4-Ever Cursed (4-Ever Hunted Book 2)

by Kasi Blake

  The lady of the house to appear. Baxter made a face at him through the glass, showing her annoyance at his unscheduled visit. She opened the terrace door with obvious reluctance. Her lips parted on a weary sigh. “What do you want, Patrick?”

  “We need to talk.”

  “About?”

  “Let me in.” Trick gestured to his house. “I don’t want anyone to see me here. Come on.”

  After rolling her eyes, she stepped to the side and allowed him to enter her home. They walked to her office without saying a word. He took his usual spot on the couch, but she remained standing. After closing the door even though no one else was home, Baxter folded her arms and demanded an explanation. “What’s so important that you had to see me this morning?”

  He opened his mouth but stopped when he realized he didn’t know what to say. How much should he tell her? The fact was, he didn’t know if he could trust her. Her husband had worked with Bash, but that didn’t mean Baxter was aware of the guy’s secret identity. Trick would be surprised if anyone knew beyond Jersey Clifford.

  He absently played with the red leather bands on his wrist and entered the conversation with caution. “How long have you known Bash?”

  “This again? I told you to stay away from Sebastian for your own good.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Why?”

  “He’s got tunnel vision when it comes to hunting, and he would throw you to the wolves... or vampires without hesitation if he thought it might work to his benefit.”

  Trick studied her face, especially her eyes. Crinkled at the edges and filled with years of wisdom, they stared right back. She seemed sincere. There wasn’t a trace of deceit in those eyes at the moment. Taking a chance, he blurted out, “Bash is Oberon in disguise.”

  She didn’t blink.

  “You knew!” Trick jumped off the couch. “Are you working with him?”

  “Of course not.” She leaned against her desk. “John and I met Sebastian years ago when he was just a normal guy with an alcohol problem and a line of angry ex-wives. One day he was... different. John didn’t notice, but I did. I knew a powerful faerie had slipped into his skin. It took a while for me to figure out that faerie was Oberon.”

  “Why didn’t you tell somebody? Your hunter friends? John?”

  She shrugged her bony shoulders beneath the green silk blouse. “Truthfully? I was hoping to use the information to my advantage.”

  “How did you know when no one else did?”

  She smirked. “Haven’t you figured it out yet? I was a werewolf, one of the few female werewolves in existence.” Her voice overflowed with pride. “Woman’s intuition or werewolf instinct, doesn’t matter which. I knew he wasn’t Bash anymore, and to my knowledge the only thing that can wear a man like a suit is a faerie.”

  Trick swallowed. He put as much distance between them as the small room would allow. Stopping near the window on the opposite wall, he asked, “If you’re a werewolf, why did you marry a hunter?”

  “I’m smart, and I wanted to hide in plain sight. John’s group never suspected a thing. Every once in a while I killed one of them for sport. Still, they didn’t catch on. Then everything changed.”

  Her eyes narrowed to malicious slits.

  Was she messing with him? A veteran hunter like John Foster couldn’t be married to a werewolf and not know it.

  “Sounds risky,” he said.

  Baxter shrugged. “I’m a patient woman.”

  “Why are you telling me this?”

  “I want you to trust me.”

  He sniffed the air. “You don’t smell a werewolf.”

  “Use your ears, not your nose. I was a werewolf. Your brother and his friends got rid of the first of our kind, and the rest turned mortal. You have no idea how alone I felt after that.” Her voice grew wistful, and she blinked back tears. “To my surprise, I fell in love with John Foster. He was a wonderful man, the best, and he took good care of me. We took care of each other.”

  A tremor ran the length of Trick’s body as he once again questioned his own reality. What had happened to his life? He was living with vampires; there was a werewolf teacher at school; his dad’s best friend was possessed by the king of faeries; his shrink used to be a werewolf. Oh yes, and his adoptive parents, people he’d gone to great length to protect, paid hunters to hunt.

  “It’s not a coincidence that you live next door to me.”

