Curse Touched: A Paranormal Vampire Romance (A Touch of Vampire Book 2)

by Becky Moynihan

  “Oh, no. She’s as human as they come. Your parents were too.” Clarice smiled sympathetically. “Syphons are extremely rare and mostly born from human parents. That isn’t to say witch blood doesn’t run in your family tree, of course.”

  “So, how did anyone know that I was a Syphon when my touch only affects supernaturals?” I couldn’t help but narrow my eyes in suspicion.

  “Josephine, the Cosmic witch who spelled your bracelet, used to be friends with your mother.”

  My entire body went rigid. “W-where is she?” I stuttered, disbelief and hope rising within me. Maybe I could contact her. Ask her questions and get real answers about my past.

  “Sadly, Josephine died some years ago.” Real sorrow clouded the headmistress’s expression, and my hope plummeted. “When you were just a baby, your skin made contact with hers. With one simple touch, she knew what you were and did what she could to protect you. She even warded your house against vampires. Witches always look after their own.”

  “But, my parents . . .” I swallowed with difficulty. “Did they know what I was? Before they . . . before they . . .”

  “I’m sorry, Kenna. But no, they weren’t made aware of what you were for their own safety. That way, they wouldn’t get caught up in the ongoing feud between vampires and witches.”

  And yet, they had died anyway. And yet, my human aunt knew everything.

  Maybe if my parents had known, they wouldn’t have left me that fateful day their airplane crashed. Maybe if they’d known, they would have told me who I was and prepared me for the dangers ahead.

  It was so unfair. All of it.

  I wanted to be mad at Clarice for whatever part she had played in this—if any at all. I wanted to be mad at the Cosmic witch who’d discovered me but left my parents in the dark.

  All I felt though was a bone-crushing loss. So many secrets. So many lies. All because of who I was.

  “I . . .” I cleared my throat, desperate to steer the conversation away from my tragic past before I started crying. “When I came into contact with a werewolf a couple months ago, I had a reaction, even with my bracelet on. I became feverish and grew claws.” I shuddered, recalling how I’d lashed out and scarred August’s face with those claws—who was now dead. Fates, I still couldn’t believe he was dead. Murdered, more accurately. By Lochlan’s diabolical older brother.

  “Yes, Tess informed me of your close encounters with vampires and werewolves as of late. It’s a good thing Josephine thought to make a spare bracelet for you. The spell must have weakened over time, allowing traces of essence and magic to seep through the block. This particular spell discourages the wearer from removing the bracelet, but it doesn’t mean others can’t remove or break it. Silver is a natural werewolf and vampire deterrent, but it isn’t indestructible.”

  Clarice paused to study me over the rim of her glasses with a small smile. “Magic can always be broken, if the will to is strong enough. The supernatural part of you obviously wanted to be free of restraint, despite your ignorance of its existence. I’m very glad you’re here, Kenna. With the proper training, you’ll be a force to be reckoned with.”

  Um, okay then. I couldn’t decide if her words were a compliment or creepy. “Am I a prisoner here?” I asked point blank, gratified when her smile slipped.

  “I know the method of your arrival to Thornecrest Academy wasn’t ideal, but you must understand. Left unchecked and undisciplined, Syphons can be very dangerous. I’m sorry, Kenna. My top priority is to protect the students on this campus. In fact, every new student goes through a trial period of sorts to test their control. We take safety here very seriously.”

  I raised a brow, gesturing around me. “Is that why you have this padded room? In case a student loses control? Or is it simply to contain what you can’t control?”

  She blinked, clearly surprised at my blunt honesty.

  Point for me. My days of being cowed into complacency were over.

  Recovering admirably, the headmistress removed her glasses and tucked them into the breast pocket of her jacket. I noticed with surprise that she wasn’t wearing gloves, despite knowing what I was. “Yes. If a witch is deemed dangerous, then we have no qualms with subduing him or her. The supernatural world may be hidden from most humans, but we still have laws to follow.

