Firebinders: Marek (The Firebinders Book 1) Read online

  Adara.

  Marek couldn’t stop the sympathy that rose from his gut. He kept his sentiments to himself. No way was he going to antagonize the Cynn Cruors when they might be able to help him kill Sebastian Highmore or better yet, help him find the Shadow.

  Zac began his introductions. “Marek Bannach, Rogue MacRuadh, meet the Manchester Cynn Cruors. Our Dux, Roarke Hamilton, his second, Finn Qualtrough, Head of Security Graeme Temple, our tracker, Blake Strachan, and our newest brother, Luke Griffiths. Manchester, meet the firebinders.”

  They all nodded at each other.

  “Griffiths, we meet again.” Marek greeted. He didn’t look like the man Marek had verbally sparred with. Faith mentioning Adara being away told Marek more about the trouble brewing in paradise.

  “Bannach,” Luke greeted, the corners of his mouth tilting upward. “I didn’t expect you to be for real.”

  “I’m very real. Maybe when we see each other I can kick your ass so you can believe I’m flesh and blood.”

  The warrior named Finn raised his eyebrows. Roarke’s face remained inscrutable. Graeme and Blake straightened from their slouches against the backrest of a couch. Their eyes narrowed at Marek.

  Marek smirked when Luke laughed, easing the tension in the room.

  “Not if I kick yours first,” Luke replied dryly.

  “Let’s get down to business.” Roarke interjected. “Bannach, we are sorry for your loss. It might not be the best time to ask you but we need your help.”

  “In exchange for the Cynn Cruors’ assistance in our search for more firebinders.” Rogue stated.

  “No, not an exchange. The Ancients have already given orders to search for you and the Cynn Cruors will always protect those who need it.”

  “What do you want our help for?” Marek inquired crossing his arms over his chest.

  “To siphon out the evil from Cynn Cruor warriors turned against their will.” Roarke answered.

  “Turned to what exactly?”

  “Scatha Cruors. It’s the reason why Faith and Zac came looking for you. Why we asked Henry Heaton to contact Hank.”

  Marek and Rogue glanced sideways at Hank who was leaning against the wall.

  Hank snorted. “What?”

  “You want us to take out evil from the blood of immortals.” Marek pulled his glare away from his friend.

  “Yes,” Zac spoke.

  “I don’t think we can do that.” Marek ventured thoughtfully.”

  “Faith has been healing a warrior that was turned,” Zac replied. “His name is Mackenzie Butler, but the evil inside him is too much for her to take on alone.”

  “Faith can do that?” Rogue’s face showed his interest. He spared Marek a glance. “I didn’t know firebinders could do that.”

  “Faith doesn’t know how to harness the fire inside her to make her become translucent either.” Marek clued him in. “She has a lot to learn from us because the knowledge of her gift had been hidden from her.”

  “You might be able to read some of the passages of her grandmother’s journal. It might help in your search.” Zac suggested, shifting in place.

  Rogue’s face cleared and he tilted his head in a nod. “So what do you want to do, Marek?”

  “I don’t see any reason not to help, man. That’s what we do.”

  Rogue faced the warriors. “I’m in.”

  “So am I.” Marek added.

  “Thank you.” Roarke, Zac, and the rest of the Cynn Cruors visibly relaxed. “We understand you have a problem of your own. About someone murdering your kind?”

  Just then, Hank’s phone buzzed. “Sorry. I’ll take this outside.”

  “Someone has been killing firebinders and this just didn’t happen in this century. It’s been an ongoing puzzle for us to find out who it is, the one we call the Shadow.” Marek informed them.

  “Zac briefed us. Sebastian Highmore, isn’t it?” Finn sidled beside Roarke.

  “That’s what we initially thought,” Marek said, his lips pursed. “We initially thought he was the Shadow but he’s not. It’s someone else.”

  “What?” Rogue stared at him in disbelief. “How did you know that?”

  “He told Gwen before he injected her with the smallpox virus.” Marek’s lips flattened. The thought inflamed his rage once more. “The Shadow is still out there.”

  “Fuck!” Rogue turned away. A hand on his hip and another hand massaging the back of his neck, he deliberately paced across the room. His face was thunderous. “Sorry for using –”

  “The ‘F’ word?” Graeme smirked in derision. “I say that as many times as I drink water.”

