Cursed (19 page)

Home did sound good, retelling the disgusting
story however did not.

My dad rubbed my shoulders while my sister sat
on the couch staring at me horrified as I told every moment of the
party. I left nothing out including whom I had seen there. Counting
Aleks who was now wanted in questioning. I had disputed his
involvement in her attack as he had been with me while someone was
obviously attacking her but the Corporal and Shane had both agreed
he could have been an accomplice. I disagreed and asked if he had
been an accomplice why would he have brought me right to the scene
of the crime to which they both agreed he did it to clear his name.
It did seem off that he had been at both paces when the drugging
happened and it seemed even more off that the only person who saw
him was I. He had lied to me about saving my life, I remembered
that at the very least. I had assumed it was because he didn’t want
me to know he had seen me naked but now I worried it was because he
was what they said.

I went to bed that night after taking the
longest shower in recorded history and throwing the red dress out
feeling no remorse for its untimely death. My head whirled around
and around playing the same pictures and what ifs until finally I
fell asleep.

I woke feeling more tired than I had been when I
fell asleep. I looked at the time and realized I had been asked to
come down to the police detachment to look at some pictures of
criminals at eleven, which it was six minutes to. I jumped out of
bed feeling woozy as if I would black out. I sat back on my bed as
the stars from eyes cleared and I almost got sick all over my
floor. I took a few deep breaths and got up slowly to get
dressed.

My dad got a worried look on his face when he
saw me, “You look funny kiddo. You really tired still?”

I nodded yawning, “Yeah I am exhausted. What
time did I go to bed?”

He looked at the clock, “Twelve hours ago, this
must be draining you all this craziness. You ready to go, Shane
just pulled up?”

I looked out the window to see his truck and
walked over to my shoes, “Yeah. I really don’t want to do this. I
know Aleks isn’t a bad guy. I have better instincts than that.”

My dad smiled, it was weak and not even close to
convincing, “You are a smart girl but I think some of the darker
elements in our world can fool even the wisest of us all. When you
get home its bed for a couple days okay?”

I nodded.

He passed me a banana as I walked out the
door.

I hadn’t been eating again and I could feel the
weight falling off of me after only a few days. The stress was bad
for my health.

Shane got out and opened the door for me, “You
look beat Aims. After this is over I think you need some serious
rest. The big dance is on Friday.”

I scowled not realizing so much time had past
since the whole poisoning thing, “I think they should cancel it
what with everything that’s going on don’t you?”

He shook his head, “No normal is what we need
right now. They just need to make sure the security is upped.”

We didn’t really speak on the ride over, I was
annoyed and feeling very sour. I flipped down the sun visor to look
at the mirror on the back of it. I did look awful, huge bags under
my eyes and puffy eyelids. My lips even looked a bit swollen.

I glanced at Shane, I didn’t know what to do
about my feelings for him, I didn’t know what they were
anymore.

We went inside the first door of the small brown
building to a waiting area surrounded by Plexiglas and watched as a
woman about thirty five gave us the most fake smile ever, “Hi there
what can I do for you?” She had straight brown hair and too much
makeup on. She looked more like she was fishing for a cop than
working for them. I wondered how many single women a year took that
kind of job just to hook herself a cop. Her low cut sweater
revealed her tan line from a string bikini and her dark lacy bra. I
looked at Shane who was making a very serious effort at looking her
deeply in the eyes as he spoke, “Shane Bagley and Aimee James to
see the corporal.”

She nodded smirking at him while picking up the
phone, dirty cougar. I felt my hackles come up watching her eyeball
him like he was a piece of meat. She saw my scowl as she hung up
and pushed a button to release the lock on the second iron
door.

“So your family owns the grocery store hey?” she
smirked at Shane.

He nodded looked at her quizzically, “Yeah.”

She laughed softly, “Your last name is Bagley
and your folks own a grocery store. That’s kinda funny. This way
please.” she walked us past a series of cubicles and small rooms to
an office at the back where Williams was sitting on the phone. He
put a finger up for us to wait a minute. I looked at Shane, whose
face was red from the weird shopping bag comment the sleazy
receptionist had made and I smiled as best as I could at him. He
shook his head smiling back.

