Forgotten Curse

by Owens, C. M.

  We finally reach his apartment, and I look around to see everything is completely restored. The pictures of me are no longer in the living area though. I suppose that should have been expected - heartbreaking, but expected.

  “Hey, Araya, this is you,” Grayson bumbles out while pointing to a picture he found stuffed in the couch cushions.

  “Fuck,” Hale murmurs to himself, and I tilt my head curiously.

  He rips the frame from Grayson’s hands, and he storms off to the bedroom. Clay tightens his lips, and then he sits down opposite me.

  “Please tell me what’s going on now,” he murmurs softly.

  I motion to Grayson first, and he squirms uncomfortably while gripping Angelica’s hand tighter.

  “This is Grayson, and he’s a gifted hybrid who has just recently learned of his gift. He’ll need a mark.”

  “That’s what all the fuss is about?” Hale asks suspiciously while returning to the room.

  “No,” I scold. “He’s a level seven at least, and I can say that with certainty.”

  “Level seven?” Hale gasps.

  “Yes. She’ll be at least a level six or seven,” I murmur softly, and Angelica tilts her head in confusion.

  “How do you know that?” Clay asks.

  “She’s his counterpart. I saw it with my own eyes, and they’ve been inseparable ever since. With his gift being as strong as it is, hers will be almost equal to match. Not to mention, he was drawn to the Hershian. We all know the power of such a connection,” I murmur, and my eyes connect with Hale’s momentarily.

  “What’s a level seven?” Grayson asks, and I break my eye contact immediately with Hale to turn to him.

  “Our gifts are scaled. There are levels of one to eight based on the strength of your gift. Judging by what I’ve seen, I feel confident listing you as a seven. It includes your sober and savage state as factors.”

  “Not trying to sound smug, but I’m pretty damn powerful. If I’m a seven, what the hell does an eight look like?”

  “There’s only one level eight. The classification system was actually one to seven until her,” Hale murmurs softly, and his eyes find mine again against my will.

  “Who is she?” Grayson asks casually while kissing the back of Angelica’s hand.

  “Araya,” Hale answers.

  Angelica’s eyes pop open a little wider, and Grayson chokes on the air in his lungs.

  “Really? That moving stuff with your mind got you an eight? I have to be a nine then,” he retorts.

  “You had to use your gift?” Hale worries. “What the hell happened?”

  “Did this have something to do with the false blood rape report?” Clay muses.

  “It did. Grayson was falsely accused of blood raping a full blood, and when cleared of his charges, a lieutenant went against my orders and had him released back into the visitor’s section of the compound. He was flogged, and it turned into a bit of a massacre.”

  “Araya threw people all over the place, and it was pretty fucking awesome, but I don’t see how that’s more deadly than what I can do,” Grayson scoffs.

  Hale ignores the juvenile boy’s sulking remark as his eyes burn into mine with fear oozing out. There even looks to be a little guilt edged in as well.

  Too late to feel guilty now. I just want to know why you left me… again.

  “You didn’t-”

  “No. I stopped before I reached that point,” I say to interrupt Hale’s full question, and then I turn back to face Grayson. “I can do more than throw people around, and you haven’t seen my savage yet. A level seven is powerful, a level eight is uncontrollable. You don’t want the burden you see as a blessing. There aren’t survivors when I get done,” I murmur guiltily, and Hale stands to come sit on the arm of the couch beside me.

  I feel as if he’s resisting the urge to comfort me, but I don’t need his comfort. I need answers. I need him.

  “What phase was he in?” Hale asks me, his delicious breath traveling down to land on my lips.

  I click them together, and I ignore the shiver caused by his unrelenting eyes.

  “In phase two. He was at three another time that I can’t divulge right now,” I murmur while shifting my eyes to Clay, and he tightens his lips at the question he knows he can’t ask.

  “Why wasn’t he marked sooner?” Clay asks, his eyes expecting the answers my lips can’t give him.

