Cursed Blood

by Ashley Marie

  I’m so confused. There are so many things I still need to know. What does being a cursed-blood mean for me? What about the ribbons? The empath thing? The mate bond with Kayden? The black wolf. How am I supposed to help him? How can one help something their afraid of? Maybe getting my emotions back wasn’t the right choice.

  “We talk to Jeff,” Kayden says softly.

  Jeff. Alpha. God, how am I to live in this messed up reality, not knowing anything.

  “Kayden.” I tap him on the shoulder before he has a chance to open the front door of Jeff’s house.

  “Yeah?” His eyes flash. Goes brighter making me step back. Something gets stuck in my throat, fear?

  He frowns slightly, “Avery, you have no cause to fear me. I’ll always protect you.”

  “What does that even mean?! You don’t know me yet I see it in your eyes.”

  I start crying again. I can’t help it. Everything is so frustrating and confusing.

  Fresh cut grass fills the air around me when Kayden in gulfs me in his arms. A tingle goes through my body at the contact. This feels like home. He feels like home. How could that possibly be?

  “It will be okay.” His soft lips press a kiss to my forehead.

  My eyes close at the feel of his lips, I hope it will be okay. But I just don’t know anymore. It’s only been a day with my emotions back and it feels like a life time. It’s so hard.

  “Hey, You alright?” Cam’s voice comes from behind me.

  I turn in Kayden’s arms when he doesn’t release me. Loving the feeling of being caged in by his body.

  “I will be,” I mumble wiping tears off my face.

  I need to be okay. I get to live again. I get to feel again. Like Kayden’s heat pressing on my back. The butterflies in my belly. That’s all good things.

  “Jeff isn’t back yet.” Cam lets it hang in the air.

  I feel relieved. Is that awful that I hope he never comes back, with more questions and answers?

  “Do you want to watch a movie with me?” Cam smiles.

  “No. Not really. I think I’m just going to go to bed.”

  He looks up at the sky and back down to me. I feel Kayden move slightly against me.

  “Yeah okay.”

  I step out of the comfort of Kayden’s arms and go in the house. Maybe some sleep would do me good. All this might not seem so impossible in the morning. The stress could be lighter. I don’t know. I just can’t handle any more today.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Kayden

  SHE LOOKS SO sad. Heartbreakingly so.

  Kayden watches as Avery goes inside the house. A little piece of him leaving with her. His fist clenched at his sides. It felt amazing to hold her in his arms. Perfect. Right.

  Kayden loved the feeling of his arms wrapped around Avery’s small body. Being able to feel her body heat and the pitter patter of her heart. She’s a perfect fit for him. He’s able to rest his chin on the top of her head as his arms are wrapped around her. He wished she never would have moved away. Why couldn’t she stay in his arms forever?

  If only it didn’t bring his wolf to the surface that is.

  His hands start to shake followed by the rest of his body as brown fur starts to sprout from his golden skin, like new grass. His wolf fighting to get loose.

  “Not handling it to, well, are you?” Cam asks, eyeing Kayden’s arms.

  Kayden snarls in return. No, he’s not handling the mating pull that good. The longer he and Avery go without completely the bond, the harder his wolf rides his human side. The harder it pushes forward, wanting to bite. To claim. To mark. To tag.

  “Why don’t you just tell her? She would understand that your wolf is fighting you.” Cam questions not understanding why Kayden is willing to put himself through this.

  “I can’t,” Kayden growls out.

  He twists around facing Cam who stumbles back.

  Kayden doesn’t think Avery will understand the wolf under his skin or handle it well for that matter, at least not right now. She wasn’t raised here. It’d be too much for her on top of everything else.

  “Can’t or won’t?” Camron asks with worry etched on his face.

  Kayden grunts out as his teeth length and pierces his lips.

  Damn it.

  He twists around going into the house.

  “What the . . . ?” Nick yells as his brother speeds by him, knocking into him as he goes up the stairs.

  Kayden moves quickly with an animal grace. Not making a sound. Climbing the stairs to the third floor.