The corporal put the phone down and grinned, “We
have a database of grifters and criminals from the area, if you
just want to take a quick look to make sure Aleks isn’t in one of
them that would make our job a lot easier.”

I nodded as he stood up and walked out of his
office, “Okay the computer is over here that you can look at. It’s
pretty straightforward. You scroll down and click next page.”

I laughed and sat at the large desk, “Yeah I’m
good. How’s Jaime this morning?”

He shook his head, “Same thing as you and the
other girl. She is out like a light, no signs of waking up and
vomited for hours before passing out completely.”

“Was she raped?” The words left my mouth like I
was spitting out a bad taste.

He shook his head, “I can’t disclose that kind
of information sorry. She’s lucky you guys arrived when you did.
I’ve had my men searching with the dogs for your friend Aleks and
his crowbar. Nothing but the crowbar has turned up. The dogs
haven’t found a single sent to track, even off the crowbar.”

Shane frowned, “You found it near the
house?”

The corporal nodded, “Two hundred yards over
with no trace of anything on it, it wasn’t used in anyway. The
reason I am telling you this is that he may seem like a nice guy
but I want you to ask yourself why didn’t anyone else see him that
night, why didn’t he come back to make sure you were okay when he
didn’t catch the guy, and why would he leave you with a hurt young
woman in the bush alone in the first place if he had no intention
of catching the person who hurt her?”

I felt sick to my stomach as his words whirled
around in my head, they made perfect sense but my heart defended
Aleks.

I scrolled through the photos, ugly mug shots of
seedy looking people, I listened to the Corporal sell the police
force on Shane in the far corner.

I heard them walk back to me, “How’s it going in
here?”

I frowned, “No, no and more no. He isn’t in
here.”

Williams shrugged, “Well you can’t always strike
gold with the first hit. Keep in touch about anything you remember
and I’ll let you know anything I can at this point.” The Corporal
picked up the brochure for becoming a cop and handed it to Shane,
“Son I’ve never told a single person they should take a look at
this. I think you’ve got something.”

Shane smiled softly, “Thanks, I will look at the
website tonight.”

He opened the door and we left but this time
even the cold air didn’t seem to snap me out of the haze I’d gotten
stuck in.

“I need some sleep Shane.”

“I’m taking you home now.” He opened the truck
door and helped me inside. I felt everything but noticed
nothing.

Chapter Eight - A IS FOR
ADULTERY, INFIDELITY, TREACHERY, FAITHLESSNESS…

I dreamt that I was walking on a beach my hand
was being massaged in someone’s hand and the air was filled with
soft music. The sand filled the spaces between my toes with every
step. I couldn’t hear the waves very well but the soft music seemed
to ride the wind in waves. Moments it was louder than soft
again.

“Aimee.” The music sang softly.

“Aimee you need to wake up I don’t have much
time left and I need to talk to you.” It sounded less like music
suddenly and I knew I wasn’t dreaming. My toes no longer felt the
sand only sheets and my head was on a pillow with drool under my
lips. I licked my lips frowning as I could feel the headache behind
my eyes. It felt like I had been drugged again, I moaned, “Not
again.”

A chuckle shook beside me, it was a sound I
loved. I smiled and opened one eye. As the fog cleared and my
vision fought against my headache and started to focus I opened my
mouth to scream. His hand went to my lips.

Aleks was holding me hostage.

His intense blue eyes pleaded with me while his
hand covered my open mouth. I didn’t really like people’s hands
near my mouth and this was twice with him. I cringed closing my
lips.

“Please Aimee don’t scream, let me explain.” His
voice was a whisper.

I nodded as I was in too much pain to scream
anyway. My heart was beating out of my chest but I wanted to hear
what he had to say. For whatever reason I couldn’t be afraid of
him. His lips moved sensually as he started to speak softly again.
I realized I was in my room and my window was open, he had climbed
up inside to talk to me. My dad was downstairs and I knew that I
was safe.

