Charmed by the Beast: an Adult Paranormal Shifter Romance (The Conduit Series Book 3)

by Conner Kressley

  “Abram, this isn’t his fault,” I said, shaking my head. “He told you he didn’t remember until a few months ago, just like I didn’t. Something hid those memories from us. Something wants me here.”

  “The same thing that ‘un-hid’ them, I’d assume,” Abram said, looking over at me with the same glass-cutting stare. “The thing that wants you dead. I won’t risk that, not even for your husband.” His glare returned to Charlie. “Especially not for your husband.”

  “Stop it,” I muttered. “This isn’t his fault. Something is after him, and he can’t defend himself. Would you really be able to live with yourself if you just walked away from this?”

  “What if I said yes?” he asked, literally stopping me in my tracks.

  “Then I would tell you it’s not your decision,” I shot back. “Go wherever you want, I suppose. But I’m going to do what’s right. Even if it’s dangerous. That’s the kind of woman I am. The kind of woman you helped me become.”

  “Well.” Abram shifted his attention from me to Charlie and back again. “Someone did.”

  Still glaring, he shook his head and marched out of the hotel room.

  Chapter 2

  This, very obviously, wasn’t what I wanted. I sighed, trying to release my frustration, but it did little good.

  “Trouble in paradise?” Charlie grinned at me from the couch. “Between you and me, he’s a little bulky for you anyway. I never saw you as the type to go after muscle men, you know?”

  “Shut up, Charlie.” I grimaced and marched out of the room.

  Abram hadn’t said where he was going, but he didn’t have to. I already knew.

  I climbed the stairwell leading up to the roof and stepped out in the cool early evening. We had little time before the beast came out of hiding.

  Lit candles flickered along the concrete walls, a cruel reminder of what this vacation was actually supposed to be about—of what we were supposed to be about.

  Abram stood by the ledge, facing the city, his back to me, though surely he’d heard me come out here. What could I possibly say? This situation wasn’t fair to him, but it wasn’t really anyone’s fault.

  Finally, Abram turned to me, scowling. “How did you find me?”

  “Because this is where I would go,” I said, not moving to close the distance between us. “I get that you’re mad,” I said, trying to keep my tone even. “And I understand why.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “I don’t think you do, Charisse. This world—it’s the only one you’ve ever lived in. So how could you possibly understand anything?”

  “Ouch,” I said, frowning. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  He leaned against the ledge, arms crossed, his biceps flexing as he tucked his hands into place. “I’ve lived one hundred and fifty years. To be honest, I much prefer the ways thing were to the way they’ve become. This idea that marriage is disposable, that it’s something to go through again and again, it’s not something I’m comfortable with.”

  “I’m…not sure what to say,” I admitted. I hadn’t thought that Abram might see the world differently than I did, than I ever could, but now that I was faced with that realization, it was the only thing that made sense. Of course we didn’t share the same worldview. We didn’t need over a century between us for that to happen. “I’m not necessarily comfortable with it either,” I added. “I always thought of myself as getting married once, of making it stick.”

  “Did you?” His eyebrows pulled together, and he looked away. “Because that might make it worse.”

  I took a steadying breath and crossed over to him, sitting right at his side and placing myself into his line of sight. “Don’t be like this, Abram. We’re bigger than this.”

  “Maybe you are,” he mumbled. “But this is who I am, Charisse. This is me. And the fact that you decided to enter into a sacred union with a man just for insurance isn’t something I want to think about for an extended amount of time.”

  “He was going to die,” I said, tossing my hand up. “Was I just supposed to let him die then?”

  “Of course not.”

  “Then what?”

  Abram shook his head. “I don’t know. Maybe the world has progressed so far that it’s left me behind, but I think you should have found another way. You don’t cheapen yourself to save someone. You don’t give away something that you can’t get back, not unless you absolutely have to.”

  “I helped someone who wasn’t able to help themselves when no one else was willing to help them. That’s what you did with me, isn’t it?”

