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CHAPTER 88
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Marked CHAPTER 89
The notes echoed throughout the huge, empty church, reverberating off the walls, filling the empty space. It seemed to bounce off of everything.I had never heard music like this. Nothing even remotely like this. It made me want to capture the moment. And it made me want to cry.At that moment, I felt profoundly sad, as it struck me, again, that there was so much about Caleb that I would probably never know. I would just have to accept that I knew as much as I did, and learn to be happy to be with him for the short time that I was.It also saddened me, as it made me think of Jonah. I hadn’t thought of him in so long. When I was with Caleb, I felt no need to think of him. But he was still there, somewhere deep in my consciousness, even from just the short time we’d spent together, and a part of me still felt badly for ending it so abruptly. Whatever we’d had together, it felt unresolved. A part of me felt that someday we would see each other again. I didn’t know how, but I just knew
Marked CHAPTER 90
{KYLE’S POV}“Hey buddy, move out!” came the gruff voice.Kyle felt himself being kicked, then nudged with a baton.He opened his eyes.He was lying on a cold, hard surface, but had no idea where. Sunlight was creeping over the horizon, and it burned his eyes and skin.“Hey buddy, did you hear me? I said move it!” the cop yelled.Kyle opened his eyes fully now, and realized he’d been lying on marble. On the cold, marble steps of City Hall. He was outside, at daybreak, lying sprawled out, like a bum. He looked up and saw two uniformed policemen standing over him, poking and prodding him with their batons, smiling at each other.Kyle tried to remember what happened, how he’d got here. He remembered reporting to Rexius. Then being grabbed, being tied down. Then, the acid. He reached up and felt one side of his face, and it felt normal. Then he reached up and felt the other—and the pain came flooding back. He could feel the contours, the horrible scars, the disfiguration. They had
Marked CHAPTER 91
My heart soared as Caleb and I flew over miles of dark woods as we crossed Martha’s Vineyard, heading into the late afternoon sun. I marveled at how big the island was. I had imagined it to be a small place, but as I looked down, I realized that it was massive. The Aquinnah cliffs, where we were heading, were on the far corner of the island, all the way on the other side. Even flying at Caleb’s speed, it would take a while.Caleb didn’t like to fly if other people were around, as he never wanted to draw undue attention to him or to the race. But the island was so deserted this time of year, that he had no qualms about flying us from one side to the other, especially over a patch of woods.My mind spun as I thought of the whaling church, and of the latest clue we’d found. It was not at all what I’d expected. I had guessed it might be another key. Instead, we’d found a scroll—a brittle, yellowing parchment, and torn in half, right down the middle. It had been obvious, from first glanc
Marked CHAPTER 92
Caleb and I set down softly. The beach was empty, entirely ours. Caleb gently landing on the sand, and I let Rose down. Rose ran in the sand, jumped into the water, then ran back to the shore as the water crashed on her.Caleb and I smiled.We walked slowly down the beach, taking it all in. We walked in silence, as Caleb reached out and took my hand.The beach was dominated by the sound of the crashing waves, and smell of the ocean air. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. It felt so refreshing.Caleb scanned the cliffs, the beach, the rocks. So did I.“This is definitely the place,” I said. “I feel like I was here with him.”Caleb nodded. “It would make sense. This is a very powerful place for our race.”I looked at him in surprise. “Have you been here before?” I asked.“Many times,” he answered. “The Aquinnah Cliffs are one of our sacred places, one of the oldest energy fields on earth. The red clay and sand store and discharge ancient energy, which restores us.“Humans, of
Marked CHAPTER 93
I found myself thinking of Caleb’s piano playing, of how beautiful the music had been. Its notes rang in my ears.“I didn’t know you could play the piano,” I said softly.He sighed. “It’s been many years. I’m afraid I didn’t do the piece justice. You should’ve heard Ludwig play it.”I looked at him, shocked. “Do you mean Ludwig…as in Beethoven?” I asked, dumbfounded.He nodded.“You heard Beethoven play that? Personally?”“Yes,” he said. “Towards the end of his life.”I was flabbergasted. It shocked me to consider what he must have seen.“So, then…you met him?” I asked.“Yes,” Caleb said. “He was a close friend. He was one of us.”“A vampire?” I asked, shocked.Caleb simply nodded.I wanted to know more—I wanted to know everything—but I could see that Caleb didn’t want to talk about it. Whatever had happened, it held deep feelings for him.“It must be so incredible to have met people like that. To remember things like that,” I said.“Sometimes,” he said. “More often, it’s
Marked CHAPTER 94
{SAM’S POV}As Sam stood there, facing his father, his heart sank. He couldn’t believe it. While he’d been disappointed by the trailer park, by the mobile home, by the unkempt surroundings, nothing had prepared him for his disappointment upon seeing his dad. All of his dreams came crashing down at once.His dad was a short, thin, frail man, maybe in his 50s, balding badly, with long stringy hair that draped down over one side of his head. He hadn’t shaved in days, and it looked like he’d slept in his clothes. His skin was covered in warts, and scarred by bad acne. He had small, beady black eyes, which darted about in his head. He stared back at Sam, looking not unlike a rat. In fact, his entire aura exuded sleaze. And he reeked. He probably hadn’t bathed in days.He looked nothing like Sam. And he looked nothing like the dad that Sam had imagined he’d come from.Sam couldn’t fathom how he possibly had come from such a human being. He felt worse about himself than he ever had.Ma
