Marked (The Recruits: Book One)

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This book is for sale to ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It contains substantial sexually explicit scenes and graphic language which may be considered offensive by some readers. Please store your files where they cannot be accessed by minors.

All sexually active characters in this work are 18 years of age or older.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Cover Design: Emma Hillman

Marked: Book One of the Recruits © March 2011 Emma Hillman

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Marked

Book One of The Recruits

Prologue

It was time.

Jake tilted his head up, closing his eyes as the sun bathed his skin with warmth. He luxuriated in the feeling, until thoughts started whirling inside his mind once more.

It was time to speed things up; his people were waiting for him after all. Impatience burned bright inside him. He wanted to take her, here and now. He wanted to make her his. Never before had he felt so out of control with a potential Mate. Of course, never before had his Recruiter’s choice been so…perfect.

He opened his eyes and watched her cross the garden, stopping every once in a while to collect their empty beer bottles. She was so unlike his former conquests in appearance, and yet, the more he looked at her, the more he wanted her. He wanted to feel her curves under his hands, her body under his. He wanted to fall inside her, and never let go.

He shook his head at his stupidity. He had his position of First Man to uphold. He couldn’t dally, or take the time needed to seduce her properly. Instead he would need to be harsh; he would need to ply her senses and make her fall for him. There was no other option. His men had told him the compound was once more growing restless, John back at his usual tricks. God but he hated the damn man! He should have killed him last time, and damn the ones who’d stopped him.

Grabbing his latest bottle, he gulped it down and slammed it onto the nearest table. The other couple looked at him in silence. They knew what was going to happen; they knew their roles in his plan well. With a nod, he drew up to his six–foot–four height and squared his shoulders. Here we go… With a resolute stride, he followed his prey into the house, the alcohol coursing through his veins never once making him stumble.

But then he was an Immortal, and not many things could faze him. Except…except maybe the woman who would become his Mate.

It was time.

Chapter One: Slip of the Lips

He let his voice trail, her interest spiking at his uncommon show of indecisiveness. She’d never seen him like that before. He was usually the epitome of cool, with his expensive clothes and abrupt attitude. When she’d moved into this house, she hadn’t counted on her roommate’s best friends living next door. She remembered meeting them that first day, taken aback at the sight of the most beautiful couple she’d ever seen. She’d felt so frumpy in comparison, her with the too bountiful curves and crazy hair.

Jake’s body was honed to muscled perfection. His girlfriend had the requisite model looks. They lived in the perfect house and had perfect jobs, working from home as consultants. It was a good thing they were both very nice, otherwise Faye would seriously hate them.

“It’s just what?” She couldn’t help but ask.

His gaze lowered to the deep V of her shirt. “I miss big tits. I love Sofia, but she doesn’t have much on top. Yours, on the opposite, are more than a handful.”

Faye blinked. He hadn’t really said that, right? His girlfriend was so hot it hurt. She had professionally highlighted blonde hair that hung straight down her back; professionally tanned skin that made her blue eyes pop, and professionally whitened teeth that sparkled like diamonds. And here he was, commenting on her breasts. No way was this real! “Right.”

“Sorry, Faye. I didn’t mean to be rude.”

“It’s, uhm, okay.” The napkins she’d been holding fell to the floor when she realized she hadn’t been dreaming. With a low curse, she bent over to retrieve them, catching a wayward one with her left hand and nearly falling over while she was at it.

“Fuck, babe, you’re not helping.”

Faye grabbed hold of a table leg and looked up. “What?” She pushed herself upright and winced a little at the subsequent headrush. She kept her hands busy stacking the napkins on top of one another, while she did her best to ignore Jake’s intense gaze. She didn’t know what his problem was, but she was pretty sure he was staring at her cleavage again. What an odd thing to say though. They were friends, of course. All four of them were, but did he really have to talk to her about her breasts? No, even worse, compare them to his girlfriend’s? Maybe he’d had one beer too many, she thought, as she tried to remember how many he’d downed that afternoon.

“Having fun, guys?” Her roommate’s voice rang behind them, interrupting the moment. “Babe, where are the steaks? Sofia’s starving, she says. You wouldn’t believe how much she eats by looking at her, but I swear she gulps down her weight in food on a daily basis.” Chris chuckled as he opened the fridge and looked inside.

Faye remained immobile, a disturbing hardness pressed tight against her stomach. What was going on? Had their friend really just asked if he could touch her breasts? What the hell was wrong with him?

“What did?” Sofia asked as she entered the room and went straight to her boyfriend. She wrapped her arms around him from behind, her eyebrows snapping together when she noticed his pants tenting. “Well, hello there.”

Jake swore. Loudly, this time. “Can we please all ignore it until it goes away?”

“I don’t know.” Sofia teased. “Do you want me to do something about it?”

Faye watched her roommate watch the other couple. He was grinning, obviously enjoying the sexy banter. She wondered, and not for the first time, if there was more to things than she’d been told. She’d been living here for the past two months and she really did enjoy it. Everyone was really nice. They’d all made her feel welcome, and she was grateful. But the other couple was a bit odd at times, and Chris…Chris was hiding something from her. Maybe it was the way he stared at Sofia when he didn’t think she could see him, or maybe it was the fact that he’d clearly implied he was gay, making it all the more implausible, but there was something she was missing. She just wasn’t sure what.

“I didn’t do anything!” She snapped back, crossing her arms in a vain show of defiance. The gesture didn’t help matters as it pushed her breasts together. “You’re so…so… Men!”

They laughed at her reply, Chris’s arm wrapping around her waist and tugging her against his side. “We’re not making fun of you, sweetheart. It’s just that top is very…how should I say?”

“Low cut,” Jake supplied, his girlfriend giggling behind him.

“It’s too much, isn’t it?” Faye instantly asked, grabbing the neck of her shirt and tugging it up. “I should go get changed.”

“No!” Jake said, his eyes widening. “Please, don’t. I’m sorry I said anything, but I was enjoying the view too much and…I miss big tits. Not that I don’t love yours, babe.” He patted his girlfriend’s hand.

“I could get them done,” Sofia said matter–of–factly, clearly not minding his remark.

“No, I love your tits, baby, and you know how I hate fake ones. It’s just…I miss the way big tits feel. They’re just…” He closed his eyes, lost in silent contemplation. Or, most likely, one very hot daydream.

Faye just shook her head and started to turn around, only to be stopped short by Sofia’s voice. “Don’t worry about Jake, babe. It’s only because he’s had this fantasy about you for months now.”

“What?” She turned her head. “It’s true, isn’t it? You told me about it. You even got yourself off just thinking about Faye’s breasts. I know you did!”

“Oh, no.” Sofia’s face shuttered as she realized what she’d done. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Faye. I didn’t realize… I mean, I shouldn’t have said that. Just ignore me, okay? Forget everything I said. Please?” She rushed to her friend. “Please, hon?”

Faye bit her lip, her face suddenly pressed against her roommate’s warm chest. She could feel Sofia’s hand on her back, rubbing up and down as if she was trying to soothe her. But soothe what exactly? She should be feeling flattered instead. Their friend, the one who looked like a god and who lived with a goddess, wanted her. He’d made himself come, fantasizing about her breasts. Wasn’t that amazing? Exciting, even? A flutter of lust drifted through her, her panties suddenly feeling a lot less dry. Shocked by her reaction, she drew back from Chris and blinked.

She looked from one to the other, and gulped. They’d apparently misinterpreted her words. Did they really think she’d let Jake touch her? Or worse, fuck her? Trying to find a way to make them see reason, she asked the one thing that stood out in her overly befuddled brain, “What about Sofia?”