Lifted Curse (Curse Trilogy)

by C. M. Owens

  I place my hand over his, feeling how much it has been softened by time and wrinkles, and then my eyes stare into the ones riddled with worry and dread.

  “No one else is going to die. I wouldn’t be here if that was a fear of mine. He doesn’t have a true link to her like real counters do. Now that she’s reunited with Clay, he has nothing. He’ll be angry and careless when he feels too invincible, and that’s when I’ll kill him. I promise you will be safe as long as I’m alive.”

  He lets a bit of a laugh free, and then he leans down to kiss the top of my head.

  “I always forget how truly strong you are. There was a lot of heart put in that small body. You still amaze me, and I still feel so small next to you.”

  “You shouldn’t. What you’ve done for these hybrids has saved them from turning to men like Ty. They have a better life they’re proud to live, and they aren’t dwelling on the pains of their past.”

  “That’s the reason I isolate them from full bloods. Seeing them usually brings their minds back to a time of torture.”

  “Brazen hasn’t ever tortured anyone,” I murmur while glancing over at my full blood who is helping an older lady move some of her fruit back to her stand before closing time.

  She smiles at him while laughing at something he has said, and a few others walk over to join them in the casual conversation that has sparked.

  “I can see that. No one seems afraid of him at all. I suppose I’ve been too harsh in my rulings here, and I never even felt the whip as fiercely as you.”

  “It’s easy to overlook the good ones when you’ve suffered at the hands of the others. It takes some adjusting, but you learn not all full bloods are bad, just as not all hybrids are good. It’s a process, and it’s not an exact science.”

  “No hybrid is good in comparison to you,” he says adoringly.

  Hale smiles as he kisses my forehead, and then he replies, “As I said earlier, she’s amazing.”

  “You’re a lucky man, Hale Banner.”

  “I am indeed. I don’t know what would happen if I ever lost her,” he utters too seriously, and I turn back to see the tears that have entered his eyes. “I keep getting too close to finding out.”

  “I’m fine, Hale. I’m fine. Look, my body is healed. I could seriously use a shower though. Along with some toothpaste, a hairbrush, and so much more.”

  He lets a laugh escape while sniffling back his emotion, and his lips stroll across my forehead again before pulling me toward the room he proposed to me in. I smile as the memories of rose petals littering the cool floor flash into my head, and he smiles when he sees my reminiscent mind at work.

  “No roses tonight, baby. I didn’t have time to prepare.”

  I blush lightly, and then I lean into him before saying, “All I need is you tonight.”

  I feel his incredible smile behind the kiss he greedily pushes on me, and I mimic the goofy grin.

  “How do you feel?” he murmurs against my lips while opening the door behind me.

  “My thirst has been fully quenched, I’ve been fully nourished, now I just need to be fully sated,” I playfully seduce, and he lets a chuckle free while shaking his head.

  “There’s my girl,” he snickers out.

  Someone knocks at the door, and Hale releases me to answer it while I gaze around the room that holds a beautiful memory. The white bed prominently stands out in the bedroom that has the double doors opening wide. The living area is pristinely organized with lavish touches all around.

  I flop down on the couch for a moment’s reprieve, and my eyes fall on the soft face of an elderly woman handing Hale a set of bags.

  “Garth said you would need clothes,” her scratchy voice eases out with a soft touch.

  “Thank you, ma’am,” Hale sincerely offers.

  “I feel as though I’m in the presence of royalty. It’s not everyday we get to spend time with an emergent child bearing the violet promise of change. She’s special, you take care of her,” the woman sweetly chirps, and then she scampers off back down the hall.

  “I plan to,” Hale says to himself while staring directly into my eyes.

  “I know you do,” I smolder out, and he smirks as he walks over to me with a blistering hot strut.

  “I’m going to take care of both of you,” he utters while leaning over to kiss my belly.

  I smile with tears teetering on the edge of my lids as he rises up to find my lips again.

  “Starting with a shower for my bride and mother to be.”

