Cursed (Book 1, The Watchers; Young Adult Paranormal Romance)

by S. J. West

  “I was on campus for a while and then I came back here.”

  “Thanks for bringing me my coat and tie back.”

  “No problem.”

  Brand sat down in the chair next to me. I wasn’t sure what to say.

  “Malcolm came to see me again,” I blurted out.

  “What?” Brand stood up again quickly looking around us as if Malcolm had suddenly reappeared.

  “He’s not here. He found me on campus earlier,” I reassured him.

  He sat back down. “What did he want?”

  “My company.”

  “Is that all?” He asked in a way that implied that wasn’t all Malcolm had come for.

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  What right did he have to question who I spent my time with or why they might actually want to spend time with me? He’d pretty much given up the right to say anything about who I associated with when he told me to get out of his life.

  “You can’t trust him, Lilly.”

  “Well, sometimes you can’t trust the people you thought you could either. At least he’s honest about what he is. He’s not pretending to be anyone but himself.”

  “What did he want?” Brand asked deciding to ignore my none too subtle jibe.

  “Like I said, he wanted my company.” I wasn’t sure if I wanted Brand to know the bargain I’d made with Malcolm, but apparently he could see I wasn’t telling him the whole truth.

  “What did you do, Lilly?”

  “It’s really none of your business, Brand.” I stood up from the lounge chair. “Don’t you have someone else you’d rather be with right now?”

  “Not really.”

  “Well you don’t have to worry about Malcolm. He just wants a friend.”

  Brand stood up. “What did you do, Lilly?”

  I wound the cord of my earplugs around my MP3 player not meeting his eyes.

  “He made a bargain with me. If I let him see me anytime he wants, he’ll stop killing people.”

  “You what?” Brand walked up to me grabbing the top of my arms forcing me to look him in the eyes. “Have you lost your mind? He’s dangerous, Lilly. You can’t trust him to keep his word.”

  “You really need to let go of me,” I said, surprising myself by how acidic my tone was.

  Brand dropped his hands to his side.

  “He said I would be able to tell that he wasn’t drinking blood anymore because if he did his skin would turn the color of mine. Was he lying about that?”

  “No,” Brand still had a troubled look on his face. “That’s right.”

  “Then you don’t have anything to worry about. If he lies to me, the deal’s off.”

  “You’re too good to be spending your time with trash like that. Has he told you who ordered him to kill you yet? If he were your friend he would tell you that wouldn’t he?”

  “I’ll remember to ask him the next time I see him which will probably be soon. He said being around me was addicting. I doubt he’ll wait that long to visit again.”

  I admit it. I wanted to see if that would elicit any type of reaction from Brand.

  “Lilly,” the pain in Brand’s voice was real. “Don’t do this. He’s dangerous.”

  “Not as dangerous as some people I know.”

  “I’m sorry that I’ve hurt you but don’t think being with Malcolm is going to bring you any sort of joy. His kind is only concerned about what satisfies them. Once he gets tired of you he’ll destroy you.”

  “Thanks,” I said choking up. “Thanks for thinking so highly of me. Maybe he’ll be different and not get tired of me as easily as you did.” I turned my back to him and started walking back to my apartment.

  Brand appeared in front of me. “Don’t say that, Lilly.”

  “Why? It’s the truth! Why can’t you just leave me alone? Go back to Izzi. She seems to be more than willing to satisfy your needs.”

  I pushed past Brand, walked into my room and slammed the sliding glass door shut.

  I remembered thinking earlier in the evening that I didn’t have any more tears left in me but a well of them suddenly appeared in my eyes. I curled up on my bed and eventually found sleep.

