He shook his head, disgust pinching his mouth. “He told you what Ahone wanted you to hear, Ellie! He tricked you into doing what he wanted. Just like he tricked Manteo.”
My mouth opened, but I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know what to believe anymore.
“We’ve both learned something tonight,” Collin said. “None of the gods are to be trusted. We’re all pawns in an eons-old power struggle, and both sides will sacrifice everything and everyone at their disposal to get what they want, including their own creations. The Croatan and the colonists. Manteo and Ananias.”
My chin trembled. “You and me.”
He swallowed, lifting his hand to my cheek, longing in his eyes. “Especially you and me.”
“I’m sorry.”
“We are responsible for destroying three creations tonight. For eternity.”
I shook my head and jerked out of his grasp. “I’m devastated about the deer, but I’m not sorry about the badgers. That’s what we’re supposed to do, Collin. We’re supposed to send those things back where they belong. That’s our job! We’re Curse Keepers.”
Sadness filled his eyes. “We earned new titles tonight. Destroyers of life.”
“They thought nothing of condemning innocent lives to Popogusso, so why should we feel sorry for them? They were going to kill us, Collin.”
“No, Ellie. They were going to kill you.” He paused. “And they wouldn’t have stopped until they succeeded.” He looked toward the town, sirens blaring in the distance. “I’m not sorry we destroyed them. I couldn’t let them kill you. But we crossed a line we can never uncross. There’s a good chance that we just declared war on Okeus’s demons. My only hope is that they see the badgers as enemies of Okeus and think we did them a favor.” He turned back to me. “But even so, they’ll no longer trust me.”
“Your allegiance to Okeus protects you.”
He shook his head. “Not necessarily anymore. Not after this.”
“So what happens next?”
“We stay on guard and wait to see if they attack us. They won’t kill you, not unless they’ve gone rogue like the badgers. Okeus still wants you.”
Like that was supposed to make me feel better. I clenched my fists. “If the others start killing people too, I’ll send them back, Collin.”
“Not if I don’t help you.” His face hardened.
“There’s a way for me to do it without you, and I’ll find out how.” I instinctively reached for the ring hanging around my neck.
His gaze fell to my chest and he reached for the band, lifting it up to study the symbols. His face grew stern as his eyes lifted to mine. “Where did you get this?”
“It was my father’s.”
“No, it wasn’t, Ellie.” His voice was harsh. “Where did you get it?”
And then I knew. “It’s part of the Ricardo Estate,” I whispered.
His fist tightened around the ring. “Did you get it from Marino?”
I shook my head.
The sirens grew louder.
“Ellie!” David shouted from the shore. He leaned against one of the still standing poles.
“We have to get out of here, Collin.”
Collin dropped his hold on my chain and nodded, looking dazed as he examined the dock.
We picked our way across the splintered wood and circled around the damage and holes until we reached David on the shore.
He was sitting on a rock, both of our backpacks slung over his bare shoulders. He’d tied his shirt around his leg and his face was pale. “You did it.”
We had, but Collin’s words worried me. At what price?
Collin had healed my wounds from the badgers with our marks. I considered trying the same on David but instantly knew it wouldn’t work. The ability to heal was one more resource for us as Curse Keepers.
David and I had already planned an escape route at the back of the park. We hurried toward it in silence, David hobbling to keep up.
Collin stayed with us until we slipped through the fence, and then he got into his truck and drove away.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
The following Saturday night, the summer evening had cooled off and a breeze tickled the hair hanging down my back. Drew and Claire were dancing their first dance in the middle of the Grand Ballroom at 108 Budleigh, and Claire was gorgeous. She had gotten her dream wedding.
David leaned down toward my ear. “You do know that the maid of honor isn’t supposed to be more beautiful than the bride, don’t you?”
I looked up into his loving face and smiled. “I’m pretty sure you’re the only one who thinks that.”
He pursed his mouth into a mischievous grin. “Nope. That bloke over at two o’clock hasn’t stopped watching you since you walked down the aisle.”
“That’s Claire’s cousin and he’s had a crush on me for years. He doesn’t count.”
After all the recent craziness, I couldn’t believe we were doing something normal. It felt good.
For the last week I’d replayed the events in my mind, and I couldn’t see how we could have done things differently. Especially when I took into account that Daddy had told me to do it. But was Collin right? Had Ahone tricked me by using Daddy? Did Ahone have his own secret agenda? Whatever the original agenda, the new one was clear. There was a good chance that Collin and I had giant bull’s-eyes on our backs. Everyone in our lives was fair game too.
Claire and Drew’s dance ended, and they invited the rest of the wedding party onto the dance floor.
David hobbled out with me. “Your dress is too beautiful to waste, Ellie.” He’d needed to get multiple stitches for his leg wound, and he had trouble getting around, but he still insisted on dancing with me. Tom had questioned him endlessly, but ultimately he let it rest after the attacks stopped.
I had to admit, Claire was right. The emerald-green gown clung to my curves and the color perfectly complemented my auburn hair and hazel eyes. I really did feel beautiful, even if just for a night.
David wrapped me in his arms, and I looked up into his face, feeling both blessed and guilty. When the song ended, I helped him back to our seats.
My mouth dropped open when I saw Collin standing in the back of the room, dressed in a suit. He walked toward me, then looked down at David. “Would you mind if I steal a dance with Ellie?”
