The Mask of the Damned (The Damned of Lost Creek Book 2)

by Danae Ayusso

  My hand covered my mouth to keep me from saying anything I’d later regret.

  “I’ve frightened you,” Draven whispered.

  I shook my head. “To say the least,” I said from behind my hand.

  He forced a smile that quickly fell. “You should go to bed, Training Bra. If you need to talk, I’m just down the hall tonight,” he promised, caressing my head before resting his forehead against mine and everything went black.

  After Draven took me to my room, in his own unique way, I laid awake staring at the ceiling.

  Celeste was stretched across the foot of the bed, snoring her ass off.

  I’m happy she’s able to sleep after what I learned tonight.

  Justice has been strangely reassuring.

  Death happens, you know that.

  Her words rang true, but it was hard to wrap my head around how our father, the man that is unlike anyone we have ever met before, could be capable of such darkness… Such selfishness.

  The knock at the door startled me.

  I looked at the clock: midnight.

  “Come in?”

  Ellie smiled when she walked in, softly closing the door behind her. “How are you feelin’, Sweetheart?” she asked.

  “Overwhelmed,” I admitted, sitting up then hugged my knees to my chest.

  “I know how that goes all too well,” she said, sitting on the chair closest to the bed. “When I first heard the tale of the Damned of Lost Creek I was beside myself, and irate.”

  “Why?”

  “Molly was my daughter,” she said, and my eyes widened. “I moved in with my daughter and son-in-law when my grandson, Luke, became ill. They didn’t know how long he had, and I was hell bent on not missing a moment with him. I knew that Greg loved Molly, and I reluctantly gave my blessing when he asked permission to marry her. But there was a little voice in the back of my head screaming at me that something wasn’t right about him. I didn’t listen to it and let my daughter’s happiness be my main concern.

  “When the unthinkable happened, and Molly became pregnant, Greg was so upset that it caused Molly to leave him and come home. He wanted her to abort the baby, as if he knew their child would be sick and would die at a young age. He promised they could adopt all the children she wanted, but she could not carry his. I don’t know what changed his mind. I have a suspicion it was Price that told Greg to grow up and be a husband and father, regardless of how temporary it might be.

  “After Luke was born is when they discovered he was sick. Greg knew right away what was wrong, he diagnosed it before the doctors could, and I could tell I told you so danced on his tongue. They tried everything, but we knew it was futile. The doctors said Luke wouldn’t live to see his tenth birthday. It devastated the family. It happened so quickly…” she shook her head, staring out the window. “One minute Luke was a happy, healthy eight-year-old and the next he couldn’t move, it hurt to breathe, and he would bleed all the time. A handsome man named Price came, Greg’s older brother, and he did his best to console them, but it was of no use.

  “One night Luke went to sleep and they couldn’t revive him. Molly was beyond reachable. She never left his side, sat in the same chair next to his bed for days at a time before Greg would literally have to pick her up to get her to move. Not only was I losing my only grandson, but I was losing my only child as well. It didn’t matter how much I prayed, not that I’m a God fearing woman or anything, we were out of options. And then one morning, Price and the others were gone and Luke opened his eyes. I was so happy and Molly was ecstatic, but Greg was indifferent. He no longer looked at his son as a father looked at their child; he looked as if his child was gone.

  “Slowly I started noticing things, and that little voice in the back of my head was screaming again. I didn’t know what it was saying exactly, but I knew something wasn’t right. Luke went from being this smiling, outgoing child that was, well, a child, to something else. He would speak to Greg like an adult, as if he was trying to console him for a loss that I couldn’t understand. Luke became quiet, introverted, reflective, and well spoken, and then one day I realized that Luke wasn’t my grandson anymore. He was someone or something else.

