He threw me a slightly annoyed look. “No thanks to us? Our ancestors didn’t place a curse on her kind.”
“No, but we started the bloodshed.”
His expression grew thunderous in the blink of an eye. “Need I remind you what was done to you? We had a tentative peace with the witches before one of them swooped in and—”
“Enough,” I roared, shooting to my feet. My chair noisily clattered to the floor, jolting Troy from his bloodlust.
I clenched my hands into fists, waiting for my father to put me in my place. All three of his sons were dominant alpha males, a fact that he was proud of. But we weren’t allowed to treat him with disrespect. I waited. We all did. But he simply stared at me with his head cocked to the side.
He made us wait some more, drawing out the suspense before saying in a soft voice, “She doesn’t know.”
Every inch of me froze.
His eyes widened. “You don’t want her to know. But why? You’ve never kept a Syphon in the dark before. Unless you’re protecting her from the truth for some reason.” He studied my closed-off expression, concern knitting his brow. “What aren’t you telling me, son?”
Before I could concoct a half-truth that would throw him off the scent, a crackle of energy, of magic, filled the room. Immediately recognizing the dark signature smell, I lunged for McKenna the quickest way I could. Bowls, plates, and utensils went crashing to the floor as I hurtled over the table and drew her into my protective embrace.
The energy grew, forming a billowing ball of purple shadows. When it was man-sized, a silhouetted figure gracefully stepped through.
As the woman and her crow familiar emerged, a growl tore from my throat.
“Darken,” I hissed.
The witch turned my way and smiled.
27
KENNA
“Sorry I’m late,” Headmistress Mayweather said in her low, accented voice, striding into the dining room like she belonged there. “The coordinates were slightly off and I nearly ended up in the ocean.” At her husky laughter, Lochlan clutched me to him, as if he expected her to whisk me away.
His brothers were now on their feet too, hissing at the unexpected guest. Nautilus flapped his wings at them, but remained on his mistress’s shoulder. The poor server girl had ended up on the floor, dazed and confused. When the portal closed, Clarice didn’t even flinch, seemingly unconcerned.
“Stand down, boys,” the king said, waving for them to sit again. “I invited her here. Clarice, welcome to my home.”
She inclined her head toward him. “Thank you for having me, Ambrose, and for honoring your word.” Her eyes briefly swept the room before landing on me. “I’m relieved to find you unharmed, Kenna. I was so worried when you took off.”
“What is going on here?” Everett barked, refusing to sit. We all did.
“The headmistress and I have struck a deal. A pactum, actually,” the king replied.
“What?” both Everett and Troy shouted, talking over each other as they demanded answers.
“What’s a pactum?” I quietly asked Lochlan.
Apparently, the king was more interested in our exchange than answering his sons, because he said over the noise, “A pactum is a verbal oath sealed in blood. Once the blood of all participating parties intermingles, the deal is binding. It can be broken, but at great cost to the offending party.”
“Which is why I don’t understand how you could have bound yourself to her,” Lochlan said, his tone accusatory. “What could you possibly gain by doing this?”
“She agreed to hand over the Syphon,” he said, pinning his son with a look. “Something you refused to do.”
“And what do you get out of this deal?” I tossed at Clarice, my anger at being spoken about like a pawn in a game lending me confidence. I pulled free of Lochlan’s hold to stand on my own two feet. He allowed it, but remained close enough to warm my back.
“I am sorry for my deceit, Kenna. You weren’t supposed to find out about the deal this way.” The headmistress removed her glasses to rub the bridge of her nose. “If Noah hadn’t foolishly helped you leave the academy, we would have met with the elders, then convened with the king and his sons on neutral ground as agreed upon. Everything would have gone much smoother.”
“Noah told me about the elders,” I spat, shaking with barely concealed rage. “About what they did to his mom. Did they kill my parents too? I know that the plane crash was a lie. I know that they were murdered!”
