This Curse

THIRTEEN



Power surrounded me in the form of a stolen Mercedes-Benz SLS. Well, stolen was a strong word. I merely borrowed it. The second I stepped into Seachain an Madra the car would return to the show room floor and no one would be the wiser.

I shifted and pushed the accelerator to the floor. The thrill of flying through the city in such a sexy vehicle made my feminine heart go pitter-patter.

Our plan hadn’t really included this little treat, but, as I explained to Seth, I was an all-powerful Madea, and I had to make an entrance. After all, distraction was a big part of our plan. Seth, on the other hand, needed stealth and secrecy.

I went over everything in my mind. I would act as a distraction while Seth snuck in. We would kill several birds with one stone. Get the wolves off my back, rescue the woman, and recover the blood. At one point during our plan, Seth thought he was being smart and suggested I just magically zap the stolen blood back to my house. I wish it could have been as easy as that, but Voltaire was master in this game and his powers were just too hard for me to decipher. His evil taint was a confusing puzzle to my Madea power and I just couldn’t get past it.

So, we had to stick to my plan. It all seemed easy enough, which, now that I was thinking about it, had me questioning its success.

The line leading from the entrance to the club was impressive. The wolves certainly knew how to draw in a crowd.

I pulled into a spot close to the Valet. I watched in amusement as several young men fell all over themselves to get to my silver beauty. I sighed and ran my hand over the steering wheel. Thanks to the money I inherited from my best friend, I had the ability to get one of my own. But so far, I had chosen to live a very frugal and restrained life. Inhaling the wonderful scent of leather and luxury, I thought that it was finally time for a change. I shook my head and opened the door. The young wolf standing close to the car stumbled back in shock when I stepped from the car. I had control over my pheromones as part of the glamour, but no one had ever seen a true Madea in the flesh. As far as I knew, they had no idea what I was.

Pleased at his reaction and safe in the knowledge that my pheromones were in fact locked safely away, I dropped the keys into his hand. “Take care of her,” I smiled and then with a laugh, I slipped my index finger under his chin and shut his gaping mouth.

I strode with purpose towards the double doors of the club. Past the serpentine, line that snaked like a living river around the building. Humans and sups crowded together, all clamoring for a chance to rub elbows, drink, and possibly make a connection that they could wake up to in the morning.

I scanned the crowd as I approached, noting the number of supernatural creatures. There were more in this line then I felt comfortable with. I nodded to the bouncer. His eyes widened as I approached and I was struck with sudden recognition. He was the dirty tattooed man. The scout.

Well, well, well.

“Nice to see you again,” I plucked his name from his head. “Nickola.” I whispered close to his ear, my breath fanning his cheek as I brushed passed him. My energy was humming tonight. Not only from the rush of exposing my true form, but from the rush I was experiencing at the shock of my presence.

I entered the club without a backward glance, the stares of the curious wolves a caress at my back.

The music was a roaring, confusing knot of bass and mumbling voices. I approached the bar. The bartender was leaning close to a pretty human woman. She was young. Barely sliding by on a fake ID from the look of her. I smiled and made my way to her side. Leaning down, I whispered in her ear. Her eyes glazed and she was suddenly up, heading towards the exit. I slid into her spot and crossed my legs.

“What’ll it be?” The handsome young werewolf smiled and then his Irish brogue stumbled when he looked at me.

“Ahh, an Irishman,” I sighed as I regarded him. “Yum,” I smiled, “I just love the Irish.” I leaned forward smiling at his frozen expression, “One word from your lips,” I reached out and slid a finger across his bottom lip, “is music to my ears.” He pulled his lip into his mouth and closed his eyes. “How about you go and fetch your boss?” When he opened his eyes they had changed from brown to a deep gold color and his pupils had enlarged. Funny, I didn’t think he could taste much from just my touch. I nodded when he began to move. “There’s a good puppy.” I stood and walked away smiling.

I made my way to the edge of the dance floor and stood back, watching. Bodies moved about in a constant mimic of more sensual things. Thighs touched, shoulders bumped, and hands sought to grasp even the smallest handful of pleasure.

I shook my head. How many of these clueless women would be sleeping with a werewolf tonight? How many would be hunted? Run to ground like sheep? Too many, I thought and knew they all had to go.

It was a small matter, compelling them, planting thoughts. Soon, I thought, the crowd would disappear.