Marked CHAPTER 95
{SAM’S POV}The man was an internet predator. A pedophile. Luring people in on Facebook. Fishing for different kids. Waiting for someone to come along like Sam, someone desperate, just eager enough to be willing to believe this might be his dad.The man was quick. Before Samantha could react, he had grabbed a large kitchen knife, darted across the room, and grabbed Sam in a chokehold from behind. He held the huge knife tightly against Sam’s throat, pushing into it hard enough to almost draw blood.Sam’s eyes watered over in shock and pain.“Make a move, and he’s dead,” the man said to Samantha, in a fierce voice.This was an interesting situation for Samantha. Given that this man was not Sam’s father, she had no more business here, and was just wasting her time. She could just walk out and let Sam die. It wouldn’t make a difference. This was the only lead he’d had, and now Sam was useless to her.But there was something that made her hesitate. A spark of something she was start
Marked CHAPTER 96
When Caleb and I woke, it was night. We lay on the beach together, on the sand, on the warm night, and under the light of an enormous full moon.We still had the beach to ourselves, and the sound of the crashing waves was all around us. We both lay there, awake, undressed, in each other’s arms, using our coats as a makeshift blanket. Rose lay beside them.We were both changed people.We stared into each other’s eyes. We rolled over and kissed each other again, slowly.Our relationship had changed forever. I had changed forever. And nothing made me happier.We were no longer two random people, friends, kept together by the same mission. We were now lovers. A couple. Together.I only hoped that it would last forever.There were so many questions I was burning to ask. Like, what now? He had crossed a line, forbidden for his race. What if they found him? Would they kill him? Had he risked it all for me? Was I really worth it?And now that he had, would he leave me? Was there any w
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Marked CHAPTER 109
“NO!” sobbed Caleb, as he turned to me, rushing to my side.Caleb was so distracted, he did not see Sergei, standing over us, holding the bloody sword, pleased at his work, grinning an evil grin.“You killed me before my time,” he snarled down at me. “Now I have returned the favor.”Sergei suddenly raced off, darting down the aisle of the church.Kyle scurried to his feet and raced after him, and out the front door.As they ran past her, Samantha regained consciousness, and in one quick motion, she grabbed a hold of the unconscious Sam, hoisted him over her shoulder, and bounded off after them.The church was now empty, save for me and Caleb. And Rose, lying off to the side, whimpering, bleeding.“Caitlin!” Caleb cried, as he held my shoulders. He leaned over me, caressing my face, and I could feel the tears streaming down his cheeks.He had been too shocked by seeing me hurt to even think of the sword. He knew, somewhere in the back of his mind, that the others had left the bu
Marked CHAPTER 108
{SAMANTHA’S POV}Samantha screeched the BMW to a halt right front of the King’s Chapel. Abandoning the car in the middle of the road, she jumped out. Sam, following her, jumped out the other side.Horns blared.“Hey lady, you can’t park there!” yelled a cop, approaching her.Samantha reached up and brought her fist down on his nose, smashing it and causing him to drop to his knees, unconscious. Before he could hit the ground, she reached out and grabbed the gun from his holster.Sam stood there, gaping, in shock.“Holy shit—” he began to say.But before he could finish, she grabbed him in a chokehold and picked him up off the ground.Before he knew what was happening, she had him in the air, carrying him up the steps and through the door of the King’s Chapel.“Samantha!” he tried to yell. “What are you—”Dragging Sam, she kicked open the church door with one foot and raced inside.“DON’T MOVE!” Samantha shrieked.Samantha stood there, in the aisle of the King’s Chapel, ho
Marked CHAPTER 107
As we entered the empty church, Caleb quickly shut the massive door behind us. It slammed with a bang, reverberating. The church was closed and the door had been locked, but he had broken it with his sheer strength. Now we had the place to ourselves.As we walked into the beautiful, small chapel, the sunset light poured in through its stained-glass windows, and I felt immediately at peace. It was a cozy and elegant place, its pews segmented into family boxes and all lined with red velvet. Perfectly preserved. I felt as if I’d stepped into another century. Caleb walked up beside me, and the two of us slowly looked around. A stillness hung in the air.“It’s here,” he said. “I can feel it,” he said.And for the first time, I could feel it, too.I noticed that I was beginning to sense things more strongly, and I could sense the sword’s presence here. It electrified me. I didn’t know what excited me more: that the sword was here, or that I could sense it on my own.I set Rose down be
Marked CHAPTER 106
