“The pressure is too much for them,” he continued, his fear and anger colliding inside my chest. “Every time we bring a Syphon here, disaster follows. They’re so terrified, so filled with hatred toward us, that the last thing they want is to help us break our curse.”
Ambrose’s eyes narrowed on his son. “And what would you have us do? Coddle them?”
“No, but treating them like prisoners of war isn’t helping either.”
The king paused for several beats, scrutinizing his son’s face. “You’ve never spoken like this before, not after all this time. What brought on this sudden change of heart?” His gaze, now filled with glittering malice, slid to me. I struggled not to cower behind Lochlan. “Is it her? Has she bewitched you?”
“No. She didn’t even know what she was until recently. She—”
“She touched my skin without using her abilities on me,” Everett interjected. “Lochlan is blinded to who she really is. Don’t let the innocent act fool you.”
Lochlan’s fury pumped through me. “You know nothing of who she is.”
“Because you kept her from us.” Everett rounded on his brother, his jaw set like stone.
“Enough.” The king’s voice cracked through the air like thunder.
“The drama,” Troy groaned from a few paces away where he was once again guarding Noah.
Ambrose turned to me again, his gaze like flint steel. “Did you put my son under a spell?”
Sweat slid down my spine, but I quickly shook my head. “No.”
“Did you lie to, manipulate, or otherwise enchant him?”
Another head shake.
He stared at me for a long moment, then he was suddenly in front of me. Grabbing a chunk of my hair, he forced my head back so that I had to look at him. Lochlan’s fierce growl drowned out my pained gasp, but the king didn’t even blink. “Answer me one last thing, McKenna Belmont. Do you wish to harm my son?”
Shock panged through my chest—Lochlan’s—at the mention of my name.
But as the king’s fingers tightened in my hair, sending pain shooting through my scalp, my focus narrowed to a fine point. To answering him with all the conviction I felt, without the aid of thrall. “No. I would never hurt Lochlan. I wish to help him.”
25
KENNA
The silence was deafening.
I’d only just met Ambrose, but I knew a shocked expression when I saw one. He released my hair, his arm falling to his side. As quick as his surprise came, though, it vanished behind a contemplative look.
“That remains to be seen. But I hope, for your sake, that you’re telling the truth. Guard,” he said, snapping his fingers at the vampires stationed at the doors. “Fetch a lady’s maid who can escort Miss Belmont to her room. I’d like her to freshen up and be well rested before she joins us for dinner this evening.”
He abruptly turned his back on me, setting his sights on Noah. “Now, who is this sad oaf and why is he in my home?”
“He’s no one of consequence,” Troy spoke up, rolling his eyes to the ceiling as if bored. “We had to kidnap him. It was the only way we could get Loch here.”
The king was silent for a moment, then, “Kill him. I have no use for a warlock.”
“No!” I screamed, lunging toward Noah without thought. I hadn’t been able to save his sister, but he was still alive and would stay that way. I wasn’t going to lose another friend. Before my vampire speed could kick in though, Lochlan’s arms were around me. “No, Lochlan, let me go. I won’t let them kill Noah!”
But he wouldn’t release me, his hold around my middle almost painful as he squeezed me to him.
“Silence,” the king snapped, with enough irritation that I froze. Remembering Troy’s earlier warning, my heart skipped several beats. Freaking fates, I’d really done it this time. He was going to kill me now. “What is this?” he demanded, eyeing me, then Noah, then Lochlan. “Is he her lover or something?”
I nearly choked on my tongue.
“He’s her friend,” Lochlan replied, and it was Everett who rolled his eyes this time. “I ask that you not kill him. She’s been through a lot lately, and killing him will only make it harder for her to concentrate on breaking the curse.”
A tiny dart of hurt pricked my chest at his words. Words that came out impassively, like I was but a duty to him. I kept my mouth shut though, knowing he had a better chance of talking his father down than I did.
