Cursed Hadley (Lengthened Version) (Cursed Hadley #1)

by Jessica Sorensen

  I shake my head, lowering my hands to my lap. “All I can remember is wanting to drink her soul and then I was here.”

  “We must have pulled her out quickly enough,” Jaxon tells Blaise with a relieved sigh. “Good. The last thing she needs is to remember that.”

  “Remember what?” I ask. When none of them appear too eager to tell me, I growl in frustration. “Will someone please tell me what the fuck is going on?”

  “I think someone might get cranky when they’re hungry,” Alex muses, brushing his fingers along the back of my neck. “You know, you’d feel better if you’d just eat.”

  Despite the needy hunger inside me, I shake my head. “I’m not going to do it. Not until I make absolutely sure that there isn’t another way.”

  Alex rolls his eyes. “There isn’t. Trust me. We would know.”

  “I’ve already had this conversation with her.” Rhyland slows down the car as if to turn, yet there’s nothing around but dirt-covered fields. “She’s pretty adamant about looking for another way.”

  “Well, she’s going to be severely disappointed,” Jaxon says. “And if she’s not careful, she’s going to die.”

  “You know, I think I prefer the nervous version of you better,” I grumble, crossing my arms.

  Jaxon glances over his shoulder at me, his lips quirking. “Is that so?”

  I nod. “Yep.”

  He smiles, rotating around in the seat, leaving me to wonder what’s so damn amusing.

  But I have more pressing issues to worry about.

  “Can someone please for the love of all maddening things tell me why you guys poofed me out of school and took me to…” I gesture at the window. “Wherever the hell this is?”

  “We’re at a place outside of Honeyton,” Rhyland explains as he starts to make a turn.

  “This place isn’t even close to Honeyton…” My question fades as we drive onto the field.

  It’s like a magical veil has been lifted and revealed a hidden world beneath it, the fields no longer covered in dirt but vines and thorns that weave around blood red flowers. The sky is grey and spotted with silver stars, the moon bleeding against the darkness. Castle-like buildings tower in the distance and wispy smoke kisses the air.

  “Gods, it’s so good to finally be able to be back here again.” Alex tips his head back and lets out a pleased groan.

  “What is this place?” I whisper in awe. While terrifyingly beautiful to look at, I feel strangely drawn to this darkly magical place.

  Alex pulls me toward him, “This, gorgeous, is known as the Town of the Undead.”

  I shake my head, stunned. “Places like this don’t exist.”

  “Obviously they do.” He fixes his finger underneath my chin and guides my gaping mouth closed. “And I need to say thank you. Without you, we couldn’t be here.”

  Huh? “Why not?”

  “Because we were banished a long time ago from all places connected to the undead,” Rhyland explains as he drives down a road paved with ash. “But now that we’re connected to you, we have enough power to break through the barrier that blocks us out of some of these places.”

  “How did you guys get banished?” I ask, scratching at my neck, the hunger growing.

  “I’m not sure you’re ready to hear that story,” Alex mutters. “But lets just say we were betrayed by someone we thought we could trust. Someone we looked at like a brother.”

  They sink into silence, pain masking their faces, and I decide to let the subject drop. For now anyway.

  “Then how about you tell me the story of why you poofed me out of school?” I demand.

  Alex traces his tongue along his lips as he pulls me closer to him. “A little bit of advice, princess. When you get demanding like that, it turns me on. I’m not like Blaise. I don’t prefer my lovers to be submissive.”

  “I don’t prefer them submissive,” Blaise snaps. “So shut the fuck up.”

  Alex grins wickedly. “I think we pissed him off.”

  “And I think you’re trying to distract me from my questions,” I quip. “So stop it and just tell me some answers.”

  His teeth sink into his bottom lip. “Yeah, I’m definitely going to have fun with you.”

  I should probably be freaked out by the darkness flooding his eyes, but I’m more drawn to it than anything, which makes me become painfully aware of how different I’ve become now that I’m dead.

  “Just answer me,” I say in a neutral tone.

  His grin broadens as he leans back. “Who wants to do the honors?”

  None of them say anything right away, and Blaise finally sighs loudly.

