Luna's Sokjan (Book one) (8 page)

My anger threatened to
explode; this was just too close to Meg’s murder. Thanks
Luna.

He growled
back.

Whatever, I could take him
if I had to.

“I will need any
information that you on the missing girls, and the cats have
gathered. With any luck, I can find them, before their dead.” I
told him before I stood up, time to go.

Adam could help me fill in
any holes their information had. It could be another compulsion
demon, but two at almost the same time. Well that was unheard of
and would be extremely grim news. Had someone opened a portal to
hell and left the damn thing open?

“McKenna, I am requesting
the help of the Sōkjan. I know I have the right to see the marks.”
His voice was cold and controlled.

His tone pulled me from my
thoughts.

“I have already agreed to
help you. Why do you need to see the mark? “I asked.

It was a fair
question.

“It has been explained to
me,” he began, “In order to seal the bond or arrangement between us
you have to show me the marks.”

I knew I couldn’t leave
without complying with his request. I just wanted to know who had
told him the rules. Once I knew who had clued him in, I would have
a little talk with that person. Telling people about the Sōkjan’s
marks was enough to get a body killed. Hmmm, it would have had to
be another Sōkjan.

I felt his power again, it
pushed against me, and it pissed me off. I’d walked into a fucking
trap, and I would have to play his game. I only hoped I survived
long enough to find the bastard who had ousted me.

“Fine!” I said tightly. I
was barely winning the battle to suppress my rage. “If you don’t
stop pushing your power around me Alpha, I’ll start pushing
back.”

It was the only warning I
would give him.

I jerked my leather jacket
off and dropped it in the chair. Pulling my shirt up, I placed two
fingers on my waist just below the ribs, never taking my eyes from
his.

Want to play games
dumb-ass? I’ll show you games.

“Seek what you hide from
all who need not see.” I bit the words out.

The pain was intense as
the tattoo moved, shifted, and crawled over my skin, when it
stopped it revealed the sunburst mark.

“The binding is done,
Alpha. I agree to find the girls, and bring justice to all who are
guilty.” I bit out the words of the verbal contract. Lowering my
shirt, with his nod, I reached for my jacket. “I will be in contact
with you soon.” I told him and headed for the door.

“Tell me, McKenna. Why
hasn’t Tiberius ever heard of you? I contacted him after you left
the village the other night. He has never heard of any white
tigress in this area. Why is that, McKenna?” He asked my
back.

I stopped with my hand on
the door handle.

I groaned aloud, perfect
just fucking perfect! I glared at the door. Now I had to contact
the cat clan if I wanted to stay in the area. They wouldn’t care
that I had been living here for the past two years and had not
greeted them before now. Werecats didn’t have the same rules as the
werewolves. If a new wolf came into Gabriel’s territory, he would
have three days to approach the Alpha or the pack would hunt him
down, and ask him why he hadn’t.

All I’d have to do is hold
a meeting with Tiberius. I wouldn’t have to join the local clan if
I didn’t want too, which I didn’t. They would provide me nothing,
but problems, first, I was a rare female white tiger, and second, I
was an Sōkjan. I didn’t want the ties or demands they would try to
impose on me. I could have gladly killed Gabriel, and I could do it
without any remorse.

“As I have already stated
they also lost three girls,” he continued, “Tiberius was also very
interested in having you investigate their disappearances. I have
already agreed to their terms, and have the information that you
will need.” He said. “All the files are back at the main house.
When we leave here, you can go over the information tonight if you
like.”

“Already agreed to their
terms for me? Already have all the information that I need, do
you?” I continued to glare at the door, because if I turned around
now I would challenge him. “How the hell do you know what I will
agree to and what information I will need?”

If the cat clan, truly
wanted my help I would have to make separate agreement with them.
That arrangement would override any agreement that Gabriel would
have made for me. The stupid bastard was trying to railroad me, but
why?

“Who told you about the
Sōkjans?” I asked him tucking my shirt back into my jeans and
putting on my jacket.

“Don’t.” he said. “I want
to see all of the marks. This is not a request McKenna. I know it
is my right.”

I banged the door with my
head in frustration and murmured a prayer for understanding. Only
another Sōkjan would know what seeing all the marks would indicate,
I would be bound to him until one of us was dead. It was believed
that once bound, the power of the Sōkjan could be used by the
Alpha. He would be able to tap into my power, and I wouldn’t be
able to stop him, so the old legends told.

I didn’t know if the
legends were right or not, but I’d be damn if I would be a living
battery for somebody. What I did know was he would be the only
person on earth I couldn’t kill. I could police his pack without
fear of retribution from him.

I turned and leaned back
against the door studying him. Maybe, I could find a way to kill
him. If I searched through all the old books, I might be able to
find something.

“No, you can’t completely
understand what you’re asking me to do. You have a bar full of pack
mates Gabriel. If something goes wrong, I could kill every one of
them and you.” And our arrangement would be over, hmmm, there was a
silver lining after all.

I had heard about an
Sōkjan who was forced to reveal all of his marks. The power from
the binding spell killed everyone within a twenty foot radius. I
raised my chin up.

“Are you really willing
risk the lives of your pack mates? I have already agreed to help
you find the missing girls, and I will talk to the cat clan. Seeing
the other marks isn’t necessary or needed.” I tried one more time
to reason with him.

“Yes, I do know what I am
asking you to do, and I do understand what could happen if I am
wrong. I have given this a lot of thought, and I feel that my
decision is the best one for everybody. I have also noticed the
reaction between us and based on that. I’m sure this will work.” He
moved towards me.