  “His documents burned at Heddlebrook during that freak fire. He was turned loose not too long ago from Romine which we all know does very little to document hybrids passing through, and he didn’t know what was happening to him due to the lack of the unaligned attention he received,” I lie. “He needs to be marked, and then I’ll let him demonstrate what he can do.”

  “Very well. I’ll take him and the girl for marking, and I’ll let them stay in the room together so as not to provoke his gift.”

  “I don’t want to show them, Araya. What if she can’t bring me down again?” he worries.

  “She won’t have to. You’re like Hale… I mean… Captain Banner. He has to use olophine before his power to ensure his savage doesn’t come free. Trust me. I haven’t steered you wrong yet.”

  Hale stands, and Clay joins him. He calls a man to come take the newbie and the soon-to-be-newbie to the marking room.

  “Will you come with us?” Angelica asks hopefully.

  “Of course,” I say reassuringly, and Hale walks up to be almost touching me.

  “How far until the change do you estimate for her?” he asks softly.

  “A week, maybe two if we’re lucky.”

  “Really? I thought I would be older,” she gushes, and I elbow Hale for asking me such a question in front of her.

  He purses his lips, and then I turn to comfort her.

  “You wouldn’t have been so hypnotized if you weren’t close to your change.”

  “Tell me more about this fight,” Hale insists. “Were you hurt? What happened to the lieutenant who defied your orders?”

  “I don’t feel like talking about it right now. I need to grab a drink. Do you mind if I-”

  “You know where everything is,” he interrupts, and his eyes scold me for even asking.

  It’s not like he and I are together. He doesn’t even act the least bit warm toward me. It’s as though he’s torn, and it doesn’t make sense unless he has found someone else.

  Oh fuck. Please no.

  “She was a bloody mess, but Nicholas stripped the pompous full blood of his stripes before banishing him from the compound. I’m surprised he did such a thing to one of his own. He told Araya nothing like that would happen again,” Grayson says to answer, and I’m wondering if he deliberately meant to exclude Brazen’s details.

  “So you found another full blood?” Hale scoffs. “I’m sure Brazen is thrilled about that.”

  “My father loves my mother, Sir,” Angelica snarls. “He and Araya are friends because she helped to lock away a slew of dangerous men who were on the brink of going free. He wouldn’t take advantage of such a situation, and he wouldn’t hurt my mother.”

  “Father?” Hale gasps.

  “Nicholas Hawkins is a full blood who kept his hybrid daughter. His rare case includes love for his human changeling,” Clay murmurs too casually, almost crudely, and tears whelp up in Angelica’s eyes.

  “I think that’s about enough,” I admonish, my voice raising. “Nicholas is a damn good man, and she’s very right about his love for her mother. She’ll be joining them soon.”

  Angelica’s eyes seem to show relief, even gratitude, while Hale looks at me curiously.

  “Brazen was there for Araya,” Grayson pops off with a dismissive tone. “He carried her up when she couldn’t walk.”

  “You were hit that fucking bad, and you didn’t call me?” he snaps, his voice raising now.

  “Why would I? The last time I saw you, it was made clear you were done with me,” I blare.

  “Don’t give me that bullshit. You know I�
�m here if you need me. We’re connected whether we’re together or not,” he scolds.

  “I don’t give a fuck about our connection. It’s apparent you don’t either. Let’s just try to be civil in front of the two kids learning about their connection. I swear I’ll inject myself with olophine thirty fucking times a day to keep from ever needing your help again,” I scream, and then I jerk Angelica by the hand to lead her to the elevator.

  “He’s a major dickhead. What could he have done?” she whispers.

  “Nothing Brazen didn’t do better,” I mumble, and I see the wincing face of Hale as he joins us on the elevator.

  Fuck. That was too cruel. I shouldn’t have said that.

  “What is his gift?” Clay asks to lighten the silent and awkward tension.

  Grayson starts to answer, and I put my hand over his mouth to keep him from spoiling the surprise.

  “I’ll let you see it before I try to explain it. Make sure to bring at least two, maybe three vials of olophine.”

  “I’ve already sent for five. I like to be thorough,” he murmurs suspiciously, his eyes gauging my new friend.

