Marked (22 page)

Her body flared into motion, struggling against him, trying to fight. “No,” she breathed.

He held her in place, not moving, letting her work it out of her system. Against him.

But every move, every touch, every strike of her body against his blasted desire into her nerves. Into her very being. By the time she wound down, she panted with more than exertion.

Need filled her, desperate and hungry. Finally, she stilled. “Why can’t we just relax and have a soft time? There’s always so much fire.” Vulnerability and fear made her feel small. Helpless.

His gaze melted. “You want gentle?” Soft as a whisper, his lips wandered against hers. “I can give you gentle.” His groin settled more comfortably against hers, hard and ready. Tempting.

Warm and strong, his palm cupped her jaw, his thumb caressing her cheek. “Let me show you, Belle,” he rumbled. His mouth covered hers, kissing slow and deep. Tears pricked the back of her eyes, and she let him take her languidly where he wanted to go. His senses opened, letting her inside his head. Inside his heart.

His fears as a child, his hope as a teenager, his determination as a man, all filled her mind. Memories of his thinking about her, of his wanting her, filled her heart.

He gave her everything, holding nothing back.

She accepted him, opening herself. Sharing every secret fear and hope. Somehow Zane smoothly removed their clothing with minimal effort, his hands caressing her breasts, his knees nudging hers farther apart.

He pushed inside her carefully, his mouth constantly working hers, his power keeping her with him. The sensations bombarded her—
his
sensations. What he felt, he shared with her.

The second he’d embedded himself completely inside her, and her internal walls gripped him, a devastating sense of peace and rightness centered him. She rode the feeling, both humbled and amazed. They shared far more than most couples, even immortals. She felt everything he was and everything he hoped to be. At the center of him . . . was her.

She
lived in the heart of Zane.

The thought threw her body into a hunger that quickly gripped him, too. He thrust harder, faster, both of them beyond the moment. He drove inside her, one hand tethering her hair, the other clamping her hip. He half-lifted her, increasing his pace.

Flames scorched through her, forcing her higher, searing her nerves. A small explosion detonated, then another, and then her body ignited into an orgasm so strong her skin burned. She cried out and dug her nails into his skin, her body arching into his. Energy uncoiled from her core to singe outward and consume her entire body.

She shut her eyes and held on tight, trusting Zane to keep her safe. To keep her tethered to the world.

The surge took everything she was, finally releasing her to drop onto the bed, panting. Shaking. Eternally fulfilled.

Zane dropped his head into her neck, still pounding, and then groaned her name as he came.

The sound of their ragged breathing filled the room. Zane lifted his damp head and kissed her, slowly and thoroughly. “It’ll all be okay, Belle. I promise,” he gasped.

She nodded and kissed him back. Prophesied for centuries, she had power of her own. Now it was time to figure out how to save her mate.

Zane cracked his neck, trying once again go get rid of the dull ache spreading from his shoulders to his temples. His bulletproof vest was cinched too tight, and his feet felt as if he’d donned the wrong boots. He kept his gaze on the dark screen spanning an entire wall.

All of the Kayrs men stood around the conference table, nobody bothering to sit. Sam and Nick kept to the wall behind Zane, as if already covering his back.

The king punched in a couple of numbers on a keyboard, and slowly, a Kurjan took shape.

“Kayrs,” the current Kurjan leader said. His hair was a blood red with black woven throughout, and his eyes darkened to a pure purple. A pregnant woman handed the white-faced soldier a drink and then quickly disappeared from sight.

“Dayne,” Dage replied. “Congratulations on your child.”

Dayne smiled with sharp canines. “Thank you. We do want our race to continue.”

“We all do.” The king gave a regal nod. “Right now, we have your ruler in a cage. Want him back?”

Zane bit away a smile. Dage sure knew how to get to the point.

“No,” Dayne said.

Dage’s dark eyebrow rose. “Excuse me?”

“The Kurjan Butcher can stay in your cage. Keep him. I’ve found I like ruling.” With his own regal nod, Dayne cut the connection.

Dage blew out air and turned to the group. “Can’t say I’m horribly surprised.” Turning back to the keyboard, he punched in several more numbers. “All right. For the next part of our meeting, let’s talk about Zane’s crazy idea to go after Suri.”

Zane lost his smile. The room seemed to waver. What was wrong with him? It had to be all the teleporting he’d done lately. Hopefully there wouldn’t be permanent damage, because he’d hate to lose the ability. Shaking his head, he forced himself to concentrate as the king mapped out Suri’s current location on a huge wall screen.

Talen growled. “You need to take me with you.”

“No.” Zane tried nonchalantly to wipe sweat from his brow. “The presence of any vampire in the vicinity of Suri’s death will be taken as an attack on the entire demon nation.”

“You’re assuming Suri will be the dead one,” Conn said evenly.

Zane lifted an eyebrow. “Assuming any other outcome will get me killed.”