  He stops, with his back to the wall he slides down right outside the small entry room into Avery’s bedroom. Her cold snowy scent fills his lungs, with that slight aching sweet scent of the Rain blood line underneath her normal cold scent. A relief swarms his body as his wolf pulls back, somewhat content with their mates’ scent surrounding them.

  That’s better.

  “You need to tell her Kay,” Nick demands in a heated whisper as he leans up against the opposite wall.

  “No.” Kayden snaps. He winces at his loud tone.

  He hates the look of pity in his brother’s eyes, but to tell Avery that they need to complete the bond fills him with so much fear. She isn’t ready. She’s just now starting to trust him.

  “Would you rather end up attacking her.” Nick grunts softly, “Or what about if she comes into heat. Huh. You know how painful that is. Not only to her but for the ones around her while you guys are unmated.”

  “We don’t know if she will even come into heat. She inherited the empath side of the genes from her father.” Kayden starts tapping his thumb on his knee. Avery being in heat is the last damn thing he wants to worry about.

  “You don’t know what will happen with her Kayden. She is different.”

  “Do you not think I know that.” Kayden snarls then proceed to hold his breath.

  Both boys stay still and quiet, turning their senses towards Avery’s room. Did she hear him? No, the sound of running water reaches his sensitive ears.

  “You need to sit down and talk to her about this before you attack her and do something horrible.” Nick shakes his head, leaving Kayden to his thoughts.

  Kayden knows his brother is right. But the fear of turning her away from him has his heart clenching with dread.

  He shakes his head. He’ll wait a little longer. Give her more time to adjust to everything first. She needs that. He will give her that.

  When it’s the right time. He’ll explain everything that must do with the mate bounding and pray she won’t run away screaming. That she will be alright and want this just as much as he does.

  Kayden’s eyes shut as he hears the beautiful melody of Avery’s heart beating. Soon it will sync with his. With that in mind, he drifts off to sleep with his own special song ringing in his ears.

  Chapter Thirty

  Avery

  I SLOWLY COME awake and freeze. My eyes are still shut and I’m not moving, but there is this feeling like I’m being watched. Someone is in the room.

  I recount what I did last night. I finally went to the grave yard, and I was wrapped up in Kayden’s warm arms. It was such a good feeling having his arms around me.

  After that, I came up to my room and took a hot bath. Then I went to bed. I can’t remember whether I locked the door or not. Either way, someone is in the room with me.

  I can feel them. Their jittery-happy feelings flowing to me. I don’t know who it could be.

  It makes me uncomfortable knowing someone is in here just watching me sleep for who knows how long. I wish emotions came with a taste or smell something to identify the person.

  My eyes open and I jerk back. “Cam.”

  I knew someone was there but didn’t realize how close. My eyes narrow as a smile breaks across Camron’s face.

  He’s lying beside me on his stomach, hands under his chin, face turn towards me. It’s a little strange.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Do you know you j
erk around in your sleep?” Camron says rolling over on his side.

  “And you mumble a lot.”

  I look behind me and see Cammie lounging on the window seat popping her gum. “And you snore.” She smiles cheekily at me.

  “No. I didn’t know those things. Thanks, so much guys.”

  “Ah, she has some humor, Cam.” Cammie chuckles.

  I stare at Cam and he stares back. What could he possibly need? Why is he in my bed?

  “Let’s go eat breakfast.” He says jumping up suddenly.

  “I’ll be there in a minute,” I mumble.

  He shrugs and leaves the room.

  I roll over and groan into my pillow. I feel uneasy and stressed. I don’t think I care for these feelings very much.

  “That’s how you sounded.”

  I look up and see Cammie standing beside the bed.

  “Do you guys have this weird thing where you like to watch people sleep?”

  “Not really. You’re just new and shiny.” Cammie shrugs, grinning. “Hurry up.” She bounces out of the room.

  I roll out of bed going into the connecting bathroom.

  My ice blue eyes no longer have that cold look. They look haunted now. Lost.

  I splash cold water on my face waking me up more and brush out my long locks.

  I dress in a plain black tee and light blue skinny jeans, slipping on my flip flops I leave the room with nerves and dread bubbling in my belly.