At the very least my sister could attack with
curling irons and hair spray and he would get one hell of a
makeover.

He never pulled back from hovering so close to
my face.

“Does your head hurt?” He asked looking
worried.

I nodded, “Really bad, I think something is
wrong with me.”

He put his hands up to my head, “I can’t heal
you but I can take the pain from your head. You've been doing a lot
lately, too much. You're tired.”

I wanted to pull away but his touch on my head
sparked feelings everywhere.

His hands were burning intensely, my head nearly
broke into sweat as he touched either side, his eyes stayed focused
on me. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from his smile, his upper lip
was slightly fatter on one side making his lips always crooked. I
wanted to suck that top lip. I blushed realizing what I was
thinking about and cleared my throat as he pulled his hands
away.

He smiled with the bigger side only giving me
the crooked smile “Is it gone?”

I couldn’t remember what we had been talking
about but I nodded anyway mesmerized.

I couldn’t snap out of the emotions I was
suddenly full of. My nerdy geeky body was responding to him in ways
I didn’t know how to operate, I needed a manual.

Something about him being this close to my bed
and me being in nothing but my panties and a tank top made me think
about him sliding into the sheets with me. His mouth was moving
again, I decided this was my new favorite thing to watch.

“Aimee snap out of it.” He raised his voice
slightly.

I twitched back to reality, “Sorry I’ve been
funny lately.” I tried to cover up the fact I was becoming like a
guy and blood was starting to leave my head. I felt ashamed, I had
decided he was a bad guy and here I was falling for the bad guy
when I had a very good guy who was falling for me.

He looked distracted by me too, his eyes were
burning as he watched me. I realized he was waiting. He had to have
asked me a question, I shrugged at him hoping that would satisfy
his question and we could move on.

He leaned in very close suddenly, I was taken
aback but I never budged as his hot breath tickled my lips. I
gulped knowing what was about to happen.

He never closed his eyes even though he was an
inch from my face. My eyes had blurred as he got close, I could
imagine the taste of his mouth. He smelled like heaven, it was the
smell of fresh air mixed with a smell I couldn’t place but I wanted
that smell, incense almost but muskier. I wanted to fight my body
and my urges and pull away from him but I was a snake caught in his
music and stare. He had charmed every inch of me, inches I really
didn’t know existed.

After a very long moment he moved in the last
inch and his lips brushed mine so softly I couldn’t stand the
torture. I leaned in but he seemed to pull back slightly keeping
our touch light. His soft lips brushed mine, caressing them like a
lover. His tongue slowly grazed my lips sending a shiver up my
spine and then down again. I didn’t know what was happening but the
control I worked everyday to maintain was gone, I wasn’t in charge,
I had no sarcasm for this moment it was raw emotion. I understood
ragged breath as mine had become inconstant. I didn’t need air, I
needed his kiss to deepen and relieve me of the build of
tension.

He pulled away though, leaving me hanging
there.

I watched him smile like a light had gone on. I
felt my face curl into a frown, I wanted to cry. I understood crack
addicts need for their addiction, I needed his skin to touch mine
again. I wanted him to crash onto my face crushing me with a
powerful kiss but instead he started talking.

“Aimee I am cursed.” I didn’t care, bad luck had
rained down on me for so long it didn’t matter if he brought more
into the relationship.

“I am like an angel of tragedy and accident.”
His words never made their way to my brain, they stopped at my
ears. I could hear him talking but I couldn’t comprehend I was
still in a cloud of wanton lust.

He grabbed my bare shoulders and gave me a
slight shake, “Aimee I am an immortal. Do you understand?”

I nodded watching his lips move. My brain was
freaking out, I could hear the thoughts panicking in there as no
one responded to their demands.

He smiled, “Aimee what’s your name?”

I nodded again.

He stood up taking the sudden warmth away from
me. I began to shiver as all of the light inside of me went to the
other side of the room with him, it was still attached to him.