I slid into a chair at a small table. The human man sitting across from me smiled. “Hey, beautiful,” he slurred. “Can I get you a drink?” He inched his chair closer and I recoiled at the strong acrid stench of hard alcohol on his breath. I sighed, I hated to be rude so I smiled, “Oh, thank you, but no.” I said, trying to sound kind but firm. I looked around to see if my little friend had announced my presence to the higher ups. Nothing seemed to be happening as of yet and I sighed, slumping back into the chair.

The eager man next to me was getting bolder. He placed his hand atop mine and I jerked my eyes to his. “You will leave this place,” I compelled him with a frown. “Find a nice woman and marry her,” I said and stood as people began to rush about. Something was finally happening.

The dance floor cleared quickly. I glanced around the room, expecting to see Patrick and the wolves near their special table, but no, they were moving in from my left and closing in fast.

I walked to the middle of the floor. It was now completely empty, as all of the humans had vacated. The only patrons left were of the supernatural persuasion.

Patrick approached me looking apoplectic. “Grace, what a pleasant surprise.” He slowed his pace, Christian and Zak flanking him. “I knew you’d be back once you discovered we have your blood. Only…” he stopped a few feet from me, “I never once thought you would reveal your true self to us all.” He smiled and it looked a bit maniacal.

“You know what I’m capable of, Patrick. Why so happy to see me?” I placed my hands on my hips.

“Oh, I’ll get to that, but first, a question.” Patrick held up one finger and tilted his head, “Why? Why let it all out? Oh, wait a second, that’s right!” His sarcasm did little to mask his anger. “You’re not letting it all out, are you? And how do I know this? Well, maybe because I’m not trying to kill everyone in order to f*ck you! Why is that?” He tilted his head and folded his arms across his chest. Fury at what I had done to him when we last met was beating at me in waves. His anger tasted like grass and moist earth. I inhaled and let my breath out slowly.

“You escaped us,” he continued.

His words confused me for a moment and I had to stop and think. So many things had happened since that last pathetic attempt to kidnap me, and pathetic it was, because I forgot all about it. I laughed, “Of course I escaped. Your attempt was a total joke, Patrick. I don’t know why you even you bothered.”

“We were confident that the ropes would hold. They were spelled, you know.” I knew and just frowned and shook my head. “The ropes,” he clarified as if I had trouble hearing him the first time. “They were spelled. But obviously, they were useless.”

“Obviously,” I cocked my hip and yawned. “What the hell do you want from me, Patrick?” I was getting angry a lot faster than I thought I would. Super!

“Well,” he shook his head, as if amused, “the Council was all for snatching you up again.” He loosened his tie and shrugged out of his sport coat. The movement suggested he was relaxing.

I tensed.

“But things changed the night you revealed to me that you no longer require the ring. I let them know, and they…” he laughed, “Well, they panicked to put it bluntly. Only Voltaire and I are still in it for keeps.” He handed his jacket to Zak and began rolling up his sleeves.

“I, of course, realized all sorts of new possibilities,” he smiled at me. “I just wasn’t sure if they could be put to use. You see, you have powers that none of us really understand. You have abilities that no one knows anything about.”

“What are you saying?” I moved back a step. Something was up. He was being too cocky. I looked around. The wolves were assembled. They had grouped together, leaning against the walls and pacing in front of the doors. They were watching, on guard.

I turned to look at Patrick again. “You’re right, you know,” I said. “I have more powers than you could ever fathom.”

“Oh, we know,” he said, still smiling. “But Voltaire can get around you. You can’t read him can you?” He watched my face. I tried to keep my expression blank. “Ah, you don’t deny or confirm. I’m glad. I wasn’t sure if he was just being his usual proud, overconfident self.” He leaned forward, folding his arms. “His power is the opposite of the Madea, he says. So he can cancel you out; he’s your kryptonite, so to speak.” He finished rolling his sleeves and then folded his strong arms across his chest again.

“That’s a useful speech, but you can’t prove any of it.” I smiled and shook my head, “What do you hope to gain, Patrick?”

“I want you, Grace,” he stated simply. “You are going to strengthen this pack with your blood.” He stepped closer to me. “Then, my dear girl, I’m going to make you fat with children.”

I felt my mouth drop open in surprise as murmurs broke out through the room. I was in total shock at his last statement. It was like a punch in the stomach.

Patrick turned to face his pack and then threw his fist into the air. “Mighty wolves,” he shouted, “blessed with the magic of their mother, a full Madea.” The shouts and howls of approval from Patrick’s pack made my stomach turn. “You will rule at my side,” he continued and I just shook my head. He was off his rocker! “You will spend your days caring for your young, our young, while feeding our pack your powerful blood.” He spun in a circle, his wolves hollering and cheering him along.