  I smile as he pulls me from the couch, and then he escorts me to the bathroom to turn the shower on. I hear the hot water pounding against the tile, and I lean against him as he starts undoing the dress from hell.

  “Well, I suppose you’ll need a new wedding dress.”

  “No. I’m getting married in pants and a shirt next time. It’s easier to fight in them,” I grumble with humorous intentions, but he flinches instead of laughing.

  “I’m sorry I wasn’t there, baby. I should have-”

  I cover his rambling, guilt-ridden lips with my hand to silence him from blaming himself.

  “You weren’t there because I sent you away, and I’m glad I did. He would have killed you if you had been there. Hale, I don’t know what all he can do, and that scares me. I don’t want you anywhere around him. He was out for blood to begin with. What do you think he’ll be like now that we’ve stolen Symphony from him?”

  He kisses me harder as he pushes me into the shower fully clothed. My dress is fully ripped free from my body as he throws it over the glass door. I quickly get caught up and lost in the delicious kiss, and my gift strips him of his drenched clothes to allow me access to his incredible body.

  “Did he touch you?” he worries.

  “No. Symphony was the only one to suffer that fate,” I mumble as tears fill my eyes.

  I hadn’t thought about that. Had he wanted to, he could have taken me against my will. I was helpless against him with my gifts being subdued. The blood he took was destroyed in my explosion thankfully, or he could have used it to call me back.

  “Do you think he has her blood?” Hale worries.

  “If he does, Clay can separate the properties to relieve her of the blood fuck urge. He’s done it before. He would have done it for me if my blood had healed Nicholas.”

  “Do you-”

  “Shhh,” I hum to interrupt his rambling. “I just want this to be us right now. I don’t want to think about tomorrow until it comes. Just hold me, kiss me, and make love to me. Please,” I whimper, and his lips cover mine to answer my pitiful plea.

  He jerks me up to be against his body, and my back presses against the wall. Right now we’re all that matters. The rest will just have to wait.

  Chapter 12

  A Whisper of Hope

  The sun rises, bringing with it the chance the new day may have better answers than yesterday. I stare out the window with Hale’s arm draped around me as I look over his shoulder. He loves his back to the window.

  I smile when I feel his soft lips pressing against my shoulder, and he groans as he stretches before rolling over on his back and bringing me with him.

  “I’m so happy I’m waking up with you, baby,” he says with a bit of shakiness to his tone.

  “Oh believe me, I’m ecstatic,” I murmur softly, images of the hanging sleep I was forced to suffer flash through my head, and I see him wince as failure glazes over his eyes.

  “Stop blaming yourself, Hale. Please. It’s exhausting to try and convince you this wasn’t your fault.”

  “I’m sorry, but how would you feel if it had been the other way around?”

  I sigh out, and then a light knocking rings out at the door. Hale kisses my head while climbing from the bed and pulling on his clothes. He tosses me one of his shirts to put on, and I smell the clean shirt that hasn’t even been on his body yet. I pout when I realize it doesn’t have his scent, and he leans over to kiss my puckered lips.

  “I’
ll give you the one I’m wearing later,” he smolders.

  “Deal,” I giggle out, and he smiles a broad grin before blurring to the door.

  He sighs out when he sees a face I can’t, and then he steps to the side to allow Brazen to walk in. His eyes look better rested, though still etched with some concern as he stares into the bedroom at me.

  “I was wondering if I could speak with Araya for a minute?” he asks Hale while refusing to break his eyes from mine.

  Hale’s lips tighten, and I look to him to silently request permission. I know this can’t be easy for Brazen. He didn’t get to hold me all night the way Hale did. He didn’t get to feel me safely tucked in his arms and relish a night of wonderful love making.

  “Yeah. I was going to go grab us some breakfast anyways,” he huffs out, and then he walks to the bedroom.

  He very deliberately leans over to place a showy kiss on my lips as a way of reminding Brazen who I belong to.

  “I love you,” he says without any concern for the aching heart in the other room.

