Eternal Curse: A New Adult Urban Fantasy Series (The Urban Fae Series Book 1)

by R. L. Wilson

  This place has grass and flowers and doorbells. Totally different from our apartment in Silver City. The rent here must be extreme.

  I go to the hall and stand in the middle, surrounded by wooden doors. Opening the middle door is what I need: the bathroom. The tub and shower are surrounded with white ceramic tile. There’s also a fancy mirror with huge lightbulbs attached to the top. Yes, the place is fancy, but I’m more concerned about Morgan. I walk back to the living room and find the box labeled electronics. I dig through the box and find a charger.

  I find an outlet and plug my phone in. I go back to the kitchen as my stomach rumbles. Guess I could fix myself something to eat. My hands tremble at the thought of Morgan being hurt. I need to talk to Momma; she could help calm me down. The last thing I remember is me yelling at Morgan to get into the car. But I didn’t see her car parked out front. Maybe she went to her momma’s house.

  I grab a skillet from the cabinet and put it on the stove. I’m going to cook my favorite and the thing I cook the best, French toast. Before I get the skillet on the burner, my phone is pinging with a bunch of texts. I walk back to the living room and grab my phone. It's on eight percent but I have seven texts.

  With my finger hovering over the text messages, I click the one from Morgan. There are five from her. They all say the same thing.

  Where are you? I’m scared.

  Scared? Does someone have her or is she scared for me? She didn’t do anything, so I’m sure she’s fine.

  I go back into the kitchen and put butter and cinnamon in the skillet. I take in a deep inhale. I love the smell of warm cinnamon. As I grab the bread from the top of the refrigerator, I hear the creak of footsteps on the wood floor.

  My pulse increases, I freeze and hold my breath. Whoever is in here is getting their ass whipped. I thought I was here alone.

  Anxiety skitters through my heart. What do I do now? The creak from the wooden floor echoes through the apartment. I need to get my phone. It’s in the living room past the hall.

  The footsteps pause. The person must be as frightened as I am. Or they’re waiting for me to make the first move. I’ll chop them straight in the esophagus.

  I walk back toward the dining room wringing my hands. The skin on my arms prickle with goosebumps.

  “Whoever the hell is in here, you better make it known,” I shout.

  “Harmony,” Morgan races from the hall and grabs me, giving me a bear hug with such force I nearly fall to the floor.

  “I thought they killed you,” she says with tears in her eyes.

  “No, I’m fine. Those bastards have other things in mind.”

  She puts her index finger to her lips, shushing me. She waves her hand and walks towards the back door and out on the deck.

  I follow, wondering if there is someone else here she’s afraid of.

  We step outside on the deck. “You can’t talk on the inside.”

  “What do you mean?” My eyes twitch as I take a seat.

  “They have cameras in the house; they can see and hear us.”

  I lean back in the chair. Really, I have become a prisoner. This is not a new house for me and Morgan, it’s a prison cell.

  “They have a plan; they want to take over all of the supernaturals in Detroit and make them slaves.”

  Morgan’s eyes get big, and she holds her chest, her breathing labored. “What are we going to do?”

  “I don’t have a plan yet.”

  She points to the collar. “They gave you a new one?”

  “Yeah.” I grab at it and it zaps me, sending a buzz down my right hand. I jerk and remember how I got it off the last time. I will get it off, not now, but soon.

  A bird swoops in, landing in the chair next to me. The bird has feathers the color of a rainbow. And steel-gray eyes. If it weren’t for the feathers, I would have thought it was an angel. Different from any bird I’ve seen before. I want to touch its feathers, but I’m frightened. The bird shifts into a woman with short red hair and brown eyes.

  “Kato wants to see you. He’s at a protected location,” the woman says.

  “I need help.”

  “He has the allies you need; you have to come alone.” I was expecting her to have the scent of a bird. But she has the aroma of peaches.

  She gives me the address and as fast as she came, she shifts into a bird and leaves.

  Chapter 20

  Morgan and I scurry back into the apartment. I view the burnt butter and cinnamon in the skillet and turn the stove off.

