A Curse Unbroken (27 page)

Once again, there was Shah. I went to him, staring down, but careful not to touch him. An odd pull had me edging closer. He wanted me to take him. I shook my head. “I’m not your holder, no matter what you say.”

The pull increased. “You don’t owe me anything, Shah,” I said. “And I think you’ve been abused enough.” Suspicion made me glance over my shoulder toward the closed door. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on, but I do know you’re not safe.”

You’re not alone,
multiple voices said.

I whirled around. Nothing was there except for me and Shah.

You’re not alone,
the voices repeated, seeming to come from every direction.

“Shah…you need to go, bud,” I whispered.

I waited for him to vanish then stepped into Emme’s room. She and Shayna sat on her bed. Taran waited by the door. I knew they’d heard me crying in the shower. They looked as good as I felt. Shayna wiped her nose as she struggled to hold back her tears. Emme was crying into her hands while Taran leaned against the door frame with her arms crossed, appearing ready to kill. All of us had been abused in foster care; my experience with Aric had opened up old wounds.

My cellphone buzzed on the bureau. “It’s probably Misha again,” Taran said. “He keeps calling, wanting to talk to you. We told him you were safe, but he insists on speaking with you directly.”

I picked up the phone. “Hello?”

“Taran told me you were attacked by that mongrel,” Misha hissed on the other end.

I tugged on the edge of my T-shirt, trying to cover myself more. “It wasn’t like that, Misha.”

“I am in flight from Paris. My family will escort you to my residence, where you will be safe until my arrival.”

“It’s not necessary, Misha, I—”

“Yes, it is,” Misha ground out. “I felt your terror. I felt your pain. And I felt it all at the hands of that mongrel.”

“It wasn’t Aric, Misha. And I’m not going anywhere—”

“Celia
.
”

“Misha, something is happening. I’m not sure what it is, but Aric wasn’t who hurt me.” I put an extra push into my tone. “I assure you, Aric wasn’t the cause.”

“I’m not so certain.”

I let out a shaky breath. “I am. Look, as soon as I know more, I’ll call you. In the meantime, be safe. I’m not sure what we’re dealing with here.”

“Very well. But know this, if that mongrel harms you, the treaty between my kind and
weres
will end, and we’ll deem his actions a declaration of war.”

He disconnected, and for a moment all I could do was stare at the screen. Shayna inched her way forward. “The Elders are downstairs. Bren’s there, too. They want to see you. Are you up for it?”

I nodded. “We need answers and we need to get to the bottom of this.”

My sisters nodded in unison and started to move toward the door when I stopped them. “Just…”

“What, dude?” Shayna asked quietly.

“I need some space from Aric. I don’t think I’ll be able to focus if he’s too close based on what’s happened.”

“I’ll make it clear he needs to keep away,” Taran answered in a dark voice that gave me absolutely no comfort.

I met her square in the face. “I don’t want more trouble, Taran. Like I said, it wasn’t Aric who attacked me. I’m only asking for some distance between us.”

She didn’t respond other than to glare. I rubbed my arms as if cold and left the room with my sisters following closely behind me. We walked down the back stairs and into the kitchen. Shayna slung her arm around my shoulders as we reached the edge of the granite-topped island. Emme and Taran walked forward to stand slightly in front of us. With the exception of Aric, who paced restlessly, all the wolves were seated at the table.

They stood when it became clear that this was as close as we’d approach. Aric stopped pacing and prowled toward me.

Taran blocked his path. “Back off, Aric. Celia needs her space,” she told him flatly.

Aric’s anger seemed to intensify, yet he nodded and joined the wolves at the far end of the table. Bren swore and scratched at his beard as he took me in. “Damn, Celia,” he said. After scrutinizing me closer he left the table and stomped toward me. He pulled me away from Shayna, thereby declaring he was taking over bodyguard duty.

Aric released a threatening growl. I knew his beast was troubled and was determined that he, and not Bren, should be the one protecting me. Except Bren was no submissive wolf and answered his Alpha’s growl with one of his own.

I squeezed Bren’s arm, keeping my voice firm. “Stop it. Both of you.”

Martin’s tone demonstrated the strength of his position as Elder. “Aric, rein in your temper. You’re upsetting your mate.”

