Marked (17 page)

Her high heels kept sinking into the squishy sidewalk, so she leaned against a bench and pulled them off. A soft, slurping sound on her right made her instinctively duck behind the bench. Someone was coming through a portal.

Another Ferry.

But there were no souls around here who needed to be guided to the Afterlife.

A shimmering ring was hovering about half a block away, and from it emerged one of the last people she would have expected to see. He lowered the ring to the ground and stepped over its boundaries before picking it up and compacting it in his hands. His gaze raked the area around them but didn’t slow as it passed the bench where Cacy was hiding. He hadn’t seen her.

Still looking back and forth, he climbed the steps to Eli’s apartment and sank through the front door of the building. Cacy stood up, stunned.

What the hell was Dec doing?

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

W
hen Eli got to the EMS station for his shift on Sunday evening, Dec was waiting for him.

“I need you in my office for a minute, Sergeant,” he said, then he turned and walked down the hall.

Eli followed, steeling himself. He was going to get transferred—he just knew it;
he’d
been thinking about it all weekend, trying to force himself to be okay with it.

After the fund-raiser the night before, where
he’d
danced with Cacy, held her in his arms again, seen her gorgeous smile, and listened to her say words
he’d
needed to hear—that it wasn’t just a distraction, that she wanted him, too—
he’d
understood this would be painful.

He wondered if Dec would give him a chance to say good-bye to her, or if he was going to ship him off to another station immediately.

Dec gestured to a chair in the corner of his cramped office. “Have a seat, Eli.”

Eli sat. Dec remained standing. His expression was somber. “I’ve talked to Len, Manny, and Gil. They said you had a few things to say about Cacy that night at Bart’s. Len said you were bragging about how you planned to fuck my little sister while I was too drunk to notice.”

Eli shot to his feet before he could stop himself, blood pounding in his ears. “They’re lying, sir. I’d never say that about
any
woman. And Cacy—”

Dec stepped forward, looking Eli hard in the eye. “What about Cacy, Eli? Anything you want to tell me?”

Eli looked away and sank back down in his chair. “I would never hurt her, Chief. And I have more respect for her than I can say.”

“You’re saying my night supervisor is lying. You’d swear to it.” Dec’s voice was quiet but dangerous.

“I would swear to it.” Eli kept his gaze rooted on Dec’s boots.

“Then tell me what happened.”

Eli sighed. As much as he hated Len, the asshole was a decent paramedic, and Eli had no desire to ruin a career. “Just stupid guy talk, sir. I can’t really remember.” He pointed to where
he’d
hit his head.

“I think you remember more than you’re saying. But it’s damn honorable of you to protect them after what they did to you.”

Eli’s head shot up. “What?”

Dec smiled grimly. “Someone overheard you and told me what happened.”

Eli sagged with relief. He could deal with being transferred, but he didn’t think he could live with Dec thinking
he’d
said those awful things about Cacy.

Dec’s smiled dropped away. “Now tell me your intentions toward my sister.”

Eli’s eyes widened. “I . . . I don’t have any intentions toward her.”

Dec folded his arms over his chest. “I thought you were an honest man, Eli. Let’s try again. I’ve seen the way you look at her. I saw the way you danced with her at the fund-raiser. Nice party, huh? I’ll bet you’d never seen anything so fancy. A man could get used to that, am I right?”

Eli’s hands curled into fists. He was barely able to think past the rage rising within him, but he managed to choke out, “Are you suggesting I’m interested in Cacy because of her
money
?”

“I know your life has been hard, Eli. It must have occurred to you.”

Yes. It had. But not how Dec was implying. Which made what the man was saying impossible to take; if it weren’t for Cacy’s money and her family, maybe Eli would have had a chance with her. He stood up slowly this time, forcing himself to keep his fists at his sides. “I like you, Chief. And I respect you. But if you think my feelings for Cacy have
anything
to do with money, you can go fuck yourself.”

He started to push past Dec, knowing he was about to get fired but not caring anymore. He needed to get as far as possible from the Chief before he exploded.