  “I’m starving. I smelled your cinnamon and butter. You were making French toast?”

  Glaring at the skillet, I say, “Yeah, I was but I have a taste for pizza. Let’s go out and get some.”

  Morgan scratches her leg as her eyes dart around the kitchen. I can tell when Morgan’s nervous.

  “Ok.” She hesitates then rises to her feet. She keeps glancing around the room, afraid someone will come, then the doorbell rings. And she twirls her finger around locks of her hair.

  Oh shit, who the hell is at the door? Did they hear the shifter on the back porch? Balls of tension settle in my stomach. I could vomit I’m so nervous.

  Morgan sits. “They’re not looking for me.”

  I creep toward the door. “Who is it?" I ask from the dining room. I’m not getting close to the door.

  “Pizza,” a male voice shouts.

  Pizza? Who the hell ordered a pizza? I had a taste for it, but I didn’t order it. I inch closer to the door. Then I glance out the peephole.

  There stands a scrawny blonde-headed teenager with a pizza box in his hand. I open the door gingerly.

  “Pepperoni pizza for Harmony Adams,” he says while handing me the box.

  “Okay, thanks. Let me give you a tip.”

  “No, thanks, I already got one,” he says before racing to his car. A tall buff man waits at the front gate. He looks like the man in black working security. I slam the door and continue to the kitchen with the pizza.

  “That was fast,” Morgan says. “Every time we ask, will food come?” Her eyes widen and she grabs a slice of pizza.

  “I’m sure it’s a coincidence.” Laughable, at the least.

  “I wanna go out to the club.” We both pause and nothing happens. Morgan busts out laughing. I snicker at her laugh. It’s loud and she snorts.

  The doorbell rings and I’m taken aback. They bugged this place. They couldn’t possibly bring a place to us. Morgan goes to the door first this time, so I follow. She gets to the door and looks through the peephole.

  She twists around with wide eyes, holding her chest. “There’s a gang of people,” she whispers

  “Open the door.” I’m curious. Where did these people come from?

  She opens the door and they storm in, a veritable stampede. There have to be seventy-five people of all shapes and sizes and one with a large boombox. The music blares from the speaker. I race to the bathroom. This is definitely a prison. Since Prentiss doesn’t want me to go anywhere, he brings everything to me.

  Hell no. I won’t live in fear. Now my blood is boiling. I walk out of the bathroom, opening the door to the right. It’s a bedroom and it must be mine because my comforter is on the bed.

  I plop down on the bed and lie flat on my back, looking at the ceiling. I feel so lost, broken, and empty.

  I’m not a slave. If I work for Prentiss when he wants and stay here as a prisoner, I’m giving up my life. The odor of cigarettes lingers in the air. The lamp rattles from the bumping in the next room.

  My door swings open and Morgan stands there with a cigarette in her hand. “Come on, you will miss the fun.”

  I open my mouth to answer her. But I can’t have fun. My throat is dry, but my next words screech out. “I’m going to see Kato.”

  I’m not concerned they can hear me. The music was so loud, I can barely hear myself.

  She nods her head. “I understand, but how?” She stares at my collar. I know what she’s thinking. This collar won’t s
topping me. I only have one shot.

  I’m sure there’s a tracking device in it. I have to break the collar but leave it on my neck.

  “In twenty minutes, slip out the door. And run away.”

  She nods in agreement.

  “And get a message to Scott; tell him to lay low.”

  I sneak out the back door onto the deck. The back fence is tall, at least six feet. I’m not going to climb it. I’m going through the front gate. But there the guard still stands. Remembering my magic, I grab the bottle from my purse and pour a little of the potion Kato gave me on my hand.

  I dig deep into my magic and break the constraints of the collar, but I don’t remove it. I continue to the front gate staring at the guard. When he turns to view me, he gets sick and bends over, holding his abdomen. Down to the ground he falls, his face becoming pale. My visual magic is back. I slip out the gate, racing to the address the woman gave me.

