Cursed (Cursed Superheroes #1)

Once they vanish into the crowd, Jane turns to me. “They’re never going to make it to the hot tub with our drinks. You know that, right?”


“Yeah, probably.” I shrug then smile. “Oh well. I guess it’s just you and me.”

She laughs and then we start to make our way toward the hot tub. “I don’t know why Kara and Steph have to flirt with everyone.”

“It’s just who they are,” I keep walking and people scurry out of my way. They keep apologizing to me, which is just crazy. They’re not doing anything wrong. But I’ll admit, I appreciate that they’re making it ten times easier for us to get to the hot tub. “They like guys. A lot. It’s not that big of a deal.”

“Yeah, but I just wish that they’d pick one guy, at least for a little while. I don’t know why they think they have to,” she makes air quotes, “’sample all the tasty treats,’ before they pick one. It always causes fights wherever we go.”

“They don’t mean to cause fights,” I say, but I’m not sure if I believe my own words. Sometimes I think they do. But since they’re my friends, there’s not much I can do or say. “Did you wear your swimsuit underneath your dress?” I change the subject as Jane and I arrive at the hot tub.

She nods. “Did you?”

I nod, unbuttoning my cut off shorts. “Yep. I’m wearing my lucky plaid bikini. And you know what that means.” I wink at her then bob my head and shake my ass. “I’m bringing the nineties back.”

She chuckles but then hugs her arms around herself. “I’d rather not undress in front of everyone.”

Her statement doesn’t surprise me. Jane has always been the more modest, shy one in the group, and I’ve often prefer spending time with her, because she draws less attention.

I search the overcrowded backyard until I spot a small, building. “I’m betting that’s the pool house. I’m sure you can go change in there.”

I start to shimmy out of my shorts, but she snatches hold of my hand and drags me along with her as she hurries toward the pool house.

“Okay, I guess I’m going with you,” I call out through a laugh.

She smiles gratefully as she makes a beeline toward the pool house, towing me along with her. She’s small enough that with her head tucked down that not too many people notice her. Me, I’m the exact opposite. My five foot ten height is about as attention grabbing as the disco ball spinning above the pool. I get a few nods, hellos, and hey-how’s-it-going, and some people don’t say anything at all, just gawk at me.

It’s not like I don’t have friends outside of our circle. I do. I socialize with a few people from my art classes. But as for close friends, all it’s ever been is Jane, Steph, and Kara. Honestly, sometimes it feels like I never had a choice, like they were chosen for me and I can’t leave the group. But it’s such a strange thought and it probably makes me sound very ungrateful. Still, I’ve sometimes wondered what it would be like to hang out with a quieter group who doesn’t like getting attention all the time. Would I still get attention? Or would I be able to blend in with the shadows?

The longer Jane and I walk through the mob of people, the more gawking I endure. The gawking goes on for so long, I find myself wishing for a break. It becomes even more tiring when Ian, a guy from my English class who has a reputation for being a pervert, jumps in front of me, bobbing to the rhythm of the music.

“Hey sexy.” His cheeks are flushed, his hair is damp with sweat, and he’s panting for air. “I didn’t know you were going to be here tonight. I thought I heard you say you weren’t going to make it.”

I force a tolerant smile. Ian has never been my favorite person. In fact, he creeps me out. “I wasn’t, but my friends and I decided to hit it up for a while.”

A grin spreads across his face. “Good. I’ve been wanting to talk to you outside of class.” He places his hands on my hips and pulls me toward him.

A cold chill slithers up my spine. “Please get your hands off me.”

His grin broadens, his meaty hands pawing me. “You know you want me touching you like this. I bet you’ve been dreaming about it for years.”

“No, I really haven’t.” I sidestep to swing around him, but he matches my move, blocking my way.

“Oh, come on. Just one dance.” He gives me a come-hither look as he puts his sweaty hands on my waist again, his fingers digging into my flesh. With a jerk, he roughly yanks me toward him.

“Stop it,” I warn through gritted teeth.

But he only becomes more handsy, touching me without permission, as if he has the right to. I’ve seen him do this to plenty of girls. It’s what he’s known for. Even when I try to shove him away, he comes right back at me.

I grind my teeth until my jaw aches.

Don’t. Just ignore him. Just walk away—

He grabs my ass.

A darkness fills my chest, a hunger I don’t understand, but have felt a couple of times over the last few months, which was the starting point of why I thought I had mind controlling powers.