The Nymph's Curse: The Collection

by Danica Winters

  The cabby pointed to his vehicle and mouthed something—probably the amount she was running up on the meter. There went her last bit of cash. She raised her finger, letting him know they would be a minute.

  “Just because we didn’t buy anything doesn’t mean I didn’t get help.” Her footsteps echoed through the barren city street. The street lamps flickered to life, casting long skeletal shadows on the sidewalk. Instinctively, she stepped closer to Jasper, but moved a step away as she remembered who he had become. “I know where we can find Bethany.”

  Even in the dim light, Edward’s eyes brightened. “That’s brilliant.”

  “If I take you there, you promise to leave Jasper unhurt?”

  “I will do my best to keep your friend intact.” He smiled, but just like his words, it lacked sincerity.

  Her stomach churned. “Is there any way, any way at all that I can keep you from going after her? I will kill her myself if you would just promise to leave Jasper.”

  “I have waited decades for the chance to see this foul wench face to face. There’s nothing you could give me to sway me from my course, that is, unless you have her head on a platter.”

  “I will give it to you if that is what you want.” Starling stopped. “I have a gift of talking to the dead. Maybe there’s a way I can get them to help us. If she’s as bad as you say, there have to be others she has wronged.”

  “You make it sound simple, but you don’t know spirits, do you?”

  “I know they can be enormous pains in the ass, present company included.”

  He waved her off. “Spirits aren’t pets. They can’t be called by an inexperienced medium. Only the truly powerful can summon a spirit, not to mention a large group of them.”

  She leaned in. “I didn’t come to Savannah for a vacation. I came down here to grow my skills. And, I know there are books somewhere here that will give me the power to control and do as I wish with spirits. All I have to do is find the books—then we will have your army.”

  That was if the Catharterians didn’t get to her first.

  “Where are these books?” There was a strange glint of malice in his eye.

  “They were supposed to be in your grave. That’s why Jasper went down there. Did you see any books in your time in the mausoleum?”

  Edward tapped his finger against his chin. “Maybe I did, hard to say. My many visitors always had an assortment of things.”

  “What kind of visitors did you get?”

  “As I’m sure you are aware, vultures are attracted to death.”

  “You’re saying the Catharterians were there?”

  “They more than visited. It’s their headquarters.”

  “Their headquarters?” she asked, stunned by Edward’s admission.

  Edward answered with a sly smile.

  Jasper would have killed for the information and now, when it mattered most, he couldn’t act—at least not on his own accord—but she could take control. She could help Jasper’s investigation while she worked to set his body free of the entrapment of Edward’s soul.

  “If it’s their headquarters, then the books must be there,” Starling said, her excitement spilling into her voice, but under her thin layer of giddiness was a reservoir of apprehension.

  “Don’t get ahead of yourself. Let’s first find Bethany.”

  “I’ll have to try to call the ghosts for help.”

  “No, Starling. We don’t need an army.”

  “Okay. We don’t need an army, but we need a real plan instead of this Wild West thing you have going on. You aren’t going to go in without a weapon and take down the Savannah Voodoo Queen—no matter how badly you want to.”

  “What makes you think I don’t have a weapon?”

  “Did you steal something from Jamie? If you did, you’re going back in there and paying.” As the words spilled from her lips, she realized how much she sounded like her mother. An unexpected loneliness filled her at the thought.

  “I’m not a child. I don’t steal.”

  Her empty laugh drew waves in her lake of loneliness. “You stole my friend.”

  He waved her off. “Hardly the same thing.”

  “Yes, stealing a human body is far worse.”

  “If everything goes as it should, your friend will remain uninjured and everything will be taken care of. All you have to do is tell me where Bethany is.”

  “I’ll tell you only if you tell me exactly what you are planning. You say you have weapons, but I don’t see anything. You talk about a plan, but so far you seem lost. What’s going on?”

  “What if I told you I have seen one of your books? That your dear friends, the Catharterians, have been using me to protect their little secrets?”

