Inception (The Marked Book 1) (34 page)
Read Inception (The Marked Book 1) Online
Authors: Bianca Scardoni
“Then you know what she is?” asked Dominic.
He smiled secretively. “Time shall do the telling.”
“So you’re not even sure?” I jumped in, grasping at what little hope remained. “This could all be some random coincidence and have nothing to do with me
or
my blood. There’s a million possibilities—”
“All of which I intend to explore.”
“Okay. So—”
Wait
. A new level of panic hit me as I wondered how exactly he
intended
on doing that. “If I hold up my end of the deal and bring you the Amulet, I get to go free, right? You’re not going to kidnap me and turn me into some magical lab rat, are you?”
“Do you take me for a savage?” he asked, insulted by my insinuations. “I hold no one against their will. My subjects come to
me
.”
“So I have your word then?”
“Indeed, you have my word.” He dusted off the shoulder of his sleek black jacket. “You will be free to go once I am in possession of the Amulet...if you so choose to do so.”
As if I’d ever choose anything else
, I thought to myself as a brief pang of relief kissed my insides. My curiosity over what he thought he knew about me—about what I was (and if it was related to the strange time freeze I kept experiencing)—paled in comparison to my desire to never see his face again.
“You have one fortnight to bring it to me.”
“A fortnight?” I shook my head. “That’s not enough time. I need to get close enough—”
“One fortnight is all you have.”
“And if I can’t do it?” I asked, already feeling defeated. “What happens if I fail?”
“Then I take matters into my own hands, though I assure you, it will be much better for this town and your schoolmates if you succeed. It has been a long time since the rivers ran red with blood. Let us keep it that way.”
My eyes shifted to Taylor. She was a wreck. She hadn’t said a word and was barely even moving. How much more of this could she take? I needed to get her home.
“Your comrade stays,” said Engel, noticing the direction my eyes had taken. “As insurance, of course.”
“But you said you don’t keep anyone against their will!”
“I was speaking of higher beings, child. Those who cannot have their will manipulated. She is but a mere human. She has no
true
will.” He nodded to her capturer who proceeded to escort her out of the room. “Fret not. She, too, will go free if and when you return the Amulet to me.”
“I won’t fail,” I promised, though it was more of a promise to myself than to him. I had to believe I could do this. I had no other option. “I’ll get you the Amulet.”
“It is in your best interest to do so. I wouldn’t want to soil your hands with the blood of the innocent.”
“Aww,” moaned Dominic. “But think of how much fun that would be.” His steely eyes were as serious as cancer.
I wanted to carve them out of his head with my fingernails.
“One fortnight,” reaffirmed Engel, dismissing me with the flick of his pale hand.
And with that, I was gone.
The cool night air encompassed my skin like an oil slick as I left the church alone, my mind fragmented from the weight of the encumbrance placed on my shoulders. I was alive, yes, but for how long? And at what cost?
The truth was cloaked in darkness and tainted with the bitter deceit of everyone I thought I knew. Trace, Tessa, Uncle Karl, Dominic—they were all puppeteers and I was but a puppet in their show, ready to dance on command and I didn’t even know it. The stage was an illusion; the smoke and mirrors too thick for me to see through. Everything was a lie, right from the start.
But I would be a puppet no more.
I was in this thing alone and that was okay with me. It had to be. My friend’s life depended on it.
My
life depended on it. I was going to figure out a way to get the Amulet back from Trace and get Taylor home safe and sound. Some way, somehow, I would do what needed to be done. And after that, all bets were off. Jemma Blackburn as I knew her would be no more. I’d seen too much, been hurt too much, to ever go back to the girl I used to be. That girl was dead and gone.
She
had
to be.
In that moment, as plumes of fog lifted off from the ground to meet me—to guide me home like my own army of vagrant ghosts, I silently vowed to gut this town from the inside out. To find out all of its secrets and lies and then watch it all crumble to the ground like a falling house of cards. Some way, somehow. There would be hell to pay.
And Trace Macarthur was first in line.
Bonus Material
For deleted scenes, character POV’s, and teasers from book two of The Marked series, check out the author’s website at:
SLAYERS
(Warrior Angel Descendants)
Jemma
Tessa
Gabriel
+
Karl
Thomas*
Jaqueline*
REAPERS
(Transport Angel Descendants)
Trace
Peter
Linley*
CASTERS
(Magi Angel Descendants)
Nikki
Caleb
Carly
SHIFTERS
(Guardian Angel Descendants)
Dominic
+
Ben
Julien
SEERS
(Messenger Angel Descendants)
Morgan
* Character is deceased
+
Character is a Revenant
Thank you Emma Le Bon, Tricia Simpson, Heather Watson-Crawford, and all my Tribe mamas for giving me the courage to publish this book. I have never known a more supportive group of women. And a big thank you to my amazing beta-readers Brittny, Amanda, and Shayna.
A goliath thank you to my step-dad, Jason, my dad, Victor, my sister, Melissa, and the rest of my wonderful family for supporting me in all my crazy endeavors. A special shout-out to all the talented writers at Writers-Network.com—my home away from home.
A big thank you to my other half, Jeffrey, for putting up with the messy house and dirty laundry. You’ve seen
all
the parts of me—the hideous, asymmetric, imperfect parts—and you love me in spite of them. Thank you for showing me the kind of love people write novels about. I seriously love you…like
s’match
.
My biggest
thank you
goes to my mom, Anna, for her unconditional love and unwavering support. Thank you for loving me when I was utterly unlovable and for believing in me when I was incorrigible. I am stronger, faster, taller, smarter, and more beautiful in those fleeting moments when I catch a glimpse of myself through
your
eyes. For all that you are, and all that you have done for me, this one is for you. Love you lots.
And, last but certainly not least, I would like to thank my son, Jaxon, without whom this book would probably be just another one of my unfinished stories collecting dust on a shelf somewhere. I love you to the moon and back and more than all the stars in the sky. You are my reason for
everything
.
Bianca Scardoni
is a paranormal fiction writer who resides on the East Coast of Canada with her family. She graduated from college with a degree in web design and went on to build an online writing community in 2004. When she isn’t writing, she spends her time reading, watching vampire shows, eating junk food, and staying up too late.
For upcoming book releases, bonus material, and additional information on the author, please visit her website: