The Curse

by Sherrilyn Kenyon

  She observed her opponent--a blond-haired boy around seventeen or eighteen intently studying the game board. He moved a black rook, capturing her silver pawn, then hit the egg timer on his left. She took her time looking over the board as though she didn't already have her next six moves planned.

  But Lanna would choose someone she considered an equal with whom to play, so the boy must be pretty good.

  Quinn noted the small brown suitcase nearby. It had seen better days, but hopefully held something other than the red shorts and skimpy blue top she wore. What had happened to the cherub face he recalled from their last encounter? When had she become a striking beauty? But she was safe and alive. The fist of worry in his chest relaxed as he strolled up to her.

  She pushed her knight into risky territory, drew a long breath, hit the timer, then tilted her head back, eyes excited when her gaze lit on him.

  Jumping up, she hugged him. "Hello, Cousin."

  Quinn expected her to be taller, but she still topped out at barely five feet tall. He smiled in spite of everything, the sound of her Romanian accent reminiscent of his childhood. She might be eighteen, but she still hugged his neck the way she had at ten, and he'd missed that. When he released her, he asked, "What are you doing here, Lanna?"

  The boy hadn't made a move to acknowledge Quinn's presence, but the frayed edges of his misfitting clothes and the wariness in his tight shoulders spoke of time on the streets and someone who wouldn't engage easily.

  Not with Quinn, anyhow.

  Lanna lifted her shoulders. "I play chess." Then she plopped back down and glanced at her chess partner, saying, "This is Kell. Kell, this is my cousin--"

  "Vlad," Quinn interjected, which caused her to cock her head at him, but she let it go. He used his first name when he didn't want his last name bandied about.

  The kid mumbled a hello and turned his head halfway up for a second, but not enough to face Quinn.

  "Let's go, Lanna," Quinn said.

  "Game almost over."

  That drew a questioning look from the boy.

  Subtle had never worked with the girl. Might as well be blunt. "You can't stay in the States, Lanna."

  "I thought this was free country." She looked at her opponent and asked him in her somewhat choppy English, "Is this not free country?"

  The boy clearly didn't want to get involved, but said, "Yes."

  She smiled at Quinn again and made another brilliant chess move--this time without paying attention to her hands or the game board. "I am adult. I choose where I go. I come to see you. Are you not glad to see me, Cousin?"

  Hard to answer that honestly and spare her feelings. "It would have been helpful to have a bit of warning."

  "I have no phone."

  Out of patience, Quinn picked up her suitcase and said, "Tell your friend good-bye, Lanna. We need to talk."

  She gave Quinn a put-upon glare and had enough left over to share with the top of the boy's head. Quinn stifled a chuckle at the boy's lack of attention. Her opponent appeared immune to her charms. She'd enjoyed harmless flirting ever since the first time a boy had called her pretty.

  It was undoubtedly a blow to her ego for this one to be more interested in the game than in her.

  After a dramatic and exaggerated sigh, Lanna told the boy, "Thank you for games. I concede this one, but you would lose queen in three more moves."

  That brought his blond head up sharply. "Not a chance. I'd have put you in check in two."

  Not one to accept defeat easily, she leaned forward, eyes flashing ire. "How long you have suffered hallucinations?"

  Quinn interrupted with a stern "Lanna."

  That silenced both of them. Quinn considered telling them both to show sportsmanship and end on a good note, but the young man spoke first.

  "Thanks for playing. You're ... good." He extended his hand, and after a slight hesitation Lanna took it, shaking.

  "You are welcome. Thank you also."

  When Lanna stood again, Quinn walked her several long strides away to stand near the corner of Five Points, next to the bronze statue of a woman releasing a phoenix. He eyed the foot traffic and kept his voice soft.

  "It is imperative that you leave this country right away, Lanna. I cannot play tour guide." He'd had to explain his role as a Belador the last time he'd tracked her down in Canada and had been forced to tap local Belador resources to get her out of that country. "You know what I am and what I do."

  "Yes. You are snake."