  Her breath caught in her throat. He had to be kidding. “Don’t lie to me.”

  “I speak the truth.”

  Was it possible this awful being held the answers she had been looking for? “What are the books called?”

  “The Libros Umbrarum.” Edward smiled, his white teeth sparkling in the dim lamplight. “The book I saw was made of perfect white vellum, so soft that it is like a baby’s skin. Each page was hand painted with gold-infused oils. The book was truly a work of art.”

  “What do they say about dealing with spirits?”

  His smile widened. “I bet you would love to know. Perhaps, after Bethany’s death, I can share the secrets I’ve learned.”

  “I don’t want your secrets. I want answers.”

  Catching her off guard, Edward grabbed her around the waist and pulled her into his lips. His kiss was unrushed, unyielding, and for a second too long, she relished the way he took her just as she had imagined Jasper doing for so long. She opened her eyes and looked up as his lips roamed hers. Looking into his eyes, she saw only Edward looking back at her. Disgusted not at the kiss, but at the spirit behind it, she pushed him away.

  Edward laughed as he dabbed at the wetness left by her kiss. “Jasper sends his best.”

  “Jasper? He’s … in there?” she stammered as she stared for some sign of her friend, but found nothing.

  “I did not wish to kiss some lost girl,” Edward retorted. “If you ask me, Jasper is lowering himself to be with you.”

  “We’re not together.”

  Edward’s eyebrow rose. “If that’s true, then he certainly needs to restrain his inappropriate thoughts toward you.”

  Inappropriate thoughts? Jasper did care for her more than just as a friend. But if that were true, why had he waited so long to make himself known? Was it all a ploy to use her to get rid of Edward? No. If he was inside his body, he had to see that she was already doing everything in her power. That meant his kiss had to be real—or not—and the only way she could know for sure was to have him back. “So you can hear his thoughts?”

  “If you continue with me, Starling, you will get the answers you seek.”

  Chapter Eleven

  It was a strange thing, but Starling missed Jasper even though he stood right next to her. His hair was the same disheveled mess, his chin carried the same dimple, but the look in his eyes would have never belonged to him. And, maybe that was what she missed the most. She’d never really noticed the way he looked at her, but now that Edward had taken his place, all she could remember was the way his gaze had felt on her skin—like a warm hand, it would move over her body, enjoying the subtle curves of her hips, leaving behind a trail of wanting.

  “Bethany’s shop is a few blocks down. She’s probably not open now—it’s after ten o’clock—but we can get the cabby to drive us by on the way back to the hotel and we can check.”

  “I do not care if she is open or not. I’m not going to her for business.”

  “Got it.” She walked to the cab, opened the door, and slid into the backseat. “You coming?”

  “Don’t help him, Starling. He will never make good on his promise,” Jasper said, his voice taking the place of Edward’s.

  “Jasper? Are you there? Is Edward gone?” She
jumped out of the cab. The familiar warmth had returned to his desert-colored eyes.

  Jasper stared at her like he wanted to move, but his body wouldn’t obey him. “I am gaining. He’s strong, but maybe I can break through. But this thing with the voodoo lady, he’s not telling you the truth. You can’t help him.”

  “If I don’t help him, he’s going to hurt you.”

  Jasper staggered toward her, wrapping his arms around her. “I don’t matter. You are more important than a hundred of me.” He leaned down and his lips met hers; this time his kiss was tender, deeper, and richer than the first. Yet, it quickly broke. He staggered backward and his face hardened.

  “That won’t happen again. Your friend will not break through my barrier.” Edward’s cold voice took the place of Jasper’s subtle warmth. Edward made his way to the cab and climbed inside, but all she could think of were the remnants of Jasper’s kiss.