Her eyes darted to the king, so fast that I almost missed it. “Kenna, please calm down. Noah Andrews has always hated the elders. He wants the witch community to do away with them, so of course he’d falsely accuse them of murder. It’s true that they reprimanded his mother for keeping you a secret, but she died of natural causes.”
Her words punched me in the gut. I clutched at the nauseating pain building in my stomach. “They came after his mother . . . because of me?”
Sympathy softened her sharp features and she moved as if to comfort me. Lochlan immediately blocked her, growling a warning. He didn’t need to though. If she touched me, I’d grab her hand and do what I did best.
Leach the magic from her.
“So much drama,” Troy groaned, slumping into his chair. He picked up the fallen girl and set her on his lap again before adding, “Let’s get this surprise meeting over with so I can finish my dinner in private.” He slid his hand up the girl’s thigh, clearly letting us know what his evening plans entailed. I would have worried for the girl, had she not spread her legs and urged his hand higher.
Fates, the PDA in this place was almost worse than the feeding den.
Eventually, we all reclaimed our seats, with one exception. Lochlan pulled me to his side of the table, situating my chair within inches of his. No one said a word, but there were plenty of exchanged looks. Lochlan didn’t seem to care. A pair of servers scurried forward and cleaned up the mess, while another replaced any spilled drinks or destroyed dishes. Lochlan nudged my full plate closer to me, but I’d officially lost my appetite. Again.
“Shouldn’t the rest of the council be a part of this meeting?” Everett asked his father when the servers had left the room.
The king didn’t immediately reply, quietly dividing his attention between me and Lochlan. At the contemplative look on his face, like he was trying to solve a puzzle, I started to scoot my chair away. Lochlan grasped the seat of my chair before I could. Feeling his protective instincts go haywire, I suppressed the urge to comfort him. Instead, I folded my hands into my lap.
“I’d like to do things differently this time,” Ambrose finally said, stroking his chin. “Even if that means working peaceably with our enemy. Lochlan might be onto something.”
Everett’s jaw slackened in disbelief. “But you never do things differently. Protocol states—”
“Protocol states whatever I want it to state,” the king interrupted with a flick of his fingers. “This is our last chance to get things right, so a little change might be a good thing. The council hasn’t helped us break the curse in the past. In fact, their suggestions usually result in a swift, bloody end to the Syphon involved.”
I dug my fingernails into my palms, trying to hide my alarm. Lochlan must have felt it though. His fingers brushed against my thigh, the only comfort he could offer without being seen.
“So what do you suggest we do then?” Troy said, oblivious to the way Clarice was side-eyeing him and the serving girl with disapproval.
“Keep our own council—which now includes Headmistress Mayweather,” the king stated.
“But why her?” Everett growled. He slammed his fist on the table, rattling the dishes.
“Because we want the same thing,” Clarice replied, unruffled by the violent display.
“And what is that?” Everett openly sneered at her.
“To protect the supernatural world from anarchy by breaking the vampire curse. If the curse becomes permanent, who do you think humans will target first
? Our leaders. Cut off the head and the rest will crumble. It’s a tried and true war strategy. Without a ruling body, humans will persecute us all, maybe even eradicate supernaturals completely. They outnumber us and have superior technology. Fighting them would be a death sentence. I’m sure your council and my elders would agree, which is why Ambrose and I decided to join forces for the sake of supernaturals everywhere.”
And I was the linchpin, whether I wanted to be or not. Whether they wanted me to be or not. And in that moment, it finally hit me how important I was in all this. Which was why I decided to do something incredibly stupid.
Here goes nothing.
My legs wobbled as I stood and cleared my suddenly dry throat. When five powerful gazes turned to me, I gripped the table’s edge, barely able to stand under their combined force. “Um, I just want to say that although it wasn’t my choice to come here, I support your cause. Breaking the curse will allow for the least amount of bloodshed, and I’ll do whatever I can to make that happen.”
Freaking fates, this was so much harder than I thought it would be. Just rip off the bandaid and get it over with, Kenna! I plowed ahead before I could lose my nerve. Or pass out.
