Catalyst Page 0,72

family crest. It was burned into the center of his palm. Kahli couldn't breathe. She staggered back from Cole, clutching her wrist, too afraid to look. Before she had a chance to think, Cole's angry gaze met hers. He grabbed her wrist, his bloody hand curling around her arm. Flipping her wrist over, he looked at the mark with disgust. Cole dropped her arm, and turned on his heel, thrusting his hands into his hair like he was going to scream and pull it out.

"This can't be happening," he hissed. "Not with you! Not now!" He rounded on Kahli. The blood on his face coagulated, darkening as it did so. The gash was no longer dripping.

"This can't be." Kahli stared at him, her green eyes wide. "My betrothed is dead, along with everyone else. There's no way in hell, it's you!" Kahli's anger got the best of her. She slammed her open palms into Cole's chest, but he barely rocked back. "Explain this!" she screamed, hitting his chest again. "You're not wild! You were raised on a farm, with Cassie! You can't be him!" While she screamed at him, one thought raced through her mind over and over, That life is gone. That life is gone. That life is gone.

Cole grabbed her wrists and flung them away. Hissing in her face, he growled, "Hit me again, and I don't care what our parent's agreed, I'll kill you." Kahli sucked in jagged breaths, her shoulders rising as her fingers balled into fists at her sides. The King was getting away, but she had to know why her family crest was on his hand. There was no way he could be the one that she was promised.

"You're not wild," she breathed too calmly, her voice almost airy. Pointing at him, she demanded, "Explain this. Explain why your cut healed. Explain why my crest is on your palm."

"I don't have to tell you a damn thing," Cole hissed and turned on his heel. He started to walk back the way he'd come. Kahli's jaw fell open. She froze for half a second and then followed him.

Grabbing his arm hard, Kahli pulled him around. Cole stared daggers at her. "My parents died protecting me."

"So did mine."

Kahli stared not knowing what else to say, to do. "It means nothing," but looking down at her wrist, she knew that wasn't true. Cole's blood brought out the rune, his family crest. It was burned into her wrist, just as hers was branded onto his palm. Their pasts connected them in a way that she couldn't ignore.

Cole's jaw tensed, like he was going to say something, but he didn't. Instead he turned on his heel with newfound determination lining his shoulders. He took a few steps and stopped. Turning around, he looked back at Kahli, at the girl his parent's choose for him, and his fingers curled into fists. She stood there looking at him, not following. He snapped at her, "Come on."

Confused at his change of direction, Kahli asked, "Where are we going?"

"To save the others. We'll lead them back to this passage way and tell them to follow the footprints out. Cassie can lead them to the hills and get them started toward the safe house."

"And what about you?"

Cole glanced at her like Kahli was a thorn in his side. "I've been marked for other things. Apparently, our fates are intertwined." Cole's gaze was hard, unforgiving, as he studied his hand. At the center of Kahli's crest was a wolf, savagely growling, bearing its teeth. Vines surrounded the animal, twining together at the top and the bottom with sprigs of flowers that hadn't been seen in centuries. He didn't even know what they were called. Blinking hard, he lifted his gaze to meet hers, "The King only expects to see you. You're more likely to survive if I go with you. Let's get this over with."

Kahli's lips lifted into a grin. There was no telling Cole differently once he made up his mind. And having him along might help. "I always knew something was wrong with you."

Cole glanced over his shoulder. Lifting a dark brow, he said, "Yeah, apparently all this time I was engaged to you, the biggest pain in the ass I've ever met."

Chapter 37

Cole directed Cassie to take everyone out through the garden and to continue onto the safe house without him. Although Cole didn't want Kahli to see Cassie, he couldn't leave her in the hallway. There were too many vamps