  Quinn gritted his teeth, but kept his voice low. "No, I'm with a coalition called VIPER. You are not an ordinary human, Lanna, which means you cannot stay in this country unless you register with VIPER or have a sponsor."

  "I will consider this."

  "No." He said that word a lot with Lanna and knew the minuscule degree of influence it was likely to have. "There is no way I can sponsor you. That would require me to be in one place for six months. An unrealistic expectation."

  "Tell them I am visitor. I will get visa."

  "Your idea of a visa is one with no credit limit. Visitors still have to be cleared through VIPER, and I haven't the time for that now. I'm very busy. I have work to do."

  She brightened. "I will help you."

  "Yes, you can by going home immediately."

  "Not possible."

  "Why?"

  "Because I am not well after flying. I have ... what you call dizzy and sick? Closetphobia?"

  "Claustrophobia? No, that's fear of being closed in. Are you talking about vertigo?"

  "Yes. Sick everywhere. Flight attendant ... she hide after first two hours."

  "I'll get you motion-sickness medicine."

  "A passenger give to me. Made me more sick. Medicine does not like my majik."

  "Fine. I can have you teleported." But Sen would have to teleport her, and Quinn didn't want him to know she existed.

  She put her hands up. "No, no. That is terrible. I almost die when Bernie's uncle teleport me. No, I am not leaving."

  Quinn refused to accept that with all of his resources, both human and supernatural, he could not find a way to get one teenage girl out of this country.

  Even if he could get her cleared through VIPER, he'd end up stuck with her here. Forever.

  Or worse. VIPER might actually consider her powers of some use and ... he'd be stuck with her here. Forever.

  He hated to use fear, but he couldn't spend his time watching over her when Beladors needed help fighting Svart trolls. He'd have to be tough with her. "VIPER will find you any minute now. When they do, I'll have no choice but to allow our liaison with the agency to teleport you home."

  Guilt plagued him when her cheeks lost their rosy hue and her eyes widened in trepidation, then lost focus, staring through him. She started trembling.

  Lightning crackled overhead and thunder rumbled.

  Wind raced through the park.

  Bloody hell.

  FIFTEEN

  Stop it, Lanna."

  Lanna realized Quinn was shaking her shoulders. She blinked, looking up into his worried gaze. "What?"

  "The storm," he hissed near her ear. "Are you doing that?"

  Thunder rumbled overhead.

  She gulped air, glancing up at dark clouds threatening to break open and flood the earth. Breathing deep, she tried to calm herself. Slowly, the sky quieted. Elements reacting to her was only one problem she had because of taking Grendal's potion. She did not drink by choice.

  The cruel wizard had poured his potion down her throat to turn her into powerful puppet to do his bidding. No one, not even Grendal, had been prepared for bad reaction of her majik. Good thing. Explosion helped her escape wizard and Transylvania, but what had potion done to her majik?

  Go home to Transylvania? She would not.

  Could not.

  She did not want to lie to her favorite cousin, but if Quinn knew truth, he would rush home with her to fix problem. And end up dead.

  So technically, he was at fault for any dishonesty
on her part. She patted his arm. "I am sorry about bad weather. Was not intentional. You scare me with threat of teleporting."

  He let go of her and shook his head, muttering, "You can affect the weather."

  "Sometimes. It is accidental." She rubbed her head, which ached from little sleep. "You are master deal maker. What can I offer VIPER for me to stay? Not long. Only until I find teacher for majik."

  "Regardless of my negotiation skills, there is nothing either of us can offer VIPER in exchange for their allowing you to remain in this country. I would have to go through weeks of meetings. I simply don't have the time right now."

  His phone buzzed. He grumbled something and put his phone to his ear, but he looked at Lanna and said, "Do not leave."

  "Finally we agree. I have no plan to leave."

  He covered the mouthpiece with his hand. "I only meant don't leave while I'm on the phone. You are going home before anyone finds out you're here."

  Her cousin would not win argument. Once he accepted this, he would talk to VIPER and fix everything. He must.

  Quinn hid his mouth with his hand when he spoke into the phone, but Lanna heard the first part. "I had my mind closed to telepathy. I'm dealing with my family ... problem. I spoke to Evalle. She's getting what we need tonight ..."