The king’s attention drifted to Lochlan’s hold on me. When suspicion darkened his eyes, Lochlan’s arms dropped. He scrutinized his son for a lengthy amount of time, then fixed his gaze on me. “I’ll make a deal with you, Syphon. Break the curse before it becomes permanent and I’ll spare your friend.”
My stomach hollowed out. I didn’t like this deal, not one bit. Not if it meant gambling with someone’s life. But as I once again held his gaze, refusing to be cowed, I didn’t see any other alternative. “A-and if I can’t break the curse?”
“Then you both die,” he said with finality.
Terror gripped my throat, made all the worse by the addition of Lochlan’s tumultuous emotions. Inwardly, he was raging, a frothing sea of panic and fear. Outwardly, he was still as stone. I did my best to mimic his false calm, fisting my trembling hands.
When I was confident my voice wouldn’t shake, giving away how utterly petrified I was, I replied, “Deal.”
* * *
So far, my introduction to vampire island was less than amazing, but at least no one was dead.
Yet.
Noah was stuck in a cell somewhere inside the castle.
Lochlan was stuck in a meeting with his father and brothers.
And I was stuck on the fourth floor in the most luxurious room I’d ever seen.
I couldn’t appreciate the airy, peaches-and-cream design though. Nor the king-sized canopy bed shrouded in light gauzy fabric. Or even the enormous attached bathroom, complete with a sunken tub large enough to swim in.
None of these amenities captured my attention, not when my friend’s life was in danger and I’d been separated from Lochlan. He’d been about to protest when the maid had come to take me away, I was sure of it. But one look at his father and he’d allowed me to leave. Was he scared of Ambrose? Ever since his brothers had found us this morning, he’d been subdued—most of the time—hiding his emotions as well as he could. If I couldn’t actually feel them, I’d think he was submitting to his brothers’ and father’s will with little fuss.
But it wasn’t just a case of caving to a higher power. I felt the conflict within him. The suppressed energy he could barely contain. He was still fit to explode, and I worried what releasing all of that energy would do to him. I also worried what keeping it inside would do, more to us than him. I ached to talk to him, to help soothe his inner turmoil, but worried that the few strides we’d made were now smothered beneath the weight of his responsibilities.
An ornate clock on the antique ivory dresser helped me keep track of time as I paced the large room. I couldn’t think of what else to do. The door was locked and guarded, and taking a nap was out of the question. The plush cream rug beneath my bare feet tested my resolve though. How could a rug be this soft?
An hour passed. The sun set outside the room’s arched, paned windows. Fatigue tugged at my limbs, but I refused to lay on the gold-trimmed, thick bed comforter beckoning to me. The moment I did, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to get up again. I’d succumb to my grief, unable to stop the beast from exploding from its cage. And when that happened, I’d be useless. It would tear me to pieces, and I wouldn’t have the strength to defend myself.
There was too much. Too much pain balled up within me. Too much loss. And if I let it all out, I would suffocate.
So I continued to pace, to distract my mind with every mundane thing I could think of. How was I going to graduate highschool if I was trapped here? Did the castle have internet access? Would the king give me art supplies if I asked? I really needed a pair of glove
s too with so many vampires around.
I couldn’t help but wonder what Everett had meant about me knowing more than I let on, though. He hadn’t known about my spelled bracelet, so did that mean I really could control my abilities when I touched supernaturals?
Another hour dragged by. When the darkness outside was complete, I heard voices in the hallway. One in particular snagged my attention. No sooner did I recognize the voice than he came bursting through the door. I froze on the opposite end of the room near the windows, which allowed me to fully take him in. He did the same, sweeping his blood-red eyes over every inch of me as he quietly shut the door.
He was here. Lochlan was here.
Relief hit me hard. I shook all over from the force of it. My body screamed at me to go to him, to demolish the cruel space between us. But I hesitated, uncertain of his current feelings toward me. With his presence, I could feel his emotions once again, but they were all over the place. So chaotic, so powerful that I simply stared at him in mute silence.
