Seventh Mark (Part 1 +2) (20 page)

“I’m going to
have Seth and Tatiana scout those areas.” He pointed to an area
marked with an “X”. “That’s where they’ve already been. They don’t
know the surrounding area and mountains as well as we do. I’d go,
but Caleb has other plans.” He crushed his fingers through his
hair.

He needed a
break. So did I. “Want to take a walk outside?” I asked. “I need a
bit of fresh air. I’ve been cooped up in the cottage for most of
the day and figure ten minutes of cool winter air might make my
brain fresh again.”

“We should go
buy you boots.”

I’d completely
forgotten with everything that happened yesterday. “You sound like
a mother-hen. All worried about my toes.” I wiggled them at him to
push my point.

“I wonder what
Caleb would think about that! I’m his understudy and next in line
to the throne of the Higher Coven, and you call me a
mother-hen.
” He chuckled, grabbing my toes and squeezing
them. “This little piggy went to market…” He pretended to bite it.
“What will my friends think?”

“I didn’t know
you had any.”

“I do. Loads
and loads, too many to count.” He started rubbing my feet.
“Actually, you’ll have to meet Tye one day. He’s an understudy as
well. You’ll like him.”

“Is he Seth’s
understudy?”

“No. Seth’s
understudy is just like him, except blond. He’s the same with women
as Seth. Disgustingly similar.”

“Don’t let
Grace meet him.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want
her mated with some male harlot.”

A deep snigger
erupted from Michael. “Gotchya.”

“Don’t laugh.
How’re you going to feel when Grace comes home crying because she’s
mated to someone like Seth?” I shook my head. “He cheats on
Tatiana, you know? I don’t know how she puts up with it.”

“Has he tried
something on you?” The smirk disappeared.

“Not with me.
He just is… I don’t even know what word to use… he definitely isn’t
the monogamous type.”

Michael sat
back. “Neither is Tatiana.”

“I bet she
would be if he canned his flirting act.”

“They’re both
players. She bates and plays just like him. They even have
competitions against each other.”

“What?” I threw
my hands up in the air. “Just keep Grace away from his understudy.
That’s whacked.”

“Point noted.
Just so you know our Siorghra doesn’t work like that. You…You can’t
just give it to a total stranger and expect there to be a link. It
can’t be forced.” Michael checked his watch. “We’ll have to shorten
our outdoor time into a walk to the back door of the house. They’re
waiting for us, according to Grace. Caleb just wanted to see if you
figured anything else from the book. Shall we go?”

Inside the big
house, I peaked around the living room. Most of the furniture was
gone, the carpet had fresh vacuum lines on it, and a fresh, clean
smell filled the air. I poked Michael and started to giggle. He put
his fingers to his lips and shook his head. Sobering, I nodded. It
may be funny, but I wasn’t about to push my luck and laugh at Caleb
to his face.

Caleb, Sarah,
and Grace were sitting in the office, talking quietly. Out of the
corner of my eye, I checked Caleb. He sat typing something on a
laptop, reading glasses on the tip of his nose. He appeared calm
and relaxed. The living room episode erased from the room and him
as well.

“Are Seth and
Tatiana coming tonight?” Michael asked.

“If I need
them.” Caleb closed the laptop, his lips pressed in a tight
line.

“If Tatiana’s
right and these Grollics are just a bunch of rogues, they’ve no
idea who they're up against. This’ll be over before it begins,”
Sarah said.

“Possibly, but
there’s something unique with this pack. They are all secretive.
How is it we were unable to find them quicker? This has never been
a problem before. We’ve been here three years and Grace says Damon
has been here since she started school.”

“Young Grollics
are dense,” Sarah said. “Maybe they knew nothing and only began
making mistakes when they found us out.”

“Like
approaching a human and pretty much telling her what we are?”
Michael shook his head. “Damon’s made all the proper mistakes of a
newborn Grollic… and an idiot.”

Caleb scoffed.
“Stop acting like a love-sick boy. Use your head and start thinking
properly.”

Michael’s
shouldered stiffened. He walked toward Caleb. “What bothers you?
That the Grollics are planning an attack and we didn’t realize? Or
that they might not be chasing you? That’s obvious. If they were
after you, they would’ve attacked your labs or offices or something
related to you. No young pack would come after you unless they had
a death wish. Even the young ones know they don’t stand a chance
against the mighty Caleb.”