He placed a hand against
the door near my head, and the other cupped the back of my neck
pulling me to him. My blood boiling, my skin burned, as he touched
me. I felt my tattoo crawling over my body in reaction to his
flowing power. The one word I thought I would never hear in my life
echoed through my mind. Mate.

At times, I wished I could
find the great big laughing bitch, Fate. If I ever found her I
would just punch her in the face over and over again. It might not
change anything, but at least I would feel better.

“You will show me all your
marks, there should be at least three, and I’ve already seen one,
two to go.” He said just before, he bent his head and his lips
brushed against mine.

His tongue licked against
my lips, and I opened my mouth to let him in. I lost myself in his
scent and touch. When my power surged forward to mix with his, I
lost my mind.

Threading my fingers
through his hair, I let go and completely surrendered to the
desires he had awakened in me. My mind was telling me to run away,
but my heart was telling me to stay. I pushed at his chest with my
hands. When did I move them there? I had to get away from this man
and think this through. He looked down at me with a smug smile on
his face.

“Show me the marks
McKenna.” His voice was thick and husky.

I shoved past him to throw
myself down into the chair to pull off my boots. Gabriel walked
past me to the desk.

“I am not responsible for
anything that happens to you or your people.” I said jumping up to
unsnap my jeans.

Stepping out of my jeans
quickly, and jerking off my shirt. I glared at him as I stood
before him in nothing more than my black bra and bikini underwear.
I turned my back to him and reached up to touch the top of my right
shoulder.

“Seek what you hide from
all who need not see.” Pain lanced through me as the tattoo moved
and revealed a half dollar sized crescent moon, the mark of the
moon.

Moving my hand down to
touch just above my left hip, “Seek what you hide from all who need
not see.” When the tattoo moved it revealed a circle with a green
tree in the middle of it, the mark of earth.

Bending I lowered my hand
to the back of my right calf, “Seek what you hide from all who need
not see.” The tattoo revealed a blue tidal wave surrounded by a
circle, the mark for water.

I turned around to face
him. He looked like he wanted to say something but I quickly moved
my left hand over my left thigh.

“Seek what you hide from
all who need not see.” The half dollar size circle contained a red,
orange flame, the mark of fire.

The pain and power
building up inside of me took my breath for a second. I peered
straight into his pale face and took in his shocked
expression.

“It’s not too late to
stop.” I told him in a tight voice, and my body shook with
pain.

He shook his
head.

From what my mentor told
me, most Sōkjans would only have three marks. Only the truly strong
could have more, I had six.

I moved my left hand and
placed it on my right hip.

“Seek what you hide from
all who need not see.” The tattoo moved to reveal a solid silver
circle, the mark of air, the sixth and final mark.

I hit my knees from the
mind-numbing pain coursing through my body. It was just too much to
take. Wrapping both of my arms around my waist, I bent forward as
the power from the Sōkjan marks tore through my shields holding my
own power in check. The two powers slammed into each and mixed
together. The pain was incredible as it rushed through me. I felt
my knees give. I wanted to die.

“I seek what hides in the
dark. I seek to see what no one else sees. I seek to hunt the ones
who hunt the innocent and now I will seek for you.” I gasped out
the word to the ancient spell.

The words fell from my
lips on their own accord, as if they had a life of their own. I
screamed in pain when the last word left my mouth.

I barely felt the strong
arms pressing me against Gabriel’s chest. I vaguely felt Gabriel’s
cheek pressed against mine, but I heard his words extremely
clearly.

“I bind you to me through
the spiritual bond of mate and through all the power of the Sōkjan.
From now until the end of time Branwen you will be mine and only
mine.” His voice had taken on the same Scottish tone from my
dream.

“NO!” I screamed out loud
and tried to fight back his power as it surged forward.

I threw up shields around
the room trying to contain the wild power to just the office,
before my control snapped. The wild magic of the mating bond joined
our powers together and wiped the last shred of control I had. I
let out another scream as a wave of energy poured out of
me.

Like a living organism, it
climbed out of its host and slammed up against anything in its
path. It knocked over the desk, and threw chairs around the room.
It slammed the filing cabinets into the walls and crushed the
tables like coke cans. The wild magic acted like a spoiled child
throwing a fit. When I could no longer bare the torment, I fainted
into the cold darkness.

Chapter 6

The cool sheets, of the
immense bed I lay in, felt good against my burned flesh. The desire
to hide in the darkness was almost too great. I didn’t recognize
the room when I finally opened my eyes, but I did recognize
Gabriel’s scent. I was in his bed, I groaned.

What had I done to deserve
all of this? Didn't I do everything that was asked of me? I had to
get out of here. I moved extremely slowly to the edge of the bed.
My body hurt all over, and I felt dizzy as I stood up. Placing one
hand on the bed I tried to steady myself, before looking around the
room.

The bathroom was to the
left of me, double closet doors immediately in front of me, and
another door leading to the hallway, no doubt. Behind me, French
doors draped with dark curtains slightly open to let the moon light
and the chilly night air in. That was my way out. The cool, hard
wood floors felt good against my feet as I headed towards the
bathroom.

The bathroom was all
white, with varying shades of blue for emphasis. I washed my face
and looked at myself in the mirror. I was unusually pale with dark
circles under my eyes. My hair was coming out of the braid, so I
took it down and combed my fingers through it.

My tattoo completely
covered the back of my hands and circled around my fingers. Great,
the big dumb-ass, made the tat move again. Sometimes, it would stay
like this for days, other times it could be months, before the
tattoo would go back to its original spots.