“I-I didn’t grow up in the supernatural world, but I’ve come to understand a few things about it. Which is why I’d like to make a deal of my own in exchange for my full cooperation. First, I want Noah Andrews to be set free.” I didn’t miss the shocked look on Clarice’s face. “Second, I want the freedom to roam the castle as I please. No being treated like a prisoner. And third, I want Lochlan to teach me how to control my abilities. I-if he agrees to, that is.”
The room exploded in protest the moment I sat back down, my legs unable to hold me any longer.
Everett was the loudest, of course, outraged that I’d have the gall to demand anything at all. Troy was the most upset about me having freedom to roam the castle at will, and Clarice kept asking about Noah. Lochlan was silent, but the moment I sat down again, I felt his pride warm my insides.
When the room eventually quieted, all eyes went to the king, who also hadn’t spoken. He continued to stroke his chin, studying me thoughtfully. “Is that all?” he simply said, lifting a brow.
I squeezed my thighs together, worried that any second now, he’d laugh in my face. Then probably throw me in a cell next to Noah. “I’d like some art supplies. And I don’t want to be killed if I fail to break the curse. I promise that I’ll try my hardest to free you all. I won’t try to escape. Just . . . please don’t kill me.”
He stilled. My heart rate skyrocketed. Crap, I’d asked for too much. He hated me, so of course he wouldn’t agree to this. I was already at his mercy, so why would he feel inclined to accommodate me?
He suddenly smiled. Not in a congenial way, but in a disconcerting “I’m on to you, witch. Tread very very carefully” way. So it was all the more shocking when he leaned forward and replied, “I say deal. What say the rest of you?”
A chorus of “absolutely not” and “no way” came from Everett and Troy.
“Deal,” Lochlan said, which earned me a hateful glare from Everett.
“Clarice?” Ambrose inquired, and all eyes turned to the headmistress.
I held my breath, uncertain how she would vote. I still didn’t know what her endgame was, and I was pretty sure she had one.
“Deal,” Clarice replied after a moment. Nautilus cawed as if in agreement. “But with one stipulation. I want Mr. Andrews to act as my emissary. He’ll keep an eye on Kenna for me while she resides here and report to me with any progress. After that, he may go free. Unfortunately, the moment he steps foot off this island, he will be excommunicated. But I might be able to convince the elders not to bind his magic if he completes this final task I’m asking of him.”
“How?” I said sharply, not hiding how much I distrusted her. “How do I know you’re not just saying what I want to hear? How do I know the elders will listen to you? How do I know they’d even approve of this deal you’ve made with King Ambrose?”
She smiled at me almost sadly. “Because I am one, Kenna. I’m an elder.”
* * *
Because I am one.
She was one of them. Clarice Mayweather was a freaking elder. I should have known somehow. I should have seen it, even though I knew so little about them. I trusted her even less now, making that abundantly clear the entire rest of the evening.
The meeting had ended somewhat amicably, with the king agreeing to release Noah from his cell in the morning, provided he adhere to a list of house rules. Clarice had portaled back to the academy, with promises that she’d return for future meetings. I’d been allowed to walk the halls on my own as promised, but instead of revelling in my newfound freedom by exploring the dozens and dozens of rooms, I’d hurried to my bedroom.
Hours later, I turned from the fire crackling in the ornate marble fireplace and finally readied for bed. Nothing short of complete exhaustion would allow me to sleep tonight though. There were too many things troubling me. Like how Clarice had glanced at the king when I’d mentioned my parent’s murder, not even denying my accusation. Like how Lochlan had stopped his father from telling me about his past. I knew he had demons—everyone did—but the longer he protected me from them, the more frustrated I became.
Was he really protecting me, or was he protecting himself from me?
I riffled through the dresser drawers the maid had stored my things in, searching for the shirt Lochlan had let me “borrow.” I hadn’t given it back, of course, knowing that I’d need it in moments like this. The second I found it, I greedily inhaled his lingering scent before slipping it on. The small comfort instantly soothed my harried emotions, and I felt some of the tension drain out of me.