  His gaze lost focus and he stopped speaking.

  She had seen him look that way when he spoke telepathically and must be holding phone in place as a pretense.

  With Quinn busy, Lanna sent her gaze skipping over chess players still in tight battles. Most were much older than her ... except that blond one. Kellman. The one she had spent almost an hour with, and still had yet to pay her any attention beyond her skill at chess.

  A lock of blond hair fell across his forehead, like a slash of light against his tanned skin. Only thing out of place in his orderly appearance. In spite of clothes that did not fit, Kell had efficient, controlled look.

  A serious boy. Much too serious for someone her age, and so intent on chess he missed important things.

  Like me.

  No man should miss Brasko woman standing so close. We are like sun after dark winter, warm and bright. How could he not notice sun?

  She was not wallpaper flower to be ignored. She had been adored since very small and noticed by boys as soon as she had breasts, instead of socks, to fill bras.

  But Kell paid her no more mind than he paid the wrinkled-up man who took her place as his chess partner.

  Still, he was nice boy and she owed him. He had stepped up next to her when a smelly older man in shaggy clothes and greasy hair had bothered her. She had struggled to keep her anxiety from upsetting weather and could not use majik to get rid of smelly man.

  Cousin had told her not to use majik on humans, and her powers had already failed her three times since taking potion, so she only used energy force in small amounts that would not put anyone at risk.

  She could tell Kell had been afraid when he stepped in to help, because he swallowed hard as if he expected a fight. He still moved between her and the smelly man. Kell said she owed him a game. When the man left, Kell had been surprised when she sat down to play.

  But had he looked at her while they played? No. Had he talked to her? Only to ask what color she wanted to play. Then nothing.

  Same way he was ignoring her now.

  Staring hard, she moved her lips in a silent chant to the wind and sent three leaves down from tree above Kell to fall across his face.

  He looked up, then down, startled. His eyes reached out with question, then his gaze landed on Lanna.

  She tilted her head to say hello again. To let him know she had not left the park. She winked at him.

  Red flags brushed his cheeks. He jerked his gaze back to the game.

  She had embarrassed him with wink? This boy who had been her champion with nasty man?

  Quinn made a sound that came out part tired and part out of patience as he shoved his phone back into his pocket. His eyes were shadowed. He had been sick not long ago. Lanna could tell. Men in this city needed to have fun.

  Quinn said, "Back to what we--"

  She spoke at the same time. "Let us sit down, Cousin."

  "Are you not well?"

  Guilt pinched her over his instant concern. "Yes, just tired."

  Snagging her suitcase on the way, she led him to the shade now that clouds were gone and sun was out. Dusting off a spot on concrete wall, she sat down not far from Kell.

  With Quinn settled between her and Kell, she could see them both while she spoke to her cousin. "I did not mean to cause you trouble."

  His eyebrows climbed in a show of disbelief, then he seemed to dismiss whatever he was going to say. "Then let me charter a private jet to get you home. It'll be more comfortable than commercial flying. You can sleep the whole way."

  She shook her head. "That could be dangerous for others."

  "Why?"

  "When I was upset on way here, airplane had bumpy ride."

  "What do you mean?"

  "I think my majik shook airplane. Elements do not like when I get upset." A side effect of Grendal's potion.

  Quinn leaned down, speaking in a tight voice. "You rocked a commercial flight? With storms?"

  She hoped he saw how she felt bad about this. "The pilot said weather was clear. One hour later, I am dizzy. Very sick and plane started to bounce and shake. People stumbled around. Much screaming. I am sick everywhere, in bathroom, walking, at seat. I try to sleep, anything to fix problem. When I calm down, plane calmed down. Happened many times on way here. My fault. I do not want to hurt anyone."

  "Oh, good goddess." Quinn put a hand on his forehead and closed his eyes.

  She muttered, "Much praying on flight, too."

  Quinn washed his hand over his face, looking more tired than before. "When did this start happening?"

  She couldn't tell him about Grendal, but she had to make Quinn understand one thing. She could not return to Transylvania. "This is why I can not go home. My majik ... has problems."