He was a madman.

“All I need to do is fill you with my seed,” he smiled. “One child, Grace, your child,” he chuckled. “And that melting Madea heart will be mine.”

His words spun in my mind twisting around to dance with the memory of my visions. The infant! Oh my God!

“You arrogant son of a bitch.” I spoke low and even, the smallest shard of true fear cracking through my confidence. “Do you think that for one second I would allow you to touch me? Really?” I felt my power build. “What makes you think you can hold me? Voltaire may be able to block my power, but he has no power over me.”

“Oh, we don’t need him for that,” he stated vaguely. “We have been working on a way to hold you very still. Voltaire will block your ability to work your magic while I get you with child.” He spoke casually, as if raping me repeatedly were just another check on his to do list.

“You are a fool, Patrick,” I sneered. “An arrogant fool. What are you planning to do? I don’t see Voltaire?” I closed the distance between us and poked him in the chest. “You can threaten me all you want,” I laughed. “But you’re not doing anything to me, not tonight, not ever.”

“Voltaire has a plan.” For a moment, Patrick looked unsure. I sneered at his look of doubt. “He will reveal his intentions in time.” he thundered.

I shook my head. “Trouble in the ranks? Guess you won’t be running your grubby little hands all over me after all. Hmmm?” I mocked.

“Oh, Grace, you are so wrong. In fact, I think you’ll be eating those words very soon.” He glanced behind me, a small smile played over his lips, “Remember when I told you that the rope we used was spelled?”

I shrugged. “What of it?”

“Do you know who we got to spell that rope?” his eyebrows rose.

I watched him for a moment, knowing I wasn’t going to like what was coming.

“Grace.” The voice chilled me, killing something inside my soul.

Lucian?

I slowly turned, tears rapidly blurring my vision. Stunned, I watched as the beautiful, golden man that I had once called my friend held up his right hand. My eyes widened in shock as I stared at the sizzling ball of energy popping and spitting, spreading out from his palm to lick his fingertips. The spell they had used to freeze Voltaire.

I reached out, “Lucian, no!” I screamed.

The energy hit me square in the chest, freezing my feet to the ground. I could feel the tears sliding down my cheeks. Shock and betrayal rolled in my stomach. Fear at what Patrick had planned turned my blood to ice.

“She really is a tender thing, isn’t she?” Lucian stood beside Patrick as I struggled to move. “Females really shouldn’t be gifted with so much power, which is why Lydia was such a poor choice to spell that rope.” Lucian stepped closer to me, allowing the length of his body to touch mine. “Weakness is a predictable folly for you, Grace; so afraid of hurting others, even when they are clearly posing a threat to you. The Madea may have been the ultimate when it came to power but they were ultimately pathetic for their lack of spine.” He grasped the back of my head and fisted a handful of my hair in a tight grip. I winced and I sucked in my breath. “You really are a beautiful creature, Grace.” He looked into my eyes and I saw nothing there. He was vacant as if his soul had been removed.

A cold chill raced up my spine. Smoke and ash filled my senses as his lips smashed cruelly into mine. He shoved his tongue deep inside my mouth and I gagged, coughing into his mouth. His hand moved and found my breast, sliding beneath the lace of my bra.

It was then that something in me snapped.

Power began to warm my icy limbs as a thousand voices screamed in my head. Lightening held itself in check at my fingertips and I smiled through the violence of the kiss. My hair began to whip about, blown by an internal wind. Lucian jerked back, alarm registered in his handsome face and I shook my head slowly and met his eyes. I pushed into his head intending to probe deep into his mind.

I couldn’t get in.

I stared at him in shock, working it all out, as he gazed at me in confusion. Then I laughed loudly as the puzzle continued to piece together in my mind. His eyes grew huge and he backed away.

“Lucian?” Patrick looked around. His wolves were abandoning the room at a startling rate.

Lucian grabbed a retreating wolf. “Grab that f*cking girl and go!” He ordered and then he spun and ran from the room.

With any luck, ‘that f*cking girl’ was safe, sound, and eating apples with an extremely cocky vampire.

I smiled at Patrick as I snapped the spell with an audible crack. The wind emanating from my body whipped tables around like spinning tops and tossed chairs into the walls as the last of the wolves scattered and ran away.