  “Whatever. Fuck you all.” He pries Alex’s arm off me, grabs my leg, and pulls me closer to him. “Right before you were about to feast off that girl’s soul, which would’ve been fucking beautiful if not totally illegal, Rage swept over the classroom.”

  “What the heck is Rage?” I ask. “Wait, what do you mean by illegal? Are there laws in your world?”

  Blaise nods, drawing my legs over his lap. “We’re only allowed to drink the souls of those who are dead.”

  “Then how did you drink that cursed fire seekers soul?” I start to move my legs away. But the hunger simmers in my throat, begging to be near him, and this time it wins, holding me in place.

  “The rule only applies to human souls,” Blaise says. “Cursed fire seekers aren’t human.”

  “Yeah, I got that,” I mutter, the image of the cursed fire seekers eyes and cat-like ears branded into my mind. “He looked like a creepy ass cat.”

  Blaise presses back an amused smile and trades a look with Rhyland, whose eyes are glittering with amusement.

  “I told you,” Rhyland tells him, downshifting the SUV.

  “Yeah, I guess you did.” Blaise returns his gaze to me. I’m about to ask him what that little exchange was about when he continues on, “Anyway, it would’ve been highly illegal for you to feed off that girl’s soul, and Jaxon and I were about to pull you out of class before you did. But like I said, Rage blew through, and we had to take drastic measures and use our limited power to teleport you out.”

  “But what’s Rage?” I ask. “Because you say that and all I think is that everyone got pissed off.”

  “Rage is a monstrous force that can infect entire towns with ravenous rage.” Blaise shifts in the seat, drawing me even closer to him so I’m basically sitting in his lap sideways. “And it’s not the normal kind of rage where a person gets upset and tries to start a fight. It’s deadly, zombie-like rage where people want to shred others apart. Or in this case, shred you apart.”

  A brief memory of being back in the classroom flashes through my mind. Everyone is looking at me, drool dripping from their lips as they close in around me with hunger in their eyes…

  I shudder.

  “You were Rage’s target,” Alex says, scooting closer to me.

  “But… But what about my sisters?” Panic rushes through me. Monstrous forces that cause zombie-like rage? How can this exist?

  Blaise traces his finger along the inside of my thigh. Since I’m wearing shorts, the coldness emitting from his skin seeps into my flesh. Inhuman coldness that matches my own body temperature.

  “Your sisters are fine as long as you stay out of Honeyton,” he says. “But until we can break Rage’s spell, you can’t return. If you do, Rage’s infection will kick in and everyone will hunt you.”

  “Has Rage...” It’s so weird to say aloud. “Is Rage the one who’s been tormenting me?”

  Blaise shakes his head. “No, but we think whatever is after you, is what send Rage.”

  “Is this person—creature that’s after me trying to kill me?” I loathe the fear in my voice.

  I used to be so badass. Now I just feel lost.

  “We’re not sure yet.” Alex smoothes his hand down my back. “But we’re going to get to the bottom of it.”

  “And what about my sisters?” I shiver as Alex’s hand makes its way back up
my back. “Who’s going to take care of them while I’m gone?”

  “We put a spell on them and if any harm comes to them, we’ll know.” Alex loops his arms around my waist and rests his forehead against the back of my head, inhaling deeply.

  What the hell he’s doing is beyond me. I’d lean away except that’d only put me closer to Blaise.

  These guys have some real issues with personal space.

  “But… where do they think I am?” I’m having a really hard time focusing passed my hunger with both Blaise and Alex crowding me.

  “They think you’re gone.” Blaise skims his finger up my thigh again, his gaze searing into me. “And that’s a good thing right now. It’ll keep Rage from having power over them.”

  “So they’re glad I’m gone?” I whisper, my heart aching. Well, at least heartache still works in me.

  Blaise offers me a sympathetic look, something I didn’t think he was capable of. Or any Grim Reaper for that matter. “For now, yes. And we’ll try to figure out what sent Rage after you. We’re not going to let this creature ruin you.”

  “How are you going to figure it out here, though?” I ask, flinging my hand in the direction of the town.