  “I love you,” I utter sweetly while returning the affectionate embrace.

  He reluctantly withdraws, and then he starts walking back toward the door, his eyes cautioning the pale ones on his way out.

  Brazen smirks lightly, and then he walks into the bedroom. I stand to meet him, and then I move away from the bed to the window seat overlooking the castle-like compound.

  “I just had to come see you. These past few days… I’ve been a wreck. I just wanted to touch you to be honest, and I knew Hale wouldn’t allow that,” he murmurs with a touch of shame in his voice.

  “Brazen, you and I are close, and we always will be. You don’t need permission from Hale to touch me. You have my permission, as long as it’s within reason,” I say with a playful touch at the end to lighten the heaviness of the conversation.

  He smirks lightly, and then he pulls me to be in his arms as his lips stroke the top of my head and kiss me through my hair. I smile against his neck as I nestle into him, giving him the touch he needs to feel me safe again.

  “I wish you were mine,” he mumbles through a painful strain.

  “I’m not though. Brazen, I want you to move on. Please don’t wait on me,” I murmur softly.

  “I’m waiting, baby. You can count on that. You’ll be mine again,” he sighs, and then suddenly his lips are against mine before I can stop him.

  It’s a soft, noninvasive kiss, and I feel his anxiety being freed as he tastes my safety in his mouth. He withdraws very shakily, and then he kisses my forehead before standing.

  “Thank you,” he utters sincerely, and I roll my eyes while touching my lips with my fingertips. “Too much?” he jokingly adds.

  “A little bit of a line was crossed, but nothing too severe, given the circumstances,” I sigh out.

  “I’ll always love you, baby, and I’ll be here anytime you need me. All you have to do is call me.”

  I smile while standing on my tiptoes and bringing him down so I can kiss him on the cool cheek.

  “You’re incorrigible, you know?”

  “I’m relentless, there’s a difference,” he says with a wink, and then the door opens as Hale returns with bags of food he gathered in haste.

  Brazen turns back to look at me before letting grin free. He behaves and walks away without pushing his luck. The door shuts behind him, and Hale raises a brow at me.

  “Anything I should be worried about?”

  “Absolutely not. I told you, I chose you. He knows and understands that. He’ll always mean something to me, just not what you do,” I say to squash his insecurities, and his devilish smile comes over his face as he walks over to me.

  “That’s good to hear, because I’ve compiled a very long and dirty list of things I’d like to do to you this morning,” he seduces while bringing me up to meet his lips.

  “Is that right?” I say with mock innocence.

  “That’s very right,” he smolders, and his lips consume mine as his menacing grin emerges.

  I laugh when he suddenly rips me up from the floor, and he spins me around before dropping me on the bed.

  “We can start with this,” he releases with a mysterious tone and a blindfold dangling in front of my eyes.

  “Oh really? I don’t suppose you’re going to be the one losing sight?” I muse.

  “Nope.”

  I laugh lightly at his childlike enthusiasm, and then I lean up for him to tie the blindfold around my eyes.

  “Can you see?” he asks while shuffling off the bed.

  “No. I’m a little concerned about how giddy you sound though,” I say, feigning concern, and he lets a chuckle free.

  I feel his weight pressing against the bed when he returns, and his tongue pushes between my lightly parted lips until its fully inserted in my mouth. I moan lightly as his fingertips graze my nipples through his soft, new shirt.

  “You look so amazing,” he mutters as his mouth moves away from mine.

  I pout lightly at the loss of his lips on mine, and then I feel his hand against my sex as he massages his thumb over my sensitive area. I gasp when I feel his lips take the place of his thumb, and he slides the shirt up and out of his way as his hands grip my hips to hold me still.

  His tongue shows no mercy as it dances carelessly around the spot which forces my back to arch. Each touch has been heightened due to my forced blindness. His lips move up while leaving me throbbing for more, and I can feel rather than see his smile when I try pushing his head back down.

  “Patience, baby. Patience,” he murmurs while pressing his lips against my stomach.