  There was no question about it—Jasper cared. Unfortunately, he was wrong about his worth. She could never let a monstrous spirit like Edward hurt the only man she’d ever been interested in. If Jasper truly knew her, he would have understood that she had learned her lesson about letting others control her fate—that mistake had already cost her mother’s life. She couldn’t lose anyone else she cared for, not when she could do something to stop the tragedy.

  “Let’s go. We have a woman to kill.”

  “Don’t you care about what your Jasper said?” Edward asked.

  “I do, but I happen to think that you are right in your anger toward Bethany. She killed your family. Anyone who can hurt an innocent woman and child deserves to be struck down."

  “I’m glad you finally are beginning to see things my way. It will make this much easier than I had anticipated.”

  She got into the cab. “Take us to the voodoo shop, please.”

  The cabby glanced back at her in his rearview mirror. “Everything okay, miss?”

  She looked away from his prying eyes. “Fine.”

  He put the car into gear and they made their way down the empty street. On the left was a blackened shop, with a wooden sign hung above the door that read: The Goat’s Head. The shop’s windows were painted with odd symbols and the open light had been turned off. “Let’s go,” she said as she opened the door and stepped out of the taxi. “You wanted your chance. Here it is. But remember, you owe me the books and my friend. If you go against me, I will find a way to send your spirit to the depths of hell even if I have to sell my soul to Zeus. I will make sure you never reach your family in the afterlife.”

  Edward cringed. “Regardless of what your Jasper thinks, I will come through. My word is my honor. Honor is the only thing I have besides my eternal soul. I take my vow in earnest.”

  “I hope so.” She shifted uncomfortably at the thought of having to go to the nymphs’ enemy—Zeus.

  She walked up the steps to the door and knocked on the glass.

  “Ain’t nobody here. Get gone!” a woman answered.

  “We need your help,” Starling called back. “My friend thinks he’s possessed by a demon.” She cringed as she realized how her lie so closely resembled the truth. “We don’t know where else to turn.”

  They were answered with silence.

  Edward knocked on the door again. “Please … I need help. Money isn’t an issue.”

  The door opened a crack. A woman peered out through the tiny space. “I charge double after hours. Triple if you’re a pain in the ass.” She opened the door a tiny bit more. Catching sight of Edward, her face brightened. “What are you doing here, Edward?”

  “It’s been a while.” He smiled. “Aren’t you going to let us in?”

  She opened the door and waved them in. “They’re gonna be angry.”

  “I took initiative. They can’t be angry. Not when I got what something they want.” Edward grabbed Starling by the arm. She tried to resist, but he pushed her through the door in front of him.

  “What they be wanting? What you mean? Who be this girl?”

  “This is Starling. She’s my prisoner.”

  Starling gasped. “What the hell are you talking about?” Starling pulled her arm out of Edward’s hand as she looked around the dark shop, seeking another door for escape.

  “You are such an imprudent woman,” Edward said as he closed the door and clicked the lock into place.

  Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. Jasper had been right; she never should have trusted Edward to do as he’d promised. How could she have been so stupid and fallen for the promises of a being who had nothing to lose?

  “Did you lie about everything, Edward? Did your family even exist?”

  The ebony-colored woman standing beside him laughed. “How long you gonna tell people that I be some evil murderer? Don’t you get tired of the same ole lie? You gotta get some new material, Eddie.”

  “But it’s fun and it always works. I always manage to find you.”

  “How did you go ’bout findin’ me this time?” She flicked on one of the switches in a long line, lighting up the shop. The shelves were filled with different types of liquors, and strange marionette-style dolls hung from the ceiling by their slender necks.

  “Your friend Jamie, the witch, pointed us in the direction of your new shop.”

  “Well, I’m mighty glad she did. You didn’t give her no reason to suspect nothin’, did ya? She’s been itchin’ to find something to use against me.”

  “Come now, Beth. We’ve been together too long for you to worry about such frivolous details.” Edward pushed a stray hair out of Bethany’s face and back up under her head wrap. “I’ll always put you first, mon cher.”