Caleb stood and
kicked his chair with the back of his foot in one motion. It
crashed against the wall behind him and smashed into pieces. The
rip of the leather and shattering of wood made me jump. Just barely
fast enough. I dove to the side, between the desk and another
chair.

He sprang at
Michael and lifted him by the throat midair. Both men’s eyes burned
sapphire blue. Caleb threw Michael across the room as if he weighed
nothing.

Michael hit a
book case. The antique wood broke and books slid down the cracked
shelves and tumbled onto the floor. Michael went instantly to his
feet and fixed his shirt. He calmly walked back to where Caleb
stood and held his hand up to stop Caleb from grabbing him again.
“Stop it! Are you angry with me, or the truth I’m spewing? We all
know it’s not about you this time.” Michael glanced at me, Grace
and then glared at Caleb. “It has something to do with Grace and
me.”

Caleb threw his
hands up in the air. “Or possibly Rouge, an innocent girl who
simply found a book by chance?”

My jaw dropped.
Me? Nah, impossible.

Caleb snarled
and pointed. “Something about
her
is unsettling.” He
straightened, instantly calm. “Do not risk everything you have for
a mere child, Michael. It is unbecoming of you, and I expect a lot
more. You are to lead this Coven one day. It is time you act as
what you are – not some
weak being.
”

Michael jabbed
a finger at Caleb. “I know what I am and who I’m expected to
become! I may be your understudy, but I AM NOT YOU. Don’t ever take
your frustrations out on me again. Next time, I’ll fight back. That
is something neither of us would want…especially you, old man.”
Michael’s eyes changed to a darker shade of blue, but he appeared
in full control of himself.

I blinked,
realizing he was stronger than Caleb, in more ways than one. He
purposely hadn’t fought back.

No one said a
word and no one breathed. The tension in the room was so thick I
struggled to grasp the smallest of breaths to avoid passing out. I
tried to inhale really quietly, but my heart was beating so fast I
needed more air. Everyone’s head swung in my direction as I gasped.
I shrunk closer to the door and tried to steady my heart rate.
Needing more, but embarrassed to make another noise I tried to
inhale through my nose. “I-I gotta g-go.” I didn’t want to be in
this room any longer.

Without
finishing, I darted out the office door. I kept my eyes on the
floor and into the living room. Shivering and not moving fast
enough, I couldn’t get the image of Caleb’s face so full of malice.
I barged straight into someone heading toward the office. He
grunted, stumbled and then dropped to the floor.

Seth.

“I'm sor—” I
stopped when I realized he didn’t try to move. He just lay flat on
his back. “Holy crap,” I whispered. Dark bruises covered his face,
and a large cut on his forehead. His clothes had been clawed and
everything he wore seemed deep red in color.

I gasped, not
sure if the blood was his or someone else’s. It seeped into the
white carpet on the living room floor. I knelt down beside him and
lifted his head in my lap. “What the heck happened to you?” There
was a gouge on his right shoulder where his shirt had been torn
away. I put my hand against it to stop some of the bleeding.
Thank goodness I’d listened to a bit of first aid during
class.

“Sw-wee…t-t-tiee…” Seth opened his eyes and stared unfocused at
me.

His eyes were
brown, not their usual bright blue color.

I did something
I had never done in my entire life. I screamed.

Michael raced
out of the office before my scream finished. He took one look at
Seth and began shouting orders.

“Sarah. Ice.”
He squatted down by Seth. “Grace get gloves… for all of us.” Sarah
and Grace disappeared into the kitchen. The freezer door opened and
frozen things crashed to the floor.

“What’s wrong?”
I asked. “He’s hotter than boiling water.”

Michael’s head
snapped in my direction. “Rouge, get away from him RIGHT NOW!! If
he’s delirious he could kill you without realizing.”

I fell back
against the wall, too stunned to say or do anything else.

“He’s been
bit.” Michael’s hand pressed against Seth’s forehead. “We’re not
going to be able to cool him off fast enough.”

“What
happened?” Caleb rushed from his office.

“Seth’s been
attacked.” Sarah ran in with a pail of ice and dumped it onto
Seth.

He jumped and
tried to sit up. “Tat…I’m not gone.” He coughed, spitting blood
onto the floor. “Th-They came at us –”

Grace ran in
with a pile of snow in her arms. She dumped it over Seth’s head.
The snow sizzled and popped as it melted at a rapid rate against
his skin.