Aric backed away from the head of the table, closer to the sliding glass doors leading out to our deck. It was as far away as he could get from me in the room. And I hated it.

For a long time no one said anything. Finally, Aric spoke. “I should be the one at your side, Celia. It should be me keeping you safe.”

His voice was laced with anger and exhaustion. Taran’s was all ire. “That’s a laugh, considering you tried to rape her!”

Aric went ballistic. He smashed his fist through the table and split it down the center. It took all the wolves to stop him from speeding toward Taran. “I would never hurt her and you fucking know it!”

His face darkened to purple and all the muscles strained beneath his tight blue shirt. He remained seconds from releasing his beast. I lurched forward, but Bren hauled me back. Aric saw me trying to reach him and attempted to barrel his way to me.

“No,” Martin warned. “For the time being, you must keep your distance.”

Although I didn’t want to, I stopped fighting to reach him. Aric refused to succumb and continued to ram his way to me. Makawee stepped between us and placed her hand on Aric’s head. There was a faint howl of wolves and Aric collapsed to his knees, breathing hard. It was only then that the wolves released him. They continued to watch him, their guard vigilant.

Gemini closed the distance between him and Taran, although he remained watchful of Aric’s movements. “Aric
called
us,” he told her. “He
called
us and told us Celia was in danger and that we needed to protect her.”

Taran pointed an accusing finger toward Aric. “How do you know it wasn’t all a setup—so he could kill you, too?”

“Taran,” Koda said, his tone just above a snarl. “You didn’t hear his
call
.
We
did
. He was howling at us, desperate to save Celia.”

Aric rose slowly, his stance rigid. “I wasn’t in my own body. My wolf and I were being forced out as we slept. I woke up disoriented and stumbled into the bathroom. It was then I knew something was inside me.” He spoke through ragged breaths and met me with savage eyes. “I saw…I saw everything that was happening to you. Somehow, I shoved my way back in, but I barely had any control.” His jaw clenched tight. “I tried to break my own neck. When that didn’t work, and I was close to losing what hold I had, I threw myself out the window.”

My hands fell to my sides. I remembered how his head had snapped so forcefully from side to side and how he had so suddenly vanished.

He let out a breath, trying to soothe his anger as his hands balled into fists and his eyes shimmered with regret. “I fought that spirit inside of me with everything I had, Celia. You have to believe that I could never hurt you….”

He couldn’t finish, but I knew what he meant. I could sense his disgrace and shame as if it were my own. This time, no one could keep me from him.

Aric snatched me into his arms when I shot forward, the scent of his clean aroma and the heat from his body easing my remaining fear. He whispered soft wolfish words, comforting my tigress. I didn’t understand the words, but understood the vow within the soft tones. He would protect me, even if it cost him his life.

No one moved for a long while, giving us the moment we needed. Melancholy replaced the tension in the room. I understood why. Just because Aric and I were holding each other, it didn’t mean we were safe.

“Gemini, phone Genevieve,” Martin finally said. “We need the help of a witch.”

Taran stiffened as she watched Gem tap the screen of his cellphone. The moment Gem was done explaining what had happened, Genevieve’s normally serene voice grew urgent. “Get out of the house—
get out of the house
now
.”

Chapter 22

Despite the careful inspection Genevieve had performed several weeks back, she was convinced that something possessed our home. When we stepped out onto the front porch, the Catholic schoolgirls were waiting to escort me to Misha’s house.

Oh goody.

I refused. They insisted. The wolves growled. The vampires hissed. Eventually the good Catholics let me leave, but only because both Elders were present and at least for the time being, they knew better than to break the treaty signed between their kinds.

We ended up at the Hyatt in Incline Village. Emme, Taran, and I shared a room. And while we were all on the same floor, Aric was in his own suite, as were Koda and Shayna.

Gemini stayed behind at our house to wait for Genevieve and a few members of her coven. He said she’d refused Delilah and Betty Sue’s help. I knew they weren’t getting along, but to flat-out refuse them struck me as odd.

Bren had insisted on staying in our room, but Martin reasoned that it wasn’t a good idea and sent him home. “Based on the evening’s events, Aric’s inner beast is feeling especially protective,” Martin explained outside of our room. “Young Brendan, being an unmated wolf, is seen as competition.”