  “Our justice system might even be more stringent than what the majority of the world is used to. It has to be, what with the nature of our abilities and how they could jeopardize our way of life. Without order, events like the Holy Inquisition and Salem Witch Trials would seem like a slap on the wrist compared to how humans of today would react to our presence.”

  Now it was my turn to blink. “So . . . this school is for witches?”

  She inclined her head with a proud tilt and the crow mimicked the action. Creepy. “You’re where you should be, Kenna, amongst your own kind. If you let me, I’d like to show you what you’ve been missing out on.”

  It was like she could read my mind. Her words struck a highly vulnerable part of me, an insecure spot that had always felt excluded. Ostracized. She was offering me inclusion, something I’d never been given until recently.

  Until Isla.

  I leaned forward. “Can I make a phone call?”

  She hesitated. I tried not to look desperate, tried and no doubt failed as she eyed me dubiously.

  “Kenna, I must ask—” she began, but a throat cleared from behind her and she turned. I glimpsed a burly black guy as she retreated from the room, closing the door behind her. When I didn’t hear the lock engage, I sprang from the bed and tiptoed to the door. Holding my breath, I carefully turned the handle, listening for any sound as I cracked it open.

  “ . . . vampire at the northwest perimeter,” a deep male voice said in low tones.

  “Which one is it?” Clarice replied sharply.

  “The prince’s drothen.”

  He continued to speak but a ringing had begun in my ears at the mention of that word. Drothen. Were they talking about Kade? The last time I’d seen him, he was being thrown several yards by an unseen force. The only thing I could decipher was that Isla’s dad must have supernatural powers.

  The thought of Kade being here, someone I knew and trusted, sent hope rushing through me once again. Should I trust him though? He and Lochlan had known each other for a century. Not only that, they shared a mystical blood connection, a drothen bond that enhanced each other’s abilities and supposedly allowed them to feel one another’s emotions. He would have known all along who Lochlan really was, yet had never bothered telling me. Never warned or prepared me.

  Was everyone in my life bent on keeping me in the dark?

  Clarice seemed ready to talk though. I chewed on my bottom lip, wrestling with what to do. On the one hand, I needed answers, which the headmistress would hopefully supply. On the other hand, she’d kept me locked in this room an entire day without outside contact. I could stay and discover what this place had to offer or see for myself if Kade was outside waiting for me.

  There’s a third option, my mind supplied. Make a run for it and break all ties. Start a life of your own like you’ve been planning to do for years.

  My arms and legs trembled with the need to move. To run. To forge a path on my own terms. I was ready. So ready to be the sole decider of my fate.

  So I stopped thinking. Simply acted on what my instincts were screaming at me to do.

  I opened the door wider and slipped through, sliding to the right when I spotted Clarice and the burly guy still in deep conversation to my left. I turned to slink down the hallway, but not before a loud caw blew my cover. Burly Guy’s head shot up. His dark eyes locked with mine.

  Crap.

  I bolted.

  “Hey,” he barked, but I didn’t slow. My bare feet slapped the cement floor as I frantically searched for an exit. I yanked on a few door handles in passing. All locked. What was with this place?

  Booted steps gave chase and my heart thundered, spurring me onward.
I charged to the end of the hallway, rounding the corner at breakneck speed. And slammed into a wall.

  Scratch that. A human who only felt like a wall.

  At the impact, all the air left my lungs in a violent whoosh and I stumbled back. Before I could fall, though, hands grasped my upper arms. “Let me go,” I wheezed, struggling to pull free.

  Instead of releasing me, my captor snorted, saying, “I was expecting someone a little more timid.”

  Confused, I paused long enough to glance up. And blinked in surprise when dark, stormy-blue eyes connected with mine.

  They were the same shade as Isla’s.

  More than that though, the man looked exactly like a younger Sheriff Andrews.

  2

  KENNA

  “Noah?” I knew what he looked like from a family portrait at Isla’s house, but what was her brother doing here?

  “In the flesh,” he replied with a sardonic smirk, then glanced over my shoulder. “Lose something?”