  "What exactly do you mean?" he asked.

  "Long time ago, you were right. You said I need teacher for majik." She held up her hand to stall what she knew he would say. "Not in Transylvania."

  "Why not? They're your people."

  "My majik caused small fire to explode and burn neighbor's barn. Village is afraid of me." All of that was true enough.

  "Did someone threaten you?" her cousin asked in soft voice that would raise fear in demons.

  "No, but they think I am dangerous." She shrugged. "I am sorry to burden you, Cousin, but I have nowhere else to go." And you are the only one who can keep Grendal from taking me again if he finds me. "Mama asks you please help me."

  Quinn had a look that said this couldn't be worse timing.

  Lanna hated to be trouble, but she would make it up to him. Her cousin had messed-up aura. He was unhappy. She would work hard to make his life better while she was here.

  He finally said, "I'm not sure what I'm going to do. We're in the middle of something major right now. I don't know--"

  He would not help her? She must have looked like she would cause storm again because her cousin hurried to say, "Don't get upset. I'll figure out something. Give me a minute."

  He started typing on his phone, and she let out tight breath she was holding.

  Just then, another Kell raced past her, sliding to stop beside first Kell. Boys looked exactly alike. Twins. But second Kell was free spirit. Full of energy. Excitement.

  So not like his quiet chess-master brother.

  What luck to find two attractive young men her first day.

  The new brother said to Kell, "We've got to clear out of the shelter."

  Kell asked, "Why? What's wrong, Kardos? Did you get into trouble?"

  Kardos shook his head and jostled something in his hand. Dice? He rolled the cubes around and around. "Not this time. It's the gang wars going on. Child services is rounding up any underaged kids around the shelter."


  That surprised Kell. "We look eighteen. They don't know we're seventeen."

  "Doesn't matter. We'll get hauled in for public loitering if we don't have an ID."

  "We have to tell Evalle."

  Lanna thought about Quinn's call. Her cousin spoke of an Evalle. Is that common female name in this country?

  Kardos argued, "She can't help us right now, not until after sunset."

  Why would she not help Kell and Kardos until sunset?

  Kardos kept jiggling dice in his hand, more like nervous action than anything else.

  Kell made grumbling noise, then apologized to his opponent for not finishing game and stood up. He followed his brother to statue of woman with firebird. The boys spoke too soft for Lanna to hear.

  Moving her lips with silent chant that Quinn would not see, she heard what Kardos whispered to his brother.

  "... too risky to hide in the places we know. There's a badass group of trolls in the city."

  "What, like some weird kind?" Kell acted annoyed, but Lanna could tell he worked to hide his concern.

  "Don't know what kind of trolls they are, but Jurba said--"

  Kell growled at his brother, "We don't have the money for you to be gambling with Jurba, and he is a troll!"

  "He's a local troll, not one of the out-of-towners."

  "How does that make it okay?"

  "Because I know him. We've shot craps a lot."

  "Kardos!"

  "Hey, I usually win, so no big deal. Back to our real problem." Kardos bunched his shoulders in a conspiratorial move. "Jurba warned me to watch out for any guy with a scar in the shape of a runic S on his arm. Says the glamour won't hide the scar. He drew the design for me. Here's the kicker. Good thing I found that out or I wouldn't have noticed a guy with that scar outside the shelter. He was handing out free food."

  "At the shelter? Is he gone?"

  "No, and he's studying everyone who goes into the shelter like he's looking for something or someone."

  "That's because the damn local trolls use the place like a bunkhouse sometimes." Kell rubbed his neck, eyes filled with worry. "Then how are we going to get our money and other stuff hidden in the shelter's back wall?"

  "I don't know, and Jurba said to avoid the trolls with the scar at all costs. He just got word that those trolls are taking local ones to some headquarters location and threatening the local trolls if they don't do what they're told."

  "Where's the headquarters?"

  Kardos threw his hands up in the air. "I don't know. Jurba knows, but I was in too big a hurry to find you to care. He's on his way to meet his buddies and grab a truck big enough for them and his girlfriend. They're getting out of the city."