  Not looking back, I pray Morgan makes it out. I come upon the address and it looks like an abandoned warehouse. A large dragon stands near the door. I take the paper out of my purse to make sure this is the right address. I’'ve heard of Big Sam and seen him around. I’ve never had a conversation with him. He constantly has the frown of a butcher.

  Is this a setup? My throat clogs with fear.

  “Are you Harmony?” Big Sam says.

  “Yes.”

  “Come on in.”

  I pass the large dragon. He is the oldest dragon living, or so I’ve heard. He looks good for three hundred. He is also their leader. I always know a dragon; they have a small patch of reptile skin on their forehead.

  I enter the dark warehouse and continue toward the light at the end of the hall. A small crowd of twenty people are gathered, plotting. I’m not sure what the plans are, but it sounds like murder.

  “Harmony, come on in,” Kato says.

  The elves’ leader and several elves, the shifters, and several witches from the Red coven are gathered together. This is the first time I’ve ever seen them in one place together.

  “Here’s Harmony everyone. She has special powers,” Kato says.

  “We’re having a meeting on how to take the scumbag Prentiss out,” Jacob says. Jacob was a dragon and a menace who doesn’t give a fuck. He’s the worst kind, because he could take Prentiss out and wouldn’t think twice. He scowls when Prentiss’s name is spoken.

  “That’s where you come in, Harmony,” Tiffany the coven leader explains.

  “I hope they are not expecting me to kill Prentiss. I don’t like him, but I can’t kill anyone. I don’t want his blood on my hands.”

  “He trusts you and we need someone on the inside to wipe out his defenses, As soon as he lets his guard down, we attack.”

  Kato grabs my arm. “Let me talk to you in private for a second.”

  We walk away from the group as they continue chit-chatting about the battle and how they are going to destroy Prentiss.

  Kato’s face less swollen than when I last saw him. The bruises are fading. I’m sure after the ass-whipping he took from Randy he wants to get even and settle the score. Everyone here has a reason to dislike Prentiss. We could get along for now. We have something in common. Things will get back to normal once Prentiss is gone.

  “I’ll ask you one last time: do you want Prentiss gone or to break the curse?”

  I scratch my head. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to get rid of Prentiss or this curse. The healing curse was helpful and this is one time I need it. But I’m tired of Prentiss coming after me because I can cure. It’s draining my body, not to mention it could potentially cause death. I can only have one. I want them both.

  “Why can’t I have them both?” I think I can.

  “You have only paid one price,” Kato says.

  That’s right, I paid with blood. But I still have the rest of the potion in my purse, so after we annihilate Prentiss, I will start the process of the curse removal. Besides, I feel better. The tattoo has stopped growing; it’s even decreasing in size.

  Kato and I walk back amongst the group and the dragon leader gives me a death stare. His stance is defensive with a grimace on his face. “Are you in or out?” His tone sounds thick and intimidating. I’m forced to participate. I want to take this asshole down as much as everyone else here.

  “I’m in.”

  Everyone in the room cheers and laughs.

  I’ll kill the security system. Then the task will be easier.

  “Prentiss won’t know what hit him.”

  Chapter 21

  Standing near the door, I thought hard about running. This is the point of no return. Once I enter, game on. If I’m going to get rid of Prentiss, I have to play smart.

  The smell of marijuana curls underneath the door, causing me to gag. I’m greeted at the back door by a group of teenagers playing beer pong while smoking. I mingle with the crowd as Prentiss’s baritone voice cuts through the noise. I turn and slither through the underage teens, trying to make it to my bedroom without getting caught.

  I want it to appear that I’ve been here the whole time. I get near the hall and bump into Randy. He gives me a mean glare. As I back away from him my heartbeat is loud enough to drown out the awful music in the background.

  He grabs me, examining my collar, and the only thing I can think to do is play drunk. I snatch my arm away and slur my words. “Let me go.”

  Prentiss walks up beside me. “Where have you been?”

  “Here, where the hell you think?” I stagger toward the wall.

  “Hey, sober up, I need you.” His crazed eyes force me to focus.

  “I got word the super-naturals plan to attack Prentiss,” Randy barks.