  “Thank you, Noah,” Clarice said from close behind me, and I inwardly cursed, knowing I’d lost my window of escape. “Malcolm and I have the situation under control. You may go now.”

  Situation? I definitely didn’t like her choice of words. I pulled away to face the headmistress.

  “Yeah, looks like you have everything well in hand,” Noah said, his tone insinuating otherwise. “I heard there’s a disturbance outside the wards. Anything I can do to help?”

  Clarice pursed her lips, clearly annoyed with him, which for some reason amused me. After a moment of silently staring him down, she replied, “Actually, there is something you can do. Please escort Miss Belmont back to—”

  “I’m not going back in there,” I quickly interrupted, retreating a step when the big black guy looked ready to lunge for me. I threw an accusatory glare at Clarice. “So I am a prisoner here.”

  Sighing, she pinched the bridge of her nose. “Malcolm, stand down. I apologize, Kenna. Due to the circumstances of your arrival, the institute’s staff is a little on edge. Vampires have never breached our wards before, but with you here, I have no doubt they will be severely tested in the weeks, possibly months to come. We are safe, I assure you, but most here have never dealt with a threat of this magnitude.”

  Dread sapped the blood from my face. Was the school under vampire siege . . . because of me?

  Seeing my expression, she dropped her hand and stepped toward me. “Now, none of that. This isn’t your fault. You didn’t know any better, and despite the circumstances, I’m very happy you’re here. I would like the opportunity to explain everything to you, Kenna. Will you give me that chance?”

  Crap, how could I say no to that? She’d spoken the words I’d longed to hear for years. I would be stupid to shoot her down when she was offering me more than anyone else ever had.

  Slowly, I nodded, saying, “Okay, but I’m not going back into that room.”

  Her lips curved into a small smile. “All right. I’ve already set up accommodations for you elsewhere, so that won’t be a problem. Noah will escort you to the Red Wing.”

  “But, Headmistress—” Noah began.

  “And he will remain nearby at all times until I say otherwise,” she interjected, throwing him a sharp look.

  Whoa, I could practically feel the tension between them.

  Her expression softened when she turned back to me. “I apologize for leaving so soon, but I have an important matter to attend to. Noah will make sure to provide you with everything you need in my absence.” I opened my mouth to ask if she was going to see Kade, but she was already turning toward the giant brute behind her. “Malcolm, with me.”

  With the crow still fixed to her shoulder, she and the black dude swept forward, leaving me to silently gape after them.

  “Clarice,” Noah called to her swifty retreating back. “Let me join you in the field. It’s what I was trained to do.”

  Her spine stiffened and she slowed to twist her head around. “Kenna’s safety is more important than anything, Mr. Andrews. Put your skills to use by making sure nothing happens to her.” With that, she left, Malcolm close on her heels.

  Okay, there was some seriously bad blood between those two.

  I expected Noah to be upset, possibly even angry, so when I glanced up to find him studying me curiously, heat rose to my cheeks.

  “So, you’re my little sister’s new friend,” he said, cocking a dark blond brow at me. The one difference between him and his father was his long blond hair, currently tied back in a messy man bun. In his early twenties, he already filled out his starched white shirt to capacity.

  When his assessing gaze took in my bedraggled state, I felt all of two inches tall. Especially when his casually confident posture practically shouted, “I’m hot and I know it.” Squaring my shoulders, I did my best to look down my nose at him. “So, you’re my new friend’s big, troublemaking brother.”

  Both brows arched. He barked a sardonic laugh, clearly not offended. “She told me you were this sweet, innocent thing. Obviously, she forgot to mention the claws.” I suppressed a shudder, remembering my short time as a werewolf. Before I could respond, he added, “But whatever she told you about me is probably true. C’mon, let’s get out of here. This sublevel gives me the creeps.”

  He took off down the hallway, but I hesitated, wary of where he was taking me. Just because he was Isla’s brother didn’t mean I trusted him.

  “Can you show me how to get outside?” I called after him, holding my breath while I waited for his response.

  I needed to know. I needed to know if the drothen they’d been talking about was Kade. If he was here—and if he was okay—I knew in my gut that I’d start to feel a little better.