“How’s this
going to help?” My whole body shook. “Shouldn’t we get him to a
hospital or call nine-one-one?”

“No.” Michael
continued to pack ice and, using another pile of snow Grace had
brought, he packed it around Seth. “His body’s fighting the poison
on his skin.”

Seth struggled
to sit up, only to be pushed back down by Caleb’s boot. “I-I’ve
n-n-not been b-bit,” he stuttered, his voice hoarse and
cracked.

“Michael,” I
whispered. “His eyes…” I couldn’t stop staring at their muddy brown
color.

“It’ll be okay,
Rouge,” Michael whispered. “Our eyes turn back to their natural
color, when we’re dying.”

“He’s fighting
it.” Grace dumped more snow on him.

Caleb bent down
and pulled back Seth’s eyelid to show a blue pupil rolling left to
right.

I dropped my
gaze and stared at the wound on Seth’s shoulder where I’d applied
pressure. No blood seeped though, so I crawled closer to double
check. His shirt was torn and soaked red, but no cut on his skin. I
ran my hand over his shoulder and couldn’t even find a scar. He
coughed, making me jump.

“Feeling
better?” Michael sat down on the ground beside Seth.

Seth moaned and
rolled to his side. “I need a bloody drink. And a woman, maybe
three.”

“You’re
definitely feeling better.”

Caleb crouched
down. “Where’s Tatiana?”

Seth pushed
himself into a sitting position, his arms around his knees, fingers
clasped. He said nothing for a long time. He heaved a deep sigh.
“Grollics attacked by the cabin. Surprised us. One went after
Tatiana before we even had a chance to see the ambush. She got bit.
Fatally.” His head dropped between his knees. “It happened so fast…
I killed the bastard who got her, but they surrounded me after I
threw him off.”

Michael put his
hand on Seth’s shoulder.

“The one who
b-bit Tat… he went straight for her throat. She didn’t even have
time to pull him off. She didn’t stand a chance.” He shook his
head. “She’s gone.”

“And the
Grollic?” Caleb’s foot tapped against the wet carpet.

Seth
straightened. “He wasn’t the Alpha, but was one of the older ones.
He didn’t even seem surprised when I killed him. Like he knew he’d
sacrificed himself. He kept mumbling that we had no idea.” Seth
closed his eyes, paused and opened them when he began speaking
again. “I’d have preferred to take my time with the bastard and
thoroughly question him, but five more circled me.”

I swallowed the
lump in my throat.
Tatiana gone?
It just didn’t seem
possible.

“Caleb, those
boys know how to fight. They fight like in the olden days. No
weapons – just brute strength and power.”

“Like in the
beginning?” Caleb’s brows rose high, his forehead showing wrinkles
I’d never noticed before.

“Yes! But most
of them were young. Not long changed with raw strength, but old
tactics. They were scared to bite me, afraid they might be
infected, like they didn’t know. That was my advantage and what
kept me alive. They couldn't finish, and when I was bleeding so
bad, they were scared to have my blood touch them. They figured I
was pretty much dead so they took off.”

“Did you go
after them?”

Seth stared at
Caleb. “No. I dragged my near-dead body back here so I could warn
you.”

“You were lucky
then. What about the Alpha?”

I blinked in
surprise. Caleb didn’t rule with an iron fist, he had an iron
heart.

“No Alpha.”
Seth shook his head. “He’d have known how to kill me. I think he
sent the elder who I killed in his stead. Like I said, these are a
new breed, they’re young but different. With some new kind of
knowledge from the old days.” Seth slowly stood and looked to Caleb
and then Michael. He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out
two Siorghra necklaces. He separated them and stared at the one in
his right hand for a long moment. He sighed long and sad, then
tossed the one in his left hand to Caleb.

“Keep that in a
safe place for me. I’m not sure I’ll need it again, but if I do,
I’ll know where to find it.”

Caleb said
nothing. He gave a curt nod and walked back into his office. Seth
stared at the remaining Siorghra in his hand. Slowly he took the
top off the pendant and closed his eyes as he drank the contents.
He kissed the empty pendant. “I’ll miss you… He straightened and
muttered, “So much for being immortal.” Making a fist around the
Siorghra
,
he crushed the necklace into a fine powder in his
bare hands.