The Mark of Fate: Book 3 of The Marked series by Ford, Rinna (romantic love story reading .TXT) 📕

decided to try, as best I could, to tell them what I was feeling. I wasn’t sure if I could do it but I knew that I needed to try.

“I knew there was a possibility that Dev and Ainsley were hurt or possibly worse, but I never truly considered it,” I told them, reaching for the bath sponge. Their eyes which usually would have trailed the sponge along my body, stayed on my face as they waited for me to continue. “Not when I learned more and more about what the Council has been up to, not when I would continue to learn nothing about their whereabouts...I mean, I knew it was a possibility but I never believed it. Not once. When we got Dev back, he was fine. Underfed and a little beat up, but fine. So I didn’t think...”

My throat burned with unshed tears, cutting off my sentence and making me take a deep breath to try and contain them. I sat up in the tub and curled my arms around my knees, hiding my face.

“But now I know. I was so naive to believe everything would turn out like I wanted it to. That he’d be alive and well, and…And now, I can’t help but think that Ronan…”

A sob wracked through me, and I knew I couldn’t hold it in any more. Ronan risked his life, he risked everything to save me. His job, his friends, everything. And since finding Ainsley and the other supes, I feared the worst. I really and truly feared it. What would I do without him alive and well in this world? How would I survive?

There were so many reasons to find Ronan-claiming my fated mate, fulfilling the prophecy... but none of that mattered. I just wanted… him. I needed him, and if he was dead or worse…

One of my men pulled me out of the tub, with my eyes tightly shut, and the other wrapped me in a towel and lifted me into his arms. It took me a second, but I realized it was Xander who carried me into the bedroom and slid me under the covers. I immediately curled into him when he slipped under the sheets after me and Matias got in on the other side, wrapping his arm lovingly around my middle.

I didn’t know how long we all laid there, but eventually, the tears dried up and I drifted off to sleep as exhaustion won over.

Chapter Ten

When I woke up early the next morning, Matias was already gone from the bed, leaving me still wrapped around Xander. I slipped out of Xan’s arms and grabbed a pair of jeans and my boots, putting them on quietly and exited the room.

In the time I had been bonded with Matias, he was always there, waiting for me after I’d woken, any time I’d spent the night with him. For him to not be there when I rose, made me a little confused.

I went down the stairs toward the first floor and when I reached it, I stopped and listened, hearing nothing. There was no one nearby. Not a single person, not even a vampire. There were always vampires milling around the mansion during the night because of their inability to sleep, but for some reason, I was all alone during that early hour of the morning.

Even more confused, I walked into the kitchen and poured a glass of blood and began wandering in and out of rooms, looking and listening to the silence. It was only when I walked down the hall where the infirmary was stationed did I hear anything. Gentle beeping of medical devices and the rustling of sheets as the rescued supes moved around on their beds were the only sounds I heard as I put my hand on the doorknob, much like I did the day before. But this time, I was able to turn the knob and push the door open.

I peeked inside and saw the dim light of a lamp in the far corner, but otherwise the room was bathed in darkness. Even with how dark the room was, I could easily see every person, every detail because of my vampire senses and they all looked calm, at peace. I didn’t want to disturb anyone especially after what they all went through, so deciding to try again during the daylight hours I began to pull the door closed.

“Hello?” a husky voice asked as if just waking up.

I heard it just before the door clicked closed. Pushing the door slightly back open, I peeked back inside and saw a pair of penetrating eyes looking in my direction as he reached over to turn on a nearby lamp.

I opened the door further and took a step into the room, looking more deeply at the man who had called out to me. His hair was dark and it hung over his eyes. His cheekbones were defined, his eyebrows were high and sculpted, and his mouth could only be described as sensual. I had to admit, I was attracted to him, even with the look of sheer and utter exhaustion written all over his face and body. He would have definitely been my type before everything that happened.

“Can, can I get a glass of water?” he asked in an almost breathy tone.

I nodded my head and walked to a nearby table where a pitcher of water and several glasses sat. I filled the nearest cup and walked across the floor toward his bed. He made an attempt to sit up but his arms gave out and he collapsed back onto the bed.

I rushed over and deposited the glass on his bedside table and reached forward to help him up. I grasped his strong, corded forearms and pulled him up to sitting, all while arranging his pillows behind him to help with this new position. He smiled weakly and grasped my arms in return.

“Thank you,” he said and sagged back against the pillows.