Chapter 9: Marked

A groan.

Julian.

I forced my head to turn, blinking through the pain. He was slumped against the wheel, blood trailing from a gash on his forehead. His breathing was uneven, ragged, panic spiked through me.

"Julian!" I reached for him, but my arms felt sluggish, like my body wasn't responding fast enough. His eyes fluttered open, unfocused. His lips parted, voice weak.

"Kaira…"

"I'm here," I whispered, shaking his shoulder lightly. "Hey, stay with me, okay?"

His eyes flickered—not quite seeing me.

And then—he said something that made my blood freeze.

"You… shouldn't have survived that."

I went still.

A slow, cold sensation spread through my body.

"What?" I whispered.

Julian didn't answer. His head lolled slightly, his body going limp.

No. No, no, no—

Then—

A car door opened behind me.

And I wasn't alone.

Footsteps. Slow. Measured. Deliberate.

Masked figures emerged from the darkness.

I barely had time to react before one of them stepped forward, raising a weapon.

It wasn't a gun.

It was something else.

A thin, metallic device, humming with unnatural energy.

I tried to move.

Tried to fight, but my body wasn't responding fast enough. The masked figure fired, a bolt of searing light shot toward me.

I braced for impact.

But—

Pain.

A different pain.

White-hot agony ripped through my wrist.

I gasped, clutching my arm. My left wrist burned, a brilliant golden mark searing into my skin, the energy from the weapon never touched me. But something inside me ignited.

The attackers staggered back.

The air crackled.

A force erupted from my body, an unseen wave of energy blasting outward. The streetlights flickered wildly. The masked figures were thrown back, hitting the pavement hard.

I barely had time to process it.

Because a shadow moved.

And then—

Vladimir was there.

He emerged from the darkness like he had always belonged to it, his expression unreadable, his presence radiating something dangerous.

His eyes found me, then darkness .

It swallowed me whole.

I was weightless—adrift in a place where time had no meaning. My limbs wouldn't move, my breath was gone, and the silence was too deep, too consuming.

Then— A voice. Low. Familiar. Calling me back.

"Kaira."

The sound of my name tugged at something deep inside me. A tether formed, pulling me up, up, up, and then—light, Blinding. Overwhelming. A tidal wave crashing over me, forcing air back into my lungs.

I gasped, my body jerking upright.

Pain. A dull ache throbbed at the base of my skull. My heart slammed against my ribs, my breath coming too fast, too shallow. My skin was damp with sweat, my fingers trembling as they clenched the soft fabric beneath me.

Where am I? The room around me was too elegant to be a hospital. The air smelled of something rich—old books, faint incense, and something faintly metallic beneath it all, Velvet drapes pooled on the floor. Dark wood-paneled walls loomed over a massive four-poster bed, the soft candlelight casting flickering shadows.

Not my apartment.

Not anywhere I recognized.

A slow wave of dread curled in my stomach. I pressed my fingers to my temples, forcing myself to think. To remember.

The car.

The crash.

The masked figures.

Then—the golden mark. The power that had surged out of me.

Vladimir.

My breath hitched. My hands flew to my left wrist, my fingers digging into my skin, please let it be a dream. Please let it be nothing.

Slowly, I turned my arm.

The mark was still there.

A brilliant golden insignia, etched into my skin like it had been burned there by something not human.

I stared at it, my stomach twisting.

This… this was real, a shudder ran through me.

What am I?

Then—Julian.

I gasped, shoving the blankets aside. My movements were too fast, too shaky. The room spun as I stumbled out of bed, my legs weak beneath me.Where was he?, Was he hurt? Was he even alive?

I forced my body forward, my bare feet hitting the cold floor as I made my way to the door. My heart pounded as I threw it open and stepped into the hallway. The corridor stretched in both directions, lined with closed doors, the walls adorned with flickering sconces. The silence was thick, pressing down on me.

I swallowed. Then screamed-

"Julian!"

My voice echoed through the hall.

And then—movement.

Fast.

A shadow lunged at me, a hand clamping over my mouth before I could scream again, I thrashed, panic flooding my veins. Whoever had grabbed me was strong.

"Shut up," a voice hissed in my ear. "Do you want to wake the whole damn house?"

I kicked back hard, but he dodged. My instincts kicked in, my knee snapping up—straight into his groin.

"Son of a—!" He stumbled back, cursing.

I didn't wait. I spun around, ready to run—But he recovered too fast, his hands shot out again, his face twisting with irritation—

Then—

"Take your hands off her."

The voice was calm. Too calm.

I froze.

The man let go immediately, stiffening.

I turned.

Vladimir stood at the end of the hall.He was still, his dark coat draped over his frame. His presence radiated something cold, something unreadable.

The man in front of me swallowed hard. "She was yelling."

Vladimir didn't blink. "And?"

A tense beat. Then—

The guy exhaled, muttering a curse. "Whatever. I'm going downstairs to check on Brain."

I frowned. Brain?

Vladimir's gaze flicked to me.

"Who's brain?"I asked when the guy with a strange hair who grabbed me earlier passed around the corner.

"You ask a lot of questions."

I crossed my arms, ignoring the tremble in my fingers. "Where's Julian?"

Vladimir sighed. "Downstairs. He's been yelling at my men to bring you down—or he's calling the cops."

My breath caught. Julian's okay. I wanted to ask more—wanted to demand answers—but before I could, I heard it.

"Kaira!"

Julian's voice. Loud. Desperate.

I turned to Vladimir. "Show me the way down."

A beat. Then, with an unreadable expression, he tilted his head.

"Follow me."

The Mansion

The moment I stepped into the grand open living area, I froze.

Recognition hit me like a punch.This was the same mansion from the party the other night. Before I could process it, Julian was already rushing toward me.His hands gripped my arms, his gaze frantic.

"Are you okay?" he demanded. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," I managed, still caught off guard.

His breath shuddered out, like he'd been holding it for hours. His hands tightened slightly, his eyes searching my face. Then, slowly, he let go, his gaze snapping to Vladimir.

"I want to get her out of here. Now."

Vladimir raised a brow. "She's standing right there. Maybe ask her what she wants."

Julian's jaw clenched. He turned to me. "Do you want to stay here?"

"No,of course not".I said instantly.

Vladimir sighed. "Shame."

Julian took my hand. "Let's go."

We left without another word.

<<<<<<>>>>>>

The moment Julian pulled the car onto the main road, I frowned. "The car… how did it get here?"

Julian's grip on the wheel tightened slightly. "I don't know. I just found it outside."

I turned to him. "So you're saying someone towed it here?"

He exhaled. "That's my best guess."

That… didn't sit right with me.

I studied the scratches along the hood, my stomach twisting. "When did you wake up?"

Julian was quiet for a moment. "This morning. In a chair. Downstairs." His brows furrowed. "At first, I didn't even know where I was. Then I remembered the accident."

I swallowed. "And then?"

"I panicked," he admitted. "Started looking for you. One of Vladimir's men told me you were fine, but I didn't believe them."

I licked my lips. "Julian… do you remember anything? From the accident?"

His hands flexed against the steering wheel. "I remember crashing. And then waking up in that house."

Nothing about the masked figures.Nothing about whatever surged out of me yesterday. A cold feeling settled in my stomach, We arrived at my house , in a few minutes but I knew—deep down—this wasn't over.

Not even close.