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

But for someone like Michael Ironshot, I didn’t dismiss the idea that it was something that he did often. He was the one who imprisoned supes for merely living their lives after all.

A wide, welcoming smile stretched across his face when he saw me. “Emelia! Please! Sit!”

He motioned for the two men to lead me to the folding metal chair sitting across from his desk. They did as he’d instructed, dropping me into the chair and backing away to the only door leading out of the office. They stood on either side of the door and relaxed against the wall as they waited to do whatever else they were told to do.

“How are you finding your accommodations, my dear?” Ironshot asked me, cordially.

I slowly turned my eyes back toward him and looked at him as if he had two heads. Was he fucking serious?

“Are you fucking serious?” I spat out. “I was kidnapped, stripped of my dragon and vampire, drained of all my energy, thrown in a cold cell, and manhandled by your idiots. How do you think I find my accommodations?”

He dropped his hand and shrugged his shoulders, his creepy smile still in place. “It could be worse,” he told me, rising from his chair. He walked around the desk as if taking a Sunday stroll and parked himself in front of me, leaning back against the wood. “You could have been beaten, raped, mutilated, killed... it could always be worse, Emelia. Don’t ever forget it.”

I clenched my jaw and shook my head slowly, knowing he was right and the fact that he was easily discussing those things with me as if it were everyday conversation, scared me and pissed me off even more.

“So what’s your plan then?” I asked, sticking my chin out defiantly. “You had the chance to kill me and didn’t, so that leads me to believe that you have something else in mind, right? So what will it be then?”

Ironshot pursed his lips as if considering my questions but then hopped up and turned around, grabbing a tissue and handing it to me. Once I took it, he motioned for me to clean up the blood on my face and sat back against his desk.

“It’s a little ghastly watching you talk with all that dried blood on your lips.”

I rolled my eyes and took it from him but made no effort to clean myself up with it. Fuck. Him.

“This coming from a man who tortures his own people,” I muttered.

“See, that’s where you’re wrong.” He crossed his arms over his waist and pointed one finger at me. “I don’t torture anyone, I instruct others to. There’s a difference.”

“What are you planning on doing with me?” I asked again through clenched teeth.

I was tired of his games and I had only just come into his presence. He was playing with me and I wasn’t in the mood for it. Not at that moment and not ever.

Before he could answer, there was a knock on the door.

“Enter!” Ironshot called out once again.

The door swung open, but I didn’t see who had come into the room because I knew by his smell exactly who it was. My nostrils flared and I balled my hands into fists. Alec walked by me without sparing me a glance and greeted his boss.

“Alec, my boy! Welcome! Wonderful job!”

The two casters shook hands excitedly before they both turned back to me. They both looked upon me and their expressions were very different. Ironshot still looked at me as if I were a guest, even though I wasn’t, and Alec turned his lip up in disgust. What an asshole.

“Emelia, I know you know Alec,” the Councilman said to me expectantly.

I couldn’t bring myself to respond. I didn’t trust myself to not say something that would get me killed on the spot. Ironshot waited another few seconds, realizing I wasn’t going to say anything and turned away from me and back toward Alec.

“She’s fun, isn’t she?” he asked the caster who took me.

Alec gave him a tight smile but then saw me staring at them dumbfounded and his smile became wider. I didn’t know how to take the man. He was so strange but I knew it didn’t deter from his intelligence or his willingness to destroy anyone in his way. Alec knew it too and while I watched him look at me, I could see that he was a little crazy too. Awesome. Just what I needed.

“She’s definitely entertaining, sir,” he replied, “and I imagine she’s only going to get more entertaining from here.” His smile became dangerous and I could tell he was thinking about everything that would be in store for me as if he were going to be a part of it.

“Fuck you,” I spat out.

“Not likely,” he shot back and took a step toward me, but Ironshot held his arm out, stopping him from moving forward.

“Play nice, children,” the Councilman chided.

Alec schooled his features and looked repentant. Wuss. “Sorry, sir.”

I, on the other hand, made no effort to hide my anger and disgust while I kept staring down Alec. I hated them both.

Was I scared? Yes, anyone would be if they were in the position I was. Alec had the opportunity to kill me when he took me but he didn’t. Knowing it was obvious that Michael Ironshot had something truly awful in store for me, despite the cordial way he was still looking at me. The last time we came against one another, he nearly killed me. I had no doubt he’d finish the deed this time around, once he had his fun with me, however long that would take.

“Tell me why I’m here,” I demanded.

Ironshot tilted his head to the side as he considered his answer. “No, I don’t think I will,” he said matter of factly and left it at that.

“What then? Why am I here in this room with you?”

Ironshot pushed himself away from his desk and walked toward me slowly. When he reached the