  Blake snorted. “More like scotch.”

  Marek grinned. He was going to like working with the Cynn Cruors. It was good to know somebody in a strange and new place especially now that he and Lia had decided to leave New Orleans for good. The thought of leaving brought a pang of sadness in his heart. Uprooting – who would’ve thought it would be fucking painful?

  But Gwen was there. That was all that mattered. Marek couldn’t wait to begin a new part of his life that would no longer be lonely because Gwen was with him.

  The nerve centre’s door was nearly torn from its hinges when Hank dashed back in holding his phone aloft.

  “We got a problem, Marek.”

  The frown on Marek’s forehead creased “What is it?”

  Hank took in a gulp of air.

  “It’s Sebastian Highmore,” he said, his expression dark. “He’s disappeared.

  Marek and Rogue looked at each other before they faced the Cynn Cruors on the screen.

  This time Roarke cracked a smile. “Looks like you’ve got your work cut out for you.”

  Marek couldn’t stop himself. He smirked. “So do you.”

  Zac stepped forward and extended his hand to both Marek and Rogue.

  “Welcome to the club.”

  THE END

  If you enjoyed reading Firebinders: Marek, please consider leaving a short review on your favourite book website. Reviews are important for any author and it would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

  Acknowledgements

  When I embarked on my journey as a paranormal author, I didn’t expect a whole new world opening up for me to explore. There are so many people I’d like to thank who helped me through this journey. Sable Hunter for helping me situate Marek’s story both in Texas and New Orleans. Janka Dustan, Emily Kirkpatrick, and Jennifer Stevens. You have made Firebinders: Marek the best that it can be.

  To my ARC readers and bloggers, Book Addict Live, Paranormal Palace of Pleasures, Click Book Blog, Spunky N Sassy Bookblog, Books all Things Paranormal and Romance, Smutty Girls Book Club, Read Our Thoughts Bookblog, Tangents and Tissues Bookblog, Clare and Lou’s Mad About Books, Red’s Midnight Reads, Books to Curl up With Blog, InstaBook Tours, Amanda Williams, Amanda Catoe, Fleur Wilkinson, Sarah Ellis, Vicki Cridge, Lois Price, Samantha Shepperd, and Jennifer Grimm. You all rock! Thank you for taking a chance on me,

  To my readers and those who are just discovering my books. Thank you for loving the stories that I write. You’re the fuel that keeps me going.

  To my promo team, Janka, Emily, Shirley, Christine, Barbara, Debbie, Dianne, and Cheryl. I wouldn’t be where I am without you. You’ve been there with me from the start.

  To my family. The two men in my life, my husband and my son. I may no longer be able to have pizza. But you ply me with something more valuable. Your understanding, caring, patience, and love. You mean the world to me.

  I’m just an ordinary woman with a love for reading and baking snickerdoodles and Russian tea cakes. My son loves baking too, well at least after licking the batter off the bowl! I make a mean beef stew derived from my grandmother's secret recipe. Except for my Uncle and me, no one knows exactly how it's done. I love swimming though I don't get to do that much now. Someday, I'd like to go back to it.

  I do love myths and legends, love watching documentaries, and I do belong to a huge clan t
hat is scattered across North America, Oceania, and Asia. Now that I'm living in the UK, add Europe.

  Another thing that I love? To hear from you. So drop me a message when you can through my contact page and I will definitely reply.

  You can contact me via email:

  [email protected]

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  Website: http://www.isobellecate.com/

  The Cynn Cruor Bloodline Series:

  Rapture at Midnight

  Forever at Midnight

  Midnight’s Atonement

  Midnight’s Fate

  My Haven, My Midnight

  Midnight’s Paradox

  Midnight’s Yule (a novella)

  Firebinders Series:

  Firebinders: Marek

  Dragon Hearts Series

  Dragonslayer, Dragon Heart

  Paranormal Standalone

  Treagar’s Redemption

  (Woodland Creek Anthology)

  Dying To Live

  The Second Chances Series

  Be Mine

  You and I

  Take All of Me

  Slow Dancing (Coming Soon)

  The Mana Series

  (Historical Fiction)

  Lakam

  Other books by

  Isobelle Cate

  Love in Her Dreams

  The Club Series

  To Have and Hold

  Come Fly with Me

  (with Katherine Rhodes)