talk about this sigil that I found. I wouldn’t be able to tell if it has any significance, but you guys might.”

  She reaches behind her, grabbing a notebook and pen before scribbling away for a few minutes. When she’s done, she takes a minute to look over it before passing the notebook over to Zaphyr, who is sitting in the chair across from her. She leans back again, watching as Zaphyr studies the sigil, but I can tell from the frustration filling his expression that he has no idea what it means.

  Zaphyr lets out a sigh of frustration as he passes the notebook to Elias, who is sitting. Elias takes his time, making sure to leave no stone unturned just like he always does, and even though he hides it better than Zaphyr, I can see the same frustration on his face as he rubs the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and thumb.

  He throws the notebook over to the chair that Cailean is sitting in to give him his turn, but this time I don’t see any frustration as he leaps to his feet. He paces back and forth across the room with his eyebrows furrowed in concentration as he takes in each line drawn before him. Thankfully, he doesn’t leave us in suspense for too long before telling us what he sees.

  “I’ve seen this sigil before, today actually, when I was searching through all the confiscated items we have from the cults. I can’t remember what it means though.”

  He curses as he throws himself back into his chair, leaning forwards, and putting his head in his hands. I turn to Melissa to see what she’s thinking, and I find her with her head cocked to the side, deep in thought. I wish I knew what she was thinking, maybe then I wouldn’t be so confused over why she looks like she’s won the lottery. She clicks her fingers in front of Cailean to get his attention before saying.

  “Alright, here’s the plan. Have your men bring the books that you think have this symbol over and figure out what it means. I’m going to head out to the other houses just to make sure that the sigil is there as well, I’ll take Morpheus with me. I feel like we’re really fucking close to figuring this shit out, so don’t you go getting disheartened on me.”

  Cailean sits back in his chair, nodding his head at her as he pulls his phone out to do as she says, and Melissa has a determined grin on her face as she gets to her feet, motioning me to join her. Halfway across the room to her though, she lets out a scream that has me rooted to the spot in confusion as I scan the room for danger. Not finding anything different from a minute before, I turn back around to find her growling at the empty space beside her. What the fuck is going on now.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Melissa

  “Jesus fucking Christ Grey, was there any need to scare the shit out of me like that. We need to find a way for you to give me a fucking warning[3] before you randomly pop up like that.”

  Grey gives me a sheepish smile as he scuffs his toes along the floor, looking quite contrite as the tension his sudden appearance caused eases from my shoulders.

  “Sorry boss lady, I didn’t mean to scare you, I just thought you would like to know what we found.”

  I wave at him to continue as I take deep breaths to calm my still racing heartbeat. He better have something useful, at least then, it would be worth the heart attack he just gave me.

  “So me and a few of the ghosts I know checked out those houses, and we all found these strange marks on the walls very similar to the ones in that old lady’s cave, but at the same time different. The feeling of dread that mark caused us, forced us to leave the houses before we could look for anything else though.”

  I hold up my hand to tell him to wait before rushing across the room to Cailean and taking the notebook he still has clutched in his hand. He lets it go with a look of shock at my reaction to a conversation he can’t see, but I’m so focused on finding out if it’s
the same sigil that I don’t pay him any mind as I rush back to where Grey is standing watching my every move.

  I thrust the notebook in front of his face with a wave before asking.

  “Is this the mark that you all saw?”

  His eyes flick towards the notebook, widening when they land on the sigil that I drew earlier before he takes a step back, stuttering out his answer.

  “Y-Yeah, that’s the one. B-But how do you know that?”

  I let out an impatient sigh as I quickly tell him everything that happened to me earlier, the shock on his face becoming worse and worse with each thing he hears. I wish all these men would stop fucking acting like I performed a miracle, it’s more than a little disconcerting, and well I can’t help but take offense.

  “Seriously! Why is it so fucking surprising that I fought a Harpy? Obviously, whoever is behind all this shit must have thought the same as all of you when they sent the bitch!”

  I know that I’m just taking my anger from being attacked out on Grey, but I can’t seem to stop myself. The combination of fighting for my life and being thrown into old memories that I wish had stayed buried has left me feeling raw. I’m not saying that I’m all sunshine and roses, but I’m never usually this testy.

  I never thought that I would take on a case that would push me so close to the edge so quickly, and right now my nerves are rattled. I usually don't let shit get to me like this, and I don’t like how easily I’m letting my emotions control me. God knows that I’ve learned to never let your emotions get the better of you unless you're prepared to make mistakes. While lost in these thoughts, Grey moves in front of me, waving his hand in my face to grab my attention.

  “I’m sorry, Melissa. I didn’t mean to upset you. I wasn’t shocked that you managed to fight the Harpy, I was surprised you didn’t even get a scratch, I’ve seen how tenaciously Harpies fight.”