Page 59 of Tortured Soul
Marcus shook his head. “Nope. From what I’veheard, his first vision of you was of Carter and you being…kind of intimate.” My eyes widened. “He had no idea that you were his mate too. He told me he felt it when he got closer to the tower you were held in, and truly understood what it was when he opened the door.”
“Why was he hostile toward me, then?”
“I’m not sure,” he said, adjusting his back on the backrest of the couch before taking another sip. “Anyway, they’relivid. The second a guard suddenly saw youappearout of thin air next to the Nephilim and the information reached Arc…Damn, it’s been a while since I’ve seen him use his demonic powers. It feels weird being summoned.”
Summoned? Marcus must have seen the confusion on my face and he released a long sigh.
“I’m not talking about this with you.” He shook his head. “I’ve already said too much. If you have questions, it’s best you ask him directly.”
“How do you know so much about him?” I asked, leaning forward to place my half empty bottle on the coffee table. He groaned, avoiding my gaze..
Nostalgia clouded his eyes. “I joined the camp about a decade ago,” he said. “A hunter had just killed my Archdemon and all my tied group.”
My whole body stiffened.Hunters.The handful of Immortals capable of killing demons. Last I checked, there were about ten of them roaming the earth. Two of them I had every desire to never see again, for two very different reasons.
The ring felt hot and heavy against my skin.
“I had just been transferred to that Tie,” he continued, rolling the neck of his bottle between his fingers, “so my soul was not promised to serve another after my time with him yet. By killing him, the hunter freed me. I managed to flee unharmed. At that time, I was working in Las Vegas, and the camp here already existed. I’d heard of it fromother Immortals, and so it made sense for me to seek refuge here. The Guardians welcomed me with open arms and I joined the guard on the spot.”
He paused, eyes lost in front of him.
“There’s this party that Guardians organize once or twice every month. Everyone joins, has fun, talks, dances. The Guardians might seem unapproachable most of the time, but they docareabout all of us. I might be a simple guard, but when I’m out of my uniform, they’re my friends too.”
His throat bobbed. There was obviously more to this story but he didn’t seem ready to talk to me about it.
“Anyway, I was not sent home early just to chit-chat,” he said, returning to his usual annoyed demeanor. “Said party is tonight.” He ran a critical eye up and down my form, stopping and frowning briefly at the sight of my marked palm. “I’m guessing you have enough energy to create yourself a dress.”
Not a question. I must have looked in pretty bad shape before if a night just cuddling skin to skin with Arc had me literally shining.
Mate.
Right. The energy I got from my mates was more potent.Another fact that should have tipped me off.
“Is there a dress code?” I asked, slightly anxious.
“Most people will be wearing elegant clothes,” he said, standing up, picking my bottle from the table and heading to the kitchen. “I believe there’ll be a binding ceremony too, tonight. Notyours.” He rolled his eyes at the panic on my face. “Go get ready. I’m guessing your Nephilim friend will meet you there after he’s done with Arc and Carter.”
That didn’t make me feel better.
Carter was never pleasant to be around and Arc looked angry when they all left Carrie’s office. She said she could feel that Dimitri and I were mates. Did Arc and Carter feel it too? DidDimitrifeel that Arc and Carter were my mates as well?
Until now, I was certain I had only two. Who, for some reason, kind of accepted each other when they met. But the lack of my soul prevented the actual link to connect all of us. What if things went wrong?
Chapter 19
Lola
“Alittle bird told me we’re getting a new housemate?”Savi signed while Francesca was braiding her hair.
I stopped pacing, watching her fingers before my eyes drifted to the mischievous expression on her face through the mirror.
“It’s just for a few days,” I said, although I wasn’t sure how long Dimitri would stick around this time. “Don’t be alarmed by his…features. He’s a Nephilim, and he hasn’t broken his curse.”
Telling them felt safer. Dimitri was used to people staring at him and did not react much anymore. ButIdid. Sometimes.
Francesca rolled her eyes and gave me a pointed look as she signed, dropping the elaborate braid on Savi’s shoulder.
“Carrie said he’s hot. I’ve met a Nephilim once, but the madness had barely spread and he found his mate. I love how freaking tall they are.”