Dec’s arm shot out and barred the door. “You
do
have feelings for her.”

Eli froze.

Dec smiled and held his hands up in a conciliatory gesture. “I needed to know. She cares about you, Eli. She hasn’t been involved with anyone for a long time, and I don’t want to see her get hurt.”

“Sir?” Eli’s voice was only a hoarse whisper.

Dec shrugged and ran a hand over his hair, making it stand on end. “She’s my little sister, Eli. You can’t blame me for being protective. You have a sister, too. Galena . . . You understand that.”

Eli nodded, trying to decipher the way Dec’s expression changed as he said Galena’s name. Dec gave him a quick smile. “You’re a good man. You could be what Cacy needs. Just don’t let her push you away, all right? She can be tough sometimes.”

Eli laughed, his tension draining away. “Sometimes?”

When Eli entered the garage, Cacy was waiting in their rig. “Late again?” she asked, but her voice was friendly. Her eyes lit on him and lingered, drawing him toward her.

“I was talking to your brother,” he said as he climbed into the back, pulling the doors of the rig shut behind him. Even though her hair was in its usual ponytail and she had her uniform on, she looked as devastatingly beautiful as she had last night.

Cacy sat down on the bench, looking wary. “What did he say?”

Eli sat next to her and looked at the floor of the rig. His hands curled over the hard edges of the bench. “He wanted to know my intentions toward you.”

After a few moments of silence, Cacy laughed, a shaky little sound. “Do you have intentions, Sergeant Margolis?”

He raised his head to look at her. “I might have a few.”

Cacy’s face was a bewildering array of emotions. For a moment, it lit up. Then that light died, smothered by something darker that he didn’t understand. Was
she
worried he was after her money? Or was she involved with someone else? Dec said she wasn’t, but Cacy was a grown woman and probably didn’t tell her big brother everything. Could it be that Moros guy? Did she feel guilty that
she’d
kissed Eli that night in the shower? As his heart sank, Cacy wrapped her arms around herself like she was trying to keep it together. She drew in a sharp breath. “Eli—”

“No.” He shook his head. “Don’t. I’m sorry. You’ve been through so much in the last week. I shouldn’t have said anything. I’m sorry for making this awkward.”

They stared at each other. Eli remembered each of the intimate moments
they’d
had, every single one followed by a veritable tsunami of awkwardness, more than
he’d
ever experienced with anyone. From the twitch of her lips, Cacy was thinking the same thing. They burst into laughter at the same time.

Cacy clutched her stomach, laughing so hard there were tears in her eyes. “Yes.
Please
don’t make this awkward.” Her smile was real. Her tears were happy. Eli had never wanted to kiss anyone so badly.

He forced the thought away and chuckled. Then he said a word that should have been a relief, a gift, but was instead like a leaden weight on his chest. “Friends?”

Her smile faltered. Eli thought
he’d
messed up again until she slipped her hand into his and squeezed. “Absolutely.”

She laid her head on his shoulder. It wasn’t everything he wanted from her, but it was perfect nevertheless. His heart swelled as she laced her fingers with his, and he reached up and cupped her face with his hand. The delicate burden of her head on his shoulder made him feel weak and strong at the same time, like he would do anything for her, like he could be anything she needed, even if it meant just being her friend. But it also made him feel vulnerable, because she could hurt him now—
really
hurt him—and she didn’t even know it.

He smiled a rueful smile and kissed the top of her head, realizing
he’d
felt like this for a while, maybe since the first time
he’d
laid eyes on her. And every moment since, as
he’d
watched her get hurt and get right back up, as
she’d
looked out for him like no one outside his family ever had, as
she’d
touched him in ways that set him on fire . . . now he was so wound up in her he wasn’t sure
he’d
ever be able to get loose.

