The Curse Keepers (Curse Keepers series)

by Swank, Denise Grover

  He shook his head. “Ellie, I don’t understand.”

  “Daddy, have you seen the dead birds and animals?”

  He nodded.

  “The gods are weak after being locked up for over four hundred years. Taking the life force of other creatures increases their strength. Did you know about that part?”

  He shook his head. “No.”

  “A pure soul has more energy than multiple Manitous and they want mine. I was attacked by a wind god, and Collin put his symbol on my back to protect me. It works.” At least, I chose to believe it did.

  “They’ve attacked you?” He fidgeted with agitation. “Didn’t you remember the words of protection?”

  “No, Daddy. You know I forgot everything, the words of protection included. But I remembered them after Collin gave me a symbol of protection.”

  “What is this symbol of protection?”

  “Do we not have one?”

  “No.”

  I turned around and lifted the hem of my T-shirt.

  “I don’t recognize this, Ellie. Is this a real tattoo?”

  “No, Daddy. It’s only henna. Collin has a permanent one on his chest. Are you sure you don’t remember it?”

  “No. I recognize the symbols, but not the mark itself.”

  “Collin says the Manteo line has information and traditions they passed down in preparation for the breaking of the curse. It’s probably something they came up with.”

  His finger traced the symbols. “The circle represents the spirit world. The squares mean the earthly plane. I recognize the symbols for the sea and the land. But this one…” His finger stopped and stiffened.

  My back tensed. “What is it, Daddy?”

  “Ellie, this one represents Okeus.”

  Icy fingers of dread crawled up my spine, and I shivered. “It’s a symbol of protection, Daddy. It’s to protect me against Okeus and the winds gods.”

  “The symbols are typically used to invoke the Manitou or other forces. The marks call upon the forces you’re asking for protection, not the forces you need protection from. Like the symbols I put on the door. You wouldn’t include the mark of the thing you were protecting against.” He grabbed my shoulder and turned me back to face him. “Ellie, are you sure this man has your best interests at heart?”

  Fear jostled with reason as I tried to sort through Daddy’s information. If he had asked me about the Collin I met that first and even second time in the New Moon I would have questioned Collin’s motives, but the last few days had proven time and time again how much Collin cared about me. The fear in his eyes was real. His concern for me genuine. There was no disguising our hearts when our palms were linked. When I bound our souls, his fear of losing me was undeniable. “Yes, Daddy. I trust him with my life.”

  “You said he has the symbol tattooed on him?”

  “Yeah, Collin says when the Curse Keeper in the Manteo line turns eighteen, they have it tattooed on their chest.”

  He wrung his hands, becoming more agitated. That was a bad sign and often meant his dementia was creeping back in. “You say the entire line gets this tattoo? It could explain the Okeus symbol. There’s a lot of duality with the curse. Land and the sea were evoked.”

  “Yes, because they are forces older than the gods. The land and the sea gave birth to the gods. Collin uses the symbols of the moon and the stars and the sun to represent day on my door to protect me from the gods at night.”

  Daddy rubbed his forehead, concentrating while he directed his gaze to the floor. “The story I was told said Manteo was quite distraught that they’d locked the gods away, and he knew that the gods would seek revenge when they finally broke loose. It could be that Manteo’s line chose to appeal to Okeus for mercy when he was freed. He’s the most powerful and the most vengeful of them all.”

  I nodded.

  “You say the other Keeper, Collin, has protected you multiple times. The symbol must be what he says it is.” He patted my hand. “Just be careful.” He kissed my forehead, fidgeting more. He got to his feet and began to pace.

  I sucked in a deep breath. If he followed his usual pattern, he’d become incoherent soon.

  He stopped pacing and looked at me. “Do you have the cup?”

  “Yes, and we retrieved the Manteo bowl last night.”

  “When’s the ceremony?”

  “Tonight. In the middle of the night. In the botanical gardens at the big oak tree. Tomorrow’s the seventh day.”