Emme turned away from us, strangely upset, except I couldn’t offer her comfort just then. Instead, I addressed Martin. “But Bren and I are only friends. Aric knows this.”

Martin glanced up at Aric, who waited down the hall. He’d been ordered by Martin to keep his distance until we knew for sure what was happening, and that the entity that had possessed him could no longer seize control over him. Aric obeyed, but had refused to leave me. Martin scrutinized me with compassion. “I realize what you’re saying, Celia. But this is one of those moments when you can’t reason with a wolf.” He tilted his head. “Be safe. If you need me, we’ll be at your home waiting to see what Genevieve’s coven uncovers.”

We watched him disappear into the elevator. With a huff, Taran stepped into our room with Emme directly behind her. I tried to follow, but Aric called out to me. “Celia, wait.”

I looked at him. He seemed so far away even though only a few feet separated us. It wasn’t right not to be with him. Damn, we’d already spent too much time apart. I wasn’t sure what he saw in my expression, but it was enough to upset him. “Good night,” was all he said.

“Good night,” I mumbled.

Shayna came to see me a few minutes later, carrying roses. “They’re from Aric. He wanted me to tell you that he loves you and that he’s really sorry.”

“Sorry he tried to rape her or sorry for beating her up?” Taran asked.

Anger surged through me. “Shut up, Taran,” I snapped.

Her initial shock turned to fury. “What the hell is your problem? I’m trying to stick up for you. We’re all better off without these damn wolves messing up our lives—”

“Enough,” I hissed, shoving my face into hers. “Do not put the shit you’re going through with Gem back on us.”

We glared at each other. In the end, Taran’s bitch was no match for my tigress. She averted her gaze and snatched her purse from the dresser. “Screw this,” she said, stomping toward the door. “Screw you, too, Celia.”

“Taran, don’t go,” Shayna called after her. “We don’t know what’s happening.”

Taran slammed the door behind her. I slumped to the bed exhausted. I didn’t like fighting with her. And I knew she was angry about my assault. But she was also hurting from her own turmoil and it had begun to cloud her judgment.

Emme sat next to me. “She’ll be back. I’m sure of it.”

I didn’t agree. Taran was angry and feeling alone. I could relate. Aric was my fiancé and we weren’t even allowed in the same room together. For heaven’s sake, how much more drama could there be in one night?

I propped myself up on some pillows and glanced at the flowers Shayna had brought. She’d filled an ice bucket with water and placed the bicolored pink and dark red roses inside. They were gorgeous and yet they made me sad. Aric didn’t owe me an apology. Something else did. And that something would pay if I could get my hands on it.

I stood abruptly and tried to prepare for bed. It was three in the morning when I finally crawled under the sheets and almost six when I crawled back out. I couldn’t sleep, haunted with the memories of my past abuse and the assault. Every time I closed my eyes I relived what I had been forced to endure. The memories were graphic and brutal. I recalled every detail—the lighting in the room, the smells, the sounds, and the horrible feeling of helplessness.

I brushed my teeth, threw on a sports bra and shorts, and left to check out the first floor gym. When I opened the door I found Aric sitting against the wall opposite my room.

He stared back at me with sad eyes encircled with dark shadows. It was him—really him; his aroma of water crashing over stones greeted me with tremendous warmth.

I forced my hand from the door handle and sat against the wall across from him.

“Hi,” he said quietly.

“Hi, wolf.”

He pulled a knee forward to lay his forearm over it. “I couldn’t stay in my room,” he said. “I needed to know you were safe.”

A single tear slid down my face. “Thank you,” I whispered.

Aric inspected me closely. “I don’t want to ask, but I need to know. Are you afraid of me?”

He could have scented my fear from down the hall. My gaze dropped to the carpet. Gold diamonds trailed along the dark burgundy loops. “It’s not that I’m afraid of you,” I answered honestly. “But I am afraid of what this entity could do through you. Your soul wasn’t who hurt me, but your body still did.”

He lowered his head. “I hear what you’re saying,” he said quietly. “Damn, Celia. What’s going to happen to us?”