David stiffened slightly, then covered my hand with his own. “It’s not my decision. It’s Ellie’s.”
I nodded, my breath catching. I hadn’t seen him since we’d earned our new titles.
Collin took my hand and pulled me to the center of the crowd, placing his hand on my hip and keeping a respectable distance between us. “I’ve never seen you look more beautiful, Ellie.”
I flushed. “Thank you, but then again, I never really dressed up or wore much makeup when we were together.”
“You don’t need those things to be beautiful.” His voice was husky.
I flushed.
“Are you happy with him?”
“David?” I glanced up at him through my eyelashes, hesitant to answer. He watched me with an expression I’d never seen him wear before. I nodded.
“When you came to me and asked me to take you out onto the ocean, I told you that I knew from our connection that you had slept with him.”
I looked away, pain shooting through my chest. “Collin, don’t.”
“But I felt something else. I felt the contentment and peace he gives you. I never felt that from you when you were with me. And I was jealous.”
I closed my eyes.
“I told you that I love you, Ellie, and I do. But I want you to be as happy as you can possibly be given our circumstances.” He lifted my chin and forced me to look into his face. “He makes you happier than I ever could. He can give you what I can’t. You deserve someone who’s good to you. You should be with David.”
Tears stung my eyes. “But what about our souls being connected?”
“There’s no changing that, and I confess, it w
ill kill me to see you with him, but he’s what you need. Not me. Perhaps you and I aren’t meant to be together in this lifetime. Maybe we’re supposed to wait for eternity.”
“Do you really believe that?”
He stopped dancing and his eyes clouded. “I have to, Ellie. It’s the only way I can bear to live without you.”
“Collin.” My voice broke as my heart shattered.
“I want you to know that I’ll always be here when you need me. I told you that you became my responsibility when I broke the curse, and I stand by that. You may be with David now, but you and I are far from done. We’ll be seeing a lot of each other once the rest of the demons gain their strength.” He leaned down and kissed my cheek. “I hope you find happiness while you can, Ellie.”
“I need you to tell me about the Ricardo deal.”
He stopped dancing, his shoulders tensing as his gaze landed on the ring, which I now wore on the middle finger of my right hand. “Ellie, let it go. You may have gotten lucky that Marino’s guys got picked up on a routine traffic stop, but they are only a couple of many. Marino is far from done with you. The less you know the better.”
“I don’t care about Marino. I want to know the connection to my mother’s death.”
His eyes widened. “Why do you think there’s a connection?”
“I just do. Will you help me?”
“You have to let this go, Ellie.” He dropped his hold and turned to leave.
Maybe he wouldn’t tell me now, but I’d wear him down. “Collin.”
He stopped and looked over his shoulder.
“How did you know I’d be there last Sunday night?”
His eyebrows lifted in surprise. “You really don’t know?” A soft smile lifted the corners of his mouth but pain filled his eyes. “David called me earlier that evening and asked me to come help you.” He took a couple of steps and then stopped again. “There’s a surprise for you in your apartment. Something you’ve been wanting.”
“The map?”
He grinned.
I watched the man who had changed my destiny walk out the door, then turned to face the man who would shape my future.
However short that would be.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
They say writing is a lonely profession, but somehow I always seem to be surrounded by people. Perhaps it’s all the kids running around with all my dogs. But I’m blessed with friends and associates that not only make my job much easier but also more fun.
This book wouldn’t be what it is today without the invaluable assistance of my editor Angela Polidoro. Her patience has been put to the test since she became my editor with this book. I love that she gets what I’m trying to say even when it’s not quite there yet, and her suggestions are always spot on. Her email inbox had to have been on fire with the final edits of this book. I’m sure I owe her a bottle of wine. Or maybe a case.
I’d like to thank my copy editor, Jon Ford, who added his own very valuable insight to both The Curse Breakers and The Curse Keepers. I’d also like to thank the 47North team—especially my editor, David Pomerico, who was crazy enough to take a chance on an urban fantasy based on the Lost Colony of Roanoke after what had to be the worst pitch of all time in the history of pitches.
My beta readers not only give me valuable feedback in the revision process, but keep me sane pre-release when I begin to doubt myself and my books. I can count on Rhonda Cowsert, Stormy Udell, Christie Timpson, Emily Pearson, and Anne Childon to tell me the truth. Rule number one of beta reading: friends don’t let friends look stupid in print.
I wouldn’t be able to spend as much time writing as I do if it weren’t for the patience of my children. We’re striving to find a “normal” that works for all of us. I think we’re almost there. Well as normal as the Grover Swank household will ever be . . .
And finally, I’d like to thank you—my dear reader. You take a chance on me and read my books, then recommend them to your friends. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be doing what I love: living the life of a full-time writer. I’ve never worked so hard in my life, and I’ve never been so happy. Thank you.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
© 2013 Cathryn Farley Photography
Denise Grover Swank was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and lived in the area until she was nineteen. She then became a nomad, living in five cities, four states, and ten houses over the next decade before moving back to her roots. She speaks English and a smattering of Spanish and Chinese. Her hobbies include making witty Facebook comments and dancing in the kitchen. She has six children and hasn’t lost her sanity. Or so she leads everyone to believe.
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