Then he moved. So fast, so swiftly, that he devoured the space between us like it was nothing. Like it shouldn’t exist. Like it was offensive, so he’d expunged it completely. A whimper caught in my throat when our bodies collided and desperately tangled together. He hugged me so hard that my feet left the ground. I wrapped my legs around him, locking my ankles behind his back.
Home, both my body and mind sighed, as his strength and warmth cocooned me. I didn’t question it, too happy to have him near. To have my doubts erased. To physically feel that he still cared.
He held me impossibly close, one gloved hand splayed across my lower back, the other cradling my head against his shoulder. I buried my nose in his leather jacket, inhaling his scent like a deprived junkie. As peace settled over me, I allowed my composure to slip. Just an inch. But enough to let a shuddering sob free.
Lochlan pressed his face to my hair, his mouth inches away from touching my ear. He didn’t seem to notice though, too focused on comforting me.
How did he do it? Make me feel so utterly cherished and wanted with a single touch?
Everything else faded, becoming inconsequential the moment he blessed me with his undivided attention. I could stay like this, wrapped in his embrace for an eternity, and be perfectly content. I’d always want more, because I could never get enough of him, but I’d be happy. If only remaining exactly where I was for all time were an option. But reality always caught up to us.
“Are you okay?” His voice washed over me like the sun on a warm afternoon.
“I am now,” I mumbled against his jacket, basking in the tingly sensations that came from being held in his arms. “Is Noah okay?”
“He’s fine. My father honors his deals. As long as the curse doesn’t become permanent, your friend won’t be harmed.”
Relief trembled through me.
“I’m sorry you were brought here,” he began, but I cut him off.
“Don’t be. It’s better than being on the run. I’m so sick of running. The situation isn’t ideal, but not completely hopeless. I just have to figure out how to break the curse before February. Easy, right?”
Yeah, I wasn’t very convincing.
He gently pulled my head back so I could see his face. “You won’t have to do it alone. I’ll be here, as will my brothers. It’s protocol to remain on the island once I bring in a new Syphon.”
I hid a wince, some of my happiness slipping at the reminder that I was one of many. “Are you scared of them? Your father and brothers, I mean.” I chewed on my bottom lip, worried that the question was too invasive and he’d throw up his shields again.
Despite the midnight shade of his skin, I caught the dimple forming in his left cheek. “No. But I’m terrified of what they could do to you, especially if they find out what we are to each other.” The dimple vanished as his gaze intensified. Fates, it was like staring into a boiling hot oven.
He continued to search my face, as if he’d find a hidden answer there. Then his words suddenly hit me. My eyes widened.
Oh. Oh.
Satisfied at whatever he’d found, Lochlan released me from his probing stare and brushed a gloved thumb over my cheek. “When did you find out?”
I gulped, suddenly overcome with nerves. Still, I managed to stammer, “L-last night. Kade spilled the beans when you were hulked out.”
He huffed a quiet laugh and shook his head. “Of course he did.” After a moment, he sobered again. His uncertainty panged through my chest, but he spoke his mind anyway. “Does it scare you?”
Startled that he’d asked me, my first instinct was to say no. I’d never felt this close to anyone my entire life. We had a connection I’d only ever dreamed about but thought I’d never have. If being his soulmate was what kept this bond alive, then I was okay with that.
Right?
Then why did I nod yes instead?
“It scares me too,” he said after a while, tucking wayward hair behind my ear.
Because you don’t want it? I tried to say, but couldn’t. Because, I realized with certain clarity, it was why our soulmate bond scared me. Because this was always going to be one-sided. He’d never truly want me. Not in the way I imagined two souls would want each other.
So, instead, I took a more cautious approach. “Because of your vow?”
“Yes,” he openly admitted. But before I could feel the sting of hurt, he grasped my chin and softly said, “Because, with each second I spend with you, my resolve weakens. I’m terrified, because I’d rather break every last vow I’ve ever made than be separated from you. A lifetime’s worth of ironclad purpose and duty, all crumbling to dust because I desperately want what I shouldn’t have.”
