This Curse

TWENTY THREE



My face was soaking wet and my cheeks stung like some one had just beat the holy shit out of me. I sputtered and choked as stars continued to sparkle across my vision. Panic raced through my veins and I sat up fast, I gained my feet and tore off down the hall as fast as I could. I saw the door and opened it with a thought; I picked up more speed and raced for freedom.

The door slammed shut a second before I reached it and I turned, screaming, I struck out with a bolt of energy. It shattered the lamp next to my grandma’s sofa. The sound shocked me and I stopped, my chest heaving, I searched the room frantically for the devil.

Jamie crawled out of the corner on all fours and I jumped, throwing my hand to my chest. She stood, her eyes wild.

“What the f*ck, Grace?” She shook out her shirt. Bits of broken lamp fell from her clothing and I pushed away from the door.

Seth remained in the hall; his eyes were huge as he looked at me with confusion. “What was that, Grace? Why would you attack us?” He came into the room and gently took Jamie’s chin in his hands. Seth turned her face slowly back and forth, searching for injuries. He ran his thumb across her jaw and tilted her head back to examine her further. She had blood on her neck. The lamp must have cut her when I shattered it. It was a tiny amount. A mere pin prick of crimson but it was enough to thoroughly mesmerize him. I sighed, clearing my throat loudly. Seth’s gaze stayed firmly glued to the little bead of blood on her throat.

“Seth!” I shouted when it seemed he was about to lose control and forget himself. “I’m sure Jamie likes her throat fang free.” At my words, she glared at me. I stepped back, raising my hands in surrender. “Fine, people; I want nothing to do with this, I was just trying to find a place to sleep when Seth goes and turns into Lucifer and asks me if I still want him. But you all go and have dinner and…and…” I motioned to Jamie, “an orgasm, I guess. I’m sleeping on the couch!” I ignored their dual shocked expressions. “Oh, and I wouldn’t wander around in the middle of the night. I’m liable to kill you while you're getting a glass of warm milk.”

I turned on my heel, Seth’s hand shot out, gripping my upper arm as I tried to go. I glared at him and he dropped his hand, hurt filled his eyes and I turned, flashing my nightgown on; I cleaned my teeth with a thought and had an armful of blankets before I took another step.

I slumped on the couch. Tears threatened and I sighed and pushed the heels of my hands into my eyes. I waited for Jamie and Seth to approach.

“No, I’m not going to flip out again and accidentally kill you.” I sighed when I could no longer stand the anxiety beating at me from across the room. In less than a heartbeat, Jamie was sitting beside me.

“I’m sorry, Grace.” She glanced at Seth as he knelt in front of me. I drew my legs up and looked at my hands.

Seth placed his hands on my bent knees, “What did you see, Sweet?”

“I saw Lucifer.” I began. “He took your place, Seth. One second you were hugging me, and the next it was him.” I looked at them. Jamie lowered her brows.

“What happened after we left, Grace?” She watched my face closely.

“Nothing, really.” I said, avoiding her gaze.

She grabbed my arms, yanking the sleeves of my nightgown up to examine my wrists; I jerked them away quickly, hiding them behind my back like a guilty child.

She watched me, shock widening her eyes; she sucked in her breath and then a moment later, her eyes filled with fat tears and she began to cry.

Seth looked totally confused. “What the hell is going on? Jamie, dearest, do stop howling. That is not helping anything,” he scolded and she turned on him.

“We never should have left her!” She yelled at him, he flinched back, clearly shocked at her anger. “She made a deal with the devil!” She shouted at him. “Does that help you understand?”

Seth’s eyes bled solid silver and his teeth lengthened. He was vamping out and I cringed. He stood and backed away with jerking movements. He paced back and forth. “What have you done?” He growled. “YOU BELONG TO HIM, NOW?” He roared, shaking his head fiercely, his long hair burst from his head, falling to cover his shoulders and then spilling down to end at his wrists.

Holy f*ck, he could do that?

His face was a mask of insanity as he turned and grabbed the front door. Screaming, he ripped it free of its hinges, threw it through the wall and onto the gravel drive.

I sat back in complete shock. Holy shit he was strong. Jamie was a little ball slowly disappearing into the couch cushions.

I stood. He was losing his mind and I was positive that if any neighbors were home, they were sure to call the cops, or the army.

Seth turned his eyes to me. He was panting, his chest heaving up and down, his whole body trembling. Silver tears slipped from his eyes as he looked at me. “You are well and truly lost to me.” His voice was hollow; his chest continued its labored panting.

I smiled at him and he took a step closer. “Is that what you want?” He asked, looking defeated.