  He didn’t answer.

  “Come on, Abram. We haven’t overcome death twice just to get torn apart by something like this.”

  He scoffed. “Easy to say when you’re on the other side of it.”

  “I have been on the other side of,” I countered. “Remember everything I went through with you in New Haven? All the secrets? Heck, your ex-girlfriend practically controls our lives!”

  “And you let her,” he said. He chewed his lip, staring unseeingly past my shoulder. “I just don’t understand how you could forget you’re married.”

  “You heard Satina. It was some kind of curse.” I raised my eyebrow. “Besides, would you prefer I remembered and was keeping it from you?”

  Abram shook his head. “What if it were me? Would you forget me, too?”

  I took his hand and kissed his knuckles. “I hope not. But you know as well as I do we don’t have time for this. We need to get back in there and figure out what’s going on.”

  Abram snapped his hand back, his expression turning back into a stony mask. “I’m not going in there. With him. He’s in our room, Charisse,” Abram said, grinding his teeth. Technically, it was the hotel’s living room. But now didn’t seem like the time to bring that up. “Your husband—and he is still your husband—is sitting in our living room.”

  “And so is your ex-girlfriend,” I yelled. “We both have pasts, and because we are officially the weirdest couple in the world, our pasts happen to follow us around…like all the time. But what are we supposed to do? We don’t give up on each other, Abram. Not after all we’ve been through together. And we sure as hell don’t make each other feel stupid or worthless for the choices we made years ago.”

  This seemed to get his attention because his eyes went wide. His hand came up to rest on my arm.

  “That’s not—” His Adam’s apple bobbed. “I would never want to make you feel that way. If that’s what I’m doing, if that’s how you feel—”

  “It’s all right,” I said.

  “It’s not.” His hand caressed the side of my arm now. “It’s just…I’ve fought so hard to keep you.”

  “It does seem like I’m always on the verge of being killed,” I admitted. “Though, if that’s the case, I do wonder why I’m always the one who ends up doing the saving.”

  This pulled a grin from his lips. “I think it was more of a group effort last time.”

  “You’re being generous.” I smiled, reaching out to press my hand to the side of his face. “But I’ll allow it.”

  “I’ve almost lost you twice now, Charisse,” he said, his hand coming up to cover my own. “Those were the worst times of my life. But I got through them. Do you know what got me through? Knowing that—after all of that—you were mine. I was yours, and you were mine. I never doubted that.”

  “And you still shouldn’t,” I said. “If you think that Charlie could ever come between us, then I haven’t done a good job of showing you what you mean to me.” I lowered my hand and sidled close enough to him to rest my head on his shoulder. His hand found mine, and our fingers wove together. “I’m yours—now, forever, and always. Nothing I did in the past, not even some shotgun city hall wedding, is going to change that.”

  He lifted my chin and stared down into my eyes as though searching my soul. His lips came down to mine, and the kiss we shared sent more sparks through me than fireworks in the sky during a New York Fourth of July.
/>   When he pulled back, I let out a slow sigh. “Tell me you understand.”

  “I do,” he said, his gaze softer, his arms holding me firmly against him.

  “Good,” I said, patting his knee. “Then let’s get down to business, so that, when we’re done, we can…you know…really get down to business.”

  “You’re terrible,” he said, standing and pulling me to my feet with him. “I’ll listen to what that jackass has to say, but I’m not making any promises. If this turns out to be too dangerous for you, we leave.”

  I gave him a look, but I didn’t answer.

  “Then we leave, Charisse,” he repeated.

  I began to walk back toward the door that led inside.

  “Charisse,” he called out.

  I pressed my lips together. Nope. Not winning this one, pal!

  “I know you heard me, Charisse. If it’s too dangerous, we’re leaving.”

  I pulled open the door, barely able to contain my grin.

  As I started down the stairs, I heard Abram mutter, “She heard me.”

