Lifted Curse (Curse Trilogy)

by C. M. Owens

  “We can do this,” he whispers, and his lips gingerly stroke my belly again before he pulls my pants down.

  “I know we can, I’m just worried what we’ll have to face once this… once I have…”

  I stumble for words that won’t say I’m having a baby.

  “Whatever there is to face, we’ll face it together, and I know we can handle anything together.”

  I smile as he slowly slides into me while silencing my worries. He’s so good at distracting me, and right now all I want to do is feel as close as possible to him - lost in his touch.

  His hands latch onto my hair as he pulls me to him, and I gasp lightly when he tilts my hips to give him a deeper, more intense angle. My body contorts when his begins owning me, and my moans rattle off the walls behind us. Each thrust melds him to me, and the soft love behind the hard sex is all the more breathtaking.

  His lips strum over mine, and then they lower to my neck as my back arches in ecstasy. I clutch the sheets so tightly they tear beneath my hands, and he just thrashes in harder upon hearing the shredding fabric. I relish each touch as though I’ve never felt it before because it’s so different now. I’m connected to him in an entirely different way.

  His sliding motions quicken when he nears his finale, and I gush out my moans louder as I rise to the same calling. My lips attack his, and then he powers into me with his glorious force hard enough to bring the scream crawling from my throat. He smiles as he thrusts in once more, and I feel him filling me with his life as his lips softly caress mine with less fire and more love.

  “I can’t believe this is happening,” he says through a salacious grin.

  Neither can I. Please keep this baby safe.

  The black dress has an intricate design laced in red to add a blood-kissed touch to a girl full of dark secrets. The strapless wonder drops into a small, but elegant train behind me. The red lining inside reveals itself through the long slit that goes up my leg.

  After all we’ve been through, this is finally going to happen. The life I’ve led has been all leading to up to this moment. Each step I’ve ever taken has brought me closer to Hale - the man I was meant for.

  The front door opens, and I squeal while running over to hide behind the bedroom door.

  “It’s just me,” Brazen whispers, and I step out to see the pain etching itself his eyes when he sees the gown I’ll be wearing down the aisle on my way to another man.

  “You look incredible,” he says with that same pain hiding in the undertones.

  “Thanks,” I murmur shyly, my eyes moving to the floor to escape his pale beauties.

  He walks over to me, and his cold hand slides down my cheek to my shoulder. He kisses my forehead, and then he leans against the wall while holding my hand in his.

  “I’m not going to be able to attend the wedding, so I wanted you to have this now,” he says softly while handing me a small, red, gift wrapped box.

  “I didn’t expect you to attend, but I thought it would be rude to exclude you in the invitations. You’ve been a huge part of my life, Brazen. You always will be.”

  He smirks slightly before replying, “And I will be again one day. I want you to know that. I’ll be waiting for my chance to be at your side.”

  Crap.

  I’ve avoided this conversation with him since I found out I was immortal. I really don’t want to have it now on my wedding day.

  “Don’t do that. Don’t wait on me. You deserve more than that. Your feelings could change in seven hundred years, and I really don’t even want to discuss this right now.”

  “Araya, you’re the only woman in the world for me. Maybe things worked out the way they were supposed to. Maybe this was fate’s master plan all along. I’ve felt a strong connection to you since the day I met you. I couldn’t understand it when it appeared you already had someone destined for you, but then… now… well, there’s that chance. I understand that connection and why it’s there. It’s just not our time… yet, but it will be one day. I’ll wait because seven hundred years is not long at all to be with the woman I love. It’ll always be you no matter how much time passes.”

  I sigh out loudly, and he kisses my forehead again before prompting me to open his gift. He smiles eagerly as he awaits the big reveal. I keep my eyes focused on the gift as I unravel the small ribbon to drop the paper to the ground. I pull out a small key, and my head tilts curiously.

