Daylight, a Timeless Series Novel (47 page)

I
peeked around the corner, following his movements. Colt was just leaving his room and suddenly stopped when he saw the other man. I recoiled back around the corner, then listened to the voices.

“
Get out of my sight, Michael,” Colt growled. “Marcus may have you here for a reason, but the first chance I get, I’ll kill you.”

“Such might
y words from a man who’s betrayed his own family,” Michael snipped.

“I may have betrayed
them, but I haven’t murdered in cold blood.”

Michael snorted. “Your father was a weakling, just as you and your brothers are. He didn’t deserve to be in the position he was in.”

“You were his closest friend and ally…” Colt accused him.

“And you weren’t the same for your brothers?”
Michael said calmly.

The sound of a body hitting a wall caused me to jump.

“Stay clear,” Colt growled through his teeth.

It grew silent. I peeked around the corner
again and lost my breath. Colt saw me.

His chest heaved
, and his blue eyes fixated on me. My pulsed sounded in my ears, and my heart raced. I turned and ran back down the hall, his heavy footsteps following close behind me.

I hadn’t even made it halfway down the hall when he was over me. He pushed me against the wall, his arms slamming into the plaster
, creating a cage. He pressed in closer and lowered his head. I turned away as his hot breath brushed my cheek.

He remained still for a few moments, as if he were contemplating his next move
, then moved in closer, his mouth dangerously close to my lips. He closed his eyes as if he were going to kiss me, and the muscles in his neck flexed. It was as if he were fighting against his own will to give in, a will that had been controlled by Marcus.

“Colt,” I whispered and lifted my hand to his arm. He suddenly tensed and drew back, his jaw firming into solid granite.

“Where do you think you’re going,
child?
”

I clenched my teeth
. I hated it when he called me that. I didn’t reply.

He pressed closer
, trying to intimidate me. I pushed my hands to his chest, maintaining the distance. Why was it every time I reached out to him he’d switch modes? Like he was afraid to show his emotions…or he was being watched.

“Were you expecting Callon to swoop in and rescue you today of all days?”
His voice was low and dangerous. “On your birthday?”

I inhaled a shaky breath. He was goading me on purpose again. Trying to get me angry, but why?

“You meant nothing to him, Cheyenne. You were merely a means to an end, just as you are with Marcus. Callon never loved you. It’s always been Nakari.”

“Stop,” I pleaded, my voice shook
. “You’re lying.” His words rolled over in my mind.

“I’m telling you the truth
, and the truth hurts.”

“No.” I lowered my head further
, fighting the crimson-eyed beast that wanted to protect me.

“You don’t know what love is
. You’ve never been loved.” He pulled my chin up, forcing me to look at him, into his cold, cruel, hatred-filled eyes.

He’d switched emotions faster than I could imagine.
I couldn’t figure out which personality was really him.

“If your mother truly loved you
, she’d have never put you in this position. If Gene and Alexis had loved you, they’d have taken you to Ireland when Callon told them to. If Callon had loved you, he wouldn’t have used you as a weapon.” His gaze hardened even more. “You’re a worthless piece of nothing, and why Marcus thinks you’re valuable is beyond me.”

Something snapped inside
, and I began clawing at his arms and face, kicking and punching, trying to free myself and run away. He quickly clamped my hands together and opened a door, shoving me in. I landed on my back, my breaths heavy as he towered over me.

“You need to learn to control your temper,
sweetheart
.” His jaw firmed, but then his right eye began to twitch. He made to bend down, but it was like an invisible force pulled him back. He hurriedly turned and slammed the door shut. The sound of a click told me he’d locked me in.

I rushed to my feet and pounded on the door, cursing his name until my hands hurt
, and I succumbed to the tears. I collapsed to the floor and pressed my legs to my chest. I wrapped my arms around them tightly and soon found myself rocking back and forth.

A numbness I’d never felt before began to fall over me. A hardening of my heart to any love I’d ever felt towards him. This wasn’t my Colt
—this was the monster Marcus had created. My Colt was forever gone. He was constantly fighting what few glimpses I might have seen, and they would eventually be pushed down. I’d known it, but denied it till now. He’d broken my heart for the last time, but I couldn’t help but think he was hiding something.

I had no idea how long I sat curled in a ball, before I noticed sunlight breaking through a crack in what looked like curtains. I wiped my eyes and moved towards the small strip of light
. Maybe it was a way out.

I pulled the material apart
, revealing what at one time would have been a bedroom. Dust particles floated in the air, and I coughed as they drifted by. The broken frame of a bed was pushed in the far corner. A dresser was overturned, and the drawer’s contents were spilled out across the dusty carpet. The remnants of a chair lay crumpled in a pile, and a nightstand with papers spilling out was near what appeared to be a doorway.

I moved cautiously in the room, being careful not to disturb the contents. I studied the clothes lying near the dresser
. They were women’s attire, along with perfume bottles on top.

I stepped over them and moved towards the nightstand. Yellowed papers spilled from the drawer, papers that looked like they’d been ripped from a journal, as their edges were ragged. I gently pushed them around; I was sure it was a
woman’s handwriting. I picked up a few pieces, lifting them up into the light. There were dates at the top, and some had hearts and flowers or other doodles drawn on them. I skimmed over the words…

July 21

He was watching me again today. His gaze following me wherever I went in the room. My father says it’s because he likes me, but I don’t feel warmth from his stare. His eyes are cold and calculating, like he’s plotting something below the surface, and it scares me. I don’t like it when my father leaves me alone with him, he makes me feel uncomfortable.

September 8

Father says he’s leaving for a while and that I’m to stay here. He’s been fiddling with his spells again. He thinks I don’t know, but it’s affecting his mind. He says things, odd things that make no sense, and I’m becoming worried for his safety, for mine as well. I also heard him talking, planning…my future. He wants an alliance with them, but I don’t think he realizes what he’s getting into.

