Curse Marked: A Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance (The Marked Series Book 1)

by Rinna Ford

  The shadow remained still for several moments, and then the fingers twitched. The wrists and elbows began to move until the entire shadow fluidly moved as if it were a real, living creature.

  The hands reached out, and as they passed through a plane, followed by the rest of its body and it all became solid until a creature from my nightmares stood before me. I gasped and backed up until I hit the dumpster, and yet, I was still too close to the monster.

  “Help me,” the monster hissed, and it turned its head to look at me. The only discernible feature was a large red eye, that darkened as it stared me down in a menacing way, and I paled. It took a step toward me and a black sword formed in one of its right hands.

  I dropped my phone as it swung the massive weapon toward me, and dodged around the side of the dumpster just as the blade sliced through the thick metal as easily as if it were warm butter. Not wasting any time, it swung again and I fell backward, hitting my head against the wall, putting me in a daze. I waited for that split second to feel the blade of the sword slice through me, but it never came.

  I opened my eyes and looked up, and instead of seeing my death, a man was there fighting with the shadow monster. Whoever it was had saved me.

  My hand went to the back of my head, noticing that there wasn’t any blood, and I slowly, carefully got to my feet. As my eyes focused, I could see that the man fighting against the creature was none other than Devlin, my homeless friend from the shelter.

  “Dev?!” I screamed, making my head pound from the sound. I grabbed my head with both hands, but couldn’t take my eyes off the two fighting before me.

  Shocked, I realized that Devlin had a sword just as big and dangerous-looking as the creatures, and he was definitely holding his own against the monster’s attacks.

  “Get out of here!” he yelled as he defended a strong blow, making him take a step back. Just as he brought his sword up, the creature grabbed him with one of its left hands, lifting him into the air.

  “Devlin!” I screamed in panic and took a step forward to help. Just as I began to take another step, Dev held up his other hand and a bright blue light shined out of his palm, blinding the monster’s single eye.

  It immediately dropped him, and threw its three free arms up to shield itself from the light and backed away, but Devlin didn’t relent. His sword vanished into thin air, and he brought his other hand up, adding more energy to the bright light.

  The monster scurried all the way to the back wall and passed back through the plane until it was a 2-dimensional shadow once again, leaving only a glob of darkness behind.

  “How?” I stuttered, unable to form clear questions. “What?”

  Devlin dropped his hands and turned his head ever so slightly in my direction, but didn’t lose his defensive stance.

  “Are you okay?” he gently asked, his hands still at the ready. He asked the question as if he were afraid I was having a breakdown.

  “How? What?” I asked again, and as I took a step forward toward my friend, the shadow shot off of the wall like an arrow from a bow, passing through the plane once more, and sailing directly toward me.

  “Emelia!” Devlin shouted in panic and ran toward me. The creature pierced through my abdomen and out my back before taking off into the night.

  With a shaky hand, I touched my stomach where it shot through me and raised it toward my face. Blood coated my fingers. My lips parted as if to say something, while my eyes slowly looked at Devlin. My legs gave out, but Dev caught me before I could hit the ground.

  “I got you, Firecracker. Just hold on,” he told me as my eyes began to close and I drifted off into nothingness.

  “Boo!”

  Startled, I turned around with my hand on my too fast beating heart. There, behind the large rock I was sitting on, was the cutest boy I had ever seen. He had to be about eight or nine years old, but even at that age, he was beautiful. His skin was the color of chestnuts, and his sable-colored eyes were warm and playful. He smiled wide, and I knew he was happy to see me because he exuded love and affection. This boy, whoever he was, seemed so familiar, but I couldn’t remember how I knew him.

  “Emi, where’d you go?” he asked and plopped down beside me. “I turned around, and you were gone.”

  “Sorry Xan,” I replied. “I saw a pair of butterflies and decided to follow them.”

  My voice sounded young, and I realized that I must be a child in this dream too, maybe even younger than the boy.

  He chuckled lightly and took my hand in his, putting them on the rock between us.

  “You do love watching anything that flies.” He looked up into my eyes, and even as a young girl, I melted into them. “I can’t wait to see what you think of me when I finally shift.” His mouth lifted ever so slightly in the corner, smirking.

  “You’ll be amazing, Xan,” I blushed and looked down at our conjoined hands. “I wish I could fly with you.”

  “You will,” he replied. “I’ll take you with me, wherever I go. We’ll always be together.”

  Chapter Three

  I gasped as I woke, sitting straight up. Looking around I saw that I was in my bed in my apartment. I couldn’t remember how I got there, but I knew something was off. For instance, I was wearing the same clothes from the day before, boots and all.

  I ran my hands over my hair and down the front of my shirt, snagging one of my fingers on a hole near my stomach that was caked with dried blood. I stuck my finger through the hole as far as I could and wiggled it, concerned about how it got there.

  Then, it all suddenly came back to me, the voice from the alley and the shadow that turned into a monster with Devlin fighting it. I gasped again as I remembered feeling something akin to a bullet ripping through my body and the numbness that followed.