  “I want to request an in-house training allowance. I’m certified for training, and her father is the captain. It’s apparent the two of them shouldn’t be separated for a while, and I’m acquainted with the both of them as well as his gift.”

  “I don’t see why not,” Clay says with a shrug.

  “Absolutely not,” Hale inserts. “I’m the hybrid advocate, and I request they train here with our more equipped training facilities.”

  The elevator opens deep underground, and I run over to be in front of Hale.

  “Are you doing this to try to belittle me right now? Because it’s working. I am a damn good trainer since interrogation and training are all I’ve been allowed to do for five fucking years. You have no right-”

  “Stop fighting, damn it,” Clay blares. “Araya is right, Hale. She’s earned the right to ask for anything she wants. She has trained every cadet without falter, and I trust her implicitly.”

  “We don’t know what he can do,” Hale murmurs to Clay.

  “We don’t have to. Araya knows what she’s doing. You can’t use your rank against her in this situation because she’s too qualified to be overlooked. It would look as if I’m not doing my job right. I think I’ve held her back enough,” Clay growls, and the two of them seem to share a silent conversation with their eyes.

  “Thank you,” I murmur to Clay, and I stick my tongue out at Hale.

  Great. Now I’m five again.

  Clay stifles a snicker, and I stare into the glass as Angelica and Grayson sit side by side.

  “Where do you want it?” I ask her while I walk into the room.

  “The same place you have yours,” she says with a smile while lowering her shirt to reveal her back.

  Grayson’s eyes trail over to her topless body, and she blushes while covering her breasts.

  “You may want to invest in a bra. Your training will intensify,” I chuckle out.

  “I think that’s a good idea,” she murmurs bashfully, and then Hale takes a step too close to me when I feel his breath on the back of my neck.

  “She adores you. Apparently you’ve made an impression on her.”

  “She just wants to be an interrogator.”

  “Our compound has a far greater training facility for newbies. They should stay here. I promise I won’t separate them.”

  “They’re coming back with me,” I huff. “Just stop fighting with me on this. Clay gave this one to me, so get the Hale over yourself.”

  I watch the lasers swirl rapidly over her back. The concentrated uranium laced ink burns through her skin to embroider the sparrow on her back. I look over as Grayson’s process begins, and the burning starts on his chest.

  Hale touches my exposed sparrow, and I tense up when I feel his fingers tracing the lines of it.

  “Are they the way we were?” he asks softly while letting his lips almost touch my shoulder as he brushes my hair to the side.

  “No. They haven’t… done anything yet,” I stammer out, my whole body tensing up, longing for his touch to deepen.

  “So it’s not as powerful as our initial connection?” he almost whispers and his lips do touch my shoulder.

  I gasp as I feel the heat of his touch, and I turn to face him with tears in my eyes.

  “Nothing I see will ever compare to what I felt. Don’t do this to me right now just to get your way. They’re not staying here.”

  “All done,” Angelica chirps while walking over holding Grayson’s hand.

  “Great,” I choke out, and then I push Hale lightly to knock him out of my path.

  “What room do we need?” Hale asks while clearing his throat.

  “A fire safe room,” I answer coldly.

  “On the right,” he murmurs while ushering us in.

  Grayson steps into the room alone, his eyes finding Angelica’s as she presses her hands to the glass. Hale seals the door, and five dummies emerge from the floor. There are five vials of olophine lined up on the table.

  “So I just inject myself with this stuff, and then I go boom?” Grayson muses.

  “That’s the point. If you can get control of your gift without going savage, you’ll be in good shape.”

  He takes a deep breath, and then he turns back to me.

  “What happens if it doesn’t work? Can you shoot it into me?”

  “We can, but it’s not an easy or painless process. We’ll just have Angelica inject you with it,” I say casually, and her eyes widen in shock.

  “Maybe it won’t work then,” he menacingly retorts, and then he gives her a wink before turning around.

  “What the hell?” she gasps in a whisper. “You didn’t tell me about that.”