  I close my eyes as if I’m sleeping.

  “Hey, get some water to drink. I need my healer!”

  I tremble and my eyes pop open. His face is wrinkled and red. Is he disgusted with me?

  I need him to leave me behind so I can knock out this security system and let all the super-naturals into the building.

  As my abdomen throbs, I bend over and vomit all over Prentiss’s snakeskin loafers. “What the fuck?” he screams. “Take her to the bedroom and let her take a nap.”

  Randy grabs my arm again. I snatch it away, rolling my eyes and mumbling ungodly words.

  “I got it, I got it.” I stumble and hit the wall. I stagger to the bedroom and slam the door behind me. I acted well as a drunk. At least Prentiss believes it.

  I’ll wait until I think they’re gone before I make my move. I have to get to the top floor and knock out all the security systems.

  I put my ear to the door and hear footsteps in the hall. I race to the bed and dive in, balling into a fetal position.

  The door creaks open. I’m not positive who it is, but I’ll bet it’s Prentiss or his foot soldier.

  “I don’t know what you are up to, but I’m watching you. Remember that.”

  Fuck off, keep watching asshole. I stay rational and calm even though rage pulsates inside. It’s Randy. I don’t have to turn around to see his face, I know his creepy-ass voice. His scent of rotten flesh. I hate him for what he did to Kato. In due time he’ll get what’s coming to him.

  Even if he knows I’m up to something he can’t prove it. He has no clue what I’m really up to.

  I keep quiet, only breathing until the heavy footsteps decrease and the door shuts. I wait in the dark room in silence until I think the coast is clear.

  The party’s still going with a bunch of underage-drinking freeloaders tearing the place to shreds. I don’t care—we need the distraction for the plan to work.

  Morgan must have gotten away. I haven’t seen her in the house. I go out to the dining room, making sure Morgan is indeed nowhere in sight.

  While scanning the room, a fussy boy grinds on me while holding a can of beer. I shoot him a look that clearly asks “are you fucking kidding me?” He stops grinding, backs away, and winks.

  I roll my eyes and walk toward the living room to see if Mo
rgan is sitting down anywhere. Holding my breath because of the stench of illegal drugs, I look at the couch and see a couple kissing. I can’t see the girl’s face, but she has a thick build and the same hair color as Morgan.

  I stare, waiting for them to come up for air. After a few minutes, I tap the girl on her leg. She stops and gives me a puzzled look, lipstick smeared around her mouth.

  “What?” she says.

  I give her a dismissive wave. “Never mind, carry on.”

  It’s time to make my escape to the top floor. With no one watching, I get closer to the door and my lungs tighten, nearly suffocating me. Every step toward the door gets harder. Prentiss could burst through this door any second.

  As I grab the handle a large shatter comes from the kitchen. I race out the door and up the carpeted stairs. Thankfully, it drowns out the sound of my footsteps. The hall smells of fresh paint and bleach. I only have eight stairs to make it to the top floor.

  I walk up the stairs, turning my back to make sure no one comes out of the apartment door, and I step on a shoe. I freeze and my heart stops. I extended my hand and touch what feels like a chest. The labored breathing from the person is loud. I’m hoping it’s not Prentiss. I’m too scared to run. The hairs on the back of my neck stand. It’s fight-or-flight. I’ll fight.

  I turn around with a swift kick, slamming the man into the wall. It's one of the security guards. He is a small-framed man, not the buff dude from earlier. My cover is blown now. I might as well give it all I’ve got.

  He charges toward me knocking me to the ground. I go tumbling down the steps before landing on my back. I grimace and touch my lower back. It’s painful but not as much as I’m acting like. He races down the stairs so I extend my leg, tripping him. He lands on his back next to me. I spring to my feet to make a run for it. He grabs my ankle, and I land on the stairs, squirming to get out of his death grip. I concentrate on his spirit, hoping to make him gravely ill. He whimpers and rolls around on the ground. He releases my leg and grabs his abdomen. The music from my apartment is so loud no one heard him. I race up the stairs, not stopping until I reach the third floor.