  “There’s a lot of creatures here who can help us,” Blaise explains.

  More worry creeps inside me. “What sort of creatures?”

  “Every creature you have and haven’t heard of. And I’m not going to lie, the Town of the Undead can be… startling to those who aren’t used to it.” Blaise caresses my cheek with his knuckles. “If you want, though…” He casts a glance at Alex, staring at him for a beat or two. Then his gaze returns to me, his eyes briefly flickering. But he quickly blinks, erasing the look, and slides his hand to my hip. “If you want, Alex and I can make you relax so you won’t panic.”

  I assess him warily. “How?”

  His tongue skims along his lips, his tongue piercing glinting. “It won’t hurt.”

  “In fact, it’ll feel really good.” Alex urges me closer to him until my back is lined against his chest.

  With my legs being over Blaise’s lap and his hands on my hip and thigh, I feel crowded by their presence, but not necessarily in a negative way. I blame my reaction on the whole bonding, linking my soul to theirs’ thing. I also blame my inability to instantly turn down their offer on that.

  “What exactly will you have to do?” I ask, highly aware that all four of them are intensely staring at me. It makes me a bit uncomfortable, and I think the old Hadley would’ve jumped off Blaise’s lap and climbed into the back to get away from them. And while I do feel partly like my old self, there’s also this new part of me, a darker part that makes me feel drawn to these guys.

  “Just relax and we’ll show you,” Blaise murmurs, leaning in, his glowing gaze zeroed in on my mouth.

  I’m conflicted. Part of me wants to dive out of his lap, but the other part of me doesn’t know if I’ll be able to handle what’s to come. All of this, Rage, my sisters wanting to tear me apart, finding out I have reaper blood inside me, being dead, is quickly wearing on me. All my life I’ve constantly been stressed out. Stress, stress, stress, it’s all I’ve known.

  “It won’t permanently bond me to you, right?” I whisper as Blaise’s lips near mine.

  “When that happens, it’ll be your decision,” he promises as his lips brush mine.

  At first, I think he’s simply kissing me and I’m not positive how I feel about that. But then a cool darkness spills from his lips and down my throat, causing me to gasp.

  “Holy… fuck…” I breathe out, my back bowing up as icy tingles kiss across every inch of my flesh.

  Alex holds me in place as Blaise shuts his eyes, cups my cheek, and tips my head back, diving in for another… Well, I’m not sure what he’s breathing into my mouth, but it feels absolutely wonderful, blissful, and calming.

  “I like this,” I admit through a soft gasp.

  He groans, slipping my legs off his lap, but only so he can lean over me. Then his lips come down on mine again, this time his tongue slipping into my mouth. More calming darkness spills through me as his tongue tangles with mine. I gasp again, my legs winding around his waist, my head ending up in Alex’s lap.

  Blaise slightly pulls back, his eyes glowing so brightly it’s blinding.

  “More,” I beg, tangling my fingers through his hair and guiding his lips toward mine again. When our mouths connect, he lets out a needy whimper, his hips rocking against mine. I moan, gripping onto him, my mind blurring as everything becomes wonderfully dark. I’m so blissfully content that when Alex says, “My turn,” and nudges Blaise off me, I don’t put up a fuss. I let him sit me back up and guide me toward him until I’m straddling his lap.

  He gives me barely any time to get situated before his lips crash against mine. Darkness pours through me again, yet somehow his feels different than with Blaise’s. Alex’s darkness has more of a minty coldness to it whereas Blaise’s felt effervescent, which sounds really fucking odd when I think about it, but I guess I better get used to it. Used to the fact that strange might be my life now.

  Alex’s lips remain fused to mine for a second or two before his tongue enters my mouth. “You taste so fucking good,” he murmurs against my lips, cupping my face between his hands.

  “This feels good,” I breathe out, feeling calmer than I’ve ever been.

  He pulls back to look me in the eye, a smirk teasing at his lips. “Just wait until you feed off us.”

  I’d probably freak out at the reminder, but my veins are buzzing with too much soothing darkness to give a shit.

  “You want more?” Alex asks me, sliding his palm to the base of my neck.