  Baxter smiled. “When I heard you were the son of Ian Carver and that you might have some dark power, I volunteered my family to watch yours. I suspected Oberon would want to know your location, and he is the only one capable of returning me to my former glory.”

  Trick blinked at her, calm on the outside while his insides were in turmoil. “You told Oberon I was here.”

  “I told Jersey Clifford.” She wagged a finger in the air. “Then he made a deal with Oberon for himself so he could be a werewolf again. He left me out of the bargain completely and took that stupid Isobel with him instead.”

  “Sucks to be you,” Trick said while glancing around the room for a weapon. He hadn’t thought to bring anything with him, not even a stake tucked into his waistband. If she attacked, he only had his fangs to defend himself with.

  “I know I played a part in bringing Oberon here,” she said. “But I am no longer a werewolf. I don’t have any hidden powers. I have no reason to lie to you or to betray you. In fact, I would like to help you destroy Oberon.”

  Trick clenched his teeth to keep a scathing retort in his mouth. Betrayal from people close to him made it harder to trust. Perhaps he was paranoid, but he had been burned too many times. No way was he trusting her. “What do you think you could do to help without any powers?” he asked.

  “I will tell John’s group about Bash. They’ll descend upon him with every weapon and magical trick in their arsenal. If anyone can kill him, they can.” She smiled at him, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Would you like that, Patrick? Would you like to stay out of the battle altogether?”

  He loved a good fight and wanted to be known worldwide by vampires. However, he needed to be alive to enjoy the fame and glory. He did wonder one thing though. “What do you want in return?” he asked. “Must be something. You’ve kept quiet for this long. Why send the hunters after Oberon now?”

  Her fists clenched, and her eyes filled with tears. “He killed my husband. I’m sure of it. John was too good to let his guard down, but Bash was an old friend.” She let out a derisive snort. “Oberon doesn’t have to touch a person to kill them. He is the only one that could have done the deed, and I swear he will pay.”

  Trick agreed.

  Baxter added, “If you want to take him on yourself, I will hold off the group. They can always kill him after you’ve tried and failed.”

  “I enjoy a challenge, but I’m not an idiot.”

  A gleam entered her eyes. “What happened to the arrogant boy who was so sure he could destroy a Shadow Faerie on his own? Don’t tell me he’s actually growing up?”

  As usual, he had no idea what Baxter wanted. Was she taunting him? Baiting him? Did she want him to go after Oberon and get killed? Or did she truly want to help him take down the faerie king?

  As he opened the door, she said, “All you have to do is lay low for a while. Let John’s group take care of him.”

  With a brief nod, he left her office and her house.

  For a moment his gaze rested on his own home. Was Laura inside? He had no idea if she missed him or not since he’d refused to answer his cell when she called. He didn’t read her texts either. His heart ached for his former life, his former family. Sean would never let him back in the house again. He needed to deal with the reality of the situation.

  Time to move on.

  ♫

  Trick walked the downtown strip after dark. Tourists moved out of his way as if they sensed a dangerous aura enveloping him. Or maybe it was because he walked faster than anyone else. A blast of warm air hit him as he passed an open casino d
oorway. The sound of people losing money, a harmonic blend of slot machines and music filled the air. He glanced at every face that passed him by. How many vampires were on the prowl tonight?

  A horn honked. He didn’t have to glance over his shoulder to know who was at the wheel. He had sent Bash a text asking to see him. They had things to talk about. The jeep swerved his way and braked. He jumped inside without hesitation.

  “They’ve all turned on me,” Trick said, putting his plan in motion. “Even my parents.”

  Now that he knew Oberon was walking around in Bash’s skin, it made things easier. If he was clear that all his loved ones hated him, Oberon wouldn’t lift a finger to hurt them.

  The man he had known as Bash drove a couple blocks before asking, “What did you do to turn them against you?”

  “Details aren’t important. I messed up. They’re pissed.” Trick shrugged. “Guess the bond between adoptive parents and adopted kids isn’t as strong as blood.”

  “So you have no one to turn to, no one to help you in your battle with Oberon?”