Allowing myself a fleeting moment of whimsy, I switched my focus from the many things I couldn’t control to something I could. I touched my lips and recalled every last detail of the kiss I’d shared with Lochlan.
A kiss that had been nothing short of magical.
I’d been kissed a few times before by inexperienced boys with sloppy lips. But Lochlan was all man with more than a little experience. His expertise never made me feel inept though. In reality, his confidence boosted my own, making me feel sensual and desirable. And when he’d kissed me . . .
The world had literally ceased to exist.
Nothing mattered but the feel of our skin touching. It was everything, the only thing that made sense in the world. It was want and happiness and home.
Lochlan had been right. All I had to do was focus on what I wanted and my abilities could be controlled. I’d wanted nothing more than to feel his lips on mine, so I’d made it happen. And now that I’d had a taste, there was no going back. I’d master my abilities if it was the last thing I did, all so that we could kiss again. And again. And again.
A dopey smile tugged at my lips. Yup, I had it bad. Lochlan D’angelo had utterly bewitched me.
Sighing, I fell back onto the bed. As the mattress hugged my body like a freaking cloud, I blinked up at the dimly-lit crystal chandelier, wishing we had met under different circumstances. I blinked again, remembering when Kade had said that very same thing not too long ago. Tears blurred my vision. I missed him terribly. He would have no doubt defused the tension in the room this evening with a few inappropriate jokes.
But thinking about him only made me think of Isla and the fact that I hadn’t mourned her yet. Not properly anyway. As a tear escaped my eye, I almost let myself fall apart. It was time. If I didn’t let myself grieve for her loss, I’d never start to heal. But Lochlan had said he’d try to visit me later tonight, so I wrestled the tears under control once again and closed my eyes.
At the sound of the door handle turning, I jerked awake. Surprised that I’d actually dozed off, it took me a moment to orientate myself. The fireplace still blazed cheerily, so I hadn’t been asleep for long. When a tall, dark figure with blazing red eyes silently entered the room, I smiled sleepily. “You came.”
As
he slowly closed the door and locked it without saying a word, my smile faltered. Unease shivered up my spine.
“Lochlan?” I sat up to better see him, and when I did . . .
Fear roared through me and I shot off the bed.
“Hel—!” I started to scream, but a gloved hand covered my mouth before I could finish. I immediately put up a fight, searching for any inch of exposed skin. But he’d come prepared. The only skin left unprotected was his face.
The second I reached for it, he shoved me, so hard that I crashed into the dresser. A glass vase shattered, and the ornate clock tipped over, emitting a dull gong. Before I could pick myself up, fingers gripped my throat. He slammed me against the wall where Lochlan and I had shared our first kiss.
I tried to call for help again, but his fingers dug into my windpipe, effectively cutting me off. When I desperately used my enhanced strength to kick out at him, he repaid my efforts by shoving up against me, rendering my legs useless. Before I could reach for his face again, he locked both my wrists together in a punishing grip.
My mouth opened in a silent cry of pain, but he didn’t let up.
“You’re terrible at making deals, just like that power-hungry Darken,” Everett hissed in my ear. Goosebumps erupted over my skin. “You want freedom? Well that means no guard at your door to protect you. This is what happens when you get greedy. When you play us all for fools. But I am no fool. I can see right through you, little sorceress. And every time you step out of line, I will be here to remind you of your place.”
My ears started to ring as the oxygen slowly left my brain. I ceased struggling, focusing my efforts on forcing precious air into my burning lungs.
Everett suddenly released an enraged growl. “You’re wearing my brother’s shirt?”
Horror filled me as he grabbed the collar and tore the material from my body with one swift jerk. Tears of humiliation burned my eyes when he exposed my bare breasts.
Curse Touched: A Paranormal Vampire Romance (A Touch of Vampire Book 2) Page 24