My heart threatened to tear free of my ribs. Was this real? I couldn’t breathe, too overcome by his confession. No. I must have misheard. I must have, because Lochlan D’angelo would never admit such a thing to me. “You,” I whispered, my voice quavering. “You want me? You want our bond?”
He swept his thumb over my bottom lip, dipping his head as if to kiss me. My heart leapt into my throat, but I didn’t bridge the miniscule gap between our lips. Neither did he. His voice was strained, as if that small space was slowly killing him. “More than anything I’ve ever wanted. More than anything I’ll ever want for the rest of my immortal life.”
Joy erupted inside of me. So much joy that it hurt to breathe.
This was real. He really wanted me. Not just my body, but me.
At the realization, I felt a sharp tug. As if a hand reached inside of me and grabbed my very soul. Lochlan jerked against me, as if he felt it too. When the feeling subsided, we were both left breathless, staring at each other in shocked amazement.
“What,” I panted, “was that?”
Equally out of breath, Lochlan said, “I think our souls . . . briefly connected.”
“What?” I squeaked, freaked out and elated at the same time. Lochlan wanted me! “So, what, they touched each other?”
“Something like that.”
“So not fair.”
He suddenly laughed. The sound was so light and carefree that all I could do was stupidly gawk at him. I ached to touch him, to run my fingertips over every inch of his beautiful face. His laughter subsided and he studied me thoughtfully—thoroughly—before saying, “You wish to touch me?”
My heart stopped. “D-did you just—?”
“No, I didn’t read your mind, McKenna. I still can’t do that.” A ghost of a smile graced his lips. “I’m just good at guessing your thoughts.”
“Oh, really?” I quipped. “Then what am I thinking right now?”
“That you’d like to kiss me.”
I flushed scarlet. “Wait, no. That’s what you’re thinking. Not me.”
“I won’t deny it. I’ve wanted to kiss you ever since you showed up at my house in the pouring rain, sopping wet and demanding answers. Your bravery was the first thing I admired about you.”
“You . . .” Fates, I was so lost. So lost in
him that I forgot what I was going to say.
With me still wrapped around him like a koala bear, he stepped toward the antique dresser and set me on top. Disentangling my hands from his jacket, he guided them to the dresser, but let me keep my legs around him.
“I want to try something,” he said softly, “but I need to be in control.”
I nodded, struggling to swallow as my mouth dried. What was he . . .?
When he leaned forward, solely focused on my lips, I panicked and placed both hands on his chest to stop him. “Lochl—”
He gripped my wrists and had them pinned to the wall on either side of my head before I could finish expelling his name. “No sudden movements, McKenna.”
“But . . . but we can’t. We can’t do this, Lochlan. You said so yourself. I’ll hurt you.”
I’ll kill you! Just like I killed that rogue vampire a couple days ago, my mind screamed.
Ah crap. I knew that look in his eyes. Determination.
“Do you want to hurt me?”
“No, of course not. But—”
“Then don’t. That’s the first step to learning control. You have to want it. Really want it. And if you don’t want to hurt me, then you won’t.”
My breath hitched. “Wait, are you saying I can control my abilities?”
“Of course you can. But you can’t be afraid of or fight who you are. Accept your abilities. Only then can you master them.”
My heart fluttered with reckless hope, even as my eyes narrowed suspiciously. “How do you know all this?”
He smirked widely, and I’d never wanted to kiss the secret-keeping idiot more. “Research. Lots and lots of research. And a bit of personal experience.”
“And you know for a fact that I can touch your skin without hurting you?”
“That’s what I’m saying.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?” I cried, wanting to strangle and hug him at the same time. He had the decency to look guilty, at least.
“Because you could use the knowledge against me. Because I feared you’d try to touch me. I still can’t shake that feeling. It’s been ingrained in me for so long.”
Curse Touched: A Paranormal Vampire Romance (A Touch of Vampire Book 2) Page 22