  “It’s a secluded place outside the wetlands, not too far from Summit’s hybrid colony, where you’ll be safe during… you know. There’s an underground tunnel that leads into Metropolis should things get bad and you have to run. There’s another tunnel that leads to the middle of the blank lands, and there’s at least five maintained vehicles there for escape. It used to be my safe house when my cover got blown. It’s hidden, camouflaged from aerial views, and it has everything you need to feel comfortable. I’ll make sure to fully stock it with food and blood myself when the time nears.”

  “You make it sound as if you’re leaving,” I murmur worriedly.

  There’s only four people besides Hale I trust, and Brazen is one of them. Why is he leaving now?

  “I’m going to head up the search for Ty. It might take a while, and I just want to be prepared in case I’m not here to give you this later. Plus, I want you to have peace of mind when it comes to where you can go when the time comes.”

  I smile as I stare down at the small key holding so much meaning. Even though I chose Hale, my full blood still loves and cares about me just the same. He’s not resentful, cold (at least not in the emotional sense), or even angry.

  “Thank you for this. It does help me with some of the stress, but I’m still worried about what’s going to happen when…”

  I stop and my eyes point to my flat belly holding the secret of a life it shouldn’t be able to. His hand moves to rest on my baby’s home, and I feel comfort cloaking me - just as I always do when he touches me.

  “Don’t worry about anything. If Clay or Hale don’t figure anything out, I’ll have a back up plan. I’ve actually already got something, should they fail to make something happen. You might not like it, but it could work.”

  “What?” I urge.

  “Not here. If you want to know, we can go to Hale’s office.”

  “Tell me here. Just whisper. I don’t want anyone seeing me yet, and I don’t want wait to hear this either.”

  “We can say that it’s my… unspoken from a turning. The unspoken can come home with me, and you can come see him or her whenever you want to,” he hesitantly offers.

  “I want to raise my… unspoken. I don’t want to be a casual face.”

  “I know, that’s why I said you wouldn’t like it. It’s just a suggestion if all other alternatives fail. It’s a way to keep the unspoken safe without you having to be on the run. It may not come to that, but it’s an option in case it does. I’m just trying to give you a little security, baby,” he coos while running his fingers down the side of my face. “If you were with me, this wouldn’t be an issue. You could marry me, and we could raise the unspoken together.”

  “Brazen, please don’t do this to me. Besides, this is mine and Hale’s unspoken. Not mine and yours.”

  “It’s not like he couldn’t come around whenever he wanted to,” he menacingly offers.

  I roll my eyes, and then I kiss him on the cheek for at least trying to help me out with the future. His cool skin feels so familiar against my lips, and he pulls me to him like he’s about to kiss me full on.

  “I need to finish getting ready. They’ll be waiting before long,” I murmur softly to deter his plan.

  He sighs out as if he doesn’t want to leave me, but his soft, cool lips stroke my forehead as he gives me a kiss of defeat there instead of the lips he originally planned to target.

  “I’ll see you soon. Call me if you need anything… anything at all.”

  “Thank you,” I gently murmur.

  Marching feet outside draws my attenti
on to the door. I’m sure they’ll be going with him. He starts to leave, and suddenly the doors burst open as fully armed men carry electrical guns and charge in with malicious intent.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Brazen barks. “Lower those weapons now!”

  “I’m sorry, Captain, but we’ve been made aware of some things involving Ms. Crush, Captain Banner, Commander Jude, and yourself. We’ll be taking all of you into custody along with the two corporals, Angelica Hawkins and Grayson Morris. You’ve all been accused of high treason, and based on the evidence which implicates you, we have to take you into custody until we know for sure.”

  “You really think I’m going to let you do that?” Brazen snarls as he places his hand on the weapon holstered at his hip.

  Suddenly a whistling zip rattles the air before Brazen is struck by a tranquilizer dart. His eyes roll back in his head, and I growl at the men as he collapses to the ground.

  “If you use your gift, we have permission to shoot to kill,” one shakily utters while all their eyes grow worried.