Eli had a feeling this was going to be the most complicated friendship
he’d
ever had.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

C
acy sat with Eli, her head on his shoulder, her heart in his hands. He had no idea. And she couldn’t tell him now, not when his sister’s life hung in the balance and it was Cacy’s
family who would benefit from Galena’s death. Cacy had no intention of letting Eli’s sister die, but until she knew Galena was safe, it didn’t seem right to get involved with Eli. If something did happen, he would probably think
she’d
played a part in it and would hate her forever. More importantly, she couldn’t afford to be distracted by her feelings for him now. Too many people had died already.

None of that stopped her from wanting
to get involved with him. Actually, “involved” was a tame word compared to what she wanted from Eli. Part of her was thrilled that her brothers had given their approval—but the other part wondered why. Especially after seeing Dec at Eli’s apartment last night.
She’d
carefully followed him in, but he was nowhere to be found. Cacy had always trusted Dec—but now she wondered if his alliance with Aislin was strong enough to lead him to spy for her. Aislin wasn’t the type to get her own hands dirty, but Dec was a different story entirely. He was practical and tough—and had the medical knowledge to kill Peter and Debra and make it look accidental. If Aislin and Dec had teamed up with Moros or any of his Kere, Galena’s soul could be Marked and crammed through a portal to the Afterlife in a matter of minutes, and no one would know if she was fated to die that way or not.
She’d
never finish the research that promised to deliver a miraculous cure for all infectious diseases.

After a night spent in the Veil, standing guard in Eli and Galena’s cramped living room, shivering, wanting nothing more than to step through her Scope and crawl into bed with Eli to feel the delicious heat of his skin, Cacy went home and crashed for an hour. Then
she’d
spent the day wading through her father’s records and dealing with more whiny Ferrys who thought
they’d
been neglected in the will.
She’d
gone to meet with the families of Debra and Peter, quietly making sure each of their dependents was set for life. And all the while, looming on the horizon, was her meeting with Moros, which had been scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.

Her stomach churned even thinking about it.

Moros would demand payment for a favor like the one she was going to request. But she didn’t know what else to do. Her father had given
her
this responsibility. He had trusted her to see it through. And Eli . . . he had already lost his parents. He couldn’t lose his sister, too.

The ambulance bay doors yawned wide as a rig pulled into the garage. It would be a busy night. Len and his crew were out of commission, so they were short-staffed. They could get a call at any moment. And yet, she and Eli sat there, hoarding as many seconds as they could get, unwilling to relinquish the moment.
She’d
never known a guy she could sit with comfortably in silence, enjoying the simple pleasure of being together. It was as satisfying as it was frustrating.

Eli shifted and gave her shoulder a squeeze. “We’ve got to get prepped.”

“I know,” she whispered.

“I guess we asked for this when we beat up our colleagues.”

She nodded.

“Hey.” He took her face in his hands. “Will you . . . meet me tomorrow? You know, for dinner before our shift or something? As friends,” he added quickly.

Her meeting with Moros was at Bart’s early the next afternoon. Maybe
she’d
be able to resolve everything then. Maybe it really would be as simple as that. Maybe that would mean she and Eli could relax and actually get to know each other better. The thought made her smile. “Yeah. I’ve got a business meeting in the afternoon, but let’s meet up at Bart’s at five?”

The alarm sounded. Eli got up from the bench grinning, and it made her heart soar. She wanted to put that look on his face a lot more often.

“Perfect,” he said. “Now, let’s go save some lives.”

Cacy paused outside Bart’s and looked out on the canal. As usual, the smell was dreadful, but the view was fascinating. Uniboats, sampans, and amphibious vehicles bumped and zoomed along, churning up the cloudy water in muddy brown whirlpools. There was a certain beauty in the chaos, a certain order in the mess. Just like in the world of the Veil. As long as everyone played their part, things would come together as they should. But when people were tempted by greed, when power went unchecked, things fell apart. Her father had taught her that.
He’d
believed in the mission of the Ferrys, to serve as witnesses and intermediaries.
He’d
told her the Ferrys were, ultimately, servants to fate. Cacy believed that, too.