  “I’m sorry. What’s the problem though? You feel the connection don’t you?” I ask innocently.

  “Of course I feel it, but I’ve never had sex with anyone let alone blood screwed someone,” she gushes in panic.

  “Blood screwed?” I muse, my lips turning up in an insuppressible grin.

  “Yes. My dad won’t let me use the other word,” she murmurs in embarrassment, and Hale starts laughing from behind us to announce his inadvertent eavesdropping.

  “Holy shit,” he coughs out, trying to regain composure.

  “I’m sorry. I wasn’t aware you were a virgin,” I mumble in shock.

  “Shh…” she scolds. “Not so freaking loud. I don’t want him to know because he’s apparently an expert.”

  “Most hybrids are,” Hale snarks with a devious grin.

  I shiver lightly when those hellacious eyes catch mine, and then I shake off the moment of weakness while turning back to her.

  “I don’t want you listening in,” she growls, and he shrugs before walking off.

  “Hale is harmless. Don’t worry about it.” I pause as my eyes move away from my hybrid and back to the newbie boy still unsure of what to do. “I’ll shoot Grayson full of olophine if you don’t think you can handle it,” I say dismissively, and then I prop up to watch Grayson as he tries to steady his nerves.

  “I am worried. I won’t let you shoot him just because I’m scared, but I don’t have a clue about what to do in the bedroom.”

  “It’s pretty simple. You’ll figure it out no problem. What you don’t know, he’ll teach you.”

  “I don’t want him to teach me. That will be humiliating.”

  Hale walks back over and rejoins the conversation despite her earlier objections.

  “You need to stop thinking of him as any other guy. There’s absolutely nothing you can do that will make him not love you. He’ll enjoy any firsts you have with him.”

  I smirk lightly when I accidentally think of all our firsts. Though he wasn’t my first in many ways, there were some damn kinky things that went on after we met that I had never done with anyone else.

  “He’s going to have to enjoy a hell of a lot,” she mumbles
, and my eyes meet Hale’s.

  He comes to stand beside me, and Clay walks over to the other end as Grayson finally summons up the courage to demonstrate his gift. The dummies instantly turn to ash before anyone can even witness a flame. Hale sighs out loudly, and Clay’s mouth gapes open.

  “Fuck,” Hale grumbles. “Please let him stay here until he gets the hang of controlling his gift.”

  “No. He’s my responsibility now, and it’s late. We’re going to bed, and then we’ll start training early in the morning,” I snark.

  “Fine. Where are you staying?”

  “You don’t need to know that either. Besides, I don’t even know. Wendy text the room number earlier. I just haven’t tried locating it yet.”

  “Tell me where it is, and I’ll show you,” he smolders, and his eyes dare me to step to him.

  My lips graze his arm as I seductively move against him, and his whole body tenses up under my touch.

  “No,” I say with my chilly tone ringing free, and Clay starts clapping to distract us both as Grayson walks out.

  “That was phenomenal. I’m glad you’re being trained by Araya. She and Hale are the best. Hale’s a level seven as well. He can give you control pointers.”

  “I’ll stick with Araya. She hasn’t steered me wrong yet. I trust her,” he murmurs, appreciation beaming from his eyes.

  “It appears the girl isn’t the only one who adores you,” Hale whispers.

  Grayson jerks Angelica to him to deliver an adrenaline pumped kiss.

  “I knew how important it was to keep them together. They both know I’m looking out for them,” I murmur softly, and his arms slide around my waist.

  “What are you trying to say right now?” he asks against my ear, and I turn to face him.

  Before I realize what I’m doing, my lips are tangled in his. He jerks my body tightly to his, and I feel the erotic burst starting to tingle everywhere south on me.

  “I’m trying to say this,” I murmur against his lips before deepening the kiss, and he grips me tighter before pulling me out of the room.

  I feel a wall against my back and a bulge pushing against me. His lips attack mine with a need I didn’t expect to feel, and he jerks me up to wrap my legs around his waist. He thrusts against me, and I’m ready to rip his pants off him.