  I bound down the stairs to the small entry way lost in my own little world. I only make it a couple of inches in the small room, a surprised scream echoes out as I trip. I land with a grunt. As an oaf reaches my ears.

  “Kayden?” My head tilts as I take in Kayden’s rumpled form laying half in and half out of the entry way.

  My heart jumps to life at seeing him. But, what’s he doing sleeping outside of my room? Is this kind of thing normal for them? Cam and Cammie watching me sleep and Kayden laying in the room? That’s just odd to me.

  His tan skin gets a hint of red to it. He’s embarrassed. I find that sweet.

  I scramble up off him and the floor.

  “Are you okay?” His voice is scruffy from sleep. It’s very enduring.

  I nod. My voice seeming to be gone now.

  He nods back and leaves. Just leaves. My mouth pops open from the surprise.

  I look at the spot on the floor. Did he sleep outside of my door? Why didn’t the tingles warn me to his presence? Why did he just leave without saying anything? I don’t know. I just don’t know anymore. Between him, Cam, and Cammie, today is starting out so promising. Not.

  “Hey, come eat.” Cam smiles at me from the door way into the kitchen.

  I move slowly, still uneasy at this whole situation and the people. Eventually, I’ll relax, though. Hopefully.

  My eyes roam the bar sitting in the kitchen. Bacon, sausage, pancakes and fresh strawberries are scattered on the top. It smells delicious.

  Pulling out a stool, I hop up and start fixing my plate. My eyes flick around the kitchen looking for Kayden. I get nervous and feel a little sick at not seeing him.

  “Where is everyone?”

  Oh, that’s good. The pancakes are light and fluffy melting in my mouth with a touch of butter and maple syrup.

  “Aden already ate, considering he cooked. Kayden flew out of here four seconds ago, and I’m assuming Nick is at his place. Jeff went to check up on Shelly and Lilly and who knows what Cammie is getting into.”

  Kayden flew out of here. Was it because of me? I nod, crunching on a piece of bacon. Wait did he say Aden cooked this? Mean evil Aden.

  I pause with a second fork full of pancakes, eyeing it warily. He wouldn’t poison the food, would he? I look over at Cam and see his pancakes already gone. It is good. With that, I plop my fork in my mouth and continue eating.

  “When you get done, we’re going to work with Dean.” There’s a sparkle in Cam’s warm brown eyes as my hand stopping in mid-air.

  I shift in my seat, laying my second piece of bacon back onto the plate. I want Kayden here. The feeling of him missing hits me hard as my anxiety notches up.

  Dean. The black wolf. The scary black wolf that’s in this rage I’m supposed to help him out of. My gut bottoms out. I don’t think I can do this.

  “Don’t worry. You’ll be alright.” Cam says gently.

  My hands start to shake. I’m done with my half-eaten plate of food. My stomach sours. This is fear. The real fear that I’m feeling. I do not like it. Maybe I can . . .

  “It’s not as bad as it seems,” Cam says looking at my shaky hands. “I know they call it the Rage, which is stupid if you ask me, but it’s not really a rage.” He taps his finger on his lip, “It’s when a shifter reaches the cut off age, twenty-five without having a mate or an em-bond, they start to lose their humanity. Their human emotion and mind slowly starts slipping into more of a wolf, until they are completely wolf. Not rage full, just a wild animal and the stronger ones can sometimes hold it off for a while.”

  “He’s a wild animal.” I cross my arms, my eyes wide. They feel like they’re going to pop out of my head. I can’t do this. Where is Kayden?

  “Kind of. He’s intelligent with only a few things mattering to him. Like eating, sleeping, hunting, protecting what he thinks is his.”

  I gulp, my heart is already beating to fast in my chest. Sweat slowly coating my palms. I’m not even in front of Dean the wolf and I’m already having a freak out.

  “He won’t hurt me?” I squeak out.

  Laughing Cam says, “No, he knows you are his.”

  Am I his? Like property? I’m confused. “How does that work? I’m supposed to be Kayden’s mate. How can I have an em-bond with Dean?”