As Caleb and I left the Meeting House, turning onto School Street, the King’s Chapel Burying Ground came into view. It was only two short blocks away, and a direct, straight walk.The fourth tip of the cross, I thought. It all makes perfect sense.As we walked, I marveled at the fact that we had walked, this entire time, in the shape of a cross, as if they had been led by some invisible hand.I felt my heart beating faster. I was nervous to finally meet my father, if he was alive. And nervous to see his grave, if he should be dead. I wasn’t sure how I would react either way. But I was also excited, relieved to at last know exactly who he was, where I came from. I was excited to know what my lineage was, and what my destiny would be.I was also nervous that this would mean the end between me and Caleb. What if we really found the sword? What would he do then? Would he go and wage his war? Save his coven? And where would that leave me?The two of us held hands as they walked toward
Marked CHAPTER 105
{SAMANTHA’S POV}Samantha raced the BMW on the outskirts of Boston, Sam in the passenger seat beside her, heading along the highway towards Salem. She was increasingly annoyed at the growing difficulty in finding his dad. She’d been sure, when she’d seen those Facebook messages, when Sam had told her with such excitement that he’d been in touch with him, that this would be easy. She would just take him to his dad’s house, and from there it would be a direct path to the sword.But things had gotten complicated. She hadn’t expected to encounter that creep, and most of all, hadn’t expected to develop any feelings for Sam. It was complicating things. Making her less sharp. Her original plan had been so simple: find his dad, kill them both, and return with the sword. Now she wasn’t sure she wanted to kill Sam at all. Especially as she looked over at him, and saw that fresh scar on his cheek, the reminder of how he’d tried to save her.More than anything, she was mad at herself for that
Marked CHAPTER 104
We walked quickly down Washington Street, and within moments we stood outside the Meeting House Church. It was another perfectly restored, historic church.We entered, and were stopped by an attendant.“I’m afraid we just closed,” she said. “This is a working museum. It’s five o’clock,” she said. “But feel free to come back tomorrow.”Caleb turned to me, and I could feel what he was thinking. He wanted me to test out my mind power on this woman.I stared at her, locking eyes, and sent a mental suggestion. She would let them in. She would make an exception for them.The woman suddenly stared back at me. She blinked.Suddenly, she said, “You know what? You two seem like such a nice couple. I’ll make an exception for you. But don’t tell anyone,” she said with a wink.I turned to Caleb and smiled, and the two of us walked inside.The church was beautiful. It was another huge, open space, with massive windows in every direction, and filled with wooden pews, all empty. We had the pla
Marked CHAPTER 103
As Caleb and I left the park, turning down Court Street and heading into the heart of the historic district of Boston, the old Statehouse came into view. It was a large, brick building, perfectly preserved from the 1700s, with multiple historic windows and topped by a large, white cupola. It was stunning in its simplicity and beauty.As we reached its base, we walked around the structure, looking for the site of the Boston massacre. Finally, as we turned the corner, we saw it.We both stopped in our tracks.It was a ring. A perfect circle.The spot marking the Boston massacre was small, hardly bigger than a manhole cover. We came close and examined it.It held no special markings. It was just a humble circle, made up of small tile, embedded in the ground at the base of the Old State House.“It makes sense,” Caleb said. “We are definitely on the right trail.”“Why?”“That balcony, above it,” he said, gesturing. “That’s where the Declaration of Independence was first read.”I l
Marked CHAPTER 102
Caleb and I stood in Boston Common, at the top of a small hill, looking out, surveying the park. He held a map of the Freedom Trail which he’d just bought in a store, and he ran his finger along it again and again. I stood beside him, holding out both halves of the ancient scroll.“Read it again,” he said.I squinted to make out the words. I read:The Four Horsemen travel a trail to freedom.They leave common ground,Enter a ring of blood,Meet at the house,And find the ones they lovedBeside the fourth tip of the cross.“A trail to freedom,” Caleb repeated aloud, concentrating. “It must be a reference to the freedom trail. It would make perfect sense. Its right in the middle, right between Salem and Martha’s Vineyard. We’re in the center.“And the ‘common ground’ reference…that must be Boston Common, where we are right now. It would also make sense. In the 1600s, where we’re standing, they hung the witches. It is a very important spot, especially for the vampire race.
Marked CHAPTER 101
{SAM’S POV}Sam was still reeling.That scene inside the mobile home had been so intense, he still couldn’t process it. That creep. The knife. The struggle. His cheek. And then Samantha. Killing him like that. It was unbelievable. Who was she?As he sat in the roadside diner, across from her in a booth, he looked her over. He was more attracted to her than ever—but also wary now. Cautious. She looked totally relaxed, sipping on her vanilla milkshake, and he couldn’t understand. Was this the same chick? Here she was, this totally cool and hot, awesome chick, who he loved hanging out with—and yet she had also been that crazy, psycho girl that totally killed that creep without even blinking an eye. Had she really killed him?It had all gone down so quickly, and the place was so dark, he couldn’t even really tell what had happened, exactly. But he remembered the noise, that sickening crack when she twisted his neck. And he remembered seeing the guy hit the ground, totally limp. The d