“Good point.” Talen’s hard features flushed. “Somebody turn down the damn heat in here.”

Zane nodded. God, it was hot. Maybe the furnace was on the blink. He eyed the terrain around the Idaho compound, where they believed Suri was still located. “I can’t kill him there.”

“No.” The king tapped the tablet in his hand, enlarging the screen to show Idaho, Colorado, Montana, and Utah. “If Suri sends out the power surge you believe, you have to get him to a more secure location.”

Kane Kayrs pointed a laser at the map. “A dormant super volcano lies just beneath Yellowstone National Park, and if it blows, it’ll take out a good part of the Pacific Northwest before the ash is spread to the east. It’d be a disaster and would kill many.”

Zane nodded and peered closer as his vision wavered. Just how stressed was he, anyway? “The shock waves sent out by Suri might wake up that volcano.” He blinked several times to focus. “Looking at fault lines, that area is subject to a pretty bad earthquake.”

Dage tapped his tablet again. “The Borah Peak earthquake moved the mountain sixteen vertical feet, and we think the fault line connects to the San Andreas.”

So many fragile humans to protect. “So we’re talking about millions of deaths. Many cities destroyed. California might even drop into the ocean,” Zane said. He shook his head. “There’s also a nuclear facility in Washington State, right?”

“Hanford,” Kane said.

“I understand,” Zane said. “It’s almost as if that bastard chose his location carefully, now isn’t it?” Leave it to Suri to cover all contingencies. If things went bad, millions would die.

Sam came to his side. “I’m not part of the Realm, so I’m going with you.”

Zane turned and put his trembling hand on Sam’s shoulder. “You’re a good brother, but I need you to take the reins if I don’t make it back.” Frankly, he wasn’t completely sure he could transport Suri out, but it appeared he didn’t have a choice.

“This is a bad idea,” Talen growled, grabbing the back of a chair and leaning heavily on it. “I said to turn the damn heat down.”

“It’s off,” Dage muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. “I think it’s chilly anyway.”

Talen shook his head, and his shoulders rolled back. “Zane, if you do manage to get to Suri—and don’t think we don’t know you’re having trouble teleporting—where do you plan to take him to fight?”

“Alaska wilderness, somewhere away from the Denali fault line.” Zane’s hands began to tremble. A rush of energy rolled up from his feet, swirled around, and landed hard in his gut. Bile burned his throat.

What the hell was going on?

The king pulled out a chair and fell into the seat, his breath hitching. His skin lost all color.

Talen frowned. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Dunno,” Dage whispered, his eyes flashing a sizzling blue through the silver. A shudder racked his massive shoulders.

Talen turned to Conn, who was leaning over, sucking in air. “Get Dage out of here.” The chair back beneath Talen’s hands crumbled in his grip, and he swayed. His golden eyes rolled back. Then the biggest badass Zane had ever met dropped to the floor.

Zane moved to help him when the world tilted. Blackness assaulted his vision, and gravity took over. His last thought as his head impacted the stone floor was to look for the attack.

Janie ran into the first room in the infirmary, her heart thundering. She nearly skidded into Garrett, who turned to grab her arms. His eyes glowed a primal aqua.

“What’s going on?” she gasped, leaning to see her father and Dage both on examination tables while Emma and Cara bustled around. “I don’t understand.”

Garrett shook his head, worry lining his face. “We don’t know yet.”

“Where’s Zane?” she asked, frantically trying to look into the adjacent room.

“He’s in room B with Conn,” Garrett said soberly. “Kane, Jase, and Max are in C.”

Her ears rang. “They’re all afflicted?”

“Yes.” Garrett released her to turn back toward his father. “We’ve been attacked.”

Janie rubbed her chin. “Only mated vampires?”

“Yes.” Garrett rushed forward as Talen stirred.

“Dad?” Janie followed, grabbing her father’s hand.

His golden eyes flipped open, he stilled, and then leaped from the bed. A quick glance around had him shoving both Garrett and Janie toward Dage and behind him before he settled his stance and faced the door.

Garrett angled to the side and reached for his father’s arm. “There’s no immediate threat, Dad.”

Talen turned, confusion wrinkling his brow. He swayed.

“Whoa.” Garrett helped him back to the table just as Dage slowly sat up.

“What the hell?” Dage asked, focusing on Emma as she peered into a microscope.

“Just a second,” Emma said, her voice high and tight.

Janie gave her brother a look. “I need to check on Zane. I’ll be back.” God. If every mate had been affected, there was really only one possible reason. She bustled into room B, where Zane already sat on a table flanked by Sam.

Conn perched on an adjacent table with Moira all but sitting in his lap.

“Any news?” Moira asked, green fire dancing on her skin.

“Not yet,” Janie croaked out, reaching Zane in quick strides. “I heard you passed out.”

“We all did,” Zane said. “I have Logan and Nick locked down with my mom until we figure out what’s happening.”