  “You have no idea what fools you are.”

  They swallow hard, their guns shaking in their hands. The electrical pulses set to full blast stare me in the face, warning me of my weakness.

  My baby. I can’t let them shoot to kill. They could hurt my baby, and they have electrical guns ready to render my invincibility useless and me helpless.

  “What have you done to Hale and the others?” I demand, keeping my fearless demeanor.

  “They’re in custody. If you cooperate, we can hopefully disprove this whole thing and all will be well.”

  “What are we being accused of?” I growl as my purple eyes threaten to burn through the blue contacts.

  They know about my baby.

  “We can discuss that when we take you to be with the others,” Captain Germaine asserts.

  “Fine, but if Brazen is hurt, you’re going to have one hell of a reckoning,” I threaten.

  “He’ll be fine. We were just keeping him from doing something foolish so we didn’t have to hurt him.”

  I take in a calming breath before walking over to Brazen’s body, and a man scoops him up to hoist him over his shoulder. I take the cool hand of the unconscious Brazen dripping helplessly as I follow behind the man carrying him.

  All the doors are closed as if a lockdown has been secretly asserted. The steel door to the hybrid room is waiting for us. Captain Germaine opens it to let me walk in first, and I release Brazen’s hand to do as prompted. I watch as Brazen’s sleeping body is laid across the table, and then my eyes fall on my hybrid family. Clay is cuffed to the post in the center of the room, his eyes glaring at the men who have disrespected his title.

  “Araya,” Hale gushes guiltily.

  I rush over to him, and my lips fall on his as I start pulling him free from the binding chains strapping him against the damn wall like a hostile suspect. Grayson and Angelica are holding onto each other in the corner, neither of them chained up or strapped down. Apparently, these men have never seen what the two of them can do or they wouldn’t have let them sit by like they weren’t a threat.

  “Why the fuck are they chained up?” I scold.

  “Captain Banner threatened to use his gifts. Again, we were trying to keep any foolish play out of the mix. We really don’t want to hurt anyone until we sort this out,” the formal captain murmurs. “I hope this information is false.”

  “What information, and where did it come from?” Clay growls.

  “We received an anonymous tip that-”

  “An anonymous tip?” Clay scoffs in angry disbelief. “You’ve imprisoned two captains, your commander, and three other United officers based on an anonymous tip? Do you realize the severity of the consequences that will follow this? Without any valid evidence, you can’t take us into custody - not with our ranks. You realize you could be tried for treason now?” he admonishes. “Release us this instant.”

  “I’m sorry, Sir, but due to the allegations made, we have to insist on checking it out. It has been brought to our attention Araya Crush is the daughter of an emergent killed years ago, and all of you have been said to have known about this. If this is the case, you know what has to be done. Under the United law, section twenty-seven, we have the right to take blood from anyone accused of unlawful living.”

  “Unlawful living? That’s an archaic rule put in place to test humans who could be carrying the infected virus,” I snarl out.

  “I’m sorry, but it also applies in this case, Ms. Crush.”

  “Only when you’re on a witch hunt,” Hale snarks as I finally free him from the entanglement of chains.

  His arms drape around me protectively, and I see Angelica moving over to stand behind us. I smell her blood, but I don’t know why. What is she doing?

  “Here’s the vial,” he murmurs while proffering me the glass container.

  Shit. They’ll find out I’m not just the offspring of an emergent, I’m also pregnant.

  I feel Angelica’s hand on my back, and I feel her tracing letters in repetition. I study it as they all stare expectantly at me.

  Mybloodisyourblood. Mybloodisyourblood. My… blood… is… your… blood.

  It hits me what she’s trying to say, and my eyes glance to Clay’s to pass along the silent request he seems to have already thought of himself. I smirk as I unsheathe my blood bringers. They have my DNA code on file, but Angelica’s is almost an exact match because of our father. With Clay’s help, it’ll be close enough to fool them.