  I waver, not necessarily nodding, but not protesting either. The truth is, I do. The truth is, I’m not as afraid of this as I should be. Whether it’s because of what they’re doing to me or the simple fact that I’m dead now and know what I am, I’m unsure.

  Alex’s lips kick up into a grin, then he slants forward and presses his lips to mine again, breathing darkness into my mouth. His tongue follows, briefly tangling with mine before his fingers wrap around my chin and he steers my lips away.

  I blink in surprise until I realize Blaise is the one cupping my chin. He turns my face toward him, his eyes wildly flashing.

  “Mine,” he mutters then his lips collide with mine. They only remain there for a second before Alex steals me right back. Moments later, my lips are against Blaise’s again. Back and forth, they move me between the two of them, kissing me and breathing darkness into me, the minty coldness and effervescent chill mixing wonderfully through my body.

  “Guys, that’s enough.” Rhyland’s voice cuts through the haze clouding my mind. “You’re going to overwhelm her.”

  He’s said this before, in the dream I had of them kissing me. Well, all except Blaise. Now, we sort of have kissed, though. How did that happen? How did I go from kissing only a couple of guys to that number going up to six? Does the dream really count? Why do I even care? I shouldn’t be worrying about this stuff right now.

  My body hums as Alex removes his lips from mine.

  Holding my gaze, he settles his hands on my waist. “How do you feel?”

  “Calm,” I say dazedly.

  He grins. “Not so bad, right?”

  I rub my lips together and I can still taste the taste of them. “It wasn’t too terrible.”

  His grin grows then he moves me to the side. At first I think he’s kicking me off him, but then Blaise’s fingers enclose around my waist and he guides me over to straddle his lap. His fingers tremble as he slants forward and breathes in the scent of my hair.

  “I want more,” he murmurs.

  More what?

  I open my mouth to ask when the car suddenly slows to a stop. Blaise slants back, blinking a few times and then sighs. “I guess we’re done for now,” he says to no one in particular. Then he slides me off his lap, opens the door, and hops out.

  The rest of them get out
too. I reluctantly scoot toward the edge of the seat, preparing to get out too when Blaise reaches back in, grabs me by the waist, lifts me up, and sets me down on the ground.

  “You know, I’m perfectly capable of getting out of a car….” I trail off as I take in my surroundings.

  We’re parked on the side of a cobblestone road that’s lined with cars and horses and carriages, as if the present and past are coexisting. The builds lining the streets are carved from marble and stone, and a wall of vines and thorns cover the sidewalks, blood red flowers blooming from them.

  As I step away from the car, one of the vines weaves toward me, a flower getting into my face. Up close, I can see that the petals are made of glittering liquid.

  “Pretty,” I start to reach for it when the petals open up and spit in my face.

  I gasp, jumping back and wiping my hand across my face. “What the heck?” I look down at my palm and find glitter covering my skin. I hear chuckling from behind me. When I turn around, Rhyland, Alex, and even Jaxon are laughing while Blaise leans against the car, grinning amusedly. “This isn’t funny,” I gripe. “It spit in my face.”

  Rhyland steps toward me, brushing some of the glitter off my cheeks with his fingers. “It means it likes you,” he says, wiping his hands on his jeans and leaving trails of red glitter on the fabric.

  I continue to pout. “This isn’t going to turn me into a flower or something, is it?”

  Rhyland shakes his head, his smile magnifying. “Nah, it’ll just make you feel good for a while. And you’ll look sparkly for a bit.” He grazes his finger along my cheekbone. “Don’t worry. The look suits you.”

  I stare at him, unimpressed. “Glitter does not suit me.”

  He only smiles then spins around and starts down the street. Jaxon and Alex follow, but Blaise steps toward me, his eyes scanning my face. Then he reaches out and brushes his thumb along my bottom lip. “Pulcherrimum plane.”

  “Huh?” I whisper. When my lips part, his thumb ends up slipping into my mouth.

  He groans, then whirls around and strides after his brothers.

  Alex slows to a stop when he notices me lollygagging and motions for me to hurry my ass up. Sighing, I hike toward him and then we start off after the others.