  Starling ran her hand over her neck, as her body switched into autopilot in the face of danger. “What do you plan on doing with me?”

  Bethany turned her neck, and as she moved, Starling noticed that her earrings were made of tiny bones and a sparkling blue stone. The Voodoo Queen frowned as she looked at Starling like she’d all but forgotten that she had been standing there. “That’s a good question, Edward. What’re ya plannin’ on doin’ with your little poppet?”

  “You need to call them. I believe they will finally follow through on their promises to you and me once they have their hands on this girl.”

  “You be dreamin’, Eddie.” Bethany sat her hand lovingly on Edward’s arm. “But I do have to admit I’m glad to be seeing ya. This body be one of the best so far.”

  Edward ran his hand down her cheek. “If we play our cards right, maybe this one I can keep.”

  “I hope so. I think we could have us a lot of fun.” Bethany ran her finger over the buttons on Jasper’s shirt and pulled back the hem just enough to show his bare skin. She raked her long, white-tipped fingernail over his washboard stomach, making Edward wince with enjoyment.

  A strangled noise escaped Starling as she watched the woman defile Jasper’s flesh. “Don’t touch him.”

  Bethany glanced back at her. “You go mindin’ your own business, girl. It’s been a mighty long time since I’ve been with my Eddie. You’re lucky I’m not lockin’ you in the basement.” She flashed Edward a wanton look.

  “You have no business touching Jasper. He isn’t just somebody you can use and throw away.”

  “Why? He yours?” Bethany asked with a spitting laugh, leaving her fingers on Jasper’s pecs.

  Starling stepped forward and batted the woman’s hand away from Jasper. “I’m sick of you. I’m sick of this. I want him back.”

  Edward’s laughter ricocheted through the macabre room. “See. She’s a girl. I almost feel badly throwing her to the vultures. I have to admit, I’m a bit surprised they hadn’t found her and brought her back to headquarters by now; she wasn’t hard to manipulate. All I needed was to find her weak point—Jasper.”

  “Did you stop to think that maybe that’s part of their plan, Eddie? What if they’re using her for somethin’? What if they’re angry at what you’ve gone and done?” Bethany huffed. “You shoulda at lea
st told me before you took her.”

  “What was I going to do, Bethany? It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. And believe me, I thought long and hard about bringing her here—I didn’t want to get you mixed up in any more business with the council. There was no other way around it. She wouldn’t just tell me where to find you.”

  “You ever thought of looking in a phone book?” Bethany stepped out of his arms. “I made sure my address be everywhere so you could find me if you got the chance to come back.”

  “I don’t see a lot of phone books lying around. Don’t be angry with me, my pet. I tried to do the best I could. At least I finally found a body I could possess. Let’s just be happy. This could be our chance to start again. Make a real go of life. We can travel. The world is our oyster.”

  “Only if the council fixes to let us live. They were fumin’ after your last escape.”

  Edward glanced over at Starling like she was nothing more than a pile of garbage. “Maybe we don’t have to turn her into the council. It will be a few days before they realize I’ve gone missing from the cemetery.”

  “Is that where they stuck you this time?” Bethany asked. “Which one? I went all round the city tryin’ to find you.”

  “Bonaventure. They even let me have a nice little mausoleum. I think they are really starting to move past my last run for freedom.”

  “Well, now that forgiveness gonna be over.” Bethany moved away from the door and pulled the shades down in her windows.

  You can’t let them take you. You have to get away. Asclepius’s spectral voice echoed through Starling’s mind. They will kill you if you stay here.

  Starling stepped back, keeping her back against the wall so she could keep a close eye on her enemies. People want to kill me everywhere I go. What am I going to do? I can’t leave Jasper in their hands.

  If you don’t act, they’ll send you to the Catharterians or kill you themselves—either way, you’ll never make it out of this city alive. You know what you need to do. You can do this. Your life depends on what happens in the next few moments.

  Starling shuffled down the wall until she came to a counter.