The Marked

The Mutants

According to my nifty holographic watch that I'd stolen from the warehouse, it had been nearly an hour since two of Luke's personal guards found me and killed my father.

Now any normal girl would be crying into the arms of the nearest cute boy's shoulder for the loss of her father that loved her so dearly til' death parted them. But you know me better than that.

The first problem with that is that I was definitely not a normal girl. I mean for Pete's sakes I've got a bloody Mark on my wrist that gives me magical powers. I'm a very far cry from normal.

The second problem with that is I'm a fugitive from law who's now also a fugitive in the one place that accepted me. Which also means no cute boys for me.

The third problem with that is that my dad was an egotistical jerk who only cared about himself and spent his last moments taunting me with the information that my mom could still be alive, my real mom that is because apparently my first mom whom I also never met wasn't really my mom at all.

Then the thought hit me, I'd spent around a decade grieving for a woman who wasn't even my mom. I shook my head, I'd sort through everything when I wasn't a moving target in unknown territory.

When I'd left the warehouse only then did I notice another roadblock in my plan. I was in an above-ground part of the Red Society. So not only did I have Luke on alert watching for me, but also the cops. Another terrible thought hit me, maybe even the Jackies were looking for me. If Ashley had found me, there was a good chance that they could too. I shuddered at the thought.

I had considered trying to stay hidden from sight as much as possible but then I realized, knowing Annie, she would not like the idea that I was not dead and that I was not a pawn in her control. Also knowing that Luke would do anything to keep on Annie's good side, he probably only sent two guards out to search for me so it would just look like a routine check and it wouldn't raise any alarms. I grinned and to myself, that meant that Luke couldn't send his resources after me without alerting Annie that I was here. Which I was confident he wouldn't risk.

Totally absorbed in my thoughts, I ran smack into a door. I yelped as I was knocked back to the ground with a thud.

I winced as I touched my forehead where I hit the door.

"Well that was smooth." said a voice that had mocked me many times before.

I stayed silent and averted my eyes to the ground.

"Do you need me to help you up?" I looked up at Derek's outstretched hand and begrudgingly took it.

His hand was warm in my own as he pulled me up. When he let my hand go a tingling sensation was left. I let my hair fall to hide my face as a blush rose to my cheeks.

I ignored Derek and stepped forward to examine the building. It was a barn that I had run into, with red paint that was so old it was peeling in some places. The white paint around the edges of the building was tinted green with age as were the white doors.

I reached my hand up to pull the door open. I hesitated for a moment, wanting to talk to Derek and ask him how he got here, how long he'd been here, wanting to collapse into his arms and tell him about my mom.

I decided against it and opened the door. It was dark inside except for the sliver of light that came from the cracked door. I stepped into the barn as Derek grabbed my wrist and whispered, "Be careful Addie."

I looked back at him and I met his eyes for a second before turning back around and walking further into the building. More light streamed in as Derek stepped in after me, still holding on to my wrist. Although I was still angry at him for how he treated me on the island, I couldn't deny that he was a comfort.