  I feel a cool sensation after hearing a clanking against glass, and I realize there’s a piece of ice in his mouth sliding against my heated skin. It’s melting quickly between his mouth and my body, and the liquid sizzles as it slides down in a trickling motion.

  The last little bit finds my mouth as he releases it to melt the rest of the way in the back of my throat. I swallow it down before I taste something sweet in my mouth. I realize the rich flavor is chocolate, and I smile against his lips as he steals the sweet taste from mine.

  “That’s nice,” I murmur softly while his lips travel back down.

  Then his lips cover mine again as the chilled champagne flows from his mouth to mine. My smile returns as I taste the fizzy beverage crackling inside my mouth and mingling well with the chocolate.

  “Mmm.”

  I feel his smile again, and then another swish of champagne flows into my mouth from his, but this time I grip him to me to elongate the kiss. He moans lightly when he tastes the sweetness he has filled my mouth with. His erection digs in between my legs through his boxers, but he doesn’t take me yet. Instead, he withdraws again, and I’m almost aching for him now.

  “What are you trying to do to me?” I huff, and he lets an accidental laugh free.

  “Something that will make it that much better when I finally do fuck you,” he crudely dares, and I instantly feel the throbbing growing more painful as I tilt my hips up hoping to find him.

  His lips slide back down the inside of my right thigh, and I feel his thumb return to circle that sensitive spot that forces my body to do bizarre things before his lips find it again. I gasp when I feel the ice rattling around in his mouth while he works his magic, and I moan as it intensifies the already tantalizing movements of his glorious, spellbinding, and devious mouth.

  “Hale,” I whimper when I feel him toying with me.

  “What’s wrong?” he says, feigning innocence.

  “I’ll take your blood if you keep teasing,” I threaten, and I feel his smile again as his lips begin trailing back up.

  That’s all I can take.

  I use my gift to hold him still while I rise, and he gasps when my blood bringers find his skin despite my blind state. I rip the blindfold from my eyes as his delicious taste flows from his chest to my mouth.

  The small, erotic bombs explode like fireworks of desire, and then his
eyes shift from playfully seductive to yearning and needy as he greedily presses his lips against mine.

  “I love it when you break the rules,” he grunts out while jerking me behind the knees so that my legs part for him.

  “Good, because I love breaking them,” I almost whisper through my panted breaths as the venom I injected him with binds me to his glorious body.

  The shirt gets ripped off of me finally, and his teeth graze my bare breasts as he starts seeking a place to inject me. Then he strolls down, fighting the urge to thrust inside me, and his teeth graze over the inside of my thigh. I gasp as his blood bringers break the skin and my blood flows into his mouth from that sweet, sweet spot.

  Now it aches I need him so badly. His lips stroll back over my chest, threatening to break the skin again as his lips close over my nipple. Then he moves to the other side to repeat the same, tormenting motion. I moan out as his erection finally sinks inside me until his base meets mine. My breath hitches when he lingers deep within, and I hold him to me, unable to let him go.

  He finally forces himself to slide back before thrusting in harder, and I cry out in delight as the painful force strikes me with incredibly perfect precision. My back arches as I grip the sheets beneath me, and I feel his teeth break the skin over my right breast as he fills me with his venom once more.

  The passion burns as it fills my veins and runs inside my blood. His punishing rhythm sets in without mercy this time, and I cling to his back as he pushes in as deep as he can with every thrust.

  He’s the tide, and I’m the rocky bay he’s bashing against during a full moon cycle, the force of gravity pulling us together.

  His ragged breathes try to seize mine when his lips cover mine, and I’m a captive to his ruthless endeavor to own my body. I moan louder, and I’m forced to break away from the kiss to guzzle down fresh air I can’t get enough of through my nose as the pace quickens all the more.

  He pins my hands to the bed as he hovers over me, and the pounding he’s serving continues. My head tilts back, and his lips find my neck when he lowers himself to be lying almost on top of me while moving his hands down to grip and angle my hips.