  My dreams that night were completely out of character for me. They were crystal clear like they had been when I spent the night in Brand’s arms, but he wasn’t staring in my dreams this time. It was Malcolm. Just like before it was as if I were seeing things through Malcolm’s eyes and feeling his emotions. They weren’t as romantic as the dreams I had about Brand though. These dreams were filled with lust and were extremely raw in their passion. The love making was rough, animalistic in nature there wasn’t any love involved. It was simply actions to satisfy a base need. I don’t remember talking in the dreams at all and each scene seemed to take place in a different location: under a waterfall in some tropical paradise; in a gondola floating down a canal in what looked like Venice; at the top of the Eiffel tower in Paris.

  When I woke up the next morning, I immediately went to the bathroom to take a cold shower. What on earth had caused those dreams? I mean yes, Malcolm was gorgeous but I hadn’t felt any sexual urges toward him in our last two encounters. Was my subconscious trying to tell me something I didn’t know?

  For me, the only way I could do things like that were if I were in love with the person. Even so though, some of the things we did in the dream I didn’t even know were possible. Once my hormones got back to a decent level, I hopped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my body.

  “I’m making breakfast,” Tara called out to me from the kitchen as I made my way back to my room.

  “Ok, just let me put some clothes on and I’ll help.”

  When I stepped into my room, I found Malcolm lying on my bed shirtless and barefoot with only a pair of red silk pajama bottoms on.

  His eyes travelled slowly from my wet hair to my toes. “Well,” he growled, “don’t you look delectable?”

  I quickly closed the door to my room.

  “What are you doing here?” I whispered, worried that Tara would over hear us.

  “Our deal, remember? Anytime, anyplace.”

  The way Malcolm was looking at me made me wonder if he had changed his mind about devouring me.

  “I think we need to amend those rules just a bit.”

  “No, I don’t think we do. If we did, I might not be able to catch you in such unexpected attire.”

  “Exactly.”

  “What would be the fun in that, Lilly? Rules are such a pain to keep up with.”

  “Well, if you want to be my friend, I would appreciate it if you gave me a little privacy when it’s called for. Like now.”

  “Oh, all right. But I’ll be back.” He was gone before I could ask when exactly he planned to come back.

  I got dressed quickly just in case he decided to come back soon.

  By the time I went to the kitchen, Tara already had our plates made and sitting on the table.

  “Sorry I took so long. I really wanted to help you.”

  “No thing, girl. Just sit down and eat.”

  We were half way through our breakfast when there was a knock at the door.

  “I’ll get it,” Tara got up before I could offer to answer it. When she opened the door, I heard her gasp in surprise.

  I turned around to see who it was. It was Malcolm. Well, at least he’d put on a white button down shirt, black slacks and loafers. Though, the shirt was opened as seemed to be his usual way to wear a shirt and he was holding a bouquet of white and red roses.

  “Hello,” Malcolm said. “Would this happen to be the residence of Lilly Nightingale?”

  “Uh, yeah. Who are you?”

  I got out of my seat. Poor Tara’s eyes looked like they were going to bulge out of their sockets at the sight of Malcolm.

  “Tara, this is Malcolm. Malcolm, I would like you to meet my best friend Tara.” I hoped my emphasis on best told him to pay special attention to where his teeth were around her.

>   “Please to meet you, Tara,” he said bowing slightly at the waist.

  “When did you two meet?” Tara asked me.

  “Malcolm walked me part of the way home after the dance. He made sure I got here safely.” It was mostly the truth.

  “And you didn’t tell me?” Tara whispered to me. I could tell she was having a hard time keeping her self under control. What she really wanted to do was ask me a hundred questions but even she knew doing that would be rude to do in front of our guest.

  “Come on in, Malcolm. Are those for me?” I asked stretching out my arms to take the bouquet of roses from him.

  He handed me the flowers and gave me a wink. I just rolled my eyes at him. I guess this was his way at playing it normal.

  Tara finally stepped back from the doorway to let Malcolm into the apartment.

  “I hope I didn’t interrupt your breakfast,” he said seeing the food on the table.

  “Would you like some?” Tara offered. “We’ve got leftovers.”

  “That would be very kind of you, thank you Tara.”

  While Tara went to make a plate, I whispered to Malcolm, “Can you eat real food?”