  “Yeah, uh, we’re not going outside,” Noah said over his shoulder, stopping to glance back at me. “It’s no secret that I’ve got a nose for trouble, but I’m not a complete idiot. There’s a powerful drothen-bonded Feltore stalking the wards. Now’s not the time for a sightseeing tour.”

  My heart pumped double time. It was Kade. It had to be.

  “Do you have a phone?” I asked, undeterred.

  “Yeah, why? Need to call the vampire hotline? I’m sure they’d love to hear from you.”

  I spluttered, completely caught off guard.

  “Lighten up, K-Bug. It’s called sarcasm,” Noah said, jerking his chin for me to follow him. “I’ll let you use it, but let’s ditch these creepy hallways first.”

  I flicked a glance at my bare feet, but quickly decided that having access to a phone was much more important than my appearance. I hurried after him as he took off again. “Wait. I really need to check that my friends are okay.”

  “Isla’s fine. My dad called me.”

  Relief almost bowled me over. “I . . . That's so good to hear. But I need to check up on a few others.”

  He whipped a phone from his pants pocket and held it out to me over his shoulder. When I reached for it though, he dangled the electronic just out of reach. “There’s only one catch. Promise not to booty call any vamps. Promise me that and you can have it.”

  My silence must have given away my intentions. He palmed the phone with a snort and continued down the hall at a fast clip.

  I ground my teeth together, holding in a frustrated sigh. Then a thought came to me. Leverage, if you will. “Does Isla know that her dad is a witch? That you are?” I didn’t know for sure if they were, but Sheriff Andrews’ hands had lit up like mini suns the last time I’d seen him, and his son was at a school for witches.

  Wait. I almost tripped over my own feet as an awful thought hit me. What if Isla did know? What if the one person in my life not keeping secrets was the biggest secret keeper of them all?

  “Warlock.”

  “Huh?” I said, hesitantly entering a creepy windowless stairwell as he held open the door for me.

  “I’m a dude. I like to be called a warlock, not a witch,” he explained dryly, his voice echoing as he passed me to climb the st
airs two at a time. “And no, Isla doesn’t know. At least, not concretely. She was born magicless. It happens sometimes. But witch law states that non-magic users in the family aren’t to know about our activities. She’s had suspicions over the years, of course, mostly because of my teenage impulsive behavior. That’s why I got sent here my senior year of highschool. Thornecrest is sometimes seen as a magical reform school for juvenile delinquents. Helps shape us to fit into society.”

  Glancing back at my slack-jawed expression, he waved away my shock dismissively. “It’s not that bad. I stayed on as an instructor here, after all.”

  Yeah, not reassuring. I was liking this place less and less. Maybe I needed to learn all I could from Isla’s brother, then hightail it out of here. Discovering the truth at all costs may not be worth it if my freedom paid the price. I still had personal goals. Dreams. Namely finishing highschool like a regular teenager with a few friends by my side, then getting into art school.

  I wanted to decide my future, even if I screwed it up along the way.

  In four days, Aunt Tess—or Headmistress Mayweather, for that matter—couldn’t legally keep me here against my will. They had to let me go if I wanted out.

  Right?

  “So, what’s with the crow?” I randomly blurted, recalling its black, intelligent eyes with a grimace.

  “Nautilus? He’s Clarice’s familiar.”

  “Fam—what?”

  “Familiar. A spirit in animal form. They’re pretty elusive, but on rare occasions bond with witches and warlocks.”

  “W-wait, hold up,” I stuttered. “Spirit? Like a ghost?”

  Noah snorted. “No such thing as ghosts, baby witch. Spirits are celestial beings. According to the Witch Origins textbook, all witches are gifted a sliver of spirit at birth, hence why we’re able to create and wield magic. It’s believed that spirits who wish to join the corporeal world must sacrifice a piece of themselves. They can never be whole again, but by embodying an animal, can seek the missing part of themselves that was given to a witch or warlock. Guess you could say it’s like a twisted version of finding your soulmate.