She would get through this meeting . . . and then she would see Eli. Last night had been as busy as
they’d
feared but
they’d
worked side by side, hour after hour, in complete sync.
They’d
saved nearly a dozen lives. In fact, for the first shift in years, Cacy hadn’t lost a single patient. It was a strange switch from the carnage of the past week. But to be successful,
they’d
worked their asses off, and so they hadn’t had another chance to talk. At the end of their shift
he’d
said good-bye with a long hug, and
she’d
greedily absorbed the strength and warmth of his arms, needing his touch as badly as she needed oxygen.

“Stop stalling,” she whispered, drawing herself up and turning toward Bart’s. She pulled open the heavy wooden door. It was early, so there were only a few guys at the bar, hunched over their beers.

Cacy nodded to the hostess and walked down the narrow, dark hallway, her shoes sticking in the tacky leavings of a recent spill. Moros was waiting for her in the last room on the left. This time, his feet were planted respectfully on the floor. He gave her a lazy smile as she entered the room.
He’d
already poured her a drink. “Cacia, you look lovely today.”

Cacy looked down at her T-shirt and jeans. “You have interesting standards.”

He shrugged and sipped his Scotch, closing his eyes and savoring. “You asked to meet me.”

Cacy shut the door behind her and leaned against it. “I want to know what you’re up to with Galena Margolis.”

He laughed. “Nothing untoward. She’s a beautiful woman, but not really my type.”

“You know what I mean,” Cacy said quietly.

His eyebrows shot up. “Do I? Why don’t you tell me what you want, my dear.”

“You knew about Galena’s research before she came here, didn’t you?”

He smiled. “Of course. You think I wouldn’t be aware of something so significant? I’ve known about Galena for a long time. I knew what she would accomplish before she did.”

A chill passed through Cacy as she realized just how powerful Moros was. “You were meeting with my father about her. To make a decision.”

He set his glass on the table. “What, exactly, are you suggesting?”

“That she could put a major dent in our cash flow, and that you two were deciding what to do about that. About her.”

His eyes flashed red. “What makes you think there’s a decision to be made? Perhaps she is fated to die. I’m the only one who knows my sisters’ will.”

“True, but why would you be focused on her if she was fated to die soon? You said her work was significant—you wouldn’t be worried about it if it was all for nothing. So I think she’s fated to live, unless someone intervenes.”
Just like Father was.
“Is that what you and Aislin met about?”

He smirked. “You could ask her that yourself.”

Cacy’s eyes narrowed. “Galena’s fate should be allowed to unfold naturally. Without interference. No matter who would benefit from her death.”

Slowly, he rose to his feet. “Are you here to scold me, little Ferry? Or,” he said with a chuckle, “to threaten me?”

Cacy shook her head, her heart beating so hard it nearly deafened her. “I’m here to ask a favor.”

He canted his head to the side. “I’m listening.”

“Spare her. Protect her. Don’t let her be Marked before her time.”

He sighed. “Only my sisters and I know the time. You cannot say it is not now.”

She met his gaze. “No, I can’t. But regardless, I’ll pay you to resist twisting her fate to preserve your profits.”

“And yours.”

“I care about a lot more than just money.”

A gentle smile rendered his face beautiful for a moment. But his words made her heart drop. “I understand. Her brother. Galena is not the only one you wish to protect.”

Cacy looked in his eyes, not able to deny it. “I am offering you my entire inheritance.”

Moros took a step toward her. “As considerable as your fortune is, my dear, it wouldn’t make up for the financial loss Galena’s discovery will cause. Imagine our income dropping by a third. It would be like the Worldwide Depression of the twenty-first century for our people. Surely you learned about that in school? My Kere are accustomed to certain luxuries. They will not be happy. I have no doubt they would be tempted to start a full-scale rebellion. It will take work to protect Galena.”

“But you can control them, can’t you?”

His jaw tightened. “Of course.”

“Then I’m asking you to do this. Please. I’ll give you anything.”

“Anything? Oh, my dear, you have no idea what you’re saying.”

She gazed at him steadily. Her voice shook more than she would have liked as she said,
“Anything.”

