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

by Becky Moynihan

  Sadness squeezed my heart, the emotion solely mine.

  “But I want to touch you,” he continued in hushed tones, soothing away some of my hurt. “Just for a moment. To see if it’s possible.”

  Nervous energy shivered through me. So many things could go wrong. I had no idea if I could stop the instinct to pull his essence into myself, just like I had with the magic-infused objects. I would die if I did. Utterly die of shame and mortification. I could hurt him terribly. But I didn’t want to. Fates, I’d rather peel off my own skin than hurt him.

  And maybe that was why I said yes.

  Both our hearts began to pound at that one whispered word. He searched my face as if he’d heard me wrong.

  Yes, I let my eyes emphatically say. Touch me. Please, touch me.

  I wanted this. I wanted this with him so badly that I struggled to breathe.

  He swallowed roughly, silently asking once more if I was certain. When I nodded, his relief rushed through me. Then he slowly, ever so slowly, lowered his head.

  Oh fates. Oh fates. Don’t hurt him, don’t hurt him, I inwardly chanted, every inch of me trembling with nervous anticipation. I conjured up my anchor, imagining my skin as a sieve. But this time, I blocked up the holes so that nothing could pass through.

  When the tip of his nose brushed mine, I sucked in a gasp. He paused, tightening his hold on my wrists. “Just breathe, McKenna. Stay calm and focused.”

  Stay calm. Don’t fight it. Don’t suck the life out of him, I chanted harder, trying not to hyperventilate.

  He dipped lower, until all I could see was him. I shut my eyes, wholly concentrating on the charged air between us. Any moment now. Any moment and his lips would touch mine. Skin-to-skin. No barriers. Just him and me, the way it should have been all along.

  When that moment finally came, my world shifted.

  And I knew I’d never be the same again.

  26

  LOCHLAN

  The moment our lips touched, everything I knew flipped on its axis.

  The pressure was featherlight, barely a kiss at all, but I allowed my skin to touch hers. Freely. Without fear or coercion. Something I never thought I’d be capable of doing. And what stunned me most was that I wanted to. Not because of our bond, but as a man wanting to kiss a woman. I marveled at the uncomplicated feeling, a feeling that set aside our many differences and let us simply be in the moment.

  I expected her unique power to kick in, forcing me to retreat. But it didn’t. She was anything but calm, though. Her hands trembled. Her heart beat out of control. Still, she didn’t move. Barely even breathed. Doing her utmost not to harm me.

  So I dared to test her.

  Slowly caressing her bottom lip with mine, I applied more pressure, fully sealing our mouths together. She shuddered at the contact, clenching my hips between her thighs. I growled softly, pleased by her reaction. My confidence grew and I pressed my luck even more, stealing a quick taste of her parted lips.

  Exquisite, like raindrops on a moonlit night.

  At the pleasure it gave me, I nearly lost my own control. Nearly drowned in the heady taste of her skin. In the aching softness of her lips.

  She was perfect. Like the universe had created her just for me.

  I’d imagined this moment hundreds of times, but nothing compared to the real thing. To feeling her skin’s warmth seep into mine. To hearing her breath hitch. To basking in the flood of emotions assailing me, some of them mine and an equal amount hers.

  She was pure innocence and light and wonder, the opposite of my cold, dark shadows. But in this moment, she was sharing a piece of that light with me. Chasing my darkness away, simply by being her.

  I pulled back far too soon, unwilling to push her control further. My body roared its displeasure. It wanted to devour her lips. To pillage her mouth inside and out until we were both gasping with need. But it didn’t want to stop there. Every inch of my body wanted to complete our soul bond. Right here. Right now. Not to mention the insatiable thirst it had for another drop of her blood.

  Take her, it incessantly demanded. Claim your mate before anyone can stop you.

  Because they would. My father and brothers would be furious to know that I’d made a detour here on the way to my own suite. They were already suspicious. Way too close to guessing the truth. I’d been more secretive than usual, and they in turn were as well.