  “Already?” He rubbed his forehead, pressing hard.

  “Yes, but I don’t remember anything of the ceremony. I forgot it all, Daddy.” My voice broke. “I’m sorry I didn’t let you teach me it all again.”

  “The ceremony… the ceremony… The Manteo Keeper performs the ceremony.”

  “What do we do with the cup and the bowl? Do we drink something at the ceremony?”

  “Yes… I think it’s tea…” He pressed harder on his forehead. “I wrote it down. I wrote it all down somewhere.”

  “You wrote down the Curse Keeper information?” I wasn’t sure if I needed it now, but it would be nice to have the information for the ceremony, even though Collin knew what to do.

  Daddy began to mumble as he paced.

  I grabbed his arm and led him to the sofa. “Sit down, Daddy. You’re getting worn out.”

  He shook his head, confusion replacing the clarity that had been there only moments before. I hated this stupid disease that stole my father.

  I rubbed his arm and began to hum the old lullaby Momma used to sing me when I was little. It always calmed him down. He squinted. “Amanda?”

  My heart sank. “No, Daddy. Momma’s gone.”

  He looked around. “You look just like Amanda. Where did she go?”

  I kissed his forehead. “I love you, Daddy. I’ll try to make you proud of me.”

  Clarity flashed in his eyes for a brief moment before confusion returned. “Blood. No blood, Ellie.”

  My chest tightened. No matter how many years passed, I’d never get over my mother’s murder. And neither would my father.

  I sent Daddy’s caregiver back in to sit with him and returned to the inn to start changing linens. Myra had already gone to work at the visitor center, and her friend Becky was in the office when I got back. “Becky, I’m sorry I haven’t been around to help the last few days.”

  “Don’t worry about it, Ellie. You work too hard.”

  I forced a grin. “No rest for the wicked.”

  She laughed. “Then why are you working so hard?”

  I had plenty of time to dwell on what Daddy had told me. I had to admit that having Okeus’s mark on my back concerned me, except I knew that Collin had the exact same mark. And the mark had protected me. Why was I questioning him?

  But Collin telling me over and over again not to trust him played in my head. And his surety that I would hate him. An uneasiness crept up my neck. I shook my head. I was nervous about tonight. That’s all this was. Nerves.

  I decided to call Collin anyway for reassurance. He answered on the second ring, his voice panicked. “Ellie? Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.”

  I heard his sigh of relief.

  “Why did you think something was wrong?”

  “You don’t seem the phone call type.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “I never saw you make a phone call when we’ve been together except to check on Claire and your family.”

  “True.” I paused. “I just needed to hear your voice. I’m nervous.”

  His voice tightened. “I won’t let anything happen to you. I’ll protect you with my life.”

  Those didn’t sound like the words of a man who had ill intentions toward me. Why was I doubting him? I felt slimy and unworthy of his concern. “I missed you this morning.”

  “I missed you too. When this is over, let’s go away somewhere for a week, just you and me, a hotel with room service so we never have to leave.” He sounded sad and wistful
.

  “I’d like that.” I paused, my voice catching in my throat. “There was another body today. My boss, Marlena.”

  “The woman who seated me both times I came in?”

  “Yes.” My voice choked. “But she was more than my boss. She was my friend.”

  “Ellie, I’m so sorry.”

  “Okeus wants me to pledge my loyalty to him. I protected Claire last night, but I didn’t protect Marlena. Who will he kill tonight?”

  Collin was silent.

  “Has Okeus sent anyone to you? Has he sacrificed people you care about?”

  I heard his breath in the phone. Finally, he answered, “Yes, he’s hurt someone I love.”

  I felt so incredibly selfish. I’d done nothing but whine for days, and he never once complained. And I never asked. “Your brother?”

  “It doesn’t matter, Ellie. It will all be behind us tonight.”

  “But Daddy and Myra.”

  “Redo the marks on their door after it gets dark and make sure they stay inside. They should be fine.”