His tongue traced across his bottom lip as he began to remove his gloves.

Cacy’s pulse pounded in her ears.
She’d
been raised on the stories that Moros could kill with one touch, that he could ruin and destroy with the merest brush of his fingers. “You can’t kill me. The Keepers of the Afterlife would crucify you.” Big words that didn’t match the crack and tremble in her voice.

Moros
tsk
ed and waved his gloves at her. “I have no intention of killing you. Why would you say such a thing?”

“I . . .”

“I am merely accepting payment for the favor you’ve requested from me.” He laid his gloves on the table next to his Scotch.

Her back pressed flat against the door as her breath became ragged with fear. “Will it hurt?”

“Always.”

“Will I be the same after?”

“Never.” His voice was quiet yet deadly.

She stared at the long fingers on his hands. “Will you promise me she will be protected?”

He gave her a small smile. “You have my word.”

Cacy pushed herself away from the door and took a step forward, despair and hope at war in her body. She had no idea what he was about to do to her, but she believed Moros would keep his word. And with Eli and Galena protected, it would be worth it. “Then do what you want.”

Moros walked slowly around her, the heat from his body pouring off him in waves. And despite that, all Cacy felt was cold dread. He moved in front of her, the red glow in his eyes burning right through her. She bowed her head, waiting for him to strike.

“Are you ready?” he asked, his voice just a rasp.

“Just do it.”

His hand closed hard around her throat.

It was like being hit by a wrecking ball.

Cacy’s back arched as everything inside her shattered. Her thoughts, her heart. As her mind sparked and stuttered, her vision went black, overloaded by millions of split-second images that blurred together. Faces streaking by, some she knew and some she didn’t, smiling, crying, twisted with rage. Places she recognized and many
she’d
never seen. Darkness. Bright, blinding light. Hands on hers, over her own pregnant belly. A sleeping child in a darkened bedroom. Deep-green eyes, staring into hers. She couldn’t fully translate any of the images, but she could feel them.
All
of them. At the same time. Sorrow, hatred, shock, disgust, rage, despair, joy, excitement. A longing so painful she cried out. Love so deep it buckled her knees. Pain so jagged it robbed her of any control. Loss so profound she wanted to die. Her arms splayed out helplessly as every conceivable feeling plowed through her body, causing it to seize and shudder. The entire world disappeared as wave after wave of raw emotion tossed her mind, shredding all her plans and hopes, drowning her in sensation.

Then everything stopped. Moros opened his fingers and stepped back. Cacy crumpled in a heap on the floor, a rag doll too ruined to raise her head. All the things
she’d
seen still jabbed at her soul like tiny bolts of lightning.

“That was . . . magnificent,” he whispered hoarsely. “Thank you.”

Cacy lay there for several minutes, unable to move, barely able to draw breath. Her entire body vibrated with agony, like all her limbs had been pulled out of joint. Finally, she summoned enough strength to speak. “What did you do to me?”

The wooden chair creaked as Moros sat down. “I tasted your future.”

Excruciating pain shot through her arms and shoulders as she pushed herself up. “Don’t you already know my future?”

He nodded, his usually neat hair now disheveled, his breaths still coming deep and heavy. “But now I have experienced it for myself. Ah, you feel things so deeply, Cacia. The
sensation
of it . . . Not many people willingly allow me to do that.”

She could certainly understand why. It wasn’t just the physical pain. It was the feeling of being split wide open at the very core of her soul, torn apart, and carelessly glued back together with no regard for where things were supposed to go. She shakily got to her feet, leaning against the door to keep from falling. “Is that all? Have you had enough?”

He stroked a hand lazily down the arm of his chair. “More might permanently damage you.”

“That was really my future?” Right now she wasn’t sure she could endure another minute, let alone a lifetime. But there had been flashes of beauty in all that pain. Moments of ecstasy. It felt far out of reach now, though. “Do I still get to have it?”

He peered down at her, a million secrets glinting in the dark depths of his eyes. “You might.”