  “Of course I sounded bat shit crazy. You have to admit that even the best LSD trip doesn’t last that long, and here it was four years that I had been calling this stranger my grandson. When his eyes started to change from blue to brown, and his facial features changed dramatically, that was the last straw. I freaked out. Started throwing around every accusation I could possibly think of and some that didn’t make sense in the least. Then Luke took my hand and escorted me through the woods and to a dried landscape that was incapable of sustaining life. There, he proceeded to tell me the tale of the Damned of Lost Creek.

  “I couldn’t believe it. I was livid, but I couldn’t be mad at Price. My grandson was dead. He wouldn’t have woken up, and because of that, I could understand why Price and Greg did what they had. They were trying to help Molly and me. Living without Luke just wasn’t an option for Molly. I could have handled it, would have eventually accepted it and moved on, but Molly wouldn’t have. She was delicate, weak and emotionally fragile. I nearly lost my daughter as she wasted away at Luke’s bedside. When he survived and got out of that bed, she started to live again. That’s why Greg and Luke suddenly had a role reversal. It was always Luke, the child, trying to console Greg and offering his dad, the adult, words of solace. So much made sense, and I just couldn’t bring myself to tell Molly the truth. I had prayed for help, any kind of miracle, and the stars thought that a curse was the perfect means to help.

  “When Molly died in that car wreck, I didn’t know where to turn or what to do. It was Luke…Price that sat me down and told me that we were family and regardless of being blood or not, or him not being my actual grandson, that he loves me and that it would be an honor to call me family. I couldn’t argue with him, as much as my stubborn old ass wanted to, because for the first time in my gypsy life I felt like I was home and that this is where I was meant to be. And then Dilly came along, followed by Shep, then the twins, a few others that shall not be named, and now you.

  “Being part of this family is more than just a curse and having to look the other direction when something questionable like tourist season comes up and the squabbling with the Van Zuls. It goes beyond being part of something that’s immortal and helping to raise those that we find in our home. It’s knowing that no matter what you do, the choices you make, and how you feel about all of this, you’ll be in someone’s heart for all eternity. And no matter how bad you fuck up, or whose cornflakes you piss in, toes you run over, or how many times you come sulking back with your tail tucked because they were right and you were wrong, they will always love you, will always be there for you, and will do anything for you. That’s what being a part of this crazy, ass backwards, family is all about, Sweetheart. I honestly couldn’t imagine it any other way, and there isn’t anything that I wouldn’t do for any of them, even Billy. They are my family, my boys, my grandsons, daughters, granddaughters, and great-grandchildren. This is where I belong just as it’s where you always belonged, Sweetheart. Never doubt that or question it. This is where you should have been all along.”

  I’m crying.

  I don’t know when I started crying, but it feels like the right thing to do.

  Is it wrong that I want to hug our vulgar, foul mouthed, tiny grandma that knows exactly how to word everything in a way that registers with us as if she’s reading our mind?

  I shook my head.

  The way Ellie words things, how she’s without a filter and calls it like it is, helps to push the doubts I was trying to ignore from my heart and mind.

  All I want to do, at this exact moment, is sit and talk with Ellie about everything and anything: her daughter, grandson, Studio 54, Woodstock, the gypsy lifestyle she lived for so long, and commune she founded back in the day…

  The list is really long.

  “Will you hang out
with us tonight?” I whispered, wiping my eyes.

  “Of course, Sweethearts.” She smiled and crawled up next to me on the bed. “It’s what I’m here for… That, and an alibi,” she teased.

  ****

  “Try to have a good day today,” Price said when I joined the others in the dining room, looking like hell warmed over after staying up all night talking to Ellie.

  Boxes of cereal covered the table with gallons of milk and everyone was talking. Draven was noticeably absent, which made me suspicious, but I was grateful for his absence since I wasn’t in the mood for his bullshit this morning.

  I forced a smile.

  “You might want to put some pants on though,” he added, giving me a look.

  I looked down then groaned.

  I was standing in the dining room in front of my family in a red hoodie, shoes, socks, and a pair of underwear.