  Cam shifts on his feet looking uneasy, “Well, I don’t really know.”

  I just look at him. That is not an answer.

  “I don’t Avery. Your different. Normally a wolf does not form a mate bound with an empath yet Kayden did with you. It’s never happened before. It might be because of your mother’s blood line. If an em-bond happens to form between a male wolf and a female empath, theirs a small chance that the em-bond will eventually evolve into a half mate bond. But you guys bypassed that. It’s highly unusual.”

  Like me.

  “I have two mates.” I rasp out. I can’t deal with this. Two. I’m not even comfortable with one.

  “Calm down. Take a breath. Push everything else to the back of your mind. Okay. It might not turn into a mate bond. You might just be a stepping stone to get Dean out of the rage. Not necessarily his mate. Which no one gets two mates. It just doesn’t happen. So, don’t freak out over something that hasn’t and won’t happened.” Cam nods looking at me.

  There’s a lot of mights. It’s easier said than done. Not freaking out, which I totally want to and feel I have a valid reason for doing so but I nod with him and he smiles.

  “Let’s just work on bridging the gap between you and Dean.”

  I nod. What am I supposed to say? This is terrifying. Where is Kayden? I’d feel better if I could at least see him.

  “Are you done?”

  “Yeah,” I mumble.

  I couldn’t eat even if someone payed me too. My nerves are all shot to crap.

  “Alright come on.” Cam waves, motioning to the sliding glass doors.

  “Is he out there?” I whisper behind Cam.

  “Maybe I don’t know. You might have to call to him.”

  Like a dog. Call the wolf. A wild animal, to me like a dog. The wolf who is this Dean person. Who may or may not be another mate for me. Which can’t happen. But everything always happens to me. Oh, my gosh, I feel sick again. It’s like I fell down a rabbit hole or got adducted by space aliens. This seriously can’t be my life right now. Where in the heck is Kayden?

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Avery

  I’M RIGHT ON Cam’s heels as we make are way off the back patio and into the grass. My right hand is clutched tightly on the back
of his blue button up shirt. I do not like this fear rolling around in my body or the nervousness. Its stifling making it hard for me to breath like a normal person.

  “Is he out here?” I whisper looking around like I’m some kind of secret spy.

  I stand up on my tip-toes looking over the small fountain of fish. Who has a fountain of fish? I look around the outdoor grill area. Still nothing. I feel kind of dumb looking around like a bobble head doll in the backyard for a wolf. A wolf, who is a person, who I’m to help. Fear makes people dumb. My eyes scan the trees boarding the yard. I still can’t see anything. A black wolf should stand out in a sea of trees. Right?

  “No. Why are you whispering?” Cam is shaking silently and when I tear my eyes from the trees looking at him. My hand releases his shirt. He’s laughing at me.

  “That’s not nice.” I flutter my hand around his laughing form. My eyes still flickering around the yard. Could the wolf sneak up on me? I twist around looking behind me, heart pounding. Nothing. I’m jittery and I do not like this feeling. Nope, not one bit.

  “I know. Sorry.”

  I look back at Cam.

  He smiles. I don’t think he’s very sorry at all.

  “What now?” I bounce from foot to foot. I’m so nervous. And sick. My shirt is wet from my nervous sweating. I don’t think I can do this. It was so much easier when I didn’t have this fear. What a useless feeling to have.

  “You call for him.” Cam sits down in one of the red chairs at the edge of the patio.

  He left me out in the open yard. The wide-open yard by myself. He’s still here, in a chair. I’m in the yard. Way, way, way from the safety of a chair and the door. It might not be that big of a distance but it feels like a canyon separates him and me. And safety. I scoot closer to him but still standing in the grass with the tip of my toes on the patio. Yeah, so that made me feel a little better. I breath in deep. Call him. Okay, I can do that.

  “Here boy, Here Dean!” I feel like an idiot. A scared sweaty idiot.

  Cam’s belly deep laughter has me looking at him. He’s laughing again. Why is he freaking laughing? I did what he said to do.

  “What?” I snap, crossing my arms over my chest feeling self-conscious and a little mad.