“It’s obvious what’s happening.” Janie slid her hand into his, needing to touch him. For once, his palm was cold and clammy. “When you took the virus from me, you didn’t destroy it.”

“Impossible,” Conn muttered. “Vampires don’t become ill.”

Emma strode into the examination room, her tennis shoes squeaking on the bleached tiles. “Janie’s right. Virus-27 is thriving in all of your bodies, slowly attacking your chromosomal pairs.”

“Oh God.” Janie swayed, and Zane drew her between his legs. “Vampires don’t get sick. The only way a virus could infect you would be if you
purposefully
drew the illness into your own body.”

“We can get rid of pain and illness,” Zane said, running a hand down her back as if trying to comfort her.

Janie turned to face him, still bracketed by his long legs. “So maybe you just need to try harder. Can you sense the virus inside you?”

He closed his eyes. “Yes.”

She put her hands on his chest, trying to get inside his body. “Now try to trap the virus and send it away like you did my headache.” Closing her eyes, she tried to send every ounce of strength she possessed into him.

His chest lifted beneath her palms, and he breathed out evenly. “I’ve got him.”

Thank God. “Now wrap him up and away from your chromosomal pairs.”

Zane shuddered.

Janie kept her eyes closed, but she could sense Sam drawing near, giving his brother support.

“You’ve got this,” Sam murmured.

Janie nodded. “You’re stronger than this bug, Zane. Kick it the hell out of your body.”

He coughed and pitched back suddenly.

Sam caught him before he could drop to the floor and quickly shoved him around. Janie jumped back and out of the way of Zane’s legs before grabbing them and lifting.

Zane lay on his back, convulsing, his eyes rolling back.

“Zane!” Sam pushed down on Zane’s shoulders, holding him against the table, his eyes wide and his jaw determined. “Hold on.”

Janie ran to the counter and clutched a tongue depressor, hurrying to slip the small disk into Zane’s mouth so he wouldn’t bite off his tongue.

Emma ran toward them. “Keep him settled so he doesn’t fall.” She felt for the pulse in his wrist and counted silently. Her concerned gaze fastened on Janie. “Make him stop. Tell him to relax for a moment.”

Janie’s breath caught, and she squared her shoulders. “Zane?” She caressed his whiskered chin. “Please let the virus alone for a minute. Just let go and come back to me.”

His body went rigid as if fighting invisible ropes. The seizure kept him shaking, his head thumping the table even with Sam restraining him.

Janie leaned closer, tears falling from her eyes to his chest. “Please, Zane. Let go for me.”

He slowed, the convulsions lessened. Then he flopped back on the bed.

“Zane?” Sam slowly relaxed his hands.

Zane didn’t move.

Janie removed the depressor and kissed him softly. “Please wake up.”

His eyes slowly opened—all black. No green showed.

Janie swallowed. “You in there?”

He nodded and stretched his neck. “What happened?” he croaked.

“Do you still feel the virus?” Emma asked, her fingers remaining on the vein in his wrist.

He blinked several times as if trying to get his bearings. “Yes. The bastard is still there.”

 

The earth rumbled in displeasure all around, and small shards of rock dropped from the ceiling in the underground headquarters. Janie sandwiched herself between Dage and Zane, not sure she could stop either one of them if they went down. “I think I should speak to Kalin alone.” Her voice bounced back from the smooth metal door secured in the stone. “He won’t talk to either of you.”

Dage straightened his shoulders much too slowly. “If he knows anything, he’ll want to gloat to me, and he’s pissed at Zane for mating you, so we can use Kalin’s anger to glean information.”

“If we don’t pass out again,” Zane muttered.

“Yeah. That.” Dage nodded toward a camera set in the far corner. “Let’s get this over with.”

Janie said a quick and silent prayer for the men to remain standing. The door silently clicked open, and she led the way inside.

Kalin sat cross-legged on the floor, his back to them, his chin down. Several deep breaths later, he lifted his head and stood, turning around as if completely serene.

The door shut, and both Zane and Dage made a move to put Janie behind them.

She halted their progress, staying in the middle but a foot back. “I hadn’t realized you meditated, Kalin,” she said.

He bowed his head, his angled features almost seeming at peace. “We haven’t truly had time to get to know each other yet, Janet.” His smile revealed sharp fangs.

She cleared her throat, nerves dancing through her stomach. “We have a question or two for you.”

Kalin frowned and glanced at Dage and then Zane, both sweating and pale. Suddenly, his eyes sparked. His red lips curved. Both hands swept out, he threw back his head, and a huge bellow of laughter rolled up from his chest. Deep and hard, he laughed until he was gasping for breath.

Dage sighed. “I take it you’re not surprised?”

Kalin wiped his eyes and stepped closer to the bars. “You foolish, sentimental, dumbass son-of-a-bitch. I can’t believe it worked.”