  I scrambled off of the bed and pulled my shirt up, carefully looking for a hole on my side. There wasn’t a single blemish; the skin there was soft and smooth, except for a little more dried blood that flaked off when I touched it.

  Confused, I ran to the bathroom, stripped off the ruined shirt, and wet the hand towel hanging over the towel rack. I cleaned my stomach and back until all of the blood was wiped away, revealing my normal, smooth skin. How? How is that possible? How is any of it possible?

  I looked up and into my reflection, worry and confusion written all over my face when I heard something that sounded like the refrigerator closing in the kitchen. Going completely still I gulped and almost silently, walked to the bathroom door. I turned the knob and opening it only a few inches, peering out the crack.

  “I’ve got breakfast ready if you’re decent,” a familiar voice said. Plates were clanking together as Devlin moved them from the cabinet. What the fuck happened last night? Why was he in my apartment?

  I picked up my bloodstained shirt and put it back on before walking out into the hall that led to the kitchen. Devlin was standing over the stove, having just removed an omelet from a pan to one of the plates. His eyes crinkled with his smile as he handed it to me.

  “Don’t just stand there, your eggs will get cold,” he said, physically turning me around and pushing me toward the small kitchen table. I sat down in a daze and watched as Devlin handed me a fork.

  He sat in the chair across from me and dug into his breakfast with fervor. I just watched him with my eyebrows drawn and my lips slightly parted in confusion about the whole thing. “Wha..”

  “After breakfast,” Dev interrupted before shoveling another forkful into his mouth. “I’ll answer all of the questions you have after you’ve eaten everything on your plate. You need your strength after everything you went through.” He shoveled another bite of omelet into his mouth and gave me a pointed look, showing how serious he was.

  I looked down at my plate, then back to Dev’s face and nodded my head in defeat. I picked up the fork and cut a small piece of it off with the side of the utensil. I ate that piece, and every single bit of food on my plate, not tasting any of it. I was too distracted with the million qu
estions running through my head. But, I knew Dev meant business and I trusted him. I didn’t trust many people, but I did trust him. He saved my life twice in one night after all.

  I leaned back in my chair and began bouncing my knee in anticipation as Devlin finished up his breakfast. He eyed me the whole time, but it didn’t cause him to hurry with his meal. He savored every bite of food, every sip of coffee until there was nothing left to consume.

  “Okay, Firecracker, what’s running through your head?” he finally asked, sitting back in his chair, his posture mirroring my own. Dev raised an eyebrow to punctuate his question, and I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out. It seemed as if I didn’t know what to ask.

  Devlin gave me a small, friendly smile and reached across the table to pick up both of our plates. My eyes tracked him as he rose and took our dishes to the sink, then turned around and leaned against the counter.

  “How about I start,” he said, still smiling, “and you can ask any questions you have left when I’m done. Is that okay?”

  I closed my mouth with a gulp and nodded my head quickly. Dev pushed off from the counter and sat back down in his seat, leaning forward to rest his elbows onto the table and clasping his hands together.

  “Have you ever wondered why I seem so familiar to you? Like we’re family?” He asked these questions of me and I could see the hopefulness in his eyes.

  I gulped again and nodded my head. I never questioned it before that moment, but since he asked, I wanted to know why.

  “I’m your uncle. Your mother’s brother.” My eyes became big as saucers and I opened my mouth to speak, to ask him why he never claimed me and took care of me, but Devlin began talking first.

  “I remember the day you were born.” Devlin’s smile turned wistful. “You were born with a headful of bright red hair, and it was so long, your mom could wrap it around her fingers.” He laughed at the memory. “Your mom and I have auburn hair, but you, your hair was brighter than ours was. That’s why I gave you the nickname, Firecracker.”

  I smiled and tears began to fill my eyes. “I don’t understand. How can we be related? Why are you just now telling me all of this even though you’ve known me for years?” Deep down I believed him because I felt the connection between us too, but if he cared for me, why did he not help me when I was younger?

  “I promise, I will explain everything in time, and I know you have a lot of questions about that, but there’s something else I need to tell you. Something that will be hard to believe,” Devlin told me.

  “Okay. I’m listening Dev,” I replied, and adjusted in my seat. I just had a shadow monster try to kill me, as well as a tattoo on my back that grew and changed every month. My mind was pretty wide open to the idea of anything new or strange.

  “There’s more to this world than what it seems,” he said and sat up straight. “What you see every day, is only the surface. There are other beings, supernatural beings, that walk among the humans.”

  I looked down at my hands in my lap. My eyebrows scrunched as I thought about the idea of a whole supernatural community. “Do you mean like werewolves and vampires?” I asked. I wasn’t trying to be funny or scoffing at the idea, I just wanted clarification.

  “Well, yes. Shifters; not werewolves, vampires, and casters to be specific.”

  I raised my eyebrows in surprise. “I need more info, Dev,” I told him.

  “These supernatural beings work and live among the humans, but have to hide their true nature. They live their natural lives in secret in the human-driven world. We are from that supernatural community.”

  “Wait.” I stood up, pushing my chair back. “What do you mean? How could we be supernatural? How could I be one of them? I’ve never done anything that would ever make me believe that I’m something other than human.”