  How my father had already known about McKenna was still a mystery. I’d questioned him and he’d questioned me, but neither of us wanted to give up our leverage. One misstep, one hint of our bond, and he’d tear us apart. Maybe even kill McKenna in a fit of shocked rage.

  I couldn’t let that happen. Even with the bond still incomplete, it would kill me to lose her. She was part of my soul now. I’d felt it earlier, the moment our souls had merged as one. Only for a split second, but long enough that I yearned for them to be joined together again. Forever.

  I knew then that the battle was over. I could no longer resist her; my fight was gone. The vow I’d sworn never to break lay in tatters at my feet.

  She was my world now. My whole world. And I’d no doubt let the rest of the world burn if it tried to keep us apart.

  But I couldn’t claim her today. Or tomorrow. She was decidedly untrained and needed a firmer grasp on control if we were to complete the bond. And I needed to come clean. About our mutual past history. About what Kade was doing.

  There was still a chance she wouldn’t want me after she knew everything. Still a chance that she’d reject our soulmate bond. And I wouldn’t blame her, even if the rejection tore my soul in two.

  “I should go,” I said, reluctantly ending the perfect moment. “My father and brothers can’t discover me here.”

  With her eyes still closed, she took a moment to catch her breath. I released her wrists but didn’t step back, enjoying how our closeness affected one another. She reached up and touched her bottom lip, blinking open her beautiful silver eyes.

  “What?” she dazedly said, as if waking from a trance.

  A self-satisfied smile tugged at my lips. Oh, we’re just getting started, mate, I inwardly purred, wishing we were still holed up in that dingy motel room. The things I wanted to do to her. Things that would make her scream my name.

  “I have to go,” I repeated, ignoring the way my pants tightened uncomfortably. “A maid will be in shortly to help you prepare for dinner. I’ll find a way to visit later this evening though. I have something important to tell you.”

  She blinked again, clearing her throat. “So do I, actually. But it can’t wait. I overheard Clarice, the headmistress at Thornecrest Academy, on the phone with your father. They were talking about me and some kind of deal they’ve made. A . . . a pactum, I think.”

  Alarm shot through me, followed by wild disbelief. My father? Forming a pactum with a witch? A powerful, manipulative Darken at that. She’d kept me, my brothers, and Kade at bay with a temporary protection spell while we’d fruitlessly cajoled her into releasing McKenna. She had made it sound like McKenna was content at the institute and didn’t want to leave. Hopefully, I’d someday learn what really happened the week we were apart, but there were more pressing matters to discuss.

  Wrestling my worry and anger at my father under control, I focused on calmly saying, “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

  Her gaze dropped. “I worried that if you knew, you’d take me directly to the king and wouldn’t let me rescue Isla.”

  At the pain in her voice, guilt pressed down on me. She was still deeply mourning her friend, and I couldn’t blame her continued suffering on anyone but myself. I opened my mouth, desperate to ease her pain, but quickly closed it. Kade hadn’t called back yet. It was only a matter of time though. He wouldn’t drag this on longer than necessary.

  “I understand why you’d think that,” I said instead, gently tilting her chin up. One glimpse of her tear-filled eyes and my gut clenched miserably. Still, I plowed on, knowing she deserved an explanation.
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  “Duty and loyalty to my family and kingdom have ruled my life for over a century. They’ve molded my decisions, good and bad, falsely freeing me from the consequences of my actions. I had no desire to question my responsibilities, which allowed me to live an emotionless half life. Then I met you. And now, I want nothing more than to be fully alive, to feel each moment in every day. You woke me up, McKenna. For that, I will do anything for you. I hope you know that.”

  Her chin wobbled, and she quickly brushed a tear away. Before she could reply, a knock sounded on the door.

  “Miss Kenna? I’m here to help you get ready.”

  The maid poked her head in a second later, but I was already across the room, pulling the door open. She jerked back, squeaking in surprise. When she saw that it was me, fear saturated the air and she hastily bowed her head. “Prince Lochlan, I-I didn’t know you would be here.”