  “That isn’t embarrassing in the least,” I grumbled, setting my bag on the table then sulked from the room.

  School had no appeal for me today. All I wanted to do was crawl back in bed and sleep the day away. But I couldn’t. I needed to talk to Draven, since he’s the only one that’s really being forthcoming to every aspect of this curse and damned thing.

  I don’t care how helpful you think he is. I don’t like him!

  “Shut up,” I grumbled, flipping through the racks of clothes in my closet.

  Since I wanted to sleep, and I have a feeling the library will be where I’ll spend most of the day curled up on a couch with a book, I want to be comfortable. Cut off frayed jean shorts, slightly oversized blush colored tank top knotted on the side to keep it from looking like a dress on me over a gray lace bralette, and a baggy gray cardigan and matching slouch beanie.

  Daddy is not letting us out of the house dressed like this.

  I looked at myself in the mirror.

  “I don’t care. I’m tired and need to get our schedule fixed and do some research on curses and white witches.”

  She shook her head.

  “You don’t have a say in it this time,” I reminded her, examining my neck. “No bruising or tenderness… Usually those demonic fuckers take longer to heal from.”

  Dandy is a bitch. Only thing she had was stank ass breath.

  “That’s a nice change,” I agreed, giving myself a once over in the mirror before untying my red string bookmark from around my neck then wrapped it around my wrist instead. “It clashes with the blush,” I explained when Justice gave me a look.

  Yeah, that’s the least of our fashion concerns right now… The rose gold headphones.

  I nodded and slung them around my neck before opening the purple velvet jewelry box sitting on the dresser.

  Where it came from? I don’t know. Most likely, it was something Justice asked Price for, or I was too out of it to remember getting the gift.

  I teared up.

  Inside were a pair of simple pale pink crystal stud, three-prong earrings in silver.

  Holy shit. They’re beautiful. If they were clear, they could be Em’s twins!

  I snorted, changing out the white crystal earrings for the pink ones. “Please. Em’s are three-carat flawless diamonds in platinum that cost thousands a stud! I can’t believe he wears that shit in the hood when he visits.”

  True, but Em has lots of security rollin’ with him these days.

  “What do you expect?” I rhetorically asked.

  Tone noted, Bitch.

  “Miss Bitch to you, Hoodrat.”

  Oh hell no! You did not just call me a hoodrat when you look like you fell out of some white washed CW prep school bullshit show. She bobbed her head as she talked smack.

  “You’re right! I’m missing something. The gray knit Cardy Uggs it is!” I beamed and my reflection glared at me.

  Justice hates the Uggs Dillon got us as a welcome home gift.

  I don’t really like them, but they are comfortable and keep my feet warm.

  “Perfect!” I beamed, smiling smugly at my glaring reflection.

  You look so white right now it’s pathetic.

  “Hate all you want, Bitch,” I said, heading from the room. “But I’m not changing. I’m actually pretty comfortable and it’s supposed to be in the mid-seventies today.”

  You are killing our street cred.

  “I beg to differ,” I retorted. “Anyone stupid enough to try to roll up on this, thinking we’re an easy target, will get their asses handed to them before they know what hits them. Deny it,” I said, heading into the dining room.

  Point, and I hate you right now. You look so weird… So not us.

  “But what is us?” I asked, pouring us a bowl of Lucky Charms. “We didn’t know what in the hell we wanted when it came to clothes,” I reminded her before shoving a heaping spoonful of cereal in my mouth. “Holy shit. This is what this tastes like?” I asked, looking at the bowl of cereal.

  The imitation shit does it no justice.

  “The bagged crap tastes like packing peanuts… Actually packing peanuts taste better,” I said before shoving another bite in my mouth and she chuckled.

  “Talking to the other one, Baby Girl?” Remi asked.

  I looked up from the bowl of floating marshmallows and oat pieces to the girl sitting across from me, between Bleu and Kieran.

  “Justice,” I said. “Her name is Justice. Sorry for bailing on you last night.”

