Page 32 of Marked Resistance

“You came?!” She sobbed, and her eyes broke. “I didn’t know if you would, but you did. You came for me!”

My heart tore into twenty million pieces. “Of course, I did. I’ll always come for you, little sister.”

Sarah released the woman and jumped into my arms. Together, we embraced and hugged as if she would collapse at any moment, or I would, and we were the only two things holding each other up.

“Leave,” I heard Xavier’s husky voice direct the woman and child from behind me.

As Sarah and I continued to hold each other up, tears streaming down our faces, the clatter of the woman as she made her way past us with the young girl in hand existed as white noise. Nothing else mattered except Sarah.

Xavier’s hand touched my shoulder. “We have to go,” he whispered in my ear.

I nodded and pulled back enough so I could take Sarah’s face in my hands and give her a once-over. Her thick, wavy, black hair had grown and she wore it in a utilitarian, severe style. Her loose top and short lacy skirt didn’t hide the hourglass build her change to the Elite gave her. A pair of matching lacy embroidered shoes completed the outfit over which she wore a medium-length black cloak. Her accessories included a scarf, a hair ribbon, and a single wolf earring. The whole ensemble was coordinated in black and rich brown.

With my thumbs, I wiped her cheeks and smiled. “Whew, someone got hot andsexyon me.”

She chuckled but shook her head. “It’s a shame Mau won’t ever see it.”

I nodded and released my grip on her. “I’m sorry, Sarah. I heard what happened. Why didn’t you go to Dobgar? You know…after?”

“Ha! I remember your stories of how they trained you. I wasn’t going through that. The only person I trust is you. I hoped you’d be the one assigned to come to get me and so I found this place. Oh, Zee…I don’t know what to do. I’m hungry all the time, and I’m eating people.”

“I know.”

“I don’t like it.”

“I know.”

“Ladies,” Xavier cut in. “We need to leave. Now!”

I nodded again and spun on my heels. I reached back and grabbed one of Sarah’s hands. “Stay close,” I told her. I’d kept Assurance out the entire time, so I had no worries about not being armed at the moment.

Xavier pushed on the door and it swung wide, granting us the room to exit. When he didn’t move, I leaned to my left to see past him. Standing in the moonlight with their swords in hand outside and on the path were Ilanis, Grim, and three other vampires I didn’t recognize.

Grim made an audible sigh. “I should have known.

“I knew it!” Ilanis yelled. “I didn’t want to believe it, but I knew you would choose her over your duty.”

Xavier growled a low, guttural, menacing growl. “Iamchoosing my duty.” My duty to my clan! This is why we can’t win the war because we’re too busy fighting ourselves. The curse of Damon and Lawrence, two brothers with different agendas. We have to come together if we’re to survive. We need more warriors, not less.”

“This man thinks he’s Damon or some shit like that,” one of the other vampires said. “Giving speeches and shit. I tell you what…hand over the rogue and we’ll make it quick for you. Fight us, and it’s going to be a slow death.”

Chapter fourteen

“Who the hell are you?” Xavier said.

“I’m Rene. This is David and Mikhail. We’re Echo squad.”

Rene wore a perfectly clean shirt and a pair of pants. He sported a flattop haircut, and his otherwise smooth face was marked with small tiny scars. Tall and slender, David wore blue pants and a white t-shirt. He wore his mopish silver hair in a traditional bowl cut, and his face possessed mild wrinkles. A petite short man, Mikhail dressed in red-painted combat armor, marred by battle. His slicked-back black hair looked like a classic pompadour. All three men had swords of varying lengths, but all three held them with deadly purpose and skill.

“What?” I asked through restricted breaths. “Another Fang Ranger team? Why are you here?”

Rene spoke in a monotone voice. “We were hunting this rogue named Ruby. She’s been a menace round these parts. Wreaking havoc and such. If she’d stayed quiet, Command wouldn’t even know about her. But apparently, she was some sickly human and now is making up for lost time. We were sent to dispatch her but hadn’t been able to locate her. She moves too fast and doesn’t stay in one place for long. Matter of fact,” Rene added and pointed at me, “you kind of look like that bitch.”

“I’m no rogue,” I snapped.

“No,” Ilanis retorted. “You’re worse than that. You’re a traitor.”

My vision filled with red. “Fuck you!”

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