Marked For Death: A Dark Urban Fantasy Novel Becca Blake (fiction novels to read .txt) 📖

“What’s going on?” I mumbled.

I didn’t get an answer, either because my slurred words were unintelligible or because they refused to give me information. Either way, they only stayed in front of me for a short time before they continued walking, and their footsteps faded away.

I waited a while longer before I tried opening my eyes again. The darkness faded into a blurred fog that obscured most of my vision. When the haze finally cleared, I realized I was back in the old warehouse outside the city. Beams of golden light spotted the floor through the holes in the ceiling and windows, bathing the building in dim light.

I couldn’t see anyone else, and it had been a while since I heard any voices. As far as I could tell, we were alone.

I’d been tied to the railing on the stairs, with Orion on one side of me and Ayla on the other. Neither of them had woken up yet. Either that, or they were pretending they hadn’t.

What the hell had they injected us with? It had to be some sort of tranquilizer, but I felt like I’d been hit by a truck.

I didn’t know why they brought us here, but we had to escape. Once I burned away my restraints, I could wake up the others and figure out what to do next. I latched onto my growing anger and searched for the emotional connection that channeled my magic.

But the familiar warmth never reached my palms.

I looked up at my hands, willing sparks, or flames, or anything to appear.

Nothing.

I struggled more, both with my magic and with my restraints, but nothing changed. I couldn’t pull free, and my magic was off on vacation.

“Have you realized what’s happening?” Marcus Thorne’s voice came from somewhere above me.

“What did you do to us?” My voice was still a bit scratchy, but I was thankful it wasn’t as weak as it had been when I first woke up. I twisted around to look at him.

“This is our first time testing it out. Dr. Moran isn’t sure if the effects of the injection will be permanent or not.” He walked down the stairs and stopped behind me.

“What effects?” I asked.

“It should, at the very least, block your magical abilities for twenty-four hours, but you won’t make it that long. Tomorrow, Raxael will be here to claim you.” He walked past Orion and me, stopping in front of Ayla. He cupped her chin in his fingers and tilted her head to the side. “We really believed she was dead. Did you know?”

“No.”

He let go, and her head drooped to the side.

“Where’s Jacob?” I asked.

“He’s resting in the back room.”

“I want to talk to him.”

“You’re not exactly in a position to be making demands.” Marcus tilted his head to the side, considering. “But I guess it doesn’t hurt to allow you some closure before you die.”

He whistled, then waved to a hunter on the landing above us. A few minutes later, Jacob emerged from one of the rooms upstairs, fully armed and unrestrained. He wore a black t-shirt, and just beneath the sleeve I saw the patch of newly healed skin where Raxael stabbed him. He came down the stairs, then stood next to his father.

I breathed out a relieved sigh at seeing him safe. “So, what, he gets a break because he’s your son?”

“Hardly,” Marcus said. “Jacob gets a break because he told us where to find you.”

“You’re lying.” My mouth was dry as I looked to Jacob, waiting for him to deny it.

But my heart dropped as I realized that it had to be true. He was the only one who knew we were going back to Omaha to meet with Ayla and Orion. If he didn’t tell Marcus where we would be, who did?

I trusted him, confided in him. I believed in him. And he’d given us all up at the first opportunity.

“What did he offer you?” I asked him.

“Is it so hard to believe my son honored his oath and did the right thing?” Marcus asked. He wrapped his arm around Jacob’s shoulders.

His flinch at his father’s touch was subtle enough that I might not have noticed it if he hadn’t told me himself how he felt about him. That sort of resentment didn’t disappear overnight.

Celia strode into the ruined sanctuary, her hand resting on the hilt of the sword at her side. She greeted Marcus and Jacob with a curt nod. “I can handle things from here, Leader Thorne. I’m sure you’re eager to get back to Haygrove and begin the recovery efforts.”

Leader Thorne. Marcus had gotten everything he wanted—his enemies captured, his son back under his thumb, and control of the Council.

“Yes, we’ve got a lot of work to do. I’m sure Jacob is eager to get back as well.”

“I could stay,” Jacob said. “Let me help fix this.”

“No,” Marcus said sharply, as though he were scolding a misbehaving child. “You’ve caused enough trouble. You’re coming back to Haygrove with me.”

Jacob opened his mouth like he might argue, but as Marcus spun around, he changed his mind. He shot me one last uncertain look before following his father upstairs.

Celia joined them, leaving three Arbiter guard dogs to watch over us. I recognized two of them as people I’d seen around town plenty of times, even if I didn’t know them well. Eric Roland was sporting a black eye from the fight, and Jen Hart had burn marks on her clothes. When she noticed me looking, she sneered.

We were now traitors in their eyes. Oathbreakers. It no longer mattered who we were before.

After a few minutes, I heard more steps above me.

“I need to speak with the Oathbreakers, please,” Jacob said to them. “Alone.”

“No,” Roland said. “We’re under strict orders—”

“Maybe you didn’t hear me. I’m a member of the Council, and I’m telling you to let me speak with the traitors.”

“Ah, but Leader Thorne—“

“—agreed to this. If you have a problem with me speaking to restrained prisoners,