  “When this is over, you’re going to be in so much trouble. Accusations from an unreliable source don’t justify the trapping of so many United officials - especially not your commander. You realize when these results come back negative, you’ll all be tried for treason. You bent the law to do as you wished, and in case you haven’t noticed, you bent it with the wrong people.” I say to stall.

  The vial is covered completely by my hand, and I can feel it warming up as Clay uses his gift to send Angelica’s blood into it, manipulating it enough to match mine all the better. I smile when I feel the completed process, and then I pretend to draw my blood from my arm while going through the motions of filling the vial.

  I smile as I hand it to the captain in store for a shocking bit of humbleness, and he seals it before walking toward the door. Clay sighs out as if in relief, and Hale seems to be aware of what just happened as well.

  “As I said, this is just a precaution. We’ve taken extreme measures to keep this quiet. We’ve also taken extreme measures to keep this from escalating into a blood bath instead of a questioning process.”

  “You could have just called us and requested this information without any measures at all,” Clay hisses.

  “I’m sorry, Commander. I’m simply following protocol.”

  “There’s no such thing as protocol for emergents since they weren’t supposed to exist. There’s no protocol for an emergent’s child since one has never lived past the point of puberty. Yes, captain. I know there have been children born from emergents. I’ve discovered quite a bit of information. I’d like to be present while you do the testing. That is protocol.”

  The full blood captain’s eyes widen at the startling comment. Clay’s confession of emergent knowledge has surprised them all.

  “Perhaps we should speak about the treason involved with hiding genocide from the United. I think we’ll save that for after we speak of this poorly handled situation at hand once we see Araya’s blood tested and found pure.”

  Brazen grumbles lightly as he stirs on the table, and I walk over to remove the dart from his chest. He rises slowly as Captain Germaine unshackles Clay, and they walk out to head to the lab where my falsified blood will rattle their day as much as they’ve rattled mine.

  “What the fuck is going on?” Brazen mumbles through his weakened state.

  “It’s something that is about to end, and then I can go on with my damn wedding,” I huff.

  “
Why did they fucking shoot me with a tranquilizer?”

  “Because they’re not exactly the brightest of officers,” Hale rolls out with a menacing tone toward the men cowering in front of their captain.

  “We’re very sorry, Sir, but Captain Germaine outranks us.”

  “So do I, in case you’ve forgotten. If we can’t try you for treason, consider yourselves decommissioned. I don’t want people I can’t trust working for me. You can all find homes outside of Seminole. You’re no longer welcome here. I would have bumped up your rank had you stood up to him. Men like Germaine only have power when they have followers. He’s here out of fear, not of lawful reasons.”

  They lower their eyes to cast their shame on the floor. Brazen rubs the back of his neck while keeping his lips sealed. He doesn’t know we cheated the blood test. He doesn’t even know there’s a blood test going on. He’s smart enough not to antagonize the situation though.

  “I can’t believe I got fucking shot at,” Brazen grumbles, and Hale narrows his eyes at the men who still refuse to meet his glower.

  “I was chained up in my own holding cell. Many things were handled piss poor today.”

  The door opens, and the men separate as several United officers follow Clay and a very disgraced Captain Germaine.

  “Well?” Hale prompts.

  “We’re holding a rather large committee meeting to discuss Jonathan Germaine’s actions based on the lack of evidence. Treating us like hostile suspects before presenting us with any information is very much against protocol. I’ll handle this. You’re all free to go. Araya’s blood checks out as we knew it would.”

  Hale smirks, and Brazen tilts his head curiously while remaining silent. He looks to me, and I give him a wink as Angelica’s arm loops through mine to proudly take her place at my side.

  He lets a grin free when he realizes what just happened, and then he turns back with a sterner face when his eyes fall on the room full of men being escorted out. I smile bigger once Hale’s lips press against mine, and his hand slides down the dress he wasn’t supposed to get to see yet.