I grabbed more sheets from the floor, now more
curious than ever about who the author was.

June 15

So much has changed, so much that I don’t have words to express. Two years have nearly passed since my betrothal was announced, and I grow more frightened every day. My heart is heavy. The burden is great, but I don’t know how to bring this plan into play without passing it down to my children, if I should ever have any. I’m not strong enough. My powers are too weak to bring this monster down, but I know one day, it will come to pass…it will be my children that end this misery that has ruled with an iron fist over the Timeless race.

I wish I could have borne this burden alone, but I know that I cannot. I know whom I must turn to, and I know the fate that will become my burden to bear. I know the anger that it will
stir, and many will suffer beyond repair.

I am heavy hearted as I write this, knowing what I shall pass along. But they will be strong, and they will know what needs to be done when the time comes. They will see, like I did, that there is only one way to defeat…they will be stronger than I ever was.

I pressed my hand to my lips, catching an initial at the bottom. S. I knew who the remnants of this journal belonged to…Sahara.

The lock on the door clicked and I shoved the paper
s into my pocket.

“Cheyenne?” Darrien’s brown head peeked around the corner.

I stood, brushing the dust from my legs.

Both he and Jahlem hurried to my side. They eyed the mess around me and then stared at me
, before they helped me step over the debris. They didn’t say a word, but they knew, just like me, whose room this had been.

They escorted me back to my room.

“Marcus wants you downstairs when you are dressed,” Jahlem said cautiously. “We’ll wait till you’re ready.”

I nodded and headed for the bathroom. I knew they’d seen the tearstains on my cheeks and the crumpled paper
s in my pocket. I opened the vanity drawer and shoved the journal pages inside. My mom had left me a message, whether she intended to or not, and I needed time to study it.

I washed my face and pulled my hair back. I stared at myself in the mirror for a few moments. Dark circles etched my eyes, and my cheeks looked sunken. I could have put some makeup on, but I just didn’t care anymore. Grabbing a jacket from the closet door, I pulled it on and entered my bedroom.

Jahlem’s caramel eyes softened as I neared.

“Happy Birthday, Cheyenne,” he said.

Darrien reached out and squeezed my hand. “Happy Birthday.”

“Thank you,” I whispered. It’d been the kindest thing they’d done for me so far, because it came from their heart with no strings attached. I may not have had long conversations with them, but since my arrival they’d done everything they could to make me comfortable. They
hadn’t been cruel and calculating. They’d been kind and concerned about my safety. Willing to step in when needed. They were holding onto me by a thread, afraid it would snap and they’d lose me.

I held up my hand asking for a minute while I
went to stand on the terrace. I stared out into the valley, searching for anything, any sign that I wasn’t alone. I studied the outline of the trees far away, wanting, hoping to see a shadow.

Jahlem stepped beside me.

“They’re out there, Cheyenne,” he said softly. “They’re trying.”

I looked down at my hands. I knew Jahlem was trying to give me a speck of hope, but if he knew, Marcus knew, and if Marcus knew…he was preventing them from being seen or making contact. Marcus was working hard to drain away any and all hope I had of a rescue—ever.

I followed them to the sitting room, my dark mood deepening as the gloominess of it tugged at my sleeves. Marcus was standing near the windows, staring out at the lake. He turned and smiled while I remained near the fireplace, waiting to find out what he wanted now.

He closed the distance quickly and grasped my hands. I didn’t flinch or pull away like I had in the past
, and a pleased smile rose on his face. His gray eyes softened.

“I’d like to take you for a walk outside the compound this morning,” he said.

I didn’t reply immediately, unsure if he truly meant what he’d said. Since the moment I’d arrived here, the main gate had been closed, and guards roamed the stone walls watching for signs of my rescuers. I’d barely caught sight of Conall. It seemed Marcus had him busy protecting his compound. Why was he offering to take me outside the compound now, unless he was doing it to prove a point, but what was his point? Was it that he wanted to flaunt his powers in front of Callon or was it that he’d succeeded in killing off his opposition?

“If you’d rather not,” he said
, releasing his hold.

“I want to go,” I replied.

His smile returned.

“Shall we?” He held out his hand for me to take.

I hesitated for just a moment, before extending my hand. He grasped it, and we left the manor promptly. A tall figure stood in the shadows near the lower terrace. I didn’t need to see clearly to know it was Colt. Darrien and Jahlem closed the distance behind me, and we stopped at the main gates while they were opened for us.

My hands grew sweaty as we exited the
medieval gates, and then my heart sank when I saw the pack of Tresez waiting. Gold-rimmed eyes met mine and then looked towards Marcus. A moment later, we were surrounded. This was what it was all about. It was a show of power for Callon. Marcus wanted Callon to see that no matter what he tried, Marcus’s army always surrounded me. He wanted Callon to know that he was always in control.

We walked in silence down the narrow path,
with only the pad of the Tresezes’ paws hitting the ground. Even the birds had grown silent. I pulled my hand free and touched the tall grasses and wildflowers, causing the scent to rise in the air. I inhaled, thinking of all the times my mom picked them and had the scent floating through the house. How she always loved flowers, particularly poppies.

I stared out at the large valley
below his compound, hoping for a sign…any sign that Callon was here. Grasses swayed in the breeze, and a lone deer tracked through the opening before the forest. I picked a dandelion and blew the white wispy seeds in the air, scattering them. A few drifted out towards the vast valley and then trickled to the ground as the iridescent glitter from the enchantment prevented them from passing through. Marcus had pushed the enchantment out further than just the stone walls. He’d created a pathway of sorts to the mountain lake.