  “Of course, it’s just not my choice of sustenance,” he whispered back.

  I retook my seat and Malcolm sat across from me.

  “So what brings you by, Malcolm?” Tara said sitting a plate of bacon, eggs and biscuits in front of him at the table.

  “I came to see if Lilly would be free today. I have some business on the coast and I thought she might like the diversion.”

  “Oh that sounds like fun. You should go,” Tara urged me with a lift of her eyebrows. “What sort of business are you in?”

  “I own one of the casinos down there.”

  “You what?” Tara asked, sure she had heard wrong.

  “Well, I don’t own it alone of course, but my partners are pretty silent. I have to go down there on occasion to make sure the manager is handling things to my satisfaction.”

  “So do you live here in Lakewood?”

  “No, not yet,” Malcolm looked at me. “But I’m considering buying a home here.”

  “So where do you live?”

  “Here and there,” Malcolm said vaguely. “Where ever the wind takes me.”

  “Well I think getting out of town would be good for Lilly. She did tell you she doesn’t have a boyfriend right now didn’t she?”

  I put a hand up to my face in complete mortification.

  “No, I didn’t know that. Thank you for making it clear, Tara,” Malcolm said with a Cheshire smile while he took a bite out of his eggs.

  “Oh yeah, she’s free as a bird. Just make sure you get her back here before ten though. We have school tomorrow.”

  “Your wish is my command, Tara. I shall have her back this evening before you even have a chance to think about worrying for her welfare.” He said with a sly wink in my direction.

  While I was getting ready for my day with Malcolm, I called Tara into my room.

  “What’s up, hon?” She said hopping on my bed to sit while I picked out something to wear.

  “Why are you so eager to see me go out with someone you don’t even know? Before you let me go out with Brand you gave him the fifth degree. How come you’re giving Malcolm a free ride?”

  “Brand was different.”

  “How?”

  “I could see you getting serious with Brand.”

  “And you don’t see that as a possibility with Malcolm?”

  “Well, don’t get me wrong. That man out there is drop dead, drop your mouth, drop your pants gorgeous. But, I know you, girl. You’re still trying to get over Brand. I know you still love that man. You need someone to take your mind off him for a while and Malcolm seems like he’d be a good distraction for you. Lord knows if he can’t distract you, no one can. And you never know,” Tara said with a shrug of her shoulders, “something might happen between you two.”

  “You don’t have to worry about that. I don’t think Malcolm and I will be having that type of relationship.”

  “Maybe not on your end, but he looks at you like he wants to eat you up!”

  I couldn’t help but wince internally at Tara’s choice of phases.

  “Just go out and have fun, hon. But keep that phone on you just incase he turns out to be a turd. I’ll come get you if you need me to.”

  I dressed in a pair of black slacks and a red shirt .

  “Now don’t forget to have her back by 10 o’clock,” Tara reminded Malcolm when we stepped out of the apartment.

  “You have my word as a gentleman that she will be back by then, Tara.” Malcolm assured her.

  “Ok, have fun,” she said emphasizing the last two words while looking me straight in the eyes before closing the door.

  “Where’s your car?” I asked not seeing something in the parking lot that would fit Malcolm’s personality.

  “Why would I need a car?” He asked, a quizzical eyebrow raised at the absurdity of my question.

  “Well, I can’t just snap my fingers and appear somewhere. How will I be getting to wherever it is we’re going?”

  “Didn’t they tell you?”

  “Tell me what?”

  “Here, take my hand. It would be easier to just show you.”

  I hesitated for a moment unsure if this was the safest thing for me to be doing. Had I completely lost my mind? And then Tara’s words came back to me: ‘have fun’.

  I put my hand into Malcolm’s without another thought. He held it tightly. The next thing I knew we were standing in a room in front of a glass wall looking out on the beach in Biloxi.

  “I didn’t even feel us move,” I said in amazement. “How does that work?”