  Should be wasn’t what I wanted to hear, but I knew it was the best he could offer.

  He cleared his throat. “I have to go. Promise me that you’ll be careful until tonight, especially after it gets dark.”

  I smiled. “I promise.”

  I hung up and finished my work, shuffling my own laundry before starting the linens for the inn. I searched Daddy’s office, looking for the information he might have written down about the curse. He didn’t use the office much anymore, but Myra kept it as it had always been for when he had his clearer days. But my hunt turned up nothing. Where could he have kept it? Did it even exist?

  Claire was waiting on my porch when I got home. She pointed to the door. “New artwork, I see.”

  My eyebrows rose. “Aren’t you the observant one?”

  “I heard about Marlena.”

  Pressing my lips together, I nodded.

  “That was supposed to be me, wasn’t it?”

  Inhaling a deep breath to steady my nerves, I shrugged. “The spirit said a friend, Claire. Marlena was a friend too.”

  Claire pulled me into a tight hug. When she dropped her hold, tears brimmed her eyes. “And you know what she wanted most in the world? For you to find a fine-lookin’ man.” She flashed an ornery grin even though her chin quivered. “And you did. At least you made her happy.”

  I shook my head and snorted. “I guess you could say that. She nearly peed her pants when I told her I was taking Collin home the other night after work.”

  She swiped her eyes. “You’re positively glowing when you talk about him. How was he?”

  “Claire!”

  “Come on, Ellie, give me something.”

  I unlocked the door and pushed it open. “Let’s just say he was better than Dwight,” I said without thinking. I’d momentarily forgotten he was dead and guilt flooded my head. Dwight was dead because of me.

  “Please, a jellyfish is better than Dwight.” But Claire’s usual sarcastic bite was missing. “Give me something else.”

  She followed me in and shut the door while I set my laundry on my bed.

  “Fine,” I said with a smug smile. “Nothing I’ve experienced has even come close to what we shared.” Little did she know.

  She clapped her hands, happiness replacing her melancholy. “See? Didn’t I tell you? Say it. Come on.”

  I forced a cheesy grin. “Fine. You were right. Happy now?”

  “So what’s going on with the curse stuff?”

  My smile fell. “The ceremony is tonight.”

  “Are you two ready for that?”

  “I think so. We have the cup and the bowl. Collin is preparing everything else today. We’ll beat the deadline. We should be good.” I hoped so.

  “So what are you going to do after that? Are you going to join Match.com like I suggested?”

  I squinted in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

  “Now that you are back in the saddle and riding again, we want to keep it that way. You’ve tapped out the dating pool on Roanoke Island. Time to broaden your horizons.”

  I tilted my head. “Claire, Collin doesn’t want this to be a couple-of-days thing.”

  “What are you talking about, Ellie? You know that Collin is not a commitment-type guy. That’s why he was so perfect. Hot guy who fucks you blind—”

  “Claire!”

  “—and gets your confidence back so you can move on to someone more reliable.” She narrowed her eyes. “Oh, my God. You’re actually considering keeping him around.”

  “He’s not what you think he is, Claire.”

  “A womanizing man-whore? You’re really telling me that he’s not?”

  I didn’t answer, trying to find the words to explain it.

  She laughed, but it was bitter. “Let me guess, Collin told you that you’re different than any other woman he’s ever met, and he’s going to change for you.”

  How did I answer that? When she put it that way, it sounded like a flat-out lie. But I’d seen a deeper Collin than he showed the world. Or was that all an act? No, I’d felt his bond to me through our marks. He couldn’t lie to me, not when we were connected like that.

  “Please, dear God, tell me you haven’t fallen for him? I thought you were smarter than that.”

  I turned my back to her and looked out the window.

  “Ellie.” The disappointment in her voice hurt.

  “Shut up, Claire.”

  She sighed and sat on the bed, crossing her legs. “What the hell do I know? Maybe he will.”

  I pulled my laundry out and started putting it away. “Yeah.” I hated myself for letting her make me doubt.