  “Your parents were, are supernatural, so that makes you one as well.”

  “I don’t believe you,” I said and began pacing. I considered myself pretty open-minded, but this was a little much.

  “Calm down, Firecracker, and let me finish,” Dev told me. “I know it’s hard to accept, but you still don’t have all of the information yet.”

  I stopped my pacing and put my hands on the back of the chair, giving him a look that said, ‘I’m waiting.’

  He sighed deeply before he continued as if he were extremely tired. He probably was. “Your mother is a caster. Her name is Lucia.”

  “So that would make me a caster too?” I asked. My eyebrows were drawn and I let go of the back of the chair when I realized that I was gripping it too tight.

  “Well,” he sighed, “that’s where the story gets even more complicated. Sweetheart, you’re half caster and half shifter. Your father was a dragon shifter.”

  My eyebrows rose up on my forehead. I believed Devlin when he said he was my uncle without any real explanation. I listened to him when he said that there are supernaturals out there because I had witnessed strange and unusual things happening, ever since I could remember. But this? The idea that I myself was a supernatural; half dragon shifter and half caster, was just a little too much to wrap my head around.

  “And, now you’ve lost me.” I backed away from the table with my hands up and began walking down the hall toward my bedroom. I closed the door, and leaned against it, sliding all the way down until I was sitting. I tilted my head back and closed my eyes, trying to understand it all.

  Why would he tell me this unless it was true? I trusted Devlin more than anyone I’d ever met, at least since I could remember, but this was too far-fetched to believe.

  “Don’t you want to know about the mark on your back?” Devlin asked, from the other side of the door. My eyes popped open and I scrambled to my feet, swinging the bedroom door wide.

  There were very few people who knew about my tattoo, mark, whatever. I kept it very well hidden with clothing. Even the majority of my bed partners didn’t know about it.

  “What about it?” I asked a little timidly. My hand was on the door, ready to shut it again, but I refrained.

  “I know a lot about it,” he said. “I know that it started off a little bigger than a marble, but then it started to grow with the first night of every new moon.” I took a gulp as he continued. “I know it’s been growing once a month for the last almost fifteen years, and that it’s so painful that it keeps you up all night long.”

  “Hhhooww?” I took another gulp.

  “It’s a curse, Firecracker. It was put on you by your mother when you were twelve years old.”

  “I don’t understand. Why would a mother do that to her child? What did I do to deserve that?”

  He sighed deeply. “You didn’t do anything wrong, I promise. Your mother did it to protect you,” he said. “It was the only thing she could do to protect you from those who sought to hurt you.” I began shaking my head and turned away, but he kept talking. “Lucia wanted to suppress your growing powers; caster and shifter, as well as take away your memory. But for a spell like that, there’s a cost. The cost for you was years of pain, and a mark as permanent as your own skin.”

  “Please, stop Devlin,” I whispered as tears stung my eyes. This was the only explanation I ever got about the mark, and it was airtight as long as I believed that I was a supernatural.

  “The memory loss and the suppressed powers aren’t meant to last forever,” he continued, “even though the mark is. Think of it as a countdown. When the mark stops adding to itself, everything that you lost will return to you.”

  I whipped around to face him as a lone tear slid down my face. I quickly wiped it away and folded my arms across my stomach. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, the curse was only supposed to last for fifteen years. Your mom wanted you to be an adult when the curse was to finish, so you’d have a fighting chance. With the next new moon, your mark should be complete, making the curse null. Your powers will come to you, and unless you’re somewhere isolated, it could cause major problems. Not to mention that a cas
ter tried to kill you last night with a dreamling. That means that the Council may already know who you are.”

  My eyebrows scrunched with confusion. “That shadow monster is called a dreamling?”

  Dev nodded. “Only the most powerful and darkest among the casters can create monsters like that. The one that attacked you in that alley was especially dangerous, and that speaks to the power of its master.”

  I wiped another tear from my cheek and willed myself to get it together, by taking a deep breath in and out.

  “Why would it attack me of all people? I don’t understand. I don’t understand any of this! It’s all too much, Dev.”

  “I know, Firecracker. I promise I’ll explain everything, but please trust me. I haven’t let you down yet, right?” He looked at me hopefully but my expression didn’t change.

  “Okay,” I said, resolved. I was out of ideas and I didn’t want another one of those creatures coming after me when I couldn’t protect myself. “What do I do?”

  “I have a place we can go,” he sighed, thankful that I wasn’t fighting him anymore on this. “I can protect you until you’re ready to protect yourself.”

  I nodded my head remembering how he pushed back the dreamling. He definitely had a few tricks up his sleeve. However, I still had several concerns.

  “Okay. I’ll go with you.” I told him. “But, how can you protect me indefinitely? No offense, but you’re just one old man against who knows how many supernaturals.”

  Devlin smiled wide, and before my eyes, his appearance changed. Gone were the wrinkles and weathered skin. His almost white hair turned a dark auburn, his gangly beard gone. In the place where my old friend stood, was a young, strong looking man, who most definitely looked as if he were related to me.

  “Don’t always assume things are what they seem.”