“Mark. I’m Mark Smith. Please help him.”
“They’re mated,” Marlon said and looked at Elias who nodded.
“I will help your mate but know he owes me a debt and if he tries to harm my mate, I will end him,” Marlon said.
“We’ll do whatever you want, just please,” Mark begged.
Marlon started to open his wrist, but I stopped him. “He will not have more of your blood,” I said and tore open my wrist.
Same as the others he was slow to react but wanted more as soon as he came to. “Josiah, are you okay?” Mark asked.
“What happened, why are we here? You!” he shouted and struggled as soon as he realized who now held him.
“It seems you got yourself in trouble with some witches,” Marlon said. “Care to explain why they captured you?”
“I told you—” Mark’s words were cut off when Marlon slapped his face. “Hey!”
“I asked you a question.” Marlon leaned in close and glared at Josiah. “I could destroy you and your mate simply by leaving you here for the sun. Just like you left me to rot underground.”
His eyes widened before he looked at his mate. “I would never do that to you,” he said to Mark.
“Josiah, what have you done?” Mark asked, his face a mask of confusion and fear.
Marlon grabbed Josiah by the throat, and I knew he could destroy him if he chose.
“Tell him,” Marlon said.
“I never wanted you to know. I swear I would never hurt you.” Josiah’s eyes pleaded with his mate for understanding but Mark tried to move away from him despite being tied next to him. “I was desperate to be more than I was as a human. When I met Marlon, I knew what he was but once I befriended him, I knew he’d never willingly change me.”
“He tricked Marlon and drained him of his blood before throwing him into a grave. Then him and his buddy used that blood to become vampires,” I said. “He left him buried there for almost a century, starving and alone.”
“But you saved me,” Marlon said.
“Then you saved me when Josiah tore my throat out,” I said and met Mark’s eyes. “He may be your mate, but I only know him as a cruel, murderous animal.”
“Josiah?”
“Mark, I swear I would never hurt you,” Josiah pleaded.
“Tell us what we want to know about the witches,” Marlon said.
Josiah’s eyes narrowed and his lip twitched. “One among us on the wagon train was a witch. She gave me a potion to drink so when you fed from me it would weaken you enough for me to take your blood. She said drinking your blood would not turn me and told me exactly what we’d need to do. She also taught me a symbol that I drew on the back of your hand that would make you heal more slowly so you couldn’t escape the grave.”
A deep growl filled the air, and I didn’t realize it was me until Marlon cupped my face in his hands. “Love, I promise you there will be time to make Josiah pay for all he’s done. But we need to destroy the witch, or she’ll keep using our kind.”
My focus was once again on Josiah. “Tell us how to destroy the witch.”
Thirty
Marlon
“Josiah, if you know anything, you need to tell us now. It was my blood that created you. I can destroy you far easier than you could ever imagine.” I was at his throat before he had time to comprehend my words, but the time for meaningful conversation had passed.
“She’s human. She can be killed like any other human,” he sputtered as he fought to loosenmy grip.
“How? Exactly,” I growled.
“You need to strike her while she’s weak. She requires a constant supply of vampire blood to maintain her powers, and not from newly-made vampires. She needs old ones. Like the two of you.” He flicked his hand in small movements the ropes allowed between me and Elias. “She doesn’t care about younger vampires. She sees us only as a source of blood she deems unworthy for her own use. It gives those who serve her power, but it’s not permanent,” Josiah said as his lips curled.