  Was that hope he heard in the faerie king’s voice?

  “I have you.” Trick looked straight at the traitor without flinching. “Right?”

  “Yes.” Bash grinned in the cab’s dark interior, a flash of white teeth. “You have me.”

  They drove on in silence.

  Trick used the time to plan his next move. The faerie king was clever, so he had to be cautious. If he pushed too hard, he’d give himself away.

  Bash took him to their usual place to train: an empty expanse of land on the edge of town just below the hills leading to Virginia City. Neither of them made a move to get out of the jeep. Trick glanced at the mysterious man in the driver’s seat. What was he thinking? What was he planning?

  Lights in the distance showed the location of several casinos. Usually, that was where the action was, but not tonight. A year ago Trick would have been at the center of it, hunting vampires with Scarlet by his side. Hard to believe how much difference a handful of months made.

  “Which weapon would you like to train with tonight?” Bash asked.

  Trick had other ideas. “Let’s battle. You and me.” When Bash raised an eyebrow, Trick added, “I just want to satisfy my curiosity, see how much better you still are than me.”

  “I’ve wondered about that very thing myself, how long it would take me to kick your butt. You’re smaller than me, but you’re clever. Do you have the Sugar Bomb on you?”

  Should he admit it?

  Trick held his breath and ping-ponged between answers. The faerie king might be able to sense the Bomb. If he lied, Bash could put the clues together. If he figured out Trick knew he was Oberon, he’d lose his advantage.

  “Yes,” Trick admitted. He shrugged as if it didn’t matter. “Want me to leave it in the jeep?”

  Now it was Bash’s turn to agonize over an answer. He might be worried about giving his secret away if Trick was holding extra power. No doubt the faerie king wanted the game to continue for as long as possible. Maybe he even had a big reveal planned that was designed to shock Trick to his core.

  “You should leave it behind while we fight,” Bash finally said. “This is just a battle for fun, right? I mean, we aren’t trying to kill each other.”

  Not yet. Trick heard the words in his head. He wondered if Bash/Oberon was thinking the same thing.

  “Yeah,” Trick agreed. “Just for fun.”

  “Leave it.”

  Trick hesitated. If the fight turned real, he would need all the help he could get. But Bash would be able to tell if he held onto the powerful weapon. Was keeping it worth the risk?

  Instead of climbing out of the jeep, Bash watched him. Did the faerie king already suspect something had changed between them?

  Trick removed the Bomb from his jacket pocket and set it on the dashboard. He went to the field without glancing over his shoulder to see if Bash was coming. He prepared for the fight like an athlete getting ready for competition, stretching first.

  Bash just stood there, arms crossed over his wide chest and a grin on his face.

  A small gust of wind blew down from the hills. Headlights in the distance warned of oncoming cars. There were four of them. That road wasn’t used often, especially at night. One car would have been a surprise, but four?

  Trick looked at the faerie king to see if he was expecting company.

  Bash shrugged.

  As the vehicle in front, a familiar van, drew closer Trick recognized it. The van belonged to John Foster’s hunting group. True to her word, Baxter must have told them about Oberon. They hadn’t wasted any time. He needed to make a decision quick. Should he get involved, take part in the fight, or should he let them take on Oberon?

  They were professionals with the best weapons at their disposal, plenty of man power, and probably a whole team to research Oberon. If anyone knew how to kill the faerie king, it was them.

  Also, if Trick interfered, he might give his identity away. Then they would finish him as well. They wouldn’t care he was a good vampire. Like his father, they thought all vampires were evil.

  The four vehicles stopped in the middle of the road, and several hunters jumped out. They each carried at least two weapons, and they quickly surrounded Bash, trapping him in a circle.

  “What’s up?” Bash asked in a carefree tone.

  “We know what you are,” the one Trick called Gritty said.

  Another added, “You killed our friend Sebastian, and now we’re going to kill you.”

  Bash glanced at Trick and grinned. “You knew. Tell me, how did I give myself away?”