  * * *

  When we returned to the room, Charlie was once again stretched out over the couch. To his credit, he snapped back into place as soon as he saw Abram follow me in.

  Not to be outdone, he stood up, plastered a stupid grin on his infuriating face, and asked, “So, what’s the verdict? Can I spend the night?”

  “Shut up, Charlie,” I muttered.

  Abram leaned against the wall by the door. “Or I could make him shut up.”

  “No need,” Charlie said, wisely sitting back down. “Shutting up now.”

  I rounded the front of the couch where Charlie was sitting and motioned for Satina to sit next to him. “If we could keep the snark levels and the prince charming nonsense down long enough to actually find out what’s going on here, that would be great. Because, believe it or not, Charlie, we’re here to help you.”

  “If we can,” Abram amended, shooting me a look that reminded me he was serious about his ‘too dangerous’ clause.

  “I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t,” Charlie said, suddenly more serious than I had ever heard him sound. “I’m not trying to cause trouble. It’s just…depressing. I feel like the biggest piece of shit ever.”

  Abram mumbled, “He might be right there.” I glared at him from across the room, a silent warning for him to stop.

  Charlie’s gaze fell to the floor. “It’s—it’s not easy, Char.”

  I sat in the chair across from him. “What’s not easy?”

  “What do you think?” He spread his hands. “Being responsible for all of this. Knowing that all the women I’ve ever had—who I’ve ever cared about—are going to die because of me. You should have seen them, Char. You should have seen what happened to them, what they looked like after. It’s horrible, and it’s my fault.”

  Poor Charlie. We had practically grown up together. He might have been a narcissistic sonofabitch at the end of our dating run, but that didn’t mean we didn’t have good times. And it didn’t mean I wanted to see him in pain.

  I leaned forward. “Why would you think it’s your fault?”

  “Because I’m cursed.”

  Abram’s hand clenched at his side. He was likely about to say something, but if I wanted this conversation to be productive, then I needed to keep control of it. So I continued before Abram could.

  “Why the hell would you think you’re cursed?”

  “Your friend.” He motioned to Satina. Of course it was Satina. “She told me there was a darkness following me, inside of me. She said you two could help.”

  What the fuck, Satina? I thought, scowling at her.

  She shrugged. “Hey, I call it like I see it. And let me tell you, your husband here wasn’t hard to see. His energy practically screamed at me. It pulled me here from across the ocean.”

  I pointed at her. “First off, don’t call him my husband. And secondly, why don’t you just cut the fortune-cookie bullshit for once and flat out tell us what we’re up against?”

  “I wish I knew,” Satina quipped, grinning so wide the Cheshire cat would be jealous.

  Abram glared at her. “Satina, she’s serious.”

  “So am I, beast. If I knew, I would tell you,” she said. It was meaningless, though. Her track record indicated otherwise. “All I know is that something bad is surrounding Mr. Rock Star here, and if you don’t save him, no one will.”

  “Is that right?” Abram’s gaze tore into her. “Is that really all you know?”

  She smiled. “Well…”

  “Satina,” Abram yelled. “Now!”

  “Fine.” She scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Keep your pants on. Or don’t. Given the combination of relationships we’ve got going on here, that could turn into an interesting proposition.”

  “I’m waiting,” Abram responded without a hint of lightness.

  “This guy right here,” Satina said, pointing to Charlie, “has a problem. Not only are all his girlfriends dying off like corn in a drought, but he’s also losing time. He wakes up after every full moon with cuts and bruises all over his body and no recollection of what’s happened. I’ll give you two guesses what day the police always find a fresh body.”

  Abram lunged across the room, stopping only when he reach my outstretched arm.

  “Don’t, Abram.”

  He leaned past my arm, scowling at Charlie. “You’re doing it!”

  Charlie stood, raising both of his arms as if in surrender. “I’m not, I swear!”

  Abram dodged around me and rushed at Charlie, his hands balled into fists.