I shook my head, and smiled again. “No, you don’t understand.” I held out my hand to him and he took it, his face a macabre mask of vampiric anger and all too human confusion. I grabbed Jamie’s arm and pulled her out of the couch. She looked at Seth like he was the boogie man.

“Seth, can you tone down your crazy, you’re scaring her,” I chided. “Now, lets everyone just calm down. It’s not like he owns my soul. I have free will. He can’t command me to do anything, I’m in charge.”

“Yeah, looks that way.” Jamie drawled, picking a shard of glass from her hair. “Now, please, Grace. You need to give me your arm.”

Resolved, I showed her my right wrist.

“The glamour?” Her voice was a mix of anger and impatience.

I removed the glamour and she frowned. “Oh?” She looked at Seth. “She’s telling the truth.” She smiled. “This isn’t the mark of slavery. This is something else, I’ve never seen.” She looked relieved.

“So, you do not know what this mark represents?” He sounded less than satisfied although he had gone back to his normal non-vampire self. His hair was once again long and wild and I secretly wished that he would cut it again. That way I couldn’t picture it sliding across my body as he…” At his smile, I jerked my eyes from his silky locks and instead examined my cuticles.

“Well,” Jamie continued, oblivious to my embarrassment and Seth's obvious enjoyment of it. “It’s a symbol of Lucifer, of that I’m sure.”

Seth eyed Jamie and she flushed. “Well, I don’t know!” She defended. I guess I’ll have to do some checking.”

“Please do, in the mean time.” he stood. “Morning arrives, and I’m afraid that this room is even less secure for me now. I’ll retire.” He nodded regally, “Ladies.” He turned and strode from the room, slamming the door to his room.

Jamie followed him with her eyes; her adoration was far too obvious. “He really is something, isn’t he?” She looked a bit goofy, then she frowned, sadness replaced her doe eyed expression. “God, he loves you.” She stood and walked to the huge gaping hole in the wall. “No one has ever shown such emotion over me before.” She looked at me and I shrugged.

“Look, James, don’t judge his feelings for me, I don’t even think he understands them, they’re way too complicated.” At her frown I sighed, “You need to understand something. Seth and I have history together, that’s all. And there is the matter that he has been surviving off of my blood. I play a pretty big role in his life, seeing as I’ve been inadvertently changing him into a Madea.” I flushed at that. “I represent power to him, but that won’t always be the case. One day he will be a full Madea, and the angry selfish vampire will be gone and a more caring being will emerge. A Madea knows pure love, James. A vampire doesn’t. Just hang on. He already likes you. Look how sensitive he was when he thought you were hurt.”

She smiled. “He was so gentle.” She spun in a circle, hugging herself. “When he looked into my eyes, it made my temperature go up about ten degrees!”

I frowned and pointed my finger at her. “That move was all vampire!” I warned. “He may be on our side, but that part of his nature is still very deadly. He can’t help what he is, but you can help him by not acting like lunch. Letting him feed is not the same as making love, James. I once met a vampire who screwed his victims and then sucked them dry. He called them cows, and that is just what Seth will think of you if you throw your blood at him. Make him see you, not your ready food supply, okay?”

She looked at her hands and I grimaced. “Oh, man, Jamie!” I sighed. “Tell me you didn’t.”

“No, but I did sort of offer.” She looked dejected. “I must look like such a desperate little puppy.” She cried. “What do I do?”

I snuggled into the covers on the couch and looked at her. Her feelings were as plain as day and written all over her face. God, this conversation really sucked. This was Seth I was talking about. Seth, the man that I had grown to care about in the last few days. Seth, the man that made me crazy but still managed to make me smile. I looked at her face as I thought this new situation through. She was a good woman and had power of her own. I couldn’t guarantee that he would ever return her affection, but I wouldn’t stand in the way, either. “Well,” I began, “you need to take the offer back. He’ll respect you for it. After all, he is used to women throwing their blood at him. This should raise his opinion of you greatly. You are better than a mere juice box, James.” I winked at her and she smiled. She rose to her feet and began to walk to her room.

“Grace?” She stopped, her face serious all of a sudden.

I sat up and looked at her, “Yeah?”

“Keep him out of your bed.” She blushed and before I could sputter my shocked response, she fled to her room.

I flopped back onto the couch and sighed. Not that I had any intention of sleeping with Seth ever again, but it was a blow to discover that from now on, I would have to keep him at arms length in order to respect my new friend.

F*ck. This was going to be a problem. Seth would resist, that was for sure. He didn’t do well with the cold shoulder. I thought about Jamie and her kind heart. If Seth didn’t change over soon, she was going to get that heart stomped. Well, I snuggled deeper into the covers, I guess I had some more work to do.

I sighed and closed my eyes as sleep took me straight to Hell.