  Trick kept his lips clamped shut. No way was he admitting to having the power to see a person’s memories while the hunters were standing there. He shrugged instead of answering.

  “You do know I’m immortal, right?” Bash asked the hunters.

  A few of them grumbled, but one in the background spoke up. “Everything can be killed, even you.”

  “Give it a try,” Bash said.

  They attacked as a single entity with a shared mind. Swords sliced through the air, and guns fired. They even used a few fancy weapons Trick hadn’t seen before. It all happened so fast, a blur of motion. Bash didn’t try to evade them. He punched, kicked, and did some moves straight out of a Jackie Chan movie. Hunters repeatedly hit the ground; Bash stayed on his feet.

  The fight went on past the point of normal, human endurance. Energy ebbed. Fallen hunters struggled to stand. It was becoming obvious they couldn’t win the fight. Trick didn’t have a choice any longer. If he didn’t join the battle, the faerie king would outlive them all.

  Bash lifted a boot to stomp on a hunter’s face.

  Trick launched himself at the faerie king. They traded blows, lightning fast. At first Trick felt like he was doing a good job. Most of his hits landed even though some missed. He blocked Bash’s fists almost every time.

  Then Bash jumped into the air and kicked Trick in the face.

  The impact sent Trick flying backward. He tripped over uneven ground and landed hard on his butt. The breath was knocked from his body. He considered using vampire speed, his fangs, anything that might help. Maybe he should risk it all. The hunters might be so grateful he saved their lives they would leave him alone even though he was a vampire.

  A few hunters rushed Bash, intent on taking him down.

  Bash lifted his arms, and thunder rumbled overhead. Everyone else stopped what they were doing to gape at him. Some sort of golden rod was in his left hand. Lightning struck it. Bash shouted in a weird made-up sounding language, and the lightning went out from the rod in a multitude of directions.

  The hunters exploded as if blown up by strategically placed bombs. Blood rained down on the two remaining people and turned the ground red. At least a dozen drops landed on Trick, and Bash got drenched. He didn’t seem to notice or care. Maybe he even enjoyed it.

  Trick’s legs turned to gelatin. He stared at the carnage, horrifie
d by how easily the faerie king had killed an entire group of professional hunters. Now it was his turn. Bash would kill him for sure if he didn’t think fast.

  “You look sick,” Bash said, grinning. “And you want to be a hunter?”

  “You killed John Foster.”

  “Guilty.” Bash snickered. “I had so much fun messing with you. I was under your nose the whole time you were trying to figure out where and when I would strike. You confided in me. You trusted me, and I was laughing at you. I wanted to get close to you, but I knew you’d be suspicious if I made the offer to train you too soon. So I waited patiently, and I let you come to me.”

  Trick threw his arms into the air. “What are you waiting for? Kill me. We both know I can’t win a fight against you.”

  “I want the power that is inside of you, the faerie power your ancestors stole from my son. Little by little over the years your family drained him until the power seemed to be yours more than his. Then my Shadow Faerie led you to inherit the remaining power. He was supposed to bring you to me then so I could kill you and return the power to its rightful source. But you killed him first. You have no idea how angry that made me.”

  Jersey had the inherited power. The truth teased the tip of Trick’s tongue, begging to be exposed. He clenched his fists. He wanted to spill it all at Bash’s feet, but Jersey’s warning rang in his ears. If Oberon found out he didn’t have all the power, he’d kill him on the spot.

  Bash added, “You will battle me in the Faerie Realm so that when I kill you, the power will remain in my world.”

  “You need my consent,” Trick said. “But I won’t give it. I’m not going to your world, and I’m not fighting you.”

  Bash looked at him with an incredulous expression. “Oh, but you will. I will make you battle me.”

  “You’ll have to find me first.”

  Trick teleported to the mansion. He planned to say a quick goodbye to everyone before popping over to some foreign country. Oberon would follow him. He was sure of it. His family and friends would be safe because Oberon would be too busy chasing him all over the world to give them another thought. It wouldn’t do the faerie king any good to kill people Trick wasn’t in touch with anymore.