  “I’m not,” I responded, and she hurriedly nodded in understanding, stepping aside as I exited the room. Before she could scurry inside, I added in a low voice, “Give McKenna anything she needs. Her comfort is your priority.”

  Startled, she broke protocol and looked up at me. In the past, I would have firmly put her in her place with a warning growl and flash of my fangs, but all I did was lift a brow as she boldly searched my face. After a moment, she curtsied, a clear sense of curiosity replacing her fear. “As you wish, my prince. You can count on me.”

  I left without saying goodbye to McKenna, knowing that doing so would raise the maid’s curiosity even more. The humans in our castle didn’t often gossip for fear of the consequences, but I wasn’t about to test their loyalty.

  Less than an hour later, I was heading down to dinner, freshly shaved, showered, and dressed in black slacks and a matching jacket trimmed in gold, with a burgundy red shirt underneath. My father would be pleased to see me wearing the royal family colors, which should hopefully make him think twice about questioning my loyalty.

  There was nothing I could do about Everett and Troy though. The ragged remains of our brotherly bond was the only thing keeping them from telling our father everything. If I destroyed that completely, there was no telling what they’d do. Maybe it was time for me to rebuild that bridge, even if the new frame was fashioned from lies and deceit. The only thing that truly mattered was keeping them away from McKenna while she figured out how to break the curse.

  If I had to betray them in order for that to happen, then so be it.

  McKenna entered the dining room last, wearing the same clothes she’d arrived in. I suppressed a smile, knowing that it was her attempt at a “screw you” to my father. The maid had no doubt stressed how formal these family dinners were, suggesting a wide array of appropriate dresses for her to wear. She tilted her head back to admire the room’s decor, completely oblivious to the four pairs of eyes on her.

  “Miss Belmont,” my father said, rising from his spot at the head of the dining table. “So good of you to join us. There’s a spot for you next to Troy.”

  My brothers and I rose as well, watching as she froze just inside the doors. She was clearly overwhelmed, probably by the fact that all four of us were in our true forms, and I worried that she’d bolt. My father wouldn’t look kindly on what he considered a prey’s weak instinct. He’d probably force her to come back, kicking and screaming.

  I willed her to look at me. When she did, easily distinguishing me from the others, I pushed calming thoughts toward her through our bond. Telling her with my eyes that I was here and would protect her. With my very life if I had to.

  The tension in my shoulders eased as she took a step, then another, heading for the red-upholstered chair across from me. Before she could touch it, I pinned Troy with a look. He caught my stare and rolled his eyes, but pulled the chair out for her anyway.

  When we were all seated, she promptly slipped her hands beneath the table. I immediately knew she was pinching her thigh, something she did when she was nervous or afraid. The habit probably helped her body release endorphins, which would minimize the stressful feelings. I hated when she did it though, because it meant she was in pain.

  “I’m surprised you didn’t run screaming from the room at the mere sight of us,” my father mused with a wry tilt of his lips, picking up his drink. “The Syphons who get this far usually do.”

  I stiffened at the jab, one meant to remind her of the previous Syphon’s untimely demise. She answered before I could intervene though, saying with a shrug, “This isn’t the first time I’ve been surrounded by vampires at night. And running isn’t really my style.”

  “Neither are dresses, I see,” my father countered, throwing her cropped sweater a disdainful look.

  Instead of shrinking under his judgmental stare, she straightened in her seat. “Oh, I like dresses. Just not sheer ones that show everyone my nipples.”

  Troy spat his drink across the table. Everett glared at him as a few droplets hit his jacket.

  My father tipped his gold goblet toward McKenna. “Touché. I’ll see that your wardrobe is adjusted to better suit your tastes.”

  She nodded in return. “Thank you.”

  I settled back in my seat, stunned at how well she was handling the situation. Pride warmed my chest, and as it did, she flicked me a glance. Keeping my expression neutral, I let the pride swell, making certain she could feel it. Flustered, she blushed, her cheeks turning a rosy hue. She reached for her drink, but paused with the goblet inches from her lips.

  “This is blood.”

  My father drank deeply from his own goblet of blood before saying, “So it is. My sons informed me of your temporary condition. I didn’t think you’d mind.”