  “Ellie.”

  I turned to look at her.

  “I hope for your sake he does. You deserve to be screwed by a guy like that every night and make babies so gorgeous that human eyes can’t look upon them.”

  I grinned in spite of my worry, unsuccessfully hiding my chuckle. “I love you too. Now go home and get ready for your wedding next month.” I paused. “Claire, when it gets dark, I want to mark your door.”

  “Seriously? The salt worked.”

  “Thank God, but the spirit threatened to hurt someone I love. I want to make sure you’re protected. Just in case.”

  I needed all the insurance I could get.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  The restaurant had reopened after Lila’s death, but it remained closed after Marlena’s. She was the heart and soul of the New Moon. I wasn’t sure I could even face working there without her.

  The police showed up at my apartment mid-afternoon. The marks on my door threw the two officers, but they recovered before they sat down on my sofa. One of the officers was familiar. I was sure the middle-aged man had been in the restaurant before. But the other I’d gone to school with, Tom Helmsworth.

  The older officer took the lead with the questioning. “Do you know anyone who has a personal vendetta against the restaurant?”

  I shook my head, pressing the back of my knuckles against my teeth. “No.”

  “Have you ever felt unsafe working there?”

  The only time I’d felt unsafe was the first day Collin showed up. “No. The New Moon is one of the best jobs I’ve ever had.”

  “Do you have any idea who could have done this?”

  Tears filled my eyes, and I shook my head.

  Tom shifted his weight. “What’s with the door, Ellie?”

  My breath caught. “You mean the marks?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Protection.”

  His eyes narrowed. “What do you need protection from?”

  Shit. Why did I tell him that? “I heard about the tourist and I heard about Lila. That they were frozen solid. That doesn’t exactly sound natural, now does it? I’m protecting myself from evil spirits.”

  I expected Tom to laugh and call me crazy. Instead he kept his gaze on me, his face expressionless. “Why do you think these evil sp
irits would come after you?”

  I swallowed. What did Tom know? This didn’t sound like idle curiosity. “It’s insurance. Just like the deadbolt on my door. I hope to God I’ll never need it, but it’s there in case I do.”

  Tom didn’t seem satisfied, but he didn’t press for more information. He stood, and the other officer stood with him. “Well, thank you for your time, Ellie.”

  I nodded. “Sure.” I walked them to the door and the older man started down the stairs, but Tom stopped on the porch and stared at my door.

  “You know what I don’t get?” His eyes pierced mine.

  My heart lurched. “No. What?”

  “Where a woman white as Wonder Bread learned Native American symbols, and why she thought to put them on her door.”

  My mouth dropped open, but I wasn’t sure what to say.

  His voice lowered. “You can talk to me, Ellie. I can protect you. Is there something you have to tell me?”

  I shook my head. “No.”

  He knew I was lying, but there was nothing I could do about that right now. I only hoped he thought I had information and didn’t consider me a suspect.

  Around seven, Collin sent me a text telling me he’d let me know when we’d go to the botanical gardens. Since the gardens were in the same complex as the Lost Colony grounds, Collin was smart to wait until the wee hours of the morning. So much activity was happening at the new excavation site—I still couldn’t believe they called it that when it was so obviously not excavated—that three or four a.m. were probably the safest hours, and still gave us enough time before the sunrise.

  He sent me another text around nine telling me to be ready at two.

  Why didn’t he call? Worry churned in my gut, fueled by doubt and fear.

  I went to Claire’s around ten. I was on edge and conscious of my surroundings while I fisted and flexed my right hand. My fingertips brushed the raised edges of my mark, giving me small comfort. I could protect myself and the people I loved. I wasn’t helpless.

  I wanted to wait until later to start on Claire’s door, when hopefully no one would see me, but I was afraid to wait too long. While Claire was eager to let me mark her entrances, Drew, on the other hand, took some convincing. Especially since I refused to give him an adequate reason.