  Remi shrugged. “It’s cool otherwise you would have seen me tear up like a bitch at dinner.”

  I chuckled. “I warned you.”

  “You did,” she agreed. “Miss Shepherd said I could raid her closet for something clean to wear since you’re a size zero.”

  “Size one,” I corrected. “I have some baggier clothes but your boobs are way too big to fit in any of my tops. Let me finish this bowl and we’ll grab you something before hitting the road.”

  Price choked on the drink he had just taken.

  I looked over at him and smiled wide.

  “You are going to school in that?” he asked.

  “Yeah, I’m comfortable,” I said with a shrug. “Besides, I’ve come to the conclusion that you’re safe when it comes to anything with a penis coming near your daughter. Everyone thinks I’m crazy thanks to Justice and Lizzy… Yes, I will group you in with that bitch.”

  Price shook his head. “I’ll have my phone on me. Call if anything happens-”

  “You mean if anything with a penis gets near your daughter,” I retorted.

  The others laughed, and even Price chuckled.

  “Yes, that,” he agreed. “Report to Principal Wallace for flex hour. All of you,” he said, looking to the others. “Dillon will join you there. I already signed off on all schedule changes that will be required for all of you because of the incident in English Lit yesterday.”

  I groaned. “Damn it. I still needed to pick a fifth period class. Now I have to pick three?”

  Remi chuckled. “Take mythology fifth period with me.”

  “Perfect!”

  You said that with way more enthusiasm than needed. Girl crush much?

  “Let’s get you dressed and grab some coffee on the way to school,” I said, pushing back from the table.

  “Lead the way, Baby Girl,” she said, getting to her feet.

  We headed up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

  “You get laid last night?” she asked.

  I tripped over my own feet.

  “What?” I asked.

  Remi laughed. “Draven Van Zul, man whore extraordinaire, was just down the hall and you look like you had a restless night.”

  “No,” I said, opening the door to Dillon’s room. “If you must know, I was up all night talking to Grams. That’s why we had cold cereal instead of a huge breakfast. Sorry about that.”

  “It’s cool. The real shit tastes so much better than the bagged.”

  “I know, right?”

  Sitting on Dillon’s bed was a pile of clothes that I assumed were for Remi. />
  “How’d you sleep?” I asked, hopping up on the bed and made myself comfortable, watching her look through the clothes.

  Remi made a face. “Good, but I didn’t make it to the guest room they gave me.”

  My eyes widened. “You got laid?”

  “No,” she huffed, rolling her eyes. “I fell asleep on the couch watching television, using Bleu’s lap as a pillow. So no, I didn’t get laid. Yes, we slept together in a completely normal, non-sexy way.”

  I nodded my understanding. “I slept on the couch for my second through fourth night here,” I said, looking away when she turned her back to me and pulled her shirt over her head. “Hopefully the puppies didn’t join you. They’re couch hogs.”

  She chuckled. “No. Kieran even left us alone. It’s not often they’re apart, that I’ve seen.”

  “You rock the shit out of the shaved head look,” I said, changing the subject since I now knew why it was they were never apart.

  Remi snorted. “It was a necessity. The drunk I call mother and her little friends thought it’d be hilarious to hold me down and shave chunks out of my hair. There was no way to salvage it so I shaved it all off. Really pissed her off that I didn’t cry. I wouldn’t give her the benefit of knowing it upset me.”

  Damn. That sucks. Her mother and the crackwhore would have gotten along.

  I know.

  “Potential lice outbreak at the halfway house took my hair from the top of my ass to this,” I said.

  “No shit?”

  I nodded. “I like the short thing right now. It’s low maintenance. It grows really fast so it’ll be to the top of my ass again in a year, if that.”

  “Lucky, mine takes forever to grow,” Remi said.

  I looked over just as she pulled the shirt she had tried on off and that’s when I saw the scars littering her back, sides and arms.