My power zinged through my veins and along my skin like a Tesla coil. I knew my eyes glowed brilliantly and I smiled and approached Patrick. The wolves were gone and we were alone. He stood, angry and proud. As the pack master, he was braver than the rest as he stood his ground.

“I know you’re a proud man, Patrick. Stupid, but proud. Which, in my opinion, are one and the same.” He flinched. “Once I even thought you were a good man.” I took another slow step toward him. “But you tried to hurt me, use me in the most appalling and shameful way. I bet you would have stopped at nothing, Patrick. The mere thought of what you had in mind for me...” I stood before him. “You are not a bad man, Patrick.” I frowned. “You. Are. An. Animal!” I roared and dropped the mute on my glamour.

Patrick dropped like a stone.

I pushed more and more of my power into him. I was furious; tears flooded my eyes and ran freely down my face as Lucian’s face crept into my mind. What the hell was happening? I sucked back a sob and pushed more pain into the man writhing at my feet. My life was in turmoil and my Lucian was lost to me. This man was to blame, he wasn’t alone, but it would have been his body that forced its way into mine. This man would have made me a slave and a blood whore.

I smiled and it felt cold. He gagged and rolled on the floor. Pain was too good for him. I knelt next to him and hovering my hands over him, I slowly pulled his beast in agonizing slowness from his wretched body. Just enough to let him know what I could do.

He wanted death. His beast was strong and I gave it free will. I stood and watched as he rolled on the floor, tearing his clothing to shreds with disfigured hands. I watched as he slapped and clawed at the ground, his hands popping and snapping with wet, cracking sounds. His skin turned red, warping and bulging unnaturally as his wolf beat at him from the inside. Sweat poured off of his heated skin and foam began to build at the corners of his mouth.

“I am beyond you, Patrick.” My voice was flat. I put my foot on his shoulder. He bucked and twisted in agony and I pushed him onto his back. “Now be a good doggie,” I met his anguished eyes, “play dead.” And with that, I turned and strolled slowly away my tears drying on my cheeks.

He screamed my name and I cringed. He deserved to suffer, but something in me made me stop. I looked over my shoulder.

“Please,” he groaned. The sound was distorted as he tried to form the word through too many teeth.

F*ck! My chest hurt. This was wrong.

I turned. Muting my glamour, once more I allowed his beast to withdraw. I walked back to him as he fought to catch his breath. “You said something?” I ground out.

He rolled onto his side coughing and spitting sticky foam from his mouth. He took several minutes to catch his breath and then he spoke. “We…we have a woman,” he stammered. “She’s … she was one of us, but they changed her. I don’t know how, but they took her wolf.” He moaned and rolled onto his back again. I just stood there until he began to speak again. “She was only part wolf.” He continued, “It was an attack and she changed. She never wanted it, so we let them take her.” He tried to get to his knees and swayed. “I didn’t think he could do it. Hell, I didn’t think he had it in him.” He finally got to his knees and rubbed his hand down his face.

“What the hell are you taking about? The blonde woman, who is she Patrick? What were you doing with her?” I knelt down; careful to keep my power nestled deep inside me.

“Lydia. It was Lydia’s idea to use her. She wanted a female to test her spells on. To test your blood on.” He took several deep breaths. “They learned a lot from her. Voltaire and Lydia. They used your blood to test his magic.”

I froze.

“Lydia and Voltaire?” I looked him in the face, “Where was Lucian?”

“He didn’t sign on until later. We needed a warlock. Something about the earth and purity I don’t know, it sounded like bullshit.” He coughed again and I folded my arms in irritation. “They needed a pure warlock and that’s when Lucian stepped in.” Patrick struggled to his feet.

“They needed a pure warlock?” I leaned in. “They needed someone connected to the earth and everything pure?” I walked a circle around him. Then I spun and stared at his pathetic face. “They needed someone good?”

“Yeah, that’s what I said.” Patrick bent down, his hands on his knees, he snorted, bringing up something horrid and then spat it on the floor.

My heart rate speed up and I turned away. “Lydia and Lucian work together now?” I asked, turning back around to study his expression.

Patrick straightened, confusion wrinkling his brow, “Of course. Lydia isn’t a witch.”

All the tiny hairs on my body stood at attention sending a tickle of dread along the surface of my skin. Patrick’s words slammed into me. Of course! I thought, as another piece of the puzzle snapped neatly into place.

“I’ve got my eye on you, mutt.” I warned him and then I flashed from the room.