  “Not at all,” she replied and took a tentative sip, even as unease filled her at having four pairs of eyes on her. As the blood slid down her throat, she began to noticeably tremble. In no time, she drained the entire goblet.

  “There will be food too,” I told her quietly, sensing how hungry she was. “Vampires, especially Venturi, don’t need to eat or drink as frequently as mortals, so we often make poor hosts.”

  I shot Everett and my father pointed glances.

  My father chuckled good-naturally, but I still caught the underlying note of resentment at having to house his enemy. “We will do our utmost to accommodate your needs, Miss Belmont. You’re our guest, after all.” He practically hissed the word.

  “And what about Noah?” McKenna blurted. “Will he get enough to eat and drink too?”

  When the king flashed his fangs in barely concealed contempt, I answered before he could. “I’ll make certain that he does, along with anything else he needs.”

  As she shot me a grateful look, Everett aggressively leaned forward in his chair. “But our hospitality ends the second you fail to break the curse, witch. Don’t forget that.”

  She flinched, noticeably enough to put a cruel smirk on Everett’s face. A warning growl ripped from my throat before I could contain it. My father’s attention locked on me. When his gaze narrowed shrewdly, I inwardly cursed my instinctive need to protect McKenna.

  The food came then, brought in by human servers. Instead of breaking the tension though, their presence heightened it. My brothers barely ate food anymore, which was common for older Venturi. I ate on occasion, but not nearly as much as Kade. My father didn’t eat at all, but I wasn’t worried about him at the moment. He wouldn’t publicly drink from his staff members. My brothers, on the other hand, had no such qualms.

  Sure enough, as soon as a pretty young female server came within range, Troy snagged her waist. She didn’t make a sound as he hauled her into his lap and set her serving tray on the mahogany table with a loud clunk. Neither Everett nor my father batted an eyelash, so accustomed were they to this behavior. But McKenna flushed scarlet, staring in horrified silence as Troy adjusted the girl’s legs to straddle him.

  “You may begin,” the king said when each of us had been served. An empty plate was set to the right of McKenna, but before I could que
stion it, Troy chose that moment to dig in. Literally. He bared his fangs and sank them deeply into the server’s neck. The girl stiffened for a moment, then moaned breathlessly and sagged against him.

  As I felt McKenna’s horror morph into panic, I tried to distract her by picking up a spoon and urging her to do the same. Only richly flavorful foods appealed to my tastebuds, but unlike Kade, I preferred savory over sweet. The chef had prepared me a heavily spiced soup chock full of pork, potatoes, and carrots. I’d barely taken a sip of the broth when Troy decided to take things too far. He grabbed the server’s breast over her uniform and roughly kneaded the flesh. She moaned again, clearly intoxicated by his venom.

  McKenna’s face went white as she got an eye and earful, her chair mere feet away. I clenched my utensil, bending the metal until it broke with a loud snap. My father looked on with amusement, casually sipping his drink. Everett ignored the scene completely, choosing instead to down his glass in one gulp, then waggle his fingers for more.

  When Troy’s hand left the girl’s breast and slipped out of view beneath the table, I lost my patience, snapping, “Troy.”

  He paused, sliding his fangs from the girl to glance up at me. By the drunken look on his face, I knew it was pointless to talk sense into him. He clearly didn’t care if his actions made McKenna uncomfortable. He may have in fact done it on purpose, just to show her how easily he could control humans. He went back to feeding, but at least I could see both his hands now.

  “So tell me, Miss Belmont,” my father finally said, swirling the blood in his goblet, “what kind of life have you lived during your short time here on earth?”

  She tore her gaze away from the scene beside her to blink at the king. “Um, I . . . a normal one?”

  His chuckle this time was pure amusement, as if she was a child who’d said something adorably dumb. I picked up my fork, ready to chuck it at his head.

  “She’s been on the run for fifteen years with her guardian,” I interjected, hoping to divert his attention so she could finally eat. “She hasn’t been able to live much of a life at all, no thanks to us.”