  “We can fold space. So you didn’t actually move, the space around you did.”

  “I guess we haven’t gotten that far in my physics class.”

  “I wouldn’t worry too much about the specifics if I were you, Lilly. It would probably just make your head hurt. I know it does mine,” he laughed. “Come on,” he bade, tugging the hand he still held, “I want to show you my casino.”

  We took the private elevator to the first floor.

  I’d been to the coast a couple of times. Tara and I had made a trip down here on her eighteenth birthday. We tried to go into one of the casinos but they wouldn’t let us in since we weren’t twenty-one.

  “You know I’m still only eighteen.”

  “But you’re with me, it’s not like their going to card you.”

  When we reached the first floor I could hear the distinctive chimes of slot machines in play.

  “I thought you were lying to Tara earlier. You really do own a casino?”

  “Among other things, yes. You might be surprised by what I have my hands playing in,” the intimate way he said the last sentence made me think he was talking about more than just business.

  It didn’t take long before the casino employees were fawning all over Malcolm. I guess having the boss on the grounds was a big deal. The way they were acting I was surprised they weren’t throwing rose petals at his feet and fanning him with palm fronds.

  Malcolm called one of is security guards over to us. He was a tall black man with a bald head and beer belly.

  “Get my guest some coins, please Fredrick?”

  “Sure thing, Mr. Malcolm.” The guard left and walked over to the chips/cash out window.

  “Would you mind playing with the slot machines while I handle business? It shouldn’t take very long, but I think it would bore you.”

  “No that’s fine. I’ve always wanted to try them.”

  Fredrick came back with a bucket full of coins.

  “Take her to the good machines, Fredrick. Make sure she has a nice time. And make sure she cashes out whatever she wins.”

  Malcolm kissed my hand before leaving.

  “This way, miss,” Fredrick said motioning me with his hand to follow him.

  “Have you worked here long, Fredrick?” I a
sked as we made our way through the crowds around the floor of slot machines. Apparently business was still good even in the economy wasn’t.

  “You can just call me Fred, miss. Only Mr. Malcolm calls me Fredrick. And I’ve worked for Mr. Malcolm for almost ten years now.”

  “Do you like working here? Does he treat you well?”

  “Oh yes, miss. He’s the best boss I’ve ever had.” Fred stopped in front of a bank of dollar slot machines. “You might want to try your luck on these, miss.”

  “Just call me Lilly, Fred.”

  “Ok, Miss Lilly.”

  Fred stood by me and instructed me on how to play the slots machines. Before long we had four machines going at one time. About twenty minutes later, I hit the jackpot on one of them. It was for $5,000. Fred helped me at the cashier window to claim my winnings.

  “Thanks for showing me what to do,” I told Fred holding out half the money to him to take.

  “Oh no, Miss Lilly. I can’t accept that. I’d get fired.”

  “Fired for what?”

  Malcolm came to stand beside us. “Did you clean me out?” He looked over my shoulder at the stack of hundreds and twenties in my hands.

  “Almost, sir. She’s a natural,” Fred praised with a smile.

  “You wouldn’t fire Fred for taking some money from me would you?” I asked.

  “I’m afraid it’s against the rules, Lilly,” Malcolm told me. “But don’t worry, I won’t forget Fredrick’s kindness to you when bonus time rolls around.”

  Fred seemed really pleased by this so I let it slide. I thanked Fred for his help and Malcolm and I walked out of the building. He took my hand when we reached the beach and the scene turned from day to dusk. We were walking down an old city street where the scent of freshly baked bread seemed to permeate the air around us.

  “Where are we?” I asked looking at the odd buildings around me.

  “Venice, Italy. Have you ever been here?”

  “No,” I said remembering the dream I’d had the night before. I had never walked these streets in real life but that didn’t stop the odd feeling I was having of actually being here before.

  “Come on, you haven’t seen the city properly if you don’t take a gondola ride through the canals.”

  “I don’t like boats. I don’t like being on the water.”