  I stood, scampering around the coffee table toward them. “Stop it. Stop right now!”

  “I wouldn’t do that,” Charlie yelled, tears pooling in his eyes. “I’m not that guy. Ask her! Ask Charisse. I could never hurt anybody. I was a vegetarian until the McRib came back!”

  “You are,” Abram growled. “I don’t know how, and I don’t care. But I’m not letting you get to this woman.” He pointed to me. “Because she is mine. And I will rip you in half if you ever come near her.”

  “Okay,” Charlie cowered, throwing his hands in front of him. “That’s very macho and unnecessarily graphic, but it gets your point across. If you want me to go, I understand.”

  “I do.” Abram didn’t move. He stood, a mountain of muscle, between Charlie and me. “I want you to go right now.”

  I stepped in front of Charlie and faced Abram with my arms crossed. “No, Abram. He’s not leaving.”

  “Charisse, I—”

  “No. We don’t do this. Danger or not, we don’t leave people behind. Something is happening to him, to the girls he’s been with. We can’t let them die, not if we can stop it.”

  “And what if we can’t?” Abram asked, clenching his jaw.

  “Then we can’t. But we have to try.”

  “Even if there’s a cost?”

  “Especially if there’s a cost,” I said. I stepped closer to him, gently taking his hand in my own. “You know why I love you?”

  Satina flicked her finger up beside her head. “Because he’s got an ass that won’t quit?”

  I centered my attention on Abram, blurring her out. “Because you do what’s right, no matter what,” I said. “And do you know why you love me?”

  Abram stared at me for what seemed like a long time. “Fine,” he finally answered. “But if something happens to you, make no mistake, I will rip him in half.”

  “That sounds fair to me.”

  “It does?” Charlie’s voice cracked.

  “Don’t worry,” Satina said, a twinkle in her voice. “I’m sure he’s just joking. If anything, he would probably just cut your head off. It’s much less painful.”

  “Get some sleep,” Abram answered, grabbing my hand and pulling me toward the bedroom. “We have a big day tomorrow, and I’m sick of all but one of you.”

  Charlie waved after us. “Does that mean I can sleep here?”

  I told him yes.
And that, right there, was my first big mistake.

  Chapter 3

  I lay in bed with Abram, trying not to drift off to sleep. The day had been so long and so much had happened. Still, my mom always said never to go to bed angry.

  Abram had stopped screaming, stopped staring at me with cold and foreign eyes, but there was still a distance between us. I could feel it in the coldness that settled into our bed, in the way we lay beside each other, silent and not touching.

  “I don’t want you to be mad at me,” I said without turning to him. “You know that, right?”

  “I’m not,” he said, his voice flat.

  “You sure?” I asked. “Because it kind of feels that way. I mean, look at us. You’re on the other side of the bed for God’s sake. When has that ever been us?”

  “What do you want me to say?” He shuffled. “Having your husband in the next room doesn’t really put me in the mood.”

  “Seriously, Abram?” I sat up, too angry for rest now. “This nonsense again? If you didn’t want Charlie staying here, all you had to do was say so. “

  “Which would have made me a self-conscious sonofabitch who didn’t care about someone who was going through hell.”

  “No,” I said. “It would have made you human. Which, whether or not you like to admit it, you still are.” I pressed the heels of my palms into my eyes, trying to make sense of this. “I wish you would have said something. You know I’d never do anything to hurt you, and I would never think you didn’t care about people, if even if that person is Charlie. But I can’t read your mind and tell you exactly what you need.”

  “Is that right?” Abram finally turned to me. “Because you don’t seem to have that block when it comes to Mr. Prince. He wanted to leave, Charisse. He offered to go, to take this off our doorstep, and you wouldn’t let him.”

  “Because he’ll die!”

  Why did I have to defend this again? Abram was a hero. He was a saver of lives. Certainly, his distaste for Charlie wasn’t so strong that he’d turn his back on his innate nature.