This Curse

TWELVE



“Your plan has promise, but I do not like it, Sweet.” Seth sat at my kitchen table snapping silver bullets into the magazine of his Beretta. “You are not thinking of the danger you place yourself in. You cannot predict these creatures. They are dogs, Grace. Nothing more than violent, mindless animals.” He sneered and lifted his chin, as if it were beneath him to even speak of them. “You should not go in alone.”

I sat across from him. My mind wandering as I watched him load his weapon. He was dressed in solid black. Velcro, Kevlar, and Gortex were wrapped around every inch of his gorgeous form. His long silky hair was pulled back and tied securely to the base of his neck; its length folded and tucked away for the first time in weeks.

I smiled as he continued to criticize my plan. I watched his masculine form and felt a pang of sadness. Lucian wore an almost identical outfit the last time I found myself storming the castle, so to speak. At that time, he and I had suited up in order to save my best friend Ann from, oddly enough, Seth. Lucian had been so incredibly handsome then, so noble and unselfish as he rushed into danger by my side.

God, I missed my friend.

I felt tears spring into my eyes and I quickly wiped them from my cheeks. Standing, I sniffed and moved away from the table as Seth continued to insult my intelligence and throw doubt into every facet of my plan.

“You know,” I interrupted his tirade, “you really are a big fat hypocrite.” I turned, folding my arms. I stared down at him.

He threw his head up and glared. “What?”

“I’m not a child, stop underestimating me, stop treating me like a dumb-ass, I’m really old and stuffy so I already know everything and blah, blah, blah. This is what I’ve had to put up with.” I snapped. “But the second I show a little independent thinking and try to do something alone, I’m not prepared, I’m just a wimpy girl. So, yeah, hypocrite!”

Seth stood, his chest puffing up, no doubt ready to roar.

I threw my hand up to silence him. “Forget it! We’re going forward with this plan, Seth. Now, I’m going to get ready.” I turned on my heel and stomped from the room.

“And I do not believe I have ever used the words dumb-ass, in my entire existence!” I heard him shout as I walked away. I laughed and shut my bedroom door.

****

Red, it was the color of power, lust, and fire. I looked at the dress again. It hit just above my knees, making me fell sexy but not slutty. I turned to examine the back. It plunged so low that it had me doing a double take to make sure I wasn’t exposing anything that would embarrass me later. I re-thought the slutty part of my assessment and smiled.

My glamour was the real weapon tonight. I had altered it so that only pure humans would see me as a normal woman. Anyone with even an ounce of power would see right past it. Well, with the exception of one thing. My pheromones were tucked safely away. It was an easy thing to achieve, because all this time I was so focused on hiding my entire appearance, it had never occurred to me that I could reveal my true self while hiding select bits and pieces. I wanted the wolves, along with any other creatures in Patrick’s employ to see what a real Madea was and what one could do. No more hiding just for hiding's sake.

I was done and Seth was right. I was all but asking to be a victim. I was a fool for thinking that I could secret myself away and live peacefully. I was the biggest kid on the playground, magically speaking, so everyone wanted a piece of me just to prove that they were bigger and badder. Well this kid was taking off the gloves and throwing down.

I slid my feet into a pair of nude, platform stilettos and strode to the door of my bedroom. I knew my makeup was flawless and I could feel the metallic locks of my hair brush along my shoulders and neck in its strange and unnatural dance. I shook it out and for the first time I felt my beauty radiating from my skin. I felt amazing, I felt powerful, and finally, I felt like myself.

A true Madea.

Seth was fastening a row of silver throwing knives onto his bicep when I entered the kitchen. The knives fell to the floor with a clatter.

Pleased, I approached him.

His eyes and teeth vamped out instantly as he stared at me. A low growl rose from deep in his throat.

I felt a tingle race along my skin. The danger he kept leashed just under the surface always thrilled me and I felt a sigh escape.

I never saw him move, I just found myself in his arms as he crushed me to his body. He smelled my hair and another low growl rumbled from his chest.

“Seth?” I mumbled into the rough fabric of his shirt. I wasn’t scared. Even with the show of teeth and hunger in his eyes, I knew he wouldn’t hurt me.

“Grace,” he spoke slowly. “My sweet. How can I let you endanger yourself?” He stepped away; keeping a hold of my arms, he examined me closely. “You are astonishingly beautiful.” His grip on my arms tightened.

“Seth,” I shook my head, “it isn’t up to you. You aren’t letting me do anything.” I stepped out of his grasp.

He turned and picked up the fallen knives. “Of course,” he said as he struggled with the straps. Then out of frustration it seemed, he closed his eyes and the straps fastened magically around his muscular arm. I just shook my head in wonder at all he had been hiding.

“I know you do not belong to me, Sweet.” He sighed and picked up the remaining items on the table. Shoving them roughly into various pockets hidden in his suit, he looked up and met my eyes. “Your blood calls to me in so many ways. I try to ignore it, to turn the hunger away, but,” he ran his hand down his face, “it hurts.” He shook his head then turned away from me and left the room.